Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1902-06-28

men and women who in these summer
days are graduating from college are
given by Rev. Frank De Witt Talmage
in this discourse on the text Numbers
vi. a. The Lord bless thee"
Last week | received an invitation
If cume from one of the large colleges
Vt the east. and ii read thus: The
president, trustees and faculty or
Princeton university request the pleas
ure of your company at the exercises
/ to be held during commencement
week" That was all the wording the
souare card had on it, yet those
twenty-three words had for me an
absorbing interest.
That invitation attracted me be-
cause it was sent by one OF my ola
Sunday school scholars. AS held the
sauare card in my hand seemed 10
be standing again in the sacred room
of the dear old Second Presbyterian
church in Pittsburg. | could see this
Young man, then a little boy in short
trousers. sitting at the feet of his
teacher. could hear the sweet young
voices singing the old songs we always
loved to sing AS | read between the
lines of that invitation | sollloqulzed:
"How time does slip away! My Sun
day school scholar is now a grown
man. Willie's name has been changed
70 William. He is no longer child.
Graduating from one Of the greatest
universities of the world. he is about
TO step forth to the battle of life a
fully equipped recruit. He is about 10
take his position by my side in the
ranks. We must hereafter look upon
each other as brothers"
Then as | still read that invitation
nv study room changed again.
seemed to be n thousand miles away
I was walking through the long cor
ridors of memory. 1t seemed to me a.
though had gone back to the time
when | myself, gowncd and capped
was marching with the senior class Il
participate in the scenes attending IN.
own graduation. The classmates wh'
were then seated by my side have al
scattered. Some are ministers. som
LAWYERS. some doctors. some electrl
clans. some merchants and some sol
diers. They are living in the mort
. and the south the east ana IN" Wes'
Some are dead. That graduation seen
was n sad time for many OF us. Col
lege affections are very strong w
Young men knew that we should neve
he TO each other the same again.
: ----1ien. as I sat in the quietude OF m
study with the hopes and anXioties Q
nv own graduation day passing III r'
, view before me. said to myself
wonder if some Of the youn% I'"opl
whom I know and love who are gra'
mating from school or college this Jun
month would not Ike me TO con-" IN
sit by their side and tell them Whi
the commencement exercises trul
mean in their lives" wondered as
sat there holding that invitation III III
hand if could not at this criticai 'ill
of their lives say something to inspll
them. to nerve them and to ehc"urai
I' them not ONLY with faith in themselVe
but also with faith in God ana
howcd NV head over that white invit
tion and made this simple, earhe
| nraver: 80 God, help me to say som
thing that may be helpful to the your
neonle who are graduating this sprlI
and about to buckle on the armor
life. O Christ, may be able to brli
nv young friends nearer to thee'
thou shalt bless them. May this pit
g be answered in the noble lives OF the
young men and women, which shali
consecrated to thee and thy serVl'
- For Jesus' sake ask it, Amen.
A Word of Congratuiation.
congratulate the young men a
women who are graduating from |
different higher institutions this Ju
hecause now the financial strugi
which many have undergone Tor |
sake of an education IS prac'ica
over. Here and there young III
who receives a college diploma may
the son of a rich father. He may Ia
had during his scholastic career 10 Il
hilton. ne may have gone throu
school and college merely because
rich parents compelled him to Go'
u may have spent most Of his Tune
jdleness and only worked enough
nd iust slim through tie different eXa
ID. nations by what is known I'D col''
rs ..cramming" with the aid OF tn'
Rut such young man does not rel
sent tbe great mass Of college Sra
- ates For most young men ana Won
the acquiring Of higher educa'
has been struggle. an aWful III
cial struggle Most of the college 81
uotos come from humble bones
the education of these young men
women represents intense sacrilice u
inc through many years not only
01C their own part. but also on the par
at their loved ones.
md LET lis study as an Illustration
past life Of that young man WHO
vear is graunating at the head OF
class at Yale or Harvard or the
versitv of Michigan or the Un'Ver
of Nebraska In all probability ne
horn in farmhouse. The family
9 comparatively poor In raising emo
~ money to send him to college his III
or broke down her health; his SIS
FOR wears have taught school or woT
n in the factor to put him there 'ne
U., ther. to pu. kim there, dismissed
hired man who once helped upon
farm; the boy himself has had 10
the chapel bell, to work during 'he
months of summer, to wait upon
college dining room table. to tutor D
ward students. to work night ana
IN order to stay there. Few pc
realize what the struggle OF gettil
college education means.
One day a classmate was 100
very blue and depressed. san
him: what is the matter? Has
thing gone wrong?" yes" be
swered, something has gone WI
and awfully wrong. You know ia
and mother do not dress very wen.