The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-06-26
YALE COLLEGE.

BAcCALAUREATE SERMON BIZ PRESIDENT PoB-
TER--How TO ATTAIN SUCCESS IN LIrE-
ADDRESS TO THE GRADUATING CLASS
NEW HAVEN, Conn, June rs, 1870
President Porter delivered his baccalaurcate sermon
before the members the graduating class and large
congregation in the college chapel this morning He
took for his text john XVI 1911 have chosen you and
ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit
and that your fruit should remain"
THE SERMON.
Tho times In which are living called eminenty
uncertain depressing especially to those who are
forming their plans for life. Fifteen years ago and tho
country convulsed by the throes OF civil war; For
four years tho hitherto stable structure OF our
government heavng to aud fro in the perpetual
vibrations OF an earthquake. Then ensucd sea-
son Of unnatural financial and speculative excite
ment, with ieverish expectations Of wealth and
dreams Of easy success with little cost or by dis
honest Then omnous stsenation and quiet
subsistence followed by the crash after gigan-
tic interests Enormous shrank into nothing or
were Transformed into heavy burdens Promising en-
terpriscs disappointed the confidence OF sangune or
deuded investors stupcndous fra uds began to be ex-
posed Tho character OF those conceived Of tho
pures and hottest assaiied, whether rightly or
wrongly Is OF little consequence for faith in man Is
pcrccptibly aging out of the community, and in the
proportion faith in goodness and faith In God.
The uncertainty and dstrus thus begun in commercial
political and social circles still continues The faith
Of in the laws Of trade almost to fail them
alter season disapponts their hopes. The
grinding processes Of adjustment are eth going on
and, It would seem, viii not cease till tho
masses Of accumulated capital are ground to atoms
Tho faith OF man in moral law, which ought to In
under this discipline seems rather to BIO dis
al nv
OF trade and Of politics. Science even, is injected
with spri, OF romancing It bewilders its own vo-
taries with exravagant and contradictory theories in
duced by the richness OF its revelations and the excite
ment OF its brilliant discoveries II moro than whs.
pers that tho immortality to which might turn
with hope, IN his experiences OF change and dsap-
portmcnt is more than an uncertainty. And to CON-
ple,c this mockcry of our philosophy confidently
tells us that the universe, IN It's present condition. is
uncertain and unstable, borne forward IL is upon
mighty waves OF tendency, of which only know
that they exist, only that they will displace man and
his interests by NOBLE forms OF being, swallowing in
their movement our individual existence hopes
Tears. 10 complete the climax. as positively
assured that God himself Is developed with this maze
uncertainty, the only thing OF HIM that VIC
know being that nothing can be certainly known only
that something IS very wonderful and very great
THg THRESHOLD or LlvK
In view this outlook OF uncertainty is not very
hopeful to young man who stands al the threshold OF
lille On Que hand he Is tempted To depression des-
on the otncr 10 reckessncSs OF IAtL houOr
and duly Some OF you viii think that this picture rs
overdrawn. cannot hut think that there some
truth the iecnngs with which thoughtful young
are now looking out upon lite.
Lot me remind you that the times were anything but
hopeful whcr Christ uttered words OF the text
surely there never were many and never such
IRENE raradoxes OF TACT and OF promise pre-
rented IN Chrsts condition and the pledges no makes
to HIS disciples lie was TO leave them alone des
pcratc struggle with powerful foes and yet by being
eit alone they would gain their victory.
lie was Himself 10 aic, and II only
by dying that seed disappears, He
should bring iorih iruit He to die upon the
cross, but only from tho that lie could
ascend 70 the throne o. power IN his Kingdom. HIS
disciples feared that lew days they should be
scattered aud their work destroyed But lie urcs
them that he sends them FORTH that they alone should
brug inrth 'ruI; ana that their frut should remain
Ny shcme Is success Ia ifo, bit not In the general
sense such as true OF all men, but the special
which " IS true Of Christian shall
sdcr the conditions and the character Of his
CONDITIONS LiFE.
What ne conditions OF successful life and who
are whom Christ sends forth bring form fruy
The hrst condcn Is just and hearty acceptance OF
the Chrstion ideal OF character The iaith Christ
which constitutes disciple has SIDES tho ohcal
and tho personal From the side man exists In