New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-06-20
ADVICE TO GRADUATES.
BACCALAUREATE SERMONS IN MANY COL
IEGES.
THE REV. GEORGE ALEXANDER. OF NEwYoEK'

HAA~-N'-N'''
SPEAKS At UNION COLLEGE
schenectady. June 10 (speclaD-The ninety hfth an
nual commencement OF Union College will be held Oh
Wednesday next, and the exercises oil the "'en W
begun by the baccalaureate sermon to-nlght' in,'
WIS delivered I'm the First Presby terrain Church III t'
city by the Rev. DR.. George Alexander. OF Newton
DR.. Alexander Is graduate, was FORMERLY p'"o'
scr and Is now trustee Of the college. and was also
for thirteen years pastor OF the East Avenue TVS
bytcran Church in this city. 50 that the oaeoa'h"
reate sermon had this year more than usuhl IN
tercst.
Dr. Alexander took as his text :Ilebrews. XII ~
He said In part The Apostles conception OF inc
Christian course is that II Is ciGcr' urgent iraus''
with tremendous possibilities. 10 some rehsi'h - d"
thing lightly esteemed and easily carried harmless
compound Of sentiment and pOus routine. 10 othefs
II Is crushing burden. under when 'hcS "e'iS '''"
painfully stagger. 1t should 'be neither but race
fu, Of purpnse and enthusiasm. into which the asp
rant leaps with the spirit of the athlete ii Is STERN
IL IS serious but II has the fascination ana Ahe cA
hilaron Of high. earnest glorious ehdedNor' ~
would be hard to exaggerstc the ihnuchce vi inc
heroic past. 1t the hteHi fores OF il!c soul
In great exgences 1T stimulates the energies Oh inc
faltering and the dOwn-cast
NAPOLEON scdicd his troops TO resist the impetuous
onset Of the Mamalukcs by pointing 10 the pyramids
and sayjna .'Foriy centuries are looking down upon
you.t T9ds element OF Abe heroic IS no less
needed ~ give dignity and impulse To common me-
What held the swaying multitudcS VINO, through inc
chill hours of long afternoon thronged the central
thoroughfare Of the metropolis waiting Tor ihe uier
corege Of the great soldier who led his forces from
Atlanta 10 the sea? Not merely the deere 70 wit
ness an Impressive pageant or pay honor u pa'rioI
ism and valor but the desire TO bring their common
lives into sympathetic touch with the great life mat
had been periIled on o score Of battle fields. Without
the influence of such examples. patriotism and ad-
venture would soon be meaningless Terms.
In the realm OF faith the same law npphes'
Christianity would cease her conqucss' ana the i"u'
vidual Christian life would speedily lnngusl but Tor
the noble army Of martyrs We are llnked ny 'hc
one faith and the one baptism 20 men and women OF
heroic courage and heroic fortitudc. and heroic
sacrifice; and through love OF ensc or love o
self betray the cause for which they even dred 10
die! The cloud Of witnesses by which We are Gu
COMPRISED is FAR more vast and inspiring than that
witch the Apostle conceived.
But we turn TO the second division Of our theme
All 81 rs find ourselves at times cneNssed with tho
details of our unhcrclc lives that the clpud of witnesses
seem either shadows intrudcrs. what nave 'ieS
10 d, with our hundrtim duties. our bread ana put"r
,utsultsl We are reminded that ours Is II practicnl
uee Christianity Is something more than cohVc
ton or an impulse. II Is a career. ON every sido we
sec men and women with whom HE =. by Their own
copfes.ion fallurc. The prizes which dazzled their
youth have Knocked cuded them. and upon spritml
treasures they have no grasp. II We investigate our
own prosJcctS. how much We lind To juSufv anxiety
a,ont the issue Of the contest. Thcr Is so mrch 10
be done for our generation and our God and 50 NIUE
time I'm which 10 d. II. There IS 50 much eVil IN our
own nature 70 be edicarcd aud spiritual progress
& 50 .,ov md halting At our present rate Of pro
cress how long will IL take 10 finish tr corr'el These
ar, practical questions The years ne slipping BY
OPPORTUNITIES lessen. How intensely pTicu'nl tueh'
I, the APOSTLES exhortaiioi TO law aside every weight
and the ,iu which doth 90 easily b"s't u.s. do not
u,Isreoa the counsel aud saw hcsetting sins That
~ r,pvrnient pl..,-e 10 Indicate sr-eoiai forms Of
,"ssrrs,lon man may b. fightrncd out u -ome
ylcloi, Indulgence or shamed ont 81 IT, or c'aNcd pt
Of A. or b. NAV simply grow ont u =. Tor Tie dc -
Of th- world pies"th AMY" WHAT We need i' nor
rsf,rm.tion nom certain Ins but rlc.t-e from In.
The APOSTLE refers TO oher hndrnnces which nrc pot
ms bit merely "vcightS. sin i Ofl" but Nrlght,
ar ,nnI;itdnous Th.re is scarrelv any good lift
thst may not through The pcrvcrson ~ oar a'Tc' ois
Thn nj rsactlcal thing with which W. can occupy
d anr r tnc task 81 Citing nj Il te~o weights
There are times. however. when or dul t2nS can
70 moro b roTs-' y N, ,sH SgTf' a. T n% s
We need 70 have onr hcarn lIndlcd y nc fosnnniioh
Of u lof,e ideal. We cannot run the CHRISTIAN nee
With patience unlcs. we are looking INTO Jesus. The
Author and Finish"r al our filth" lulnhna minds
@Lsoh,io authority IN religion and astlng "Wh"rr Is
IT," Nv friends fall 10 nnd anvwlcr. m infa i'le
10 tho majesty 81 the essential Christ. Nor ard
more II become, apparent that tho on" inAi p'nsahh
element n chstInnlty Is TINT figure which has .tod
ertless today II Christ IS the Ideal toward which
the eye % our faith I, turning, along with inc
confession u personal defect ana faurc viii come that
con sciousneSs ~ hndehp I'm spirit which enables n.
10 exclalm. And ]. too. Christian. There J.
what ! wc'li b" though | an not. h1n M. . my
Saviour the blurred image " thy dvin" heness when
nv clumsy nngrs have dawn. NJ II With Thy pr
foctncs." The author and nnshor n faith IS:
however something more than IDEAL ~ beauty and
purity. Tho leader and captain who rivci. the CIc
~ thc Christian athlete n the Christ WHO FOR the 10y
that was before Hin endured the crps-, dc,pIus
Tho SHINE" our cpurs" lie. through worlh that
crlcINed the Lord % Glory. We mnst H. WILLING -
suffer with Him that b" also glpriicl i's"'ter
Pain Is sin the price ~ success ard triumph. sacrifice
t. stu the law Of the Kin Iion. 40 coed cause pre-
vail, unee, IL can command III" devotion of those WHO
"rc,st unto blood striving AGAINST SIN"