The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-06-26
PORTLAND, MONDAY MORNING. JUNE 2e, 1882.
COMMENCEMENT.

at Bates College-The Baccalaureate
Sermon-Services Before the Theologi-
cal Department.
LEWISTON, June 24-The commencement
exercises at Bates College opened to-day with
the baccalaureate exercises at Main street f.
B. church. Professors Fullonton, Stanton
Hayes and Howe took part in the services The
seniors sang the class ode, written by Miss e.
B. Forbes one of their number
The baccalaureate sermon was delivered by
President Cheney. The day was fine and the
church crowded.
THE BAccALAUREATE SERMON.
DR.. Cheney chose as his text Habakkuk iii:
17-1S. We publish herewith an alb stract of his
appropriate and interesting sermon.
E,In Habakkuk's prophecy, he denounces the
wrath of God upon the jews for their sins.
THERE'S Joy in adversely This is the declara-
t.s prophet. 1t is truth as sublime
as II Is SIMPLE Adversely must needs be- 1t
is q part of the constitution of things, whether
we can account for itor not. Were il left with
us we should have no losses to suffer, no cfoSs-
es to bear We should be rich and not poor,
in spite of our wastefulness; and well and not
sick in spite of our trampling upon the laws OF
health We should not die, nor should our
friends, were it left with us.
There is JOY in prosperity. God intended to
give us a measure OF prosperity and its JOY; we
should be thankful for both, turning both to
the greatest account. Thousands of persons
have success and their success is very hell to
Shem; other thousands, failure, and their fall
ure is very heaven. Success and failure may
both be hell to us or both heaven.
Joy in adyersity implies belief in a personal
God. If we have doubts sof Divine Being 1t
our duty to inquire If these doubts are well
founded, whether they have reason, common
sense and facts as basis. We may not be to
blame for being in doubtful state. of mind.
The constitution Of our mental powers the en-
vironments of our earlier and later years, our
training, the society into which we may be
thrown: may have much to do in causing us to
go beyond the bounds of reason, common
sense, and the plainest facts. cannot under
stand how an intelligent man can doubt the ex-
istence of an all-wise, almighty and ovsrruling
power. If he doubts. cannot blame him for
that, simply, but must condemn him for con-
sdering the most importance OF all subjects as
of trifiing Importance, and neglecting
to investigate those facts which will remove
his unbelief.
Joy in adversity makes faith in this Per-
sonal God. God to us is as Father, and we
are to him as children. We must trust and
have faith in the father, though we cannot un-
derstand his dealings with us. He is father
that knows what is best for us. AS thu chill
dren of God we have meat to eat that the
world knows not of-bread from heaven
mama from the golden pot; if our earthly re-
sources be cut off, if our creature comforts fail,
we feast upon this divine food, and become
vigorous stalwart men in the higher life. But
the same amount of faith that will sustain us
in the hour of prosperity will not sustain us, if
may so say in the hour of adversely. Any
one can live what is sometimes called a reli-
gious life, when the world goes well with him,
but touch his quick, touch his money, his
possessions, and his boasted faith may become
part of the general ruin and he may charge
God, foolishly, cursing him to his very face.
The fact that we carry load of trials, our
earthly comforts being all cut off, is proof that
our faith is proportionately increased. When
Abraham had built the altar, laid the wood in
order, had taken his knife in his hand to slay
his son, his earthly hopes were all gone, and
he had nothing left but Faith. Abraham was
meyer So ssGoag nSr smnpes that we walk obed
emily before God. Here are Gods laws, in
the book of Nature, in the written volume, in
cur consciences. We are not allowed to obey
some and diSobey others--to do evil that good
may come. We have no right to do wrong
ourselves We have no right to be party to
wrong-doing of other men. III other men set
themselves to do wrong and it is in our power
to hold them back, we are guilty before God.
