Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1902-06-10
THE sAccALAuReATE.
REV. A. W. PoTTLE SPEAKS TO THE
GRADUATING CLASS OF THE HIGH
SCHOOL.

The baccalaureate sermon before Il
class of 1902 of the Paris High Soho,
was delivered at the Methodist churcl
Sunday afternoon, by Rev. A. W. Pottl
The singing was by the Partisan Ma
Quartette. The class marched in to til
seats reserved for them, marshaled b
Harold Fletcher. The afternoon wa
very rainy, but good congregation wa
present.
Rev. Mr.. Pottle spoke in part as TO
lows:
Heb. 81. "Let as go on unto perfe,
ton
Perfection is so high An end to attai
and so conscious are We of our weakness
and failure, that We find ourselves in
stinctively shrinking from the though
of perfection as an attainment.
And yet perfection is goal that al
well disposed minds admire, and Il
some extent may attain. We seek, ant
when we find it, admire, the perfect leaf
the perfect flower, the well-formed, wig
orous child. The horseman seeks, ant
sometimes claims he has found perfec
horse, and so admires it.
We greatly admire the person who's,
moral and personal attachments approx
innate our ideal of excellence. We arr
liable to find fault with our imperfec
neighbors because of their imperfections
Perfection is completeness. 1t is the
fulfllment of our ideal. II is the reali
zation of the aim and purpose of life
1t is all-roundness of being and charac.
ter. 1t implies the absence of the alb
normal-the absence of that which does
not contribute to the beauty, symmetry
and strength of true man-and woman.
hood.
Perfection, in the sense of our text,
is the finite one approximating the In
finite. 1t is rising higher and higher in
the scale of being and character, accord
ing to the Divine will, improving pass
ing opportunity to accomplish the great
mission of life.
And here we remark that perfection,
in the sense of our text, is not an i'm
practical aim. 1t is not some far-away
state which will ever elude our grasp.
God does not excite our interest and aim
and then fail TO reward our endeavor.
In the realm of grace it is our exalted
privilege to be perfect babes, and from
this state 90 on unto the perfect, WELL
developed, full-grown man. We may
even here reach and realize to good
degree our high aim, and from this high
ground still go on to higher and
fuller attachments.
IL thaSn whom I ad6raES ar
this hour have done their best these
past years, and so have attained the
highest possible rank in their studies
and department, they are now in an atti-
-ude to go on in the future to make
similar and greater achievements in life.
recognize the fact that | am called,
IN this occasion, to address those who
ire in the morning of life. There is be-
lore me a class of young men and
who for these years have been
pursuing their studies in our schools,
seeking in this way preparation for the
duties of life.
They have now reached a milestone
n their course and are about to gradu
lte-some to pursue their studies and
raining in other institutions-some, it
nay be, to enter at once upon some
business pursuit or avocation in life.
Be this as it may, we must remember
hat life is school. Our education is
never finished Whether we graduate or
lot our training, our education. our
progress or retrograde goes on.
Properly understood, school life is not
20 much for the purpose of storing the
mind with practical knowledge as to
rain the powers of the mind to acquire
PRACTICAL knowledge in the common
Iffairs of life. In school the most that
S gained is the power and habit of in
-estigation and application, which will
nable the mind to solve the difficult
of life which, from time to
line, are sure to occur.
Now at this stage of your course We
ounsel you in the words of our text to
go on unto perfection"
You are doubtless aware that with all
our acquisitions you have not reached
he goal. You are not already perfect.
here are conquests still to be made.
rue you have now gained the heights
shich years ago you espied and sought.
But now, from the eminence which
GU have reached after years of patient
oil, you discover still greater heights
shich invite you on. In fact the farther
on 90 the higher you rise, the broader
nd better becomes your vision, and the
nore fully you realize that in knowledge,
n skill and in powers of application there
re still attachments TO achieve.
| warn you not to cherish the thought
hat you have gained the acme of life's
ttainment and equipment. You have
My commenced a most arduous but
audable career. The prize is still in the
uture. The true ideal is not yet at
aimed. Perfection is still in the distance.
The ''crown of life" is yet to be won. 4
In order to respond to the injunction
f our text several important particulars
must be observed.
And first of all there must be an high
i'm. This is absolutely necessary. We
ever rise higher than our aims in life.
The stream never rises higher than its
If we would succeed in laud-
BILE pursuit there must be worthy
notive-an high aim must be cherished.
To drift-to 90 with the current-to
i've without a worthy purpose-is to
i've low, unworthy life. But it takes
live, energetic, enthusiastic soul to
tenn the tide, and to gan the heights
We desire.
Alas, that so maryland that too in
he morning of life-are living aimless
ives-or if they have any aim or pur-
,ose it is unworthy of them. Many are
rifting to and fro, like the door on its
drifting with the current
bout them. Such accomplish nothing.
In order to reach the true end of life
N high aim must be supplemented with
n intlexible purpose-a steady faith
md invincible courage. Character must
,e priced above all other good. Integrity
must be recognized as the corner stone
O a truly successful life. The import
nee of toil-of service as the price of
eward-must not be overlooked. In
rider to gain perfection's height the en-
ire man must receive care. Man is a
many sided being "fearfully and won
lerfully made" In order to mans
ullest and symmetrical development
body, soul and spirit must each be the
subject of care and training. The house
We live in must be kept up. Temper
.nce and regrrd to our physical we'll
being must be observed. The mind must
be fed, exercised and trained, and the
religious need and nature satisfied. No
legitimate need of our nature can be