Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-06-06

self defense for their hearth. their
faith, their descendants, and their God.
Zion they were to show the same quail
| ties described in our text.
Need of Prayer.
THE first quality is prayerfulness.
Prayer shows the right sense of de-
pendence, of need of guidance; it also
shows trust in God and faith in His
promises. With earnest prayer to God
for His blessing and guidance was our
synod and our educational work found
ed so years ago; and who can count
the many prayers that have risen as
incense before the throne of God with
reference TO every part of our work.
Are not prayers being offered every
day by loving hearts for each one of
you as you have pursued a course of
study leading to the goal which now
it attained? Are you not in your own
hearts prone to prayer as you look
/ forward to the battles and dangers
ahead of you, as you feel the struggle
for supremacy between good and evil
raging in your own hearts? Begin,
this day of graduation with
prayer before God, that He may indeed
lead you by His hand safely past all
snares and pitfalls into a life in His
service.
Quality of WatchfuIness.
''The next quality in this upbuilding
is that of watchfulness we read, and
they set watch against the enemy
day and night An adage teaches us
that liberty is the price of eternal
vigilance. This same eternal vigil
ance must be shown in the upbuilding
of all those things which lead to
useful and successful life, in the up
building of character. How many
one must atone with years of sorrow
and even of shame for one single lapse
of vigilance in the face of an ever
active enemy.
Delinquency of duty brings not only
loss to ourselves, but often disaster
even to those we love better than our
own lives Your success as students
has depended on the honest perform
ance day after day of the tasks as
signed to you; you may likewise be
watchful day and night. that the enemy
may never surprise and capture you
and destroy even the best efforts of
your life
Willingness to Work.
THE next great quality mentioned
in our text is willingness to work We
are told: For all the people had a
mind to work What a glorious pic
ture of activity and unity of purpose
is expressed in these words We see
each willing to accomplish whatever
was most needed, one helping and sup
plementing the other. so that the de-
Tense should be strengthened to the
equal protection of all. No danger,
we are not losing caste by taking hold
of such tasks as may be needed, be
they ever so simple in themselves. 1t
is the one who is willing to do just
what the emergency requires who is
the most patriotic citizen or useful
man. Did your forefathers who laid
the foundations of our work have a
mind to work. Let their deeds
answer
They have builded schools and col
leges, have erected homes for the
fatherless and the sick, have taken in
terest in that part of humanity who
live beyond the seas even in the dark
ness of heathendom, have sacrificed
for the advancement of the gospel in
their own country, have taken interest
in community, state and government.
This people of which we have sprung
have indeed had mind to work. and
today we bless their memory therefor.
"Oh, the glory of work! 1t is not
nY11v dI1fu iS Of he
joys of life. 1t is a law of our being,
that while we can work, we are truly
happy only when wo do work. Only
he who truly works really knows what
rest is, what relaxation is, what the
glow of health is, what the gladness
of accomplishment means
Young friends, with what feeling
do you look forward to the future? Do
you each one of you have mind to
work?' Under God we are called upon