Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1919-06-06
Farewell Sermon To Graduating
Class.


ates' faculty and friends of the Rockville
high School was preached by Rev. P. R.
wagner, of the Baptist Church, Sunday
afternoon, June LIST. at $50 P. M. The
program included solos by Miss Helen Gas
saway and Mr.. Harry Beall, while Miss
katherine Monday played all the musical
numbers. The Scripture reading was taken
from the parable of the Sewer, found in
Matthew, 18th chapter
Mr.. Wagner gathered his remarks under
seven general headings: ~ Congratula-
tons; (2) Commencement: (3) Charac-
ter; (4) Conviction; (5) Creed; (6) Con-
tribution ID Christ. In introducing his
remarks, the speaker said that he wished
he could come as Fairy with box of
wonderful seeds and the power to plant
these seeds into the hearts of the graduates
of the 1919 Class, but these seeds must
come as words of advice, which, if received
into proper soil. must bring forth good
fruit.
count myself happy and heartily con-
graduate myself on being able to occupy
this place in your happy occasion. con-
graduate the Class of 1919 upon what they
have accomplished and because they grad
uate in Victory Year" feel this to be
prophecy that you will prove victory men
and women. You also have the distinc-
ton of graduating at a time when the
voice of the seventeen-year- locust is
heard in the land. Unlike them. it will
not be seventeen years before again the
world hears nightly from each of you.
congratulate you upon what you have done
and upon what you are.
This occasion has well been called a
Commencement" for you are at the be-
ginning of new era of work and success
You have come up several flights of stairs
and you might be tempted to imagine you
have attained your goal, but you have
merely come to platform from which
another and other flights ascend with their
ultimate goal in the cloudland of Cod
many mansions" You should stand upon
Listen Then. with that determination
which is ever born of proper appreciation
of ones place in Gods great economy of
things, advance and win your crown. AS
you advance. these are the seed-thoughts
| would have you carry along as your per-
sonal property. You can carry no better
BAGGAGE.
First, you must have character. 1t is
the Indispensable, indestructible and in
valuable coin in the land of success 1t is
what you are, what God knows you to be,
differing vitality from reputation, which is
mans estimate of you based on what you
appear to be. AS Socrates has said, 1.-THE
way to gain a good reputation is to en-
deavor to be what you desire to appear, "
and Seneca has truthfully observed that
Some men, like pictures, are filter for a
corner than for full light" So live that
the searchlight or microscopic glances of
the world will not be able to detect a flaw
in your character. You can't do without
character. Rowland Hill once preached
for minister of questionable character.
This man worried because he could not
provide him with suitable cassock. Said
DR.. Hill. "Sir. can preach without cas-
sock, but not without my character char
acter is of immense importance to a
preacher of Gods Holy Gospelr' want to
say, it is of fundamental Importance. You
should also carry with you Creed. Not
theological creed, but workman creed.
DR.. Sickle and others who are writing
gospel for the working man have much to
say along this line. In your creed you
should say. Il believe in my job. 1t is not
the best job in the world. but it is mine
and it is Gods job for me. In his unfolding
plan have place to fill and believe in it.
believe in my fellow-man. He makes
mistakes so do |. but he is trying to live
and to bless and believe in him. be-
lieve in my church. II is not perfect, but
it has held the light of the ages while the
world was plunging into its maelstrom of
sin and sorrow. Its hand trembled. at
times, as it held the light. but it has been
the light which lighteth every man that
cometh into the world believe in my
home" (And it is my personal hope for
you that at proper time you will have a
home of your own.) ut is not a castle.
yet kings and queens dwell there and it is
mine, the best of all homes. believe in
my country 1t is worth living for, it is
worth working for. it is worth dying for
believe in today, the best day that ever
was. 1t is my day and the only day can
call my own. will be faithful today"
Let this be your creed.
Then, again. be men and women Of con-
vction. Know what you believe and be-
lieve what you know. Don't be afraid to
have beliefs. A good word on this is: BE
lieve your beliefs and doubt your doubts :;
don't believe your doubts and doubt your
beliefs" Don't let your mind be stayed
and swayed by the morning newspapers
or the last man you hear speak. Have a
conviction. Be open to new thoughts and
argument, weighing carefully that which
you see and hear. Reject the fads. hold
on to the meritorious and face the world.
saying. This hold to be true"
You will also have with you your Con-
tribution to be placed on the affairs of the
worlds need. You have mission and a
message. You are a message TO the world
and the world will miss something il Won
fail to deliver your contribution. Don't
squander your opportunities looking for
other fields of labor or longing for other
tools in your hands. Use what you have
give what you can. leave the increase with
God. Then don't fail to take with you.
Christ do not ask that you interpret
Him as do. but you must reckon with
Him in your life work. You must inter
pref life in terms of service for Him. feel
ing that the humblest thing you do is worth