Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1903-06-12
The Baccalaureate Sermon.

The baccalaureate sermon to the
graduating class was delivered at tn.
Congregational church Sunday evening
last, at Z 30 o'clock, by the pastor,
Rev. II. r. Miles. The church wa.
filled, the floral decorations we're ap.
propriate and the members of the class
occupied reserved seats. Rev. Mr..
Mills took his text from Genesis XVI Il.
"And Israel offered sacrifices to the
the God of his father jacob
THE intellectual and moral tone OF
every community is heritage. Brat
| tleboro is what it is because of what
those who lived here before us made
themselves and it. Our village is
known throughout the country because
OF the fine men and women who have
gone out from it. Is the town now pro-
ducing as responsible men and as gra-
cious women as it once did: Are we
loyal to the works and ideals of the
fathers?h
Mr.. Miles spoke Of the family life of
the old time, and the prominence of
the home as the social unit. He spoke
of the religion of so years ago and of its
influence upon the whole community.
After pointing to the home and relig-
ious ideals of the Brattleboro of the
past, he turned to the Brattleboro of
the future and the call to complete the
unfulfilled expectations of the fathers,
and make the community what they
neither were able to make it, nor saw
that it could be.
Addressing the graduating class he
said: "You have come to a turning
point in life; you have been given
nd arat nj hA nf
others: been taught the things that
one must know II he is to have the
tools indispensable to success. You
ages; have known from childhood the
material comforts which generations
have toiled to produce, while the
the wisdom of the world. There is a
heritage better than gold and better
than learning. 1t is what the word
that tells what people seek by power
and learning, what value they put on |
wisdom and character You have been |
given knowledge, but it is for you to |
turn it into character No one can do |
that for you, and you can do it only as
you follow the truth you see. You will !
1uu tudb iDt huOWleuSt you nave at
STIMULATED is small part Of what you
have to learn. The best thing you
have learned, and that most sure to
stay with you, is a spirit which | hope
hat you have caught from your teach
ers, of earnestness, patience and hum
Die reverence for truth which has made
7ou her suitors. hope that you have
gained from teachers an ideal of the
Kings to aim at, and that you are de-
ermined to try for them. You are to
how now what you care for the ideals
oward which home, church and school
lave pointed you, and for the attain
nent of which they have equipped you.
Take up enthusiastically your respon-
ibility toward all that is best in the
to keep things as they
ire but to make them what they may
,e. Is any appeal so imperative or so
promising as this call to enter the
christian life and service? Come! Of
er yourselves, everyone, sacrifice to
he God of your fathers. Take your
lace IN the multitude whom no man
AN number, who have loved God, who
n different times and places have
ninistered in the kingdom of Him
whose servants they we're and are. God
less you everyone, and make you feel j
hat He is your God. - '