New-York tribune., 1878-06-24
YALE COLLEGE.

PRESIDENT PORTFR's DACCALAURRATE SERMON
CHRIST THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD TO FOLLOW
SENIOR APPOINTMENTS.
IRRoM An OCCASIONAL CONFECTIONERY or TIE TRnUSE.l
NEw-HAvEN, June 23.-TO-day President
Porter preached the baccalaureate before the
graduating class Of Yale College lie chose for his text
the words " / the light OF the world ho that fol-
lowcth shall not walk In darkness but shall have the
light OF life John, viii, IL. Io said:
In utering these words Christ claimed very much
Those who loved Him best did not comprehend their
import hut the centuries have passed away these
truths have become clearer Men OF science aud culture
nowadays question whether Christ any Longer needed
this light OF the world. We ACCEPT they say, the
Christian spirit ethics and civilization, but have out
grown any occasion for the personal Christ the guide
and inspiror Of our personal life. We have not ont
grown this want Every class Of men OF thought and
culture aspire TO lead the present and with reason
These men need Christ prCGmuently, as viii appear
from the following considerations:
/. Christ by bringing God TO eyory man. and making
him very real is tic light Of the world Science needs
God now for science Of day ought TO be Thes;c and
as FAR t understands itself IT'S very easy to
stop win force and law and not go on 10 the agent that
is assumed In both but God is implied in science
Atheism brings darkness into every mind that accepts H.
though in limited departments Of research It may not
interfere with skill and success. II has added neither
strength nor cearness to science philosophy Christ
emphasizes the personality OF God, waIrlnting us In
praying our Father" and prevents US from losing
thoughts OF Him; science needs this help.
q Christ confirms mans confidence IN mans power 20
know the truth. He teaches principles Of doubt that
the processes by which we know untrustworthy
az those bv which we question them is taught rather
mans Ca1aclIy 10 know the truth. Christians not
bigotod aud incapable OF ideas, but they com
mittcd conviction Of great worth-that truth is
possible to man. and that he Is bound to attain II.
g. Christ asserts for man his true dignity I'm doing so
he wrought complete revolution. The ancient pailoso
made man subordinate 10 tNe FNllf >
aud he possessed no Individuality In revising a These
estimates Christ emphasized each mans personality by
recognizing his responsibility manward and tOdward.
He stands n the relation Ot ch9, and yet Is POSSESSED
of moral freedom ana capable Of development IN char
actcr. Tne education Of this highly endowed bCiug
becomes Of tho greatest Importance Ihese views
enter into the ethcs politics, Jurisprudence, arts and
science5 OF ChristrudOm. new philosophy of man pro
poses to change al this. Mans personality ana chhfhc-
Ter arc called ,Occ absrsctOus; conscience 10 but the
reflex OF average judgments and dominant sentiments
OF the community Nature is mans his history ~
one OF blind struggle, with hope OF any
,b,n,, better I'm tie future This philosophy, which
degradcs in the theories VIII curse h ~ e asserts
Is right May God preserve from the rule Of such
Christ i, the light Of human culture in that he both
sinulntes and rcincs t. Greece gave the wOrld per-
fecfOn OF form; Christ breathed into these forms living
soul For manucr kindred 20 art, Christ hos done sti
more than for culture. Culture exposed ols oN uA-
cora IN degeuerates when II becomes end and not
means Christ reforms abuses IA art aud culture, and in
Ills school self-culture is an end
& Christ makes clear and possible 90 man another
ana better life, through the open doors OF the nlmor-
tally brought to light IN Ills Gospel lie has not dem
onsrTated IT. but He has verified it as fact The fact
that immortality "a now 50 much discussed - proof that
The risen Christ s much needed as ever ~ the ght
Christ gives worth and Significance 20 tho individual
mans life work We need not be disgusted with the
present life, for IL not the sport OF unfeellug
Agencies nor nood reject with contcnptuOus dis
dam the idea OF an immortality Chris' teaches no rys-
ten OF contempt for our daily life; sucn Il propa
gated az Gospel by an altiJehgiou55 piosoPhy 10
minutest event Is ordered by His providence He as
signs 20 each bis place and mans success In lfo Is
assured II he rightly estimates success.
