Henderson Daily Dispatch

Church Filled For High School Sermon Sunday Morning

Bishop Penick Urges Use Of Intellect To Find God

Episcopal Divine Preaches Powerful Sermon; High School Music Groups Furnish Music; Diplomas To Be Given to Graduates in New School Thursday

Virtually every seat was taken in the auditorium and Sunday school assembly hall of the First Baptist church Sunday morning for the annual baccalaureate sermon to the graduating class of the Henderson high school, it being the first event of this year's commencement program. Bishop Edwin A. Penick, head of the Diocese of North Carolina of the Protestant Episcopal Church, preached the sermon.

The program of commencement week will be continued with the next event Thursday morning at 11 o'clock at the Stevenson theatre, when the Class Day exercises will be given. This will be followed that same evening with the graduating exercises in the auditorium of the new Henderson high school, when diplomas will be given to some 57 graduates. The senior class play will be in the new auditorium on Friday evening.

Bishop Penick preached from the theme, "Spiritual Equipment," based on a text from Hebrews 11:6, "He that cometh to God must believe that he is." He stressed the fact that God has endowed man with an intellect, and declared faith has an intellectual aspect. "Never be afraid to use your intellect in search of God's truth," the bishop admonished the graduates, "for God never intended that a man blindfolded alone be a spiritual giant. Seek the truth, and don't keep a skeleton in your closet you are afraid to bring out."

Music Has Part.

The processional was by the high school orchestra, which also gave a selection after the graduates were seated, marching in ahead of the high school faculty and the school board, who sat with them. After a hymn, the invocation was by Rev. L. R. Medlin, pastor of the First Methodist Protestant church of Henderson. An anthem, "Unfold Ye Portals," from "The Redemption" by Gounod was given by the high school mixed chorus, which was assisted in this and its other musical numbers by Mrs. Henry A. Dennis, Mrs. Clarence E. Greene, Dorsey Evans, Jr., and G. W. Knott, Jr. In this number Miss Frances Harrison was soloist. The Scripture reading from Hebrews 11:1-10 was by Rev. A. S. Hale, pastor of the First Baptist church, followed by a prayer by Rev. James A. Jones, pastor of the First Presbyterian church. The offertory was a violin duet by Paul Patterson and Kenneth Patterson, an outstanding musical number.

Rev. I. W. Hughes, rector of Holy Innocents Episcopal church, introduced Bishop Penick as "a prophet and man of God." The bishop appeared to be at his best and many characterized his deliverance as a powerful sermon.

Another anthem followed the sermon this one, "King, All Glorious," by Barnaby-Squires, with solo parts by Miss Ethel Miller, soprano, and Dorsey Evans, Jr., as bass. The benediction was by Rev. R. E. Brown, pastor of the First Methodist church.

The congregation remained seated as the graduates, the faculty and the school board marched from the church as the high school orchestra played the recessional. Miss Dorothy Jones, organist of the First Baptist church, was accompanist at the organ for all musical numbers.

Marshals for the exercises, and who will serve throughout the remainder of the commencement program, were chosen for their scholarship attainments, and came from the tenth, ninth and eighth grades. The commencement theme this year is "One Hundred Years of Public Education in North Carolina."

Faith Defined.

In his sermon, Bishop Penick told of a subjective and objective faith, embracing what God has done for man and man's response. The Bible tells the story of man's search for and discovery of God. Always man has been enveloped in an atmosphere of God. But the Bible does not prove anything and does not argue.

Some kind of faith, the bishop declared, is imperative. "He that cometh to God must believe," in the words of the text. Even the atheist has a faith: he believes there is no God. The Christian says, "I believe in God." There must be an assumption in life, and there is abundant evidence that a majority of the people are trustworthy. There is mystery in life, and a man can see and comprehend mysteries without perfect understanding, he can also accept God with the mystery that attaches there. There must be a faith that God rewards all who have faith in him.

When one has discovered God to be the truth, he stands in the faith of God.