The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1902-06-07
c%oMMENoEMENT ExERcIsEs.

The thirty-third annual commence
ment of Central Female college wa
held at the opera house WEDNESDAY
morning. An audience composed o
our best citizens and a large number
of the friends and patrons of Itht
school from a distance, filed The
house, each one having a deep iDteresl
in the school, and a particular interest
in some event which was about to
transpire.
The stage was occupied by Presl-
dent Williams, Rev. j. S. Jenkins, OF
Springfield; Rev. Marvin T. Haw, OF
st. Louis, and the graduating class,
composed of Miss Ruth Della Young,
A. NJ; Miss Lima Burgner, B. L.;
Miss Ella Goodin, A. B Miss Marga-
ret Jane Smith, A. B.; Miss zada
Stanley, A. B., and Miss Margaret
Aull, a graduate 10 piano music.
The exercises were opened by an
invocation, by Rev. Marvin T. Haw.
Misses Norman and Lyons then sang
a pretty duet, "Cloudless Above the
Heavens" The selection was well
adapted to show the harmony of their
voices, and they filed the room with
melody.
President Williams, In a few words,
introduced Rev. J.. S. jenkins, A. M,
Of Springfield, Mo-, who delivered the
address to the graduating class.
Below we give a lengthy synopsis Of
his speech. His subject was, 1.-THE
Three Lessons Of Life" He said:
Life's three greatest lessons are
self-esteem, Self-control and self
surrender. They are not to be con-
sidered separately, but together; not
as three independent units, but as a
trinity. In speaking Of one Of them
we naturally think of the other two;
nor can we speak of one fully without
composing the meaning Of the others.
No two of them are quite sufficient to
meet our idea of life's greatest
duties, but the three together express
it. These ideas are interdependent as
the faculties Of the mind and inter-
laced as the nerves of the body.
II it be thought at first that the
ego is here unduly emphasized, we
shall see later on that duty to God
and man also have their place 10 this
trunce conception. "Take heed unto
myself" is the law Of nature and
reason, as well as Of inspiration.
There can be no o%uthowing until
there is an milling; no gift until
there is possession. Our quarrel with
men is not that they think too highly
but too basely of themselves; not
that they give too much but too little
care to self-culture.
"First to thyself be true
Then shalt thou not prove false to
any man"
At the outset we must realize that
these lessons are not learned by the
examining Of a day, but by the effort
and study Of a life time. The mental
picture Of the life OF self-esteem, self
control and self-surrender is crude at
first. It is rather 10 outline than
otherwise; more like a skeleton than
a man. This the mind must clothe
with flesh and blood, sinews, arteries
and muscles, refined tissue and deli
cate tint. Even this concept cannot
be perfected immediately but is the
work Of years, Notwithstanding one
may have a model before the eye.
Nor can desire outrun imagination.
The neart longs only for the good
that the mind sees. Even then are
affections often far behind what one
knowsis pest Peryerse nature offers
many objections and inducements to
divide our love. The Judgment may
approve but the heart sleeps over It's
privileges. II this be the case in
the matter Of understanding and
loving these lessons, how much
further behind is the choice Of our
Wills? We rebel at the idea and