The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1902-06-07
COMMENCEMENT
EXERCISES
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Grafton delivered by Carl l.. Ray,
at the High School commencement:
History is a great romance. Fancy
and reality are blended in almost i'm
perceptible gradation. The true ami
the false play through such mystical
sights that the one seems scarcely dis
tinguished from the other. But with
all its varying accidents, the record
of nations is a story of the triumph
III substance over mere shadow; Is
one great lesson is that the right must
ultimately prevail Babylon, IN her
glosy, vaunted layishment OF gran
lieur OF which Athens never dreamed
But while the Oriental power passed
away almost to oblivion. the queen
city OF Greece sprang anew from its
ashes. to live throughout all time
state is true and permanent only rs
ITS institutions and outward develop
ment are the expression of an inner
spirit answering to the highest prin-
ciples of the soul. II a nation back
this deeper life. II 1t be animated by
no nobier sentiments than mere ma
terial ambitions. its glories are as
transient as the golden tints of sun
set.
And this is the verdict rendered
against American civilization In IT,
the critics tell us materialism has
conquered. Our life is one of out
ward enjoyment. and our desires are
of the factory and the counting house.
Great ayaricious. sensuous,' Amer
lea has written her fate with that pr
Babylon Her sky already glows with
fhe meme, meme" OF impending ruin;
her doom is sealed And no one will
gainsay the material greatness If
America Indian dreams have no place
in her life Her history is a miracle
of practical progress The treasures
9f commerce and industry have been
bestowed with lavish hand Prosper
ity abounds in riches and luxury such
as no other peopl eever knew But
does this mean only a second Nine
veh? Is there nothing deeper than
she gilded surtacef Do the eternal
principles OF love and beauty. and OF
truth have no part in this civilization?
let history answer Was Il love of
Eold that stirred the hearts 1f .ho col
snists to shake on the shaclSles OF
tyranny and stand forth in the glory
of their free manhood? Was It desire
Tor comfort that caused the nation to
rise against the curse OF slavery, and
proclaim all men. by divine right. free
and equalg Is It the dedication Of
wealth that has made II possible for
poverty to claim the highest honors Of
Ele land. and for every man 70 stand
by no other criterion than that Of N.
dividual worth? Is It love OF luxury
that has founded crusades for temper
ance and conceived schemes for
worldly evangelization? Is II thoughts
OF gold that have established free edu-
cation and freedom in religion; thu I
have emancipated woman that have
formed visions of eternal peaceg
There are principles n this nations
nfe deeper than any ayarice and in
these we find the true soul, the real
ground work OF American civilization.
elimmering bubbles they appear but
eternity has stamped them for her
own. they viii endure.
when seas shall waste. when skies
to smoke decay
Rock fall to dust and mountains
melt away"
The hattie cry OF the Revolution
was Liberty" From the old rock
of the Pilgrims its fun, clear note
sounded long before. and independ.
enee was but its necessary out come
With this nations birth the individ-
ual was first enabled 90 claim HIS
sovereignty. the principle Of freedom