The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-05-19
GOSPEL OF WORK DR. WHITES TEXT TO AUBURN CLASS.
Peace Time Labor Urged As War AntidOte By
 South CarOlinian

AUBURN, Ala, 1S.-(By Leased Wire to The Age-Herald--The ne- cessity of work to the proper physical, mental and moral development of man kind was stressed by Dr. John E. White, author, Baptist minister and president of Anderson college, Anderson, $. c., Tn his commencement sermon this morn- ing to the Auburn class of 1924. Dr. White told his congregation that cher ished old southern ideas which stamped work as an evil to be shifted to someone else must be departed from if this sec ton and it's people are to make the best of their homeland and themselves.
 The Gospel of Work" was the sub ject of the sermon. The text was from the 104th psalm. Man goeth forth into his work and unto his labor until the evening""
 Tt is by work that man justifies his manhood, and through labor that he full fills his place in the scheme of crea- tion," the speaker stated. "Men in their normal state realize that they have no right to eat if they do not work. The accident of inheritance can never re- heve a man from the odium of being a pauper if he lives in a world which he has not helped to create"
 The theory that it is virtue to shun work and shift it to someone else was ascribed by the speaker to misinter- pretation of the true meaning of work, growth of custom, and natural laziness inherent in man. Anglo-Saxon people are especially likely to take this view, the speaker said, and added, "We in the south particularly have inherited this mistaken feudal concept of work, as something degrading. We may some times long for the old days, before the war, The future of the southland lies ia the extirpation of that conception, in not depending on somebody else to do our work for us. Work is not for man a punishment or a penalty, it is a cOpartnership with God"
 An interesting feature of the sermon was reference to an article by William James, advocating as a moral substi- ute for war the drafting of manpower for a period in time of peace, as in war, to serve the state in peaceful labors and developments without, or with only par tial compensation.
 ''No wiser idea has been suggested, the speaker said. He declared that war with all its horor is beneficial in that it keeps the courage and ruggedness of a people up to par. Hard work in peace time was asserted by the speaker to be the antidote to war. He described in entertaining manner his wrestlings in holding a calf and similar experiences as a boy on the farm, which he de- clared furnished him an ample moral substitute for war" -L
 In concluding his sermon the speaker urged the members of the graduating class, in going forth upon their careers, to never form the habit of "letting George do it." to live with the idea that ''a man cannot be decent without work ing" and to remember that ''the man who serves God the best is the man who does his work the best"
 He told of the necessity of work for proper moral and mental as well as physical development. Every man is called upon to do mans work, he said. '"The man who shirks it is a coward and a stacker"
 Dr. Whites sermon was heard by a congregation which filled Langdon hall to overflowing. Rev. George Ossman, services with prayer, followed by a scriptural reading, the 1O4th psalm, by Dr. Robert w. Miles, pastor of the Pres byterian church of Auburn.
 President Spright D0well, in intro ducing the speaker, stated that educa- tional leaders today realize the neees- sity of the right attitude toward God at Institutions of learning and among stu dents who leave their walls.
 The board of trustees will meet Mon day morning at 9 o'clock in semi-annual session. The annual alumni Oration will be delivered at 10 80 a. m. by Judge George A. Garden of New York, followed by the alumni banquet at 12 80 at Smith hall.
 The annual review of the R. O. T. c. by Gov. W. W. Brandon and his staff and members of the board of trustees, competitive drill and presentation of commissions to student officers will take place in the afternoon. ''The Festival of Lights" will be staged on the campus in the evening, and the annual senior class exercises from s to p. m. follow ed by a reception to seniors and their friends at the presidents mansion from 9 to 10 o'clock.