Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-06-23
.CONY HIGH SCHOOL,
Congregational Church Well
Filled, Last Evening.
Rev. Norman McKinnon Preached
BaccaIaureate Sermon.
An Eloquent Discourse Listened 20
With Interest.

IN
High school opened yesterday. Thi.
event, to which all the students lool
forward through their entire course
with pleasing anticipation, began witt
the Baccalaureate sermon, preachn,
by Rev. Norman McKinnon of the
Congregational church, last evening.
The church was well filled, nearly
every seat being occupied. The alumni
of the school turned out in large nun.
bers and the directors of the school
We're present. The class, which mum
bers q, occupied seats in the front OF
the church.
i The usual Sunday morning order of
I service was used. The music was by
! the regular choir of the church ana
consisted of two beautifully rendcre!
anthems and the responses. Rev. c.
a. Hayden of the Universalist church,
offered prayer, and the Scriptures were
read by Rev. Mr. Mckinnon
Mr.. McKinnon took for the subject
of his sermon, THE Supreme Import
ance of Christian Character" His text
was from l Timothy, 4: IS, Take heed
unto myself" He spoke in the inn
| pressiVe and eloquent manner or
which he is noted and his sermon
/ elected much favorable comment from
all who heard it. He spoke substan-
tally as follows:
| The two letters addressed to limo
| thy are usually called Pastoral
E,pistles. They We're written by Paul,
| the aged pastor TO Timothy, the young
minister. Paul stands as the symbol
of old age; Timothy is the embody-
ment of ambitious youth. Paul has
| reached the end of earth's pilgrimage,
| and the time of his departure is at
| hand; Timothy stands on the threshold
| of life and is on the verge of assuming
| responsibility. The two pictures stand
| out in bold relief on the spiritual cam
| Vass-Youth and Old Age; the Father
| and the Son. The father is bidding
| farewell to the world; the son is step
| ping into the footprints of the father.
| Paul, the hero of the cross embodes
| the rich achievements of the past;
| Timothy, the heir of all the ages, is
| the promise and potency of the future.
| To the aged Paul let our salutation be:
Well done good and faithful servent.
| 10 young Timothy let us sound a
| clarion call; God speed; take heed I'M
| TO myself.
A true father hopes the highest for
| his son. Our grandsires cherish great
expectations when they behold youth
stepping into the vacant places.
| Moses, the man Of God, blessed the
| children of Israel before ascending the
| lonely mountain. Elijah, the prophet
| of Jehovah, prays that a double por-
| ton of his spirit may remain with
| Elisha. Before receiving the crown
| of righteousness Paul, the pioneer of
| the Christian religion, was eager to
| impart words of comfort and inspira-
| ton to young Timothy. The young
| man Timothy was fired by laudable
| ambition to stand in the front ranks
| of Christ's loyal armies, and his aged
| friend Paul was intensely ambitions
| to have him stand there. For the pur-
| pose of helping him realize the ideal
which they both cherished he gave
| him this motto of life: Take heed
unto Thyself." When self is made
right everything will be right, thy
doctrine thy loves, thy power with
| God ana man, thy reputation and thy
| life. In the words of Shakespeare;
This above all, to thine own self be
true, ana it must follow as the night
the day, thou canst not then be false
TO any man"
And in the words of Pope: Know
| then myself, presume not God to scan.
| The proper study of mankind is man."
THREE GUIDING PRINCIPLES.
Tnelc aie tlrec principles which
| govern cy,Jy -rious life: Love to
| cod. love On man. and love to self.
| Low, Ia Goa lilts the life Of the spirit.
| Love to nlun eniarge- tlr heart. Love
| to self sweetens the VIII de of life.
Keen thc bearings OF these three prin-
cipl,s Nrli oiled, for all our social
| wealth ana civilization are the result
of the harmonious workings of love
| to GOD, love to man, and love to self.
We are constantly urged to love
| God. The favorite text of many q
preacher of the Gospel is: Love the
| Lord thy God with all thy heart and
with all thy soul and with all thy
strength and with all thy mind" This
is right and proper. for the spirit of
| devotion to the divine principle in the
universe should be cultivated.
We often hear appeals from the
| pulpit in the interest of social service
| calling upon us to reveal our devotion
to our neighbors by deeds of self-sac
rifice. This is proper, too, for we look
forward into the future and cherish
and hope that
| Man to man the world DER
| Shall britherS be fur awe that"
| Seldom are we urged TO make the
| most of self The eyes of the soul are
| trained to look upward and outward
| but not inward. The base of the tri-
angle is allowed to be dormant.
| CHRIST IAN CHARACTER OF ST.
PREME IMPORTANCE.
Nothing is of greater importance in
the world than a Christ formed life.
Better than any picture ever painted.
or any book ever written. or any song
| ever sung is a true type of Christian
character In the worlds column of
| daily wants there is a standing adj
vertisement which reads: Wanted-A
man with character.
What is character? Character is
i principle worked out: character is
creed in life; character is doctrine in
practice; character. is the essential
i flavor of man. Character is the inn
j press upon man, the spiritual quality
of man, the moral tone of man. A
mans character is inseparable from
himself A mans reputation is out