Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-07-10


other. ''Ihe past nas berotten degeneracy
Grant the grandeur of the old faiths, ]
shows something lacking IN them that the
were not able % DeTpeIuare them seives. In
trle ialtl is not tl-1 Of our ancestors. bu
tnat which shall be the faith of 0ur poster
tr- The best Christian thought and spIrI
oi l-r tl.nc. though not adopting either o
tle-e views. sympathlze- most with tn
latter
But must We not LOOK back to the OLD
standards and above all 70 the perfect mode
given T. Us ~ Jesus Christ Certainly ",
mus but taat Is O. look forward Chris
a- a historic parsonage is IN the past bui
Christ as realized u the Christian soul. j.
tnr growth u years 20 come. For the ability
O. look 0u hin i- based on Christian attain
mGur-iae Christian cannot have a cOncep-
non 0. uim much beyond his own attain
meu- :. the new year of the growing
christian. yea by year. j. O. ring II the
Christ taat is o. b..
While setting forth this Split Of Chris
tiln progress. thc preacher declared himself
q Jar a. possible IRON svnuathizInr with
the skcpucism which prlnounce- obsolete
the old truths. and put ncgations in their
place tie proceeded b. consider some of
tle indications OF this hopeful attitude OF
Christian thought in our day.
First. The best Christian spirit D. look
lu- earnestly o. see Christianity make room
i1r larger. freer Christian life within the
sphere l- iaItl. The Signs lt the times IN
4lcaIe THAT there is before Us one of the
great out1ur-t- Of intellectual power ike
those 10 The time ol Luther or the Eliza
uetlan age. W ME some. t0resecinc this.
are erecting barriers against II. the most
enlightened spirit Of our tImc welcome il.
IL says I'VE know INST such period OF
intellectual activity viii be marked bv cz-
,ravaEancle- bug It nevertheless says T.
sclence and philosophy, without YOUR
help the WORK OF the Eospe- would not be
done Get beyond guessing. and when you
announce established certaInliss We WI ac-
cept thcm-wo vii give u Reason the
things that are Reason 5. ana you snail give
u f4lt1 the things that are Faith
Second. There I~ d Widespread longing.
az present. fora Christianity which vii
more il-y employ mems active powers.
Christianity should yield T. no earth-o0unc
pursuit. IN ar-rac-Ivene-~ - tne great minds
which now sees employment i'll great mill
tary ana civil au- ScIeatihc achievements
l. WILL Yet tu- enterprises full enough oi
InIeres-. 10 adventure. at peri. even. T.
charm ire most heroic Not lnaI Christian
ltT now offers 10 opportunity Tor her1lsm
bat IT, lC-1lsI l. olltuC- that oI endurance
khan Of cnteruris-- Except T. the clergy
% uI9-- III o4r Cav few he.d- VI
nigh enterprise. We mus. more than
l1-l--. We must honor tlc Young man
Vine. urged Sd christian lie. replies ac-
knowledge tb- il-ee ut these considerations
uu- give ne something -rln1er. more In--
ll-lD- thar the narrow and lusrrelesS life of
most christians. is uu- the re1uke deserved
was NOT christianity designed 10 satisfy every
noble aspiration The mistake oil such
ra-u- -lau, D. nlI Do aspiring but n
expecting some one else o. lead hin Up L.
tle heights " nzt the world now waurs.i-
tla- one such. or thousand such. should
discover tre>l 1pp1rtuniIie- i1r Christian
enterprise. as grand as that of Christian
missions. There are moral forces as potent
a. steam or electricity waiting 10 be utilized.
4lcrc should be now man preparing u
take up the w0Tk AEa-slz left unfinished.
ana ma for Us the undiscovered link IN the
CHAIN between G1d and nature.
