Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-07-11
COMMENCEMENT At BOHDDfNC COL
LEGE,

n she Editor of the Journal.
The opening of another Commencement
week IN "Old Bowdoin's'' history has arrived,
and the class Of 20 are soon to go forth to the
world. The Baccalaureate Sermon was
preached by President Harris to the Senior
Glass this afternoon. His text was from
Mathew 9th, chapter 46, Al, and from this was
evolved his subject: "The distinctive charac-
teristics and superiority of the Christian
doctrine of Virtue"
In introducing the subject the President
alluded to the current argument against Chris
tianity, that moral ideas are the same in all
PHILOSOPHERS and religions. Hereplied that the
New Testament assumes and explicitly asserts
the existence in the human reason of common
standard of right and wrong, and of common
moral law; that Christian apologists have long
been obliged to defend this position against
Atheistic and Materialistic skepticism; and that
they gladly welcome, at last, the concession of
this fundamental position. He further replied
that the current argument regards Jesus mere
ly as an ethical philosopher. Jesus did not
come as teacher of philosophy nor as law
gver, but as Rcdeemer from sin. He as
sumed the knowledge of God, of the moral
law, of sin and guilt. He brought protested
ly the gospel as distinguished from the law,
the glad tidings of Gods love, redeeming sim
ncrs from the guilt and pollution of sin.
In general, the distinctive character ofChris-
tan virtue arises from the distinctive character
of Christianity, as the gospel of Gods love to
sinners, rcdeeming them from sin. Christ lays
hold of mans moral nature to bring him into
reconciliation with his Maker; to lift him into
fellowship with God; to create virtue quick
ened and made spiritual, intense and noble by
affectionate trust in God and confidential init
macy with him.
This involves the following particulars:
Christian virtue grows from the con-
sciousness of sin through the consciousness
of forgiveness or reconciliation with God.
| Christianity does not create the sense of sin
and guilt 1t has been powerful in all re-
| lgions, crushing mankind like the LAGOON in
the folds of the serpents, the marble anguish
unchangng through all the ages.
Observe, first, that the consciousness of guilt
is not cnnobling, but the contrary In its
very nature it is the consciousness of failure,
of unworthiness, of ill-desert. Itcompels the
substitution of self-loathing and selfcondem-
nation for self-respect.
Observe, next, that both the Ethnic religions
and the Ethnic PHILOSOPHERS fail in the presence
of this terrible fact, the human consciousness
| of sin. Neither can evoke life of virtue out
of it. They act however, in opposite direc-
tons.
All religions necessarily intensity the sense
of sin. They quicken the moral nature; they
bring God and the unseen world and retri-
button close to the soul. 1t is the defect of the
Ethnic religions, that, while intensifying the
sense of guilt, they intensity all its depressing
influences and leave the soul beneath its
burning heat.
Philosophy, on the contrary, turning away
from religion failure, ignores sin. II
would save men from the sense of sin by for
getting it. by running away from it. Philoso-
ply, therefore, attempts to create virtue out OF
self-respcct. 1t aims to develop human excel
lence not from the sense of sin but from the
pride of virtue. Such was stocsm, the
best type of ancient philosophy. But philoso-
| phv itself is as one-sided as the heather re-
ligions. 1t can get rid of the sense of sin only
by getting rid of God. Hence it dvests the
idea of God of its moral power by calling God
the Infinite or the Absolute.
| On account of his deep conviction of sin a
Christian, in doing good, will aim first to de-
liver men from sin and guilt by bringing them
into reconciliation with God. Blessedness is
not possible otherwise. Hence uncompro-
missing antagonism to sin. A Christian for
gives personal offences; but sin is not per-
sonal offence, but an offence against God and
humanity.
Hence Christian experience, passing,
through the sense of sin to the joy of forgive
ness, often moves the soul to its depths
Such was the experience of Paul, Augustine,
Luther, Edwards, Wesley. A second charac-
teristic of Christian virtue is that it springs
from faith in God.
This Philosophy dsclaims. Stoicism is an
example. Cicero says that safety, wealth, and
victory are the objects to ask from the gods
but no man ever referred his own virtue to
the gods as divine gift or gave to the gods
thanks for being good man.
Christianity teaches that all goodness springs
from faith in God. Religion then becomes a
hope of heaven instead of e divine life on earth
and the religious life is sundered from the Sec
ular. Jesus has declared Gods love to sin
ners redeeming them from sin. Faith is the
sinners confidence in that divine love. Faith
thus becomes an inspiration at every moment
quckening to the enthusiasm of life of love.
Here we notice these peculiarities of
Christian virtue. Faith introduces into vir-
tue the element of personal love. The heart
responds to the appeal of Jesus, "For my
sake" This inspires enthusiasm. 1t trans
forms law into life, and duty into love. 1t
combines the two mightiest springs of action
tho frmnass of prip Cinla founded on tho rom