The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-05-24
President TayIor's Words
at Wake Forest.
CLOSING EXERCISES
Beginning With the BaccaIaureate
Sermon Sunday, They Continued
With Class Exercises Yes
terday and an Address
by Prof. Hodges.
Especial to News and Observer

Especial to News and ObserverD
Wake Forest, N. c., May 23-The
baccalaureate sermon last night by
President Taylor marked the begin
ming of Wake Forest Colleges seven
tieth annual commencement AS the
unusually large audience listened to
the strong sermon they could scarcely
realize that Wake Forest has recorded
another year in its annals of existence.
Many indications gave promise of the
greatest commencement in the col
leges history
The services began in Wingate Me-
mortal Hall promptly at $3.50, when
the graduating class, dressed in caps
and gowns, marched down the central
aisle to the seats assigned them. Pre-
urinary to the sermon Rev. w. r.
Cullom read appropriate Scripture
and offered prayer. This was followed
by impressive music from the choir.
AS DR.. taylor arose and began his
sermon a solemn hush settled over the
audience. From then until he closed
the strictest attention was paid. Be-
ginning with PHILIPPIANS 1911 as the
text, the sermon was substantially as
| follows: Love is the master key to
the treasures of life; it is the very
soul of the religion of Christ. Greater
than hope is love- God is love-
The most salient contrast between
the teachings of Christ and all other
founders of religions is the paramount
e,n ph3Sis Whit Cir 81 gives to love.
AS planet responds to the reckoning
of cosmic fOi ccs, so : soul is kep>
within its orbit of dly by the inter
active attraction-the sweet compul-
sion-of love. One may have all
knowledge and yet entirely fail if love
be absent. Our Lord said, Thou shalt
love-"
In order to love God we must know
God God has endowed us with facul-
know Him by the invisible things of
God-the sun and stars and nebulae.
But our greatest knowledge comes
from knowing Jesus.
Among the teachings inculcated by
Christianity there is none more start
ling in its originality than the obi
CATION of each man to the universal
love and service of all men. No mat
ter how expert the mind may be in
thinking and planning, no matter how
safe it's conclusions may be, it will
r:ss the mark if the eye of the spirit
be not made single by love. Intelli-
gent and discerning love is the great
self-revealer, the potent purifier.
The prayer which Paul offered for
the church at Philippi is the prayer
for the class of 1904: THE personal
religion which sWeetens all life, which
sustains in bereavement and suffering,
which visits the sick and cares for the
orphan, which is the eternal life al
ready begun in the sOul-the essence
OF this is the attitude of the heart to-
ward God and man."
At the close of the sermon the choir
sang, More Love to Thee, o Christ"
after which DR.. Taylor pronounced
the benediction. The whole sermon
showed the deepest of thought and
was enjoyed by all.
The Richmond band arrived last
night on the 1 o'clock train and viii
be here during the whole OF commence
ment. All visitors may expect to be
entertained by the best OF music.
This afternoon the class exercises
were held, and tonight there was an
address before the School of Medicine
by DR.. ]. allison Hodges, OF Rich
mond, Va
On Tuesday morning Rev. c. S.
Gardner, ID. D.. of Richmond, will adj
dress the literary societies and in the
evening Prof. f. I. Hobgood, OF OK