Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-08-03
commencement at Burlington.

architect; ~ all OF the arcnltects may
have had but single plan. esq
commencement at Burlington.
The sixty-seventh Commencement OF
the University of Vermont and State
Agricultural College, opened Sunday
afternoon, with the
BACCALAUREATE EXERCISES.
The church was crowded to its utmost
capacity, the aisles being filled with extra
seats, while numbers who could not find
admittance crowded the vestibule. Vases
and baskets of flowers adorned the pulpit
and platform.
The exercises were as follows
TIE Deum, composed by s. c. Moorel by Choir.
Invocation Professor Torrey.
Reading of the Scriptures, by Rev. D. w. Gates,
Hymn-Hark what mean those holy voices
| "- By the Choir.
Prayer. by Prof. Torrey,
Hymn-Sun of my soul, (Abt.,l by the Choir.
Baccalaureate Discourse, by President Angel.
President Angeles discourse was a
simple, unlabored address, urging upon
the young gentlemen of the graduatin g
class to make the hopefulness with which
they enter upon active life, Christian
hopefulness.
The speaker thought it was the fact
that this is the moment in the lives of the
young men who go forth from academic
halls, fullest of promise and hope, when
the possibilities of the future first begin
to be defined, which gives to Commence
ment occasions their chief interest, and
calls to them men who commonly shun
crowds, and are not attracted by ora tori
cal display. He discussed the different
kinds of hope-as that which can only
see the bright side, an uureasoning hope
which may cheer the thief as well as the
saint the hopefulness which is only self
conceit the hope of him who strives only
for culture for its own sake. This last is
one that colleges often encourage by their
exaltation of intellectual power, their
preaching of the Gospel of Culture in
place of the Gospel of Christ. This hope
fulness lacks the great moral end. 1t
terminates in itself.
Is there then no hope that will keep its
promise to the ear? There is a hope
having its grounds in the nature and love
of God, and its end His service. No life,
however humble, which so shapes itself
can be failure. Have you, my young
friends, asked the speaker, this hope A
test confronts you in the coming choice
of your profession. Will you enter on it
with this hope-ask how and when | can
best serve my fellow men ard my Coda
question not easy for all to ask or answer
in sincerity. Heed the judgment of
friends, watch the headings of Providence,
and seek the illumination of the Holy
Spirit which is promised to all. Thus
you will have every safeguard. You will
find full room in the field you select
under Gods guidance. Trials may come
under which your faith may reel; but the
guiding voice of the Master will rise
above the storm and your reward at the
last will be blissful Immortality.
With such words of counsel, and with
the obvious purpose to teach a useful and
practical lesson, rather than to imp ess
by any display of rhetoric or of abstruse
thought, did President Angel urge the
duty of Christian hopefulness. His dis.
course closed with the following
ADDRESS TO THE CLASS:
Gentlemen Of tie Graduatjng Glass Ny
BeIO0ed Friends and Pupas'
Nay l not trust that each one of you is
uheered 10y this christian hopofulnes~,
which God delights to kindle in every
waiting heart? The trial of separation
from each other will at once make a heavy
draft upon it. Your class has already ex-
perienced more changes than are common
to our classes. OF the nineteen young
men, who were matriculated four years
ago, only ten are here. Two others, who
have Joined the class, are with you now.
The seven others, who survive, doubtless
turn their thoughts fondly hither to-day.
And he, whose young life went out under
that dark veil of mystery, which no earth
ly hand shall ever lift, may he not be
with us in spirit at this hour? We will
not, cannot stay the tear, which comes
uubidden to the eye, as we gaze on his
vacant seat. Nor will we fail in this, our
last united service of worship, to com
mend those whose hearts bleed afresh at
the memory of him to-day, to the God of
all comfort and consolation.
Need I say, my young friends, that |
am peculiarly fitted to enter into sympa-
thy with your feelings, as you leave yon-
der halls, and to know how precious in
such an hour as this is the Christian hope
fulness, which [ have been urging You to
cherish. Need [ say that it is with peou-
liar interest and tenderness that see you
turn away from this ancient school; since
turn away with you-with you see its
familiar dome sink below the horizon );
with you leave behind these matchless
views of lake and mountain and sky;
these kind hearted citizens of Burlington /;
these ingenious students, and like you, go
to toll in new and untried fields.
But this, my friends, is the very hour
of all hours for this christian hopefulness.
Be hopeful for yourselves and for the
University. The skies are bright with
promise. Gods hand is filled with bless
ings, with which he waits to crown your
labor and your faith. Let your lives tes-
tifv to the value of the culture the Uni
versity imparts. AS with loyalty and
love you gather at her feet from year to
year, let her see in your enlarging use
fulness the ground of new hopefulness for
you and for herself. And now, az we
separate to follow our several paths in
life, as we bid farewell to these loved
scenes, and these faithful friends, let us
trust that we may, by GODS grace, all
meet at last in that kingdom where hope
is swallowed up in fruition.
PERSIAN FAMINE.-The Persian Min
lister at London denies explicitly the re-
ports which bava haan reoeiyad ranant1v