Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-07-01
Conmcncem Week ut Da rtmOuth.

commencement WICK ~ DuTtWOutns
To the stranger who visits Hanover
this week, 1t appears one of tho lively
towns in New England; strange con-
trast from its quiet appearance during
the rest of the year. Alumni, friends
of the College and students, seem to be
here this year in larger numbers even
than usual. Hanover now presents II
fine appearance. The magnificent shade
trees, the well trimmed lawns, and Col
lege grounds and buildings well put in
order, never looked better.
The exercises Of the wAk began with
President Smiths Baccalaureate dis
course Sunday afternoon. The text was
taken from the 18th chapter of Isaiah,
10Th verse: /" lie feedeth on ashes de-
ceived heart hath turned him aside, that
he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is
there not lie in my right handp"
1t was the aim of the speaker to dis
close some OF the chief sources of Inf
deity, so common in our day. lie dwelt,
with considerable emphasis, upon the be-
ginnings and primary influences which
develop skeptical views, holding that
these were to be sought, not in the open
plain, but in the thick .jungles of the soul,
in its shrouded morasses, and when dis
covered the battle was half won.
/. The first source of infidelity consid-
cred was early associations. These, al
though not the only moulders of moral
nature, were powerful agents in matur-
ing our conceptions Of the nature of
moral truth; and among these the inhu-
ences OF home were more potent. The
memory of a pious mother must exert
upon sons and daughters, controlling
influence for good, through life. But il
the seed of skepticism was there sown,
it must bear its bitter fruit.
9. The next source considered was a
needless stumbling at mystery. The old
Edenic desire to "be as gods, knowing
good and evil" everywhere pervaded
mans nature. In prospect to divine things,
especially, men were impatient of limita-
ton. They call, in theology, for what
they find nowhere else. Each individu-
al was Il breathing, walking, thinking,
working mystery. The proudest achieve
ments both of science and philosophy,
only seemed to broaden the mystery
which shrouds the first cause of all things.
If it were so with human, how much
more with divine!
Philosophers have failed in two partc-
ulars while graphing with this question,
viz: O to discriminate Jetween facts
and modes, and (2) between apprchend-
ing and comprehending.
3. 4 false independence. A true indie
pendence was defined and commended
Il false consisted (D in an undue indie
pendence of others, (2) in an affected in
dependence of our own moral nature.
4. The fourth source adverted to was
the influence Of much Of our periodical
and popular literature. The pure tone,
for the greater part, of our American
press was highly commended, and the
care with which many journalists ex-
cluded injurious articles; but a certain
class Of editors received the blunt of the
speakers vocabulary.
5. Ignorance Of the Bible. No other
classic occupied so little of mems atten-
ton. A deeper study of its teachings
would show that there was no antago-
nism between it and nature. They have
one author, one great end and, to the
reverent ear, there is a glorious harm
ny between them. The speaker dismiss
ed this topic with a manly protest against
excluding the Bible from our Public
Schools.
G. 4 'nisapprehension Of the Evangeli-
cal taith. He said it was not strange
that one should become an infdel, when
the fair form of Christianity is transmut-
ed into a scare-crow or hob-goblin. But
such changes are frequent, and as re-
suit, men reject the genuine coin because
of the counterfeit. A faithful investiga-
ton would do much to do away the evil.
Z. 4 lack Of sympathy aoiM the Gospel.
1t has been said that we must beware of
the 0dium Meologicam. This, in amod-
flied sense, was true, but such a rule
must be carefully guarded. If men like
not the Bible, we have ample room for
saying it is because the Bible likes not
them. All infdels We're not immoral,
but the tendency of intidelity was to de-
The speaker closed with an ad dress to
the graduating class, and spoke a few |
words in tender recollection of the de-
ceased member of the class-Nr. Wal
ter G. w. Pulfer.