New-York tribune., 1874-05-18
THE SEARCH FOR PERFECTION.
Annual ddrsss 10 ne alumni TIE YIk Dsy School BY
President Hopkins.

AnavoI Adarsss to he Auni Of M Ya D.'"y School BY &C.
The Rev. Mark Hopkins, d. d., ex-President
Of Williams College. delivered the following address TO
the Alumni OF the Yale Divinity School on Thursday
night the text chosen being the words. His work
feet" Deut xXXii, a.
In the beginning God and perfection. In the middle
sim struggle apparent defeat but still God manifest III
the law and in the flesh. and still perfection In the end
victory and again perfection. Behold the system OF
revealed religion; behold the solution by the Bible of
the mysteries Of the present lifc
The human mind demands perfection; 1t demands IT
in every work 1t cOntemplates or would perform. why
notl How eau IT satisfied long there Is either
blemish defecti Especially does 1t demand perfec-
on in any work which claims TO be from Godf II God
be infinite in wisdom in goodness, and in power, why
should his work be perieeti Can any WORK not per
feet be from being thus nhnitei In this question to,
gether with the apparent imperec0n aiessncss OF
much that find one OF the main quarries out
OF which speculative atheism digs the material with
This demaEd for perfection is met by the Bible and
by nothing else n 'Ds ayne ae w1 u ~ tntne ,e
the logical demand for 1t from the attributes OF God in
thst alone do we find correct standard of moral per
lection This perfection presented obrusively
Systematically II rather shines out incidentally a, as
an inherent part OF the system wherever II Is demanded
and il is of this idea OF perfection, II is presented In
the beginning, the middle, and the END OF tne system
revealed IN the Bible that propose 10 speak 90,
a work coming directly from the hand OF GOD. we ind
this claim OF perfection made: And God saw every
thing that he had made, and behold it was very good"
claim met, there no attempt 10 shOW Out
n analyze idea Of natural perfection we shall
find every element OF IL involved iii the record What
is included III the deaf The first element OF IL Is lhe
harmony OF with himself. That this existed
originally, at least according the record IL Implied IN
the fact OF innocence and the absence OF shame The
harmony in that Is highest and most essential Is
that between ms conscience and his win. Let these be
in accord and 1t matters little relatively what other jars
there may be.
The mind has so far the power OF making its peace
that with this harmony within IL fOTcgO eternal
Eden while with the opposite OF this, nothing external
avail any thing But besides this moral nature by
which We know what is wicked and which reacts upon
remOrse have nature which reveals To us what
and base and which reacts upon as shame Ihls
finds sphere connection win seNud
latIOn, and nothing could show a man more perfect
knowledge OF Frame could indicate It's harmony
this regard IN exquisite way thOn the state
that first parents were naked without Knowing
IL. "Who told thee said God, when Adam had sinDed
and pleaded his nakedness an excuse Tor hdlng hl
self Who told thee that thou vast naked " No Sin, no
reInOrse, bascn shame-that the human facu-
ties should fully and freely these is the first
element and condition OF perfect state, ana THIS tLe
narrative supplies.
The next element in state Of natural perfection
would bc harmony between different individuals. ms
l. Indispensable but would follow directly from the
one Just mentioned than It need not he dwelt upon
OF innocence Is state Of peace. Before there
DO wars and nghlings DetwoGl different individuals
must be dscOrdance within lusts that in the
members OF the individual. From whence
ana fighuDgs among youi Come they not hence, even
OF your lusts that war in your membersi'
The third element Of perfect would be the har
uouy OF man with external nature This would require
10Th adiusl men aud administration IL would require
80. making Them ulcts not only OF information but OF
,oy,t,vmcnt: and also adjustment OF climate cor
y,oudinp TO the sensiblty to heat aud cola II would
also REQUIRE Spontaneous supply oi ever Ibug de-