The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-05-29
Shows Importance of Christian Re- ligion and It's Training in Edu- cational Life of Ameri-
 ca's Young Men
By FRED c. sTIcxNEY

taxed the capacity of Clark hall, for many years the scene of commencement exer- cises, gathered to hear the sermon ana the music, which was furnished by the choir of the local Episcopal church. as-
 sisted by other voices from Tuscaloosa. | The order of the service was as follows: | Archestral prelude, selected. Processional hymn. | Venite, Exultemus Domino CBlumen-
 schein).
 Psalm 147.
 Gloria Patri, selected. Lesson.
 Te Deum Laudamus (StewarD. Creed and prayers. Hymn.
 Announcements.
 Baccalaureate sermon by the Rt. Rev. Clelan Kinloch Nelson, D. D. Doxology.
 Anthem, Lift Up, Lift Up Your Voices (Berwald).
 Benediction.
 Recessional hymn. Bishop Nelsons sermon was a splendid
 effort, one of the best heard at the uni versity in long while. His subject was
 ''The Cognates of Education," and his text, taken from Proverbs 3, 1914, was,
 Happy is the man that fndeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding:
 for the merchandise of 1t Is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain
 thereof than fine gold.'' The trend of the whole sermon went to show that there is something far more worthy of development through educa- ton than those particular faculties whicn enable a man to make living and find
 more sensuous enjoyment in life. Educa-
 tion should develop the spiritual nature Of a man and thereby enable him to be of service to the world. After explaining the meaning of our modern scheme of education, the speaker
 summarized by saying, 'The postuates of
 education are thus seen to be what in the Ivernacular has often been referred to book-learning, next professional equip
 ment, specific training for mechanical, in- dustrial, commercial and domestic arts, with a quick, gradual trend towards ap- piled physics with view to employment
 for money-getting, whatever be the pur-
 pose underlying the securing of wealth." Most of the achievements of our day are in this field and have little If anything of idealism in them." What Is to be the end of the ma
 chine-men different from the end of the machine-gun or the engine. motor, crank and pulley? To be thrown after few years into the scrap heap, too tangled and too worthless even to be
 remoulded (much less remodeled) be-
 cause it would be less trouble to make new man."
 Bishop Nelson then read the chapter in Isaiah (xliv 9-20) which begins
 They that make a graven image are
 all of them vanity; and their delectable
 things shall not profit; and that they
 may be ashamed" Beyond the developed capacity for
 and variety of enjoyment of self. what does our boasted education do for us but sharpen our wits, refine our sensu-
 ality and gild our images For under meath the smear of paint and tinsel there is the same old block of wood, part of which feeds the fire, part warns
 the back, and part is formed into an idol"
 "Eyen the flve-foot bookcase sans ethics, sans religion. sans Bible can
 no. redeem the enlightened selfishness
 or disprove the radical stupidity of the devotees.
 Our educators complain of the lack l-of ambition and general worthlessness of the pampered sons of wealthy par | ents, who excel on the gridiron and yield to the fascination of physical | sports. By what logic? They have only | found the acme of their desires lit I tie earlier by not having to work for | a living And are not manly powers of | a physical sort as proper an end as | highly developed mechanism of an- other sort?
 T mean ultimately in the long run, | in imperishable values--is not one about | the equal of the other? "Where there is no vision the people
 perish just the same Need of Spiritual Training My main contention is that no educa- | ton can ever claim completeness which
 does not make specific provision for the
 elevation by training and discipline of mans spiritual nature, That education
 has not fulfilled it's functions which has | drawn out one set of latent powers. and | left personal gifts of many kinds un- 1 a affected or has refused to recognize in it's subjects genius of many orders, or has | failed to supply the initial inspiration and stimulus for great deeds, or has sealed up from the eyes of youth the
 visions of tasks which will test the en- | ergy and grit of such men as see before | me. and has shut out the prophecy of new realm of righteousness, or peace anu l of corporate endeavor. - The speaker then went on to show the ] importance of religion to man. and to point out the greatness of the Christian 1 religion and its adaptability to acceptance | as a molding influence in our civiliza- | ton. He urged all young men to inVes T. | gate it honestly with an. open mind ana l heart that they might understand us great truth and it's value to them and | to the world
 ."rhis brief review of a great subject should not be closed without specifically directing your minds to two important corollaries of the truth which l have sought to develop. Gladly as I would see the best men or you all, or all of you, who indicate the requisite fitness, adopt the ministry or reconciliation as your vocation, l warn you of the error too often held or inn piled that the preachers of the gospes are charged with the whole burden of the worlds uplift. tt'f
 Your gifts prescribe your duties; your advantages and privileges are the meas
 ures of your obligation. What Is Genius? The small man is he who refuses the little tasks. Genius, as has been said, is not the ability to do some great thing, but the capacity to do number of things well.
 There is more courage in standing up
 to disagreeable though necessary oc-
 cupation or In resisting fascinating
 temptation than in standing in front of
 a gun.
 There is need in the world for work
 ors. but greater need Is for leaders