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Show ABLE PAPER'BY P- A. CHRiSTENSEN Delivered At Commencement Exercises Exer-cises Yesterday by Graduate of Advanced Normal Course The following able paper entitled "The Spirit ot B. Y." whs read at commencement exercises at the Nib ley Hall yesterday morning by P. A. Christensen, a graduate ot Uo advanced Normal course i Some time ago one of our speakers speak-ers in devotional exercises tcok for .his theme the Individuality ot tho The evidence that was clearly presented Indicated that they do possess pos-sess nn Individuality In the sense that thoy can bo distinguished, to nn extent, from others by certain cbm-mcndablo cbm-mcndablo traits of character and per sonallty. If, without undue egotlan we can assume this to be true, the question arises: "What are tho Influences Influ-ences at the Brlgham Young College that so act upon tho lives of her students stu-dents that they tend to differ essentially essen-tially from others In their attitude toward life nnd Its problems:" 2als, ot cotirso, Invites speculations; and I believo any effort to analyze .ttio Influences ot our school life, tn an attempt to discover the particular elements that havo produced the special spe-cial effect, would be an unprofl'abla procedure. Tho physical, mental t.rd spiritual unfolding of the human Le-Ing Le-Ing Is so complex a process that It would require more than our present acuteness of Intellect to forecast, with absolute certainty, the effect of each ot the elements that niaka up tho total lnfluenco of a school upon Us students. It It were possible to do so then, Indeed, would pedagogy havo reached tho goal of Its usefulness, useful-ness, for then would tho scnool lives of students be so provided for that overy act" of the teacher and student Continued on Pago Right - ', ABLE PAPER BY P. A, CHRISTENSEN H Cont nucd from iigo ono. H would bring tlio maximum, roturn n H i development. This not being the B. I caso, It huciiih that it la Impossible i , to present wtli hny degrco ol exact- B ocss the particular phiuo of training' B ho o that Iihh given tho student their flH,, spec al mold. Mejy we not, howowr, B ' iianumo tlint the Ilrlgham Young Co.- . lege fossisspg inspirit essentially iti ' own; and that that spirit emlnntlng from tho personalities or lior teach- ' , ors, tends, when In touch with the ( ' spirits of students, to fashion them W I In conformity to Its naturo? I Ilko ' ' to think that this Is so, ror In the 1 abstraction this Is n somen of lusnl- J ration and Joy. At this season when ' wo nro rejoicing in our graduation, t and when our frlonds nro gathored to J' do honor to us, and perhaps, Incl- H dcnthlly, to form nn estlmato of us, J! nt this stago In our advancement, It J I ncoms flttlng' that wo glvo expression J' to soma of tho thougfits that the splr- J,' it of tho Ilrlghnm Young Coltego hna j mado part of our equipment for fu- f; turo service , During our lives as students here J, wo have been conscious of an Inward H' growth that litis gradually changed our attltudo toward the world about us. Subtlo and slow as tho growth H' has been, new Ideals havo tonally J como to dominate our lives, and wo H who today leave our Alma Major know clearly what tho Ilrlgbam HH Young Collego expects of her grndu- HB ntcs. And If In our later ll-.es some HH of us should unhappily provo unwor- B thy of our school, It shall bo boc-nitn HH . tlmo and now conditions In llfo HH havo made tij less susrcptlblo to tho HH Influence of our school days, for the M I spirit of II. Y. Blin.ll go with us Into B our vnrloiis pursuits, and llko a pen- t tlo mentor urge us onward and up- Tho II. Y. spirit will prompt us H to hold our lives as sacred rosponsl- bllltles It will constantly remind us that ho nro created with bod and mind after a divine pattern and that to abuso tho body or neglect tho mind Is to fall In the trust and free- (loin geu us. it will direct our eyes toward tho rising sun, hbovo tho sum- mlt of