Omaha daily bee., 1911-06-09
FIFTEEN FINISH AT BELLEVUE
Receive Their Diplomas from the Old
School to the South.
ALUMNUs DELIVERS ADDRESS
Talks on "The New Professionalism and
the old Christianity'' in = Radi-
cal Vein - Commencement
Exercises Close Tonight.

Bellevue college held its commencement
exercises Thursday morning in the historic
old church in the village before an audi
ence that crowded it to the doors. Fifteen
young men and women who compose the
class Of IL, received their diplomas. They
were:
Augustus Charles Barry. haywood, Neb
Henry John Brandt. Beatrice, Neb.
Florence Leona Currie, Friend, Neb.
William Edmund Dysart Superior, Neb
Abel Ray Findley, Bellevue, Neb.
Golde Elsie Fowler, Cedar Bluffs, Neb
Raymond Viles Kearnes, LOup City, Neb.
Zella Merna Messenger, Denver, Colo.
Margaret Jessie Gilman, Pilger, Neb.
Eva Fern Phillips, Beatrice, Neb.
David Primrose, Primrose, Neb.
Glen Lathrop Rice, Flagler, Colo.
Frances Julia Sweetland, Loup City, Neb
Ferris Ellsworth Webb, Bedford, la.
The graduates received their diplomas
from the hands Of DR.. s. w. stookey, pres
ident Of the institution, who presided. The
invocation was pronounced by Rev.
stephen Phelps, d. D., of the faculty
For the first time in the history Of the
institution an alumnus gave the commence
ment address. in the person of Rev. George
X. Lunn, d. D., of Schenectady, N. Y.
AS pastor of a wealthy and fashionable
church in that city he made himself known
all over the Empire state two years ago
by coming out strongly on the side of labor
in the midst of a strike that was embroil-
ing the city. He is a member OF the class
Of 81.
AIumnus Gives Address.
He surprised conservative old Bellevue
today in an address on THE New Protes-
tantism and the Old Christianity" speak
ing in a strong, radical vein. He said in
part;
The magnificent faith and unstinted en-
ergies Of our protestant forefathers gave
to us that intellectual liberty and freedom
from ecclesiastical domination which was
the necessary precursor to all modern ad
vance. The old ecclesiasticism with it's
claim of divine right to control the con-
sciences Of men. failed when confronted
by the rising tide of movement in the in
terest of Individual liberty so strong that
nothing could withstand It. There was
general agreement that the mind of man
must be free II the world was to progress
The result has been that the basis OF So
ciety since the reformation has been indi-
of individual liberty to such an extent that
we are today witnessing the giant evils
which are due In part at least to this over
emphasis. Unrestricted individualism aided
by the great discoveries and modern inven-
lions, have developed like a Colossus, until
we have developed an industrial system
more far-reaching in its effects for good or
evil than any ecclesiastical system the
world has ever known.
The old professionalism was protest
against the ecclesiastical bondage Of the
many by the privileged few. The new
professionalism is a protest against the eco
monte or industrial bondage of the many
by the privileged few, The industrialism
developing itself like Colossus has been
made possible by the ta|ing over by the
few of the sacred rights of the many
BY these sacred rights l mean the right
TO the land and the natural resources which
the good God intended for society as a
whole. l am not here concerned as to
how this came about, but simply to point
out that II has come about. Gradually the
people are dependent have conferred in the
hands of the few. The exploitation of
the natural resources which belong to all an
the natural resources WI ich b 10 s to ali and
when the many are taught and disciplined
INTO the fuea that the few have a sacred
right to these natural resources by which
alone the man can live.
The-elass orations were delivered by A.
c. Berry and Miss Florence Currie, the
former taking up a scientific phase. and
the latter dealing with the arts in the
world of learning. Both gave their sub
Jects an exhaustive and an entertaining
treatment
Music was provided for the occasion by
the college male quartette and trained
chorus of voices, and In addition several
individual selections of merit.
The commencement week activities end
this evening with an alumni reception at
Rankin Hall, the presidents home, and an
alumni banquet on the college commons.