The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-07-21
BY TELEGRAPH.
MATTERS In MAINE,
Commencement at Colby Univer.
sity.
Sermon Before the BOardman Missioua.
ry Society-The PrOgra mime for Monday
Especial Despatch to the Press. !

WATERvILLE, July 20.-The programme of
commencement week at Waterville opens with
sermon before the Boardman Missionary So
ciety of the college. This discourse was deliy-
cred before large audience at the Baptist
church this evening, by the Rev. j. n Mur-
dock DID. of Boston, Secretary of the Ameri-
can Baptist Missionary Union. The following
is an abstract of the sermon which was based
upon the text Matt %: IS. "All pewer is given
unto me in heaven and EARTH.
With the guaranty of this text and similar
promises, the disciples of Christ have undertake
en- the evangelization of all races. Christ's
power had been previously manifested in con-
nection with some mission of beneficence or di-
vine authority. The risen Christ was hence
forth to be exalted as the giver of eternal life.
By the resurrection Jesus resumed his divine
nature which had for time been eclipsed by
His human attributes, and came into the plen-
itude of His power. All the forces of heaven
and earth are put under the control of Christ
for purposes of grace, and from the exercise of
such power results of the highest Importance
to man are sure to follow. While in the flesh
He invited the test of experiment, and His
miracles are among the credentials as well as
proofs of His power. The slow progress of
evangelization raises the question, evil this
promise of the Gospel ever be realized?" The
mighty power of the Man of Calvary shown by
the preservation of inspired records and the or
ganzaton of Christianity. Scholars agree that
the Book is entire, without mutilation or change,
though having come down through the viciss-
tudes of the dark ages, in which some of the
prOudest classic. products were lost. The
church, from its organization in that little up
per-chamber at Jerusalem, has withstood per-
secution and corruption, and is to-day irressti-
BILE: A proof of Chrlst's power is found in
wide-Spread religious ideas such as the belief
in the existence of one God, the standard of
right and wrong, and in the future state of
blessedness in the presence of God. The pow
er of religion is seen in the triumphs of law aud
order, and in the peaceful settlement of nation
al difficulties. The divine law of love enunciat-
ed by Christ has called into existence a thou
sand charities, and quckened human sympathy
and the sense of brotherhood. The purposes of
the Gospel have been furthered by ali social and
political changes, and by the arts and inven-
tons which have marked the progress of the hui
man race
Literature and scientific research have
served the same great end. Barriers have been
broken down which greatly hindered the Cos
pei message. India, China and Japan open
their gates, even Rome receives the words of
Jesus and of Paul. How much has been ac-
complished even in the last thirty wears! In
word, the most valued social forces working
upon nations are consecrated to the service of
Christ or sabordinated by Him to the extension
of His kingdom. He reigns among the nations
now-and His word is no idle boast. As re-
suits we see that Christianity is not and cannot
be failure. Its vitality is even proved by the
frequent attempts OF those who have become
vain in their own imaginings to reason it away,
while Buddhism is not worth continuing. Here
is system which ennobles man, gives wise and
benefcient laws, and holds all forces in its
grasp. 1t follows that Christianity must pre-
vail. 1T is to DO proclaimed to al men, and all