The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-06-26
Opening Exercises Of the One Hundred and
Tweniy-furth Commencement.
Baccalaureate Sermon by Presi-
dent James McCOsh.
The Unity and Diversity in the Word and Work
Of God-Address to the Graduating Class.

II
quaint town, with Its white houses and long rows Of
trees. The gray old college buildings took in as
much of the bold light as could pierce its massive
st0niness and the gay slant sunbeams shooting
through the branches OF the grand old trees the
Campus danced Ill golden rings on the fresh turf
beneath them, making their cool umbrageousness
more grateful still. In the church had ga hered the
fashion, wealth and beauty, arrayed In summer
hues, Of the surrounding district. The galleries
were occupied by the 800 undergraduates and in
the front seats OF the aisle seated the graduating
class of 1871. The services throughout were very
impressive. The first hymn sung was NO. 342, in
which the appropriate verse occurs
When asunder part
II gives inward pain,
But we shall still be Joined in heart
And hope TO meet again.
The text OF the Baccaaureate sermon by the presl-
dent OF the College, Rev. DR.. McCosh, was taken
from l. Corinthians, Kill 8-'There are dversties or
operation, but 1t Is the same God which worketn all
IN ALL" as compared with Revelation XIV, 3-"They
eng the song OF Moses the servant Of Cod and the
song Of the Lamb" The reverend gentleman con-
tinued:-"Hear. Israel, the Lord our God is one
Lord" But while Jehovah is one and must be one.
he Is represented from the beginning as having
DIVERSITY IN HIS NATURE;
in the Old Testament as Elohlm, plural noun
joined to a singular verb and the New Testament
as Father, Son and Holy Ghost; SO that God never
dweit in loneliness, but in the light and heat
OF love. The nobest expression OF the Divine
nature Is also summed up In love; but here again is
diversity In the agent himself in the creature and
IN the Creator. Philosophers and artists have shown
that beauty so far as It's delicate form can be
caught, is
UNITY WITH DIVERSITY,
unity proportion TO variety aud variety in proper
ton to unity. In the true the good and the beauti
full in God himself, there is oneness with diver
sity constituting universal harmony.
First, there Is unity with variety In the works Of
God. We see this Ia the matter OF the universe.
That matter has always been the same In all time
the same elements Chemistry tells pro-
yislonaliy there are III, little over sixty
simple substances Iaifs ana through ne spec C.
trace out the same bodies we are familiar
with on earth are found In the most distant stars,
IL may be sodium or hydrogen or some other SUBJ
stance found on the giobe. But in what diversity
do those bodies appear IN EARTH water air and Gre
as the ancient Greeks classified themY In floating
ether, IN compact metal in crystalline order In
gems and stars in planets, satellites and suns, in
muscles, blood and nerves OF that goodiy house
wherein we dwe, and which Is SO "fearully and
We see it in the forces OF the universe. We know
that It's forces, active and potential are always the
same. Man cannot increase or diminish them.
Force Is taken by the plant; from thence by the ami.
NAL; from the latter by man. We NAV evoke 1t in
one form; may dispense with IT, but still 1t con-
ana. after forming clouds, ram, nils and rivers re-
turn TO the ocean again. Yet, IN what diversites
does 1t appear. IN matter attracting other matter
ana holding atoms and worlds together according
their friendships and strifes. Us Empedocics OF
WE SEE 1T EVERYWHERE,
like the ocean ever.changing and yet the same. in
an undsturbed stability.
We see it In the matter and forces of the universe
ter nothing but confusion suffering ana terror, in
stead OF ORDER happiness ana confidence.
We see It In the seasons, in the birth,
These do not arise from the rude matter or blind
forces of the world but means to the end of order
in form of natural law. Without them experience
would be Understanding could be foreseen. The
future is made to resemble the past. and man lays
joints OF man. We have ball and socket JOINT at
the shoulder which would be weakness at the
fingers.
which oversees and directs all the system so exdui-
sely sensitive that 1t moves with our whole beng.
We IL In our mental talents and tastes, and their
fitness to mans position. The spiral conformation
OF the nebular groups the elliptic orbits OF the plan.
ing to mathematical laws, and can be evolved by
pure thought In man ana woman we may not
us in the sweep Of an infinite variety. Here
is the point where physics and metaphysics
IN Gods works, In the contsmpa,on Of Ills creation.
lie has faculties OF high order, and cultvates
them IN arts, IN literature, IN poetry and prose,
1t Is clear, then tnat
OUR INWARD AND QUE OUTWARD NATURES
admirably suited TO their condition IN the world.
Secondly, there Is unity with diversity In enc Word
OF God. 1t was written at different times and
places by men OF different tastes and talents.
Yet IL is one pure stream rising III Eden, covered
at the fall, now widening, now narrowing, but ever
marc Of r propnecy; one grand creed For as there
Is only God there Is ONLY one Word IL Is all but
development Of plan OF redemption. In the
come down to that OF Christ on the cross. In the
lirst Book of Word - the sacruce of lamb. In the
last there Is the Lamb OF GOD.
THE EXPERIENCE OF BELIEVERS
the unity aud diversity Is the same. We feel strik
coming out OF Egypt Yet the song of Moses OF tri-
umph through suffering Is the same as the song or
sm nt graater than Moscs nrs lie fed israe IN
the wilderness. does not Ills spiritual mamma nour.
ish now2 That Old les ament IL all history, and
yet 1t looks IKE parable, so adapted Is II To our
position. God suits HIS grace 10 our wants and our
dispositions. Let none doubt because all can
for as their bodies bore dnerent features their souls
will take different hues to be ransplaned heaven,
there to shine among the Jewels OF heaven The
helping to sing the song OF the Lamb
o an ns ns eacses e ne
ment by appeals, by threatenngs by promises, and
tells OF sIn.hating Cod, who yet pardons iniquty
order ana benedcence. There are times when
SCIENCE AND SCRIPTURE SEEM no CONTRADICT
plain its phenomena, III strata and races OF animals
on the eartn's surface. While astronomy seems To
earth was formed BY the rotation of neJulons mat
ter. There IS the same apparent incongruty he,
tween Genesis and geology or IN tne rss Is s,areS
day; this Is not relatively coniradicted In
the second Each says that the mani
mate was formed before the animate and
In each is made to rise up from the dust OF the
earth. Thus has the Great Truth anticipated geo.
logy by 5000 years. SO between nature and revela
ton, both showing but one God. All ~ develop
ment In both. The Jewish religion was developed
from the patriarchal and Christianity from the
works OF COD, a divine law Implying an original
germ and guiding process. producing higher ana
ever higher forms OF physical and spiritual lie.
The reverend gentleman here addressed the gradu-
atIng class who rose to their feet and renamed
standing during the remainder or the sermon lie
defended the OF the college In directing the
studies, and while allowing certain wise amount
OF liberty in the choice or subjects in the higher
classes, required al TO DC Wei GROUNDED IN inc pest