New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-06-09
BACCALAUREATE DAY.
PRESIDENT PATTON SPEAKS OF THE SPIRIT
WHICH GIvETH LIFE.
WORDS OF WISDOM AND ADVICE TO THE GRAD.
HATING CLASS OF PRINCETON.

UATING CLASS OF PRINCETON.
Princeton, y. j., June (speciah-Thc exercises OF
the I4}d annual commencement Of Princeton College
began to-day with the baccalturcntc sermon by Prcs
| dent Francis L. Patton in Marquand Chapel at
O'Clock At 10 45 the fOlr classes assembled at tho
| old chapel The three classes marched In order To
| Tho chapel and formed in line with uncovered heads
! white the members Of the faculty. headed by lres-
dent Patton and Dr. McCOsh, together with the senior
/ class. marched into the chapel The chapel was
| crowded with the students and their friends Dr.
Patton took his text from II Cor. iii, 9: For the
letter ket but the spirit giveth .e' After tracing
! the distinction between the words "pncuma,' spirit
and gramma.' letter. DR.. Patton said in part
think there q nothing violent strlined in making
the suggested contrast between language and thought
the first topic for consideration Thought, and not the
expression mind and the drapcry IN which
1t Is ncosrd should be first concern. 1t is fatal
terminate In the letter; the
aim OF the scholar Is to behind the Letter TO the
spirit Thought is most sterous; speech IS miracle
Thought leaps the chasm between two separate person.
atios; excitcs wonder that lay bare the secrets
inner life each other but We cayii at The posi-
billy OF a divine revelation easy IS IL to strain az
| the gnat and swallow the camel Thought Is nina :
Protest against mat.ralism; need other Language
Is thoughts PORTRAIT, the print OF thoughts hns'r
1t 4, easy See. Therefore, why the study
Of language distinguished from literature should occupy
such a place In the academies curriculum You may
learn great deal OF psychology from the Greek prpo'
sition. tive the story Of Achilles IN the pages Vi
Derby and Bryant, II must Choose between an ENGLISH
translation and outraged pages OF the Greek original
Remember the thought more than the word; that
~ hos: the word IS but symbol, suggestion OF the
thought, and barely IT. equivalent. There are times
when We not only Judge what a man intends 70
say by what says, but what he says by what he obN
ously There l. to- httle cass'at sthus
OF the purely literary kind among We Either kno"
a, specialists and know little elso, or we know materially
nothing; and Is probably hard to unite the functions
OF the general and special schoar say nothing fo-
gaIdng letters which Is true OF science aiSo FOR
the fncts which man science handles are only the
letters which he is trying to spell OUT housh'
embodied In them. lie may amuse hinseh WIN inc
shapes letters put them in bundles anu gt' "'
namcs but he il simply engaged IN lacV> ~
ernuovcd I'm business, no better than playing chess or
solving puzzles. 1t Is when he hits upon some Key 10
nstuc's CIPHER IL &, when he Is using MS lac1' !"
y.rlncat on % hypothesis that stands Tor uo"sn"
TIA, be- , doing work worthy Of scientific fame othet'so
h. Is only ccn,us.ta6cr in the kingdom OF Nature /"
cataloqu,r I'm the library Of truth, writing ut.e'
reading back, OF books. We must study WIN ~
view of Getting the spirit Of the Bible; we must uiu'
stand the languages in which 1t i written when h'u
mon treating metaphor as fact reading poetry a. they
would construe an act Congress, seeking sprituai
sense any commonplace expression ie'l Una. 'ia
Arnold reminding Us that the blo'e II ~.
eraturr" should also remember the historical cou'
tion. under which 10 was written You have maze poor
Use II yorr facilities here my friends, II you are uhaoie
Ia understand what say This Is indeed no small part
! OF c.u '''''o
you under power OF IDEAS We have aimed 70 fui'
cate YOU 80 that You may become scholars not pcdants
Wr.,t- not pctfoyscr, Tcn Of eeience not
I'm the laboratory theoogans not teNtnal'ts religious
men, who think aeain through Gods WORDS the thoughts
Of God dealers in can't phrases OF saves :"
stupid IT. ai!sm.
