The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-07-22
Commencement at Waterville.

+ commencement week at Colby University is
ushered in by a sermon before the Boardman
Missionary Society of the college. The bacca-
laureate from the President has fallen into dis
use. This year Rev. Samuel X. Smith, d. D.,
the Professor of Rhetoric, received the invita-
ton to address the Society The following is
but an abstract of his excellent discourse:
Matt Is, 81 :39-'Lord, when saw we thee an
hungered and fed thee" etc. The surprise
manifested showed an absence of complacent
afterthought, which often follows kindly Deeds
These works of Christian charity had been the
unconscious expression of the vigorous spiritual
life within. In contrast, the wicked are repre-
scented as enumerating their good deeds and in
sisting upon credit for them. rwrs
This unconsciousness indicates spiritual
health. The man who is ever conscious of his
larynx, or heart, or lung, is a sick man. We
should never think of health were there no
sickness. The vital, creative processes of the
intellect are silent and unconscious. Poets and
prophets sing by an inspiration mysterious to
themselves. All true greatness is characterized
by this oblivion of self
A nation has passed the period of its truest
health and vigor when it comes to know itself
as patriotic or boast of its glory. Whispers of
speculation and paper substitutes are then
heard. Vanity and decay are at work He who
is conscious of his fame has already lost it,
Boosters are apt to be cowards. Men suspect
the conscious person and confide in the uncon-
scious. r..., rs a.. ...,.i.,it,.. + III.
This law operates also in the sphere of Chris
tian life. The unrenewed life is centred in self
The soul filled with the consciousness of God
cannot stop to congratulate itself on its own
spiritual successes. Christianity changes the
centre of man. activity from self to God The
soul is healthy and sound only when its inclina-
tions are wholly good and to God. The good
man does not think to barter his work or worth
! in exchange for Heaven. God teaches his peo-
pie to act, not with reference to self but from
tho da1iubf fbnu nd In, bo
verse does not turn on the creakng hinges of
self-interest, as some modern philosophers
affirm, who teach that self is the proper spring
of all activity. Such even represent God as a
supremely selfish beineA the aggregated selfish
ness of the universe.
But the Christians joy deepens as he goes
out of self and obeys the impulses of a divine
i love. When we are found boasting of our pro-
gress or our sacrifices we betray conditions of
disorder and unrest. Silent, persistent, I'M
boastful work shows true spiritual health
Though abundant in labor and sacrifice Paul
seems all unconscious of it, forgett ng the
things that are behind. In these times our
virtues are trumpet-tongued, and betray the
fact that generous Christian endeavor is rare
among us. Allour self-imposed discipline and
resolves only proclaim the imperfection of our
piety. The self-consciousness of our age is q
symptom that demands attention. The remedy
is found in Christ, revealed to the waiting soul
and absorbing all its consciousness and volition.
When you shall have made him yours as Paul
did, then shall you 90 forth from conquering to
conquer, for it shall not be yours nor you, but
the purity and strength of Christ, yea Christ
himself which shall be in you and conquer for
YOU
The Prize Defamation of the Junior Glass,
who speak original articles on this occasion,
will be the attraction for Monday evening.
The class-day performances are passed over
this year. On Tuesday evening the grafton be-
fore the Literary Societies will be delivered by
Hon. VIM. Whiting, of Boston. There will be
no poem- ,', WNsLow.
The IRISH BAND.-Mr. Clements, with fif-
teen of the musicians who came with him to
day on their return to Ireland, the others of the
organization remaining here ard claiming the
Band title. We are informed that those re-
manning here refused any longer to follow the
original leader and have taken new one, and
that they will not return to Ireland until they
have made tour of the United States, giving
concerts in large cities. There is a deal of bad
feeling, or there has been, between the two
sides, and those now here charge the old leader
as responsible for what unpleasant things have
taken place in this country, and those which
transpired before they left Cork. The delay
there, it is said, was not ON account of their
uniforms not being ready, but because of per-
sonal troubles. Before they left Boston Mr..
Clement falsely charged a chamber-girl at the
Everett House with having stolen forty sover-
eigns from his room, and caused the girl to be
put under arrest. The efforts of the landlord
Of the house and some of the girls friends de-
veloped the falsity of his proceedings, and when
the papers were made out Clement was told
that il the girl was convicted he could not get
any money out of the operation; thereupon he
made an excuse to the officer in charge of the
case and disappeared. An officer was sent after
him to New York to see that he did not specu-
late on the forty steamer tickets that had been
furnished him for the passage of the band back
to Ireland Clement is not an Irislinan
COLBY CONFERENCE.-The Commence
ment of Colby University takes place this week.
The programme is as follows: .-
Sunday evening, July 21st.-Sermon before
X. Smith, ID. d.
Monday evening July 22.-Prize Declama-
tons, by the Junior Glass. .
Tuesday, July 23d.-Examinations for en-
trance in the evening. Grafton before the Lit
erary Societies, by the Hon. VIM. Whiting of
Boston. '--
Wednesday, July 24.-Meeting of the Board
of Trustees at 10 o'clock a. M ; meeting of the
Alumni Association at p. m. musical concert
in the evening. 7al.Itta.+ .t"t
Thursday, July 25th-Commencement exer-
cises of the graduating class; public dinner;
Presidents levee in the evening
Noxus oud ILL.,. T.o,.,a