Mexico weekly ledger., 1902-06-05
A SPLENDID ADDRESS.
Rev. A. W. Kokendoffer Talks 70 the
Graduates Of the Mexico
high School.

nastor Of the Mexico Christian
Church, to the graduates OF the Mex
leo High school on Friday night, May
30. Rev. Mr.. Kokendotfer is a splen-
did speaker, entertaining, interesting
and instructive. His address In part
was as follows:
Dearly Beloved: Somehow as i
catch the inspiration OF the OCCASION
It's great audience, Its applause, It's
music and flowers and its addresses, OF
which we are all proud-somehow, l
am Impressed that this is no acciden-
tai hour, nor minor event TO us all.
Rather, you have purposed and sue
ceeded; congratulations. Its written
that the race Is not always to the
swift nor the battle TO the strong, but
may we add, youth and pluck and
brains are potent factors. Nor should
we fail to mention the guiding hands
of instructors, ever helpful agencies;
and il has become famed far and wide
that these at Mexico are not the least
among the mighty in lifting this State
educatlonally to the throne OF empire
among the commonwealths. But you
have succeeded and doubtless TO you
now all the worlds a stage and you
are the players. The curtain viii fall
soon, the audience will have 10 exit
then? Then will be the commence
ment Of your real life in the activities
OF the. world OF to-day. Or better,
e~nwrapped by this circle OF friends,
bathed in the spirit Of their applause
and overwhelmed by your own sue
success, you are being baptized anew
for the pleasures, responsibilities and
battles Of life. This is the meaning
Of the hour. In the pathway Of your
life many problems will confront you.
1 mention four with which you will
have to do.
First, health. 1t has been said
health is wealth. It's more. It's the
basis for wealth Of soul and mind, too,
as we'll for the sordid things Of earth.
It was Beecher who said: "He who
rules and leads must have brain and
will, but must have chest and
stomach, too" and Carlisle once in an
address to students said: "There is
no achievement in life like that Of per-
feet health'n It's also the basis Of
genius, for you remember in history
that when the gymnasium had devel-
oped each Athenian youth into an
athlete, a very Apollo In health and
strength, that then the feet Of the
Greek race ran most nimbly along the
paths Of literature and art and
philosophy. Master this problem,
young people, and be queensa and kings
over a qucenly and klngly body.
Second, the problem Of society. Here
there are two things you ought %
know. One is that society In which
you must play your part is the moldei
OF sentiment, and that society is
governed by the sentiment thus SELF
created, rather than by the decretals
OF church or state. Help In this prob.
lem and lift society TO higher plateaus
Of purity and health. Then again the
upper and neither mill stones OF society
are not so content with their adjust
ments as that from which we borrow
the figure. Conflicts and jars win
arise. How beautifully has it been
written, that II tomorrow conflict
should arise in grove or garden, and
the rose should strike its thorn into
the honeysuckle, or the violet from
its lovely sphere fling mire upon the
lily's whiteness, or the wheat lift its
stalk to beat down the barley, or the
oriole become jealous OF the larkis
sweet voice, or the thrush organize a
campaign against the mocking bird,
then w should have conflict in nature
TO answer the strife and warfare in
society. Your duty, then? Listen.
Leayened with the democratic spirit
Of our free public school system,
armed with the grasp and power Of
It's instruction, and discipled by the
mastery Of every problem hitherto
met, go forth as paciticators in human
affairs, and benefactors and blessings
you will be In an age when such are
much needed
Problem third is an intellectual
one and, as graduates OF the Mexico
High School, you ought not be silent
factors here. Questions Of hygiene
and physics and ethics and history and
poetry and literature and, perchance
the Bible, will arise concerning which
your opinion may be sought. Then
the world OF books. Emerson said:
"Giye me health, a June day and a
good book and I'll make ridiculous the
pomp Of kings" Are all books good?
Or, are they worth readlng2 You
ought TO know. Beloved, / do not de-
cry your past success. l have all
respect and profound admiration for
what you have accomplished, but II
opportunity offers do not stop here.
"Plus ultra" is written over every
thing now. Hard work and the
ability to profit by past experience was
Marconi's working creed and he sue
ceeded. With your capabilities and
opportunities so may you.
Lastly, the moral issue. Purity in
thought, purity in speech, purity in
life, a moral consciousness before
Heaven, for this / plead. Succeed in
all else and fail here and life's close
will be strewcd with the wreckage Of
misspent years. And now as you have
proven worthy to win these diplomas,
which you are TO receive tonight, may
you prove worthy 10 retain them, and
| can wish nothing higher for you than
that the class OF 1909 shall be the
equal, il not the superior, OF every
other class sent forth by the Mexico
High School, and may you so depOrt
yourselves always everywhere that
the hOnors that are yours tonight
shall sink into f%orgetfulness before
those bestowed upon you at the
Great White Throne