The University daily. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 18??-????, 1890-06-09
HE BA Ca "A UREA I
Dr. \. 4 Mcpherson Delivered
il Magnificent Discourse
Yesterday to an Immense Audience of
Cultured Men and Women.

Cultured Men and Women.
/ Yesterday morning DIR S. 81 Me
Pherson. pastor Of the Second Pres
| byterian church Of Chicago, preach
ed the tWenty=third haecalaurcate
sermon 1T the University. The, ser
mo9abounded in lofty sentiments,
clothed in classical English, adorn-
ed with beautiful figures, filled with
richest thought and delivered ia
forcible style The large Commence
ment hall was filled with a cultured
audience who listened to the Doctor
with rapt attention. The sermon5is
pronounced the best one ever deliv-
cred at the University. The speak
/ er was filled with a high sense ofthe
dignity DC his subject and communi-
Gated his thoughts in most impress
sive manner. twas u sermon from
heart to hearts. Dr. Nc Pherson was
introduced by President Turner and
at once proceeded to the discussion
of his subject, almost a full report Of
which is given below
Theme: HerOism in Common Life.
~ E
- Jesus Christ, the Prince of the kings
Isof earth. Unto him that loved US, and
washed US from our sins in his own
blood; and hath made us. kings and
priests unto God and his Father to him
be glory and dominion for ever and ever.
Amen 5.SA
Heroism is a creed and a culture
that can never become obsolete. 1T
is indeed true that our age, like al
most every other, is Swallowed by
pessimists who discredit this doc
ytrine. But to all healthy minds, the
nil admirari principle is at once inn
possible and contemplate. Being
in heart but children of d larger
growth, free alike from Pherisaic
pride and Sadducean eynicisn, sIf
true men are impelled by their ma
tive aspirations both to admire some
one that is nobler than themselves
and to climb earnestly toward the
same lofty level.
know but too well that common
place toll and careand pain and lure
and sin may often chill the ardor Cf
this high ambition. Yet we are
proved to be made for, great: things
by the fact that if we stife this ca
Ipaeity for aspiring, even if we fail
to keep 1t eager and sweet, the au-
rora of hope fades into the. light of
garish day and our spirits sink into
srestlessness and loathing. We are
bound by self-respect to feed this
faculty with ambrosia which will
neither starye the deepest warnings
nor clog upon the daintiest tastes.
But, most Of all, we need the encour-
agement Of seeing q real hero in
common life. If only one represen-
tative and friendly man have attain
ed heroism under average conditions,
we shall no longer despair Of our
selves: and if he profer US his meth
Cd and his aid, we shall glow with
assured expectation. Instinct, then,
demands just what the New Testa-
ment supplies, veritable Hero, for
whom apology will never be required,
whose character will constrain the
wonder ofworship, whose magnetism
of nature will infallibly attract our
discipleship, and whose gracious love
will insure to us share in his inhe-
rent heroism. .. ~. ...,.T j.
There is only one such Hero in
history, the man Christ Jesus the
Prince of all the kings of the earth.
In vain do I search among these
lower majesties for another peerless
model. A few indeed touch my heart
with awe by rising above the mass
with certain pre-eminent qualities;
but never yet have followed one Of
them to the end of his career with
out encountering some disheartening
weakness or faint. But the longer
Icontemplate.the character Of Christ
the more imperative does it become
for me to say with CARLYLE; "Hero-
worship; heartfelt, PROSTATE admira-
ton submission, burning, boundless;
for a noblest god-like form Of man
is not this the heart of Christianity?
Let sacred silence mediate that sa-
cred matter you will find it the ul-
innate perfection Of a principle ex-
tant throng hout mans whole his
tory on earth" ..:.'3' = 4 Al
Permit me, then, to name specimen
elements in Christ's heroism. + /.
l. One is his incompatible
ideal; and, to my mind, a
towering ideal belongs to the
very essenceof a hero. Of course,
without power to realize 1t, the high
est Of ideals may only cheaper us
into the most chimerical of visiona-
IFries. tits just here that we often
meet the sneering cry: ,''Hell is
paved with good Intentions But
the sane idealist retorts May,
much of hell may be paved with bad
performances, but most of it is the
I1bottomless pit of lost or bad inten-
#tiana One chief DANCER Is lest we