COMMEMORATION EXERCISES AND

HISTORICAL ADDRESS

First Reformed Church, 10:30 A. M.

The formal celebration, following upon the Educational Conference' of the preceding day, began on Friday, October 13th. The academic procession formed at 10 A. M. The Trustees and the delegates from other institutions assembled in the Chapel; the Faculty, Judges of the New Jersey Courts, Commissioners of the City of New Brunswick and other guests, not delegates, and the honorary graduates assembled in the Queen's Building. The alumni formed on the Queen's Campus and the undergraduates formed with the College battalion on the Neilson Campus.

The battalion, followed by the other students, freshmen first and seniors last, marched through the Queen's Campus past the Chapel; the alumni, in order from latest graduation to earliest graduation, marched past the Chapel into line; the honorary graduates and guests and Faculty followed; and the delegates and Trustees passed out of the Chapel at the end of the procession, President Demarest and Governor Fielder being last. Led by the band and by the Chief Marshal, Professor Ward, the procession moved, two by two, each division led by its marshal, through George Street, Paterson Street, and Neilson Street, lined with spectators, to the old Dutch Reformed Church.

When the head of procession reached the church it stopped, the line was divided, division after division, by its marshal, until the Chief Marshal, passing back through the centre, reached the President of the College and the Governor; he then returned, followed by them, and the procession, thus reversing itself, passed into the church. in order of academic and graduation precedence. The 1 The program of the Educational Conference begins on page 209.

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procession filled the body of the church and the galleries. Seats at the sides of the church had been reserved for the most immediate friends of the College and were filled. Few of the undergraduates or general visitors were able to secure place. All remained standing until the last of the procession had entered the church.

The President of the College, the Governor of the State, Chevalier W. L. F. C. van Rappard, Minister from the Netherlands, President Ame Vennema of Hope College, the Rev. John W. Beardslee, D.D., LL.D., of the class of 1860, and the Rev. Henry E. Cobb, D.D., of the class of 1884, were on the platform. The exercises were of great interest and were carried out with great spirit. The singing of the hymns was stirring in the extreme and the speakers were enthusiastically received by the audience.

COMMEMORATION EXERCISES

Governor FIELDER: The invocation will be offered by the Reverend John W. Beardslee, of the class of 1860. Invocation

Rev. JOHN W. BEARDSLEE, Class of 1860

Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, we have met together this morning in Thy name to render thanks and praise to Thee for the great blessings Thou hast granted unto us. We pray Thou wilt help us to come with the right spirit, remembering that every good and perfect gift comes from Thee. And as we speak of all Thy goodness to us we pray, O God, that we may have grace given to us to use the blessings unto Thy glory and unto the good of those about us.

As we are assembled here this morning our hearts go back through the years that have passed, and we remember what our fathers have done with faith and love, looking unto Thee because Thou hast promised a blessing. We thank Thee that all down the history of those years we can see how Thy guiding hand has been upon us as an institution of learning. We thank Thee for the grad

ual development of its resources and for the Institution as a working force in the world. We rejoice this morning as we think of how many men have gone forth from its walls to do good service to God and to their fellow men. We pray, as we are sitting here this morning, we pray Thee we may have grace given unto us that we may appreciate the great responsibilities that come upon us because of this record of the past. Forbid that we should come here rejoicing in what we have attained through Thy grace and blessing, and failing to look forward to the greater things which are for us to do in the future.

Lift up our minds, enlarge, we pray Thee, our understanding of Thy work in the world. May we go forth in Thy name and do greater deeds than our fathers have done. We pray that Thou wilt bless all that may be done this day and during these exercises, and that as we go back to our homes and to our fields of labor we may have and we may carry with us higher aspirations and truer visions of the Kingdom of God in the world and a deeper sense of our obligation to do good unto each man as we have opportunity. So may the lessons of Thy providence quicken our faith and may we be consecrated in the good work and word whereby Thy name may be glorified and those about us may be brought up into a higher and better life.

Bless this College in all its work, and we pray that it may ever cherish the motives which directed its founders and which have inspired the men who have brought it to this point.

Hear our prayer, O God; command Thy blessing in the years to come as Thou hast done in the past; and so may the progress of the Institution carry greater light and greater inspiration to men everywhere; and as they go forth all over the earth we pray that they may carry with them the Gospel of Jesus, which underlies all our prosperity. We ask it in the name of Jesus Christ, our Saviour. Amen.

Governor FIELDER: Let us all join in singing the hymn: "A Mighty Fortress is our God."

EIN' FESTE BURG

A mighty fortress is our God,
A bulwark never failing;
Our helper He amid the flood
Of mortal ills prevailing;

For still our ancient foe
Doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great,
And armed with cruel hate,

On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide,
Our striving would be losing,
Were not the right Man on our side,
The Man of God's own choosing:
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is He!
Lord Sabaoth, His name,

From age to age the same;

And He must win the battle.

And though this world, with devils filled,
Should threaten to undo us,

We will not fear, for God hath willed
His truth to triumph through us:

The prince of darkness grim

We tremble not for him;

His rage we can endure;

For lo, his doom is sure;

One little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly powers-
No thanks to them-abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours,
Through Him who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindred go,
This mortal life also;

The body they may kill,

God's truth abideth still;

His kingdom is forever.

Martin Luther 1529; Tr. by Frederick Henry Hodge 1852.