The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1901-06-28
BACCALAUREATE ADDRESS.
The Graduating Class Listened to Rev.
j. p. Warner Sunday Evening.

1
j. p. Warner Sunday Evening.
The members of the graduating class
formed no small part of the attraction
which drew as large crowd as could
get into the Methodist church Sunday
evening. 1t was the occasion of the an.
nual baccalaureate address to the men,
bers of the graduating class of the
Owosso high school and the relatives
and friends as far as possible of the
members of the class were there to show
their interest in them and to hear the
words which were addressed to them
The members of the junior class acted
as ushers On the pulpit platform sat
the Rev. Messrs. Warner, Lyon, Ament,
and Cooper, and Supt. E. L. Austin.
Principal l.. H. Wood and the other
teachers of the high school occupied
seats in the center and front of the
church with the senior class. The rest
of the church was crowded to the limit
of comfort by friends and others.
The visiting clergymen assisted in the
services, DR.. Ament Offering prayer,
Rev. Mr. Cooper reading the scripture
lesson, and Rev. Mr. Lyon pronouncing
the benediction. The sermon itself,
delivered by Rev. j. P. Warner offered
many thoughts for both the graduates
and those others who are not too old to
take an active part in life's duties, and
the thoughts were good ones.
He took as his text: For where your
treasure is, there will your heart be
al 'o," Matt. 6: 21. A synopsis is as
follows
) Not long ago | was in a southern
town where l was born and spent my
boyhood days. l met on the streets
many old acquaintance. By way OF
greeting | asked one how affairs were
with him. 80, the oil companies have
taken possession OF the country, and it
Is terrible. | am tired of this sort Of
life." moment later / met another
and said. How are you? How is the
world treating you?" "All right" he
replied; Business is good. The town is
booming, every thing is all right" |
thought how much more cheerful this
man is than the other. 1t is good to
have a cheerful interest in life. The man
who has such interest adapts himself to
the world and uses it. He selects the
best that life offers, and when the sky is
gloomy he lives in hope OF brighter days.
Cheerful interest in life arises when the
mind finds the object OF it's search or
feels that it is on the right track.
The heart must be moved before we
become greatly interested and before we
can interest others. There are many
things which move the heart OF man.
One mans heart is moved and his inter
est aroused by money. Another mans
heart is moved and his interest aroused
by books. Another man s heart is moved
and his interest aroused by art. Another
mans heart is moved and his interest
aroused by the thought OF his RESPONSE
bility to God, and the prospect OF life
to come.
Interests aroused and pursued reveal
the character. One OF the most wealthy
men who lived in New York some years
ago, used to be heard by his servants as
he tossed, night after night, on his bed:
80, God wonder when It will be morn
ing" He could have commanded, the
next day, millions OF dollars, but he was
a pauper in spirit. He loved nobody,
and nobody loved him. He went about
gritting his teeth when he remembered
how his heirs were swearing because he
lived so long. His character was utter
ly barren OF every thing that was good
and uplifting and God.l like. But a man
does not need millions OF dollars to
reveal his character. He needs only to
put his heart into money getting, and
the world will see In him a money grub.
Der with muck-rate. He may not have
much money, and yet his very soul takes
on the ring OF gold and silver. Money
is his treasure. His interest is there; his
heart is there.
The thought l wish to lay emphasis
on is that the best wealth, the wealth
in which every one should invest his
interest is the wealth that grows out OF
faith and love and obedience to God.
This investment is open to rybody on
the same terms. Nobody has a corner
on it, and no trust or syndicate or pro-
moter can ever get exclusive control OF
it go as to shut out the poorest OF Code
children. Ii q man had chance to pick
up diamonds, and instead he filed his
pockets with marbles, you would agree
that he was q foolish man. But when
a man has a chance to enrich himself in
iaithi and love and obedience to God,
diamonds that will shine and brighten
through all eternity, and yet gives his
heart to this short lie, he, too, is
foolish man.
Life in this world can only be carried
on successfully at the cost OF q heart
struggle. Life In this world is not
holiday excursion. l do not mean to
say that picnics and holiday excursions