Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1865-08-10
commencement as Middiebury.
AuGusT s, 1865.

AUGusT s, 1865,
Editor of Rutland Herala The Bacca-
laureate address was delivered on Sun
day last, by President Labaree, who
founded his remarks upon the words
Waterman, What of the Night" We
did not have the privilege Of listening
to the discourse, but heard it spoken of
as q very able effort. The President
gave history Of the college, and what
its alumni have done and are still doing
in peace and in war, and he vindcated
the right of the institution to its own
separate existence.
We understand that President La.
baree, having served as the executive
officer Of the college for a quarter Of a
century, wishes now to resign, but will
still act as financial agent.
To-day at ten o'clock, Hon, George
Thompson gave the annual address be-
fore the Philomathesian Society. His
subject was, 1.-THE signs of the times as
indicated in the disappearance of i'm
pediments which have hindered the
progress of truth and freedom"
He is evidently in feeble health, and
when he first commenced, his voice was
hardly above a whisper, but very soon
inspiration and voice came to him, and
George Thompson was himself again.
He remarked that his life had been
one Of controversy True he had not
been called to risk his life on the field
Of battle, but for more than twenty
years he had been engaged in earnest
combat with error and oppression.
This was his third visit to America,
and in all he had spent between FOUR
and five years here, and had taken deep
interest in our affairs. As a reason he
would quote the language OF a Latin
poet, Homo sum, ct nil humanum
alienum a me puto"
In the development of his subject the
speaker remarked that we were taught
in the Lords Prayer to say Thy King
dom come. This kingdom is not one OF
meats and drinks, but is spiritual He
believed in the divine character the
quickening energy and the ameliorating
tendency Of the christian religion.
Christianity not only reveals God to
man, but it also reveals man to man.
Religion is superseding the multiplied
forms of human government as seen in
India and Turkey, and in the dominion
Of Papacy. If autocracy is apparently
still firm in Russia, it is because the
present Gar is a wise sovereign, and
has absolute serfdom Everywhere we
see Providence sitting high above con-
ventions and conclaves, and controlling
events according to his own will.
4 series of conquests had given to
Great Britain the control Of 100000, 900
human beings. These conquests were
not indeed in themselves religious, but
they had removed the impediments to
true religion. The fall Of MahOme-
tanism in India, its decline in Turkey, the
decline Of Papacy, the overthrow OF
slavery in Great Britain and this coun-
try-itself a momentOus eventual
these were shown to be simply the re-
moval Of impediments to the progress
Of truth, freedom and religion.
The speaker dwelt with eloquence
upon the glorious future that awaited
this country, and closed with several
quotations from the language respecting
the breaking Of every yoke, and the
glorious rewards that are promised to
those nations which shall obey.
The address was able and eloquent.
christian-like in spirit and correct in
sentiment. 1t was we'll received, and
frequently applauded by the very large
audience present.
The exercises were enlivened by the
music of the Fort Edward Band.
The early alumni who were present
express great qualification that the old
Congregational Church in which the
meeting was held, remains essentially as
it was In haste, M.R.