The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-06-08
ANOTHER $IOO,8OO
Mr.. Dukes Latest Generous
Gift to Trinity.
"a GREAT SERMON )"
WHAT EVERYBODY SAID OF DIR.
ROBINS BACCALAUREATE
SERMON.
TRINITYS BIGGEST COMMENCEMENT
When Mr.. Dukes Letter Was Read Strong
Men Threw up their Hats and the
Good Women Cried for
Very low,
Very Joy.


Durham, n. c., June 7.-(Special.)- y
This is Trinity week in Durham, and tue
coIors of Trinity are waving from stores
and residences. The growing interest of
Durham in Trinity is more and more
evident at each commencement. AS early
as Saturday people from all parts OF the
State began to come in for Trinity COM
mencement, many desiring to hear the
baccalaureate address of President Nil
go on Sunday night. There are more
people here than have ever attended
commencement before.
On Wednesday morning the chapel
was filled with II large crowd to hear
the annual commencement sermon by
DIR. John Il. Robins, of Georgia. Mem
hers of the Durham Choral Society sang
MY Country It's of Thee" and Dr. J..
X. Brooks. of Salisbury, led in prayer.
Dir. Robins is Il man of commandlhs
presence, has rich, clear voice ana
speaks with great power and mt times
with eloquence. Although stranger TO
North Carolina. he has filled the most
important appointments in the Georgia
Conference He established himself IN
the minds of those who heard him as one
of the strongest pulpit orators ever
heard in this part of the country. Ills
theme was n large one, and his preseh-
tation of it, illuminating and inspiring.
"A great sermon was heard on an
hands. We can give only very made
ouate impression of the effect 1T pro
duced by the synopsis here given. Ills
text was from Matt. 24:14: And TINS
gospel of the kingdom shall be preached
in all the world for witness unto an
nations; and then shall the end come.
We bring down the largest and best
things to suit our own standards. we
must consider to-day the greatest life OF
which we are capable and the highest
thought that we can think. Christ stand
inc in the presence of his disciples, talked
not OF the temple, which had been the
glory of the Jewish race. talked not or
the institutions and ideals of his people,
but turned their attention to the nations
and kingdoms and empires OF all the
world. His gospel is of individual sal
walton as the all important thing. but
we must enlarge our vision to that OF
all the world and all time.
Some people have thought that Coo
sat on a throne far away from the
world and was mad Mt all who did not
obey him, but He is in love with all peo-
ple and wherever we find nation we
find some thought of God working itself
in their life. One alvine thought runs
through all the ages. there is n unity
in Gods kingdom. Men in all ages have
been dreaming of truth. This thought
came to the speaker. through the page
Of German philosopher, but after study
ing the histories of many people the
thoughts of many men. he turned TO
Paul and found that Christ was the key
that unlocked the meaning of this unity
in the world. All that we have loved
and hoped and cared for is in the Cos
pei.
The Bible is the message of God to
each of us. He speaks also through ma
ture. through history. through art and lit
erature and the mind and thought OF
God are illustrated in all that is. Men
in all ages have been picking mp the
fragments of truth. that like Il diamond
was crushed into an infinite number Of
pieces. and will be restored to its beau
ty AT the end of time.
The preacher then discussed the king
dom idea as developed in the text. The
kingdom of God is nothing less than
the whole race. He will establish -
kingdom as great as His thought or
gospel. He cannot define this kingdom,
Christ could not. and Paul, the most
MAGNIFICENT mind, falls back placid in
his contemplation of its infinite glory.
There are many kingdOms-the bird has
it's kingdom, and the fish, but man is I'M
like these in that his mind and soul
know no limits. | cannot limit myself
Christ established the laws of mans
kingdom. In His short life of three years
he laid down enough for man to do for
ever. His kingdom extends not only to
the present. but to the future life
Every kingdom is built upon one
point-in Greece, it has the beautiful, in
Rome it was law, in America it is lib,
erty-the spirit of which is found in all
our institutions. But the kingdom Of
God. that has in it all the nations of the
earth has as its central idea the gospel
of Christ. The success of this kingdom
will be brought about by the personality
Of Christ He did not rely on temples
or institutions, but on himself. Mahomet
and Napoleon are illustrations of the
power of personality. Christ is the one
to whom Moses and Abraham and Isaiah
looked forward, and to whom st. Pau
and John looked back as the greatest
power in all the world. He thought one
thought that has in it the good destiny
of every man.
DIR. Robins closed by directing specia
remarks to the graduating class verS
appropriate and very forcible.
After the sermon DR.. Jno. G. KilgC
read a letter from Mr.. Washington
Duke giving another 100000 to the en-
Iowment fund Of Trinity College. (Tht
letter appears Observation-Disclosures
The reading Of this letter was greeted
with round after round of applause
Strong men cheered and the good wo
men cried for joy.
The town is full of visitors and bust
ness houses and residences from on'
end of the town to the other are decora
Tod .,.ilL LIZ I'M, ;t,rl.. cnlor