Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-06-13
Before Members of High
School Graduating Class.
At Methodist Episcopal Church
by Rev. R. N. JosceIyn.
Church Handsomely Decorated-Large
Audience Present-An Eloquent Dis
course by Mr.. JoseIyn, Much En-
ioyed by Students and Friends.


| the graduation of the class of 1904 of the
Gardiner High school and according to
the custom of years the members of
the class attended Divine service and
listened to the baccalaureate sermon.
This year, the event transpired at the
Methodist Episcopal church and the
sermon was delivered by Rev. r. N.
Joscelyn, pastor of that church. In
time with music played by the organist.
Miss Anna Day. the class, headed by
the marshal Miss Carrie Lawrence,
filed into the church and was assigned
seats in the front of the church. The
church had been decorated and present
ed a very pretty appearance from the
effect of draped bunting and flowers OF
the colors of the claSS-Orange and
white. The sermon was preceded by
the usual order of service and begin
ming his discourse Mr.. Joscelyn touK
for his text the eighth verse of the
third chapter of Revelations: Il have
set before thee an open door and no
man can shut it," An abstract of the
sermon follows:
THE text refers primarily to the
| church and as the church is made up of
individuals it pertains to each and every
one and it is in this broader sense that
1 want to use it. If you want to real
ize the most out of life; to succeed IN
what you undertake, you must realize
the value of life. To achieve victory
we must believe in the cause. To make
a success of life we must believe in the
opportunity and taking these thoughts
for the foundation of the lesson we
must have q standard.
God teaches that our lives are or
dered by Him; that he gives us the OPP
portunity and that if rightly used moth
ing on earth, or under earth or in
heaven can stop us from having eternal
success. This open door is given us by
| the Great Father, the same one who
called himself the Great Am when the
| Jewish people needed a leader. God s
great plan has ever tried to educate his
| children so they might understand Him.
The secret of success in every age has
| been that man has gone through the
door made by God and taken advantage
of the opportunities given Him.
| There is another thought connected
of the subject Not only has God opened
the door, but has given us the strength
| W llC pppoi - eiAN
South they say the world owes every
one a living. The world owes us an
opportunity to gain a living. We can
| die on the threshold without gaining
anything; we can starve to death in the
midst of plenty. These are truths APP
| parent to all. We all realize if we are
going to succeed we must enter into
the opportunities and improve them
l that while Cod nnnnS
the door for us he does not push us
| through. The part we have to do is as
| important as the part God does. The
| standard we measure our lives by Is
not the crumbling, but the eternal
| We're building characters: we're build
ing lives. When we look at life from
this standpoint it is no mean thing
God would not have sent his Son to die
for us if life was a mean thing.
| stop to notice some of the equip
ment we must use. God has opened the
door and if we walk over the threshold
we are going to succeed. One of the
first equipments we need is the right
| kind of a vision if we are to improve
the opportunity. Ambition and pride
are all right if of the right kind. Some
| people have such short visions they see
| only their own interests. Let me re-
peat: One of the things we need Is
not the vision that sees only our own
| interests, but one that reaches out and
| realizes what is good for our fellowman.
The historian lives in the past, but the
| poet brings beautiful visions and is the
| prophet If we have the right kind of
| a vision VIC see not the world contain
CT h1f rpdpanp1 and that
! in humanity there is great deal or
love. Let us look out with keen,
| broad vision and see the opportunities
| in store for us. Stop and realize the
age we are living in. Sometimes we
speak of the 10Th century as the inven-
tive, but look ahead and realize that
! the goth century has opportunities new
! err dreamed of by the 18th.
THE next equipment necessary to
grasp opportunity is to be true and
! firm. For the one who is true and firm
teh best in the land is ready; there is a
place for the true man and woman;
there is a place for the firm man ana
| woman. 1t is right to have an ambition
and in a good cause and be the first in
everything. | am not saying that the
commonplace work is the work to be
condemned and despiSed. To be the
first in any task is privilege open TO
us all. The world needs US TO be true
and firm. When we look to the great
struggles now going on in the world
we see that the world needs men ana
" omell who are true and firm. 1t is not
to be an easy place, to be firm. Jesus
was firm and was crucified. Washing
to was a man not to be admired for MIS-
great intellectual powers, but he was
firm and founded on truth.
I Another equipment necessary is
the treasuring up in the picture gal
lery Of the soul things that will be
used when we come to the place of
the desert. If we have this accumu-
lation we will not know want on the
journey across the desert. 1 believe to
be thus equipped we may have hearts
! akin to that which we wish to be and
wish to do. We have another person
that comes into this question-Jesus
Christ, Gods Son. We need him and
need him to measure truth. You may
say he is man divine. He is needed
in this world as we think of success.
The doorway is opened and we can