The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-05-20
COMMENCEMENT
PEACE INSTITUTE
Rev. H. Tucker Graham the
Bacalaureate Sermon
EARNEST AND ELOQUENT
His heme Was The Debt of Woman
hood to Jesus of Galliles.
SPLENDID CLASS DAY EXERCISES
The Graduating Class AT Peace Excel Iham-
selves In Most Happy Affair
Aided BY All the Stu
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4:*s* \ X ~ !. $3.50
In words of beautiful imagery, pointing
out to the young women how best they
could offer loving and acceptable service
TO Jesus, the baecalaureate sermon of
1902 was preached Sunday before the stu
dents of Peace Institute.
The Presbyterian church was thronged
with an. eXpectant congregation. Into
it, just on the stroke of eleven, had
entered the students of Peace Institute,
whose costumes of the spring time sea-
son made their presence an inspiration
The deep notes of the great organ
pealed forth Whites lei Pastorale," rem
dered most eXqusitely by Prof ]. P.
BTawley, and as this ceased the united
voices of the congregation sang. Praise
God from Whom all blessings Flow" and
Il trio. "Lifb Up Thine Eyes" from
Elijah" was eXquisitely sung by three
members of the choir. made up of Peace
students, these being Misses Annie Salz-
man, III Danville, Va, Daisy Young and
Nina Green, of Raleigh
The Baccalaureate Sermon was preach
III.
the Presbyterian church at Fayetteville.
He read the lessons from the twelfth
chapter of john. and the thirteenth chap
ter of Paul's First Epistle to the Cor
inthians After an earnest prayer for
Gods blessings upon the people and upon
Peace Institute, and the singing of ''Cl.
Gould l Speak Thy Matchless WORTH DIR.
Eugene Daniel, pastor of the Presbyte-
oh tod Nv ho,,
one being no stranger in Raleigh, as he
had beeo heard here at other times with
great profit and pleasure.
The preacher took for his text the
third verse of the twelfth chapter of
John, wherein it is recorded of Mary
that she poured upon the head and feet
of her Lord the costly ointment in the
alabaster box, broken for this purpose.
The sermon preached was a fitting one,
and in it Mr.. Graham added to his al
ready brilliant reputation as a thinker
and a pulpit orator.
The talented divine began by telling
of that Bethany home, with it's blended
lights and shadows, where Jesus, loving
and beloved had ever found a welcome
and deep sympathy when weary and
tired he had come within it's peaceful
portals. Here" said the preacher He
had come on the eve of the crucifixion.
and here at supper took place the men,
orable scene described by John.
ITO grasp this unusual act of love on
the part of Mary it is necessary to con-
suit the habits and usages of the times.
The use of unguents by the people of
that day was for various purposes. These
were valued as of curative powers, and
as cosmetic, but the highest use was
found in a holy purpose. the conservation
of kings and priests whose induction into
office was marked by the use of such
ointment as Mary used on this occasion.
''The amounting of the head of q
guest with oil was not in itself unusual,
but through faith this incident became
the amounting with the oil of consecra-
ton of Him who was on the eve of MAX
ing the final sacrifice which made Him
the great high priest of his people.
Jesus accepted the offering Mary
made, and rebuked her not, even when
those about him made complaint of what
they considered the wastefulness OF the
act
Young ladies'" said the preacher, Il
would speak TO you this morning of the
af4sring of the broken alabaster box and
from this simple story of a Hebrew wo-
man have you catch her lofty spirit and
obtain from the telling the inspiration to
emulate her service.
Mary brought an alabaster box of
costly spikenard. and broke it on the
head and feet of Jesus. In this act there
are three things to be considered.
The first of these is that it was a
lavish gift The spikenard was a costly
gift. there was no shadow of stinginess or
cOvetousness. 1t was with a full heart
that she made her offering of love, count
ing not its cost. This lavishness has its
lesson in the character of the act, the
quality and the quantity of the valuable
unguent used. worth we'll nigh its weight