Cbc 3—"— Dotre Dame Scholastic Di5ce-9VA5isempeRviCT\yi5vys- vive-qnyASi-CRASMOieiTv/Rys- VOL. XLIX. NOTRE DAME, INDIANA, JUNE 24. 1916. No. 37- Life's Battle: Class Poem. BV EUGENE R. MCBRIDE, PH. B. r^UT of a world where nations clash and reel Give us staunch hearts that ne'er to foe shall bend; And millions die, for things beyond their ken; Strong arms, the tempered sword of Truth to wield; Rising above the clang of ringing steel. Clear eyes, the veil of baffling doubt to rend; Resounds the inextinguishable cry: "More men!" Brave souls that only to the right shall yield. Forth from the land we claim as native sod, Summon to arms our free, untrammelled youth In the safe, peaceful paths its Fathers trod. Now at the gates of life, throughout the land; From sea to sea, the thunders speak again: In faith steadfast, inspired by holy Truth, ^'Guard of the Nation, give us men! More men!" Firm, on the quaking battlements to stand. High runs the battle tide's tumultuous strife; Breaks on our shores the wave of foreign hate. 0, Thou who first didst give our Nation life. Full-dower us with strength ere 'tis too late To meet the ambush and surprise of war. Or yet to wield the sword, when high 'tis raised; To keep undimmed the nation's guiding star Over the trail our sturdv Fathers blazed. Thunders the summons in these halls to-night; Mother! Thy ready sons have heard the call; Champing, as steed that scents the oncoming fray, Waiting thy knighthood at thy feet they kneel. Burns every youthful heart to meet the fight. Leaving the quiet field and ivied hall. Ride to the standards, and let come what may! Far must they fare to try their arm and steel. Feeling the duty that is his at last, Now do they pledge thee, ere thy blade descend Willing, with hopeful heart that scorns despair. On each bowed shoulder, queenly Notre Dame, To guard the beacons of a glorious past; Whatever come, to battle to the end The present face, and any future dare. For God, for Country, and thy fairer name. Baccalaureate Sermon.* ^HE world with its distant and widely the homage of nature in the myriad forms of^ extended climes, with their peculiari­ her prolific existence, is the same celestial sphere, ties of situation and climate, make which, in the frozen regions of the Arctic and one great whole. The events which Antarctic just touches the extreme horizon, and have happened in it, which are happening, and shuddering, hastens away. So, Man. He which will happen, are closely - linked together stands forth in his beauty and strength, in his and interwoven into one unbroken thread.. intellectual vigor and moral elevation. He The past has had its influence in forming the searches the earth, explores the seas and studies present, the present is, operating vigorously the skies, yet he is the same man in form, in-mind, upon the future. The sun, moving proudly in , destination as the poor untutored-savage, .and gloriously over the center of the globe, * Delivered in Sacred Heart Church, Sunday, June bringing forth verdure and foliage in all their 11, 1916, by the Rev. Charles Peter Raffo, Louisville, ,beauty and luxuriance, ^and receiving in return' Kentucky. 5 94 TT-IE NOTRE DAME SCHOLASTIC who, ages ago, in his weakness and ignorance, and felt that Ave were as fleeting as the}-; Avhen considered the little earth around him as the Ave haAJ-e looked upon CA-er}- object to Avhich whole creation. Man is, and ever has been, Ave could turn our gaze, and the}'- liaA'^e all the same being, in his strength and in his told us that tlie}'- could giA-e us no hope or sup­ weakness, in his knowledge and in his ignorance, port, because they Avere so feeble themseh-es— in his elevation and in his depression. Depen­ we can look to the tlu-one of God: change and dent upon his fellow-man, operating upon the decay haA-e ncA'^er readied that. It is fixed and destin}- of the future, he does something, either • can ncA'^ei be disturbed. God alone can satisfy of good or of evil for those who come after him. the craA'-ings of the intellect and the longings In being, man is the same. How then can man of the heart. The higher the education the nearer husband his strength, increase his knowledge should it bring us to God. The more profound and further his elevation? and liberal tlie knoAvledge the more dependent B}' education. To obtain knowledge is the upon God. effect of education. The effect of knowledge is It is the misfortune of the generality of men to give to the mind a sense "of its own value. that during life and health they seldom or ncA-er The feeling