The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1918-05-16

PAGE TWO
full defeat and his soul is all but wrecked on
the shores of eternity. And what enemy has
caused that ruin, what has been the downfall
of those careers that few years ago had
every prospect of bright future? #
For the soldier the first of all is the treach-
erous submarine, which dares not show its
hideous form but hides beneath, the waves OF
the ocean, and when it appears it causes
wreck and ruin. And so there is the sub
marine enemy of falsehood, of lying, Of deceit
and double character, which remain hidden in
the human heart and dare not show their real
hideous form, but some day they must appear
on the surface, yet only then after they have
sent their poor victim to the watery grave
of an unhappy, wretched career.
That perfidious enemy we must ward off
and destroy right in the start, yes destroy
it completely by the heroic exercise of the
virtues of truthfulness, candor and honest
dealing with our fellowmen. Nay, SO inds-
pensable are these virtunes in the composition
of Christian gentleman or lady that neither
splendid talents, nor engaging manners, nor
benevolence of disposition, nor even the prac-
tice of religious exercises atone for their
absence. Hence we find that all great men,
from our own beloved Washington, who even
as boy gave testimony to the truth,
down to every name that history honors on its
pages, have been conspicuous for these beauti-
full virtues.
Another source, of danger for the soldier
comes from the sky, the airplane and the Yep
pelin, dropping death-dealing explosives into
IL H. TTo hiS
enemy to human sentiments of vanity and pride
and self-esteem that wrecks many lives.
The poet tells us, "a little learning is
dangerous thing" but it is so only to him
or her whose heart is filled with the ugly ex-
plosives of naughty and overbearing spirit,
who always try to soar above the rest of their
fellow beings, whose one aim is glorification
of self. 49,
Philosophy teaches that the wiser man
is the less he thinks of himself, and the lighter
his head with ignorance the more he believes
he knows it all.
The school graduate who has been honored
with a diploma has reason to be justly proud
in certain sense, because he has labored
hard and persevered in his aim and profited by
the labors of his noble teachers. And here,
dear graduates, let me extend to you my sin
and succeeded. You have not acted like the
ambitious youth who went to college to fit
himself out for high position in life, and
asked his superior how long he would have
to study to obtain his diploma. His professor
told him it would take at least ten years,
whereupon the youth inquired with much i'm
patience, "Well, is there shorter course to
get thorugh?' The professor, wise by
perience, calmly replied: 'Well, my friend,
that depends what you are going to be;
when the Almighty God intends to make
oak tree He takes hundred years, but he
needs only three months to get ready pump
KIM @
Labor, perseverance and humility are the
sign posts that stand along the pathway of
every successful career. I'D
Again the soldiers life is threatened by the
deadly gas shell, scattering its poisonous
fumes in all directions, choking the helpless
victim to painful death and stopping the
beating of his noble heart. Beware of false
valuations, the world accentuates the worth of
wealth and power, but the real wealth of the
world are. its good men, not its great men,
the men with the conscience, not the men
with the coin or the crown.
Undue craving for these things, the
ruptible crown, stife nobler aspirations and
leave the heart cold and empty and wretched.
Disappointment and failure often cause the
poor victim to lay guilty hands on his own
life, to end it all, he fondly imagines, like
Judas of old, and go down into dishonorable
grave, only to appear on the other side of
that grave in the presence of his divine
Creator and Judge, and hear from His lips
the unenviable distinction: 1t were better for
thee if thou hadst never been born.
Now and then meet also with those who
yield to the temptation of Sinking their just
duties to the land that received and blessed.
them. They here to breathe the air of
freedom and prosperity and are willing that
these blessings continue to be poured out
them and their families. So long as the
sky was clear and no deeds Of loyalty
looked for, they cried their love of country
from the housetops. But when the test came
and their past lives We're searched, they We're
found wanting-they had not cared to
become citizens under the banner that re-
ceved and blessed them. Such would indeed
be poor specimens of loyal defenders in time
of need their hearts they left in the land
they came from and brought with them only
their pockets which they intended to fill. The
name 'slacker'' fits them better than anything
else. r.... ssg4
And so there are slackers and deserters and
traitors in the service of God, who have re-
ceived untold blessings from the day they
were born and still are blessed, and yet never
think that they something in return
for all Ged has given them. Yet they refuse
by word and deed to bow to Him in honor
and obedience and worship, and thus merit the
name of Stacker and deserter with their Su-
preme Master. rs
But the true soldier is loyal to his country,
not only in time of peace, but also in time
of war. He follows his general, his leader,
obeys his commands, looks to him for in
SEPARATION and guidance and is ever willing to
sacrifice all if need be.
My friends, we have enlisted under the ban
ner of Leader, the greatest. the noblest and
most glorious the world has ever known. He
came from His heavenly throne to be among
His own. and like true general who puts