The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-06-03
Fine Sermon By Dr. J.
 I. Vance. NEW JERSEY CLERGYMAN
 TO STUDENTS OF TECH Many Visitors at Institution For
 Commencement. Governor Conner and His stan VIII Be Shown Marked Courtesy on Cam-
 pus TOday-Aiumni
 Banquet Tonight.
BY LOUIS srERNrELp.

Auburn, June z.-(Speciai.)- man. an ideal man, the man of might and tenderness, the man whom the world now needs. and is calling for. was the subject of the great commencement sermon, preached in Langdon Hall this morning by Rev. James I. Vance. pas tor of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Newark, N. J.
 Dr. Vance declared the country is clamoring for a real man, the ideal man, the man of opinion and strength of character, the man who can solve the problems that are rending the country asunder. He pictured Christ as an example of this ideal man.,
 The sermon of the New Jersey cler- gyman was an eloquent appeal to the graduates of the Alabama Polytechnic Institute to go out into the world de- termined to follow in the paths of true manhood.
 In his portrayal of an ideal man, pr. Vance drew his outline and subject matter from the second verse of the thirty second chapter of Isaiah: And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the temp est; as rivers of water in dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land"
 Great Congregation.
 Langdon Hall was taxed to its ca pacity at II o'clock this morning by . congregation of fully 800 persons, in- cluding the Auburn students, the fa- culty and hundreds of visitors, who came to hear the services marking the opening of commencement week.
 The inaugural day of Auburn's thir- ty-fifth commencement dawned with the coldest, most unreasonable, but most agreeable weather that has been experienced in the history of the great college. In former years, the closing exercises of the institution have been accompanied by almost sweltering but many of those who gathered today In classic 7Langdon Hall, were wearing light wraps over thin summer garments. Threatening clouds overhung the sky throughout the day and the mercury hugged the lower register of the thermometer.
 Sitting in the centre of the rostrum of Langdon Hall was Dr. Vance, who travelled all the way from Newark. N J., to deliver the commencement sermon to the students of this college of technology, science and literature. On the stage with the visiting minis Ger sat the local clergy and President Thach of the Polytechnic Institute. The faculty and trustees occupied lower rostrum to the left of ministers and the choir was assembled on the oppo- site side of the pulpit.
 Impressed by pr. Vance.
 Dr. Vance deeply impressed everyone who heard him. The beautiful diction. his clear, distinct delivery and his pleasing, modulated voice, combined with the interesting subject which he selected, were the principal character istics of his sermon. The sound ad- vice given by him to the young men just entering upon life's hard journey, was received with earnest attention.
 After a prelude by an orchestra from Atlanta, the doxology was rendered by a union choir, composed largely of Au- burn talent assisted by voices from Opelika. Every church in Auburn was represented in the choir. Rev. M. l.. Edwards. pastor of the Baptist Church. offered a short invo- cation and the vast congregation then listened to scripturak reading by Rev. MT. Ward of the Presbyterian Church. This was followed by the singing of Hymn No. 197.
 Dr. Vance then read the scripture lesson from the forty-fifth psalm and Richard Sanford, of Cpelika, who pos- sesses a rich baritone voice, rendered a beautiful vocal solo, with orchestral accompaniment. Additional prayer was delivered by Rev. c. A. Cornell. the Methodist minister of Auburn, arter
 
 The Commencement Sermon.
 Dr. Vance entered upon his sermon with a courteous salutation to the in stitution. it's faculty, its students and its friends.
 q conceive it a great honor to be with you at this commencement" he said. and spoke of receiving the invi- tation to deliver the commencement sermon and the haste with which he had sent an acceptance. He trusted that the service would be beyond the mere carrying out of formal pro- gram. He brought message to the graduating class.
 You are holding the centre of the . stage he said. You are out in the lime light. Everyone is interested in you"
 Dr. Vance declared that he thought there was no better time than to speak on manhood.
 He said the text contained the phil osophy of life. It is Is philosophy, he said. The development and progress of the world is in the hands of the best men, The world Is ruled by a man, everything Is predominated by man.
 And so." he said, it is possible to write a history of the world by a study of its great men,"
 continued. God is in the business of making men. He makes men and lets them do the rest. If America has any lasting greatness. it is because of her people. God performed his greatest work when he made a man.
 Tt is the manhood" he emphasized, that makes a country great. God made man in his image and crowned him with the empire of the world"
 The importance of being a true man was stressed by pr. Vance. He de- cIared that it is the business ot educa- tion to make true men, who possess an opinion and will; men of honor, men who will not lie, men who will not be corrupted. He declared, In ref erence to the text that the term man" indicated no sex line, no color line. no age line or creed or language.
 Ideal Man of the Poet.
 Ideal manhood" he said, "Is a com bination of strength and tenderness. It has in 1t all the strength of the