New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-06-18
SERMONS TO GRADUATES.
PRESIDENT McCosH'S vALEDICToRY.
HE breaches THE BAcCALAUREATE AND REVIEWS
The RELIGIOUS LIFE OF PRINCETON.

HE breaches THE BACCALAUREATE AND hb'As"'
THE RELIGIOUS LIFE OF PRINCETON
Princeton ~ j., June IT (speclaD.-This day has
been significant to Princeton the last time Dr. NC
! Gosh will oficlae on Baccalaureato Sunday Dr.
McCosh gave as HIS text God rcqucth that which IS
past. Ecclcsiastcs Ill., 10. He said, in substance:
God from His very nature and relations TO man, re-
| oures all his past acts whether good or bad. We OF
ourselves cannot anything. The lost opportunities
which We might have embraced gone forever. The
past and future ours but the present Is always
ours TO make the or Yet In one sense We can
claim post for every at CT will return to US at
some time, whether It be good evil II not now 1t Is
In eternity. Although cannot make cur acts
perfect like God, yet know that for the good
that do shall receive reward, and for the evil
puni shment awaits In tho second place. as Cod re-
Qurcs that which is past, should require 1t Also
apt to forget 4st blessings In our desire 10
obtain ones. ~ OF reflection, thoughts
go back the past and there two powers OF the
mind which enable to bring before the eyes long
forgotten deeds The first presents actions to like
picture the other II power that tells there is moral
law which imposes penalty for our sins IL Is this
conscience In man that him OF his condition In
the third place should feel that God requires OF all
past actions. We have message sent to 10
Of the punishment OF sins Repentance alone cannot
our past sins they must all back to us before
God. N'ithcr should In Gods mercy, that He
will not require all actions
From tho beginning Princeton has been religious
college, proessedly and really It has given instruction
weekly BlDc, required attendance at
daily and on public worship the Sabbath. The
in the chapel conducted by the professors and
president I'm turn and the preaching by those OF them
who are ministers, and very frequently now by eminent
divlnes who invited TO visit us. Our Sabbath
services OF late years not found TO BIO tedious by tho
students. Every sabbath afternoon . there is
meeting Of the whole college for prayers and minute
address, which is commonly Interesting well useful.
We ashamed. neither professors students, OF
the Gospel OF Jesus Christ In entering upon my work
here found difficulty in inducing those who had
previously conducted religious instructions to continue
do so, 20 L undertook the whole work myself. For
eight years L gave Bible Instructions weekly every
student My lasted four years. and In these l
carried tho students IN general way through tho Bile.
Tho majority OF the students have always been professors
Of religion We have had times Of gracious
viva. / remember year which began with season
Of religious apathy. one night there heard
campus the noise Of company who had bee sankng..
We summoned before the faculty number Of students
whose names had been called they returning 10
their We had difficulty in making them confess.
After dealing for than hour with young
now lawyer In high standng-ln which no continued
parTymg or, ne burst out: President, [ stand
this no longer drinking, and fear am getting
fond OF drink" We sent tho band home for time.
They returned deplorng their conduct. Our act OF
discipline blessed OF God. The college moved,
bctook themselves prayer dozens converts,
and have since continued sicalfast in the faith
Tho doctor continued with few interesting reminls-
cences, In which lie had personal relations with
stuucutS VINO NcfC lnuuclS anu agnOstlcs some OF
whom have since been converted His concluding
remarks were:
the instructions give by lectures and rotations
do subject religion to science. But equally
careful subject science to religion. We give 10
each It's independent place supported by It's evil
dcnce. We give science the things that belong 10
science, and to God the things that Gods When
scientific theory is brought before first inquiry Is
whether is consistent with religion but whether 1t
II 1t is found be true the principle Of the
nductions OF Bacon It will be found that is consistent
religion tho principle OF the unity OF truth We
do reject scientific ruth because at first sight 1t
opposed revelation. 1t Will be remembered that
the late Dr. Alexander defended Kant and 1Aplace's
theory OF the earth substantially true
though shown that IL has overlooked
cies OF work, which supposed TO be inconsistent with
religion have been defending evolution but In doing
have given the proper account OF IL as the method OF
Gods procedure and find that when understood 1t Is
way inconsistent with ;he Scriptures. have been
thanked by my pupils. who evolution everywhere In
nature l have explained it that they can be-
leyo both in il and IN Scripture.
Dr. McCosh concluded by special words Of farewell
TO the graduating class which arose and stood III Dody
before the pulpit. In the afternoon DR.. Patton gave
a talk on the Christian ministry as calling, to tho
Senior class The phllIdclphiln Society held IT'S hnal
meeting at D. ard al DR.. Patton preached In the
chaTcl on the glorics of the Christian Church