Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-05-29
MUST SPECIALIZE
TO Gain VICTORY
DR.. j. Edgar Wilson Tells Rock Island
High School Graduates to Mas
ter One Subject
GIVES BACCALAUREATE SERMON
Interesting Exercise is Held at Broad
way Presbyterian Church on
Sunday Evening.

est Good" The seniors, as is custom
airy, marched into the church and took
seats in body. DR.. Wilson's sermon
was one Of the best ever delivered on
such an occasion and he had his line
of thought very well worked out. His
text was taken from the sixth verse
OF the fourth chapter of Psalms, Who
will show us any good?" and DR.. Will
son developed from this verse a gem
Of thought that was greatly apprecia-
ted by all present.
DR.. Wilson pointed out why the
civilizations of old failed, claiming
that it was due to their e-sidedness,
the Hebrews being versed in religion
and commerce but nothing else, the
Greeks in art and science, but moth
ing else, the Romans in law and gov
eminent but nothing else.
Our Civilization to Succeed.
why shall the American civiliza-
ton succeed?' he inquired. Because
we are seeking to build on this con-
tinent an all-around civilization. We
are striving to combine commerce with
culture, science with religion, reason
with conscience, art and literature
with organization, depth of feeling
with purity Of heart, strength of pur
pose with gentleness of spirit, individ
ualism with socialism"
He spoke Of the acquisition of
wealth, both material and spiritual,
as the first step toward an all-around
civilization, explaining that it is the
way by which to come into possession
Of power and social influence.
knowledge is Needed.
The acquisition of knowledge was
called the second step toward the
ideal American civilization. Continu-
ing, the speaker said: Who will show
us any good in the field of politics?
Who will SOW to the spirit and reap
eternal life from the soil of self-gov-
eminent? The person of a sanguine,
optimistic frame Of mind 1t is the
enthusiastic soul that will realize the
| highest good in the acquisition of pO-
litical power. We never find Theo-
dore Roosevelt dissipating his political
| power; we always find him conserving
| it. Why is it that there are so many
rotten places in the trunk of the tree
of politics, and so many branches that
| do not bear fruit? Because so many
! of our representatives in the senate
and congress should never have been
sent there. They lack the genius for
| craftsmanship.
The acquisition of power in self
government government that de-
rives its just powers from the consent
Of the governed-a government of the
the people, for the people, by the peo-
plea government that shall not per-
ish from the earth-this is the third
step towards an all-around civiliza-
ton. And to the sanguine, optimistic
temperament the realization of that
end is his highest good; it is his great
est achievement.
Love of the Beautiful.
who will show us any good in the
realm Of art and music? The person
Of an impulsive, passionate tempera-
ment. 1t is the emotional nature that
will realize the highest good in the
acquisition Of beauty. Art and music
are in the realm of the emotions; and
only that person whose loves and
hates Jingle in his finger tips can en-
ter into the full appreciation of beau
| ty. | may understand all about the
common chord; l may be able to tell
all about the result of its changes and
modulations; may be able to explain
all about the gamut of sound, in the
| wind upon the mountains, in the surg
| ing of the seas, in the voice of laugh
ing childhood, in the whispers of the
breeze. But I could never reproduce
the Last Judgment by Spohr, or
Handel's Messiah or Mendelssohn' S
Dead March in Saul l lack the
genius by which the gifted musician
touches his productions and fans them
into fame.
THE acquisition of beauty is the
| fourth step towards an all-around civ
| ilization And to the impulsive, pas
sionate temperament, the realization
Of that ideal is his chief end; and it
is his greatest achievement.
Should Specialize.
Now, not one of us can realize the
highest good to be achieved in every
department OF life. 1t is well for US
/ W nave d ttlIl pI tueISlFt hLUW leu sc
Of life in every phase of thought and
activity. But it is better for us to
concentrate our energies upon the
winning of one prize. We can only
win first prize in one contest; we
can only reach the goal at the end OF
one race; we can only fulfill one duty
successfully, and accomplish one pur-
pose in one realm of life. There is
not one common ideal for all of US;
there is one particular ideal for each
of u.s. There is not one common prize
that all hands can get hold of there
is one single prize that the two hands
Of one single person can get hold Of
What might be gain for one would
| he loss for another. What might
be a pleasure for one would be pain
| for another. What might be freedom
for one would be slavery for another
What might be heaven for one might
be hell for another.
To Face Life's School.
Hitherto we have been facing the
tasks and opportunities of school life
henceforth we shall have TO face the
tasks and opportunities Of life's
/ school. Some of us are OF a prac-
teal frame of mind; we should &C
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