Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1902-06-16
GREAT AUDIENCES
Heard the Sermons in Com.
meneement Hall Sunday.

bisteu-ADstfacI OF baceaiaureat'
Sermon.
Great audiences we're present al
Commencement Hall at l ] a. m. and
$50 p. m. Sunday to hear the ser
mons Of the distinguished pulpit or
ator, DR.. F. NJ. Bristol, Of the Met
ropolitan NJ E. church, OF Washing
ton, ID. G. Dr.. Bristol is a preacher
of great renown and was President
Mekinley's pastor during the -four
years preceding his assassination
Although he has been in the Chris
tian ministry for quarter OF cen
fury his youthful appearance sur
prised his hearers. In magnificent
oratory, splendor of diction, logical
discussion and grandeur of subject
matter DR.. Bristol's efforts were
masterpieces OF pulpit eloquence
and they will be long remembered by
his congregations. At the morning
services DR.. S V. Leech was the
Chaplain and at the evening,services
Rev. j. l.. McCuteheon was the Off
ciating minister The great hall
was crowded on both occasions. The
morning sermon was the Baecalau
reate and the evening discourse was
the annual sermon before the Young
Mems Christian Association and the
Young Women's Christian Associa
ton. la the morning gowns and
caps were worn by the graduating
class, the professors and regents, the
President and Chaplain, and by DR.
Bristol. Mrs Snee presided at the
organ. A double quartette rendered
"TheKing Of Love my Shepherd is.
Miss Clark sang"Oh Divine Redeem
err accompanied by Miss McMur-
ply, Mrs. Snee and Mr., Spence, on
the piano, organ and violin. AT
night Mr.. Spence, Prot. Chollett,
Miss Clark and Mrs. Snee rendered
some choice music. AT night the
text of the eloquent discourse was
And Jesus entered a boat that was
Simon's." The following is a sy
nopsis of the able morning sermon
Eye men of Athens, in all things pre-
eeiYe that ye are somewhat religious. -
Acts xvii:22.
Paul came to preach where the elo-
quence of Demosthenes had thrilled
the listening multitudes, to hold up a
new moral standard where Aristotle
had taught his noble system of Eth
les, to discourse on world origin where
Alar 20 ia nil ha
ogony Of Herod to speak on immor-
tally where Plato had "reasoned
welln and where Socrates had died a
martyr to his glorious hope. As he
walked the streets Of the world most
classical and elegant city he was
scholar enough to know and man
enough to appreciate all that human
culture had done for the Greeks and
all that the Greeks had done for the
worlds intellectual development.
That day his mind did not revert to
the stored past, be did not recall the
ancient splendor and in imagination
hold converse with the mighty minds
who had created art, philosophy and
song.
He was absorbed in the condition
of Athens as he found it and his spirit
was stirred in him as he beheld the
city full Of idols. But there among
the id dis be found an altar with this
inscription: "To the Unknown God. "
1t was revelation to Paul. He saw
in that altar the evidence Of a surviv-
ing spark of Greek spirituality, the
proof that the Athenians were some
what religious. But that altar was
the best human reason could con-
struet. Upon it was inscribed the con-
densed wisdom of thirty great and
original philosophers, the deduction
of ten centuries OF thought and spec
ulation, the result of the long and
brilliant history OF Greek intellectual
ism-"To the Unknown God.
1t was here that Paul the Hebrew,
Paul the Christian found common
ground with the Greeks: "Ye are
somewhat religious" This altar and
this inscription tell the story. 1t is,
maybe we stand on common ground,
we belong TO one universal God seek
ing humanity.
1t has been claimed that mans diff
Terminating characteristic in the an
imal kingdom consists Of his being a
talking animal, reasoning animal,
tool making animal, tire building
animal, clothes wearing animal, a
TODD cooking animal or a laughing
animal, bat the philosophical Burke
was nearer the truth when be said:
"Man is a religious animal" Where
ever and whenever we study people
we shall find that man is universally
and always somewhat religious. Even
idolatry is the degeneration OF relig
ion. The idol is but the reduction
of the spiritual to the sensuous
Mans desire has been to see God, and
he has invented forms for Him but il
these forms he has not found but has
lost God.
La studying theSworld's great sys-
TENS Of faith we shall find there was
in each OF them originally noble
thought, an aspiration, mighty
question pouring itself out toward the
infinite, an effort to solve the awfu
and pathetic mystery q things
When we find our way th.N 81 al the
forms and symbolisms in Men Inar
has tried to express his ID pes an6
fears, his awe and faith, his Npse OF
the supernatural, We dnd stillNhert
in the heart of universal man anV tai