The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1914-05-28

Him, your greaCeSU bene1acGOf, from
whom all good things come, your
Creator and Master: gratitude to
those that take His place here on
earth, your good fathers and
mothers, who have hoped and longed
and yearned for this day, who have
labored and toiled for many day
only to see their child the happy re-
cipient of the blessings of an educa-
ton; gratitude to the school board
that guided your destinies SO faith
fully and scrupulously; gratitude to
your kind and generous teachers who
have sacrificed time and labor,
whose one thought has been your
education, your welfare; gratitude,
finally, and that in no small measure,
to the whole community, that has
helped to educate you, that has
afforded you the opportunities Of the
blessings of school denied to thou
sands and thousands of your fellow
beings, not so fortunately located as
you are. All deserve your special
thanks tonight, all you want to
thank from the bottom of your heart
and all, I do thank tonight most
sincerely, in your name.
LAS for yourselves you stand at
the parting of the ways, on the,
Threshold of your life work. To-
night marks for you the beginning
of your career in the world. know
you are eager to 60 forth and by
faithful work and noble deeds prove
to the world your worth, and pay
back to the community what it has
given to you. Fain would you catch
a glimpse through the keyhole into
the future to see whether that
road marked out for you is strewn
with the roses of success. happiness
peace and prosperity, or whether,
perhaps, the rough and stony rocks
Of disappointment and failure mark
its pathway and dash to pieces the
ardent hopes that burn within your
breasts at this hour. But you know
not. There is One who knows all,
the present, the past and the future.
Before Him our life is an open hook.
From His hands you come and He
has created the human heart to be
happy. Seeing you about to lay the
foundation Of your life's structure
deep and lasting and knowing your
strength and weakness, what you
need and what is useful for you, He
meets you on the very threshold On
which you stand now and whispers
into your hearts through the in.
spired lips Of the prophets the all
important message: unless the
Lord buildeth the house, they labor
in vain that build it, unless the
Lord keepeth the city he vatcheth
in vain that keepeth it, Unless
God forms the foundation of your
whole conduct and all your under.
takings, unless His holy law is the
basis of your sense Of duty and re.
sponsibiiity, in vain are your high
hopes Of prosperous and happy days
here below, in vain your hopes OF
peace and happiness in the world tc
come.
ITO the intelligent and observing
student all this is plain and beyond
any doubt. No lengthy proofs. NJ
deep arguments are required to es
tabIish it's truth. Not only does the
history of mankind testify to it:
fact. not only do the tables Of Mount
Sinai proclaim it aloud, but it i:
written in big letters across the
heavens, on all the things God ha;
made.
"All that have tried to say may
be expressed in two simple words
Be true! Be true to God, to your
self and to your fellowmen. Be true
to God and He will be true to you
Be true to yourself and peace and E
good conscience will be your portion
Be true to your fellowmen and they
will soon begin to know, to love anc
to esteem you. Have the courage O.
your convictions even if a world O.
sneers should stare you in the face
Never sacrifice principle to expedi
ency, never subordinate the voice O.
|God to the voice of man, for the1
you become guilty of treason an(
that of the meanest and blackes
kind.
I ''Be real, be earnest. be yourselves
beware of all falsehood and duplicit,
of character in word and deed
Never pretend to be what you ar
not; never put on big smile Of
your face, when that big smile doe
not find it's origin in your heart
} All the world hates an untruthful
deceptive and two-faced person ant
it shuns him as it shuns low
sneaking, poisonous reptile. B.
humble. No other virtue is so neces