Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-05-25

AN toihiAOoiOha AN0i Liol %haPSt wac
filled to its utmost capacity last night,
and many who came to the doors were
forced to go empty away, the occasion
being The first of the exercises OF the
fifth commencement Of the New Mex
leo Normal university delivery
of the baccalaureate sermon. The
speaker was Mr. Edgar l.. Hewett.
who has been president of the insti
tuition since its beginning. The ad
dress was a master piece OF scholarly
thought expressed in beautiful and
inspiring language.
1t was just s O'Clock when the mem
bers OF the graduating class, in cap
and gown, filed in and took seats that
had been reserved in the front row
The members Of the faculty, also in
cap and gown. and the Rev. Charles
French and Rabbi Bonheim followed
to seats on the platform.
Mr. James Graham McNary, mu-
sical director. summoned the large au-
dience tc its feet and led fine choir
and the whole great company in the
singing OF the doxology
The Rev Mr.. French read from the
Scripture. and Rabbi Bonheim pro-
nounced an impressive invocation. A
quartet composed of Misses Blanche
RothgcD and Edith Rodkey, Messrs.
l.. X. Allen and J. G. McNary sang
kotzschmars exquisite TIE Deum. The
phrasirg and shading of the difficult
selection were excellent After the
address Mr.. McNary ssang as solo
with artistic taste and with profound
appreciation of the beauty OF the
piece, The Lord Is Ny Light" Mrs.
j. u. McNary was accompanist,
and as usual her work was faultless.
Mr. Hewett's address was listened
to with rapt interest and every eyi.
dcnce Of intelligent, hearty appreca-
tion. He said;
ITO know God is life everlasting. .
Young Ladies and Gentlemen Of the
Graduating Class:
1 bring to you tonight summary
OF the teachings of an institutions; a
statement of its life work up TO this
hour, final announcement Of the
philosophy of an organization of men
and women Instituted among you for
the high purpose Of training young
people to think clearly and to act
righteously
At our first annual commencement
we began a series OF inquiries into
the leading problems Of life. ! hoped
in the series to unfold the philosophy
underlying all the work of this insti-
tuition. My purpose has been to each
year take the young people who have
finished our courses of instruction up
to some point from which we might
view the fields of individual and insti-
tutional experience, hoping that the
unley existing in all lines OF thought.
all phases of action, would ultimately
become plain.
We know. that some souls have been
in spite of mortal limitations, SO re-
fined In the crucible Of experience
that they have seen face TO face where
others have seen through glass dark
ly. Earth has brought forth seers and
prophets who have apprehended the
future, and geniuses who have pierced
the unknown. Plato penetrated far
into tie mysteries OF Being. II was
given TO Dante TO behold his Imm0r
tai Vision. Emerson illuminated
the whole meaning of life, and many
lesser minds have found the golden
thread that runs through all exist
ences. linking man to earth, and man
10 man. and man to GOd--the thread
which followed wherever 1t runs leads
through all beauty, truth and good
ness, unto all wisdom and all peace.
We opened the series with the sub.
ject Man and God" The inquiry was
the one Of old. "Canst thou by search.
ing fiud out God; canst thou find out
the Almighty unto perfection?" It
was search for some nrst principles,