Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1922-05-29
BACCALAUREA7E
ADDRESS GIVEN
Rev. Manson E. Miller Gives
Excellent Advice to
High School Grad
yates.
BIG CROWD PRESENT
knowledge of World an
Open Book to Those
Who Seek.

VINO seek.
The Methodist church was filled tC
overtlowing last evening upon the occa
sion of the baccalaureate sermon by
Rev. Manson f. Miller. The church
had been specially decorated by the
members Of the Junior class. The sen
iers, faculty and school board attended
in body, seats being reserved fol-
them in the front middle section. DR.
X. L. Chipperfield, of the Methodist
church: Rev. A. w. Phillips, of the U
i. church, and Rev. J. NJ. Herbst, OF
the English Lutheran church, occupied
PAGES on the platform with Rev. Miller
and participated in the service. The
church orchestra played several selec-
tons and the choir gave two special
numbers.
Rev. Miller congratulated the men,
berS of the class upon the completion
Of their high school work. pointed out
to them that the doors Of the worlds
knowledge are always open to those
who seek and urged them to always
have a purpose in lifc--one that is God
fearing and honest. In part he spoke
as follows:
Members OF the graduating class of
the Lincoln high school Of Webster
City, teachers and friends: wish to
express my appreciation for the cour-
teous invitation extended to me by the
members Of this class to bear the mes
sage to you at this hour. wish. too.
to congratulate the members of this
class upon the successful termination
CT this high school course which you
lave been following.
Some Of YOU have parents who have
lecn delighted to place before you every
convenience and advantage. while
others have parents who have found it
real struggle, and were compelled to
deprive themselves Of many of lifes
privileges in order that it might be pos.
sible for you to finish this course. l
wish further to congratulate these par.
ents, one and all. and hope the men,
hers of this class will not fail to fully
appreciate what has been done, by both
parents and teachers.
The Occasion and Significance.
/ wish to assure you that feel he
weight of responsibility resting upon
me. There are so many thoughts which
fl0Gd my mind, and lOiter seeking ex-
preston, that 1t can hardly be mat
ter Of what l shall say, but rather
" hat I shall not say. and how l shall
say that which do say. so that it may
liuger long with you and leave lasting
impression upon your mind for good.
Perhaps there will be no time this
q, ening better suited for me to intro
'drce my text than now. Here it is:
"All things are yours: whether Paul,
or Apollos, or Cephas. or the world, or.
life, or death, or things present. or
things to come: all are yours and We
are Christ's: and Christ is Coils" You
may forget all that shall say to you
this evening, hut if you forget all else,
/ wish you would remember the text.
Were this language the product of my
own Imagination, doubtless would be
accused Of being visionary. l want
IL assure you, however. that they are
not my words but that they are scrip
tire. The language is recorded in the
first COrinthian letter the third chap
ter. and verses twenty-One, twenty-five
and twenty-three. 1t is wonderful i'll
its concept, and almost eXtravagant III
lis meaning. but if understood as Paul
meant it to he understood, it is rare in
Its extent and beauty.
Lack Of Appreciation.
There has been q wonderful lack OF
appreciation upon the part OF the youth
OF our land Of the provisions which
have been made for education and for
religious privileges. Some one has
said. How, many think justly of the
thinking few How many ever think.
Who think they dor Statistics tell us
tpat out of every 1000 pupils who en-
ter the high school. only 725 reach the
sophomore year, and that only go
reach the junior year. OF this number,
only 443 are in the class at the open
Ing Of the senior year. and that 41S
finish the course. In other words, of
the 1000 who enter high school, almost
60 per cent drop out before graduation
day. These figures certainly would not
he applicable to this community. but
they are an average for these United
States as taken from who's Who in
America
Open Doors.
Young people, you are standing upon
tile Threshold Of new day in life's
g, periences God never permitted the
sun to gild the sky with greater bril-
fancy than that which touches into
beauty the sky OF this your new day,
and mellows the dawn with its golden
PROMISES For you. new doors will be
thrown OPEN New opportunities and
new possibilities will be thrust upon
YOU. New hopes and new ambitions
will I've born within you. Hitherto
You have been within the reach ana
counsel of your parents. Many OF the
problems which have confronted you.
have been solved by them. but you are
entering that period when more and
r,ore YOU must think for yourself. You
must weigh the evidence. think the
problem through, form your conclusion
and then act. a wise choice Will bring
YOU Joy and satisfaction. but a nasty
and unwise choice may bring sorrow
and regret. Many people outside OF
this gathering and outside Of all the
gatherings to be held yet this week.
arc interested in your graduation AL
ready the mails have been flooding you
with literature congratulatins you,
and inviting you TO accept place
among the students who throng the