Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-06-13
Rev. 0. F.AIvord Delivers
BaccaIaureate Sermon.
Before the High School Gradual.
ing Class, Sunday Evening.
Old South Church Filled With Seniors
and Friends Who Listen to an EIo-
quent Address Full of Good Advice
and kindiy Feeling.

The Baccalaureate address before the
class of 1904, ii. II. S. was delivered by
Rev. 0. F. Alvord at the Old South
church, last evening. The interior OF
the edifice was very Hastily decorated
the arrangement of flags over the or
gan with a central prominence OF the
figures "'04," as appearing in an open
book, being especially beautiful. The
attendance was very large.
The members of the junior class were
ushers, Charles Canham acting as mar
shall.
The order of exercises:
Voluntary-offertory in B fiat,
Miss Hall.
Rev. c. A. Wight.
Anther-"Arise and Shine" Bucl
Quartet: Miss Hurd, soprano; Miss
Marston. also; A. j. Snare, tenor; Roy
c. Pearce, basso.
Rev. w. Canham.
Rev w. d. Plummer.
ReSponse-"The Celestial City"
Solo, Miss Hurd.
Violin obligato, Almo Ncri
Hymn.
Sermon, Rev. o. r Alyorl
Anthem-"Sing to the Lord" Adams
Benediction, Rev W. Canhan
Mr.. Alvord said in part:
Text: Matt. Ills: Prepare We the way
of the Lord, make his paths straight"
1t is told of Semiramis, the legendary
Queen of Assyria that in one of her eX-
petitions she was confronted by a long
and difficult range of mountains. To ena-
BILE her army to pass, and at the same
time to rear monument to her memory,
she ordered the precipiceS torn down
and the abysses filed up and highway
built-which to this day is known as the
traditions gave to the prophet from whom
John the Baptist quoted. the conception
OF preparing a highway for the onward
coming of the King of Kings
The statement is often made that the
universe is not so much created as being
created. The pioneer is assisting in this
work as he prepares in the wilderness Il
highway for the Almighty.
We take a journey through our country
today and we behold a succession of cul-
tivated farms. prosperous villages and
mighty cities where only a short time ago
comparatively speaking. was the prime
vial forest This transformation has been
wrought by the hardy and oftentime I'M
lettered hewers of wood and carriers OF
water. who have thus assisted God in his
creation. There are also pioneers of
thought who likewise prepare the way OF
the Lord. Among the educated and
thinking classes the doctrine of evolu-
Charles Darwin and his sympathetic
contemporaries were the prophets of this
new Interpretation Of the creative plan;
and, while many of their ConclUS. ouS have
been proven faila ciouS by new disc ovCries.
this does not in the least destroy The value
of their contributions to human knowi-
edge any more than the harvester of to-
day is Il reprOach to the sickle ana cradle
of the early settler. And again, there
have been forerunne,s of the moral realm
and they, too. have made straight the
pathway of the Lord. Moses hCcGrar the
moral legislator of humanity. Some early
Interpretation of his laws have been
proven faulty but they nevertheless pre-
pared the way for Jesus, the supreme full
fillment of the law and the prophets.
In IL sense we are all pioneers. Our
lives stretch out before us as unknown
to us as the tracklcss forest to the home
seeker, the realm of knowledge to the
student or the domain of morals to the re-
former.
The duty of all pioneers is to obey tho
command of the text: prepare yc the
way of the Lord, make his paths
don editor. relates this circumstance in
the life of Cecil Rhodes, the diamond
prince Of South Africa: One night he
lay in his tent ponGerinS the great PROB
lem of existence, when the Illuminating
thought came to him that God wanted
him to do with his life what he God Wall
doing in the world. Then he pondered
cluded that at this time he was pushing
to the forefront the Anglo-Saxon race.
Hence Mr.. Rhodes concluded that God
meant him to use his life and talents to
push forward the race to which he be
lOnSed, and his particular department.:
RIGA British red as he could. Mr. Stead's
article was written before the death Of