Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1921-06-20
FORMER CENTRAL
UNIVERSITY man
DR.. Van Lear, of Little Rock, De-
lights All With Sermon To
Eastern Graduates

Rev. John Van Lear, D. d., of
Little Rock, Ark, delivered Sun
day evening, the baccalaureatc
sermon to the large senior class
of Eastern Kentucky State Nor
NAL School, in the old Central
University chapel and as stated
by DR.. Van Lear, he had himself
never before seen the chapel 50
full and crowded as it was Sun
day night.
Arrangements had been made
to have the exercises of the even
ing i'll the open campus. A large
temporary pulpit for Dir. Van
Lear and the senior class had
been erected near the old grand
stand; electric wires extended 50
as to provide good and sufficient
lights and thousands Of seats ar
ranged and stationed on the ball
park for the audience and large
student body.
But the copious rains Of the
afternoon rendered the exercises
III the open to be plainly impos-
siblc. Hence the old chapel had
TO be used for the occasion. thus
causing disappointment to hun
dreds who could not even enter
the chapel or who knowing it to
be entirely too small did not ven
turc out at all last evening.
The sermon came up to and
even surpassed the expectations
Of the many old friends and ad-
mircrs Of Dir. Van Lear OF his col
lcgc days here. Time and space.
now forbid us quoting from DR..
Van Lcar's sermon of last night.
1t is sufficient to say that it was
learned, pleasing, eloquent. and
instructive; delivered IL good
clear, captivating voice, ,5ith oc-
caSlonal appropriate gesture. One
Ul the strong points OF his sermon
was that. after all, the dreamer
IS the practical person as illustrat-
ed by the lives of 50 many inven-
tors, discovcrcrS and scientists.
Another strong point Of the ser
mon was that a chief end Of edu-
cation was the building of Chris
tan character.
The sermon OF DR.. Van Lear
came up to the standard Of bac-
calurcate sermons fixed by and il
the days of old Central University
here, when they were dclivcrc:
by such eminent divincs as DR.
Pcyton Hogc, of Richmond, Va.
DIR. Caldwell, OF New Orleans. DR.
!. \. Logan. DIR. X. l.. Brcck, an
others OF the great class of men
DIR. John Van Lear in the subjec;
matter and delivery of his sermoi
showed plainly that he was edu-
Gated in old {. L, 1t was indt,
a treat TO all who heard him.
While here DIR. Van Lear is the
guest OF Col. II. B. Hanger in h,
home, they being old acquaintan-
ccs. members of their rcspcctiv,
families having visited each 9th
CT. Dir. Van Lear will spend
day or two more III Richmon
reminiscing, shaking hands witt
his old friends and meeting ne,
ones. then he will go to Winches-
ter and spend some time doing
likewise as ii was there he spent
his childhood and youth. He will
then go and visit a sister, Mrs.
McAtec OF Harrodsburg, XIV.
then to his home church in Little
Rock. Ark.
All here have enjoyed this brief
visit Of Dr. Van Lear 1t has re
vivcd in some most happy mem
ories OF a departed past and We
only hope he has enjoyed his visit
among us as we have enjoyed
him. We wish him all early re
turn among us.
The music furnished at the bac-
calaureatc exercises was espec-
tally beautiful and sweetly rem
dcrcd.