of its own ultimate and personal make God the subject of their serious reflec­ importance springs from education with equal tions. Fixing their hearts upon the riches and directness and certainty. A mind under this the adAJ^antages and the pleasures of this Avorld, training of knowledge becomes conscious of the}'- employ all their faculties for the attain­ itself, conscious of what itself is, and from ment of eaithl}'^ emoluments. Eternity is seldom thence, intuitively conscious of its own intrinsic or never thought of. value. Just in proportion as the mind possesses To succeed in a purpose of life does not mean - this condition, it must realize that it was made to reach a pre-eminence Avhereby the praises not merely for relative objects, but that it was and applauses of men are obtained in this life; made for purposes terminating in itself, for but to reach that pre-eminence AA'^hich is accom­ improvement, for virtue, for happiness. panied by the blessing of God, toAA^hose proA'i- The mind possessing this sense of its own de.nce and goodness all success is due. Man}- worth and destin}-, will demand freedom to AA^ho haA'-e begun their professional career, act for that great end which God established determined to be tru,e to God AA'^hile tliey Avere as the ultimate end of its existence. To worship true to their Avork, have been suddenl}'^ stopped and adore God, to- measure our every thought in theii progress toAvard God, because the world and deed according to that worship and adora­ has branded their piety Avith the imputation tion, leads man to what should be his ultimate of folly, and assailed them Avith sneers and end—Kternal Happiness. Our Eternal Happi­ censures. A man AA^ho is true to his profession ness comes from the Eternity of God. The sees God in all that he does. He sets the laughter contemplation of this Etemit}'- of God should and contempt of the Avorld at defiance; and be the life-spring of all we do and think. For the fidelity to God rises superior to CA'-ery human contemplation of,this glorious attribute of God, consideration. The constancy.of such souls is is fitted to excite in our minds the most animat­ undaunted; their fortitude admirable. The}'- ing and the most consoling reflections. Standing are faithful to the graces and helps AA^hich are amid the ruins of time and the wrecks of so plentifully diffused upon mankind by the mortality, where ever}'thing about us is created bounteous and generous laAv of Christ. and dependent, proceeding from nothing and The faithful practice of the religion of Christ hastening to destruction, we rejoice that some­ by the early Christians was attended by the thing is presented to our view whicli has stood most dreadful persecutions Avhich continued everlasting and will live forever. When we have for four centuries; The situation to-day in looked upon the pleasures of life and they have many respects resembles that of the first vanished away; when Ave have looked upon the professors of Christianity. The slanders thrown works of nature and have perceived that they . upon the Catholic Faith in these days are Httle are changing; when we have looked -upon the else than repetitions of the calumnies heaped monuments of art and have seen that they upon it. at that early period, except that the would not .stand; when we have looked upon authors of them are. no longer heathens, but our friends and the}'' have fled while we were men who profess to believe in Christianit}'^. gazing; when we have looked upon ourselves It is not so much against these slanderous THE NOTRE DA ME SCHOLASTK 595 attacks tliat a guard is to be raised, but rather sailed on before you. Avoi4 the shoals. : EZeep against the less open, though more dangerous in the middle of the stream. It matters not snare to be met with in the evil example, the what your purpose in life may be, whether sneers or the ridicule of those who bear the priest or teacher, physician or lawyer, name of Christians. St. Matthew in his Gospel philosopher or statesman, capitalist or (x. 28) warns us "Be not afraid of men who laborer—^there are breakers ahead. Fear^ not. at most can hurt your bodies only; but fear Strengthened by the consciousness that God Him who hath the power to cast both body is with }'-ou, confident in the powers and fitness and soul into hell." which have been developed and perfected No human consideration, nor fear of what during the years of preparation within these the world may say, should deter a man from the hallowed walls, watchful of your course, you practice of religion'.