The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1872-08-13
County Republican Nominations.
commencement - Baccaianreate Dis
course.


The annual recurrence of Commence.
ment, with its week of literary entertain
ments, social reunions, and respectable
designations generally, is characteristic
phenomena Of the small University tow
everywhere. Most of our Colleges hav,
changed the time Of these anniversaries
to an earlier and less oncrvating, if moi
cooler, reason of the year. But VIC ART
now in the midst Of these excitements-
epjoyments in spite Of the unlavorabl
circumstaucos-and most of our pcopl
will conscientiously grasp these oppor-
tunitics with all the energy they can mus
ter, under tho blightipg influences Of thu
dominant dog-star.
The examinations passed off, last week
very satisfactorily to Faculty and stu
dents. The Examining Committee ex.
pressed themselves gratificd with the cx.
hbit made.
The Baccalaurcatc discourse was
preached by Rev. President Kitchel, at
the church, on Sunday afternoon. TIL,
house was we'll filled, though owing tt
the unsettled condition of the weather and
the mud in the roads, not packed as il
has sometimes been.
He selected for his text, Luke l2:4S
For unto whomsocver much is given, OF
him shsl much be required" Subject
"God gives all, and justly requires hi,
gifts"
After referring to the instant accept.
that it shall be required of a man accord.
ing to that which he hath-that thu,
power entrusted shall, in each case, b,
the measure Of responsibility, the speaker
referred to the extent of the scheme Of
thought this principle implies. 1t base,
itself impregnably on these broad founda-
tons Of kindred truth God gives to
men the capacities and powers they
possess, and varies them with a purpose,
covering thus all the scope of his mean.
ing and design in the souls that he creates
And SO, what gifts or powers soever any
soul possesses, these be has 10 trust a.
Gods servant
All this we are wont to admit in q
way of easy concession which as good a,
. lpties it Of practical significance. Blu,
we need to verify what we so unrehect
ingy admit OF all truth this needs O
downright faith to-day. Let us ther
look little more closely at these fact,
Of our being and condition. in which Ii.
the elements OF our strength and capa
bility, and see how they stand as Divine
gifts gracious elections, dividing to every
man severaly as he will giving mach
here, less there-why such discrimination
we cannot tell-but forever the more We
search, it will stand clear to us, that al
we have and all we are, is of the mani
fold giace of God.
The speaker considered, first, the diver
sites in intellectual equipment of souls
charged as they come from the Creator
hand,wit the sort and measure of facult,
that seems good to the Great Giver. Thu
scale stretches far from the neither side
where souls neighbor closely on the brute
up through the broad spaces, till tn
human overlaps the angelic, unlike in al
the properties and proportions of intel
ectual power, native bias, taste and ton
of genius, in strength and delicacy, drii
and scope, in the inner as in the QUITE
man. And this is a Divine differencin
of souls, specializing at the very fountain
and none the loss Gods work whethe
directly determined, or mediately, b
divinely ordered natural causes. II
next considered how closely it touche
and how far it determines the Who'll
question Of development and the scope c
achievement, whether these powers ar
aforementioned by a sound and health
full bodily organization. Poorly bodice
the mind falters, works vaguely an
wallows in the senses. Well conditione
the soul is proportionally valid. b,
oftentimes the soul gets overlaid an
swamped in the sensualsm of too inten.
vitaity-and on the other hand the bod
may be an almost spiritual organ of IL
soul, This bodily sanity is also the gi
of God, largely modified by our wisdo
or folly, but every one running back
bl'inc utlcIiDludllUu..
Thirdly, God determines our oppo
tunitles of development, growth and Gu
ture-our outward setting in life, VIII
parentage, what social environment
what chances, helps, indictments, bese
ments.
And it is Gods giving that we ha,
the heart, the will and wisdom, to sci,
and use these divine opportunities. /
inspires the noble purpose, the heroic air
He creates the hungering for knowledg
the patient spirit of toll, the perservan
and self-denial. He gives the faith, Il
courage, the aspiration, which are nece
sary to the student for success 10 cultur
So it is then that souls are gifted al
guided; and good wits being welded
wisdom, developed, furnished and di
cipined by culture, they stand forth
length in panoply, as powers made rea,
for Gods noblest uses.
And here comes the question, is the
a rational hope of holding these mass
forces true to God in the service of goo
ness? 1t is urged against our process
Of education that our training Of the i
tellect ard culture of power is but wor
ing blndly, with 10 guarantee that ,
we achieve in that line, shall not turn
be force for evil. And true it is, Il
saddest of all records is that of fall,
genius, of brilliant gifts polished and pc
fected for noble ends, perverted to st
pendous wrong Blotches of dark ne
fill many sphere that should have be,
radiant. This,thep, is our only relianc
that 1.-THE 81 is and calling of God a
without repentance. He foresaw