Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-06-25
WASH. AND JEFF.
THE HOP LAST NIGHT ENDS UP COMMENCE
N2NT WEEK.
Dr.. Mofa's abls Sermon to the Graduating Class
H. g. & g. Gibbs Concert on Tuesday
gTening-gine Commencement
Exercises Yesterday.
Special Correspondence ofthe REGISTER.


class OF 81.
Sunday morning as early as min
o'clock people began gathering to liste
to the sermon by Dr. Moffat, addreSSe
to the graduates, until the opening O
the services, the beautiful church wa
filled to overlooking with a crowd O
eager listeners.
A beautiful musical arrangement, TO
two voices, Of the words in the oil
familiar hymn:
Awake my soul in joyful lays,
And sing thy Great Redeemers praise
opened the exercises. The duet wa
sung by Mrs. Palmer, of Wheeling, ant
her brother, w. III. Sweeney, who is on,
Of the class OF '91. Mr.. Sweeney an(
his sister are each possessed Of excep
! tiOnally fine voices and the sweet, low
tones OF the organ at which Miss Eft;
Ripple sat, and the notes Of the singer!
blended in harmony of musical etfec
that seemed to touch the audience anC
impress each one with the sacred senti
ment of the hymn.
At the end of the duet the class of 81
filed in through the vestbule and up
the center aisle TO the pews reserved
for its members In the middle block
there was not room TO seat anymore
persons with comfort. When the grad,
yates had taken their seats DR.. Moffat
offered short prayer, the choir sang
Jesus Full Of Truth and Love" and
Rev. Sherrard read chapter from the
scripture, being followed in prayer by
DR.. Brownson who tenderly commended
the young men OF the class to God, and
the duties before them. Another hymn,
Saviour, Thy Word Believe" was
sung. DR.. Moffat made the an
nouncement OF the programme of
commencement exercises for the week,
including the alumni and various class
reunions, and DR.. Br0wSon stated that
owing to these exercises the Christian
Endeavor meeting on Sunday evening
and the regular weekly prayer meeting
on Wednesday evening would be Sus-
pended.
1t was almost 11:3O o'clock when Dr.
Moffat again stepped forward on the
platform and addressing the graduates
said that he had taken as the text for
his remarks two verses Of scripture.
CoosSianS ii:5-Beware lest any man
spoil you through philosophy and vain
deceit, after the rudiments Of the world,
and not after Christ.
st. John xiv: Let not your heart
be troubled; we believe in God, believe
also in me.
The subject of the sermon might be
given as ''SkepticiSm: Reason the Safe
guard against 1t, and Belief in God the
Father and God the Son the Rock on
which to Stand" DR.. Moffat's dis
course occupied almost three quarters
of an hour, and the points of it may be
summarized as follows:
Skeptlcism is strong in this season OF
educated, who read and reason. Stlll
even the uueducated are liable to error.
A man of culture might commit murder
and college graduate become drunk
ard Science and religion and reason
and revelation are said to be antagonls-
tic. Evangelistic argument is that you
must give up your reason If you would
keep religion, and rationallstic argu-
ment is that you give up yonr religion II
you would preserve your claim TO reason.
Reason and revelation are both from
God, and reason is compatible
With the teachings of the
Word of God in his revealed will.
Human reason, even among the unclvll-
lied, reaches out after the Intelligent
Creator OF all things and seeks a per-
sonalty, and the Bible teaches that that
Creator is God. Human testimony and
human reason establish beyond the
shadow OF doubt the existence OF Jesus
Christ and the Bible teaches that Jesus
Christ is the Son Of God. Do not give
no your reason, but beware OF measur-
ing YOUR logic in an unequal match.
You may read Spencer and Huxley, but
YOU may not be able TO penetrate their
fallacieS or answer their arguments.
philosopher should be humble,
and when unable to answer an
argument wait for more light. DO
not stake religion upon an unequal
match with your reason to sustain IL,
and "Beware lest any man spoil You
through philosophy and vain deceit. -
Infdels like Ingersoll, atheists and az
nostics, by Jest and jeer, create skepti-
cal Influences. but reason proves and re-
ljgion and the Bible teach that there Is
q God. and that His Son died TO save
sinners. Skepticism IS unreasonable,
hut religion and the Bible are reasona-
HE. Reason having shown you that
there is a God, the Creator OF all things,
worship follows as matter OF duty.
As YOU can be no more just than
He. it follows that He would con-
denim that which you would condemn.
As YOU can be no more merceful tran
He. would He not be ready to show even
greater mercy, if there Is way con-
sjstent with His holiness. Christ is the
Way. Believe in God and that the Lord
Jesus Christ died 10 save. Let not
your heart be troubled; ye believe IN
God. believe also in Me-" Let that be
the rock upon which you stand, and
skeptical controversy shall not shake
YOU. Other questions and mysteries
of religion shall appear to you as from
afar, and though not unlmpGrtant,
their argument and settlement shall
not disturb your faith. If you err
against your convictions be manly
enough not to compromise your convic
tons. Do not seek new departures tC
modify your error or suit Il less lofty
standard of religion or morality. There
have been departures that have received
! the approval of God, and there may BE-
others that likewise work for good, bu
these are not they which seek to excuse
error or destroy belief in God, or faitl
in His Son. Let this belief and thi
faith be your religion and your rock
and your heart shall not be troubled.
The class arose and stood while DIR
Moffat made his concluding remarks
lie said that he made not these argu
ments to the class because of skepti
cism, or tendency thereto among 1t
members, but on account OF the skepti
cism with which they would meet, ant
] III fu,.. f,l r. Lnr ,nrls of I'd NIn.