Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1896-06-26
MlDDLEBURY COLLEGE.
ITS GOTH COMMENCEMENT.
THE BACCALAUREATE.

ment of Middlebury college began Sun
day morning, when President Brainerd
gave the baccalaureate sermon in the
Congregational church. The edifice was
well filled. Rev. A. w. Dickens, the pas
tor, assisted in the Introductory service.
Mrs. Miner presided at the organ and
had charge of the music, which was eX-
ceptionaly fine. Misses Elga and Jessica
Stewart Misses Ella and Mabel Bond,
Miss Bott, Miss Alice Miner, Miss Ber-
nice Thomas, Miss Antonette Peck, DR..
W. II. Sheldon, Alfred Woodward, Geo.
w. Stone, Frank j. Hubbard, Charles
Hubbard and f. ID. Cloyes composed the
choir The only solo was by Miss Bott.
President Brainerd's sermon was able
and scholarly, full of sound advice and
helpful suggestion. He took for his text
Job 10, "Shall we receive good at the
hand of God, and shall we not receive
evil?" An abstract of the discourse, to-
gether with the address to the graduating
class, follow:
The evils that befall us in life may be
placed in three classes. In the first
class are those that result from our
own mistakes and transgressious. They
are the natural penalties for wrong
doing. No thoughtful mind would have
it otherwise. 1t Is a necessary part of
the order of the universe. The wise
man will gladly learn the lessons
taught by failure, and be willingly
driven by the stings of punishment into
the way of righteousness,
The second class of evils comprise the
accidents and Affections and hardships
that may Overtalle the innocent. Such
experiences, if met with manly courage,
become the means by which we may
make advances in character other
wise impossible. Strength and virtue
come only after conflict. Bravery is
learned only on the battlefield. Out
OF strife energies the highest type of
manhood. Over the hill of Difficulty
and through the valley of Sorrow lies
the way that leads to the glOres Of the
Celestial City.
The third class of evils are those that
we have to bear for the sake of others.
The father suffers for the misdeeds of
the hayward son; and the iniquities of
the fathers are visited upon the children.
The bunders of general may bring de-
feat upon an army. The incompetence
of lawmaker may plunge whole ma
ton into financial distress. This is "A
necessary consequence of the common
life that we lead as social beings. We
derive our chief blessings from our rela-
lions to our fellOwmen and must share
their burdens as well as their gifts. \
generous, aflectionate disposition makes
toll and sacrifice for others pleasurable.
Life would not be worth living if
there were no obstacles to be overcome,
no evils to be encountered, no pains to
be endured. 1t is only when we falter
aud turn pale with cowardly fears, that
our enemies close round US and Cypress
US. We should learn to pray not so
much that hardship and trouble may be
removed out of our pathway, as that we
may have more courage and energy TO
master our difficulties and profit by our
Affections.
The hour is near at hand when you
must leave the familiar halls and shaded
walks of your Alma Mater, say good bye
to you Instructors and to each other
and scatter to the various fields of labor
to which opportunity shall call you. At
such time as this your thoughts natur-
ally turn to the future. Perhaps with
timid hearts YOU hesitate a moment be-
fore stepping forward into the uncertain
haze that hides the coming years. Or,
perhaps, the hopefulness of youth fills
the future with bright pictures Of happy
hours and successful achievement,
pictures in which the strife and hard
ship and WEAKNESS of life have no place.
We, too, who have known you so init
mately and so pleasantly during the
four years of your college life, cannot
help thinking in this parting hour, with
the kindest sOlicitude, of the experiences
that are before you. Our best wishes 90
with you. thar your chosen life-work
may be cOngenial, that you may have
happy homes, that men may esteem you
for manly worth and for wOmanly grace.
Fond affection would gladly, if it were IN
her power, place in your keeping Il
talsman, that would save you from all
mistakes and misfortunes and hardships,
and fill each passing year with continual
peace and happiness and usefulness.
But tins may not be; and shall we not
believe that our Heavenly Father has
wisely ordered it otherwise: Are there
not some lessons in life that we learn
best from painful mistakes; Are there
not high plains of character which we
can reach only by climbing the steep
and stony paths of toll and suffering :;
Are there not priceless blessings for our
feliowmen that are to be won only by
deeds of heroism and the sacrifice of
personal ease aud health and life:
There is divine talisman that will
make every life success of the highest
kind-cOmplete trust in God and I'M
llnchng courage, whatever evils may
befall us. This is the heavenly alchemy
that transmutes all pain and toll and
may this earthly life with its sin and
strife and suffering be the pathway lead
ing to the Paradise of God.
THE y. NJ. c. A. ANNIVERSARY.
Sunday evening at O'Clock the usual
annual observance of the anniversary OF
the college Young Mems Christian asso-
citation took place at the Congregational