The sane antIlhcsi. with which We have been
dealing may also to stand Tor the contrast ""
tween the accidental and tho essential IN matters ."
| LIBRARY Judgment, and Of religious opinions. Thought
lua max. IT,, way u the mind with other pre-nppo'
ton than the ntes of the rad r. this Is indeed often
A large d uand. but there "cn, 70 De no sub''tu" o'
tr,iu When men say they insist that the Bible DO
t,uen, without Goctrno 1 reply that the doctrines ~ th'
H.. ar. NOR, IMPORTANT than much OF the BDle N''i''
Thor are non VINO stad IN our pupt' an" Vre''h vi o
,uir.. OF job and moral courage OF DAieIi No 'hiu
the material FOR sentimental sermons in the seasons aci
entertaining sermons the social follle' OF the day. ana
,ct,l sermons on the importance OF sleep or the needs
" restraining immigration but who are silent re'p'ctns
the tremendous fact Of sn and the dogmat~ significance
Of atonins Hood. ,.. ., ,.o
It me beg OF YOU gentlemen heed the lesson OF inc
,ov, cultivate discrimination read the best books f"
,,,n master thoughts ct hold Of the big end OF al qu
zion, that rn,.g your scrutiny. Distinguish p''"''"
what 3, vital and what + Of no importance re-. !o'i
o,uion. on broad and deep rational foundations foio"
,i. nne.boi In religion Follow the great trend OF evil
d,f,. ana 90 not for minor difficulties do not iet
! tribes feed doubt. .
II f. dlr,l., 70 r,eis, feeling that there was IN
pau mind the contrast letwccn the rigid hNlty OF me
,,er an tn, one hand the plastic spontanety Of o0
/
nl-t on me. other "Lic.ra srrpta manet' We cannot
eliminate doctrines because "" Go not IKE mem nor 'a'
W. insert new because popular ciahor Calls 'o' '
| What !, written Is written. .
outward rule and inward principle are the Two great
o.n,e, that ou.rar human conduct The World says
Mr. Iccky (, governed by IT, ideals II i VIVA We low
! To do that We do we'll sometimes u'nN '"a' IKE
made mora hurdcnsomc than necessary by the Useless n
,rli,aou Of rules We make wfongdolhe d''u' 'nu 81
tl,. "a. r,ke men moral and undoubtedly much u NV
worlds morality +, OF this sort W" must behu 'he ruo'
! Il need, BE- break H. ia order 10 save t4e h'"'
Gentlemen Of graduating cla', ms week ''Ae' III
ror mn hang, IN calendar OF your ire IL Hc''
80, ,,o ~, rar-ona rc>I onsibnity We have tried to
fl, Won for ae work NE. We have tried TO make th u
cation we have given Won commentary %" Wv "o' "
- w. hive tried TO foster high ideals in literature ana
hi a. In science that you VIII see 'hc P"'' VI '
In ,,.lr relations each other and In JUST proorl'o' NV
! , t h.,oro Us an ideal that eNctes our admiration
and proyo>,s sI0ir. We make an e'or' anu ''
Ia, ,ho law accent, excuse. and makes no
,r Missing grade IL tell, is one hundred anu YOU
have io.rd-that all it has to say me ID" II W.
| ,d,,.o,t ~ Gods Will but there Is another eihoou
, also and when conscious OF your ia'lu'' YOU 80
| I-u. AID say Il ought TO nave uohc o'''.'
| r,., w!u come look Of Nq"ls'e ~"
trs that Will say: Thy sins mr. forgiven thee me
! Ian, ann, bv Moses but grace and ruth by Jesus 'hr'l
u,ve fellow ship with Christ. walk Win HIM turn e'r "
him for comfort strength. for guidance Serve nm,
| while llyc and by-an1-py YOU "'' ~ $50
-hal see Him n, lie is ..
| Tho annual meeting of the Philadephh ~oc'eS'
an, yo,rr Mems Christian Association OF the college
| wos held IN Murray Hall this afternoon. PRESIDENT
Patton read the scriptures aud offered PRAYER a'''
vbih tho report OF the past year was read by Albert
'wI', ,n KIN addrrs, wn, made by the Kew. W. NJ
| Taocn. 30. OF Philadelphia. farewell a"nSS' ~
! i'nai' ~ the senior class made by Jonh VI
WaiIe after which the meeting closed. The sermon
r. N,rnnaud Chapel this evening was preached 10y ''c
! tey Dr Howard Dufield, Of Detroit
WORDS OF ADVICE TO VASSAR GIRLS.