The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1903-06-03
BaccaIaureate Services Well At.
tended.

tidh CuuICl WIS utllNtTcu Jnc DdCCd-
laureate sermon by Rev. H. NJ. Bartlett
to the graduating class of the high
school. The sixteen seniors occupied
seats directly in front of the pulpit and
listened attentively to the fine sermon
as it fell from the lips of the speaker.
Although the afternoon was extremely
warm very large crowd of people
turned out to witness the ceremonies.
Special music by a double quartette was
furnished for the occasion. Below is
part of Rev. Bartlett's address:
Philippians w, S.-Whatsoever things
are true, whatsoever things are honest,
whatsoever things are just, whatsoever
things are pure, whatsoever things are
lovely, whatsoever things are of good re-
port, if there be any virtue, if there be
any praise, think on these things.
1t is a very great privilege, as well as
a serious responsibility, to address the
graduating class of the high school, on
the eve of its stepping forth into wider
life. The people of this town, the board
of education and your teachers have now
done all that that they can for you for
II or 10 years they have given you the
wisest instruction of which they are cap
able, at great expense of time, effort and
money. They have done this because
they knew that life is very serious bus
mess, that it will prove serious to all of
you, and that you will need and can use
to the very best advantage to yourselves
and Others the best equipment that can
be given you. After all that they have
done there still remains final word of
counsel from the pulpit, in token that
when every other word has been spoken,
religion has yet something to say in or
der to fit men and women for serious liv-
ing. | would fain say this word so much
in accord with truth and the fitness of
things that its spirit if not its language,
may linger in your memory, and be an
inspiration always. My topic shall be
the seriousness of life, and what it is
necessary for you to do and be in order
to make it thing OF increasing beauty
life is a serious business, that it is going
to be full of gloom and hardship, that
what you are moving into is going to be
less delightful than what you are mo, ing
out Of. OF course, it may be so for some,
and there are those for whom it proves
so hard and bitter that they are ready to
curse the father and mother who reared
them, but this is mainly their own fault
May the dear God forbid that life should
prove so sad and bitter to any of you
but he will not forbid it, even those who
love you most cannot prevent its pr wing
such, if you choose to follow your own
uninstructed fancies. But | am not CO.
ing to say much about the dangers of
life, or the kind of seriousness that lies
in that direction. Life has another serl-
BUSINESS Of a much more attractive char
acter; it is serious because it is full of
great tasks, great opportunities, great
rewards and great joys Your native
country is a great land, with possible
future mightier than the career of any
nation of the world. For thousand
years or more it is likely to endure, de-
veloping its resources and institutions,
forming a national character peculiarly
its own, working out problems which
human society has never yet been able
to solve. You are to be citizens of this
favored nation in the period of its youth.
Its great men have not all appeared vet
its undertakings, great as they are even
now, are but in their infancy. Its wealth
has only begun to accumulate, its best
literature, art, science, industries, are
still to be created, its character is still in
the formative period of its development.
1t il a glorious thing II be young, your
own youth contemporaneous with the
youth OF this great nation. its opportun-
ties and tasks yours, a. many OF them as
You wish, the rewards it has to give to
its best citizens yours also, if You want
them enough to lead the strenuous life
which the highest interests alike OF your
country and yourselves require Won to
lead. In this favored land, and at this
HsssssasEs.sHaS -assssssssssssssssss.