The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-05-17
BACCALAUREATE
AND MISSIONARY
."
Sermons to Baptist Fe-
male University Grad
yates.
TWO GOOD SERM ON S
Or. Calvin S. Blackwell of Norfolk and
Or. Henry W. Battle of Green's
bOro Preach to Great Ctnsre-
cations and Inspire Their
Engrossed Hearers.

Impressive in the importance of
the event, filled with the beauty of
The worship of God, the opening ser
vices at the First Baptist church on
Sunday morning, beginning the COM
mencement exercises of the Baptist
Female University attracted and held
a congregation that showed deep in
terest i'm every portion of the morn
ing's exercises.
The services began at clever O'Clock
and the interior of the church was
one OF loneliness in its artistic deco
ratiOns of white bunting and ever
green's. The University chorus. con-
sisting of over fifty young voices di-
rected by Prof. Wade r. Brown, COM
posed the choir, While the eight
seniors. in black gowns and caps, led
the entire student body of over 200
young ladies attired in snowy white
dresses and occupied the front seats
within the church.
The occasion was the deliverance of
the baccalaureate sermon to the
graduates of the Baptist Female Uni
versity by DR.. Calvin S. Blackwell.
pastor of the First Baptist church of
Norfolk. Va.
The church was crowded until the
living mass of humanity that rose and
sang Praise God From Whom all
Blessings Flow" and with bowed
heads listened as Rev. w. G. Tyree,
pastor of the church, voiced their
sentiments and thanked God for the
privileges-blessng that He had
ShoWeTed upon them. Then the whole
congregation sang All Hail the Power
OF Jesus Name" and the thirteenth
a. of
Corinthians was read by DR.. Tyree,
this telling that love was every thing,
for though you speak with the tom
CUES of angels and have not charity
il profith We nothing"
Then DR.. Blackwell offered a prayer
OF thanksgiving. He thanked the Al
mighty and gracious Heavenly Father
for this day in our lives when we can
meet i'm thy house, with clean hearts
and open hands and hearts that
were upward inclined. He thankeu
Him that He had manifested himself
To us i'm so many different ways, and
he said this was the time we need
Him. He prayed that he be with
those young ladies that were about to
go out into highways alone to fight
the battles of life. He prayed Him
To be with those that We're left be-
hind and those who came to fill the
vacancy. He prayed a prayer for
those at home, whom he knew were
At that hour holding these young
girls i'm prayerful memory. "Oh, Coo
bless their hearts, bless their homes
and bless the pathway which they
snail tread, bend low the hem of thy
garment that it may touch their hands
and help them to be useful men and
women" He prayed that a blessing
might descend upon those who had
borne the. burdens of school, bless its
faithful president and teachers and
when i'm the last hour the bugle cal!
is sounded clothe them with such
blessings that they may be worthy to
see Christ The congregation then
united i'm singing, various announce
ments were made and the University
chorus rendered most eXcellently a
beautiful selection, Charity, by
Bossini. Then came the baccalaureate
sermon. the special event of the day.
DIR. blackwell is a man of great per-
sonalitv. an eloquent preacher. His
sermon showed him to be not only
deep thinker. but faithful student
of the Bible. He had read it, digest
ed il and absorbed it, and now is di-
Viding il in its parts and showing. the
application and purpose of each part,
making ii all SO interesting, that not
"a person in the crowded church felt
that he could afford TO miss a single
word.
Dr. Blackwell took his text from
the second chapter, seventh verse of
Revelation, the words of which are