Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1905-06-23
THE BAcCAlAUREATE SERMON.
Preached by Rev. E. @. S. Osgood in
the Conversational Church.

| In spite of the intense heat of Sun
day evening a large audience gath
cred in the Congregational church 10
| listen TO the baccalaureate sermon
preached to the graduating class OF
the high school by Rev. E. Q. 5. Os-
good. The church was prettily dec
Grated and the members of the senior
class sat in a body.
Mr., Osgood took his text from II
Timothy, I3, Thou, therefore, en-
dure, hardness, as good soldier OF
Jesus Christ" He spoke of the neces-
sity of solving the different problems
of life and the satisfaction that ac-
companies their solution. urging the
endurance of hardness, not complain :
ingly. not as if under taskmaster's
leash or as the plaything of cruel
destiny, but courageously. untiinch-
ingly, as good soldiers" of that great
captain to whom our warmest love,
our most faithful service rightfully
belong.
In closing Mr. Osgood spoke TO the
class as follows Members of the grad
uating class of the Brattleboro High
school:-In a peculiar and very pre-
cious sense / desire that this message
may find a Judgement in youI own
minds and meet there with ready re-
Spouse. You, like Timothy in that
earlier time. are standing on tne
threshold of your maturer can;
.ings and are anxious,
believe. to make of this life before
Won something honorable. and worthy.
and true. Whether you intend to go
from school to college, or to at once
enter upon a business or professional
career. you need the inspiration that
flows from the apostles words: En-
dure hardness as a good soldier"
This Is an appeal to all the manly
and womanly qualities you possess.
II implies, even if you are not wholly
conscious of it as yet, that there ex-
ist in your souls faculties of endur--
ance Of courage in the midst of trial
and disaster. of resolute will to per-
form. that will have the power TO
enrich your lives in the future ana
make them constantly more CHRIST
like and more divine. Loyalty IN an
things is. | understand, the motto
chosen by you as class. A noble de-
vice is this,-one easy to illustrate ne
one readily understood. 1t stands for
ioftv ideals in school and college; it
noints To words and deeds of strength
in the great world of experience that
awaits YOU all. But it is also a mot
10 that might be fifty Joined, as by
hooks of steel. to this clarion mes
age of the Apostle to the Gentiles
To be loyal, as God and your own
conscience would have you loyal, I'M
niles the possession Of valor, of en-
durance in the face of obstacles. or an
earnest desire to show ones faith IN
ones wrongs. This l have no doup,
Won have found to be true within the
brief span of life you have neen apls
m 10 this time to call your own. Your
schooldays, no matter how pleasantly
they have been spent, must, II tney
had the true fibre running through
them have borne frequent testimony
RI This iron quality of the soul. 1t lies
at the foundation of that richer ex-
perience which no teacher can Piaes
before YOU. no books impart
therefore, do not forget. | pray you,
as Won take the next step forward IN
,,our pilgrimage that so long as the
lower and the opportunity are oolh
lp,ouchsafed for you. an obligation ex-
ISIS that ii is not the part OF loyait!'
=. ~ sincere Christian service, TO dis
regard for moment 4,o -
Re true to yourselves. be true 70
the community in which you llVe, DC
tr1e 10 your God; and the well done
bestowed upon Timothy, the martyr
hisbon of Ephasus, at the close OF ms
task will ultimately be yours'-an =
that neaee of the Most High which
aaseth the understanding of man.