The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-05-31
MANY ALUMNI ARE IN AUBURN Bishop Strange Preach
 es Sermon. COMMENCEMENT AT A. P. l Visitors View Handsome New
 Buildings. Prosperous Year Is Drawing to Close President Thach Announces
 New Chair in the Faculty.
BY TARLEToN COLLIER.

 score years and more of Auburn life is revealed in this thirty seventh | commencement of the Alabama Poly technic Institute, which began It's of- ncial course today, with the baccalau- reate sermon by Bishop Robert Strange of North Carolina. Alumni--the very newest grads to the output of wartime Auburn--are thronging to the old college. to live again in the few days of commence ment period. the life of the old insti- | tuition.
 One of the very oldest graduates win be present, representing the Auburn of reconstruction times--Rev. Howard w. Hamill of Nashville, who. in 1887. forty-two years ago. received his bachelor degree. with James Render Dowdell, at present Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the state. The commencement is to be one of reunions-in all: 1t Is anticipated the greatest gathering of graduates in the history of the institution. Athletes, Auburn's old heroes Of diamond and gridiron. are called for reassembly, and a concourse of war talk; musicians members of the now famous Alabama Polytechnic Institute Band. are al- ready gathering for their reunion: and
 
 of heterogeneous talents and ceilings, to pay their annual tribute to their alma mater.
 Bishop Strange Speaks.
 The sermon of Bishop Strange was one essentially fraught with optimism, | with encouragement to the young men who are sent forth. diploma armed, to light their battle in the world.
 It was drawn from the Epistle to the Romans. eighth chapter, twenty eighth verse: We know that all things work God"
 The Bishop. a slight frail-appearing l man. with massive forehead and vivid ! living eyes, bid the congregation have faith. and hope and strength. that all { is for the best
 .srhe good God is the moat precious of ali Gods knwn to me- he began T think 1t is great thing for your strength of character and peace of mind. my young friends. while you are here learning how to think for yourself. while you are getting a new outlook on life. while you are preparing to take your active part in life's great work. [ think a great thing for you to have firmly fixed in your mind Is the truth for Him who created this universe is good. that the Almighty and All-Wise
 
 to show or prove that to you in one sermon; but do hope to carry you with me some way along that line of thought. shall do so by taking some things we are apt to look on as hardo or cruel and even unjust to show that when widely considered and closely examined they arc in purpose and effect good for man.
 T want to show, also. that the indi- T hA best of their general benefits. are the, good. are those who are or who are striving to be one in character and purpose with the good God.
 "1o them that love God. Who are theyP They are the righteous men and women that we know: the pious and the honest and the industrious. love and trust God, and who are obey-~ ing Gods Commandments.
 We know that all things work to- gether for good to them that love God.
 What good can there be for man in the storm and flood and in the pes- tilence and conflagration. These things are like pain in all animal experience. We'll, what is the good in pain? Pain comes to tell us we have been doing wrong; we have been careless or sim full. Pain comes to warn us that worse things will come-to us if we keep on: 1t promises us better things if we are more careful. Pain is like a good nurse, even though she be a severe one, watching over children, young and old, to keep them in the right way doing right things. The little child left for a moment by the mother. sees the pretty, pleasant fire. She crawls toward it, stretches out her hand, feels the flame. cries out and falls back. If 1t were not for pain she would go en in the fire and be destroyed.
 "So the epidemic of fever. of chol- era come to prevent and warn us for living in unsanitary and unhealthy conditions or urge us to make our sur roundings cleaner and more healthy and to promise us future health and happiness.
 "Remember the yellow fever in New Orleans a few years ago. This epi- demic turned the attention of the whole country On this city, stimulated the physicians to ind out the cause of the fever and set the citizens to work tearing down houses, cleaning up yards: showed the people how to live. and made life safer"
 Other examples were drawn, and 1t was said that "Gou is trying to make us understand that no man stands apart. We must stand together for good, or sink together for bad.
 Moments of Encouragement mako character" said the Bishop, quoting Tolstoy and the Psalmist David
 He drew a picture of the evolution of man, showing that the price that man has to pay for all that makes life worth living is pain, toll and strife"
 Progress at Auburn.
 The year has been one of the great est progress in the history of the insti- tuition. In every field and every branch buildings and improvements have been Installed, buildings which call for ad- miration from the visitors. building to whom this commencement offers the first occasion for public appearance.
 The o. D. Smith dining hall. on the main street. and directly facing the main college building, Is one of the first to attract attention. The hall. built at e cost of s96.0o0. furnishes an imbrovement over the old system of private boarding houses Tn the hall, more than 150 students are furnished meals.
 The Conner agriculture hall Is anoth- ar of the newest buildings. IL. erected on the grounds of the college farm. houses i've college departments--Ag- rieulture. Horticulture and Forestry.