The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1914-05-25
DR.iAWRENCf TELLS
fOUNGW0MEN GOD
GIVES STRENGTH
JACKSON DIVINE, IN BAccALAu
REATE SERMON, URGES NEVER
ENDING FIGHT.
Blue SEAL BIBLE DIPLOMAS
Are AWARDED TO NINETEEN
Is Largest Number That Has Ever Re-
ceived Honor in History of Southern
Baptist church-Big Crowds Attend
Both Services at Woman's College.

God did not make any man or wom- !,
an to fail. Men fail because Of weak J
ness, not because Of decrees," declared :
DR.. ]. B. Lawrence of Jackson, secre-
tary of the Baptist State Board of Mis- !
sions, in a sermon Sunday morning
to the graduating class of the Missis-
sipp Woman's College. His subject
was "a Life of Strength" and he
spoke with great earnestness, using as
his text the words of st. Paul: BE
strong in the Lord and in the power
of His might"
He declared that it is impossible for
any man or woman to grow strong who
does not learn self discipline. Wishing
for strength no more brings it than
wishing for an automobile brings one.
He urged his hearers to put on the
whole armor of God as the best means
of increasing the strength which is
needed to enable each one to bequeath
to the future that legacy of character
and service owing by those who live
under the privileges of today.
"Shall we stop because we failed yes
terday?" asked Dr. Lawrence, who sup
piled the answer with Paul's declara-
tion, 81 press towards the mark Of my
high calling of God in Christ Jesus"
Value of Great Vision.
A great vision, remembering Gods
program for every human soul, obedi-
ence to Gods law, a great faith, and
the determination to make life, were
named as some of the elements Of
I .ngth available to every one who
believes that mans mission is not the
making of living, but the making of
life.
The value and effect of ideals were
illustrated by reference to the effect
the national religious concept has
had on the nations of China, under
Confucianism, India under Buddhism,
and England and America under Chris
tianity. Hawthorne's story of the
"Stone Man of the Mountains" was
told effectively in impressing the
thought that "as man thinketh in his
heart so is he' The humble peasant
who, from infancy had looked upon the
face of the stone man of the mountains
and heard the legend that some day
the mountain man would come down
to bless the village, grew to be the man
whom the villagers accepted as full
filment of the legend, because he did
the things he thought the mountain
man would 10.
DR.. Lawrence was especially force
full when he spoke of the power and
majesty of God, whose strength is i'm
parted to every man who accepts and
appropriates it, as that power is reveal
ed through the telescope in the heavens
above and the microscope in the world
about us. Honesty, virtue and truth
he declared, are the foundation stones
upon which every strong character
is builded.
His concluding thought was that sac
rifice is everywhere essential to effici
ent service and efficient service is thu
best evidence of strength of character
Bible Diplomas to Nineteen.
The exercises Sunday night consist
ed of sacred concert and the deliver!
of diplomas to fully one hundred stu
dents of the college who had complet
ed a prescribed course in Bible study.
Nineteen received these diplomas
bearing the blue seal, which speak
for much in Southern Baptist circles
DR.. johnson stated that the class o
nineteen was the largest class in tn
entire Southern Baptist Church to re
ceiye this honor at one time. there be
ing only about two hundred blue sea
diplomas in existence at this time
This class was taught by Rev. A. l
O,Brvant. 1t was composed of the 10
lowing persons; w. H. Anderson, Mis-
ELLA Jones, Miss Kate Atkinson, Mis-
Hol,~ McLendon, Miss Mae Rodgers
AlContinued on Page Four.)
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