The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1913-06-05
Obs. BACCALAUREAIE
Strong and Inspiring Address Given
by Rev. Deadman.


Central M. e. church Rev. Roy E.
Deadman, pastor of the Christian
church, delivered the baccalaureate
sermon to the Oskaloosa high school
Seniors of 1913. Rev. Deadman's
talk was strong and most inspiring
address and no better selection of a
have been made.
The full membership of the class,
Az in number, marched into the
church at s o'clock and took the sec
tion of seats reserved for them in the
front OF the house. The church was
filled to its capacity with members of
the city churches and friends of the
graduates After selection by the
choir, prayer was offered by Rev. G.
ID. Loehr, of the First Reformed
church. Rev. Deadman, in his ad-
dress, said in part:
The More Abundant Life.
The aim of all education and all liv-
ing is the development of our higher
Inspirations and thoughts This is
only another way of saying that all
desire to attain to a larger view of life
aid the great Teacher had this in
mind when he gave the world the
reason for His coming to dwell with
men on earth. His declaration was
that He came that we might have the
more abundant life. The source of all
life is God. The origin Of life wheth-
er physical, moral or spiritual is due
to His gift to our humanity. No
statement has excelled or ever will
excel the opening sentence in Gods
revelation to man concerning the be-
ginning of existence "In the begin
ming God is the foundation of our
faith" However God makes men to
be partakers with Him of life and
promises not temporary or. temper
al existence, but an eternal compan-
ionship to those who do His will.
Life is appreciated as we contrast
1t with death. Death is a land of
gloom and shadow, where intercourse
with God is impossible. The inhab-
itants Of that land can neither pray
nor praise. Their life is joyless and
colorless. While such is the state of
the unbelieving, the condition of the
obedient Is expressed in the words
ito those who received Him to them
gave He the right to become children
of God, even to them that believe on
His name"
The more abundant life depends
then on our attitude toward God. His
power and His laws demand our con.
sideration. He is not alone the re-
mote being who inhabiteth eternity
but the indwelling sustainer of our
faith. AS someone has beautifully
said, Through the great open world
moves God,s, like a strong wind or
spirit, finding out all the public AID
the secret places in the life of man.
His righteousness defeats your evil
plans, His purity rebukes your lust,
His nature and being smite you in
the face, like blast that blows bit.
ter and cold from some far off judg.
ment day" The law of sowing and
reaping is found to be true in the ex-
periences of mankind.
Gods character is indicated, how
ever, for His motive is love. There
is not an infant wall, cry of an
guish or a groan of pain breathed in
the humblest abode that the Father
does not hear. He knows our doubts
and fears; rejoices in all our worthy
hopes and joys. The ultimate root
of every flower that bends beneath
its weight of dew is planted in His
will The bow He builds up against
the background of the cloud is the
symbol of His constant care made
visible.
Our appreciation of life depends
also upon our faith in Gods promises.
We who believe in a special Divine
Providence have abundant reason to
accept His DEGREES for our lives
Happy is the one who feels that God
leads him in his choice of a pursuit
in life and who finds his greatest joy
in the consciousness that he Is led by
the unfailing guidance of the Eternal
Father.
Closely akin to our relationship to
God is our attitude toward our fellow.
men. Man occupies distinct place in
Gods plans that can be filled by none
other. Not unto angels but unto men
was given the message for the con-
quest of the world. The world is to
become the Kingdom of God through
the spread of truth by the agency of
men. The keynote of correct living
is not one of exaltation of self but of
service.
Great indeed are the possibilities
for service and for the salvation OF
mankind. God has blessed the Anglo
Saxon race in order that we might
be His agents and ambassadors for
the uplift and salvation of the world
Paganism is CHALLENGE to our
Christian civilization. Shall we who
are indeed heirs of all ages in the
foremost ranks of time respond to
that challenge, or shall another be
used of God to accomplish His will?
The spirit of the heroic is manifest
today in the lives of those who are
pioneers in the spread of truth as
taught by the worlds savious. Civil.
ization1 is impossible without Chris
tianity and there is no Christianity
where the Man of Galilee is unknown.
Never before was there such posi-
bilities for human brotherhood. If it
is true that the nineteenth century
made the world neighborhood, may
it become equally true that the TWEEN
teth century shall make it brother.
hood Again repeat there is no way
for this to be accomplished save upon
religious basis. The two command
ments shall ever be the principles
upon which we must try to carry out
the program of brotherhood. Educa-
ton shall contribute largely to this
work in training leaders who shall