The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-06-23
YALE COLLEGE.
Baccalaureate Sermon by President P0r.
ter Before the Senior Class-The Simple
Story OF Christianity and Faith In

Baccalaureato Sermon by President Por-
ter Before the Senior Class-The Simple
Story OF Christianity and Faith I'm
God.
NEW HAVEN, Conn.,, June %, 1878.
The commencement exercises at Yale properly
began this morning, with the baccalaureate SER
mon before the Senior Class by President Porter.
AT quarter past ten O'Clock the Senior Class.
who had assembled at their lecture room in the
iyceum took their line OF march for the chapel, and
entering the middle aisle occupied their accus-
toned seats, while the galleries and north and
south aislcs OF the body OF the house were oc-
cupied by such friends of the students as had
arrived thus early to attend the exercises
proper OF commencement week. Alter the
preliminary services, the main feature
OF which was the anthem, by choir of male voices.
written by graduate OF 1850 and set to music by
DR.. Stoeckel, the instructor In music, President
Porter announced his text to be found in the First
Episte OF John, the fifth chapter and fifth verse
'Who Is ne that overcometh the world but he that
believeth that Jesus is the Son OF Goa ~
THE SERMON
John knew Jesus Intimately while on earth. He
mad witnessed the power Of faith in Him over
others, and, whatever think OF this faith, none
can deny Its power Men tell US now that the
spiritual Christ must give way to his
toric Christ; that for miracles must be
substituted faith in Christ's self-denyng charac-
ter. We hold the opposite. In the future as In
past, the necessity OF this faith will not be out
grown, but made more manifest. First to over.
come the world has been the ideal labor of thought
iul men in all ages. To do this Is to understand
the laws OF the universe. Man must also overcome
self, and this is the hardest task.
II John had known Epctetus and Putarch he
would have said that all they taught was good as
Jar as it went. The difficulty Is, that we believe In
person who helps us to do good. In the second
place. occasion for help has in no sense been re-
moved. TO overcome the world Is as dificult
as ever Science, arts ana letters to the contrary
ne IL still conuct In every individual man. The
strong man falls in the high noon OF his strength
Our enlarged sensibilities enlarge our capacities
ior SIN. Science must be reminded that ITS know
Ledge is limited by inhnitude. The substitutes
ization, education, elevation Of tastes by letters
ana arts, are efficient, II they are at all, as they
teach and train. If education is to train and in
spre 1T must bring some personal force to attract
by example, TO captivate by law. Without living
little. 80
WE ARE MOVED BY IDEAS,
but most OF all we want men, otherwise ideals be-
come IDOLS, hgment OF the imagination Matthew
Arnold and followers believe in the study OF man
hood, In the ideaizatlon OF virtue. This they SUBJ
OF God they substitute dream OF moral tendency.
They have no Christ, but an ideal Christian,
as II one cOuld De religious by studying religion.
We now reach the positive conclusion. personal
God Is the only agency by which man can over
come the world. II this be not so, what means
the faith OF scientists in mighty despot
who can compel conformity with the
laws of the universe What means the
belief OF the devotees OF literature in model? The
story OF the Is the old, old story, but always
new to him who makes 1t so. We have heard IL q
thousand times, but when man learns his need
by some experience OF his lile IL Is as though glad
tidings OF great joy were heard ana heralded as
on the plains OF Bethlehem.
CHRISTIANITY WITH CHRIST
at the head shall never be outgrown as long as
no generation OF men can outgrow occasion for n
faith III God unless they outgrow the problems OF
life.
The fictitious differences in the way OF faith
promise TO be removed by the growth OF culture.
While there never was q time IN which IL was so
easy to deny Christ, it is yet true that never was
faith in the Son OF God so simple as now. He
came to teach to overcome the world.
This conquest gained, .all else is gained
FAREWELL or THE PRESIDENT.
At this point the senior class arose in their places
and received the farewell OF the President He
referred 10 their peculiarly sunshiny and bright
career In college. Death was comparatively
stranger TO them, having but twice visited their
circle once in the early and once In the latter OF
their course. Yet they knew what sorrow and
namely, the discipline of those who bear 1t for
better life. He wished that they might all be
hencefOrth Christians but If they did not all &C
cep Christ In their early life his highest wish
corning his beloved people was that they might at
least inherit eternal life.
After prayer and the singing OF the 121st Psalm
the President came out OF his pulpit, and, walking
out through the centre aisle OF the chapel for the
last time, lie received as he passed the grateful
homage OF the class OF 1878.