South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-05-13
DIR. J. A. BURNETT
TALKS TO CLASS
Delivers BaCCaIaureate Ser
mon at Presbyterian
Church Sunday.

An audience which completely fill
ed the First Presbyterian church
Sunday evening heard the bacca-
laureate sermon preached by the
Rev. DR.. j. A. Burnett for the grad
uating class of the Mishawaka
High school for 1918. All members
Of the class were there, AMI in hon
or Of the graduates, other Mlsha-
waka churches dispensed with the
evening service in order TO permit
the congregations TO attend.
Tho Essentials of Leadership"
Or. Burnett's sermon was a splen-
did appeal to the young people. and
he showed them wherein this phase
of their lives is fraugnt with posi-
bilities and opportunities. Begin
ming with his text taken from John
12:29-30, The multitude therefore
that stood by, and heard il, said
that ii had Numbered others said.
an angel hath spoken TO him. Jesus
answered and said. This voice hath
not come for my sake. but for your
sake" he went on to say:
! This is an interesting experience
in the life of Christ because it re-
veals his consciousness of his re-
| lation both 10 God and to the work
He had come into the world to do.
I II was a time of self-revelation out
Of which came strength for the task
Of lifting the world nearer to God.
The mind of the master was alert
| to every message that came and
which might have any bearing upon
his life. and his insight suggests the
elements which not only made him
the true representative of God but
leader of men; it is the attitude of
life for leadership.
Your attitude to life is a matter
of supreme Importance; on this mo-
ment hang your destinieS, your char
! acter. your service to humanity.
The world is looking to our educa-
tional institutions of all grades for
| leaders; it is pertinent therefore
that you consider the elements Of
( successful leadership.
Age is Superficial.
I'VE are living in a superficial age
when men are content with mere
seeming. We accept inferior stand
ards in the intellectual, social and
religious spheres. hence the great
| movements in the world are little
more TO us than the most incidental
things through the changing days.
I'VE have not learned TO distin-
I suish between thunder and the voice
of God. The power of penetration
is essential to leadership. the pow
er that comes because Of great
vision. God has permitted us to
| get behind the mere manifestation.
and he has put in our reach the
means for developing this discrim-
| mating power.
| II is a great privilege for us to
| penetrated the secrets of Gods
world and ways and to be able 70
the facts that are thrust upon us
! every day.
The world is waiting for prophets.
for those who can get behind the
roar Of cannon and the schemes
/ Of selfish men TO the great principles
| involved in the stirring Of the ma
lions; for those who see life face TO
\ face and hear the still small voice
above the thunder.
"To be a true leader we must
have the ability TO interpret the
| the things we hear. This is an
other question the world is asking,
What is the meaning Of the mes
\ sage2 and YOU will have TO help an
swer ii. The failure Of our lives
is the failure TO interpret for others
the things OF life; it is here that
leadership breaks.
I'm this incident there were three
estimates growing out of three at
titudes; thunder, angels voices. the
| divine utterance; only the one who
could touch the heart of the matter
could give the correct Interpretation
| Humanity is waiting for you 10 give
it a message of hope and open the
secrets of life.
"One other thing is necessary to
the leader OF men. the power to en-
ter into their experiences and touch
their hearts with loving sympathy
The next decade is TO be full OF
meaning for mankind. Upon you
and upon others going out from OUT
institutions OF learning will rest the
great task OF healing the hurt of the
nations You cannot help unless
you know, and unless your heart is
stirred by the sufferings of men
therefore il is that sympathy is sc
closely connected with leadership.
I'VE almost envy YOU the posi-
bilities OF your lives in view or the
great opportunities that will oper
before YOU in the coming years
may you prove worthy Of all the
hopes which are conferred upon you
today"
FROST KILLS BERRIES.