The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-06-25
YALE COLLEGE.

PRESIDENT PoBrEI's BAccALAuREATE SERMON
AERsoNAL FAITH IN CHRIST THE ESSENTIAL
cor SUCCESSFUL LIFE.
NEW HAVEN, Conn., June a. 1877.
President Porters sermon to the members OF the
Yale graduating OF II delivered this Sunday
morning in Battell Chapel The reverend gentleman
took his text from ii. Corinthians l., 24:-"Not for
that have dominion your faith, but helpers
JOY for by faith ye stand" He said:-l take
this what the OF version understood
give 1t in this connection because the pre-
ceding clauses illustrate aud enforce my theme
That personal faith in the personal Christ Is
the essential Of rounded manhood and a
successful life. BY faith, and by faith only,
does any man stars IN the highest sense
OF the word he is related TO himself to his Creator
the present lite and the future. la enforcing this
theme will first enumcrate the several elements OF
faith In the Christian OF the word. ! first
of all tho intellectual ecments-namely, the rational
conviction that what believe The that
aith includes intellectual element will hardly DO
denied 1t would seem that no ono could question or
deny this But many fail TO do justice 10 the signl
OF this truth must assume It TO Ue true that
whatever else faith may involve Il includes intellectual
conviction IL this is true II rest
what s sometimes called authority This Is recog-
nlzed MOI only concedsd but afrmel text ''Not
In this significant saying the sacredness
OF individual conviction Is socnnly affirmed. Not
apostle assert, could possibly
else, dominion the the humbcst disciple.
IL the matter OF faith in this particular instance
concerned question OF duty rather than any
revelation OF truth, but II is the less true that
these words of Paui distinctly affirm that whether tho
faith relates what is to DO believed aonc, what
not held ana acted Of faith, that IS Of convic-
ton, is SIN that every mast be fully persuaded
in his mind | DO not forget that the things
which are hidden from the wise and prudent are rc-
vealed 10 babes IN intellect But ! do assert that
the Gospel and Christ, when dscerncd ms
they arc, lifted 10 call forth and To
speak, to compel the conviction OF the honest.
IL Is essential 10 purpose TO add that every mans
alth IS measured by The NUMBER ana strength o MS
Individual convictions. A mans faith cannot TO
Judged by the length OF the written creed wnch hc
sirms by HIS lips or ssbscribcs BY his hand but by
the number Of the separate truths realities which
have become living CONVICTIONS III his soul ~ may be
very important that written spoken creeds should
be by teachers and learners IN the kingdom
md church OF Christ THIS do not in the least qucs
ton. but II remains mistaken and most important
truth that tho ialth BY which stands falls
represents only the number and strength OF hts own
convictions concerning the subjects 81 his creed.
Mr. John fyndall and Mr. Herbert spencer as i
well known, forward cxalt feeling sngly and
solely the religious element IN man, telling ~ 10 MI
our hearts win u as fpII we may u only We viii
ronccde that religion has possible relations TO Tho
NEGLECT and especially 10 scientific truth We reject
ihis extreme, whether held by thcoiogmns or by
ind sertimentalsm with the other. We refer to II
pnly showing that feeling ~ universally recognized
a. being prominent an element oi faith.
Faith involves obedience to the conscience. Here
touches the WILL The seat OF character the centre 81
moral life Every truth in which We believe points 10
somc duty Every fcciing which II insprcs tmpcls TO
the consecration OF tue lie and tho subsection OF the
man the moral law OF love.
DIRECTIVE cHARArBR.srrcs.
Thus far have We gwen the subjective characterstcs
OF faith three elements oil conviction, OF emotion
and OF duty. over against these philosophy would
rrcscut the lruo the intellect, the beautiful
10 satisiv heart aud tho good to control the will,
reauiri each Of Tie three forms of faith which wc
have enumerated. Christianity differs from phIlos-
ophy In presenting person for our faith This leads
mo 10 notice the fourth and emincnty distinctive
feature OF The Christian faith, which - that y rests
upon person. THIS person is more than the truo Tho
Beautiful and the good, ia that He eXcmp.ibos ana
enf0rces whatever rs true and beautiful AMI good w
tersnai love and authority FAITH docs not deny the
forces OF the universe which scencc inquiries but
n .x plains these forces by creative and uphoilins
person who IS the living God II does not deny that
these forces BY exchanging laws, but II bndA ths
reason Tor the reign OF law ia the wisdom Of 40 eternal
ih,uker 1; docs not deny development or evo ution
az progress IN The HISTORY Of the PHYSICAL TIE moral
On Inc social uDiverse; but the moro sariods and
rlAr told the evidences Of progressive anu ~