The Columbus weekly dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 1902-1905, 1903-05-28

Sunday morning in the chapel of
that institution in the presence
of brilliant throng. The chapel
had been prettily decorated for
the occasion and flowers. ferns
and palms graced the rostrum
and added their luxuriance and
beauty to the scene. There were
a number of visitors present and
a representative audience of Co
1umbians when the professional
began.
Upon the platform was dis
tingnished company of men and
women, among them being
the President and faculty of the
College, Rev. DIR. Murrah of Jack
son, president of Millsaps Col
lege, who had been invited to de
liver the commencement sermon;
Judge E. o. Sykes, Congress-
man Gambler, Hon, I. B. Frank
lin, Secretary of the Board OF
Trustees of the College; the min
listers of the city; Mayor j. I.
Gunter, Mr.. Joe Cook, DR.. Il. 5.
Curry and others.
The service was begun by sing
ing Beautiful Valley Of Eden
after which DIR. Murrah read APP
prOpriate passages of Scripture
and Rev. A. J. Miller, pastor of
the First Baptist church of this
city, offered the invocation. Shep-
perd's arrangement of Lead
Kindly Light" was sung admira-
bly, by Miss Matte Lou Brown,
after which DIR. Murrah was in
PRODUCED for the sermon.
DIR. Murrah is an old LOwndes
county boy and has hosts Of
friends here who were glad to
greet him upon the occasion of
his recent visit. His selection
for the honor of preaching the
commencement sermon was pc
culiarly fitting and appropriate
and he was greeted by many old
friends when he arose to preach.
DIR. Murrah' S selection of a sub
ject and text was most apprO
pirate. Taking as his subject the
Christian life, he argued that il
was the only true life and it alone
was designed to fit man for the
fulfillment of the duties, respOn
sibilities and possibilities of citi
zenship. He discussed his theme
not from a scientific or philOsOph
&c standpoint, but from a spir
itual standpoint and impressed
his hearers with his earnestness
and sincerity. He was listened
to attentively throughout. Fol
lowing the sermon the student
body sang He Leadeth Me, OF
Blessed Thought" after which
the benedictiOn was pronounced
Sunday evening Dr.. Mural
again preached before the Y. w
G. A. of the College.
Monday was devoted to an ex
pose of the work of the College
in the industrial department:
from nine in the morning to four
in the afternoon. A cordial in
vitation had been extended the
public to view these exhibits anC
many took advantage of the OPP
pOrtunity and were fully repai
for their trouble. All of the de
partments had creditable exhib
it's on display and teachers anC
pupils were especially thought
fnl and cOnSiderate in their at
tentiOns and cOurteSies to the
public in explaining and calline
attention to same.
Monday night the annual con
cert of the Bach Society was
given in the presence of a bril-
liant audience. The program
was long one and it embraced
vocal and instrumental selec
tiOns from a lumber Of the mas
ters which were we'll rendered
Yesterday morning the gradua
ton exercises occurred. The
program was one of unusual in
terest, the chief feature of which
was the address of Hon. E. S.
Gambler.
After a few we'll chosen words
of Introductory in which he
briefly reviewed the history ol
education in Columbus, Mr.
Gambler launched out into the
body of his speech. He said:
| desire to discuss with you
a question of every day consid
eration. to-wit What will pay?
This is pre-eminently an age OF
commercialism. Not only indi
YidualS but republics and ma.
tiOns have joined the mad rush
in seeking that which they be.
lieve will pay. Individuals are
forming mighty com binations OF
capital and nations are expand
ing in the acquisition of other
nations and the one desire for
commercial ascendency and for
that which will pay pervades all.
Indeed this question of profit
and gain is being forced upon us
with more power now than at
any other time in our history.
This is a realistic age. There is
no place for mems philosophic
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