The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-06-30
COLLEGE CHURCH COMMENCEMENT
AT GETTYSBURG, PA.
Baccalnureate Sermon by the Rev. Milton
Valentine, ID. ID.


Valentine, ID. ID.
GETTYSBURG, Pa June %, 1872.
At an earlier hour this morning than usual
people pressing toward the College Church, In
arge numbers to listen to the Baccalaureate Ser
mon to the "Class OF ~" by the Rev. Milton
Valentine, d. D., President Of the Pennsylvania
College. The graduating class. embodying
twenty i've members, entered tho church, already
full to overiowng, and passed to the seats
reserved for them near the speakers stand. The
class, composed OF young men Of dignity and
intellectual worth, is entitled to no mean place
among the classes that shall leave colleges
at the approaching commandments. After the
opening services, together with the music so well
suited to the OCCASION the president OF the college,
with the ability and address which have made him
80 much admired by students and commanded for
him place among the leading divines of the
Church, spoke with earnestness and effect basng
his discourse on ii. Corinthians, w., 49,
We look at the things which seen, but at the
things which not for the things which
temporal, but the things which not
The following is an abstract OF
DIR VALENTINES DIsCoURsE:-
As the young look out upon life, full OF holy In.
teress and great issues the question OF the objects
they are to pursue and the aims that are to guide
them must be determined. How they will live Is
involved in what they will live for. What their life
will come to is decided largely by the aims that
either lift it up or drag it down. II you, young
men, to live your true life, and stand at last at
your proper goal you must grasp the right realities
and receive their controlling inspiration. The
practical law for this Is expressed In this statement
Of st. Paul 1t is to this need OF the power of the
unseen that we ask your attention at this time.
This power comes to men through the discern
ments OF what we call faith We wish to trace its
giving the inspiration OF the unseen in the lower
sphere OF nature and the higher range OF grace-or
as natural faith and religious faith
/ l. The power OF the unseen through natural
| faith s for the present life. Faith Is always and
essentially piercing into the future and the In
visible. 1t is not, as is sometimes alleged, syno-
nyn for ignorance, believing in something for
which the reason has no warrant. 1t gives, not
groundlessy, but truly "the substance OF things
hoped for, the evidence of things not SEEM" The
\ presents very little of mans earthly life. The
small portion OF its great possibilities or Of what he
Is to lay hold OF by which to guide himself One OF
t t most striking differences among young men Is
That some live all in the passing day. shut up in the
present, without forecast aspiring grasp They
have not caught the thrilling visions out before
them Others have their eyes on coming DAYS and
possible attainments; they plan and work by the
visions and inspiration OF faith. They are ever as
that are before. Doubtless this is the reason why
some young men Of apparently inferior talent and
| promise rise and still rise and reach eminence,
while others OF higher talent and endowment never
ascend or advance.
More than anything else 1t Is the power OF the
unseen, through faith that stirs and guides tho
worthy energy and enterprise OF men, The greater
mans ability 10 act Tor distant ENDS the n0bler
and more fruitful Is his life. Want OF this Is enfee-
| bling and debasing-the incficiency OF contracted
| vision, the paralysis OF indifference doubt. BY
their faith In discerned possibilities men rise to
wealth, usefulness, fame. BY 1t the husbandman
works. sowing and waiting. II Is this that organ
| ICES great enterprises hides away grand invest
ments and develops large resources. One class
of business men launch out into the deep, cut
/ loose rom the shore, and come into sue
cess and wealth. Others always keep within
4 sight of land all their enterprises close along
the shores OF the seen and the present, and their
II Uau npy Vol
The world Is full OF the ricn fruits OF this power.
4 1t has marked out the lines OF almost
all personal and social progress IL has opened the
gates into the greatest achievements The men who
have climbed high, VINO have been In advance OF
their times ana led the race on lifting up torches
| in whose light new stages nave been made, have
| borne this power. strong belief in his destiny
was the secret OF Alexander'S victories, not only
/ exating him to fame, but bringing the earth into
prepa ration for the coming of the Messiah. IL was
! this that gave to Napoleon the OF his right
hand, and led him on. 1t was the penetrating aud
trusting faith of Columbus--an inspiration from
the unseen-that gave new world to the old
When Morse lately died he had already seen the
fruits of his own faith-work in a Geographic sys-
TEN betting the earth. Through the faculty OF pen
etratng into unseen reality science IL forever
| larging the boundaries OF the known by advance
into the territory OF the unknown. 1t leads effort
onward, and makes life fruitful.
q The power OF the unseen, through religious
faith Ia for both the present and the future life. 1t
Is to this religious faith the faith OF Christianity
.the faith OF the Son OF God" In all the fulness OF
its reality laying hold OF eternal life through Him,
ing the mighty realities OF immortality atonement,
| pardon, regeneration; handing the life over to
| spiritual conceptions, verities and powers Only
hy looking ct the things that not seen plotting
the life by them, and forming the character Into
their mould viii YOU be raised above the trans,torI