The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1912-06-18
oahu GRADUATES
ATTEND SERVICE
Rev. Mr.. Smith Delivers Special
Sermon 10 College Students
at Central Union.
(FrOm MOnday,s Advertiser.l

(FTom Mondays Advertiser.)
Before a large audience of relatives
and friends of the twenty-eight grad.
yates of the Oahu College, Rev. Robert
E. Smith, pastor Of the First Methodist
Episcopal Church, delivered the sermon
to the class in the Central Unien
Church last evening. Special music
was rendered by the college glee club
and trio. Beautiful floral decorations
were used.
With the exception of one previous
graduating class this year g class is the
largest that has completed the course
at the college. The usual exercises in
eident to the commencement season will
be conducted during this week.
Shoulder Burdens.
Rev. Mr.. Smith took as his text,
tLet no man despise thy youth"
Neglect not the gift that is in thee.''
From First Timothy 4:12-14. He said
in part:
fThese words are a part of a stir
ring message sent to promising young
man in the last half of the first century.
He was named Timothy. The RESPONSE
bilities which rested upon him were
very important and very heavy. He
had to rule the presbyters, most of
whom were older than himself; he had
to settle all disputed questions which
arose; he had to contend with the lead
ers of rival seets in the city, all of
whom bitterly opposed him; he had to
courageously oppose the prejudices,
covetousness, sensuality and vice of
great city.
"Realizing this young mans re-
sponsibilities the Apostle Paul wrote
helpful and inspiring message to him.
1t was Let no man despise thy youth.
Neglect not the gift that is in thee.
Life's Possibilities.
eve thus have for our subject, 'The
possibilities of life and their unfold
ment. - Life for the young is TEEN
ing with grand and tremendous pos
sibilities. Many inherent possibilities
lie slumbering in the heart and life of
every rational youth.
Emerson says, 'The world is all
gates, all opportunities, strings of ten
sion waiting to be struck The psalm
list had the same lofty conception of
the greatness of man when he wrote,
Thou hast made him little lower
than the angels and hast crowned him
with glory and honor.
"Although man is the supreme work
of divine creation, although his posi-
bilities are almost infinite yet, rela-
lively speaking, only few men,, only
a few women, ever rise into eoncious-
ness of their greatness and form true
nnncapt;nn of tho frauando1a oihiI.
tiles of life.
"'First of all, mediate upon your
exalted position in the order of crea-
tion. Above everything else the young
man or young women should firmly re-
solve, by divine assistance, to prove
worthy of such an exalted position in
prove worthy of such divine honor by
forming right conceptions of the pos
sibilities of life and then by devoting
of those possibilities.
Story of Great Men.
"History abounds with examples of
young men and women who have risen
from obscurity to places of honor, of
trust and of responsibility. Sturgeon,
the electrician; Samuel Drew, the es-
| sayist and Thomas Edwards, the natu-
ralist, were shoemakers in their youth.
Abraham Lincoln was railsplitter and
Horace Greeley was poor and unsuccess-
full at the first.
"These great men and thousands of
others formed lofty conceptions of the
responsibilities of life and were true
and faithful to them. This is the key
note of the highest success.
fThose who are today filling honored
positions as judges, lawyers, physicians,
clergymen, generals, navigators, mer.
chants, manufacturers and teachers will
soon lay down their burdens and
honors Their places will be filed by
the youth of today who are forming
lofty conceptions of the responsibilities
of life.
Strive for Object