New-York tribune., 1894-06-11

ITS INFLUENCE IN THE UPLIFTING OF
SOCIETY.
DACCALAUREATE SERMON PREACHED BEFORE
COLUMBIA SENIORS by TIE REV. DR.
r. STOnRS


COLUMBIA SENIORS by TIE REV. DR..
r.. s sToRRs
The baccalaureate preached to the
graduating class OF Columbia College by the Rev
Or Richard :. Storrs last night at the Collegiate
Reformed Church. Forty-eighth-st. and Ff:h-ave
The Rev DR.. T. w. Chambers conducted the services
assisted by the Rev. Mr. Inidaw and the Rev Dr.
g. r. Van De Water the chaplain of the college
| President Low and many members Of the faculty
present in the congregation while about go
of the students Of the filed the forward
pews in the centre aisle
Dr. S:orrs preaching from the text Another
parable spake He unto them the Kingdom Of
Heaven "a IKE lc1vcn, which woman took.
end hl iv three measures of meal till the whole was
lcavcn"d' said In part;
No thoughtful reader OF the sayings OF the Master
fail to be frequently and profoundly impressed
by facts The first OF these is that the thought
expressed by Him differed radically. In essential
contents from the thought prevailing In His time,
or commonly accepted by the world at any time
whore he has not trained II: the Hccond. that as
far as history has borne witness His thought has
been confirmed and exalted. while that from which
il differed has steadily Lost nttracveness and COM
manl. In other words this man OF Nazareth bal
| anccd His mind In the serenity OF conscious SUI
prcnacy against that OF mankind. and by tho event
lie has been justified. \ more than human intelh-
gcnce must be recognized in Him TO explain the
fact.
|
equivalent phrase in Luke the Kingdom Of God
YVES a conception only possible to tho Hebrews. who
alone among the tons Of their recognized God. In
the oneness Of His being. and the supremcness OF
His character. exercising government moral and
urovidcntlal Themselves ard over peoples ana
rorrons in contact with them. To them this king
dom was n unique and stupcndous fact both OF
| history. O. prophecy.
, The common. and not unnatural. thought or THIS
! Kingdom OF God nnl Of Heaven on the earth
! ukenel II to a human empire. such as as been
approximated often. though never fully historically
real lizod among principal nations. Dim and distant
predictions OF IL felt TO have been seen IN
! the brilliant reGns OF David and OF solomon vi
| course We know what vast enthusiasm was surred
among Jewish rulers and peop.e by this concep-
! ;ion OF the coming Kng ON OF God on eartA ana.
| though our spirits painfully rcco!l as we remember
| how this enthusiasm which had l"apel 10 crown
JcstIs when His miracles were shown turned nt
! last into furious rage when he set HiHsel' IN
antaconlsm 20 T.. and hurled Him TO the cross. with
/ nercest ,aunts. as n crazy prctender 10 SOW
oroI-rtv which ASKED no legions. offered motive to
no pride and simply denounced secular ambition we
/ cannot but see how level with mans nature lay IA"
! r.ilacious but proud conception. how natuTai II
,,oe tbot even ,hc Disciples should share II. md
! that all the Ola Testament should seem TO thol
TO converge on the coming Of this wise and splendid
/ and holy empire descending ont OF Heaven from
! God
This was assurely the conception Of the Hebrews
from whom Il issued largely and - ong 70 con'-
nat. Chr.stcnGom But the Master sereney
! c,nrron,s f. with the impas-!onei ana eSpnisFc
declaration " the text which has lis tr1nsccnding
authority upon Il. and which takes enI'ha@is from
ev.rv miracle which lie had wrought. each w"fd
OF won Ter which lie had spoken: THE Kingdom OF
! Heaven" or. as IN Luke THE kingdom OF ''"
