The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-26
Nashville Divine breaches
Baccalaureate Sermon to
Howard Graduates
SCHOOL AND CHURCH
ARE DRIFTING APART
Shows Decrease Since 1850 in Number
of nen0minatiOnal Schools and
Amount of ndowments-How-
ard Commencement Today

| The Rev. r. w. Weaver, D. D., pastor
of the Emanuel Baptist church of Nash
Vile, Yesterday morning delivered the an
maui baccalaureate sermon to the grad
uating class of Howard college. His SER
mon was on the worlds crises which
Christianity is facing today.
Christianity faces the world today"
said Dr. Weaver, ''as Browning describes
David facing the respondent Saul For
the world rich in every form of wealth
save that of spiritual, Is half crazed. A
fever of unrest of bitterness. not to say
of despair. is quickening and exhaustine
its energies. What message have we
borne to the weary. heart-sick, maddened
world? We have gathered the rhododen-
| dron, the primrose, the flower in the
| cranned wall and told the truth they in
innate. We have watched the breaking
of the day, the bursting of the bud and
| the fight of the water fowl, and dis
coursed sweetly upon the foregleams OF
| immortality, We have repeated The
| heavens declare the glory of God and
| have sought seriously to. interpret the
l
has moved not in response to these ap-
peals.
I'VE have pictured the Christian life
as the most strenuous or lives; we have
appealed to the masculine and the cour-
ageous in men, and we have presented
Jesus as the bravest, the manifest the
noblest of mankind, and the world has
( turned not from its struggle for the
things of earth.
I'VE have analyzed doctrine and cham
poned orthodoxy; we have grown elo-
cuent In portraying the love of God and
the sorrows of Him who died in our be-
half and the world has given us but lit
tie heed. Slow we are in learning to per-
feet our services. IT is the spirit of David
we lack.
" See the king. I would help him, but
cannot; the wishes fall through.
Could wrestle to raise him from sorrow
grow poor to enrich,
To fill up his life: starve my own out;
| I would--knowing which
Present Weakness Heresy of Conduct
i know that my service is perfect"
! Hear, o Israel, we are called to be
Christ men. cultivating the consciousness
| of Christ. and assuming toward our fell
| lowmen the attitude of Christ Truly,
there is needed today a new apologize
and ii must be written In deeds by men
| who have incarnated the spirit of the
martyrs. Our present weakness is not
heresy of doctrine, but heresy of conduct;
not the rejection of the atonement in our
dc hut ba ;s
our lives. The appearance of the cross
in our daily life through the crucifxion
of everything that does not contribute di-
rectly or indirectly to our proclamation
of the gospel is the only evidence-the
only evidence-this critical materialistic
age will seriously consider.
THE crucified life is the final appeal
and the obligation of those who stand in
Christs stead is not met until that ap-
peal is made.
"As we become Christ men, our faces
minds exulting in our heaven born mis-
sion, our hands toilng In loving minis
tries for our fellow men, our feet climb
ing new calvaries of sacrificial love, we
will surely possess the power of claim
| ing the reverent attention of the world
and of charming away its madness"
Denominational Colleges Decrease
| Continuing, Dr. Weaver said:
THE schools and the churches are rap
| idly drifting apart. In 1850 there were
| 120 schools in this country, Il of them
were denominational. Since then 10 OF
| the original n have changed their charter
and only IS have remained faithful. The
- . lA,,
| tional schools is over $3.50 100000, while
that of the denominational is only $4,000,
600.
What does this mean? 1t means that
| the wealth of this country is supporting
| schools that have not the right to ask it.
| Thus we have two streams, one empha-
sizing redemption and the other educa-
| ton
In conclusion DR.. Weaver dwelt on sue
cess, the worlds definition of Il and the
| church's definition. and on st. Eaurs in
| lterpretation of the cross which saved
Christianity from becoming national
religion instead OF universal one.
Last night DIR. Weaver delivered SER
mon to the graduates of the normal train
i ing course of Bible school at the Rl-
| hama church.
At u:15 last night he returned to Nash
| Vile.
Commencement Week at Howard
splendid programme has heen ar
ranged by the authorities of Howard cell
llege for the commencement week, which
begins this morning. 1t includes two
| defamation contests, battalion drill
and a play, in which the college students
| take part.
The following is the complete pro-
gramme for this week:
| Last Chapel Exercise and Roll Call
| Monday, 9 a. M, liay o6.
! Sophomore Defamation Contest Mon
| day. 10:30 a. M. Hiay 26.
Battalion Drill and Awarding Military
Prizes Monday. $50 D. m, May 26
| Junior Oratorical Contest-Monday, D.
M, May 26
Annual Meeting of Board of Trustees
Tuesday, 10 a. m.. May 27
/ Installation of New President--Tuesday
10:S0 a. M. May y. Principal address ly
DIR. B. d. Gray of Atlanta Other ad-
| dresses by Prof. w. c. Griggs Gadsdeii;
Rev A. G. Mosely. Wetumka. and greet.
ings from representatives of other institu.
| tions.
! Alumni Reunion and Dinner-Renfros
! hall, Tuesday noon, May 81
| Presidents Annual Reception Tuesday y
4 n. M, May 27.
Senior Glass Play-Tuesday. p. M.
May %.
Graduation Exercises and Baccalaures Il
Address-By Rev Robert J. Bateman, ID
n xgadnoeday 1O.2n m Nav ~