Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-05-27
GRADUATES ARE
TOLD TO STRIVE
FOR DEMOCRACY
Rev. Samuel Van Pelt Delivers
High School Baccalaureate Ser
mon at Church.
URGES AGGRESSIVE OFFENSE
Tells Class of 1915 1t Must Help
Perpetuate Spirit of Belgian
Army.

raCy-' This was the message oe-
livered to the 50 Rock Island high
school graduates in the baccalaur-
cate sermon delivered by Rev. Sam
ueI van PeIt at the First Method
ist church last night
The church was filed to It's ca
pacity by parents. relatives and
friends OF the outgoing class. Clad
IN their grey caps and gowns, the
class marched down the aisle to the
section marked off for it. The pro-
gram follows:
Hymn, America"
Prayer-Dr. r. B. Williams.
Anthem. Breast the Wave,
Christian"
Scripture. Psalter, page 83-Rev.
J. Clark Granger, First Baptist
church.
Solo. Come Unto Me" (from
'GIessiah"J Mrs. J. r. Freeman.
Anthem. The Radiant Morn Has
Passed Away"
Sermon, Garry On"-Rev. Sam
uel Van Pelt.
Battle Hymn Of the Republic"
Organ Postlude.
81 have written unto you, because
ye are strong" taken from John,
Chapter 2. He said in part:
u have written unto you, young
men. because We are strong. The
larger part of the notable things in
history have been done by young
men. Nearly every great age has
been a young mans age. When the
interests Of the commonwealth are
in the balance, the issue depends on
the intelligence, moral soundness
and courage Of its young men They
till the soil, found the cities, build
the railroads, sail the seas and fight
the wars.
1.-THE larger share OF the notable
things in war, in art, in philosophy,
in literature and religion have been
projected and wrought out by young
ment"
Rev Van PeIt brought out many
illustrations of the careers of
young men. What is your philoso-
ply? How do young men get into
history?
There are essential differences
between youth and age. Both have
elements of strength but they diff
fer Youth has two advantages.
power OF originating and accom-
plishing; of executing and Of dar-
ing to attempt
Youth a Dreamer. :.
Youth is a dreamer. Ideals are
~ not human illusions, but divine Wis
~ ions. It is your ideals which fixes
your place in the universe. The
other native element of superior
ity in youth is power to dos trans
forming visions of the possible into
actual. These are two outstanding
facts about youth-Yision and IN
defeated energy.
Youth is not all strength. Nat
ural elements of strength are off
set by natural elements of weak
ness. With all your nobleness, your
life needs a completeness not your
own. The very refinement and op-
ulence and rapid pace Of our civil
iZation increase the subtltty and
powers of both good and evil. The |
young men is strong by reason of |
his advantageous position. He |
stands upon the summit. A great |
past has been laboriousIy prepared |
for him There is a dependence |
Consider your Inheritance in the |
field Of the physical sciences. You |
are inheTitors of the worlds best |
This is your favored position. You |
are fortunately horn. The world |
has been doing mighty things for |
the new generation. Nothing pro-
found was ever thought, nothing
enchanting was ever imagined,
nothing sanity was ever done, but
il is yours. You have in brain and
blood and sinew the stored up
strength of a mighty past
This law Of succession that re-
lates you TO the past relates you
also TO the future. Gu rich heritage
entails an imperious responsibility.
We strike hands with the past and
with the future. We receive rev
erently what the ages have evolved
Tor US. ReVerentIy we toll
to increase the store of knowl-
edge and Of well-being; and rever-
emily carry forward TO others. with
increase. what we have received.
Few eras are marked by such
prodigious movements and trans
formations as are taking place in
your day and before your eyes. The
war; the new peace. the changed
civilization, the bleeding world fac
ing a new career. Few eras are
fought in such possibilities as the
era on which you enter, Do you re-
greet any past golden age. You are
coming 10 the kingdom in a great
and awful time. How shall we fit 1
into the vast reconstruction?
Garry forward; for the cause;
the great cause, America; we must I
carry on the war and the spirit Oe
the little Belgian army at the Ger
man frontier. the heroism at Liege,
at Verduu and at the Marne The F:
change of armies is in your blood l.
Garry forward the spirit OF democ- {
racy. OF free institutions. 10 the I
heights over the top 10 the victory ,
and enduring peace. d
Entrusted TO Educated. s
by common consent America is I
and hopes of Christian civilization. {
BY common consent the hope of I
America is in the intelligence and '
honor Of its young manhood and !
young wOmanhood. II is to the '
young that the future Of state and !
church IS entrusted To the eduI
Gated young men and young women c
IS entrusted the high prerogratiye '
Of shaping the social political. re- c
ligiOus and national life OF the fu- I
tuFe" q
buy War Savings Stamps q
POLES DIE FOR {. S.
New York May 27.-Ignace Pad o