Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-06-26
TALMAGE
SERMON
By Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TALMACE, DID,,
Pastor Of Jefferson Park Presby-
terrain Church, Chicago

Chicago, June 22.-Timely words Of
advice and encouragement to young
men and women who in these summer
days are graduating from college are
given by Rev. Frank De Witt Talmage
In this discourse Oh the text Numbers
vi, "a, THE Lord bless thee"
Last week I received an invitation.
1t came from one Of the large colleges
Of the east, and It read thus: THE
president, trustees and faculty Of
Princeton university request the pleas
ure of your company at the exercises
to be held during commencement
week." That was all the wording the
square card had on 1t. yet those
twenty-three words had for me an
absorbing interest.
That invitation attracted me be-
cause 1t was sent by one of my old
Sunday school scholars. As held the
square card in my hand l seemed to
be standing again in the sacred room
of the dear old Second Presbyterian
church In Pittsburg. 1 could see this
young man, then a little boy in short
trousers, sitting at the feet of his
teacher. l could hear the sweet young
voices singing the old songs we always
loved to sing. AS read between the
lines of that invitation l solloquized:
How time does slip away. My Sun
day school scholar is now a grown
man. Willie's name has been changed
to William. He is no longer q child.
Graduating from one of the greatest
universities of the world, he is about
to step forth to the battle of life n
fully equipped recruit. He is about to
take his position by my side in the
ranks. We must hereafter look upon
each other as brothers."
Then as l still read that invitation
my study room changed again.
seemed to be a thousand miles away.
| was walking through the long cor
ridors of memor . 1t seemed to me as
though l had lone back to the time
when I myself, gowned and capped.
was marching with the senior class to
participate in the scenes attending my
own graduation. The classmates who
were then seated by my side have all
scattered. Some are ministers, some
lawyers, some doctors, some electri-
clans, some merchants and some SOL
diers. They are living in the north
and the south, the east and the west.
Some are dead. That graduation scene
was a sad time for many of us. Col
lege affections are very strong We
young men knew that we should never
be to each other the same again.
Then, as l sat in the quietude Of my
study with the hopes and anxieties of
my own graduation day passing in re-
view before me, said to myself, Il
wonder if some of the young people
whom know and love who are grad
uating from school or college this June
month would not like me to come and
sit by their side and tell them what
the commencement exercises truly
mean In their lives" l wondered as |
sat there holding that invitation in my
hand If I could not at this critical time
Of their lives say something to inspire
them, to nerve them and to encourage
them not only with faith in themselves.
but also with faith in God, and
bowed my head over that white invita-
ton and made this simple, earnest
prayer: 80 God, help me to say some
thing that may be helpful to the young
people who are graduating this spring
and about to buckle on the armor Of
life. o Christ, may be able to bring
my young friends nearer to thee, so
thou shalt bless them. May this plea
he answered In the noble lives of these
young men and women, which shall be
consecrated to thee and thy service.
For Jesus sake I ask it. Amen"
A Word of CongratulatiOn.
congratulate the young men and
women who are graduating from the
different higher institutions this June
because now the financial struggle
which many have undergone for the
sake Of an education is practically
over Here and there young man
who receives college diploma may be
the son of a rich father. He may have
had during his scholastic career no am
blton; he may have gone through
school and college merely because his
rich parents compelled him to go; he
may have spent most Of his time in
idleness and only worked enough to
just slip through the different exam
nations by what is known in college
as "cramming" with the aid Of tutor.
But such a young man does not repre-
sent the great mass of college gradu-
ates. For most young men and women
the acquiring of higher education
has been struggle, an awful tlnan-
cial struggle. Most of the college grad
yates come from humble homes, and
the education Of these young men and
women represents intense sacrifice last
ing through many years not only on
their own part. but also on the part of
their loved ones.
Let us study as an illustration the
past life Of that young man who this
year Is graduating at the head Of his
class at Yale or Harvard or the Uni
versity of Michigan or the University
of Nebraska. In all probability he was
born in farmhouse. The family was
comparatively poor. In raising enough
money to send him to college his moth
er broke down her health; his sisters
for years have taught school or worked
In the factory to put him there; the IA
ther to put him there, dismissed the
! hired man who once helped upon the
farm; the boy himself has had to ring
J the chapel bell, to work during the hot