New-York tribune., 1894-06-11
PRESIDENT PATTON AT PRINCETON.
a CHOICE OF ALTERNATIVES TO KNOW CHRIST

CHOICE OF ALTERNATIVES TO KNOW 'l"i'l
Is ETERNAL LIFE.
Princeton " j. June 10 (SpeciaD. President Pat
ton delivered the bacca.aureatc sermon before th'
graduating Cess this morning in Mlrluand chapel
which was filed 20 ove71owing Dr. Patton took hi'
text from john vi. G7-t9 Then SAID Jesus unto the
twelve. WIZ ye also 60 away" Then simon Peer
answered Him: Lord. 10 whom shall We 20? Ih'u
hast tho words Of eternal life. And we believe anu
are sure that Thou art that Christ. the Son OF the
living Cod" Dr. Patton said in substance
Peter saw at once the full meaning Of the ques-
tlon. lie realized that he face % face win Il
choice OF alternatives. The things that Jesus hau
said were n tax upon his faith, but then his He had
been broadered by companonship with Jesus lie
had learned that there something better III NE
than mendng Gshing nets by the shore of the Sea
of Galllee He had been delivered from the num-
drum OF existence. and there was In his NINA ths
vision OF a high IDEAL 20 be wrought for IN this
world, to be realized in the world TO come. 10
know Christ was eternal life; to give up Christ WAS
to give up the ideal. There was no via media; anu
So out from the depths OF his heart and In words
as clear as ligh there leapel the apoogia OF Chris
tlanlty: Lord. to whom shall we 60? Thou mast
the words OF eternal life
II cannot help seeing here picture OF the re-
llgous problem OF to-day The whole movement Is
sicchci for US In the text-the religious diflcuitie'
the detection Of some the doub; OF others-hc sharp
alternatives and the true solution OF the problem
Peter spoke for all time Apostacy from CHRIST Is
the disruption II morality. Christ cannot be oIvhed'
we mus; accept Him as a theo,ogian IL we are ~
keep Him moralst. Men OF less resolu'e Ios'
than Peters might have felt that He had been
preclptatc in holding them UP to this cho'ce "
naturaam in Christianity. To deny mat there ~
is 10 give up Chris feel 50 sqIry i3r 1nOse hsn
they shall walk no more with Jesus. ana as iooh
your faces to-aay. my brothers OF tne sr.!TI %
1aGs n
pulpit. cannot help asking not IN curiosity nuI IN
soiicltlle; not to suggest the doubt but 10 prompt
the better rep.y -'Wll ye also go AVA ,. ,,
We cannot give up supernaturl,!sm without siy-
Ing up christ 6ni my Vie fd not aT sTs Up doctrine Of
eternal NE Is not Simply immortality. We mus
th,n ~ n. II lands for the continuous develop
me,; OF our ethical AMI religious nature Cnrst
him The priceless value of the soul To give up
Christ IS - give u2 chrst's authority i9r IN minor %
tallty Without Goi anI immortality, WI, mn mn C"n d
tlnle moral. When men have dc;hFOh"l 'fol an',
broken the .wo abes * The Lev IN PIC IS ait, si
Indulgence. what vii. restrain them from wrong
the flowers OF christian culture cih nv ni,r -, W.
is aii at tho roo, ~ the tree that bears ZEN
stes against immorali;y Men fear that; In.y lose lose
over a brc1ch OF the Deca:ogu.. To whom can we
gog T.ife has os its zest The springs of exa'ence
ire poisoned You Will take one more pIung- INTO
pleasure or you will ait down In the dark shadows
"D5 You no, sometime, aoub, yorr own belief?
% YOU no, say Though deny God. IL may not
be dead Though | dispute the commandments
they may s'iil bind me Go on. Give faith a
chance You have tried one part Of Pscrs snswer , n
MS bold avowai: We b,iicye ma ThSn eTi ,,i,s the
then? Then Jesus IL the last OF thc prophets. ana
he first of the eyanses'' Then the tran.,ti2n lon
| take their oil places IN our He Then We
have moral perfection for an IDEAL and an irninor
tai NE f,r its realization. Th"n the christian
who follows h- Master mns' be forgN!ng, must
.ove his neghbor must p,y distress, not because
his philosophy tod him be altrulstic. but be
cause God showed IIls love for us In the gtt or
Ills son II" spirit of forgiveness and charity Is
the reflex effect of theology on morality.