Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-07-22
COLBY UNIVERSITY.

WATERvILLE, July 81. commencement al
Colby University began to-day with Bsccaau.
reate Sermon which was delivered at the Baptist
church this afternoon by President Robins, large
and spprecistlve audience being in attendance
The following is an abstract Of the sermon.
Text, Luke % "a, "And there was a strife
among them, which Of them should he accounted
the greatest
1heme-The sin and folly of ambition. Alter
an introduction calling attention to the wide prev
alence Of the spirit, the preacher unfolded hi.
theme in answers to three questions: What is
ambition why is It u sini 3-Wby is il
folly
Ambition wa. defined to be the selfish pursuit
of pre- eminence, the adjective in the definition
being emphasized as essential to its correctsess.
Three classes Of ambitious men were discriminate
ed first those who desire not to be, but to be re.
garded eminent second those who desire to sur
pass others-who if there were no competitors
to be beaten. would care nothing for the goal
third those who desire some good for the sake OF
the personal enjoyment and advantage which it
may afford irrespective of the interests or opinions
or relations of others.
Ambition is a sin because it is the selfish pur.
suit of preem ineace since selfshness il the very
essence Of sin. He whose supreme end is self
will necessarily under the power of sufiicien,
temptation sacrifice any thing that sta nds between
him and his end. Hence he soul in which ambi.
ton reigns, sinking inevitably by dark grsvts
ton, becomes by degrees narrow and sordid and
cruel and devish. Innumerable forms of sin
meanness, treaeheIy, deceit, cruelty reckless dis
regard of human life, reveal the exceeding sinful
ness OF the root from which they spring This
point was pertinently illustrated from history and
current life.
The folly of ambition is equally evident FRS,
because it fail. of its end. namely, happiness
Under this head the preacher naturally passed to
an examination Of the utitarisn philosophy The
element of truth in that philosophy, viz that man
was made for the good, and that the impulse to
seek it is the motive cause Of all moral action
whatsoever, was recognized as essential 20 anv
sound and enduring system Of ethics. The i'm
pulse 10 seek the good is self love, and its gratif
cations is legitimate, but here the explanation of
the fact that an unselfsh life is the only happy
life is disclosed in the fact of which the utilitsrisn
philosophy loses sight that good for which he
Graves is found supremey in God. Hence he
finds his happiness 10 obedience to the Divine law
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart and thy neighbor as tn, self" for love is
that supre me passion of the human soul, which
finds its only satisfaction in giving to its object in
absolute self forgetfulness self surrender
Love renders selfshness impossible. He that
dweeth in love dwelleth in God and is hence
shsrer of Gods blessedness. If the souls need
Of God be ignored in vain is the attempt TO salts
fly it in any merely human relations, however per-
feet, or with any of Gods gifts however desirable
Happiness then is possible only as we lose sigh, OF
ourselves in our search for it. 1t follows and fol-
lows inevitable as shadow of the august form of
Deity. Made itself an end it eludes its pursuer
like an ignis fataus leading him into dismal boys
and fens whose foul exhslstons feed the baleful
fires. Hence it is that ambition as pursuit of pre-
dminence fails of its end, its prizes are always
apples of SODIUM, never worth what they cost,
bring no satisfaction equal to the toll and travail
by which they are won, always carry in them the
sting of wasted powers.
Ambition is folly, secondly, because it fails to
awaken the highest power of schievem en,s. Man
was made for communion, Il at is, Tor copartner-
ship with God, and hence separated from him by
ambition he loses the wisdom, the faith, the pow
err which can cone from Him alone. Said Christ
the Inca rnate God. Separate from me We can do
nothing" nothing in the highest realm of hu-
man action, nothing truly worthy of your man
hood as bearing Gods image. Here the men OF
r. At
showing that 10 nobility Of personal character and
in the grandeur of THEN achievements the former
far surpassed the latter.
The folly of ambition appears thirdly and SUI
premely in the reason that il robs the soul of il
eternal reward. Ambition supreme motive
excludes faith, and hence destroys the soul. That
it exc ludes faith Christ himself teaches by the
startling question GLOW can We believe who re-
ceive honor of another and seek not the honor
that cometh from God only" One who had lived
tor worldly honor exclaimed as he lay dying
The world has my labor and keeps it. have re-
ceived its pay but cannot tain it, for am abou
to leave the world. | leave it with empty hands
with exhausted powers and beggared spirit. Alas
why have lived Have l truly lived Is it not
dreamf o, deception, illusion, misery o
spirit abused o life lost!'
The preacher concluded with an address to the
graduating class, enforcing the lessons of the dis
course.
A sermon bv Rev. Alvah Hovey, d. D., of New
ton Theological Seminary, was delivered this
evening, before Bosrdmsn Missionary Society and
the Young Mems Christian Association.
The following is the programme for the com
mencement week
Monday, July 22-Prize Defamation of the
Junior Class, at the Baptist church, at eight
o'clock p. NJ.
Tuesday, July determination for entrance, a,
Room No. 9, Chsmplin Hall, at eight o'clock A.
NJ. Annual Meetieg of the Board of Trustees, al
Room No. 10, Chsmplin Hall, at nine O'Clock A.
NJ. Annual Meeting of the Alumni Association,
at Alumni Hall, at two o'clock p. NJ. Ivy Exer-
cses of the Junior Glass, on the College Campus,
at three o'clock p. NJ. Anniversary of the Liter
airy Societies, at the Baptist church, at eight
o'clock p. NJ. Grafton by Rev. A. ii. Strong, ID.
d., President of Rochester The illogical Seminary.