Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1909-06-10
sAccALAuRgArE SERMON.
Rev. Fraser Metzeer Adronishes n.
r. S. Graduating Class.

Ct '09, Randolph high school, was held
Sunday evening in Chandler Music hall,
in which an audience OF 500 people as
sembled. Palms and ferns with purple
and white lilacs simply but effectively
decorated the stage, on which were seated
tine preacher of the occasion, Rev
Fraser Metzger; the assisting clergyman,
Rev. Joseph Hamilton; the Ladies' quar-
tet, Misses Blanche Sparhawk, Lettie
Bailey, Minnie Barbour and Lucille
Grant, and the pianist, Miss Edith Mar
colt.
Ribbons in the class colors Of maroon
and gold marked the seats in front OF the
stage reserved for the class, and the same
colors tied the slaves OF the ushers, who
were Philip Salisbury, James McMurphy,
Harold Gaylord, Misses Marion Harring-
ton, Ruth Roundy and Una Allen, men,
beers of the junior class. For a prelude,
one OF Mendelssohn's "Songs without
Words" was beautifully played by Miss
Marcott and was followed by MendeIs-
sohn's 'sWar March of the Priests,r 10
which the seniors marched down the two
center aisles, led by their class marshal,
Miss Jessie Chedel.
Handel's Largo was an exquisite se-
lection by the quartet, after which the
Scripture lesson was read and prayer
offered by Rev. Mr.. Hamilton A second
selection, tShepherd of Israel" pre-
coded the baccalaureate sermon by Rev.
Mr.. Metzger, who took his text from
Philippians 2:12-''Work out your own
salvation"
A humble setting for his theme he
found in watching switch engine
transferring cars from one track to anoth-
err at junction point and yet for the
hour and half that be watched the shift
ing not an accident occurred. Every
man had a work to do and every man did
it. Had a single brakeman, switchman
or engineer forgotten or neglected his
work. an accident would have been the
inevitable consequence.
/ In a very large degree every man makes
or mars the place in which he is and
4 thereby makes or mars his own life. It
/ is an automatic truth that il each part is
right, SO will the sum of all the parts be
right. As each man or woman fulfills his
or her part, so will all the community
fulfill its part, and society will stand be-
fore the world in the place it should oc-
cupy. 1t is not a question of what the
world owes us, but of what we owe to
ourselves and the world.
We have nowadays too much OF the spe-
cial privilege idea, that is coming to be
the bane of our public life and is robbing
the boy of self-reliance which would
make him of most value to society. Does
a young man expect to enter the minis
try; the church will gladly take care OF
him, keep him in college and see him
through the theological seminary. He is
sent out into the world and wears the
cloth of the church, but he is absolutely
- \ q
bis life can he attributed to the church
that undertook to feed and clothe him in
his student DAYS. This does not argue
against the helper, who says to the boy,
''Here is your chance, take it;h but il
proves that motto, that the world owes US
a living, plays a greater part in our lives
tthan we think. Special privilege is the
curse Of society today, sapping, as il
does, the strength, courage and vitality
of the race We need to be told more
about working out our own salvation and
less about someone's being willing tC
work it out for us. Every individual has
a large claim upon God and the world
but there is q greater claim upon him
The man who comes in at the last with
his talent unused will incur the greater
condemnation.
Young men and young women, are yoT
to have an education9 Then you are tbs
ones to get it; don't begin to hun
around for someone to give it to you; gel
it for yourselves. In the world there il
work to do: do it; don't hunt up some
body to do il for you. II you see
wrong that ought to be righted, dom
stand around, saying that somebody
ought to do something about it; be thu
somebody and do the something your
self. Are yon to have home, a place il
the world, character? Then you are t
acquire them for yourself; your teachers
your pastor, your parents or your friends
cannot acquire them for you. In the las
analysis it will be found that every mar
= stands or falls alone.
Every man owes himself a living, I,
/ get on, to succeed. His prosperity is vi
tai to the world. He also owes himsel
/ health. We know what the simple rule
Of health are and in order to be we'll VI
must obey them. Boys and girls meet
! today to be well and that argues a grea
deal against their being out nights. 1t j
: absolutely impossible for them to keel
I late hours at dances and other diversion
! night after night and remain we'll, ant
; why do their parents allow them to d.
it? Their boys grow up withou
strenElns lnelr girls WiluOut nerves.
I We need homes in our country toda.
aye how we need them; but the boy
waiting until he can support a wife il
] luxury, and the girl is waiting for tn
! fortune to be made. Let them work an
? save together and so grow into uniol
) that no divorce can sever. That is tn
I way to work out your own salvation.
/ Man owes to himself development. Fl
> is a free moral agent and can do as b
pleases. He may encounter the toll an
struggle that go with success, or he ma
5 follow the line OF least resistance until b
becomes an outcast of society. The gin
: may give herself to humble mechanic
I perhaps, and become his helpmeet, shar
his labors and bless his home, or she ma
( follow the idle way Of fashion, lead th
3 simple butterfly life till she, too, become
an outcast.