The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1922-06-06
Baccalaureate Sermon Given
By Rev. S. J. Cleeland AT
Baptist Church
Youth Advised To Conserve
Bodies, Minds And Souls
Thoughtful And Able Dis
course Given Before Men,
bers Of Class Of 1922

Perennial interest in the glad af.
fairs of youth, particularly of those
young people who have completed the
course Of the Mt. Vernon high school
and this week are to receive their di-
plomas, was demonstrated Sunday
evening by the large number, includ.
Ing members of the class, the high
school faculty, board of education,
parents, ministers and friends, who
listened to the delivery of the bac.
calaureate sermon at the Baptist
church.
The church auditorium was filled.
Had 1t been twice it's present size it
would have been filled again. Such
was and is the desire each year to
renew ones youth by entering in at
the temple of joy and happiness in
company with those who of right
may enter because of being at the
threshold with hopes and ambitions
high and expectancy keen.
About the altar in decoration were
gathered groups of flowers, roses,
peonies, carnations, and others of ma
ture's happiest creations. A back
ground builded upon patriotism to
the state that had given them educa-
tion and with it opportunity, was pre-.
scnted in the American flags that
hung upon the walls.
tho ,,,o,,,J,,,, "a t1,o
class marched into the auditorium
with their guests, the augmented
choir, directed by William M. Coup,
sang professional, God of Our
Fathers" The opening prayer was
offered by Dr.. w. Hamill Shields,
pastor of the Presbyterian church
Following the delivery of the invoca-
tion the Rev. Donald Wonders, rec
tor of st. Paul's Episcopal church,
invited the congregation to join in
singing "All Hail the Power of Jesus
Name"
The scripture lesson, chosen for the
time and the occasion, Romans 1: l.
16, was read impressively by the Rev.
Hugh Wayt, pastor of the Vine street
Church of Christ. The choir sang an
anthem, "Remember Now Thy Gre.
ator." Prayer was offered by the
Rev. A. d. Mink, pastor of the Gay
st. NJ. r. church. A solo, "How Love.
ly Are Thy Dwellings," was given
beautifully by Miss Pauline Smith.
The sermon was given by the pas.
tor of the church in which the ser.
vice was being held, the Rev. s. j.
Cleeland. The discourse he address
ed to the members of the class was
notable not merely for well chosen
language or fine diction but also for
sensibility and practicability of sug-
gestion, with an admonition that the
members of the class of 1922, to
whom the minister particularly ad.
dressed himself, bring themselves to
proper consideration and apprecia-
tion of those things that concern the
soul as we'll as of those touching the
mind or the body.
The first words spoken by the min
lister were words of congratulation
addressed in turn to the members OF
the class, the high school faculty, the
board of education and to the par
ents. Each of those have had a part
and have contributed something to
make possible the graduation of this
class.
The text upon which the minister
builded his sermon thought was Ro
mans liza, 81 am debtor both to the
Greeks, and to the barbarians; hotf
to the wise and the unwise," A brie
sonal history of Paul. writer of tht
Epistle to the Romans, was given tt
supply the proper background or per
spective to the thought that was Il
be- contained in the discourse t.
come. rom the text, the ministe
presented three lines of though fo
consideration. "You are debtors" h
said, "to lose yourselves. You ar
debtors to find and to use yourselves
You are debtors to glorify your
selves"
or these three points the secon,
was first taken up for development
and amplifcation. The first sugges
ton was that the members of tn
class are debtors to their physica
selves. They now come in the buoy
ancy and vigor of youth. Throug
these physical powers of youth the
are to express themselves. II the
fail to have a regard for the divin