Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-07-02
i. Y, NJ, COMM ENCEM ENT,
OPENING EXERCISES AT THE COL
LeGE STREET CHURCH.
" tSaCcalaureatc Discourse by the President
and Address Before the College Y.
VI. &. \. by Prof. T.. ~. An
drews. ID, LID.

lnenCcment OF the | nlNerSlJy oil vermont
opened Sunday afternoon with the
baccalaureatc discourse by presi-
1ent Buckham at the College street
church. The weather was delightful
and the church was crowded with Il fine
lssemblagc The desk and platform of
The church were deliberately and beauti
July decorated with flowers including Il
JaDk of white blossoms interspersed with
.osss, and surrounded by trailing vines
and purgle flowers. Excellent music for
he accession was furnished by quartette
.hoir composed of Misses Lemon and
simpson, Mcssrs Hatch and Fuller. The
jpeuing exercises were conducted by Rev.
9. p Gould of the Berean Baptist church.
President Buckham's discourse was pro
found and impressive presentation OF the
aw of service as opposed to the natural
Instinct Of seli-assertlon. The following
: an abstract If the discourse;
The Baccalaureate sermon.
Leu this mind be in you that was also in
Christ Jesus. Philippians II, >.
If ever there was a being who might
With good rcason insist on his rights, it
might seem that that being was Jesus
Christ. the Son of God. 1t might also
seem that ne was under obligations To do
50. 4 being of exalted rank has duties
70 fulfill win respect to mat rank lie
owes 1t to himself, ana possibly 10 olhe'%'
not to suffer his dignity to be lowered
A king may not waive his klngshtp. This
was precisely the conception the Jews lau
If the Messiah, an exalted being who
would assert hlln~eII ana lislsU upon Ms
rights To nave power ana not To use IT,
10 be SUBJECT, almost peHGar' Wheh ne
might have been a king, tins was some
thing sa DrruOSterOuS that they grew
frantic IN thinking 81 IT,
But the son ol Npd, being III tue form
OIL TOD, did not tnlhk mat equall'N WIN
God was tling to be grasped at as
prize. lie old not t4ink II incumbent on
him to maintain MS dignity ana assert ms
rights lie waived his klnGShlp. tie com,
mltted great refusal. tie hulnDltd
himself amt become Obetllent TO drHin'
even the uehtll OF lhe cross. IN Inc eSlI-
mate OF b"tl jew ana homan ne commit
led the la~l dal OIL pa>ehess ne Sunlhillcu
30 lndlgnitN, coutumely, lnlamN, without
protest or resentment,
The question there comes To us, as IL ana
20 the Jews ana the Romans, now eau an
exalted being waive alI nus rights ANA
maintain his true position ana character
How can a KING VINO mas dDucHJtd, po-
,ent1te VINO has committed great ltIuS-
u, & reiUrmer VINO mas courted lEnolllh-
Gus DISASTER nope To eHtH'IISh MS preIell'
Slons. now expect even To escape lhc I'M
0utetion of weakness and failure m
he answer to this Is very simple. The
child can give IL out Of his New Iesta-
2ert. But II Is, after all, one of the md
.et -nirgs of Christ gospel, hidden from
he wise aud prudent, the great secret;
lhe most difficult, the diVluest lesson OF
all. There Is such thlng "a @rasPlng. al
one rlght, and getting it too and being
he loser thereby: There J" such thlnG
IS sUrrenderInE one 5 right anu being the
gamer thereby. There Is dignity I'D way
NJ ones dignity for the sake OF great
cause. There Is a glory in suffering for
others beyond that of displaying ones
glory t. others, When a king abdlcates
sor the good of his subjects, history un-
cover. 70 him with respect The son of
God waived his own rights that he might
obtain rights for others. He left his own
throne that ne might make Us kings and
priests unto God. He was man OF sor-
rows that lac might rejoice evermOre. lie
suffered death that we might nave eternal
life.
But /, is also to be remembered hat all
ibis WAS not by ChriSt's mere suilerance,
JUt by his choice. In no sense ana in no
one particular OF his plan, did he suffer