The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-07-17
MIDDLEBURRY COLLEGE.
BaccaIaurcatc Sermon by Rev
Harvey ID. Kitchcl, ID. ID. President

After fine rendering of "My Faith looks
up to Thee" by Mr. A. S"h,~ ,c ,.s ,-s ss
Greek in the college, presiding at the or
gam the President spoke from the text
found in Acts iv l3: ''Now when they
saw the boldness of Peter and John, and
perceived that they were unlearncd and
ignorant men, they marvelled, and they took
knowledge of them, that they had been with
Jesus"
Why did they marvel? To see uneduca-
ted men, humble in their position, and to
hear them so speak 1t was the greatest
trial to which the disciples could be put.
They were illiterate men, who had broken
from that old life and gone with Jesus;
and now that they stood forth before the
assembly to answer to certain charges
to testify against the strange man of Nazer-
eth who had been working among them
| and healing their sick, etc. The disciples
charged that the crucifixion was blunder,
that Jesus was the Messiah. The people
tried to frown them down, but they stood
up nobly. They were looked on with con-
tempt; but they met it with dignity of self
possession, and the people wondered at the
strange scene, and the Seventy themselves
were overawed They maryellcd how these
men could be thus inspired and ,uplifted.
! They 'took the knowledge that they had
awed." To be with Jesus in the true sense,
elevates, ennobles and strengthens the
human character, lifts him above himself.
This scene illustrates that we are built on
a better foundation; fills out our measure
that has been stunted by sin We have
proof of it in these men, They were
little cultured and especially unfit for such
stand; they were plebcisns, apt to be
awcd and Disconnected. But wonder
full change came over these men one day I;
they were new men; they became inspired,
the whole man was uplifted and made seer.
They were champions of the new faith
wrapped up in regenerating change
made new creature. What blessed
thing it is to feel to be immortal the power
to be the son OF God to burst the shell of
self and stand up in larger life. The love
of Christ constrains him; the whole being
expands under such influence; he gets out
of narrowness of self, and cvinces sympathy
for ALL 1t is made clear that sin damages
, all it touches; shuts OIL the channels OF in
spiration from above, and opens from be-
low. The posture of the soul under the
power of sin is unfriendly to the spirit OF
man. Sin endangers all it touches. Every
/. capacity of the mind is best when the love
Of God regns over the sonl supreme. The
. lesson from those disciples shows the work
ing of Gods grace in the heart. Look a
\ Peter the boaster and the example of fan
ure. now cool and deliberativc; another
Peter. How wisely and camly the soul
I fire speaks And John, the loving disciple
is aroused. His face is more stern; hi
A eve flashes. The one toned down; tho
G other stirred up; both transformed from
r weakness into strength In these mer
n were shown the faithfulncss of the promise
of Christ to be with them always. Fore
e seeing their position, he promised then
y speech when needed. These men stoo
there speaking the words given them b.
!. God to speak. God will not suffer us to b
r tempted above what we are able. We
d too, in Christ, are heirs of that promise
l. Trust Christ TO the end. As thy days s
shall thy strength be. Out of the album
It dance of the heart the mouth speaketh
rs and men will marvel and take knowledg
that you have been with Jesus. Strengt
re comes only in the need of strength. Pr
N forth the palsied arm; in the doing come
the power to do; speak, and speech sha
n be given YOU
~ THE ADDRESS TO THE GRADUATING cLAs
was as follows; More than ever before o
T. such an occasion it is my privilege to-da
n to address company OF Christian d.
II levers. And the joy with which ! al
IL wont to send forth band of discipline
souls intellectually loyal to all truth, galr
he happy completeness from the trust thu
lis you go from us as loyal ones toward Co
1t, You stand thus far complete in your trail
he ing. You have run your course, and up
ng your measure of force and fidelity, and al
W swering well to our ardent wish and ei
Ter deavor in your behalf, you 60 forth fro
en- ms fitted TO enter in the life work tn
IL. awaits you. And over all this you reco
nize the claims of God under the term