The remainder Of the sermon, consisting OF the address
10 the class, is given IN full
youpp gentlemen OF tho graduating class, !
~. ~escuted 10 yOu these thoughts appropriate
~ your college life which is near its close, and TO
fine active life which yOu are - soon TO enter You
have been trained IN Christian college college hear
no uUon lis seal the motto " Lux et yentas," which
Ints directly 70 Christ the true Light that ghtetn
every man that cometh into the world III the positions
f tbis discourse are true Christian college involves
contradiction IN terms-uO inc0npatbiiy III iacl You
nave not found 10 20 imply that science not independ
st and free; that truth OF every sort lh jud not De
Welcomed and arguments from every quarter should not
bs critically examined. aud conclusions IN every depar
80, ot Cucwlcdge and Of thought should not stand
fan nv apprOpTate evidence Bul yOu nave botD lauRh
that what man breathes concerning God cannot but
exert powerful innuence lh HeteIhhlns NIat tiuns
me tbuks about, and how he thinks and reasons IN re-
sPt.t ~ a. inoorttpt to abstract science and sl The
scuces OF nature Christian theism and that mo- forces
have peen and still 40 potent M all those scienc"s
I'D ,r,ns Of cu!ture which relate 20 what call
GbstiaU ideas You have also been taught that these
deas were incsrnatcd In the person ana lived ~ the
M md iiIustrated by the death OF the Christ, from
whom the hoesJ ana the most attractive influences s
tCne'iu o in tbis place Of Christian worship LET me
gafucr these manifold ana OllItclleh lessons INTO
one one =, make your conceptions Of the union
n, man OF culture OF tbo future ana inc present charac
v@ ougt moi 70 hide from yourselves the fact that
IN many schools and studies bold or disguised atheism
a. ght and held and that by sheer ehronery on the
up side and plausible DISCUSSES on inc DINER - NOV
ng aggrtssiycly upon our current hcghoe ah1 culture
a overcome you do not fear 10 thiIk by the hEh and
helm OF Christan conviction ON The ono side ana Win
fts .rrty4 4rlf a
9at N you do tho darkness Will fee from your minds
tbst yonr faith and knowledge will lend to one another
,ision III the open day. Remember also that
waat you believe viii depend very largely upon 9
and IN your hopes will be more or less
affected by the light which You follow ~ your n'es
Listen again TO the words Of promise, 10 the words 0
promise and Of hope They are aii thdt you hoed ne
that lolioweh me shall not walk IN darkiess, % iVM
dear how sweet how assuring are NOhls lht tHthe ~
an hour like his As know not whhi u before yO
as The uncertainties of the iuture are deeprhfu "'h
Won loon forward 10 thcm through the tears which WIZ
gather In the eyes lhat LOOK 90 I0ndy 30 Iegrtluuy
upon the brightness Of the past No inole assuidus @
from lips thai spoke win such claims 20 oc believed ah9
obeycd; that have been connImcd ny SuGn
nave ~ Put s % o -, many waters amoug which hear
Tue voice Of OF your own number so recently hduep
5 ~ tG sioii not walk I'M darFness but shall have the
gbt of life. May each OF YOu hear TINS voice as Tue
Great Master utteTs 10 more In your nearing, rs 10
49, nIy ~ ~ cast is Bright beam oi promise the
whole of your future career And when your earthly
life h gathered into one retrospect as you now view
your c In college, may you be 30 happJ az to hd lDa
a. nrn,ise mas been fulfilled. These my last and
bcst wishes for You bid an ahecuonatc farewell
Although no public exercises were held today this has
heen day Of no small excitement and suspense to the
nor class For ow woehs past several men have been
con the ragged edge in regard TO their degrees ana these
men have quite naturally been anxious 70 learn the
% M, 5eberations Of the faculty BY noon to-day they
h o far advanced in their deliberations as TO give out
the appointment list the individual stand Tor the Iour
e,r and 10 announce the names OF those whose degr
win for the present least be withheld IL has seemed %
~ nat the FACULTY has almost IroM ig DtsnE is
very severely though the Interested men themselves VII
not depy thar the faculty have some foundation oi hu
on pnt 10 have eight or ten men, and some OF tlebl
nnnrneeIeAY. reenlYe tho news five days belOIe IO-