The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-06-16

Sunday was Devoted to q ~ort:on Of
the University Commence
| ment Exercises.
Sunday was a day Of great interest
in connection with the commence
men. week of Dakota Wesleyan Uni
versity, and three strong addresses
we're delivered in the course OF the
dag.
The city hall auditorium contained
a n,agni fcent audience for the bac-
%calaureate address of the graduating
classes OF the University and it was
entirely appropriate that President
Nicholson should express the words
OF advice and strength for those
young people to remember and carry
with them in the future years.
Preceding the address Rev. j.. S.
Surbeck offered the invocation, Pre-
siding Elder Hager conducted the re-
sponsive reading OF the Psalms and
the scriptures we're read by Presiding
Elder Dobson, who also offered the
prayer. A special selection by a choir
of II voices was rendered under the
direction of Miss Lee. The number
was one OF the best ever given at
these exercises and was given a mag
niticent rendition. 1t was entitled
1.-The Omnlpotence,n and the ac-
compartment on the piano and organ
was played by Miss Ruth Youngman
aud Alfred Wenz. For the ofertory
Mr.. Wenz played a selection from
Ta1nhauser on the organ with ex-
cellent taste and skill. DIR. Mich
olson's address or sermon was one Of
the best he las ever delivered before
a Mitchell audience and his thought
was followed closely through the fif-
tY minutes that he spoke. HIS text
was founded on a very broad founda-
ton, for he spoke almost wholly on
the great book of nature, selecting
his text in these words: uThe
heavens declare the glory of God;
dL10 IlJC nllU0llClJG ouOWOIA- LIS IldI1U.
work. and taken from Psalms 1871.
DR.. Nicholson said it was far from
his thought to make the bible sec
ondary to the book of nature, but
that he wanted to come before the
people at this time with a plea on a
different book. He held that if there
were no bible not a human being in.
the universe would have any excuse
for not bowling to and worshiping
God. for His mighty presence and be-
ing was demonstrated in everything
that abounded in natu1e-in the
rocks, the trees, every blade Of grass,
the mountains, the sea-all these
spoke volumes OF wonderment and
praise OF His handiwork. It was in- I
scribed, he said, as indicated by the
text, across the mighty scroll Of the
heavens, even az plain as an inscrip-
ton on a monument. Every moment
that a hnman being lives God shows
His power. The idea of the text is, |
said DR.. Nicholson, that it clearly /
shows in a literal sense that man
may know of God and His power. !
Poets have seen this profound, truth
and have given their thoughts to
mankind through their works, which
ought to stir uyAto a deeper study of
nature.
The people of today, he said, we're
sc immersed in business that they
failed to realize the purpose Of nat
sufe. To them everything that grows
does not give them any greater in
spiration than the bare object itself
1T does not appeal TO them Of a di- /,
vine origin, and it was for this great
er conception OF nature that the
speaker made his appeal for a depart
ure FROM . too close application Of
other matters. No man, said DR..
Nicholson, has any right to 20 into
business and be dead to the things
that have a claim on his attention.
Nature, he said, was one grand ora
torio, the music OF which is chained |
to the feet of God. There are people
who stand outside of the art insti.