Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1876-06-03
SOUTHWESTERN PRESBYTERIAN
UNIVERSITY.
Commencement Exercises.
sUNpAY.MAY %.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OF THE REV.

R. L. DABNEY. D. D.. LII. d.,
We were agreeably surprised in the
character of the excellent discourse
which opened the exercises appropri-
ate to the Commencement Of Stewart
College. Judging by the high posi-
ton occupied by Prof. Dabney among
the theOlogians of the Presbyterian
church, we anticipated learned theo-
logical discourse, occupied mainly
with abstruse points of divinity, in
stead of which we heard an animated
practical exhortation to those of the
commencing students who are devoted
to the work of the Christian ministry.
The Reverend gentleman took his
text from the 4th chapter Of st. Johns
gospel, containing the interview of the
Savior with the Samaritan woman at
the we'll, especial attention being d.
rected to the words, My meat is to do
the will of him that sent me and to
finish his work. Behold, say
unto you lift up your eyes and look on
the fields for they are white already
to the harvest and he that reapeth
receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit
unto life eternal"
He began his discourse by deplor-
ing and protesting against the univer-
sal recognition of money as the one
object which takes the lead over all
others as the leading impulse of all
movement and all exertion, and he
exemplified the vast superiority of
him who makes duty his guiding prin-
ciple, holding all other things as in
fnitely contemplate in comparison.
As instances Of the greatness thus at
tanned, he quoted the examples of
Robert E. Lee who, once convinced
that it was the path of duty, entered
the service of the Confederate States,
and thereby, counting the cost before
hand. lost large possessions and an ex-
allied and remuneratiye position he
could easily have held in the Federal
army; of Saul of Tarsus, young no.
BILE of the Hebrew nation, high in the
confidence of the chief Jewish Sanhe-
driu, who encountered the loss of all
things, the hatred of those who hon.
ored him, a life of labor aud suffering
and death of pain that he might
preach the religion of Christ to sin
ners, and finally he alleged the inf
nitely more signal example of Him,
who is the great exemplar in all
things, Jesus Christ. showing how
He who had all the material universe
at His command, gave up all things
and for the sake of a laborious, pain
full and ill-requited ministry to the
needs of man, became the lowliest of
all, man of sorrows and acquainted
with grief, and, as in the present mar
rative, became dependent on this poor
woman, wretched, degraded, even sin
full as she was, for a drink of water,
gladly accepting the situation that He
might say to her a word of spiritual
counsel.
In application of these examples he
called upon the young men before him,
those who were entering upon the
Christian ministry and those whom he
hoped to attract to that profession, to
initiate this self-abnegation and devote
themselves to an occupation not remu-
nerative in the ordinary sense of the
word, the reaping in that harvest field
described in the words of the text,
promising them reward not of this life
but of eternal value.
Here he broke into strain of high
eloquence when he alluded to the har-
vest of souls always awaiting the
sickle of the Christian reaper, who
reaps for God, reminding them of that
other harvestman who is always at
work in the same feld-the reaper
death.
We are conscious that the brief an
alysis we have been able to present to
our readers does but faint justice to
this excellent discourse. 1t was heard
by very large audience, and we can
only wish it had been much larger
those who did hear it were unanimous
in commentator.