Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-06-17
COMMENCEMENT WEEK.
Winding mp the Years We K at the
University OF Tennessee.
HOyt-Address by Hon. T. W,
Ewing

BaceaIaureate Sermon by Rev. DIR.
HOyt-Address by Hon. z W.
Ewing.
The present week is commencement
week at the University of Tennessee,
and marks another bright era in the
history of this excellent State instiiu-
ton, which, as is hoped and believed,
is now entering into a new and vastly
increased sphere OF usefulness and
benefits to the rising generation.
The public exercises of COM
| mencement week were ushered
in very appropriately Sunday night
by the assemblage OF a vast congrega-
| ton at the Opera House to hear the
Baccalaureate sermon by Rev. Il. a.
Hoyt, d. D., pastor of the First Pres.
| byterian Church in Nashville. Most
all the Churches of the city had dis.
/ pensed with their evening services on
this account, and the pastors and their
| congregations were in attendance,
thus constituting one OF the largest
/ audiences ever assemble in this build
ing.
| The exercises began by the singing
of piece by a select choir, consisting
of Mr.. and Mrs. Alvin Barton, Miss
Ella Wicks and Mr.. Jas. S. Boyd, Jr.,
with Mrs. V. a. QuaifTe as organist.
| Rev. Geo. B. Eager, pastor of the
First Baptist Church, read the Scrip
ture lesson, prayer was offered by
Rev. n. G.. Taylor, D. D., pastor of the
First NJ. Z. Church, and the hymn
was given out by Rev. DR.. Jas. Park,
pastor, of the First Presbyterian
Church, and sung by the choir.
Rev. DR.. ThOs. w. Humes, the
| reveTed President of the University
then introduced the speaker, DR.. Hoyt
He took his text from st. John
Gospel, 18th chapter and oath verse
"If had not done among them the
| works which none other man did,
/ they had not had SIM"
In his opening remarks he said the
most conspicuous person ia all the an
mails Of mankind Is Jesus Christ, and
| His name and deeds become greater
| and greater as the years roll Oh. His
birth was the great event in the his
tory of the world. II we ask why all
these things are, we easily reach
a solution by study OF His character.
] Hence the theme of the discourse, he
said, is The Originality of the Char
acter of Jesus Christ" He was en-
! tirely different from all others, in all
| respects, and it is these distinctive
| peculiaTities that make Him SO emf
nent a character.
He then gave some testimony and
| brief quotations from such eminent
philosophers and great men as Shakes
perae, Gallileo, Milton and many
others, all of whom set Christ's name
above all others. One quotation he
made special mention of as coming
from one of the greatest thinkers of
the world. This was Napoleon Bona |
parte, on the Island of st. Helena.
/ He said, 81 know men, but Jesus
/ Christ was more than man." etc.
By means of these quotations aud |
/ points of evidence the speaker wished |
| to impress more wildly on the minds |
/ of the congregation the fact that there |
| is something peculiar and original
about the character of Jesus Christ
well worth studying, and that we cam
/ not pass by unnoticed.
/ He classified the subject iato four
/ heads first, ChrisL's life, properly |
sO-called; second, His word thru, |
His works, and fourth His death, by |
each of which he hoped to show that /
Christ stands siDgly and alone, with
out comparison in the annals OF histo- |
rs, the most noble, original and pre- |
eminent character that ever lived. |
He followed them in brief detail |
many of the leading and interesting |
features in the life Of this great and |
supreme character, which are well |
known, or at least should be, to all. |
He also presented His life in stTikin |
contrast with that OF other eminen |
characters. In the next pla'e His |
wonderful words revealed GOD to man |
and man to God as has never been |
done before or since. Man never knew |
himself till Jesus spoke.
His mighty works were wrought ex-
clusively in His own name, and with
His power and authority. He had
equal power over all kinds of spirits
and things, and that miraculous power
was exerted exclusively for the bene-
fit of others. His Kingdom was C3-
tablIshed by q thoroughly original
conception. There is none like it,
never was and never will be.
His death, however, was the princi-
pal event to which everything else
tended the crisis of His work not
mOrely the crOwning event, but it
10 CUnuEINCu VIII lAlc lukulCs Ills us /
erection was the immediate C)nse-
quence. He died that He might live
again. Death was the true act of re-
Cancellation between God and man.
Now in view OF all this, What think
ye of Christ ?"
The preacher then closed with a
brief application OF the great truths
enuncialed, and, addressing himself
especially TO the young men of the
University, ezhorted them TO initiate
this great character and profit thereby.
DIR. Hoyt is man Of tall and pre-
possessing appearance, deep and
original thinker, of pleasant, plain,
simple aud earnest address. His ser.
mon was an able effort, and beautiful
delineation of the life and character of
the Supreme Being. 1t was listened !
to with close attention throughout,
and created profound impression.
Prayer was offered by Rev. @. c.. |
pastor of Church Street, NJ.
f. Church, South, the choir sang the ]
closing hymn and the benedictiOn was
pronounced by Rev. w. A. Harrison, '
d. D., pastor of the Third Presbyte- s
rian Church.