Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-06-29

world, the supreme government of the world,
shall be the Lords. Secular government
shall submit to divine control 1t IS not said
that secular government shall cease. Man is
a political being. In the kingdom of God in
society as 1t ought to be mems relations TO
their fellow men in the state will be the
subject of profound study Every man will
give some of his best thought and his best
activity to politics. The reason why odium
attaches to the name and defilemcnt to the
business of politics is because good men
have too much withdrawn from this field OF
activity, and left it too much to the manage
ment Of bad men. But in the regeneration
politics will be controlled by the principles
of Christianity, which cxat and purify all
human relations.
Let the inquiry now pass to the occupations
Of men, their cailings and professions. When
the kingdom of the earth shall be the l. 'rd's,
the saints will have, not fewer aud simpler
wants than we, but more and larger, more
discriminating and exacting. To this con-
dition Of things God has adapted the minds
of men by endowing them with a diversity
of talents and aptitudcs, and this diversity
| Increases US man advances toward perlec-
ton. In this mutiform service which all in
Gods kingdom stand ready to offer according
10 their several gifts, some are called TO the
ministry OF the word and prayer Not for a
moment is il to he admitted that others are
not equally called of God to other forms OF
| divine service. But unquCstionaOly this is
the highest OF all callings. 1t is not strange
that yUuug men shrink from the Christian
ministry when they consider how high, how
| supreme is the merit which 1t ought TO exact
But it is not good sign Of our times that 50
few seem TO covet earnestly those best gifts
which qualify for success in it, And yet the
| explanation may be, not that the ministry is
| Ia 90 off Ia
merry was but that other forms of service
are more so. BE this as it may, in the King
dom Of God all necessary and legitimate
| occupations are consccrated TO divine SER
vice.
We see, then, if we follow out the princi-
pies thus suggested, what will be the con
| stitution of society when the principles OF
Christianity reign on the earth. Then will
| the religious life and the secular life be
blended into one full divine-human life,
divine in its source and inspiration human in
its form and expression. Shall this be only
a vision of the iuturey Here and now We
see the world of which we are a part, not all
opposed tc God, not all conformed to God.
The kingdom OF God is in the process of cs-
tablishing ITSELF Men take sides with il and
against it. One of the methods by which
God graciousy moves us to side with him
against evil is TO show lis in prophecy toward
what he Is leading the world what manner
of life lie is aiming to establish in the Garth.
| When he thus discloses to us what he intends
to accomplish for our race, when he shows
us how meu will live when the purposes of
his grace are accomplished. that is his gentle,
and pufsuaslve, and shall ii not be his
| eilectual way Of saying to us, ''See what "A
noble, a glorious life, is the true Christian
life. Come into this goodly company. Have
n part in the good work which shall bring
all the world into Gods kingdom. Help on
the glorious day when the dominion Of the
earth shall be the Lords, by laying AT his
feet now all your thoughts, plans, am
billions, energies, yourselves and all that are
yours"
| In the city of Florence, that strangely
beautiful and tumultuous city of The passion
ate South, we are told that on one occasion,
in great political crisis, the populacc, under
an impulse half of revolutionary ferver, half
of religious excitement, by an almost unan-
imous vote chose az their King the Lord
Jesus Christ, and then, in the height of their
enthusiasm over what they bad done,
marched through the streets shouting ''Long
live Jesus Christ cur King" What they did
in the fcrvor of political passion, the world
will one day Go in calm political wisdom.
They will cn,hrouc Jesus Christ as the ruler
of the world, and Will yield to him in all
loving fealty, as TO their Lord paramount,
the sway over their affections, and the con-
troll of their entire outward life. Then for
the first time in the history of the world will
there be II living eXemplification of what
religion "a in the life of mankind. Then
| Christianity will be seen TO be not merely, in
the old phrase, "the life of God in the soul
of man," but the life of God in the entire
life of man.
The sermon was followed by the CUSTOM
airy address to the members Of the graduating
class as follows
| Young Friends fthc Graduating Class:
| Two great questions always press close upon III.
| young graduates mind, awakened IN HIM by tIe
Transition Transition from the state OF pupilage to that o.
10 make the the most of 1t; how to
make il yield its best flowers and fruits, The
| other IL The question OF religious duty; how 10
meet the claims OF conscience and OF God. The
lesson would have you learn from the theme
one, that the true human life and The true religious
ne are one and the same. Every life which has
in spite Of Deficiencies and imperfections, is
a beautiful nobte life the life which has
any Other: principle prcdoninan, IN It., N spite
| marrcd and spoiled life Ana on the other hand,
the religion which Is a me section OF life instead
Of being spread over and dfused through the
whole of 1t, and every part OF II, Is formal, unreal,
scenic not vital religion. one OF the petitions
OF the Lords pray er sels forth this truth most I'M
as a new petition, but An ampucation OF tue same
"Thy WILDE done on earth as II Is in Heaven The
hrs part Is the religious aspiration; The second Is
: The practical worAlng out OF II in our lives.
have hoped that what say 10 you to-day may
the dearth of gifted men IN the Christian
ministry. and the high service such men
| can render in bringing the world into Gods
, Kingdom, It is cause OF JOY to see young men
1 choosing that form OF service. 1t is Il wonder
wse yet awaI H n ar %y bn og
vote ones life TO some form Of Christian service
let tho form be as God's providence shall deter
,, mine. We nave heard so much lately about Chris
tan statesmen and Christian scholars as applied to
c certain style of men that the phrases have come
O to be little suspicious. But there is biblical
7 phrase that can never be spoiled, servants of
!, Cod BE you by deliberate choice ana hearty de-
soever calling and all other things shall be added
n unto YOU 10 serve God in any profession or busi-
ness, that Is TO make the most of life and TO unite
u life AMI religion.
# So far as regards work. the grandest OF all work
# is 10 take little part of the world, shop an Of
q to part of the Kingdom Of God. To accomplish Il
Ii that in little acre of the world there shall be
false or shabby work done, but that all shall b,
- done truly, faithfully, regously, done as th'
Is Apostle says "ncartily as unto the Lord" tina
ID he Lord himself coming into our part OF ais King
In dom should approve the work and ourselves "a
W good and faithful servants, this IS the Chrlsial
J, Idea Of irnng ones calling; Imagine this re
% q dawned,. The Kingdom of the world is becom
H. the Lords
le We now part teachers and pupils, with IN
nj hope OF meeting you hereafter on that larger plan
~ | where are ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS togehe
~ for God. The University has done what II could
n equip you for your lIfe's work May the Spirit q
nv all wislom and love and power, working IN an
II WIN your c0nsecraed wills, do the rest That Ill
VI may be to you all fair aud bright even beyon
IS your most glowing hopes, Is our sincere praye
Ike lhat you Will accomplish something which wi
va reflect honor uponiyOur college, and give satlsia
e ton to the parents and friends who have helpe
lis and cheered and sympathzed you during thei
lst many years OF pupilage-is more than our nope,
nd Is our expectation. But above all thngs we pra
w that you may labor faithfully for the ahyanc
J ment OF G0d's Kingdom on earth, that you may
he accounted worthy TO have place In the kingdo
az Of God III heaven.