The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1869-08-10

ed at the Congregational church on Sun
day afternoon, by President Kitchel.
The weather was fine, the air cool and
invigorating, and Of course the house was
full ; the people coming from all the
towns around. The discourse was as
might be expected an able one, full Of
earnest comprehensive thought, and de-
livered in a most impressive manner.
Subject The Immortal Lives Of Good
and Bad Men. Text, Prov. 10; I. 1.-The
memory of the just is blessed but the
name of the wicked shall rot The fol-
lowing is an imperfect abstract.
The speaker began with a reference to
the after-life to which we may attain in
this world, and which every strong and
noble soul earnestly desires. 1t is the
life we live in the thought and deeds and
memory of those who shall come after us,
abiding, acting, producing when we are
gone, clarified and exalted by our depar-
ture. We crave this perpeurated life on
earth, even though we know that we shall
presently be beyond the praise or blame
of men, in u life far other and more real
than this, beyond being sensitive to pos
thumous honor or reproach. And it will
be well for us, even among the immortals,
to know that we still have remembrance
and power for good on the earth, as it
will add pang to our sorrow if we know
that our life and name are shame and
curse among the living. Nor is it an idle
craving, this longing for an influential
after-life on the earth 1t is motive Of
great power on US. God has so linked
the ages together and set all humanhearts
and lives responsive to one another that
all good, great lives are imperishable,
They are a bequest to the ages, and enter
rs substantive spiritual forces into the
successive life Of the race, shaping the
world long after those who lived them
are gone. As of the good so Of the evil.
Each remains a permanent, outstanding
force. to work on, after its kind, to bear
its own overwhelming harvests to the
end the one for infinite good, the other
for infinite evil.
The speaker then referred to few ex-
amples of the cminently good and the
eminently evil, men who have rendered
themselves conspicuous in history by the
union of great powers with strong moral
qualities. On the one hand, Abraham,
Moses, David, Paul, Luther, llampden,
Washington, Lincoln; on the other, Ar
mold, Marlborough, the Stuarts, Nero,
Caliguea, Tamerlane the former still
the undying bcnefactOrs Of their race, and
the latter, those who climbed to the bad
.ninence of worldwide mischief. Not
only la this true of these submits Of char
acter, but alsS Of those Of IL more humble
sphere and more limited powers. The
average life is Of almost in,meqsurable
scope and breadth Of effect, remaining
after its possessor is gone, as memory
and power Of gracious Indictment, or
the reverse, among the living.
In still greater force docs this principle
apply when this humble average life is
enlarged by the addition of rare gifts of
intellect, or genius, Or royalty, or great
soul, or even of the lower gifts of wealth
and position. Around such gifted souls
are throngs of observant and receptive
spirits, hungerng for guidance, and SO
the gifted one radiates his own good or
evil widely around him, and enobles or
degrades his generation, that influence
extending far beyond his knowledge and
his time
So of every affinity, every tic Of kin
dred, Of friendship, of intimate associa-
ton; and the closer the tie, the deeper
the impression Our good Or evil will be
perpetuated in the lives Of our children,
and in theirs after them, goingon forever.
Therefore the most precious legacy is the
mcnory of good parent, and the shame
most blighting is the contamination Of an
evil pareptage, ingrained in the stock aud
tainting the blood of the race
Add to this ihe power which comes
from the culture Of a wise education.-
This eniarges and multiplies the life. 1t
sweeps far broader field Of influential
power. Mono hui the pure should dare
10 enter among these anointed as kings
and priests Of spiritual cuiture-and they
only in reyerent spirit. Aud where
much is given much will be required.
All power incurs this burden. For such
AS have these gifts no private life or mar
row activity is ercrmore possible. Their
good or evil is of worldwide force.
Who can measure the vital spiritual
work DOPE n souls by gifted author
His thought works as leaven in the uni
yersal mind and becomes II world force.
As examples, Baxter aud Bunyan have
swayed hearts and won souls 20 good be-
yond almost any that ever lived and still
continue TO do so. So also Voltaire and
Paine, those assas-,ins Of faith, are doomed
10 90 on corruping and running, and to
drink the cup of eursing from them they
ruin.
The teacher and the preacher have it
for their function TO handle souls, to
mold and inspire, almost TO create, in the
domain Of spiritual being. Small honor
and scanty recompense may be accorded
them now, but they are moldng the worlds
masters, working most vitality on the i'll
tellectual and spiritual life ofmen. And
if faithful to their trust, by and by,
they shall receive an abundant reward.
4" Even 20 great is human life,so vast
in its reach; and so, beyond all our
thought, does it gain scope and gather
power with each enlargement of gift and
culture. And such Significance there is
in our lives"
The address to the graduateswas an ear.
nest application of these truths and a
tender appeal to their higher natures. cal
culated to inspire noble ambitions and
high aspirations, and in it occurs this beau.
tiful passage with which we close. "You
Gonna IN vour maiorifv rs men of train.