The Portland daily press., 1895-06-24
DEERING.
WestbrOOk Seminary Commencement
Begins.

With the Baccalaureate Sermon by Presi-
dent Whitman in All Souls Church.
The commencement exercises of the
Westbrook Seminary began yesterday
forenoon with t. he baccalaureate sermon,
delivered by President Whitman in All
Souls church at Morrill's Corner. Presi-
dent Whitman took his text from Mat
thew 10th chapter, 39th verse "He that
loseth his life for my sake shall find it, y
The sermon was devoted to the consid-
Grafton of service in the Christian cause
Following is an abstract of what he
said:
There are certain epochs which form
turning points in history, in which there
comes pause and men stand in eager
expectancy for the acknowledgements SO
in the life history of individuals, there
come times when the old things have
passed away and we stand on tiptoe for
the new life developement, such time has
now come to you, members of the class of
'95, who are about to sever your connec-
tion with Westbrook Seminary. 1t is a
turning point in your lives.
In the paradoxical language of our text,
we have the Christian philosophy of life.
There is to be losing OF self, a giving
out of the best thought, the purest affec-
tion, the noblest life That is the key to
lifes' highest good according to the Chris
tian system
In Kidd's s'Social Evolution" we have
clearly set forth the enduring value of the
struggle for life. But it is a onesided,
and therefore, an imperfect account of
nature. In Dummond's Ascent of
Man., we trace the other element ever
working in Nature, the struggle for the
Life of Others. In this we find the basis
for Atheism in sympathy, tenderness,
unselfshness.
1t remained for Christ to bring this
principle into life and make it
regnant power in the world. He founded
a kingdom on the basis of self, denial
and sacrifice The great purpose of this
kingdom was new moral creation Of
the race For the first time in history
love was exalted to its true place. Christ
made it the very core of his system and
sent his followers forth to face death in
loyal service to mankind. The heather
world stood aghast. See how the Chris
tians love one another, and are ready to
die for one another, }" they exclaimed in
amazement. This Christ spirit has been
transmitted from age to age throughout
the Christian church.
If man is to rise into his true life, he
must be absorbed into the spirit of this
grand principle of self forgetting love. 1t
is only by losing our life that we find it.
Selfshness is poverty. 1t is the most
utter destitution of human being. All
great workers, men who have stamped
their impress upon the world, have been
men of a mighty passion. They have lost
themselves in absorbing devotion to the
work they were doing. Duty and neces-
sity will make men faithful, but never
inspire them. Love, on the other hand,
adds to absolute fidelity glow and in
spiration which are creative
You stand in an age more glorious than
any that has gone u before. The
opportunities for effective service will
never be wanting to the heroes of the goth
century upon the affairs of whose hearts
burn brightly the flame of enthusiastic
love and chivalrous1 devotion, oraGod, hu-
manity and truth.