Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1918-05-27
CHARACTER IS MADE;
IT IS NOT BORN.
Sermon BY The Rev. DR.. T. ].
Garland To St. Johns College
Graduates.
CHARACTER BUILDING"
Theme Of Baccalaureate Preach
ed In St. Anne's Church Yes
terday. Stirring Patri-
otic Sermon.


Chapter, sixth and seventh verses, the
Rev DR.. Thomas J. Garland, Suf-
fragan Bishop of Pennsylvania,
preached an earnest sermon to the
graduating class of st. Johns College
yesterday morning at st. Johns Col
lege.
The congregation filled the audi
torium The cadet battalion (under
! graduates), the Glass of 1918 in cap
and gown, and members of the Fac
ulty occupied the middle block of
pews half way the church on either
side.
The theme of Dr. Garlands bac-
calaureate sermon was, Character
Building" The words of the text are:
Young men likewise eXhort to be
sober-minded. In all things showing
thyself a pattern of good works; in
doctrine showing incorruptness, grav-
| ity, sincerity"
The Bishop said Character is made,
not born; character building is
through association and companion
ship"
He admonished the young men to
have mastery over self, to have sober
mindedness. 1t is not always right, he
said to possess ourselves in patience.
The patience that stands idly by and
permits the destruction of the lives of
children and women, the attempt of
nation to master the world by the vio-
lation and disregard of all the laws of
humanity is not the kind of patience.
Our Lord never intended it so. By
your endurance, He said, possess ye
your souls during trial and suffering.
| The text applies to a moral and
spiritual conscience necessary to be
sober minded, not vacillating.
The Bishop admonished the gradu-
ates to "Quit themselves like men,"
To every nation, to every man, he
said, there comes time of struggle
for ideals. To every man comes
moment to decide for the right, for
good or evil.
The challenge came to this nation.
We had to answer the question,
What doth it profit a man if he gain
the whole world, and lose his own
soul?'
We made the choice. The nation
answered the challenge For the cause
that needs assistance; for the cause
that needs resistance" In this strug-
gle for humanity, the Bishop said, the
greatest thing is to find ones soul and
to possess it. The thread of the
Bishops sermon was woven about the
present conflict of nations.
He said the young men present
knew the call to colors had come to
them especially, and the students
should be doing their utmost to de-
velop that strength of character, and
intellect that will fit them for the
fight. 1t is the sober-mindedness, the
high ideals that give one nation the
| victory to which it aspires.
Education is necessary for fitness
of men in battle. A Christian consci-
ence is necessary. From training
camps and cantonments comes the
word that college men pass their ex-
aminations for fitness above all 9TH
ers, and that college education is
requisite
If we would accomplish anything,
we older ones, who cannot go to the
front, said the Bishop, we must put
our desires and aspirations in practice
we must not labor under the delusion
that there is little for US to do but to
keep the home fires burning"
Underlying our government are
deep, religious principles. Every real
sacrifice brings strength of character.
Those who have now made the su
preme sacrifice have shown this char
| acter. Ideals must not represent only
: emotion, we must make them repre-
I'sent something higher. and see in
Them, the invisible hand of God
/ The war is not being waged for ma
tions, but for humanity We must
think in terms of humanity.
| To you young men, said the Bishop,
there comes the great opportunity to
do the greatest service for your ma
tion and for humanity by exerting a
good influence upon those over whom
you serve. Wherever you go, the
longer you live, in battle or peace,
| never forget the presence of God.
Wherever you go, He Is with you.
| Make this world not only safe for
1 Democracy, but for humanity, for the
Eup-building of the Kingdom of God"
Il