Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-05-15
18TH ANNIVERSARY
OF the Bangor theological Seminary cele-
bsated at Bangor.

Bangor, May 1.-THE 18th anniversary
Of Bangor Theological Seminary began
today, with examinations In the forenoon
and afternoon. In the evening at the
First Congregational church addresses
commemorative OF the 18th anniverssr ~
were made. The exercises consisted OF
music ny the seminary choir. prayer by
Rev. G. w. Field, ID. D., addresses BY
Prof. H. L. Chapman OF Bowdoin College,
president of the board Of trustees, and
Rev. H. p Parker, ID. d., Of Hartford, ct.
DIR. Parker prefaced his address by
graceful reference to the relation which
his father, grandfather, and father-in-
law had sustained to the seminary, his
father as trustee, and Drs. Pond ana
Harris as professors, and then announced
his subject as "Cbristianity the Con-
summation Of Manifold Revelation of
Gods Truth and Grace to Mankind.
He gave the following synopsis:
Christianity is composition and bar
niony OF things old and new. 1t Is his
torically grounded, and yet possesses
originality. Its preparations were not
along one line only, in one nation, but
along many diverse and convcrging lines
IL ia invariable in its essential spirit in re-
spect of its forms 1t Is spiritual as OPP
posed to Iegalism. Emanating from and
subsisting in u personality In whom the
Fatherhood Of God, and also the universal
spirit Of humanity were most fully ex-
pressed, It Is universal in its scope. Its
fulfiilment Of things old. not only in
Israel but elsewhere; It's harmonious com
blnation Of prophetic testimonies where
ever uttered; It's spirituality and free
dom: its comprchensvcness and fulness;
and the divine genius Of Him in whom
are evermore the chief sources OF it's
power; these are tho marks Of its com
pletepess and suiIiciency. The speaker
sketched the genesis of Christianity out
OF Judaism, showing, however. that Jesus
WINS far less influenced by Jewish forms
than Paul. The earthen vessels In which
Paul held the Gospel treasure were often
distinctly Jewish, and gave to his prescn
tstion of the Gospel tints and tones, IL not
shape and form, which do not necessa
rily belong to IT, but only to the vessel
containing It, Yet. here in New England,
some Pauline pcculiarities have been set
forth as tho distinctive and original
features OF Christianity. The greatness
and glory of Paul are not his handling
and shaping Of particular doctrines, hut
his apprehension of the universal spirit
of Christianity and his fidelity to that.
Jesus fulfils In a wonderful way. spiritual
IL, and as opposed to all legalism and
Journalism, the great ideas lodged in
Israel
One OF the nest striking features Of DR..
Parker's discourse was his earnest de-
A. %hat ..,I I~rI
never left himself without witness In
any nation. The pref Christian revelation
was manifold, along many lines, among
many nations. The prophets by whom,
In past ages, God spake at sundry times
and In diverse manners, were not all of
the Jewish nation.
Jesus fulflls all that these widely
scattered prophets have uttered, har
monizing their diverse and partial notes.
This he does, not by laborious eciecticism.
but as simply speaking out of the fulness
of his divine inspiration. God spoke par
italy and Professionally by the prophets
here and there He speaks conclusively
and finally by his son. This is the only
true explanation of the striking SINH
larities between Christianity and other
religions. They are such as might be
expected, since it is the same God who has
spoken by the prophets and by Jesus.
All the great ethnic religions have been
provisional dispensations of God, with
gates of salvation All have their fulfil
mont in Christianity which Sits out their
chaff and retains their grain. From
this point of view the vexed question of
probation Is relieved of many difficulties.
In all this tho originality of Jesus ar
pears Not in so-called distinctive doc
trines, but in the spirit OF the master
himself, and of his doctrine and kingdom,
does the originality consist He is the
word incarnatc, consummating all
prophetic testimonies, and by his lifo and
death reconciling the world unto God
as we'll as revealing God to the world |
Nothing in all history is SO original con-
elusive and attractive as the cross.
DIR. Parker spoke at length of the
spirituality and freedom of Christianity
as giving 1t universality and finality.
1t was not fixed In any doctrine, institu-
tional or ceremonial forms, but left free
to adjust itelf to varying conditions.
Its stability is largely owing to its formal
And tho course of its his
tory is strewn with the wrecks of sys
TENS constructed to contain and convey
It, No immutable organization, no
changeless creed, no inflexible liturgy,
no sterotypcd Interpretation, no invari-
able typs of experience. no fixed methods
Of administration could have been uni
versal. 1t is only as with all saints
that We can he able to comprehend the
great Dimensions of Gods grace in Christ.
Not under the dome of some petty church
or denomination, but under that of the
should we live. God gives
us part In the great communion of AL
saints" saints of every age and cline
and nation and tongue. We need to real
ize this privilege Comprehensive views
of Gods ever operative and world en-
bracing grace. will give us Catholic ex-
periences and fellowships. God give us
all the larger view, the larger hope, and
boundiess charity. q