Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-06-25
Goddard Seminary.

Drlel hDstrhct OF WHICH we give DelOW
PROFESSOR sHIrMANs SERMON.
MI. Shpman took for his text John X: TO- 81
am come that they might have life and that they
might have IL more abundantly." Life manifests
itself In activity. This especially true Of life
in the higher forms Of its manifestation. Mans
intellectual and spiritual life are attested by the
character Of his activity. OF all the powers OF
man, and especially Of the higher range OF these
powers, the amount Of activity measures his life
and the direction OF this activity indicates the
quality Of his life. Whatever adds to the sum OF
human activity, or whatever directs that activity
In higher ways, is truly an increase OF life. II
we would have more life we must employ our
powers more actively. The activity, however,
which Is the way and means OF more abundant
life, requires an appropriate stimulus and the ma
tural and appropriate stimulus for endeavor ia
an opportunity perceived In this sense oppor-
tunity implies much more than mere time or occa-
sion Of doing It implies suitableness OF the
occasion to the desire or welfare OF him whose
opportunity It is. All progress, whether indi-
vdual or collective, is illustrative OF this. The
perception and improvement Of opportunity is
our way Of increased life It Is hardly correct to
say that our opportunities are created for us by
Others they are rather revealed. The advance
ment from a low civilization to the highest does
not necessarily implv that the aggrega.e of oh.
iects and forces in The world has been Increased
Men come into new relations with the forces bv
which tbey have been surrounded from the ear
lest existence Of the race. One thing done be-
comes the fucrum across which new efforts may
be made more effective. Civilization advances In
accordance with the inherent principles Of mans
nature. The fact that this century il al far ad-
yanced beyond ALI the preceding in matters NJ
science and invention, is due solely to the fact
that with each advance new possibilities have
been revealed They have challenged the eager
spirit of man. they have pointed ont To innumer.
able practical results. in a word they have re-
vealed the opnortunitv which ia the one and suf1.
cjent stimulus of such activity. So IL IL In the
propress of philanthronic enternrises An ex-
ample of this is the anti-slayerv movement of the
last hundred years in ENGLAND and the limited
States The value of anv svstem Of trnth NJ anv
institution. of any agency proffered tn mans use
ia measured nv ita relations In his FREQ activity
The test of the value Of this law il canabe of mi.
yersa application. and by its results we are per.
mitted to Judge even the greatest agencies that
are at work upon the world of human life. IL
will appear that the most important factors Of the
worlds advancement are education and Chris
tianity. In Speaking of education as an oneniog
to A wider range of activity. will not nse the
term i'm auy narrow sense. Int AZ the eouivalent
of knowledge and training however obtained
Education il not confined tn schools tbopgb thev
are Invaluable facilities toward aconiring n II
NAV be obtained through hooks. intercourse with
cultivated minds and through constant observa-
ton and reflection. uree a high claim for edu-
cation ON the ground of its relation to effort /,
promotes activity by openinp more and better
opportunities to men and TINS affordng A most
powerful stimnIns IN action In sucb a wav as n
man has been educated in this wav will his activ.
tiles be directed In the professions. in every
business educated men honor and elevate their
calling most Rnt education does NOT con,ai,
the fulI assurance Of the truest life The ,rues,
life reouires that evervwhere the sense Of resnon.
sibilitv should accompanv the percention of on
portunitv. that IN ace more IN do and IN cain
command of a larger means of doinp, sbould be
regarded AZ the inspration summons of bigher
service 1t looks to Christianity for instruction.
to him who has shown the living wav Chris.
tianitv then imnarts the highest the only true
life in CARRYING evervwhere az its life.o;v;ng nrin
chile the idea of service. The opportunities /,
provides for men are the prandest II asserts an.
| nremacv for God and bis riybteousness over al,
the earth. Beyond all other agencies 1t has stimu-
lated activity and led the nations to the highway
Of free and humane civilization. Its enterprises
are already the evidence Of the most wonderful
energy the world has ever seen. Life indeed
has Christianity been to the world in all things
which have been touched by its spirit There Is
no limit OF place or time to the service they may
render who follow Christ and keep his command
ments. To do good, to be helpers OF men, to
speak for the truth, to throw all our influence on
the side of those things which make for righteous
ness when will such opportunity fail, when will
such service cease to be the reward OF strength
To do rs we have opportunity sthe command
ment; its observance Is the way OF life; it rests
upon unalterable law it cannot fail till the moral
government OF the universe fails, till God himself
fails. To declare this, Christ came, to certify it
in his own life, to lead men in that way in which
they might have life and have it abundantly.
Professor Shipman's address to the class was a
very feeling one and fraught with good advice
He dwelt upon the pleasures which they had had
during their course, and anticipated a bright
future for them from their ability in finishing a
course of study with such high rank as they took
at Goddard. lie then babe them God speed Oh
their onward course.
HISTORICAL rxrRclsrs.
Monday evening the chanel was well filled with
the friends of the school who had come in to euio,
the rhetorical exercises given by the Junior elias,
| First unon the nrogramme was music-a nian,
duet BY Miss Georgia Smith and Mr.. ". A. Whea
ton. PRAYER was offered by Rev. Mr.. Vincent o.
Barre. followed bv a song Return. nv Mis-,
Iulia Stanton Of Patterson. n
Mr. Rollin C. Rackmer of Stockbrdge the
fnest orator ~ the evep;ng gave short on,I;n,
NJ the life of Charles Dickens and then com
me,.ed sens,h,v and In n yerv eriovabe nav rro,
some nj his traits and the character of his writ.
mos That aEverv Man has bis place " wa.
proven nv Charles n Cook of Waterloo p O
and further that mans bapnness depends mon
unon filing well his Mace than nnon the n,ace hs
fills wise choice bowever wa sbopd try and
mako in onr calling Miss Fleda Gladd;ng nj
plainfeld in an ESSAY on 81 builders " adm;rab,,
read with a well cul,ivated voice snake ~ lavins
tho foundation for nm adrca,io, and than hn,ld
inc welI ,hareon Deloss ~ p,,os otpox,on FALL
p a snoke ON "Temnarapca ;, aenonrc;ng 1,
tho s,ranaos, ,or,rona in,o,,roro,a ,an,norano,
Iec,,rors u,s ,hongh,. ahon, soc,a,ios nrooch
inc otto ,hon,h racai,ad ,y,,h haar,r onnla,so