The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1901-06-20

cure the largest possibl culture. There
is danger of being satisfied with less
than the best. 1t is SO much easier to
stop at the hallway house OF mediocrity
rather than press on to the mountain
peak of excellence. The youth climbing
the natural bridge in Virginia to cut his
name above all others found when his
task was done, that he could not descend.
He must either climb to the top or fall
to the bottom. So with the building of
moral character; there is no place to
stop when once you have begun. You
must scale the height of excellence or
tumble ANONYMOUSLY to the bottom of
defeat!
Don't be afraid OF independence of
thought. Large culture means coming
up to, and passing beyond, all bound
aries. God has set no limitations to
truth, though men have. As in climb
ing a mountain on clear day, the
higher You 60 the wider becomes your
horizon, so in your moral and spiritual
culture. Independence means a. wider
yision-more valuable discoveries. 1t
has been truly said that there is no
greater crime than to stand between
man and his development; to take any
institution or law and fasten it around
his neck like collar, so that as he grows
and enlarges he presses against it till he
suffocates and dies" Independence
guided by the Spirit OF Truth, enters
truths deepest mines and brings up its
richest gems.
But perfection of culture is not attain
able on earth. have profound pity
for the poor mortal who, peering at HIM
self through the glass of his self-conceit,
thinks he sees perfect man. Some
time ago an artist died. In his studio
were many pictures-some well on to-
ward completion; others with only the
outlines family traced. So it is, / i'm
agine, with our moral graces. But in
the eternity of development to which we
60 the Great Artist, who now tries so
hard to guide our awkward fingers as
they bunglingly trace the divine Inca
ments upon the human cauvasses, will,
with patient longing inspire us, and
with master hand guide us, until the
graces now so feebly traced will stand
out in all the glory of perfection-the
human perfectly restored.
III. Stability of attitude is necessary
to excellence of conduct. Ii one wins in
the battle of life, gives the victory to
love over hate, to truth over error, he
must have courage If one would lift
others his own feet must be firmly set.
In its last analysis culture of character
is for ministry. God gives nothing to
us he does not bid us give to ALL Mr.
Beecher used to say whenever edu-
cation and refinement grow away from
the common people they are growing
toward selfshness, which is the monster
evil of the world. Men who walk on tip
toe all through life, holding up their
skirts for fear they will touch their fel-
lows, who are refined in feeling and who
ring all the bells of taste high up in their
own elfry where no one else can hear
them-these dainty fools are the great
est sinners OF all, for they use their
higher faculties to serve the devil with. ;"
In its upward march humanity always
waits for competent leaders. The lead
ers of the future are now being born and
trained. You may be among the num-
Der. But whether you are or not we
may know that the greatest man, the
greatest woman, are they who have
learned to obey the voice of the higher
nature. A manly man, a womanly wo-
man, are Gods greatest creations,
Gods largest inheritances come to the
world through His excellent ones. We
may be the channels through which
God shall send down to posterity stabil-
ity OF character, stability of purpose,
stability Of attitude, all grounded in and
fruiting with the graces of truth, purity,
love, faith, humility-they that shall
shine with greatest lustre in the day of
humanities' final coronation.
Young ladies and gentlemen of the
class OF 1901, you have come to the place
where two ways meet; you may stop
tal Il =
when they have completed the high
school course, or you may go on to more
splendid possessions gottenfrom acquain-
lance with Gods creations as they are
unfolded to our vision in the higher
courses of college and university. II lit
is possible to 90 ON with your school
x.ainsrn h. oil .,,oons IL. lolso..D