E-mail a friend.

The Reverend Charles Christopher Heyward, Sr., of St. James Presbyterian Church in Charleston, SC, delivered the baccalaureate address of the 126th commencement on May 8.

“I come tonight to remind you, I come tonight to encourage you that dreams do come true,” Heyward said.

The charismatic pastor encouraged audience participation, often saying, “Dreams do” leaving the obliging Belk Auditorium audience to finish the mantra.

Heyward drew from the story of Joseph in Genesis as an example of someone who was tested before ultimately seeing his dream become reality.

Heyward reminded parents of the dreams they’ve had for their children over the years. He also mentioned several dreams that potential graduates may have had for themselves as they passed from middle school to junior high and high school.

“Now today, twenty-one or twenty-two years have suddenly turned into sixteen or seventeen hours,” Heyward said. “I trust by your presence here tonight you are a believer that dreams do come true.”

He said that Joseph and the Class of 2009 may have similar tests before realizing their dreams: “family dysfunctionalism,” “obstacles,” “integrity attacks,” and “being forgotten.”

“The odds, I stand to tell you this evening, were against Joseph, they were not in Joseph’s favor. Multiple obstacles his brothers represent,” Heyward said.

“And before your dreams come true, you may have to encounter many obstacles. And sometimes the obstacles may come looking for you ten to one: ten criticisms to one encouragement, ten failures to one success, ten enemies to one friend, ten jealousies to one love, ten no’s to one yes, ten hit-me-downs to one build-me up.”

“Sometimes you will encounter an attack on your integrity, but keep your integrity,” he said. “Sometimes the misrepresentation of who you really are may result in a set-up or a setback, but keep your integrity.

“Sometimes the evil intentions of another may cause a delay in your moving forward, but keep your integrity.

“Sometimes false accusations may cost you your position and all and everything you have accomplished to this point in your life, but keep your integrity. “Sometimes a person bearing false witness about you may put your future on lockdown, but keep your integrity because dreams do come true.”

“My friends, I don’t know who I’m talking to tonight, but sometimes . . . people will forget you even though you have been in the same unfortunate mess . . .

“Sometimes people will forget your name and they forget that you had a major part of them being set free of what’s been bonding them. But I stopped by to tell you tonight that dreams do come true.”

Heyward said that graduates should look to Joseph as an example of someone willing to see his dreams come true.

“So, Class of 2009, How long, how long are you willing to wait?

“How long, how long are you willing to suffer?

“How long, how long are you willing to make sacrifices?

“How long, how long are you willing to keep your integrity and be patient to see that your dreams will come true?

“I just came 168 and three-quarter miles from the holy city of Charleston, South Carolina,” Heyward said, “to tell you that these are great times in which to live. Class of 2009, remember, ‘Dum Vivimus Servimus,’ ‘While we live, we serve.’ Because the truth is: only what we do for the Lord Jesus Christ in the end is going to truly (matter).

“So dream. Dream God-inspired dreams. Dream, I tell you, dream big dreams. Dream, dream big and bold dreams. Dream, dream Blue Hose dreams. Dream because dreams do come true.

“Tomorrow leave these holy grounds. Tomorrow leave these hallowed halls, Heyward concluded. “Go to the north, east, south, and west, I tell you, take the Honor Code with you. And remember this: dreams do come true.”