The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-27


 Tuscaloosa, May 26.-- Especial. J. Before an audience of over 1000 peo- pie the Rev. J. T. Plunlxet, pastor of the South Highland Presbyterian church of Birmingham, delivered the baecalaureate sermon to the graduating class of the University of Alabama this morning. The services were held in the beautiful assembly hall of the Morgan building, one of the new build ings recently erected on the university campus. The assembly hall and bal cony were packed with the Friends and relatives of the graduates. Although the heat made it very uncomfortable. Dr. Plunkets wonderful magnetism held the audience spellbound as he gave the seniors godspeed,
 In connection with Dr. Plunkets ser mon an Impressive musical programme was carried out by a large, well trained chorus.
 In his sermon this morning Dr. Plum ket said;
 "The Greatness of Services"
 "'Whosoever of you will be chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto but to minister. and to give His life a ransom for many. Mark x:44-4o
 Young Gentlemen: Unless human na- ture has greatly changed within the last dozen years, the>end of college life Is apt to be a season Of mingled emotions
 ''Half shadow and half bright
 Half clad in gray and half In rosy light
 "The flowers the music and the festivi- ties of commencement day are but att tempted oompensatlons to hearts that are nots altogether gay. The breaking up of dear companionships bring sorrow, but the future stands before us, and hope and exl eotation weave bright garlands to deck our brows What of the future? That is the question of the hour. The days of your pupilage here are past You are going out into life. Seriously almost solemnly, l ask you each one: What will you be? What will you do? What would you make of yourselves if you had the shaping of your destlnies within your power at this moment-if wishing and be- coming were one and the same thing? It Is vital question. because what in the bottom of our hearts we wish to be. that. in an important sense. we are; for as man thinketh in his heart so is he.' So, young man. in this closing hour of your academic life, l would fire your ambition. The desire for distinction Is one of the radical principles of our nature. Though 1t is liable 10 abuse. 1t Is one of the great motive powers of society. l don't hesi- tate to affirm that next to having a wrong ambition the worst thing that can happen to man is that he shall have no ambi- ton at all. for then the handspring Of his soul is broken and all his energy and elevation are at an end.
 'Is this a strange doctrine for me to preach you? It is not q strange doctrine if we agree upon the kind of ambition to which l would stimulate you--an ambition to strive for the mastery in benefting oth- CTS rather than self-the ambition 10 make the world happier, better world for your having been in it. The spirit of my ap- peal 10 you is found in the gospel of Mark, the tenth chapter. and the forty second and forty-ffth verses, inclusive 'Whosoeyer of you will be chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be nlinlstered unto but to minister, and to give His life q ransom for many. You doubtless remember the occasion which inspired the text. The dis ciples of Jesus had fallen into rivalry and strife as to which of them should be great est Here was ambition blazing up hotly among the very men whom Christ had chosen to be the hope of the ages. Un- Seemly enough Hs IL Hlu5l appear anu Ddu enough, but not altogether bad or the Lord would have torn it up root and branch. Instead of this. He dealt with the contending disciples gently. He rebuked not the craving for distinction, but the sefishness manifested among them, and He then gave them a definition of great ness at wide variance to that which pre- vailed throughout the ancient world: and for that matter, widely at variance with .t.o of f,1rfl dao of today, but for all that definition which is indorsed by history. by the institutions founded upon It. by the very civilization of our time, and by every mans dispas- sonate judgment as the truest definition. Jesus substituted for the love of greatness the greatness of love. Others said, Great ness was a thing of rule. He said. Great ness is a thing of service The great man is the seryiceable man; and he Is the greatest man who is the Nnost service able.
 ''No one will deny that the conception of greatness expressed by Jesus was revo- lutionary in spirit and in effect. It has already In large measure reversed the iudements of men and reconstructed pub lie opinion. Like leaven 1t ilas worked until men are seeing more and more clearly that what entities men to the re- gard and distinction of their fellow men is not the mere possession of hereditary rank, genius or wealth: but the recognl- ton of the fact, and it's improvement. that al, these possessions are but so many trusts. which the possessor must improve for the nutnc good; trusts to be devoted to The vndication of the rights. the pro- motion of the happiness and the advance ment of the interests of society. From Christ's definition of greatness has come the recognition of the dignity of labor and it's honorable compensation; hence. also. has sprung the phiIanthropies. the benevolent enterprises devised by men for the relief of suffering humanity. the sweet aha rifles which minister to the physical