The daily gazette., 1883-06-19
aEeAlnrEp ION YEsrERpAY
DELAwAaE COLLEGE.

DELAWARE COLLEGE.
commencement Exereises-The Isacca-
laureate sermon and the 0rematoEy Ger
emonies.
especial correspondence Of the Gazette.l
NEWARK, June 16.--The Baecalaureate |
sermon was delivered In the First Presbyter |
ian Church, last evening, by Rev. J. e. |
Grammar, Of Baltimore, Md. Owing to the
fact that the church was somewhat more
commodious and comfortable than the col
lege oratory.the sermon was delivered In the
church instead of the oratory as formerly.
The evening being a very pleasant one, and
owing to the fact that services were
suspended at the churches in town, the au-
dienee was extremely large, some stating
that it as not less than 300. The students
were seated ON the front five benches,
the senior class occupying the front bench.
The corner seats oa the left were occupied
by visiting ministers, the Faculty, and mem
bers of the Board OF Trustees of the College.
The choir occupied the seats on the right.
The exercises were opened by a prayer, ty
the Rev, J. L. Polk. The choir sang a very
appropriate hymn, which was followed ny
scriptufal reading by the Rev. I. s. Hatnes.
The choir and congregation having sang
another song, President Purnell introduced
TO the audience the Rev. DR.. Grammer, who
proceeded to deliver the sermon. The text
chosen was from st. John ii IA, ~ have
written uuto you young men because ye are
strong, and the word OF God abideth in you
and We have overcome the wicked one"
The speaker said that st. John was an old
man when he wrote the above
Words and also that no man is
more capable OF addressing young men
than is one who has escaped all the perils of
youth. The youth was referred to as Mar
sious and to his physica. and moral
strength, and also that there would come a
time when the banner and reins OF State
would be handed to him for safe keeping by
dying father. Moral strength was
brought out very forcible; sensualism was
spoken of and also the effect it had upon the
the writings of Swift, Sterne, the
classic poets, Byron and Bulwer. lnspeaking
of the lust OF gold, he said, "0ur young men
contract it in their homes, on the streets,
and IN our journals. 1t is counted the
sunlnlltlp bonus of life; the very rod OF
power to change rocks into fountains, and
wildernesses into gardens He spoke OF
ambition, its poisonous effect when misused
and its noble qualities when properly APP
piled. Many instances were cited where
young men have done great things in their
youth, where they have died young and the
loss sustained by the parent and
country was incstimable, this and the
fact that hundreds Of great men
began life iii the poorest circumstances,
was eloquently brought forward as encour-
.-- agement for the young men. The saying,
at is better to reign in hell than to serve il
heaven" was somewhat dwelt upon by the
speaker and succeeded iu telling his hearers
in a most impressive manner OF its banetul
tendencies; under such "a maxim the heart
would not beat in the mann r nature intends
it. 1t is poison itself and permeates its ter
rible venom into every object 1t touches
The Bible was beautifully spoken Of, and h
assured all that it was a book that the
ever could depend upon, when every
thing else failed; the Bible vii
be yours, and will lead your footsteps i
the narrow path of Go1; sit has been Cas-
into the sea, thrown into the fire, and poiso
on its beautiful pages, yet we have it to-day
and perfect, aud as willing to guide us, a
it was when first handed down to Moses ;
1.-THE Bi lie would live when the lights ar
swept from the heavens, and tine hill
crumbled into dust" The speaker havin
spoke TO his attentive aud untired audieuc
for about fifty minutes, brought his sermo
to closeby reading beautiful little poem
the sentiments Of which are recorded in til
last few lines
"Oh let all the soul within you
For the truths sake go abroad,
Let every nerve and stneW
Tell on ages, tell Tor Cod"
Inc sermon throughout was eXcellen
and it was delivered with great force. II
congregation greatly appreciated the Sc
mon, aud it was the out-spoken opinions
all present that it was the ablest effort thu
heard from an Episcopal minister. After
very ierFent prayer by the Rev. Mr.. Major
the congregation joined ia singing beaut
tul hymn, after which the benedieton WI
pronounced by the Rev. j. s, ValIandighan
The cremation exercises OF the class
'S4 took place Saturday on the college can
pus The book eremated was geology. !
rostrum had been erected on the campus, o
Which The class was seated, and from whic
the odes, oraBions and songs were delivered
The class was dressed in long, blac
gowns The procession, headed by
bier bearing the look parade with gree
pomp and solemnity through the street
Notwithstanding that it was raining durii
the evening there We're present about 81
persons. The closing ceremonies We're qui
impressive, and the song was spoken vel
highly OF by all present.