Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-06-06
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
HEAR DR.. A. E. CRAIG GIVE
SERMON.
Yesterday In the First Methodist Epis-
copal Church the Baecalaureate Was
Given-contained Practical Advice
The Sermon in Part.
From Mondays Daily.

school, those who have completed the
course of study of that institution, lis
tened to sound, practical words of ad
vice yesterday morning in the First
Methodist Episcopal church, where Dr.
A. g. Craig preached the baccalaureate
sermon. THE Trophies Of Our Youth,
the Weapon Of Our Manhood" was the
title of the sermon, and in it was con-
tanned appreciated thoughts Of better
ment not only to the mind, but to the
soul as we'll
The student members Of the class
attended the services In body, occu.
plying the front seats in the auditorium.
The church was very prettily decor
ated In the class colors, and immedi-
ately In front Of the pulpit was a de-
sign Of the class emblem. The SER
vices began at II o'clock.
Or. cralg's Sermon.
THE Trophies of Our Youth, the
Weapons Of Our Manhood" as deliv.
cred by Dr. Craig, follows, In part:
And the priest said the sword of
Goliath the Philistine, whom thou
slewest in the valley of Elah, behold
1t Is here wrapped in cloth behind
the ephod. If thou wilt take that, take
1t, for there is no other save that here.
And David said there Is none like that.
Give 1t to, me- Samuel, xxi.-9.'
Setting up trophies Is as old as his
tory. All ancient peoples did It. The
valleys Of the Nile and the Euphrates
are yielding up to the spade of the
archaelogist the treasures Of the past
and we are able to read Of the kingly
triumphs of those shadowy ages. The
Greeks put shields and helmets on a
tree of the battle ground If it was a
land victory, and beaks of conquered
vessels on the nearest shore If 1t was a
sea victory. The Romans carried their
trophies to the imperial city and as a
result the known world was impover-
ished to glorify the city on the seven
hills. Napolean emulated the example
Of Rome AS his triumphant eagles
few across the greater portion Of Eur
ope he stripped their churches and art
galleries to decorate the capital of his
ambitious empire I stood in that mag
nificent tomb. that contains the dust of
that titanic driver of destiny and OBJ
served it's wonderful decorations.
sisting of huge block of granite
brought from Finland at the immense
cost of 100000 francs, the walls of the
crypt were of polished granite adorned
with artistic reliefs, the lofty dome
was decorated with rich paintings by
celebrated artists, the light fell with
peculiar charm through stained glass
of most perfect fabrication. But that
which most forcefully impressed me
was the trophies Of this conduering
hero Of the French heart. The mosaic
pavement was transcribed with the
names Of the battles won, Rivoli, Pyra-
mids, Austerlitz, Jena and all the rest,
while around the sarcophagus we're
sixty flags captured by Napoleon, the
trophies of his triumphs. So. too, we
find 1t was custom of the Israelites
to deposit their trophies in some sa.
cred place. Thus it was with the
sword taken by the youthful David
from Goliath of Gath. What a thrill.
ing scene that sword suggests. It was
some years since. A STRIPPING lad
comes from his sheep cote to bear a
message to his older brothers in the
camp. He was beautiful specimen OF
promising manhood His hair was
golden, his complexion fresh as the
morning, the hurtle of healthy blood
was in every vein, the buoyancy OF
youth in every elastic muscle. He was
no pampered child of luxury but the
free child of the mountain, accustomed
to fight with wild beasts, and if need
be with wilder men, Over there in
the camp of the savage Philistines was
a huge, staggering giant whose loud
frothings of defiance had struck con
CT into tho of Icraa1
Against this mammoth lump of Drag
nought by his shepherds sling and q
few stones from the brook. You know
the rest. Laid low by one we'll aimed
stone he was at the mercy of his
youthful antagonist. A thrill of tri
umph runs through 1sraers camp as
the head of the giant is held before
their view, and ever after the SWORD
captured that day is kept as a trophy
in the sacred shrine. But years have
now rolled over David's head. He is nc
longer a free hearted lad, but care
marked man. He no longer holds the
favor of the court, but flies, a pursued
and suspected enemy. In his reverses
he turns aside to the temple of Mob
He asks the priest for bread to refresh
him and receives the hallowed bread
of the temple. He next implores a
weapon of defence, but the priest re
plies there is none but the sword OF
Goliath the Philistine, whom thou
slewest in the valley of Elah. Eagerly
he seizes it, and as his hand touches
it's hilt fresh courage comes to his lie
pressed heart, and he faces his re
verses a new man
Thought for the Hour.
"This scene suggests to my mind q
thought for the hour, which Is: The
trophies of our youth become the
weapons for your manhood
81 need not linger to impress you
with the importance of youth. Every
person of experience will agree, l an
sure, with the words of Southey, who
says, Live as long as you may, the
first twenty years form the greater
part of your life They appear so wher
they are passing. They seen SO wher