The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-06-03

al love of God. The growth of a person
is by contact with persons and the high
| est growth will be induced
by vital contact with the high
est and greatest personalities. God
in Christ and the priceless privilege of
| immediate access to him on the part of
every son of man, that means growth
or the possibility of growth to the fullest
stature of manhood through the constant
c0mpanionship of the divine Father and
the intimate personal friendship of the
divine Man.
Christs claim as the life-giver can be
clearly seen if we look at the great re-
| lgions Of the world in contrast with the
religion which he founded. Buddhism
has its hosts of millions who have sought
| refuge in its way of life, but it's way
| proves TO be a way of suicide rather than
OF encircling and expanding life. Bud
| dhism has given TO the world only a
| paralyzed personality. Confuscus lies
| back of The most marvellous civilizations
| and national histories known among men.
but Confucus shut men off from God and
j left humanity with a personality impoy-
erished of all that is highest, all inspir-
| ing hope of Immortality and all affinity
| with the God and Father of our spirits
| Mohammed has welded an influence of
magnificent extent but he has left whole
| areas of the race enslaved to their fell
low mortals and, worse than ALL has
| left man himself enslaved not only to
his own baser nature, but to a capricous
| and arbitrary god. Surely as we turn
from this world survey and hear the
| Master pleadingly asking would We also
| go away?" we must be constrained to an
| sWer with the prince of the apostles,
Lord to where shall we go? thou hast
/ the words of eternal life
! Another great mark of life is its power
of productiveness. Nutrition" says
Drummond, has as its object to secure
the life of the Individual while reproduc-
ton mas as it's object to secure the life
+, of the Species "The discharge of these
] functions sums up the work of life"
Growth is the struggle of the indi-
yidual for its own life fruit bearing and
| productiveness is the struggle of the in
dividual for other life than it's own In
! rational. personal life these two func-
| ticrs stand for Standardization and So
cial service. The contribution of that
life within us which prompts us to strug-
! gle for the good of others cannot escape
notice. Many who have missed the SUI
/
; culture and Standardization, have accord
ed him full credit for his work in the
realm of social service and in enthusiast
tie devotion to the good of humanity.
| Jesus is practically the author of the
social conscience. The duty to help every
other man to attain the place where he
will have the best possible chance to be
his best possible self and achieve his
| hoe &c no cnir ri hof
pervades all that Jesus ever did or said.
He is the greatest promoter, many un-
believers even being witnesses of
the most altrustic spirit which
| the world has ever known.
| Christian missions, the most char
acteristic product Of his spirit in the
world is the very acme of present-day
| disinterested love and philanthropic de-
| votion. Jesus also is the author of that
marvellous spiritual power whereby one
man can reproduce himself in the lives
| of others. The transforming power Of
Jesus personal presence and love over
| his first group of apostles is the most
wonderful instance of spiritual power on
! record. Jesus promise of power to
those who identify themselves with him
| has been fulfilled through all the sue
| ing and duty, the proselyter may induce
! man to change his opinions on some
civic question, the military leader may
| stir him to act on some cherished feel
| ing and duty, the prosyleter may induce
| him to change his ecclesiastical creed,
| ing a dnduty the proselyter may induce
! him to dispose of his money in a given
way but the true Christ filled man has
the power under the spirit of God to in
! duce a change in him which amounts al
most to making him over into new
personality and which is actually de-
| scribed IN the Scripture as making one
into new creature, new man. Here
is the acme of personal power, the SUI
preme instance of creative goodness, the
greatest work in the world. We have
thus viewed Jesus claim to be the life
giver. We have tested it in the sphere
OF character, in the sphere OF self
realizing culture and in the sphere OF
productive social service. In all we have
/ found him supreme.
We conclude that the chief good of
every life is to have Jesus crowned as
its sovereign Lord For when he takes
his place of mastery over any life he
makes that life a partaker of all the
grace and truth which meet in their di-
vine fulness in him. To obey him is the
~
his sake is the only sure way of saving
it, To gain the whole world at the eX-
rense of Christ is to sell ones soul for
naught. To be buried with Christ in
death 10 sin and self is one path to being
raised with him in newsness OF lie
eternal. The best that life has for US
in character in culture or in soclal
service is to be had in him who lives that
we may have life.
Today the events include the Senior
Glass Day Exercises, presentation OF
! Senior Glass Gift, acceptance by trustees,
alumni meeting and address of Hon. b.
w. Pou, business meeting of the alumni,
followed by the alumni luncheon, meet
ing of the Board of Trustees, closing eX-
ercises of senior class. annual debate
between the Dialectic and Philanthroplc
Societies, and reception by the president
and faculty.
On Wednesday the commencement eX-
ercises take place. The orations by
graduating class and the GRAFTON by Hon.
, Hillary A. Herbert take place in the
morning while the senior ball concludes