The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-06-09
Montpelier s 'inary Grad
yates ~ essed by Rev.
r. Davenport
-
COMMENCEMENTWEEK
EXERCISES FOLLOW
Baccalaureate AddressesAre
Given at Various Other
Churches

The commencement exercises of Mont
pelier seminary were opened with the
baccalaureate sermon before the gradual
ling class at Trinity church, Montpelier,
yesterday morning by Rev. w. r. Daven-
port of Springfield. Tie speaker took
Iup comparison of Moses with that of
the young man and the young woman
starting out to-day, and he said in part:
Moses was a most remarkable man.
lie towers above every other man Of
that age like a giant pine in the midst
OF a forest of shrubs. Measured bv
King Pharaoh. the shepherd comes
to the front and the sceptre goes to the
rear. Weighed as philanthropist. he
las in class by himself, as, with no
lpreyious agitation he secured the liberia
tion of race of $500 900 slaves. As
statesman and law-giver, he stands soil.
tary and alone, as the principles he in
culcated have been Incorporated into the
statutes OF all nations. 1t Is doubtful if
ever any other man has crossed the stage
Iof the worlds history who is worthy
to be compared with him as historian.
Iprophet, law-giver, liberator, leader and
eonqueror.
"And yet this supreme servant of the
ages, this colossal conqueror of the CEN
turies, was once completely discouraged
and disheartened. Summoned to a great
task he hesitated and shrank. Moses
made four objections to taking up the
task Of liberating his people when COM
manded to do so by God He said that
he was too obscure and inexperienced, {
his own nation would not receive him,
he was not eloquent and persuasive in
speech and some other man could do the
work better than he could
II wish that this class of Young men
and women this week leaving yonder
halls of learning might get this lesson
thoroughly learned: 4 can't never won
single battle or captured single city,
while i can has scaled inaccessible
heights, captured inlpregnable fortresses 4
and wrested victory from the Jaws OF
defeat.
Now here are these two pictures
hanging before you: one of a man saw
ing ag1in and again, j cannot and the
other Of that same man who concluded
to say i can. and achieved the greatest
triumph of all the ages. The lesson is
obvious to all. Moses succeeded because
he used the resources he had at hand.
He looked at his possibilities rather than
At his perils.
''In other words, Moses was not afraid
to try great thing, to set before HIM
self colossal task. The average SEM
nary and college graduates of to-day
nave far too little ambition. They
.hoose the easy tasks, and the goals
hat are quickly reached. They are con-
ent with ordinary success when extra
ordinary success is within their grasp.
someone from this class ought to be
Governor of Vermont and could be. il
&c tried hard enough; someone ought to
'e a United States senator before ne
les, and might be, if he would work as
theirs have worked. Some one ought to
e president of some woman's college,
nd might be. if she opened her ewes
0 the opportunities before her
To the Graduates.
young men and women of the grad
ating class: in the fullness of time you
re coming into your inheritance. All
he ages of the past have been making
esdy for YOU. That you might be wis
r. every sage OF bygone generations
as digged and delved for lore from the Z
reat mine of truth and laid it at your
,et. That your hands might be
and your feet quickencd
nd your eyes illumined. every scientist
every age has wrested from nature
sr reluctant secrets and handed them
you Cor your use. That you might be
Iual to the great tasks confronting
M the forces OF 5000 wears have been
Ithered IN mighty mss for selection
ID service in greater Sieeds than those
sdc possible by the lamp of Aladdin.
ra- you might know how to succeed,
the failures OF all who have gone
fore you have been marshaled for
'ur study and avoidance That YOU
ight build better than any who have
ne before. the mate, lads of a magn
ent structure. ready cut and carved,
at your feet ready for your hands.
I'd that you may not falter nor fail
the critical moments, or shrink i:
e face of unforeseen dangers, the gre'-
d himself stands ready to ente- 20
rtnership with you. and mal-' yer
lrse His course. and your bast,s~ His
tiles. and then to back yor nth all
2 resources of infinite wisdom. iahnite
wer and infinite goodness.
Are you afraid. as was ATosesY What
that in thy hands Look at your re-
lrces ana your possibilities, ana men
forth. unafraid and unshamed to 10
I to dare. to live and TO learn. to try
I to triumph. and the God of Moses
. 90 before you and with You TO
wn your labors with success"
The Weeks Program.
nc program for the remainder Of the
ak il as follows;
Monday
500 p. Commencement concert,
pei
Tuesday.
90 p. m.-Studio recital. Eleanor
=. soprano. Beatrice SERVER, piano.
800 p. m.-Prize speaking
Wednesday.
30 a m.-Class day exercises.
80 p. m.--Art room exhibition and
30 .. m.-Alumni dinner.