Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1920-05-24
BACCALAUREATE
ADDRESS GIVEN
Rev. ]. M. Herbst breaches
Baccalaureate Address
to the Gradu-
atcs.
WAS UNION SERVICE
Fine Sermon to Young Peo-
pie on Threshold of
Career.
WAS UNION SERVICE

ing class OF the Webster CITY schools
The address was given at the Meth
odist church, where Il union seryic
was held. The service was participat
ed in by Revs. Metcalf,. Chipper1ield
Miller. Vets, Shook and Swendcl
The Methodist orchestra rendered
special musical program and Mis-:
Aurilla Peterson sans Il solo.
The members OF the class were givcl
seats of honor in the front of tn,
church. and We're accompanied by til,
faculty and members of the scloo
board. The church, of course, was
crowded. Rev. .Herbst, taking as his
subject Opportunity and Responsible
lty,' spoke in part as follows:
Graduation a Junction.
Class Of 1920, this c"ommcnccmcIft
is a way station, or Il junction point
on the &. e. NJ. l.. railway.
To reach this way station, or juno,
ton point. on this railway. whose
point of departure is the Garden of
Eden, and whose terminus lies in the
cternities Of The future, is an occasion
for satisfaction and congratulation. :.
BY this 6. L. NJ. l.. railway is meant
the Great Educational Main Line rail
way. To ONE of you. these com
menCement exercises are but Il pause, 4
way station, if YOU please. In a month
or two you will board II more pre-
tcntious train. you will enter some col
lege or university. And it may happen
that you. some of you, will remain on
some one OF these trains that run on
this Great Educational Main Line rail
way. Conductors, it may be, teachers
and professors III some high school
college or university.
To others Of You. this commencement
will be Il junction point. You will end
your pursuit of an education as Il def
ute aim, and enter upon the interest
ing enterprise OF establishing your
selves as members Of this or some other
community, and begin the performance
of your part of its work.
but whether this occasion is for you
a way station, or Il Junction point, !
want to suggest 10 You that the occa-
sion comes 10 you in the guise of both
an opportunity and Il responsibility.
Learn From Past.
Learn from the mistakes of the past
to make the best possible use OF the
future. Throw the light OF experience
Use to greatest profit the opportunities
that arise.
By reason of your graduation. GER
tain advantages are ycnrs above your
fellows, and 10 you, therefore, we look
for a faithful use of opportunities that
these advantages give you.
The issues of the battle of Gettys-
burg quite probably turned upon the
use of an opportunity General Warren.
chief of engineers made. during the
fight of July }. He saw that Little
Round Top was the Key to the Union
right. He saw the Union leaders had
moi ye; recognized that fact, but lie
discovered a movement of the enemy
that led him to believe that the enemy
leader had noted the Importance of
the hill and was moving to occupy it.
Warren, without command to do so
without authority, nevertheless order
ed troops to seize and hold the hill 1T
all hazards. And events justified and
more than justified his act.
| would have you understand, young
people, that the issues of this Sradili-
ton also lay upon YOU a great RESPONSE
bility, as well as offering you. If may
be permitted to use the expression, Il
progressive opportunity TO meet 1t.
Have Wide Influence.
In addressing you in this fashion. l
take you as representing a great multi
tude, a splendid section Of young
America.
Some one has said recently that If
he could have a generation Of earnest
faithful Christian mothers, he could
change the whole character of Ameri-
can life. ! am going to assume the
holiness to say that if this whole band
of noble young people who are gradual
ing from our high schools, colleges ana
universities, would be faithful to the
responsibility by virtue of the condi-
tionS and circumstances OF their lives
growing out of their graduation, that
same beneticcncc would be attained
which this man declared could be at
tanned by a generation of mothers.
But with this additional blessing. that
change in American character would
become Immediately effective, Tor these
young people are now ready to begin
cXertnDg their influence upon the coun-
try.
To each succeeding generation OF
young people the welfare OF this
country is given. In this lies y0ur
responsibility. II is yours to preserve
the integrity of the nation that its
blessing may be handed on to succeed
Ing generations Wnimpaired. And how
great is the need can be seen as we
look out on the conditions Of unrest III
our land. But time does not suffice
now to go into details. Your RESPONSE
bility may be. compressed into this one
phrase, "Faithfulness TO Truth
Look upon Pilates prisoner. lie
whose voice comes across the centuries.
] am the Way. the Truth, the Lie.
Jesus taught the truth, He lived the
truth, He was the truth.
Three things are necessary II you
would meet your opportunities ana
responsibilities Alright.
a. S%ingleness OF purpose. 60
Nobility OF purpose. 3.) Conscious
ness of. freedom, arising out of rectl-
tude of life.
He only is a freeman whom the,
truth makes free.
Who first of all the bands OF satan
broke,
Who broke the bands of sin.
And for his soul. in spite OF fools,
consulted seriously.
Who did as reason, no as fancy,