Illr1. Christianity j. now prepared TO
take possession of O iIel1 i mas NOT vet fully
occupled-tazt of Christian poetry ana art.
i !, be true. as Plato SAID. thar 80 GOD geo
metrIzes, il Is a4sJ true tnac he p0etlzes I
And e.. the poetry and art lC has written
around Us. de has written tna- VIC may
BE higher aIc truer men. W uv D. j. that
hall tle Bible IS So imaginative and poetic
tua- We t1i hall understand it3 10u can
make O sturdy christian without imagine
Iluu. but nos q saint ike David. John OF
F4c.. There is az impression that the /
word has given Us it, las great poet bat I
ID j. rather true. III the words Of Emerson.
that tine w0rlc YET waits It~ p0et-prInce The /
llmt is coming when the divine ONCE Of the I
poet O. sketch the n0ble- and uurer life I
aL- O. help leu u get Imagination and /
Sprlns into their mechanical. though cons Z
-l1l-lul- lives W. ne recognized. I.etus .
pray That GOD Will soon send Us a great I
Z nrlstl1n poet, who's. best service vii be
Is prepare the way t1r q better than him
sell
There Is also. II our time. VIDE czpec-
tallJn Of some marked progress II Chris
tiar doctrine the world wants more
rather than now truth. II is hIndered hv
the assumption Of the t0tality Of IL knowi-
edge. We should shrink from the thought
tla- or theology contains AL Of truth 4
better attitude i0- Us That OF the child
gathering pebble Oh the shore of the
o0una-ess ocean Doubtless as great sur
-rl-es ana as great achievements await the
l n-isilan scholar a the man of Science. To
undertake new paths and vet 10 keen from
error. Is the problem. The skeptIcisim
hos, O. be feared is TIE skeDticis1n Of Chris
-lAu-' when religious truth ceases TO grow
ana become something simply u he com
nItied 10 memory. then comes skeutieism.
ana 10 goes not out. except bv means OF a
new revelation. How the fresh illumina-
-ie1 Is T. come, We cannot tel some look
9r II through scientific research. some
.4- l1=h the old praycriul study OF the
~ 0rl ana I've oeTOte1 10 G0d'- service. .
bow u snail come depends on that spirit
nicn shan guide Us into al truth
are We, then. expecting q larger IL
lsiou 10 the LIE OF Christ into ours If
lol. We are doomed - disappointment.
.Ae new man, is the new man IN Christ
e>us. The world that thinks and that
1rsAlps j. to-day realizing the conviction
nat all worth wishing Tor is 50 connected
'itn the Christian lie. that Il is waste Of
nergv 10 seek IL elsewhere. believe. said
ne preacher. that the time l. coming when
SHAH own that without Christ they can do y
othlng-Wheu Truth released from false I
ool shall nave Tree course and be gi0rihed ,
NJ When mankind shall make true pro .
res. with 10 step backward.
We have given the points Of q fine dis a
purse, unusually line. as 1t seemed 10 u. r
eu .or President Buckham. Ii was the a
loush; OF a man Of genuine power. who q
PES not need 10 20 over his own tracks or 10 o.
ak IN the tracks OF others. and Of one who
Tres TO mingle prophecy with instruction :
10 Indictment. 1t expressed also the spirit :
the University. as an institution which :
not resting on lis hoaored past. but Is
cling the sp-ing Of new life. and looking
rward with cheerful hope to greater
hieyements and usefulness in the future. !,
was listened to with the deepest interest
the large and cultivated audience. Il
osea with the following address to the I.
class, who occupied seats bv a,
eIiselVes. as usual. IN the front news. and p
Do rose 10 receive these words OF parting "
unset and cheer N
ADDRESS To TIE GRADUATING CLASS
e1stielaer 81 ihe Graduating Class
think you may consider it a compliment.
u a. the more - because unintentional
my part, that when began to think OF
l4' should say 10 Won to-day, this sub ca
81 occurred 70 me. And venture TO hope
az N what 1 have said. l have been only
luhF little more definitely your own "
~ ~ 80 Po>tS a. you survey YOUR d
-uIe .i iIFes. IL Tod shall spare these lives, Ri
u viii exert some influence on the tboncbi a.
d lie Of the future. That we who Know pa
n DO not doubt. We expect 10 hear from 4
u hereafter. Your own wish and "a
pc Tor q successful and useful career n
a hardly be stronger than ours. because =
T power, Il We have any. to contribute VI
ything TO tire worlds progress. must be
erteo merely through you and Others into m
hon we have brought our ideas. We th
yer send forth any class without having u
Is feeling toward them with Won % d
IN our hopes OF some unknown blessing 10 th
{ ~orlc- Ont otyou there may come some m
&c some enterprise orschievement which m
VI greatly bless mankind. II cannot he ID
at al this trained intellect, this hieh b
Irposo, this consecrsted power vii be SC
aed to the worlds opportunities. and tr
thing good ever come Ont of IL y W. -