Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 71, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 May 1909 — Delighted Large Audience With Baccalaureate Address. [ARTICLE]

Delighted Large Audience With Baccalaureate Address.

Dr. G. L. Mclntosh, president of Wabash college, delighted the large audience that greeted him at the Christian church Sunday night, on the occasion of his baccalaureate address to the commencement class. *■ The large church building was crowded, save for the seats in the center section that had been reserved for the graduates and teachers, long before the hour set for-the service to begin. At a few minutes of the time for the service the graduates entered from the main door and came down the two center aisles, taking alternately the vacant rows of seats. It was the first appearance together of the graduates and gave the public an opportunity to see what a fine class is being graduated this year from the Rensselaer schools. After the preliminary service of prayer, scripture reading and song, Superintendent Warren introduced the speaker, who referred in his prefacing remarks to the great improvement Rensselaer had made since his first visit to the town 18 years and one month ago, and he continued by saying that the town, he felt sure, had made greater progress than he had. The central thought in the sermon was the opportunity that is omnipresent to succeed in life and that there are two growths, one outside and the other inside, the former the growth of vanity and accumulation and the inner growth that of knowledge for the betterment of the world, the acquirement of unfading things that develop the real talents that God has given. He spoke of the many wonderful things with which we are surounded and which we scarcely notice because they are common, but noted many instances of men who have found inspiration in the very things others have deemed worthy but scant notice. Of the marvelous environments with which we are all surrounded he mentionel the grass, the flowers, the trees that bear fruit or give bountiful shade, the sun, the pure air, the rain, the winds, and every natural or created thing that exists and said that the understanding of these things and a study of their part in the world is worthy the study of every one. Dr. Mclntosh illustrated his address with a number of strikingly appropriate stories that made his motive so clear that it must certainly have proved of value to the graduates and all others that heard it. In the morning Dr. Mclntosh delivered an address at the Presbyterian church, having a large audience that was pleased at the opportunity to hear the distinguished speaker.