New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-06-23
THE REV. DIR. JOHN W. BEACH AT IVES
LEYAN UNIVERSITY.
ApIsCoURsE ON GODLINEss-EFFoRT AND GROWTH
NECESSARY To IFS ATTAINMENT

DISCOURSE on GODIINEss-EFFoET AND GROWTH
NECESSARY To IT'S ATTAINMENT.
IrRow AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE.
MIDDIETowN Conn, June 22.-1he bacca-
laureate sermon Wesleyan University waSpreached To-
dav by the Rev Dr. John w. Beach His text was taken
from the seventh or the fourth chapter OF thers
thistle TO Timothy Exercise hysef unto Goodness
rbo folloip Is an abstract o. the sermon: Many men
have considered Goodness the professional qualification
Of religious teachers rather than the religious condition
70 which men enioiued generally. This view has
often made religion little better than mass OF ceTe
monia observances 1t has sometimes let in upon the
race wickedness and cruelty such as nature ithough
wild a. savaces would not suffer But Goodness Is not
exclusively eccesastics function and the injunction
of is OF universal application Goodness Is not
the general synonyme OF religion. It something more
than that warmth OF desire and luXuriance OF thouAH
which vivid impressions of religious truth STIR up Wl'hh
men Goodness is but a shorter word for Godikehe's'
II is the assembage OF those virtues and graces
which for mans imitation dwelt In Christ II Is not
thing OF sudden attainment. 1t involves effort ana
growth. The fact is. Goodness Is like thing evolved
The grace OF God works sudden transformation in
character At the outset OF its work the principle OF
faith in the heart Is but seed. the least Of all seeds
Beyond seed sprou saphng and tree is Godlness the
fruit OF the Spirit" How shall man exercise himseI
unto Godinessi by nsructing himself as 10 What
Goodness Study OF this sort is not the exercise OF
the text but only cor IT, Not by wishing for God
who hunger and thirst after righteousness who con-
sder appetite rather than effort the source OF Goodness
Neither is prayer the exercise enolned by the Apostle
We are exercise ourselves unto Goodness By selzns
upon such features Of life such incidents OF experience
as will suffer us to practice the elements Of Goodness
No man need GO far find facilities for such exercise
Every sphere every day furnishes opportunity TO
become more like Christ Take those features OF H1e
which we often wish out Of 1.-THE labors the
temptations the bereavements. These are the forces
whichke barking dogs worry to the surface all that
Is ugly within us Yet things are what before all
Else our moral or rather our immoral requires.
We are not world without them without having
sanetifying property themselves the hard and cruel
passages life the occasion OF that exercise which Is
INTO Godliness Tie world know IT, is constituted
for ends disciplinary The very worst condition Tor the
DEVELOPMENT OF sound pety that Of monastc re-
tirement which man sometimes fances would make him
saint Count it all JOY says the Apostle, when ye
i 6d1ess attained after the fashion enoined by the
texts personal possession OF the first order Of excel
ience To man IN OF nature the sum OF degAts
ebiedv Vhaf comes 10 him from sources external To
of Goodness, the chleI Qtlguls SPRING u
from within For such man happiness has Internal
He j. IN harmony with himself There are times WIth
a wonderful degree OF Joy seems resident within
us-we are delighted without endeavOr. Honey things
look handome. The crckets chlrp seems sweet "a song
throw such happiness without and have such happi-
uess within usl Psychologists say that at such moments
the whole body l. al peace among us memo, y ,,
no violence anywhere. Through eye and ear through
touch. the UeuEuiIu etLl>'l o tup
bodT pereet If ov be such when disoriered body
fsIIs INTO moments harmony what think YOU 1t ought
b.anee but into the abiding image OF Godi - snail De
satisfied" said the Psalmis ~hen awake IN my Ihe
Te.s The lkeness Of God Is the Goodness of the text
Goli!hess - .ior n "a the best plan of living
lent personal possession, - e,JaavCrn- 20 attain to
thc goody estates OF this world lHee is 10 nor
eonpas,lng Goodness Inconsistent with plans Tor WordF
surress rue enough the uuEody prosper ana nay po
Iered true it is that proe.,edy LnIstaR pePPS oi sr
that the policy Of u1godne's under WlsL 'oat P'o'T
T. the policy under which The h'I-iIlue IAN. ~ ~.
a 10 tr, The case t01 closely Dy the fortunes OF profess
.dy Christian people; prcanse ID tne pe. i ii-tIa
,- I'M seeking TN, worlds estates than To soften do"L
the voice OF reason and the recolu q" LlH,".t a. 80
same effect: tie activities of men are most pIoHloe m
& NE I,ropdr tendaucie, OF Goodness are ever a.
serg themselves to justify the wisdom OF thdJ man no
sT1-fance of consequence is small it. quality shall De iJs
compensation. II man can say L,c J,seu ~ 80 ~
serer because nave got b., there j. not penny oIlI
whose history am ashamed 10 e.. 'a sIyL 'iieI
no az j,Titv and di1tincon which Is sought nd
W. @ he Iriuciucs OF t0Ilue-s The same sort or
erns,tion +. ever a. hand 10 make seeming discount
{ me little that ri-hteous man hath Is more
fl.r the treasures % the wicked ,. o..
NJ, .hould exercise him -e.i unto Goodness because 10
a. doiur he acts iu the direction ~ that WORE 10 WAiCu
1g,re sll others lie "a summoned OF cod what j. ne
supreme work Of maui il = to transform ne y'-U" ~
tn likeness Of Christ To this supreme W,th ol
t world W ser and better man g. htted % come Ts
I0Ie been brought INTO sympathy VIZ H.
n me yrker his work mu-itne labor OF love inns i
d.. o,ophv % true Christian effort lss-ty uL',eI
. "a and undertaken 30 involves neither 5dcilu'e nor
isrt.bip Under the regime OF Goodness man oecoHr5'
a. to sneak. a. with God. IT r. HS L "a. -,
sglour 10 90 the viii of Him that sent ne. NL"j
,1. privilege 10 stand thus related % an te uie.u
snd der IA Of benevolent activity no" Die'stl w ',
a. te work which know 10 be good ana NOME COMING
o. - - "a o. come The masses of lueu must keep
- tto 49, 10 chains They dlrc not trust them
-.-v GOOD and noble thing they do = con. e-le1 py
r. maj ere. No' l. ~ any wonder that II Az eyu
d. the captive rises up against .he worker anu
g.. work. fIaupy the who makes me- captive W
sreu ana finds lie heart Ia alliance Win MS coLscleCo
~ ia. .kcrci-ed himself unto GOdlincss.
10 tne supreme work - life men COME WIN ENIea
AM fc4rious Many bring an equipment strong anu
- nd They ESSAY the task with minds stored WIN
~ treasures OF learning and proud CONSCIOUSNESS
i.ctusi power But must remember J.di IAe
.sf and best equipment l. not intellectual II Il Ao
.,,-bed h. the education derived through DOCKS ana
sc,1,o.- II has a lofer and npber OHslh II - tne
s,pifeDt of tempers and dispositions wien Dol nas
Sir6yed To men III CHRIST. n belongs 70 the
, yber education. and found by earnest ueFotI0A
- ~ feer Of the Great Teacher strive 10 put on tus
reut Al oIce'the ghtiest and the most COZ Una.
60 a. attain ID rDe treasures u this edfnh-' 20 ~
- disclarge with credit the exalted duties 70 witch
tou are summoned. and. by exercise unto Oou.IAoss
tourselNes become GOdllke.