The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1883-07-06
BACCALAUREATE DISCOURSE,
BY President Hamlin, of Middiebury Col
1ege, Sunday, July 1, 1883.

10. For the earnest expectation of the creature
wateth for the manifestation of the sons of Cod.
-ROMANS viii 49, p.
We have placed these two thoughts
from this remarkable passage in their
reversed, but logical, order. We have
here presented to us grooming, suf-
fering creation, full of sorrow and fail
ure, "snbject to vanity" but by no
means bereft of aspiration and hope.
1t tolls along its painful pathway with
the earnest expectation often sup
pressed, always deferred, but never
wholly exiinouished, OF final and
divine deliverance.
MOnstrOus forms of evil pass away,
but the looked for, hoped for, pra> ed
for deliverance does not come. Other
forms of evil Turk behind every one
that is removed. Slavery passes away,
serfdOm is abolished hut Nihilsm
rears its horrid front and terrifies the
nations.
1t may be well for those about enter
ing upon he theatre of conflict to con-
slider some OF its aspects as suggested
by the text.
While signs If imperfection and
weakness pervade the phi, steal uni.
verse, it is only the intelligent aud
moral creation that we have now to
consider. 1t is the world of living
men, the race to which we belong, the
crown of Gods works in this lower
sphere whose state as duplicating our
own we wish to discern.
Let us selec few of the great inter-
ests of humanity and see how the d.
vine word applies to them. Is the
~ ~
ward through sufferngs and SORROWS,
through tears and groans, to the frui-
ton of the highest good?
How does it apply, first. with regard
to civil government ? This is one of
the most precious interests of man. It
marks his progress in civilization. 1t
guards his rights. II gives him safety
of person, property and honor. The
greatest minds from the earliest ages
of the race have been lawgivers aud
cOnsecrated to the organization and
perfection of government
Has any system reached is goal after
successive milleniums of painful effort?
Has any one form of government Sc
cured the suffrages of the race? Has
any one government so satisf ID the
people that no further reforms are
sought?
Despotism in Russia has required
two whole years to place II crown of
pounds weight upon he despot's brow.
In preparation it has sacrificed scores
OF lives of men and women upon the
gibbet, hundreds, perhaps thousands,
in dungeons or forced marches into
exile, and many thousands, thirsting
for freedom protected by law, are rot.
tin in prisons or Siberian mines. Un-
counted millions of roubles, wrung
from toiling peasants and artizans.
have been lavished upon ceremony,
and all the " btrbaric gold and pearl"
of the Orient have been ecipsed in the
s lendor of his latest fantaronade.
Surely despotism is "A grooming crea-
ii ~, and her expectant millions still
strain the eye in vain To catch the first
RAYS of freedoms morning star.
Pass to Germany, where III 'narch
stands upon its lOfliest and soldest
pedestal, aud socialism contronts il; to
England, aud we have ireland and the
opium atrocity; to the United States,
aud have we no questions yet unset
tied, no appeal of the wronged and the
oppressed against us, no civil service
to reform!
Despotism, constitutional monarchy
and republicanism have had fair trial
for some thousands of years. and their
labor and sorrow are not ended.
Secondly, and intimately connected
with government, is the science of
wealth or political economy.
Men have studied this subject with
interest rs of great individual and
national importance, and as being by
necessity based upon principles that
are ascer;ainabe and invarable. But
to his day it furnishes topics of fierce
contention. Both protection aud free
trade have their a,dent advocates.
Gladstone and Bismarck take opposite
sides. France and England, after long
protracted discussions and modifca-
lions of treaties, disagree. England
takes one position, her own colonies
aud the United States the opposite.
Here we fad, again, where we should