Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1867-08-09

whOle occasion Nas ono OF nisu anu unuouai
interest.
CELEBRATION OF THE SOCIETY FOR RELIGIOUS
INQUIRY.
The Anniversary Of the Society for Reli-
gious Inquiry took place at 1890 Tues
day morning. An intelligent audience mo
dera;ely filed the church. The President Of
the Society, Mr.. II. o. Wheeler, Of the gra-
duatlng class. took the chair. After prayer
by the Chaplain. Rev. E. Nix, and music by
the Band, the Society was addressed by Rev
Mr.. VINCENT, of Troy, n. Y
Mr.. vIxczNr's address.
The Speaker took for the Foundation Of his
discourse John XVII, Goth, THAT they all may
be ore as thou, Father, art il nc and in
thee, that they also may be one in u.s." From
these words, as starting point, Mr. Vincent
proceeded to develop the idea Of Christian Uni
ty in its realization. Distinguishing Physical.
Intellectual and Moral Unity be showed that
there can be no perfect physical unity among
the nations. The greatest attempt at unity,
that of Rome, was failure. So Of intellectual
unity, no one type can absorb the rest 60 as to
secure unity. Greek American, German minds,
remain distinct and a fusion is impossible. The
prophecy Of the Savior must be realized il
some other unity than these. We must seek for
some universal sentiment to inspire unity and
We find it il Love. Love, parental, embraces
and controls all other sentiments. "Al
thoughts, all passions, al desires, whatever
stirs our mortal frame, are but the ministers
Of Love, and feed his sacred fame
To have the union desiredslove must have an
obje.t, and it must be one of exceeding lowell
ness and goodness First It must attract fliai
affection. Second it must exhibit a perfect
combination of perfect qualities. Third it must
BE- self attractive, a type of the race. Fourth it
must appeal TO men through familiar medium.
The perfect and only possible tulfllment Of these
conditions Is in Christ, and the speaker pro-
ceeded to show how they are fulfilled in him.
From such demonstration the inference was
drawn that since Christ is the only possible
ground Of unity, he must be held up to the
world in the truthful preaching Of his GOSPEL.
Finally, while the perfect union can be neither
physic.l or intellectual, these unities must Dot
be forgotten, as means to the higher unity.
Christ should be reflected from every angle OF
our national and intellectual lie.
The discourse closed with most eloquent
peroration, in which the speaker compared
the way in which the discordant voices Of
Garth are to be brought into harmony by
Christ's love, to the gradual Intervening Of
harmonies and overruling and absorption Of
discords by the swell Of the diapasons IN
some grand theme on full organ, working
up ais smile into a splendid climax, which
thrilled the audience Through and through.
The discourse was a very fine one, useful
in its lessons, interesting, eloquent and able
in high degree.
After music by the band the exercises end
ed witt the benediction by the Chaplain.
CELEBRATION OF TIE III BETA KAPPA SOCIETY.
At P. NJ. on Tuesday was the celebra-
ton of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. After
music Dy the Band, and prayer by Rev. Mr..
BuLKLEY, of Plattsburgh, the President Of
the Society, Mr.. 6. W. BENEDICT, introduc-
ed the Orator of the day, DR.. ANDREW P.
PEABODY, of Cambridge, Mass.
The orator announced as his subject, THE
Positive Philosophy Of the dag, in its bearings
on the vital truths that concern Us as God-born
immortal beings" Speaking Of the sudden
rise and rapid spread of this Philosophy which
now is prOfessei by large numbers OF students
in all departments Of Science, of History, ofLite-
nature, nay even of Theology in the develop
ment Of naturallstic scriptural gesis,-though
it seems but yesterday since Comte was held a
harmless dreamer-the orator yet expressed his
confidence in the ultimate ascendency of sound
philosophy and the educing Of good from even
this overflow Of Positiyism, as the freshets along
the river bottoms deposit a fertilizing silt in
their passage; though truly we're We to have
our choice, the advantage thereof might be got
in some less destructive and announcement way.
This positive philosophy deals only with facts
of sense, with that capable Of measurement, Of
description, with the statistics. so to speak, Of
nature and humanity which only it holds are
objects Of knowledge. Religion is superseded,
its alleged truths cannot be handled, therefore
they are not movable. Metaphysics has equal
ly no place, for its relations and laws do not re-
cognize facts Csu.sti0n Is not a movable fact
but hypothesis, and theref,re to be rel ctei.
The unbroken series Of physical antecedents and
conrquents embraces all nature and there is
no room for moral action. Human history could
have been written in advance by one who could
have compared all the material phenomena then
existing, and have followed them out to their
consequences. Materialism, Recessity-these
are the great e1ponential words Of the Positive
Philosophy. Its God is Collective Humanity,
to that alone it owes allegiance. Let US consider
some Of its fallacics.
Comte ELECTS the phenomena Of conscious
nese because the mind cannot at once act and |
observe, our only knowledge Of mind being from
observation of mental phenomena in others.
But it is self-evIdent that all knowledge implies
belief II our own consciousness unless We can I
give credence to that we cannot know anything .
nor discriminate. We do not act without mo- |
tives these motives sre all f-om without, says
the Positive Philosopher, aud if at any time
there appears to be choice Of motives which
would Indicate power within, it is really that
the stronger and therefore controlling motive Is
one which does not appear to be such. This ez-
PLANTATION might be accepted, were it not for the
Consciousness Of merit OF iemerit | approve
or blame myself; had no power of choice to
do or refrain from doing, I could 10 more praise
or blame myself than could my boots, we're they
conscious, for having to 60 through dry or mud
dy places not by their own Will.
This free will is an efficient cause human
will is creative cause, giving to material things