The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-06-10
Eloquent BACCALAUREAT SERMON

In the frivolous men and women who
frequent the temples o. scarnal pleas:
ure and fashion, in the sordia men
who walk the streets intent upon
gain or who; do business las our parts
Of trade--to see, say lmpris risoneti
down deep beneath ali Sthiasdeprayisys
and Sustained and peryersloa 81 siS.
tellect and affection and VIII and idls,
tortlon ot,all that makes; for TIE real.
isatlon Of the hest possibilities otgths
human soul-a man, 10 have a vision,
Of manhood that 81 clear aud royal
and true such as N the divine mind
with all the skill and all The fewer o.
soul at your command set about ID tes
lease this imprisoned Image sot mans
hood you have seen 80 that She may
walk forth an actual, living, breath
Ing personality among men:
This is the, noble art want to5
talk to'you about for! little while
this morning. want to make plain 10
you, IL can, the conditions and quail.
fication for the exercise Of this noblest
art Of all,molding manhood. i want
to bring before your minds the char.
acter Of the vision Of manhood.
would have you see, and then Impress
upon your mind what you yourselves
must be in order, that you may shaps.
and mold the manhood seen. +; q &
Thu Vision. Il gS <
What Is your thought ofsnan. What
Is your conception Of man that dts.
'ingulshes him from every other lls.
Ing creature? This right conception
lies at the very root Of any success.
fal prosecution 6f your work. Az
wrong premise IN losls viii Inevitably
lead 10 a wrong conclusion ilnithe rea.
sonlng, An Imperfect perception ofSI
a landscape will lead to an nnfruthfulgl
picture on canvas. A wrong obserya.
tion Of the stars will lend to Eaiwrong
theory Of the universe. IA SSSs.
II you would be an artist I'M tits
great school Of moldlng men, before
all, and underneath all, yotitmust have
a clear cut and right conception o.
what It Is that constitutes q man And &
this is not an easy thing q; do for
there are as few types Of real sman:
hood as Is seen about us. The; actual
man as We spe him about us presents;
himself TO us in manifold types. but Il
always as though! Godlike I'm ruins. Z
But though man Isl a spiritual ruin
yet, amid those ruins enough of the
divine tracery Is left and enough;
signs survive to enable ussto know;
what God meant man 10 be when he
first made him and what he 5isEyetf to
be when your art and the grace Sof
l;od have wrought their perfect work a
But remember the crucial polnt Of
your work lies at the beginning, Iii. tass
Of your ideal Of a true man.
For starting with wrong, ldeail the s
more skillful and perfect your after
work, the greater the harm and tile
greater the eyit that3wlll be wrought. #
You must see an angel II you would
release an angel. You must have an
image Of vessel Of honor 4 you
would mold Of the plastic clay i YES YES. Y
sci Of honor. That your completed
work may be the perfect work, you
must see as the Great Teacher saw
who saw and knew what was In man. Il
have often wondered Just what
sort Of personality that was which
Diogenese had la bis mind as he
went about the streets OF Athens at
noonday with lighted lantern; say.
Ing he was hunting al man. What
was he looking for? What would She 4
have been like Il he had found him
Would he have been some saul, lie
SON Of Kish, who stood head and
shoulders above all his fellows / /
think he must have been looking for
more than phys.eal proportions Eot The
expansive brow, denoting greatnesss 5
81 intellect or even more than eye N
shining With fine poetic fire. i He was
looking for more than these because
man Is more than these. Just as the
Tree Is more than trunk and branches.
The lover Of nature goes into the sap.
pie orchard In the spring time 81 sths 4
year. He sees the apple tree swlthSits
long bare branches sihopetted agaiast
The grey or leadep sky. He says this
IS not all Of the tree, for the treesis
more than trunk and branches: ne
goes again when the warm winds and
The gentle showers and the falling
iews have done their Office work. The
buds have swollen and bursted into
'ollage and flower. He look Supor,
his cloud Of color and perfume With
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