Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-06-29

lily w nl/llNO
there is so much order and beauty and |
love in 1t. while the beings who make 1t |
such have the power to mako il tho |
abode of misrule and folly and hate You
and ] cannot nulify Gods purpose Of
filling His universe with intelligence and |
music and JOY and love. but We can re-
tard the day Of their full coming. and we |
can count ourselves out of this bright |
contamination OF all things. But We can
also hasten tho day OF this glory, and earn |
the right to rejoice with God and with all |
Ills co-agcnts in this most certain and
most cxultng of all trumphs.
What is it that makes life worth living?
II is to have part, consciously, strcnu |
uously. joyfully. with those. those per-
sons those agencies. those lives. that ara
working together for good. John Bur-
ruehs says that certain birds in Cali
forna were mute until mon and women
came there with their human songs. ana
then the birds began to sing with them.
Happy birds that could add something
to the melody of the universe! Happy
mon and women who have found place
in which they can add something to the
sum OF things which work together for
good, 1t is a wrctched thing to be a
misnt in lifc--to be bunglerto feel That
one is not where one can do his best.
But worse even than this is 60 be in
some measure conscious of what one s
life ought to be. and may be. and then
to commit what Dante in his great solemn
words calls "the great refusal Happy
is hc-not who by the unwse Kindness
of ancestors is saved from the necessity
of working-not he who has finished his
work and is rcsting--not he who con'rivcS
to SHIFT his work upon others-not ho
who counts happiness by lcssened work.
hours and more holidays. but he who
has found congcnal work in which sue
cess is possible but not casy-work in
when personal success and public hene'it
go hand in haud-work which always
bcckons forward to new achievement
and which has in it no finali'y. near or
rcmotc--work which will bear tn" test of
prayer every day and the high approval
OF metlitative Sundays-work in tho
doing OF which, he 1t simple ana
humble. or vast and conspicuous ne u.s.
IN his way, and with his light working
with all things animate and inanimhte
things present and things to come, with
principali;ics and powers. with every
created thing. with Gods universe win
God IIimsolf in and through all, for good
to them that love God.
ADDRESS TO MEMBERS OF THE
GRADUATING CLASSES.
One special charm Of the season
through which sou are passing III the
dals Of this week is the ringing OF
the joy AMI the SCI ious in your thoughts.
| dave
hut we trust they are now and in your
remembrance always will he happy days.
and We Will all do what we car to make
then such So far as this particular funo-
ton is concerned there should he no DIFF
iicutv in making it II happy one. The
old HYMN says truly religion never
was designed to make OR pleasures
less" Eat til. pleasure of It graduate
ON baccalaurea,c day should he deep
and real one one loohin, before and AFT
ter. taking large account of all things
the pleasure no longer Of Il hoy or girl
hut Of a man or woman. OF all persons
in the world to be congratulated and
cnvied is one who coming TO this day with
good health. good scholarly attainmo hts.
and a clean moral past. LOOKS cat brave
~ and r2soutcly uron II good life to be
lived. 4 good work to he DONE Il good
name to he won. in such days. many or
few. as the providence of God may OF dan.
But no such work can lie done-nO such
life !ved-this is what I have tried 70 help
yol: to Sec-until certain great controll-
inS principles are scttlod-and settled
right. Are you going 10 fight against the
stars or go with them in their courses?
Are You going To trv whether YOU can
outwit truth. and beat justice, and get
the better OF moral law and WIN out
against Gods goodness and mans
or are You going to cast III
your fortunes with these elemental
forces of right living, and get what sue
cess and happiness may attend them.
come what may. The one great lesson of
your college studies, if they have been at
all worth while to you. the lessons of Sci
encc and history and literature of mans
body and mans mind. is that truth and
work. and duty and faith. and love ara
ife--that all opposed to them is DEATH
that to ignore the spiritual law of the
universe is not merely to be wrong, and
in danger of being wicked, but that it Is
to he dull to he stupid--to be in the
plain, honest language of scripture. "a
foOl"--that to be wise Is to get hold Of tn.
secret of the universe, and to live by it
and that secret il summed up in three
words. law, obedience, love. You must
pardon me for assuming that these Gucs-
tons may be still unsettled with any OF
you-and I will most cheerfully pardon
any resentment you may feel at such an
assumption.
Well, then, with the undersi anding that
these questions are settled, on that issue
We bid you Godspeed. You are going to
find out, each one in his calling and work.
the truth of things. and what it requires
Of you. I have said that to find the truth
of life is possible. but not easy. More
than half of the joy of life would go out.
if it were easy. The best books; the lat
est researches in ones speciality; the best
men and the best women for companions
ship. Sunday meditation and worship; long
views ahead when you can, short views
when you must, broad views always, fire.
quent returns from the strife of opinions
of tongues to the old home, and the old
church, and the old college, sanctuares
always for world wearied hearts
these are great helps in keeping the
mind sane, the heart true. and the ideals
OF life unhurt.
May now, as a closing thought, put
lyou on your guard against the one great
peril OF our times-which for lack of "A
better term l will cali "unccrtainty"
about the great matter of which ] have
been speaking'-nOt the doubt which was
so prevalent in some former times