Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-05-08
BACCALAUREATE SERMON
At UNION SEMINARY
Rev. u. S. Drank, ID. d., of Savannah,
Speaks on Qualifications OF
Leadership
COMMENCEMENT WEDNESDAY
Rev. Edward Mack, ID. D., to Be In
augurated Tuesday Night US Nc
C0rinick Professor OF the Old Tes-
lament,

Inc bacculaureate sermon of the ono
and third annual commence
ment of Union Theological Seminary
was delivered yesterday morning at
II o'clock in the seminary chapel by
Rev. K. $. Drank, u. d.. pastor of the
independent Presbyterian Church, Of
savannah, Ga. The sermon was a
model Of concise statements and logi-
cal conclusions. and though brief, the
speaker aid the service of the Chris
tan ministry clearly before the grad
uatinR class. consisting OF thirty-one
yates and many friends Of the faculty
and Students.
Or. Drank chose for his subject,
Christian leadership" selecting for
his text the thirteenth and fourteenth
verses OF St. Paurs Epistle to the Phil
ippians, brethren, I count not myself
to have apprehended: hut this one
one thing I do, forgetting those things
which are behind and reaching forth
unto those things which are before.
/! press toward the mark for the prize
Of the high calling of God in Christ
Jesus"
In his initial remarks the speaker
congratulated the members Of the
graduating class upon finishing the
course, and he told them of the great
responsibility which would soon be
upon them. Before he took UP his
tOto ~ W q TIA CtEl
who was lost in the Alps and did not
know the way to a certain town he de-
sired to reach. Hailing a little Swiss
lad, the traveller asked him the way to
the city. II don't know where 1t is.
SIR" replied the boy, but he pointed
to the road and said. but that's the
road"
You have never been to heaven"
said DR.. Drank; but you know the
way. and It lie the mission OF the Christ
Ston - al. 1.t 49, ---1 -
lost travellers in the world
DUTY, QUALIFICATIONS AND
THOUGHTS OF LEADERSHIP
lie divided his subject into three top
ics-the duty of leadership. the quail
fications for leadership, and the
thoughts of leadership.
He spent some time in showing the
necessity and the duty of leadership.
stating that in all time men had had
leaders and must always have them.
There are many soldiers in the army"
he said, "a few officers. and usually but
one commander. The church is no eN-
ception to the rule of all other hui
man affairs. It's we'll for you to sit
down and think over the need for
leadership. The preacher must be the
leader In his community. Why. you
often hear OF a man being called to a
church: he is not called TO the church.
he is called to the city or community.
and the church is the medium through
which he must work"
In speaking of the qualifications for
leadership, DIR. Drank told his hearers
that one must first of all be a demo
crat. and he quoted Woodrow Wilson
10 the effect that any man who did not
have a predisposition in favor OF the
common people was not fit to rule in
a democratic country. He declared
that there is too strong a tendency for
the preacher TO serve a circle in the
church.
He spoke OF the enthusiasm Of the
graduate who goes forth TO his work
OF ministry, and how after three or
four years Of service there are 10 he
shoals which the young preacher
should guard against. The transition
from young manhood to middle age.
he said, is "A dangerous one for the
preacher. for he loses some of the fire
and enthusiasm and becomes more set
tied and digniied.
GIVE UP S0SESSENTIALS.
u DIE o FUNDAMENTAL
y great leader, he said. is a man who
can give up nonessentials with n smile
and in q gracious manner, but who
VIII die for fundamental principles.
The leader, he declared, should be able
TO see the situation in retrospect.
In taking UP the fnal subdivision
of his the speaker said that a
leader should get the forward look"
Our fathers would not be proud of
us" he said, III we fail to improve on
the customs OF their day.
He spoke of the evils attending the
formation OF habits, and said hat Gus
tom is the habit of n community. The
leader. ne said. will honor a custom,
but will not defy it. When the time
comes for a change, the leader Will
change from one custom to another.
I'VE must solve the problems OF to-
day" he said. ut means hard work.
IT Is not an easy ife-th ministry
blu it's a good insurance risk. We be-
long to the labor party, and We would
scorn 10 ask for an e~ight-hour day.
We must make every sixty minutes of
every hour count. No man who puts
his hand to the plow and looks back
is tit for the Kingdom"
In closing. the speaker quoted the
statement of Christ: whoever would
greatest among You, let him he your
servant" He spoke Of Genera Lee
helping his soldiers to roll logs to build
Il bridge one day., and told of how on
the desert. when there vas no water
and a soldier brought Alexander the
Great a helmet full of the precious
fluid, the great commander poured il
out on the hot sand. because his men
didn't have any. els ii any wonder
they followed leaders like these?' he
asked.
He spoke of the Last Supper, and
how. They sang an hymn and went
OUT Even though He knew that lie
would he in Gethsemane and OH the
cross the following morning. "HIe sang
an hymn
DIR. MACH TO DE INAUGURATED
ON TUESDAY NIGHT
Previous to the sermon, Rev. W. w.
Moore, ID. D., president Of the semi
nary, made the regular commence
mcnt announcements The sermon be-
fore the Society of Missionary Inquiry
was delivered last night by Rev. ID. IL.
ttolston. ID. D., pastor Of the First
Presbyterian Church, of Charlotte.
Tuesday night at Sis o'clock. Rev.
edward Mack, D.. D.. will be naug-