The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1881-07-08
MIDDLEBURY CoLLEsE.
COMMENCEMENT, 1881.


Middlebury College began With the
discourse by the presi-
dent, Rev. DIR. Hamlin. 1t was adj
Noting the fact that they had come
to the point where they would be inde-
pendent of authority in guiding their
lives, It was necessary 10 beware Of
wrong judgments from the use of Ian
guage In religious questions. The va
rious uses of language and the tenden-
cy TO scientific error in its common use,
from which many of the misunderstand-
ings of truth arise, was pointed ont.
Injustice is done.to certain doctrines
and facts of divine revelation, often by
educated men. The Christian miracles
claim to be founded on supernatural
divine revelation The fact of these
miracles lie Of deepest interest to every
intelligent being. If rejected, the whole
Of Evangelical truth is rejected, and reli-
gion becomes something of which tho Bi.
BILE knows nothing. The Bible view of
miracles Is that OF exhibitions of divine
power In works of an unusual nature.
Admitting the existence of q personal
God, there can no scientific objections
to miracles according 10 this definition.
The view of the strict scientist was that
invariable law pervades the universe,
according to which miracles are impos-
sible. But this view is only misappre-
sion OF popular and unscientifis lam
guage. Phenomenally, miracles are q
suspension of physical laws. Scienti-
fically they are nots What law ofnature
Is suspended In O case of miraculous
healing?
The course of nature goes on the
same whether the healing be by medi.
cine or miracle. Properly. what occurs
In miracle Is the coming In of q new
force to counteract the result of the Or
binary and resisting forces. No
Scripture miracle implies the distur-
bance of law, but only the putting
forth OF sufficient force. The ques-
ton of the credibility of miracles redu.
ces itself to this: Is there q personal
almighty Creator and Controller of the
universe? The question whether He IL
separate from and outside of our uni.
verse, 30 that he holds no relations to
1t, 10 fundamental one of belief, upon
which hinges theism or atheism.
The theist and atheist both believe In
the unchangeableness OF law, but in q
conflict of laws the resultants change
The great Corliss engine is still until
the hand interferes and lets loose the
imprisoned forces of the steam. Man
in his higher attributes Is outside Of the
reign Of force. The apprehension Of
this point will remove nearly all the
speculative objections to miracles, In
L.. "a Al. ----toiIai universe. But
above this and connected with nature
BY scnse-perception is something which
is free, which rules the struggle of con.
tending motive, which recognizes the
law OF benevolence. The point where
this power of freedom originates il
outside OF nature, is no part Of natural
forces, but the agent by his choice con.
trolls. directs and sports with the laws
and forces of nature, making them Ia
d0his will. Knowing then our own
place sa.pature we are prepared to nm.
derstana the Creators place in his uni
verse. Intelligence and will are alike
the source OF power In man and in God.
God Is the lawgiver, the designer, the
controller Of the universe. Being in
finitcly wise He will not change or
abolish his laws without purpose. But
de for purpose, modifes or directs
any force, as man does. What we call
miracles then are modes of Divine ac-
ton a. consistent with what we call the
laws OF nature as mans actions are.
An impersonal, non acting.God is an
impossible being TO conceive. From
efuus personality thc truIn VI IuIruUies
can be established. The proper defini-
ton of q miracle, distinguished from
that OF common phenomenal Ian.
guage, is some unfOOnted exhibition of
divine power and goodness, but In en-
tire harmony with the laws of nature,
made to confirm or draw attention to
some divine message or teaching. The
only debatable question Is the historic
cal fact of such exhibitions of divine
power, which is to be settled by the u.s.
ual laws of evidence.
Another difficulty embarrassing
many minds is this: that the immuts.
bility of an infinite, absolute Being pre-
cludes all personal intercourse and
worship, except as mere subjective
matter, every event being fixed. His
view embracing all worlds and AL
time, 1t Is absurd to think of an Infinite
Being changing any thing as though
mending his own work. The difficult
ty here is the impossibility of appre-
the Infinite, and conceiving
how the Absolute Mind wills and acts.
It Is the unavoidable difficulty of q a.
mite mind. That all our acts lie open
fully to the Infinite mind is admitted.
His acts correspond to them in the
the same manner as though they were
not foreseen. 1t is not necessary that
God should b ignorant of the future in
order to act freely and conform His
actions to ours. The fact of such con.
makes our action of prayer and
effort as much part of the scheme as
His. His agency and freedom Is as re-
assuring as human agency and free
don, unless we would reduce the moral
world to bald fatalism. Mans narrow
ness of view makes it so natural for |
lim to misapprehend the Infinite and
His relation to us, that the Chrisiian
'cheme Is specifically adapted to meet
{. AS human reason cannot scale the |
heights OF the Infinite, the Infinite has
'ome down to- human reason. God
Inew the connection could be made 30
hat man could come into the circle of
iivine thoughts and activities.
The incarnation, God manifest in the
lesh, is the solution of other great
mysteries. In the Incarnate Redeemer
lie comes fully into the circle of hu-
napity, sympathizing with our vain ef-
orts 70 arse 10 MIN. Lie spansl
no distance between us himself. /
10 promises Q glad personal re-
ephon TO all who come 10 Him. I'M
'hrist the Infinite Creator becomes
,ore responsive to man than man to i
10 fellows. Prayer In the Christian
cheme 10 not an address TO the
infinite Deity, but to an Elder Brother.
We are now prepared to judge of the
lain OF Inspiration In the holy Scrip
lres. II God condescends TO hold in
srcourse with man, It would seem nat
"a - al t. n - Il