Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-06-27
Prof. GriGin,s Address,

| There IS one characteristic of the present dly
4n @P %' Prae aa2 tiR a IS or 9 a g
| ton OF moras pies to the conduct of NE. are
,i as before The s9npexites OF
! importance, make necessary a serious ana con
slant effort TO regulate life by the highest prnci-
pies. II is claimed by some that Christianity is in
adequate TO meet the present needs Of the world
that times have changed and that something dl Icr-
| ent lsnow reedcd than in the rudcr ages
| OF ;hc world; that christianity takes no
| cognzancc of secular matters; that the historic
ialth needs revision and correction AMI at present
, does not answer the demands of the modern world
| This feeling Is more general than are apt to
| realize Now, what sort OF character is it which
| The Christian religion attempts to produce? There
are some elements OF character which Christianity
creates. IN order TO attain the perfection of our
| nature the operation of a Divine power is
needed. Faith comes first OF all. The Christian
RELIGION is not merely self-discpne The
1 highest ana best moral character nnds lis
first impulse In God. Plato said that there were
four Virtues and these were wisdom, courage ten.
pelance, justice. TINS classification was in time
PASSED down 10 the Christian church, ana these
virtues came to be known as cardinal But thc
Fathers made most essential addIIOn-Faith
Hope, and Love. The old virtues are merely a
man festatlon and proof of these. They are in
'plrcl by them. Is this dependence on a nigh
T well-being of the world or the fitness of men ia
play thel part IN II? crude atheism Is not COM
mon in our day a well-bred and nicely expressed
agnoslcism Is the fashion of the time. Is inns "A
better rule OF conduct than the old-fashioned de-
pendencc upon God? Faith is likely to become
something merely emotional and sentiucutaI
The New Testament is iun of warnin 1I
@eanst ms LIABILITY Ihat religion Is
degraded which develops sentiment instead of ac-
ion The two great Christian allegorlcs fhr
raery Queen and the Pilgrims Progress Wi ir
apart as The poles IN other respects, agree IN max
ing lActssihl use OF the necessities OF warfare
Eac1 writer understood that virtue-and yriun ia
manhood-ls the embodiment and ACCOMPANIMENT
Oh Iath. Energy Is "A dangerous quality. Strong
feeling and vehement action are capable OF prra1
good or OF great harm. combination of faltn
and virtue alone is not sufficient. The intellectual
II is
GAINED by some writers that Christian under
values these virtues. They claim for srignrn ,b,,
love OF truth which Is the distinguishing Character
stlc OF our time But the Bible all the Way through
magnIhes the value OF truth. The Christian reIig-
ION has done more TO encourage learning Than all
Other agencies combined. knowledge must nc.
company virtue. Conscience goes astray II ms
decision Is based on error. Conscience on fhr
wrong side can do Immense and Understandable
Bible "' "0
Among the faults and sins connected with knovl.
edge Is one which few have any strong feeIin,,
about. RlOwlege Is liable to great perversioD I'M
the language of Scripture II "nufIeti nm n nat
us pOssessOr arrogant. Let us follow the scrinturoi
Injunction, 'ln your knowledge Temperance
me greater attention given 10 the passive virtues
IL thdt feature OF Christianity which attracted Inc
most attention IN apostolic times. The restraint nf
the stole was based on pride, and the restrain ot
,nr o,llisiah Is BASED on patience, Imagine a
person WIN vivid sense of spiritual things, and
VINO combines with them intense practical energy
and That energy directed by knowledge Is n0
such Il man well hted for the service OF his tello,y
men ana the duties OF human life and does he
need anything more TO 1T him for the eXigencies
OF dauy NE" There are yet certain social virtues
love OF ones brethren and feeling toward man.
klnd al large, The relations of Christians to enrh
other form the highest type of social fellowship
II Is NOT friendship this love of brethren II is nor
based on cOngrulties of taste. 1t Is based on inc
common relationship we and they have to Christ
our common Master, The one defect is that mis-
love sometimes leads to sectaran feeling. II must
Oe made consistent with that universal Kindness
we are bound to have TO all mankind.
Ihese are some OF the salient elements OF Charac-
YER found among men VINO submit themselves to
the formative operation OF the Christian religion
Thai character begins with faith and the whole
process OF growth Is based on faith The cardinal
virtues OF the pagan philosophers are included and
a great deal more. Some of these Qualities have
been made very prominent in modern days-such
as the love OF truth, the theory OF the universal
human character Is the most comprehensive |
ever conceived. II Is the most wisely distributed |
III it9 several elements. II finely balances The |
physical anu the spiritual. II combines energy |
ana caution, u makes man useful withOu' belng
arrogant. II develops the social nature II makes
men loyal ana gives them wide catholiCty Can
we 40 better IMAM accept the type of character |
gwen us In the New Testament? Can we do better |
lhan take the ethics OF the New Testament and try |
10 bilng the world INTO conformity with them?
This able and timely discourse was listened
10 with the closest attention throughout. Al
lis close the benediction was pronounced by
The Rev. DR.. Dennen,