New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-05-30
GOOD FORCES IN WEALTH
Lesson Theme of BaCCaiaureate
Sermon to Columbia Graduates.
RHEES ON SPIRIT OF TO-DAY
Big Gymnasium of University
Filled with Parents and
Friends Of Students.


the University of Rochester, delivered the
haecalaureate sermon before the graduating
class of Columbia University yesterday af-
ternoon That wealth and the pleasure and
power which are brought about by wealth
are forces Of good just as long as they DO
not tend 10 the debasement of the soul of
man was the theme OF the lesson which Dr.
Rhees pointed out to the graduates Ills
text was from Matthew. Y. ): Blessed art
the pure in heart. for they shall see God
The striking figures in the procession "
graduates and faculty members, which
marched slowly from the library to tine
gyn1na sum, where the service was held.
were Dean John Howard Van ATringe,
who is To relinquish the deanship of Column
bia College after fifty years in the service
of the university. and Charles Frederick
Chandler. retiring professor of chemistry.
who has been associated with Columbia for
nearly half a century.
The parents and friends of the gradu-
ates crowded into every part of the large
auditorium of the gymnasium. The music
was by the university orchestra, under the
leadership OF Professor Frank B. Ward
The Rev. Raymond Q. Knox, chaplain 81
the university, read the lesson. The special
choir from St. Georges Church then sang
an anthem, after which the prayers were
read by the chaplain Among them was
| the prayer of Samuel Johnson the first
president of the college, when the corner
stone of Kings College. now Columbia. was
laid. in 1756 Following the singing of the
hymn stand Columbia" President Rhees
preached his sermon He said
The philosophic mood is out of fashion
and our opinions are more impulsive in
character than many an earlier time would
have tolerated. Yet the question OF the
| highest good does present itself In pfae-
teal form to every young life racing the
worlds tasks and opportunities. Ii phrases
itself oftenest for US in a strictly personal
way-'How can / get the most out OF lie!
| To that question the whole network of in
iuenees and opportunities that enwraps US
in this day replies: Get money!
Now, he would BE an unheeded Jeremiah
I who should cry out in the ears or TINS
I generation against the worth of this object
of weIInigh universal striving. Not only IS
wealth good. but good also are the pleas
ure and power which wealth NAV secure:
/ 1t is true that all three of these undouoted
goods are prostituted to base abuses by
/ nanv men II is not the abuse. however
! that commonly allures us. We seek wealth.
! because IL is the reward of effective wore
| and gives the opportunity for ease anu
/ comfort and Teasonab bic qualification OF de-
sire and puts in our hand the sceptre OF
/ power. ct it needs no carplnS 1nood 70
remark the ease with which the abuse OF
| all these good things comes to dominate
! lives which enter on the pursuit OF them
with high hopes and purposes Give puf
one thought to the sacrifices which men are
making ali about us for the fulfilment OF
| their desire for gain. Our whole recent
public experience has given abundant evi-
! dence Of the readiness with which men
! have sacrificed for gain their honor
| No ether development of the Christian
centuries Is so significant as the growing
spirit of sympathy with our fellows and
consciousness of responsibility for their
good IT shows itself not only in expand
| ing charities. but in manifold Crusades Tor
relief of oppressive or binding conditions.
/ in aritatioTls against child labor. against
! tenement house congestion, for pure fcod,
! for safe conditions of employment and IN 2
myriad formal and informal ways Ana
what is the chief obstacle this growing
spirit of brotherhood has to overcomeF ~
/ l.; the hardness OF heart shown Dy men
| 40 not mean to make this sacrifice Of broth
erhood when we enter the race for money
! in order TO get the most out or me- ne
demand for the sacrifice comes later. And
| then our conception of what is best IN Ire
| Is not clear enough to hold us back from
paying the tragic cost of honor and OF
brotherhood
! II our dav is one IN which highminded-
ness often seems to suffer eclipse, single
mindedness is its chief distinction Our
great modern advances have been the re-
ward of singIemindednesS, of exclusive De
votien 10 one definite object OF enoFt- InaI
| is the secret of all success. whether sordld
! or noble. 1t is the secret or enefSeut, e.
| fective effort That is why II must oe
I welded TO highmindedness TO make UP ttidt
purity of heart which shall have the sat1s-
| fying certainty of Gods presence
| The Barnard and Columbia seniors VIII
! each celebrate their class day exercises to-
day The Barnard graduates will hold their
exercises in the Columbia gymnasium in
| the morning beginning al 10 o'clock, and
the Columbia students will have theirs In
the same place az . O'Clock in the after
noon Following the Columbia exercises a
university tea will be served in Earl Hall,
and in the evening the Barnard seniors VIII
hold their class dance in that building
while the Columbia seniors are having their
dance in the gymnasium.