Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-06-21
Republican Convention.
Democratic Convention.
MASSACHUSETTS.
Drowned.


FALL RIVER, June TO- Daniel Warden's
10 year old son was drowned this morning,
while bathing.
Death Of a Minister.
SPRrNGFIELD, June 20. Rev. Samuel
Robbins, member of the earliest mission to
China and Japan, through whose efforts some
of the first Chinese boys were sent to America
to be educated, died at MonsOn, this morn
ing, aged 20.
Army Worm.
New BEDFORD, June 20. The army worm
in great numbers appeared this afternoon
three miles north of this city.
Baccalaureate Sermon at Harvard.
BosToN, June 90. The baccalaureate SER
mon at Harvard College was preached this
afternoon by Rev. A. A. Peabody, ID. ID.
Text ! John. V, 4: "This is the victory
which overcometh the world. even our faith. !"
The preacher expressed the thought we must
overcome the world or the world will over
come u.s. Faith in that which is not of this
world. and in that which is greater, alone
can give US the victory. He spoke of what
he said has been not unjustly called the
phvsico-chemical theory of mental, accord
ing to which all mental phenomena are re-
ducable to physical laws, and are as necessary
and inevitable as the working of similar laws
in the outward world. This theory, if adj
mitted to be the whole truth, would make
men equally free from blame for bad actions
and undeserving of commentator for good
acts; in fact entirely free from moral re-
sponsibiliy. Against the acceptation of this
conclusion the preacher made an elaborate
argument, based on our consciousness OF
merit and demerit and the general influence
on life and progress exerted by moral or
spiritual power as distinguished from mere
mental or material force. Upon the theory
of evolution the preacher considered that,
so far far from casting doubts upon religion,
it verifes. In its every aspect it leads US up
to God 1t not only leaves but postulates a
place for precisely what Christians believe
and claim it gives us,-the largest view OF
Divine ompipotence, to which all things
needful and desirable are positive. 1t pre-
sents not fragmentary and questionable in,
stances Of design, but design embracing all
world and beings, hich can leave no por-
ton of the infinite plan inachieved. The in
finite providence has supplied the niche,
| filed out the capacities, rounded the desti-
| MES of all other beings up to man. Chris
tianitv rests on evidence entirely outside the
sphere of natural science. As to its external
and historical proof. suffice it to say that, af.
ter passing through the severest criticism, il
never rested in the minds of such believers
as have carried the strongest lights Of learn
ing and reason over the whole field in so firm
and impregnable ground as now. But it is &c
| its own best evidence. Those best know il
| be divine who have tested it by their pro
lopged and profound experience: who haze
sought in it guidance that has never mis-
| led them: a consolation that has never failed
them a thought that has been made perfect il
their weakness a hope that has grown clearer
and brighter as the shadows have gatheret
over their westward way and their declining
years behold a long procession of theories ant
PHILOSOPHERS that have chased each other t.
oblivion, while this one religion, this ont
theory Of God. the soul and eternity, has re
NAMED undimmed. unchanged, unmoved, lik'
the sun amsng fitting clouds, like the cliff OF
the margin of the river, like bow over tn,
rushing waterfall. The sermon closed viii
words of counsel to the graduating class.