The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1895-06-08
COMMENCEMENT SUNDAY.

with our own citizens ga feast OF reason"
Bishop John IL. Vincent, who honored
the college with his presence, is one OF
the greatest men of the world. He was
the originator OF the great Chautauqua
movement. He has been Chancellor of
the Chautauqua University since its
organization, and was elected Bishop of
the Methodist Episcopal church in lSSs.
He has at various times written and pub
!ished valuable works, which have ound
a cordial welcome and carefnl reading in
thousands of libraries. He was born in
Alabama in lS33; has the degree of d.. ID.
from Ohio Wesleyan University, and the
degree of l.. l.. ID. from Washington and
Lee. His liie's work has been one OF
browning usefulness, to himself, his
country and his God.
1t is not surprising that when the an
nouncemcnt was made that the Bishop
was to preach the baccalaureate sermon
for Central college, it created great inter
est. As early as 9:30 O'Clock Sunday
morning the congregation began to
assemble. At 10 o'clock the church was
comfortably filled, AT 1890 it was crowded
to it's utmost capacity. There were per
haps n thousand people crowded into the
church. Every inch Of standing room
was occupied by anxious heare RS, and
hundreds were turned away, being una
BILE to get in sufficient proximity to the
great preacher to hear his voice.
An excellent program of music was
arranged, and this was finely executed.
NJ ....,,,, ,.,rn arronI aud tho sarrnnn
most excellent, 1t was n rare treat to all
who heard it. Delivered in a mastery
manner, 1t left an im%perishable stamp
upon the hearts of all.
Below we publish a large extract from
the sermon, that those who did not hear
it may enjoy reading it:
BACCALAUREATE SERMON.
The text is taken from the Gospel ac-
cording to st. John, q :21-22-"Peter
seeing him, saith to Jesus, Lord, what
shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him,
Ii | will that he tarry till | come, what is
that to thee? Follow thou me-"
We are familiar with the circumstances
under which Jesus spoke these words.
He had taken n meal with his disciples.
He had asked Peter the question, Lowest
thou me?" He had given Peter the three
fold commission: Feed my lambs; tend
my sheep; feed my sheep. He then fore
old the fact and circumstances of Peters
martyrdom. INSTEAD OF asking for grace
when the time of testing came, Peter
took for granted that he would be able to
stand firm in the hour OF temptation, and
seeing that Jesus was making revelations
concerning the future, he asked concern
ing John, "What shall this man do?"
Jesus, designing, as 1 think, TO reprove
Peters undue self coniidence and his
inordinate curiosity, turned upon him
and said, 'If / will that he tarry till /
come, what is that to thee? Follow thou
me-
Here we see Jesus, the Word of God, the
revelation of heavenly truth to humanity,
refuse to give answer to n question asked
10y one OF his own disciples; Il question
which was most natural and legitimate.
This was not the first time that Jesus
refused to answer the questions of men.
lie was often silent When men sought in
formation concerning the things which
related to His Kingdom.
The transfer of our thought is as
natural ms ii is easy, from the attitude OF
the word incarnate to that of the Word
IN the Book. Here is the law of the con-
ceaied and Of the revealed in Christ. In
the Word OF God is also the law OF the
concealed ana OF the revealed.
| shall today call your attention to two
propositions: The Bible, although a reve-
iation from God, does not reveal all that
the curiosity of man Graves; and, second:
= AN. Rfhkara Though il does not reveal all
nfiosity of man Graves, does re-
man needs.
So many questions which
u asking, which 1t is assumed
INN Bible answers, to which, in
reality, the Bible gives almost no answer
at all. II says tn US, as we ask questions
about the intermediate state, heaven, hell,
the philosophy of the Atonement, and the
philosophy of The Trinity, "What liz that
40 thoeY' The Bible is not a systematic
system OF theology; IL is not arranged
like II dictionary or encyclopedia, in
alphabetical order, SO that one may easily
turn and lind his questions answered and
his doubts removed concerning all Of
these mysterious subjects. The Book
says: "What is that To thee?" IL does
not say much about our dead, whom we
have buried in the grave. 1t does say,
.'absent from the body, present with the
Lord" but II does not reveal the phenom-
ena Of the other life. We a~relleft in an
uncertainty about most OF these subjects.
IL does assure Us Of an immortal life, but
it, does not unfold the circumstances of
that life. The questions which it refuses
To answer are questions which ii IL most
natural Tor us To ask. They are questions
which its partial revelations strengthened
within us. Peter would never nave
thought OF asking about the fate OF John,
IL Jesus had not first told Peter about his
own fate. If j were to go to ten ministers,
representing ten different churches, and
ask them some of these perplexing ques-
tons OF religious philosophy and the
future life, they would say, "Give us time"
II were to leave with them an ample
supply of paper for their written replies,
4 should, after several months. receive "A
yoiuminous correspondence, which il
would require weeks to read, and then !
hnnlH find that on these Snhiprtg
although these men studied but one book,
there WIS a wide difference of opinion.
What, then, is the value of the Bible, if
il fails to reveal what W. are most eager
60 know? This leads me to my second
proposition-that the Bible, although it
fails TO reveal all that we cnvet, hoes
reveal all that we need. If, with Jesus, it
says to Peter, what is that to thee?" it
also says to Peter and To us, through all
the ages "Foii0w thou me-" | insist that
however unsatisfactory the Bible may be
as "A revelation in certain lines, it is abso-
iutely perfect as n revelation OF duty.
Here there IL no lack. The Bible reveals
the objects of ~duty-the Father, the Son,
the Holy Spirit, the human race. 1t re-
Veal5 the nature of duty-tO the Father.
love: to the Son, faith and obedience; to
the Holy Spirit, an open and receptive
mind and will; to my fellow men, love.
~ reveals the reasons of duty-to the
Father. love. because He is my Father;
to the Son, obedience and faith, because
this is necessary 10 the reception OF the
truth He came 10 reveal; 10 the Holy
Spirit, an open and willing spirit, that /
may be guided by him; to my fellow. men,
good will, because they are my brethren.
How dc know all of these things? A
child knows them. The Bible reveals
them. The Bible reveals doctrine only SO
far as II is necessary to aid in human duty.
At explains no philosophy. 1t gives the
truth, and expects you and me TO obey.
The Bible reveals truth authOritatively.
Its words ring with the power OF Il divine
command. Daniel Webster once said at a
dinner table at the Aston House, in New
York, when asked for "the most serious
thought that ever entered his mind":
"Gentlemen, the most serious thought
that ever entered my mind is the fact OF
my personal accountability to Almighty
Cod
The Bible reveals duty illustratively. II
J have two books giving an account of the
battle of WaterluO, for eXamplc-oue OF
the books printed in plain letter press
ana the other full Of maps, diagrams and
picturcs-have you any doubt as tn the
book which n boy would choose if | offered
him his chOiceP lie says, "Of course, 1
Nill take the book that has the pictures:
can understand il so much BETTER
What humanity needs is not words of in.
strucilon, but II living example. There.
fore, Jesus said TO Peter, Follow thuu
mr." And therefore,, Jesus, through his
Holy Word, says to humanity cverywhcr,
and ia all ages, Follow thor me-" lie
- the incarnation uf duty. A boy OF
twelve yeara OF age, forming his tastes
and habits, bears Jesus say, Follow thou
me-" A young nInn exposed to tcnIpta.
tons on the side Of his body, his spirit,
his profession. hears Jesus say, ''Fullow
NIl., mn - a man la FAIt ,Et..- 80, I...