If we would have peace with God and with
our own hearts, if we would have joy in pros
perity, and certainly if we would have joy in
adversity, we must walk in the ways of the
Lord.
My apology for this discourse is the condition
OIL LH6 OOlleS6-uu6 W bu6 WltuuOlUluE VI tuo
subscription SO solemnly and SO many times
pledged by the good man whose name the Col
lege bears, and whose death [ mourn more and
more every day. This is day of adversity for
the College. Some of our friends are losing
courage, but this must not be- There is but
one thing for us to do, and that is for us to go
forward though mountains OF difficulties are
on either hand. We must do collectively as
Christian people what we are expected to do in
dividually in times of sore calamities AT this
time, in our day of adversely, God may be SIM
ply trying the College, to see of what stuff il is
made; and il it shall stand, if it shall maintain
its ground in childlike trust and faith, not
doubling that though it die, yet God is aBie to
raise it from the dead, God may then say to it as
he said to Abraham: "Because thou hast done
this thing, because thou hast trusted in me, be-
cause thou hast said to the world that thy work
is for 10 glory Of my name and hast not ceas-
ed in the darkest hour to do thy work, there
fore in blessing will bless thee and in multi
plying will multiply thee; and I will make
thy sons and thy daughters as the stars of
heaven, and as thesand upon the sea-shore.
My young friends of the graduating class.-In
the scripture have chosen, there is word of
encouragement to you. Your work in this Col
lege is done. I trust you feel that it is we'll
better if we, your guides and instructors, had
been more faithful, you must pardon us. We
have meant tosbe faithful. We certainly shall
pardon you for anything that may have seemed
, to us neglect of duty. You who go away
can do much for You. Do not hesitate
at any time to make known any of your
troubles to your alma mater. She will defend
you as mother defends her children. Who
ever may fill our places, you will find sympa-
thy in the authorities of this college. But it
can be only human sympathy. But the col
lege will help you in seeking Divine sympathy.
She will take you by the hand and go with you
into the presence of God, your Father and
your friend. Emerson said to the boys of
Dartmouth, (two of whom are now here forty
years ago: "You can very soon learn all that
society can teach you for one while. Its fool
ish routine and indefinite multiplication of
balls, concerts. rides, theatres, can teach you
no more than few can. Then, accept the
hint of shame OF spiritual emptiness and
waste which true nature gives you. and retire
and hide; lock the door; shut the shutters;
then welcome the imprisoning rain, dear her
mitage of nature. kRe-colect the spirits. Have
solitary prayer and praise. Digest and connect
the past experience and blend it with the new
and divine life." Bnta greater than Emerson
is here; and he has said more: "And that
which fell among thorns, are they which, when
they have heard go forth, and are choked
with cares, and riches, and pleasures of this
life, and bring no fruit to perfection" "Bat
thou, when thou prayesg, enter into thy closet
and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy
father which is in secret; and thy father, who
seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
In the evening the reryices before the The-
ological Department took place and were con-
Quoted by Prof Stanley.
PROF. sTANLEY's SERMON.
The subject of Prof. Stanieys serraon be-
fore the theological students was "The Right
Attitude of Religion toward Science We
give a brief synopsis of his discourse lie
said there is in our day a remarkable scientific
activity. The science of the last generation
is antiquated and almost superseded. 1t is an
iconoclast age. In religion there have modif-
cations of all our creeds by curtailments here
and engagements there, until earnest watch
men are constrained to inquire, where will all
this end? and when the end comes will any
thing be left which the present generation con-
siders sacred. The friends of religion should
be upon the alert But, while some are ready
to leap into the breach, there are great null
titude who scarcely know what attitude to
take.
We are told that religion is Jealous of sci
euce; that its followers are not open to convic-
ton of other truth, etc. do not think these
charges are true of those who best exemplify
the religion they profess. Whenever religion
has attacked science, so-called, it has been to
repel previous attack or to forestall threat
ened one; and partial, pretended science has
F.sI