"a IKE unto eaven which woman took. ana hd
{, ,brea -,eos,Ires OF mea, III the whoc was leav-
| e,eI" /; is no, IKE human empire vastly eh-
| tended highly organized. mighty IN equipment
solendil IN treasures ani going form thus 70 'ne
| CONQUEST Of the earth. II - Ike the subtle s"eh'
ncrvas.ve rrincip:e which hfis nnl transforms the
! tough and heavy lump OF dough into the proper
| broad material To that this son OF God dechr"s
| ,sat tho Klnqd,n OF God on earth is 10 be lkened
The Invisible force in which that Heavenly Kingiorn
beclns NAY come 10 exhibition IN the human spirit
through either one OF many !na'rum'1is bu' II must
come and come from above No outwar'l ore ~ "a "a
! I'm however ancient. opu'ent. r"nO~h-l' can 80, -
cure this for any man 10y slmpy l y. ."S,lk ''',
ritcs or elaborate manipulatiJns can KiFr one CHI
| zrnsnp In the Heavenly k!ngdom un'rss r.rUisn ,sn
Srrs rhe maiesiIc university is of no avah - me
| ~, r. at,, no c,reces mind unless T. can awaken
,.,,isi 80 estlratlon and sympathy with thought
| a,I y lie ,caTnfng. and - wh'n men say: lt"te
! O. ., nt, Inc Kingdom of G-oI. IN his Institution
ins special organzlti,n. thts vast dlstribnt~i 80
clrfy On Garth" the consciousn"ss u tht "or.1 re,
fH2mls, E., jihiT men in the spirit .hcc win
the Masters. which Is the lie "ithi" the "oD'
! And what ,s true OF in1!vluas is always equally
| md az eylont.y true among cOmhuilt's -. -
! In the organized societies whch ih'y 1,.,r
! There also the heavenly kingdom IL as IsaEen'
! working within and working 20 transform W Her-
therei IL is by this force o. public chnracisr And
| whatever ls thus gained comes 10 stay. ine u''.
| mai ciynzatIon u nations and o. mankind Is t.?
be established by debates. dp!omnces carriu. ,sa
| protocols. charming spccuntions, however ,n.or
may sometimes assist II, not by sciences ,ms,ri,
rrnn,s Of ~ not primarily by lrg!s.niions h2w'Ver
these may open the way u u - IS 20 CYrnr Cm.I VI
the central and dominating forces OF , r.n'"r !
| ch,rac,.r in those whom the GDspci instructs ana
insul-cs and VINO by Il are made )ust ana KrI", K,.
toWarl their fellows. while they are h.*o Drought
N'Tt Then +, is only too evilent for argument that
any artificial schemes for recpnstru,tlhs nH',i 10
sOc.fy and FOR making men ana hrlr hpus'i ~ =, -
,.irtu,ia and happy by mechanical change IN thrir
ouiwarl relations are foolish ana futle; Ih,nr
have been many men. ard are such t2-.'hF' -'n n
"rchisilc S0~ialisiic ComMunisiic. Nlhilstic lach
is bold and srlf-asserthe; ana ench eHpecS ~
bring the millennium IN hurry by s@t.dg nen nj II
they cannot No restless ferment In society hke
Ma; now Appearing IN thls land, ana IN others
is tr0phetlc OF good. AZ the power OF wise
and righteous love is IN IT. Socialisc theories
have their attraction. but they lacK si, an
society as IL H. among free people, can ever
fnaily be effective. Dynamite does not lift save
into which to tumble whatsoever patient nhusiry
has Gained Strikes and boycotts and confscation
OF sbeI tram iroe H1 r intSnded to be delivered From
Within outward. the change must proceed 70 % pe
permanent and benign From nnm penrann of GSi f.
not new equipment and furnishing OF .,h, nnr ny MI
external force 1t Is leavea wor.,ng now
IcavlnE this honored and venerable college, ard
going forth your work In the woridohere ~ we re
,ba ,e,cr I'm MS lies toward establishing the noblest
human gocIety: To do J, by making hne. atrong'
inspiring temper Of courageous equity ana ,2ve, (,
dnr,ei from Christ first rcgnant In ourselves then
| effective IN others "a manifested IN us' 1t ~ All