Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1895-06-28
COMM ENJOYMENT.
WHAT WAS DONE AT MIDDLEBURY
COLLEGES 05TH.

college, which began sunday morning
and ended Wednesday night. 1t was. an
exceptionally pleasant one for several
reasons. In the first place, the class OF
24 members was the largest sent out
from the institution in 56 years. Then,
too, the college management finds itself
well provided with funds with which TO
do business, the alumni are pleased with
the new order of things and everybody
is hopeful and happy, as they have cause
for being. A detailed report follows:
THE BACCALAUREATE.
The exercises began Sunday, morning
at 10 40 o'clock, when an audience that
filled every seat in the house gathered at
the Congregational church to hear Pres-
dent Brainerd's baccalaureate. Rev. \.
w. Dickens, the pastor. assisted in the
Introductory service; Mrs. G.. d. Miner
presided at the organ, and the singing
was done chiefly by double quartet
made up of Miss Elga Stewart, Miss
Mabel Bond. Misses Anna and Katha-
rne Slade, DR.. Sheldon and II. f. Wells,
IL. Parker Williamson and Earl l.. Cush-
man. First came an organ voluntary,
followed by the singing of the doXology.
Rev. Mr.. Dickens made the Invocation.
Then the quartet rendered Dudley Bucks
re Deum. The 10Th Psalm was read
responsivelv hv Rev Mr.. Dickens and
the congregation, and choir and congre-
CATION sang HYMN 235, clark Hark, my
SOUL" President Brainerd read part
of the sixth chapter of Matthew and Of
fered prayer The singing of hymn 27l,
"We may not climb the heavenly sleeps"
by the choir, and of a solo, "With ver-
dure clad" by Miss Anna Slade, fol-
lowed. Then came the sermon. which
L II. IL -. Il.
dent Brainerd's topic was Gods Best
Gifts Come Unsought" and his text the
second verse of the l275h Psalm, at is
vain for YOU that We rise up so early,
and so late take rest. and eat the bread
of toll; for so he glveth unto his beloved
i'm sleep" An abstract follows:
"Some of the best things in life are not
to be gotten bv striving for them: but
are Gods free Gift to those who have
learned to love and serve Him.
IL. HdpDiness is not to be had bv
striving tor it. Though what men as a
rule most desire. it will not come on de-
mand. Money cannot buy It. social DO
sition cannot secure il. learning cannot
bring It. 1t is rather the sweet bene-
diction of God which falls on those who
are living as he would have them live.
Solomon was the grand monarch in
Jewish history: but in spite of his
abundant means of happiness, his life
was moral 4ailure. The book of
Ecclesiastes is graphic picture of the
melancholy that comes at last to the
selfish seeker after pleasure. IL is the
weary cry of pessimism which ever
rises from the soul that in the pursuit of
happiness has proved false to the high
est ideals of faith and love. Pavl's lite
was a marked contrast. His labors and
suflerings were abundant, but he never
felt that "all was vanity and veXation of
spirit" The happiness which Solomon
strove for in vain came to Raul un-
sought and unexpected. as it does to all
heroic self-denying souls.
al. The esteem Of o,r feUormencomes
as Gods gift rather than as the fruit of
effort. The skllful marksman does not
aim his arrow at the object that he
wishes to hit: he aims above 1t. If we
would secure the esteem of men. we
must not aim at it. but at something
higher. Even a good deed that is done
to secure the approval of others is not
without a blemish. The men and women
whom the world most delights to honor
did not seek the honor, but were intent
upon accomplishing the mission on
earth TO which theV were aDDOinted No
| man achieves true glory by erecting ms
own mausoleum or bv writing his own
epitaph.
iii. The hiqher qraces ofcharucter are
Gods Gift to his beloved and not mat
ters of personal attainment. We may
be selfish and unwise in our attempts
even at moral culture. The religious
recluse seeks to avoid all contact with
wickedness. to give his thoughts to de-
vout concentration. to stimulate the
religious emotions. and to aspire after
holiness. But one rises to higher
plane of manhood when he enters into
the proper work of life with all earnest
ness and energy even to the verge of
self-forgetfulness when he is more So
licitous to discharge faithfully his OBJ
legations TO Others than to look after
the interests even of his own soul,
Christ has said. "He that loyeth his life
shall lose its. and love of life NAV con.
sist not only in seeking our own ease
and pleasure. but in striving even after
perfection of character. TOO assiduous
attention to self.culture is ever defeat
ing its own object. If the soul is TO at.
tain to Ire HIGHEST oNyoallonco it n,uet