New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-06-20
THE SERMON AT HOBART.
A DISCOURSE BY THE REV. DR.. HUTCHINs ON
THE CURE OF POVERTY.

TIE CURE OF POVERTY
| Geneva June 10 Cspeclal).-The exercises OF the
lfty-seventh commencement at Hobart College opened
to-day with morning prayer and communion al OF
Johns College, chapel At 10 80 the Rev. Charles
| L. IIntchins ID. d.. OF Concord. Mass. preached III
Trinity Church before St. Johns Guild, ana BISHOP
Dudley Of Kentucky. gave an address the subject
OF among the coored pcpolc in the SOUTH
In the evening the Rev. William I1sll Pm d. vi
Detroit Mch preached the baccalaurcite sermon al
Trinity Church. lie based his discourse on the words
Jesus answered and said unto them. Go and show
John again those things which ye do hear and SEQ.
The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk. tho
lepes are clcanscd. and the deaf hear. the dead are
raised up and the poor have the gospel preached
unto them.o Matthew, Xi a. and among other things
said
This Is the message Jesus sent TO John when the
BaT,st his disciples TO inquire whether lie were
the Messiah or not. 1t seems strlnge that John
should have made any inquiries Of Jesus; yet a mo-
natural one. Johns idea Of the Messiah must have
been that OF Israel. We are all permeated by the
| But what were the prOofs-the marks Of the Mes
slal to which Jesus pointedl Not some vague por-
| csotcric doctrine; but what Some simple acts Of
| mercy. The doing Of good to poor. diseased nu-
showing To the t0lIng, suffering poor that the gO0d
tidings OF salvation are Tor Them rs wen as i9r ,ie
opportunities and possessions Of life In tho ancient
world, was TO draw line Of demarkaon between I'M I'M
| classical and Christian civilizations. as clear us the
| Inc Of equator Is drawn. ,,,
ia bic bids His disciples to tell him Of Ills works ana
Of His words; but Ills works and HIS words were
kind and especially to the unfortunate sons OF men.
Set Jcsu, did not make all the blind to see all the
all the cpers He did not raise all the dead, lie dld
not preach the Gospel TO all the poor! How can you
not come to do all the work all manh ind He came
to show mankind the way to DO the works Of man ior
men lIc set us all tasks to do What Christ
did was to change the centre OF ethics Previous to
His coming the centre of ethics had been sell lie
o,hps should no more revoivo around self And just
as when Coperncus discovered that tho centre Of
did not stop, but went on It's way rejoicing 50 was
1t when Christ changed the centre OF ethics II was
but a simple thing that the Messiah did but see how
r reaching 1t Is In It's results aud it viii reach ever
farther and farther like the charge from the Poienac
into eternIty-unto God And SO we perceive that
When Christ died. lie finished HIS work, but ne ley
| that would make it better, both actively and re
| hcctively. A.. M
gospel was not something simply for tho cultured
and lcsurcd but that 1t was way of life for men;
for he T p"Sr by the side Of those whom
relatively we call strong there are the posluvSS
vo Iower, are poor. 1t is the blind and the lame and
The V who tse r With e tie
possession Of the efrth, become poorer and poorer
And 1t has come about that the state WIN MS
stronger
| OF their acquisitions by means Of taxation. ms Is
not cxoegeraton, as The history Of the poor laws
OF England will show. We apt % think that these
laws we're passed because Of charity Dnt Inc truth
is they passed BY pressure OF ncceS n.y. Inc poor
shall always have with Us, but surely there Is no
necessity The ablect poor. The poverty OF want
~ Ignorance, OF shame. OF crime, seems 10 be com
poncnt part boosted nineteenth century CIVIL
lation. Tho recent Encycllca of the Pope Is dread
full sTraignmcnt of the present state OF aillfs lie
saws that "a small number OF very fch men nave
been able by degrees, TO lay upon the nsl N
What going to do about this state or affairs
W. cannot cure II Dy making poor laws Wo cannot
| regulate IT BY dol.ng out food and clothing. These
means have been tried aud have filled. Now, Christ
laid down general rules for the government OF con
duct but these rules. though general. applicable
| strong n.'n and women 10 act when th'm Is wrong
and injustlce done. II Is for them 10 help and pro
tect the Individually weak. mean that they should
caro- for NIL those With whom they come into daily
| his state OF arairsi Well. in the frst place some
| thing b" done by legislation; but this IL not
sufficient, must appeal 20 the individual conscience.
We mnst show men what IL was Christ nd we must
| show them how lie helped the individuals who came
| 10 Him how He changed the centre Of ethics and
made Others not self the pivot Of His system-of TINT
,ystem which al men pronounce 10 DO the greatest
marvel IF the llfe II the soul ~ man. And YOU VIII
ind that men win generally agree 10 this namely that
nlfrulsn and egoism Is the best rule OF conduct
The trouble will BE- to get them 10 practise Is as
| rule and not regard II rs n theory.
There is IN poverty an opportunity for the strong
10 do the work Of regeneration. God does not cara
50 murh about speculatOnS. about Himself II Is goGl
| to have a liberal philosophy right theology but
our intellectual grnsp Of truth. apart from the fact
that God Is. that lie is thc three persons: has not
much TO do with the development Of our higher life.