The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-05-26
BaCCaIaureate Sermon By
DR.. Mcdaniel.
SPEECH BY DR.. GRAY
He Delivers the Address Before the
Literary Societies at Wake Forest.
The Exercises of Commencement
at Wake Forest Now in Full
Swing.
Especial to News and observer.)

Wake Forest N. c., May 25.-The
seventy-first commencement of the
college began last night with the bac-
calaureate sermon by DR.. George w.
Mcdaniel, of Richmond, Va The
senior class was conducted by the
chief marshals and given seats re-
served for them in front of the ros-
trum. Heretofore it has been custo-
mary for the college to sit on the
stage in body, but the new pipe or
gan took so much room that it made II
necessary for the class which numbers
forty, to sit on the front seats in the
main part of the building.
The opening prayer was made by
DR.. Mcdaniel, the choir then sang q
beautiful anthem and DR.. w. G. Ty-
rec, of Raleigh, read the scripture
reading, which was followed by prayer
by DR.. Dunaway, pastor of the Bap-
tist church of Oxford.
DR.. Mcdaniel took his text from the
third chapter of Philippians, where
Paul says, Brethren, l count not my
self to have apprehended; but this one
thing 1 do, forgetting those things
which are behind and reaching forth
unto those things which are before, l
press toward the mark for the prize of
the high calling of God in Christ Je-
sus." DR.. Mcdaniel preached a strong
sermon, one of the best ever heard
here. He held the entire attention of
the large audience which filed the
Wingate Memorial Hall. The speak
ers talk was full of wholesome advice
to the men of the graduating class
and was spoken with power and un-
derStanding. DR.. Mcdaniel is not only
an orator but a clear thinker and
speaker of unusual power and of
strong personality.
After the sermon the Wake Forest
Quartette, consisting of Prof. w. l..
Poteat, DR.. Charles +. Brewer, Prof.
Darius Eatman and Prof. James l..
Lake, sang a beautiful quartette. The
services as a whole were very impress
sive and greatly enjoyed.
Every morning at o'clock chapel
exercises arc held as usual. The ex-
crcises are not compulsory, but the
public is invited and a good crowd at
tends every morning. Yesterday morn
ing DR.. R. r. Vann, of Raleigh, con
Quoted the services; this morning they
We're led by Prof. j. G. Scarborough,
of Murfreesboro in the morning Prof.
j. A. Campbell. of Buies Creek, will
have charge of the exercises,
Yesterday afternoon the First Reg
iment band of Virginia arrived and is
furnishing music for the occasion,
This band has been coming here for
about thirty years. 1t is one of the
best in the South. When not furnish
ing music for the exercises the band
plays on the campus under the shade
Of the large oaks. The campus is un-
usually beautiful this spring. The
band meets all trains that arrive dur
ing the day while regular exercises are
not in progress
The trustees met this morning and
made the following gentlemen doctor
Of laws: Judge T. B. Womack, of
Raleigh; President T. J. Simmons. OF
Shorter College, Rome, Ga, and gave
the degree of d. d. to Rev j. w. Mil,
lard, of Atlanta, Ga.
Presentation of Medals.
At 11:30 this morning a large aud
ience gathered in the auditorium for
the presentation of medals and to
hear the address before the literary
societies. Principal e. L. Middleton.
of Cary High School, presented the
following gold medals to members OF
the Philomathesian Literary Society:
freshman improvement and oratory
medal, Hoyt Watson, of Latta, s. c.;
sophomore debaters medal, j. w YER
non, of Person county; junior, J. b.
Weatherspoon, of Durham, and the
senior orators medal was awarded to
J. II. Vernon, of Person county
The medals from the Euzelian So
ctety were presented by Rev. B. w,
Oliver of Florence, S. c., to Richard
Covington, of Florence, S. c., was pre-
sented the senior medal for oratory;
L. b. Ashcraft, of Union county, jun
Tor class medal for oratOry and r. f..
Brown of Buncombc county, the
freshman improvement medal for ora
tory and debate
Mr.. John Charles Mcneil presented
the medal given for the best essay in
The Student to James NJ Justice, of
Henderson county. The Thomas Dix
on essay medal and also one for the
best contribution of fiction to The
Student have not yet been decided
upon.
After the presentation of medals
Rev. b. =. Gray, d. D., of Atlanta. Ga.
delivered the address before the lit
erary societies.
Mr.. J. w. Bailey, of the Biblical Re-
corder, introduced the speaker. Mr..
Bailey said that we had heard that we
are on the verge Of a literary revival
in North Carolina, and that the two
literary societies of Wake Forest had
done a great deal to bring about this
revival. He said that we would all
agree that Mr.. J. c. Mcneil is its
prophet for he predicted it, and that
all would bow when he mentioned the
name of the man without whose labors
Mcneil would not be. (A happy re-
ference to DR.. Taylor)
DR.. Gray in the outset of his address
said that he asked how long be could