Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1890-06-27
BURLINGTON VT, FRIDAY, JUNE 27

principles, the standards the eternal truths
which you carry with you into the work of
life, and secondly, what power have you TO
think your way clearly and safely through
new problems as they arise. Your phil
osophy of life, to use a larger phrase than is
strictly necessary, this on the one hand,
and your practical judgment on the other,
will settle your place and your influence
among men. ! do not say much about
your opinions, because ones opinions are of
no value till he forms them under the stern
necessity of suffering the consequences of
wrong opinions But your Standards
your ideas, your aims, are they pure
and high and Christian Has your college
done for you this inestmable service and
given you this cause for everlasting graft
tude, that you leave it with a high
ception of life, and a noble purpose for your
share in it | trust that you can felicitate
yourselves and abundantly reward us by
giving an affirmative response to this most
momentous question.
But as to the way in which you will meet
the great questions of life as they arise, |
have tried to open your eyes to one great
danger, that of drifting with the tide or
with the storm, and one great responsibility,
that OF choosing for yourselves your own
course, Never did the winds blow and the
storms beat more fiercely upon the course of
secular thought than now. Adler and wiser
men than any of us arc drifting about,
hither and thither, and many are suffering
shipwreck. do not advise you to get into
safe anchorage and just swing in perpetual
moorings. That were cowardly advice.
Rather equip yourselves for your voyage;
learn the best modern senmanship; do not
rail at philosophy but be good philosophers
| Il TT.
but master the highest criticisms; study
day and night your chart, which is the
word of God, and consult reverently your
compass, which is the spirit of God; and
| above all, that you be not carried about by
| divers and strange doctrines, hold fast upon
Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to-day
and forever.
| a baccalaureate sermon preached by my
own college president winch has haunted
me ever since, snail suggest my closing ap-
| peal to you. IL was on the verse in which
| the apostle speaks of David as having served
| his own generation by the will of God. He
served not himself but his generation. He
| served them in accordance with their pecu-
! liar needs and opportunities, and lie served
them by the will of God There can he no
higher calling than this, no holier ambition.
Covet earnestly the best things of life,
riches. place, gifts, accomplishments, graces,
everything which will give you larger power
to serve your generation. If God shall call
you to some high station and put within your
reach a great power Of blessing, be thank
full, use it to help on right thinking, and
strong faith, and noble living, use it for
rescuing mankind from tho storms of pas
sion, the rocks of error, the engufins
waves of sin. But be thankful also if by
Gods grace, you may in some humble way,
be permitted to rescue from shipwreck ami
despair but one soul tossing about in storm
ard night. And so, whether YOU voyage
in ship or in shallop, may God speed your
bark
The services closed with prayer by Presi-
dent Buckham, and singing of hymn in
which the congregation joined, and the ben
ediction by the president.