Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1911-06-22


graduates OF Christian institution
of learning. On this your commence
ment" time, the college faculty, Board
OF Directors and other friends wish
you success and Gods blessings in
your future life and work. 1t is this
sacred wish coupled with few hum
bic words of counsel and admonition
that l have the privilege of expressing
this evening. 1t would hardly be ap-
propriate, on this occasion to take up
doctrinal or any other religious sub
ject and present it according TO the
.senting mainly abstract truths, but ra
Their to give you some practical hints
and suggestions bearing upon your
life and doings in the future. Yet,
speaking from the pulpit as l do, it
would be out of place to base my re-
marks upon human authority. Fur
thermore, the occasion is sufficiently
momentous to invoke Divine guidance
and draw from that authority which
does not change with time and cir
cumstances-the Word of God I de-
sire to call your attention to Colossi-
ans 3rd chapter and 18th verse.
Whatsoever We do in word or deed,
do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God and the Father
by Him."
The admonition given in the words
just read, gives us a sure foundation
for true success in our undertakings.
1. Do all in the name of the Lord
Jesus.
Having finished prescribed course
the object Of which is to prepare for
hfes work, it is certain that you ex-
pect to Do Things. From the time
you began your school work you have
no doubt looked forward to the time
when you could begin the work in
some chosen career and Do Things.
Commencement means that you are
now to begin as never before. But
you do not only expect to begin things,
you also hope to succeed in your work.
And why not? You have, as l hope,
labored patiently and faithfully in or
der to prepare yourself we'll and thus
you hope to succeed. All this is i'm
portant, still there are certain other
conditions before you that have to do
with success as for example, persist
velopment, etc. Our text gives one
condition that is often overlooked in
striving for success, viz: Doing all
that we do in the name of the Lord
Jesus, and by giving thanks to God
acknowledge our dependence upon
Him.
When I mention success in this con-
nection, 1 do not mean simply success
in the way Of securing and holding
lofty positions or amassing large sums
of money. I use this word in a broad
er and higher sense, which is equiva-
lent to true success in life or "Life's
duty we'll done" And it is here that
the admonition of our text comes to
us with its mighty import.
2. Let us then consider how things
are done in the name of Christ.
We do things in Gods name when
we ask His help in prayer. TO do
this we must not only know our weak
ness and limitations, but we must also
know that "God is, and that He is a
rewarder of them that seek Him."
That God is the ruler of this world is
an elementary truth. But simple as
the truth may be, man has been slow
in learning it. Many with Aristotle
have believed matter to be eternal,
and many even in our day believe that
nature somehow governs itself, that
nature is God. AS Christian people
we certainly believe that God governs
not only this globe on which we dwell,
but also the inhabitants thereof-the
people. And further, thru Christ,
God is revealed to us as our loving
Heavenly Father, who cares for us,
helps us in all our wants and would
ever direct our life's course in accord
ance with His gracious purposes. Now
does it not seem reasonable and right
to ask Gods help and guidance in all
our undertakings, when we know that
we are dependent upon Him in all
things, and Christ has bid us ask
whatsoever we would in His name?
In this our boosted scientific age, we
are prone to doubt the efficacy Of pray
err, but sacred history presents to us
a "cloud of witnesses" testifying to
great accomplishments as result of
prayer. What great reforms, what
mighty missionary movements, what
lasting good have not resulted from
earnest, continual and faithful pray
err? How many individual Christians