The Portland daily press., 1889-06-24
BEFORE BATES GRADUATES.
President Cheney Speaks of Man's 8
Duty and Obligation.

LEWISTON, June 22,-President Cheney
preached the baccalaureate sermon before
the graduating class today. President Chen
ey's text was:
He that ruleth his spirit is better that he who
taketh city.
HE that ruleth his spirit implies that
man can rule his spirit, that he has the
power to rule 1t wherever his lot NAV be
whether in cottages of the poor or palaces of
the rich, in marts of trade, in places where
laws are interpreted, in chairs where they
are executed and in college halls. Colleges
are not what they should be as schools of
learning. They are better than they were
90 years ago as l can testify. The moral
standard of the men in.them as students Is
better. The men in our colleges of all men
should be examples to others. The young
men of this generati0u-those now In our
colleges. are to be the best educated men of
country.
The society Of the next generation will. in
a great degree, be what these educated men
shall make it. Morally speaking, it will be
of high order as the men who were rightly
trained hold fast TO those eternal truths
gained in their course OF studies, or it will
be of a low 0rder-earthly, sensual, develish,
IL in sophomore wisdom this early training
shall be looked on only to be laughed at as
the training of weak men and weaker wom-
en-. No. There Is not anything in college
rules established by students formerly or in
formally-customs however old, come they
down as they may, a thousand years from
the institutions of our motherland, and thus
plead for, as firmly established as
were the laws of the Medes and Per-
sians-there Is not anything in these that
can absolye men from moral obligations.
The world over men are held responsible to
moral law. The strange spell that in an
evil hour came over the republic of letters,
that certain acts that are criminal outside of
college walls are innocent inside must be
broken. We cannot get away from ourselves
There is tribunal within us-a high court
of judicature before which we must go will
ingly or unwillingly and plead guilty or not
guilty. Man Is ever accountable for his ac-
tiOns.
Lincoln and Grant were cited, and the
preacher told the story of President Harri-
son at the New York centennial industrial
| procession when the voluptuous car
OF Bacchus representing a wine bust
ness. stopped before the President and
| an attendant filled the goblet with red, tiow-
| ing wine and presented 1t to the President to
| drink. All New York had eyes upon him
| and photographers stood ready to take his
| picture with the wine cup at his lips. when
| with vigorous wave of his hand he refused
| the tempting portion. The act was greeted
| with thunders of applause. The greatness
| Of President Harrison began then and there.
| 1t Is said that at one of the feast tables
| spread in connections with this centennial,
there We're men OF standing in the country
| in such state of intoxication as to bring
| disgrace upon themselves and grief to their
| friends. At this table was the Governor of
| Maine and honor to him he turned his wine
| glass To rule our spirit is something to be
| learned. We must not be discouraged il at
first we do not learn how to do tive must
| make the trial.
In conclusion President Cheney said few
| parting words to the graduating class
In the evening, Rev. DR.. Bowen Of Provi-
dence. r. l., preached before the divinity
| school.