New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-06-18
DR.. PEABODY TO THE HARVARD SENIORS.
LESSONS DRAWN FROM THE TEMPTATION OF CHRIST
-rHr SOVEREIGNTY Of SERVICE.

--THr SOVEREIGNTY Of SERVICE
Boston, Mass. June 1.-THE Rev. Dr. Francis u
Peabody delivered the baccalauIeate sermon at liar
wand College to-day. Tho text was taken rom
Mathew w. $40, referring TO the temptation o.
Christ. The preacher said. I'm part:
We call 1t the temptation OF Jesus perhaps we ought
N call IL His decision the great decision OF the
life OF Jesus brought out just at the moment when lie
was stepping forth into the mystery OF His uoc career
Notice in the place. that at such point IN such
lie the real temptations OF a peculiar KIND. Ihe
de, does not approach with coarse sins or passions
for such temptations would have had no persuasNe'
lie comes to lin through the very sense OF the new cpac
y and the exalted vocation to which Jesus mas Just Oeeh
called - .., +,
this hio rcglon7 First is the temptation of power
Jesus might Command stones ana tey SHOULD oe haIo
| bread Then the temptation OF display. lie mgh'
| ,bro, Himself from the pinnacle and be unhatmod
Finally the temptation Of gain. The glory Of al inc
,do,,s ~ the earth might His. Notice, next. what
Ills decision had be- Here were these great poN,"
bulties OF power display and gain put into HIS h0huS
How should lie theml They were not given 70
lin, for nothing lie not called upon to renouhce
IIis c,naet.es They were gifts to develop not to re-
fuse And them as the third and last element OF the
story out FROM behind this great decision eonl'S u'
greater law the Of LIFE which inc "hoc c"Ice' ia
Tie three elements OF His temptation lie IN their ouof
before Us First there is the sense Oh sovereign! 'neh
h ia tho decision of service finally is the law
~ OF service, Ihc ooNrio'S''1 VI '''N
that is the principle on which want to dwell, and that
l. what brings the story OF temptation very near to
ms today Here you walt body OF youth standing Just
| az the transition between the NE OF usc'puhc aIu
| incarnation and the active life of the world
Here young man, With the serious interests OF
life first fairly facing him. and issuing from the days OF
his preparation busy life Of the modern world How
does devil such moment tempt hmf In the hrst
place. It plain that the temptations of such time
cannot be OF lower coaser sort His temptations
| ceel not Ol is
out strength which begins TO stir within
him. Nor again, Is there any demand laid upon him to
abandon such e.its dangerous IL is not, them re-
nuncation which f. asked u him; IL is decision 70
| the of his great gifts.
The law OF lie il this: That II any man desires to
make OF his life al that il meant TO be, he must
attach himself to como hing which he desires serge.
| ~ one the world no rules IT, Accepting the
| perfect service he discovers the higher freedom.
! Sometimes you nave scona man determine what he
would do in life, BY considering wanted
had the heart for doing but by considering only
which his gifts point probably easy and YOU see
such drifting about in his profession without i'm.
pulse Roadway, lEo vessel rolling Ia "A calm Some
you have the very OK capacity even cause
the wreck Of career One becomes preacher be-
be talk easily, and his very volubty Is what
keeps him from his highest usefulness Another man be.
comes journalist because write easily, aud his
very faculty may b. fatal gift. Another becomes u
lawyer BECAUSE he Is Of dlsputatious OF mind and
this very gt him the weaknesses his pro-
|
THO real question II now it whom the devil
tempted the Master not. Have you great powers which
you utilize for display gain but Does there lie
before any line OF ls 10 which desire to consecrate
what powers you hnyoN What, IN Coils name young
man. do you want to do for Cod and how mucn do you
do IT. Where in the great world OF human needs
| do Yon want TO throw what weight you haye2
suppose you should say, Here Is my fo II Is put
into my hands, not for to get distinction gain out
u IT, but trust 10 administer, a service perform"
when you thus accept your le what you called upon
TO dot First you called upon to cultivate this
| which has been committed you The cultivation and
education Of your powers become all demanded
Of you because they your powers trusts
| dependent on your honor
hardly To you that this Is the religious view
| Of life | take my life a gift from God 1 It for
his service and then the world ana it, temptations lie
At my feet That l. religion IL - the sovereignty OF
| ser,Ice described In it, largest terms
Religion gives man 10 follow and leader 10
obey with his whole life - from himself be-
cause t attaches him to that which Is larger than himself
The soldier OF Christ is beaten; no sometimes
solitary, like sentinel his lonely round But no has