The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-06-12
Hear Splendid BaccaIaureate
By Rev. c. J. Staples
OPEN 42nd COMMENCEMENT.
"The Incurable Optimism of Youth" was
Subject Selected by Speaker, from
Which to Draw Lessons Which
Were Suitable for Occasion.

Class Sunday, the opening Of the AID
annual commencement week at Goddard
seminary, was observed at the Uniyer-
salist church yesterday and the bac-
cslaueate sermon, before the class of
1911 and an audience that filled the
church, was delivered by Rev. Charles
j. Staples pastor of the Unitarian
church OF Burlington. The service
throughout was most enjoyable and inn
pressiye.
The front of the altar was prettily
banked with ferns and flowers. Seats
in the front of the auditorium were re-
served for the members of the gradual
ing class, the junior class and the fac
uIty, who marched into the church in
separate bodies. Four members of the
Junior class acted as ushers, Harold
Chapel, Harry Carr, John Smith and
Frank Tupper. The congregation filed
nearly every available seat, and among
them were alumni and friends of the
school from out OF town, who are here,
for the week
Miss Gladys Gale, as organist, and a
quartet comprised of Miss Florence H.
Sturtevant, Mrs E. J. BatcheIder, DIR.
d. C. Jarvis and Frederic Edwards, fur
nished an excellent musical program.
The order of the service was as follows:
Organ voluntary, Pastoral, Merkeli
quartet, ''Te Deum In B. Minor" Buck;
nytcation; responsive reading; quar-
tet, Lead Kindly Light" Sullivan;
scripture reading; prayer; response;
duet. 81 Waited for the Lord" Mendel-
ssohn, Miss Sturtevant and DIR. Jarvis;
hymn; benediction; postlude, Vienna
March, Clark
"The Incurable Optimism of Youth"
was the subject, from which Rev. Mr.
Staples drew an exceptionally inspir-
ing and forceful lesson His texts were
Ecclesiasties, ll:a, Rejoice, oh young
man, in thy youth; know that but for
these things God will bring thee into
judgment" and Philippians, 4:4, "Rejoice
in the Lord always and again ! say re-
ioice."
He spoke in substance as follows:
"These are texts of joy and in the abund
ant tide of nature in which we stand,
it is a delight to be alive. Men and
women feel this in each returning sea-
son more deeply than they have words
TO say. Each new June, with its sur
prising and refulgent verdure replacing
the glittering white of winter, the crowd
ed ranks of the leaves, the upspring
ing of the humble grasses and roadside
weeds, the growth of field and garden,
makes us draw deep breaths of happy
pleasure. How good is natures life;
the vibrant air and sunshine, the ex-
hilarating prospects, shy woodland
places deep in ferns, the nights all glo-
rious combine in one soul, the soul of
creative joy. Earth and sky are in
true harmony.
"The world is as it should be- This
is its perennial youth. The psalmist felt
il as he wrote. the little hills rejoice
on every side. The pastures are clothed
with fiocks, the valleys also are covered
with corn They shout for JOY, they also
sing. 1t is easy to be an optimist in
June. when the years are at the spring,
and the days at the morn, the hillsides
dew -pearled and Gods in his heaven,
alIis right with the world.
The Joy of youth is its finest asset.
II is the living witness OF the Creators
presence The extIberance of youth.
spendthrift of time, is its rarest bless
ing. We are in close contact with the
sources of life and being.
"Yet this optimism, the optimism of
physical wellbeing. does not last. 1t
cannot Ii is founded on inherited pow
er and not on personal 1t is of the
BODY product of good digestion. strong
nerves, sound hearts and sleepful nights.
This ioy of animal spirits viii be
brought into Judgment. That is; it will
be tested Gods command. louder than
the thunder OF Sinai, is that you keep
your health sacred that YOU may keep
vour faith and your JOY Every abuse
of the powers granted you means not
merely righteous suffering but a diminu
tion of the vital strength of living.
"Yet all the while, the question is
confronting YOU, what is the use of be-
Ing n HeditHNs HhHPsf
This royal gift of youth. this very heav-
en-. is it only to be admiredY All, youth
is often so cruel, so thoughtless in its
strength, so dsdainful of those who
must husband their resources. They do
not mean it so, but they do not under
stand. "We have to face that problem.
five are to carry the optimism Of youth
further. another element must enter.
The elements OF creation. The lower
ioy comes to seem superficial Mere
merriment fails. There is a time when
it sounds fiat and empty. In that
marvellous study of human life. Haw
thorne's marble Faun," we have the
picture in Donstello of the gay. ire
sponsible playful spirit, winning, con-
tagieus. delightful but unawakened.
"Can you trsnsmute the joy Of being
alive into the Joy of life work. Can
YOU change the optimism OF mere youth
into the optimism of ereationl There
is something to be accomplished. There
are foes and difficulties worthy of ones
utmost powers. Can you not merely
accept life but mould its Then you will
know finer happiness. a grown-up hap
piness. that of seeing things shaped un-