human attainment; ror our training boro has tauglit its to lie- ltevo In an Inflnlto and eternal prog- rcsslon for those who do not falter. The spirit of tho Drlgham Young H Collego has broadened our attitude H toward our fellowmcn. Wo see Miout H us millions of our Kind who nro sub- M Ject as wo nro to Joy and sorrow, K struggling aa wo nro to live their m lives as their Intelllgenco and condl- H tlon3 permit. Awaro of our own faults H nnd tnconslstcnclos, wo nro prompted H to bo tolerant of faults In our usbo- ' -elates. Ilcllevlng that service Is tho H goal of modern education wo shall, B in tho spirit of good fellowship nnd B t IU feeling that tho tendency of humanity la upward, dedlcato tho best efforts of our Uvea to human advancement. When in tho couno of llfo opinions conflict tho spirit of D. Y. will whisper H plea for tolerance. toler-ance. If in tho pursuit of Intellectual Intellectu-al eminence or spiritual growth, the forces of sclenco seem arrayed against tho beliefs of religion, wo feel assured that we shall not bo allured to tho abyss of skepticism nor sink to the level of tho rellglouj fhtiatlc. Itecognlzlng tho manifold blessings that society today onloys because of tho marvelous achlove-metits, achlove-metits, of success wo shall honor and admire tho men and women who are devoting their energies to tho search for truth in tho scion tine world. Much that tends to promote human happiness and preserve tho race must bo attributed to tho devotees of sctonco and living as wo are In this ncrp. In ihn nnlnvmnnf nf n tnnnv blessings tho spirit of D, Y. prompts us to place among tho great benefactors benefac-tors of mankind, throughout all dmo tho names of mon like Pasteur, Newton New-ton and Darwin. In our admiration for them however, we shall not fall to npprcclato that man Is pronj to err, and that tho speculations of tho human mind left to Itself oitcn prove unreliable In tho end. Side by sldo mm buiuuuu wo Buuu jjiuco cniignc ened religion ns a mighty forco for tho betterment of tho race. Wo 'shall feel that tho two supplement eajh other, sclenco contributing primarily to our physical llfo and religion to tho I llfo of tho soul. Wo feel that the groatest spiritual and moral safeguards safe-guards of n peoplo Ho In tho strength of their religion. Wo believe In a healthful optimism, but thcro Is implanted im-planted In us an abiding conviction that n sane religion offers tho only i fiuedy for many of tho evils 'hat lire threatening modern society, tin-l.ctlng tin-l.ctlng this wc, shrink from rontom 1'intlug n world deprived of tho religious re-ligious conscience; and listening again to tho spirit of D. Y. no shall not waver In our nlleglnnco to the faith of our fathers. Today, as wo Mlow In pleasant Imngry our beaut!-j beaut!-j fill nnd peaceful surroundings In tho I heart oT this mountain commonwefi.th nnd ns we gnzo upon this our Alma Mater, wo feel that though rlvllirti-tlon rlvllirti-tlon lias nt times been Injured In tho nanio of theology, (religion), when directed di-rected by Inspiration becomes an Indispensable In-dispensable blessing to mnnklnd. As our thoughts dwell on theso Nestings we cannot fnll In our hearts to pay tribute to Ilrlgham Young wtioso masterful mas-terful leadership and generosity mad? thsin possible. The?. nte bjmo or tho promptings of tho spirit of the nrlghnm Young Colloio to in What more can nn Institution glo to its Rr.miateR than an minting conception concep-tion of duty to seir, duty to society, and a spirit of toioranco nnd faith In tho Intellectual hnd splrltiinl ndvnnco-ment ndvnnco-ment or humanity? It la to bo hoped that our susceptibility suscepti-bility to theso promptings may not lessen ns tlmo passes; and when the crisis ot llfo como upon us may wo still feol aa wo feel today; and thru tho mists ot life's difficulties may the Image of the Drlgham Young Collego apear rosplondent with Inspiring recollections, re-collections, while Kb guardian spirit In gentle impulse urges us to duty. |