Morning journal and courier., 1892-05-16
RACoALAUnEATE SERMON.

pr. Barrovvs of the First Presbyterian Church of Chicago Speaks Before the Graduating Class of the Divinity School.
 Dr. Barrows of the First Presbyterian church of Chicago delivered the annual baccslaureate sermon before the senior class of the Yale theological seminary at the Center church last evening. The grad uating class occupied the center seats of the church, while the faculty of the divinity school were on the pulpit. Dr. Barrows spoke from the text
 "And will be lifted up from the earth and will draw all mem unto me. This he said signi- flying what death he should ie."-John xii, ,3233.
 He spoke somewhat as follows:
 Christ was not to die by accident, but according to his own prediction he was to be lifted up on the malefactors' cross as 8 propitiation for the sins of the whole world. There is that in Christ which if rightly apprehended will attract men of all classes and conditions. I shall endeavor to show that Christ's greatest attractiveness is as the Christ of God, the redeemer of man kind. In this century the cause of Christ has made greater progress than in any equal period since the time of John. Wherever the English language goes the missionary goes with it. It is more and more evident that he who is made the great magnetic center of the world is not un- acceptable to any. If there is one moral miracle more wonderful than another by which Christ has astonished men it. is that transforming love, which so changes the life and character of men-love for great sorrow and suffering, the love which in- spires men to penetrate the depths of Af- l rica, brave the ocean and despise death. All these manifestations of love appear | like band of radiant angels. One who l him has seen life at it's highest. Christ's life is like the cooling steams which come l down from the heights of the mountains, l giving life, comfort and nourishment to l the race of men. This divine energy was l put forth in struggle for us. All of the | sayings of the apostolic writers lead us | into the inner sanctuaries of Christ's gos- ! pei. If Christ made no mistake Sin pro claiming his omnipotence, if he could heal | diseases, if he was what he said he was, l then sin is fact of tremendous signif- | canoe, and men is matter of great deal | of concern to God.
 1 The preaching of Jesus Christ deepens l the sense of our own moral unworthiness. No good and righteous man reads the New | Testament without a sense of his own un. worthiness, He finds there 1arge-minded l ness which makes conspicuous his own | narrowness. While Christ reproves those who approach religion through curiosity
 he is very plain about the result of trans gression. The Bible is the enfranchise
 ment of hope. It is the word of him
 who came to destroy the works of tht
 devil and did not fail
 The most famous of American preachers
 in a discourse once asked of MT. Henry
 Ward Beecher what the evangelical viewi | were on the after-life of man who died ir | his sin. MT. Beecher said: '.The conse
 quences of sinful life in the next world
 are such as might well make mar I tremble"
 Christ showed the greatest attention and
 sympathy to the outcast He called God'l
 attention to himself. I have often looked
 with emotion on the statute of Lincoln ir
 my own city. As he stands there "witt
 malice towards none and charity for all,
 there seems to be something more thar
 the mere bronze, and believe me there is
 more divine statue unveiled in Christ or
 the cross.
 l It has truly been said the cross is thu
 speciality of Christianity. So may we all
 be led in ways of devotion.
 | I congratulate those of you who art
 about to enter the Christian ministry thai
 you live in an age when God is drawing
 believers closer and closer to each other
 Theology is being simplifed to it's one
 great denominator. Determine that noth.
 ing shall deter you from entering into
 hearty sympathy with all. It will make
 you better and broader and more sympa-
 thetio. Aim to be great in the love ot
 Calvary. The supreme attractiveness of ! ,:oA ak
 tractive to you and you will discover al
 the felicities of heaven in that great temple
 of God which was made without hands
 There the purified aud redeemed will liv,
 forever among bands of angels continually
 singing praises to God.