New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-15
Tells Graduates Perils of
Success Equal Those {
of Failure.
SAYS PROFESSION IS
NOT WHOLE OF LIFE
DR.. AtWater, Oldest Alumnus, May
Return to New Haven for
Commencement
LBy Telegraph te The Tribune. J

New Haven, June tI.-Dr. David r.
Atwater Of Springfield Mass. ninety
seven years old, the Oldest Yale alumnus'
dislikes to be conspicuous. but strong
pressure has been brought to bear 10 in
duce him to attend commencement. and
he is said 10 be wavering in his decision.
lie is reported TO be the Oldest graduate
OF any college in america.
He was graduated from Yale in the
~ three fellow members to be here to-
day was the Rev. william r. Eastman, OF
Albany, member of the class OF 81. lie
said tonight that, although his class
would hold no reunion, he expected two
o. three fellow members 10 be heer =
morrow. The Rev. Mr. Eastman was till
recently chief Of the extension division Of
the New York state Educational Depart
ment
Aside from the baccslaureste address
by President IIadley to-day the formal
events on the commencement programme
included the annual meeting Of the
rectors OF Yale College, in China, and the
organ recital by Seth d. Bingham.
President Hadley took for his text the
thirty-hrst verse of the twelfth chapter
of Pauls first letter to the Corinth-
ians: "Covet earnestly the best gifts;
and yet shew / unto you a more excel
lent way"
Dr. Hadley said in part:
Better ard more fully than any other
apostle, Paul OF Tarsus appreciated the
Importance of professional ambition and
professional success.
He knew what it means 10 each OF
us personally. lie was himself col
lege man, a lawyer, trusted councillor
Of his nation. He had felt the JOY OF
struggling for life's prizes and srasping
sor1e of the best of them. He under
stood how much Of each mans highest
SELF is brought out by the struggle and
gratified by the reward.
"Ie knew what it means 10 the world
as we'll as TO the individual He knew
the Importance of having the strongest
man put in the place of most authority.
He was no leveller, like so many or his
fellow disciples He did not occupy him.
self with equal division OF lands and
goods. He had no patience with those
who tried 10 let inspiration take the
place Of knowledge and allow the mo-
mentary enthusiasm Of the ignorant to
decide .hings that should be left TO the
sober judgment OF the expert
Be LARGER than Profession.
1T was Paurs professional grasp Of
affairs which enabled him 10 make the
spiritual truths Of Christianity not only
a comfort to the sorrowing and a sus-
tanning power to the martyr, but an in
tellectual and moral force in organized
society.
But having known all these things
and done all these things. he was able
to say TO the men Of Corinth: 'Profes-
sional ambition is not the whole Of life
nor the best thing in it. 1t Is good for
our work in the world and for our SER
vice in the Church. But il is essential
that every Christian should be larger
than his profession. and the gospel Of
Jesus Christ can make him So
For the first few years after man
leaves college a large part OF his thought
and effort is almost necessarily centred
upon professional success, whether he
will or no. The problem of making a
living is a serious one. The man who
can first acquire the knowledge and the
habits that will enable him to solve that
problem has secured the necessary start
in the race Of life The world has few
Measures comparable in intensity to
those first professional achievements
which show man that he has secured
his roothold and can count himself as
being fairly on the road 10 indepen-
dence. Small wonder that many n man
is tempted 10 forget that there is any
other race except the race for profess
sional success. any other road worth
travelling except the road to power on
these lines.
But ;hc man who makes this mistake
usually pays the penalty. large num-
her can get fair start, but the prizes
are small in number. and nine men out
of ten who set their hearts. OF obtaining
.t,oeo arc diSaDOOinted.