Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-06-13
THE BACCALAUREATE.
High School Graduates Addressed by
Rev. Jas. III. Peardon.

Rev. james II. Peardon, pastor of the
Cniversalist church preached the Bac-
calaureate sermon before the gradual
ing class of the Fairfield High school
at the Universalst church, Sunday
morning. There was a good sized con-
gregation present and the sermon was
one of the best. Mr.. PeardOn took for
his subject, The Call of Youth" and
his text was from 1st Samuel. 90 verse.
If we " ere to think OF the story of
the call of Samuel in the light of a
great prediction. we should have to say
that in this age it is finding its real
fulfillment. For this is the age of the
domination of youth. The call of
necessity, which | take to be heavens
call, is to the young, no longer to the
old. Youth directs the forces of ma
| ture, youth is in the position of trust,
youth fashions the destineS of nations
and directs the mental activities of the
race. One almost breads to grow old.
The other day an advertisement APP
peared in one OF our religious journals.
1t read Ike this: "Wanted--a minister,
to take charge of the Free church of
SO and SO. He must be young; well
educated and unfettered by sectarian
| connections" And there you have the
spirit and the coming demand of this
age. Youth education, freedom from
| Unlimited prejuGices.
And why is this? We live in the time
of uneXampled activity and progress.
| The record of years proves it. Think
| of what has happened in the last SO
years! Think of the inventions and dis
| cOVer;eS! Think of the scientific knoWl-
| edge acquired and the mirac working
power of its application! In the realm
| of phisics and metaphysics has there
ever been such an age? Advancement
Las been SO great. solution has been so
rapid as t. be almost revolution. And
youth is enthusiastic, willing to expert
| ment, believe in the new, is cOmpara-
lively unGtteI by the old-hence youth,
the spirit of youth. is the power and
| the requirement of the age. Youth
says, The goal is ahead not behind.
The reVelatiorFis not rast but to come.
The glory of man is not in the begin
| ming but is yet to be- Youth appre-
ciates, is in sympathy with that power
| that is working for attainment and so
it hears the call.
Age, or the spirit of age, looks back
| ward, breaches old doctrines, talks
| about 1.-The good old times gives up
faith. for Faith is the substance of
things hoped for, the evidence of
| things not seen," to believe in the new
the forth coming, the yet-to-be in faith,
| while to look backward and retreat to
| the old and the past, is unfaith-nOt to
| say cOwardiCe. And so Eli, the old
| prophet, has served the world. His
vision is clouded with conventions,
customs, forms and outgrown husks Of
doctrines; and the youthful Samuel re-
| ceives the Divine summons and
| answers, Speak for thy servant
| heareth.'
| One is sorry for age. 1t seems pathet-
| ic to see our friends whose intentions
are good, and whose fears and warm
| ings to US are full Of the kindest pur-
pose-it seems pathetic to see the re-
| juvenated world sweeping on without
| them and their influence, as their men,
DRY. receeding with the old world pref
udices and beliefs for which they choose
| to die. They seek to lay hold upon the
| fleeing forms that pass them; they
| grasp Tie outSlie SUI uCluIcS VI thC III
| stitutions they founded and 10! even
| these have become as shadows. where
! are the school and church that once
was ours?" they say: "All is strange to
us"
! The ancient places are peopled by
those who speak a different language.
talk Of other aims and merely smile
indulgently when we give our views
and proclaim our warnings. Have we
slept, are we mad, or has the world
sold out to Satan? No, you have ben
simply looking backward, you have
been timid and unfaithfui; you have
/ believed men more than God; you have
looked for truth in books rather in Ma
, ture where God has really written.
| 1t is sad to reflect that many of the
young are old. The most saddenmg
/ thing do is to attend conventions, reli-
gious and otherwise. For there 1 am
made aware not only of the agencies of
/ age, but the antiquity of youth. One
rather expects old men and women to
use meaningless and un-American ex-
! pressions. but when you see the young
failing to appreciate the age they live
in. surrendering faith and hope and
courage, and making a disorderly and
| disgraceful retreat to moss-cOvered
! forts and worm-eaten embankments-
! oh, the pity of it! But. on the other
hand. once in while, heaven be
praised! One hears a man whose head
is white with years Of staying here,
whose voice is weak with age. but
| whose heart is as mellow as the soil,
and whose spirit is as open as the soul
of childhood.
! There are some old people. some who
appreciate the genius of the age, who
have never passed headline" who
are right at home amid modern ideals
and whose ears are ever open to the
gcntlest call Of truth. And they are