Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-06-27
commencement at Dartmouth.

The Commencement exercises COM
menced at Dartmouth College, Sunday,
with the baccalaureate discourse by
President Smith.
The text was James Ia. sSBut let
patience have her perfect work, that ye
may be perfect and entire, wanting moth
| ing" eve are reminded by these words,
/ said the speaker, ''of one of the many
resemblances between the natural and
the spiritual. Resemblance, we may
add, indicating that the former was de-
signed by the Great Maker as the type
of the latter. In the progress of physi-
cal Silence we see continually unifying
tendency. Phenomenainfinitelyd iyersi-
fed are not only referred as they have
always been, to certain underlying and
interpenetrating forces, but these forces,
to the eye of the philosopher, are becom-
ing fewer and more comprehensive.
1 The manifold changes of the armament
above us, of the atmosphere about US,
of the earth beneath our feet; the ever
shifting panorama of the seasons; the
chemical and geological mutations, with
their never ending varieties of form, of
aspect, of relations, of results-tWO or
three simple laws account for them all.
|
are but the manifestation, often, of one
and the same outworking force. Nay,
it is the dream of science that she shall
grasp, at length, single ultimate law,
binding together, in a beautiful and
glorious unity, the whole material Gre
alton.
AS the analogue of all this, we read in
the Scriptures that "God is love;" and
again that ''God is light" We find His
law. the transcript of His own moral
nature, resolved in single all-pervading
principle. In the obedience required Of
us, there may be difference of outward
shaping, but there is identity of essence.
And so we are told, whatsoever shall
keep the whole law, and yet offend in
one point, he is guilty of ALL" There is
correlation of forces here, as truly as
in nature After the same manner, the
great virtue Of patience is set forth in
our text 1t is not affirmed merely that
he in whom it is cOnsummated has made
a single high attainment-has taken an
important step in the pathway of moral
excellence. He has, substantially, all
virtues. He is perfect and entire, :"
we are told, "wanting nothing" Leay-
ING. to-day, the more abstract matters,
] shall have, at once, a broad and emf
nently practical theme. as | ask your at
| tention to the Grace of Patience. 1t will
prove, | trust, not inappropriate to those
| about to pass from orr halls to the cares
and struggles and burdens of active life.
| shall speak of the nature of this grace,
of our need of it, of the methods of its
culture, and of its blessedness.
OF its Bature it was said, while the
root idea is suffering, that does not eX-
| haust the matter. It isnot purely pas
siye thing-a certain activity is implied.
1t involves a continuing or holding on,
under whatever intlictiOn. It is not suf-
fering merely, but suffering 5oe55-n0t as
a fatalist might suffer, but as dutiful
subject of Gods government, and with
whatever affections befit our human
brotherhood. So multitudinous are its
relations, that while every other element
of moral excellence is essential to it, as
| IL flourshes all thcrest are strengthened
| 1t is styled a grace, because it comes
not of mere nature, though nature may
be helpful to it; it is born of the Spirit
of God and sustained only by His ever
present influence,
Our need of this grace was next spok
en- of, or the multiform and innumera-
BILE occasions for its exercise. Suffering
in this fallen world is ubiquitous and
perpetual; and it is only by patience
our trials arei mastered, and transferred
into blessings. So-strange as the say
ING NAV seem-with the Providence of
God. The trials of various professions
| were sketched-of the teacher, the law
yer, the physician, the clergyman. Ger
tain common annOyances were then adj
verted to-chief among them the veXa-
ton caused by errorists of the various
classes.
In the culture of patience it was said
we must give heed to the qualities and
habitudes which are consubstantial with
it. and, by a moral correlation of
forces" essential to it. Of these are
mentioned, 1. A reyerent spirit, using
the phrase in a large sense. 3. A broad
view of things-making all proper al
lowances, and taking into consideration
divers cOmpensations. 3. a charitable
spirit. A. 4 lowly habit Of thought
s. A habit of active benificence. I'm
der this head reference was made to the
late President Lords first address to the
students, and the accordant devotion of
his official life.
The bzeSsedi,es8 of patience was set
! forth, as consisting in the peace and
the power it imparts-in its various re-
medal influences-in its heroic charac-
term that luxury of doing good which
it secures in the highest measure and in
| that perfecting influence which the whole
discourse had illustrated.
The closing address to the class was as
follows: 1.-THE theme which has been
before Us may have seemed to some of
! almost too sombre cast for the present
occasion. You are in the heyday of
life The flowers of its spring time are
about you, and you are gladly anticipat
| inc the luxurianceo of its summer and the
! golden harvest of its autumn. You
! have known comparatively little of the
sorrows of earth. As a class, you have
! been signally favored. There are no
weeds of mourning upon you. So far
as death is concerned, you are to-day
| thanks be to G0d-an unbroken band
ESYet YOU have not been utterly ig-
| n0rant of the trials which pertain, as we
| have said. to all classes of men, and to
all conditions of human life. Occasions
for the exercise of patience you have al
| ready found and as you pass onward,
| be assured, they will meet you at every
| step You will find them multiplied, if
I mistake not, by the greater intensity
! Of our modern life, by@its ever multiply
/ inr activities, interests, enterprises, COM
petitions and collisions. Never was
there time in the history Of the world,
| when the adyenturer upon its broad field
Of action, had greater need to possess
his soul in patience.
take with you, then, as you 60 forth,
| the injunction of the text. Let the yir-
tue it inculcates be magnifed in your
thought, and with all painstaking illus
trated in your life You will do little
otherwise for your race or for YOUR God
| The illustrious men of all ages-the ben
efactors of the world-haYe been emil
nently men of patience; men whose
meek endurance no burden could over
task, whose equanimity no dullness or
GOODNESS or malice of their fellow-men,
no obliquity of mind or of heart could
disturb They have been men who with
! ]