Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-06-08
URGES STUDENTS
TO CULTURE SOUL
REV. MALCOLM DANA OF FIRST
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
GIVES ADDRESS TO CLASS.
ALL ATTEND IN BODY
Thoee Who Are To BE Graduated This
Week From the ottumwa High
School Hear Splendid
Sermon.

The culture of the soul as we'll as the
mind and body was strongly urged up
on the members of the graduating
class of the Ottumwa high school, Sun
day morning, when Rev. Malcolm Dana
at the First Congregational church de-
livered the annual baccalaureate ad-
Dress
The church was filled to its fullest
seating capacity with relatives ind
friends OF the class. The auditorium
and choir loft were tastefully decorated
with purple and gold bunting, carrying
out the class colors and large clusters
Of peonies, roses and other garden
flowers were banked with green about
the chancel rail and pulpit. The entire
center section was reserved for the
class and faculty and they followed
the vested choir to their places. The
audience remained seated while the
graduates to be passed out. Caps and
gowns were not worn this year and
pretty blues, pinks and yellows of the
dresses and the dark suits Of the boys
formed a nice picture of color con-
trast. The bulletins for the day were
printed In the class cOlOr6.
Rev. Dana's Address.
Rev. Dana's address In full follows:
THE theme Of our consideration Is
Soul Culture. I admit that 1t has its
elusive side. For soul culture has to
do with spirit. And here we deal with
a mystery. The Great Teacher admit
ted as much when he said to Nicode-
mus, the wind bloweth whittier 1t
listeth; thou nearest the sound there
Of. but canst not tell whence 1t CON-
eth or whittier It goeth; so Is every
one that is born of the Spirit Please
bear in mind during our discussion
that we admit that there is God-ward
side In the matter of soul culture. Our
purpose is, however, to make large the
MAYNARD side. For that, after all, Is
our own responsibility
Soul Culture and Education.
There Is a very practical and ex-
plicable side to soul culture. And this
side Is worthy our consideration at this
time and occasion. For soul culture is
the most important part in education,
OF which we are all thinking this morn
ing. On your programs you will notice
some quotations from a book wish
might present to each graduate at
this commencement time of your lives
In this most recent book OF an eminent
writer and educationalist. spirit Is put
at the center of the whole process Of
education. The writer, c. H. Hender-
son gives tremendously fine def1ni-
|tion of education. Education Is the
unfolding and perfecting OF the human
spirit That is in reality the thesis Of
my sermon this morning. He says fur
ther. it has to do with the essential
things Of the spirit: 1t cannot be ac-
complished except through the spirit
Education Is thus presented as soul
culture.
"Mr. Henderson admits that the real
problem Of education Is one of efficien-
cy He dares to criticize the public
schools in that they do not make
for moral efficiency as they should
article In the June Century by
e. D. Schoonmaker on The moral
failure of Efficiency He points
to the nations of the world who have
been lauded as perfect in their attain
ment Of intellectual and manual EN-
cheney The best Of educational meth
DDS have produced an efficiency which
appears we'll nigh devoid of morals. I
quote various sentences from the
article. We have mistaken literacy
for education. We have been satisfied
| II the people, mean the great mass
of people, have learned to read and
write We have lead them through
the alphabet then to make room Tor
those behind. we have shunted them in
| to trades and occupations. And we
have deceived ourselves into believing
that we were educating the people.
We have COMPOUNDED with education,
which means embodiment, makeshift,
,hurry-them-t through process, that con-
I tributes to nothing of the sort. Des-
pite our multiplicity of schools, turn
where we will, there are evidences
the inner, the facts for the living
forces Of life. Reading, writing, a
little mathematics, little history, a
| little literature we do not seem to be
aware that this Is the outer shell of
education, as ritual is the outer shell
of religion. The sole hope lies in the
fuller embodiment OF humanity I'M
foldment, education
"Such criticism Is not cOndemnatory
of the education Of head and hand It
lis the vital suggestion that soul culture
must accompany both, since education
Is the unfolding and perfecting Of a
human spirit. with aim, Not to give a
trade for making ones living, but to
temper soul for life.' The need is for
the proportionately. and symmetrically
educated person. For man is triune
being - body, mind and soul. And
soul is most important of all. for 1t die
tates the high or low uses which shall
be made Of body and mind. 1t is for
this reason that have taken soul cul-
ture as theme of the morning.
The Parable Of Gods Fool.
with these Introductory words,
wish to turn to one of theS lesser par
ables of the new testament which we
read for scripture lesson. 1t is the
only place in the sacred writ. believe,
where God is represented as calling
la man a fool For nealy two thou
sand years the parable has been
,known as the parable of Gods fool
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