The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1909-05-27
BACCALAUREATE SERMON
Preached to the Class of 'O9 Leon High School,
on Sunday, May 23d, by Rev. Charles Arthur
CoakweII, Pastor of the Christian Church.

into the dark night of human oblivion
because he lacked patience.
Enthusiasm is a potent factor in life.
1t is the soul of man in action. Many
illustrations can be brought to mind.
A few will serve: Jenny Lind charmed
her hearers because of purposeful
object in life. Human souls and their
betterment were her goal. Patrick
Henry was able to make his hearers
catch the enthusiasm that thrilled his
breast. Michael Davitt, some few years
deceased, at the age of 10 saw his wild
dow mother thrust from her humble
cottage by merciless landlord. At the
age of Is destined to fifteen years of
penal servitude for championing the
cause of Ireland and her oppressed.
Later on elected to the house of COM
mons by this same people, where he
continued to do battle for his people.
Living in poverty, dying in poverty, his
all was spent in enthusiastic purpose
for his country. At his demise all the
world knew Of his sacrifice and gloried
in his life. Thus history records the
true value of noble aim and its worth.
The high and lofty appeal to all human
hearts as the element natural to their
we'll being. 1t is the atmosphere of
oXhileration, and the food of content.
ment. Many of us were born in health,
hence we love health. Disease is foreign
to us. Therefore we despise it, whether
it be of tho mind or body.
Emmanuel Kant. the great philosopher,
asks, "What are the aims that are at the
same time duties?" They are the per-
fecting of ourselves and the happiness
OF others. We want aims that can never
grow vile and which cannot disappoint
our hopes. We all have our day dreams
of what we want to be, to do, or to have
To this end it is imperative that we
first learn to know and govern our
selves.
Says Shakespeare, ga man may smile
and smile, and be villain too" There
are men and women everywhere striv-
ing to regain lost ground, battling with
their own bad natures, and with every
struggle and triumph impressed deeply
with the fact that "He who ruleth his
spirit is greater than he that taketh a
city, Bad people are the exception,
good people are the rule. 1t is natural
for people to lean toward the upright.
Love and sympathy are part of the
Divine plan for men.
That very law which moulds tear,
| And bids it trckle from it's source;
| That law preserves the earth sphere,
And guides the planets in their course.
AS doth the marvellous in nature ap-
peal unto us in it's development, like
wise the outreach and growth of the
human possibilities in their far reaching
effect.
am no mere worm of the dust. I am
living, vital, throbbing soul encased
in house of clay. see, hear, feel
| know and understand. | shall live
on; the body, only, dies. There are nc
limitations, for am an eternal soul. Let
me live to gladden. and succor; let me
yearn to help; let me be useful; let me-
daily, bring to the storehouse of civiliz-
alton, some new gift of worth. This to
me is the quality of appeal that should
ever have our ears and hearts.
Soul conauests come to one as mas
tory of purpose. The superiority OF
heart over brain is pre-. eminent fact
and yet how bare is the cathedral of the
heart, and how the devotees of the
at the altar.
Brilliancy is placed before goodness
NOAVOAAUy UOAOIO ANO1lUys luUOAlOSl
walks the earth crowned king, while
affection and sentiment toll as bono
slaves. When the historian calls the
roll of earth's favorite sons, he causes
these immortals to stand forth an army
Of great thinkers.
Great minds are exalted, great heart,
are neglected, but the throne of tn
!, universe is mercy not marble, and tn,
name of the world ruler is Great Heart
Ideas of the iniquity of slavery hoatet
, through our land for three centuries
} yet the slave pen and the auction blocl
still cursed US. Later these ideas wer,
backed by an onslaught of the heart an,
: slavery persisted. Back Of the Emanci
patton Proclamation stands q grea
heart named Lincoln. Back of Africa
: new life stands great heart nance
!: Livingstone, back of the Sermon on tn
: Mount stands earth's greatest heart
, Jesus Of Nazareth. Impotent the in
: tellect without the support Of tn
: heart. The shores Of time are strew
} with wreckage Of 50 called grea
]. thoughts.
81 In those far OF days when the over
{ seers Of the Egyptian king scourge