Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-06-29

mont ana Su3Je agricultural CoIieBe beBon
Sunday with the bacoaleureate sermon by
President Buckham. The day was pleasant
and, unlike many baccaaureate Sundays,
not too warm for comfort. 1t was nocss-
Eary to place chairs in the aisles in order to
seat all who attended. At o'clock
President Ruckbam and 40 MEM
bsrs of the graduating class, in
Guiding five young ladies, all clothed in
caps and gowns entered the church, the
class occupying the front pews on either
side Of the centre aisle. Along the front OF
tho pulpit platform were flowers and potted
plants. The University Quartette consist
ing of r. X. Ssverson, +. NJ. Knights Jr.,
+. j. Armstrong and w. w. Grif1iths,
sang Lift Up Your Heads o Ye Gates"
by Lutzsl. President Buckhsm read from
the 33d chapter OF Exodus and offered
prayer. Mr. Griflitbs sang the bass solo
80 Salutaris Hosta'' by Holden and the
sermon by President Buckham followed.
THE BACCALAUREATE SERMON.
Exodus xxxiii;15 II thy presence SO
rot with US, carry us not up hence.
If ths history OF mankind were closed to-
day, one of the most successful careers
would have been that of the type represent
ed in American Christianity. Its charec-
teristics, great intellectual and moral force,
ulty, hava given it leadership in great
movements, and called it TO endure hardship
and conflict for tie Lord against the mighty.
On that aide OF character, in respect of the
quality which endures and reslsts, which
noby dares all things for cause, this type
has had no superior, If it has had an equal,
in human history.
But the history of mankind is not yet
closed; this people is pot yet discharged from
it's mission. 1t has had Il slendd career in
adversely; how will it bear prosperity This
Is not mere academic question. History
points no moral more clearly than the ten
iency of material prosperity to corrupt vir-
tue and undermine character. Take the
history OF any religious sect from the time
OF primitive Christianity to our own day.
So long us the community was small, OBJ
scure, persecuted, it was the sacred refuge
of purity, integrity, absolute submission to
conscience. By and by the sect grows, gets
social prestige and public respect, and insen
sbly its strictness relaxes, it testifies with
less vigor, and finally sinks into ordinary
nvontionalism The heroic stage is the
only productive stage. When people be-
gin to luxuriate on the fruits Of their past
labors, it is time for Providence to be train
ing some new people in the hard discipline
OF adversity.
IL We 'husu peiieFe 1he "oiihSs oi many
puipits and presses we have already reached
the stage of degeneracy. Seriousness has
given place to trivolty. Artificielity,
elaborate pleasure making, have driven
cut the old modesty and simplicity
of living. The only talk OF men is business
ana hnance, OF women, society and the
last novel, But such facts as these, though
lhey may be suggestive, are not decisive OF
the point at issue. The decisive questions
are
l. Is business integrity bearing the strain
put on 1t by the enormous pressure of mod
ern enterprise; The temptations OF bust
ness do prove too strong for some men, for
some weak men who are Christians FOR
some Coristian men who are weak, for
moro bad men who are incorporating as
Christians. But who save God knows the
temptations resisted Who counts the num-
Der cf faithful men, who, amid all compli-
cations keep clean bands and pure heart
Looked at in its vast extent the modern
system of mercantile interd epepdence and
financial confidence, is one OF the splendid
Lr'umphs or Christianity.
>. Do the great primary virtues wbch
make up character hold their own Truthful
uess, for example, the foundations of all the
virtues, does that main tain its pre-eminence
Note the fact thai foreigners charge Us with
(hA exaggerated estimate OF mere veraclty.
t'You sacrifice" " they say, ito bare truth,
Sil the graces and amenities of life." II
Mere general decline in the spirit OF
<ruthfulness, the courts of the law would
pound the alarm. Has courage declined
phe memories of the great war are too near
70 admit this question. Did not even our
CLERKS and students aud cured city darl
Tags march and fight and suffer as we'll as
fhe best veteran soldiers the world ever
saw; Are we ceasing to be sober people
= self controlling peopls? Who ever hesrC
Of q riot, or a disordery strike, or an act oi
iynching, where the type we are speaking
Of prevails DO we not make our temper
Ance laws mainly to suppress an evil which
Is foreign to our own communities? Is tn,
the family sefey Certain ominous fact
seem to threaten it, but nature, and Prov
Gence, and venerated custom, are leagued tc
pre- eryo its sanctity.
j. Does the public conscience con
tinue 10 deal faithfully with ques
lions of public interest? 1t is on