Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1911-06-01
q Cor. 9:2425)

Friends and citizens of Warren and
especially the senior and graduating
class OF Warren High School, Peace
be and abide with you now and for:
ever, Amen!
feel highly honored today by being
asked to deliver the baccalaureate ser
mon. would certainly not be doing
]ust1ee to your class if I absolutely re.
fused to serve. But I will promise
that Shall not try to rise in flights of
oratory nor tire you by long and tire.
some philosophizing, for that is indeed
beyond my ability; but will however,
try TO force some thoughts, corrobora-
ted py the Holy Scriptures or by the
testimony from men of knowledge up
on your attention now; and hope, that
you may gather therefrom some little
pearl of value.
Therefore, please imagine yourselves
transplanted to the land known for
wisdom, culture and art-to Olympia
in the Peloponnesus, place made ia
nous far and near because Zeus (Jupi.
iter), the divinity, was supposed to
dwell there. Further imagine it to be
the fifth or as some say, the fourth year
the Olympiad, when the religious fes,
t1Val is taking place. Seat yourself
in the open on the hillside facing the
plain before the mount among the in.
Vulnerable multitude clad in festal or.
namenr, who have gathered from far
and near. Such an occasion could not
be missed by any that had an occasion
to be present. 1t is the Olympian
games which are in progress.
But observe those young men who
Eappea They Toe the mark. See the
keen and piercing eyes, and erect
heads; notice the muscles. both in the
j legs and arms and also in the chest
swell. They are running race. Ev.
iery eye is riveted on them; but they
heed it not. The one clad in red is
in advance, but the blue is close Sc
cond with the green not far behind.
Everyone is running with might and
will. Why all this exertion and strife
The victor is crowned with a gar
land of wild olives. Heralds p1oc1a1 u
his name abroad. When he returns
to his native city, he is welcomed as a
conqueror Songs are sung to his
praise
| Now listen! You will better under:
stand wha the apostle Paul writes
in 1 Cor. 9:24,25. Know We not that
they which run in race run all, but
one receiveth the prize? Even so run
that ye may attain. And every man
that striyeth in the games is temper.
ate in all things. Now they do it to
receive corruptible crown but we, an
incorruptib1e.
I Life has been likened very often to
a pilgrimage. Human beings are the
ones who journey through this world
which is a wilderness toward eternity,
the christian towards the heavenly
home. Mems lives have also been
lkened to the flower Of the field or the
grass which decks the earth. Men
appear as weak shoot in childhood; !;
ithen as the bud in youth as a full de-
veloped blossom in manhood and wo-
manhood; and finally as the faded
flower with dropping head in old age.
The flowers final is death. Thus old
age ends by passing through the val
| ley of death into the hereafter To
day, men and women, Paul makes this
statement, that men are racers, con-
testants in the race. Mems lives is a
struggle, pushing forward towards
| the prize and goal. None can stand
still for there is no pausing on the
track. God wishes all to run and run
fast Life is not walk. It is a race.
Life is not play or dream.
Tell me not in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream.
For the soul is death that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.
Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not it's goal.
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.
Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way;
/ But to act, that each tomorrow,
Find us farther than today.
But listen, how many individuals
dare enter a race or appear on the
race course with hopes Of succeeding
filling their minds without some previ-
ous preparation? There can not be
Hound many such ones. Even more
SO is it necessary to prepare for LIES
race. No one ought to tread on the