The Washington herald., 1907-06-03

George Washington University opened its
commencement week exercises at Cont
mental Memorial Hall yesterday afternoon
Rev Richard d. Harlan, son OF Justice
Harlan, delivered the baccalaureate ser
mon. Grouped on the stage behind him
sat the faculty Of the university, robed
and capped I'm academic fashion. The
graduating class, in caps and COWS, occu-
pied the front rows OF chairs, and large
and distinguished assemblage Of repre-
sentative Washingtonians filled the re-
manning part Of the hall.
DR.. Harlan chose as his text the four
teenth chapter and sixth verse Of John:
Il am the way, the truth. and the light"
His sermon. a brilliant and scholarly
effort, had as It's main theme Christ as
the personal center OF Christianity. DR..
Harlans thought was that personal Chris
tianity, If based upon Christ himself.
rather than upon any special theory of
inspiration. will not only render one Sc
cure from skepticism, but will give what
to many is the safest order of faith.
1T is not a great practical art" said
DR.. Harlan, ito try always 10 take hold
of what Washington GLADDEN. calls the
near end the earthly end of heavenly
truth For example. like the doctrine Of
the Person Of Christ, many a soul at
the beginning is only able to take hold
Of Christ's perfect humanity and by
stages Of knowledge TO rise to a faint ap-
probation of His full divinity. Such a
man. we will say, starts with the idea
that Jesus was only a man. though The
Man Of our race. In his hours of frank
cOmmunings with himself let us suppose
that he asks himself. If Jesus We're only
a man, why has there been only one such
man as Jesus? Why. during all these
centuries Of constant improvement of the
human Species as a whole has the race
never again blOssomed into such a flower
Why has the race never again touched
the high tide of perfect righteousness
which Jesus held as the settled level of
His character
VIII Begin to Suspect More.
IF such doubter as have described
follow this straight personal journey 70
Christ, rather than attempt TO thread the
mazes of mere dogma. he may after a
while begin TO suspect. as surely he must,
and may end in believing. as well he may,
that the utterly unique man Of the race
was more than man: and so he may 60
through all the gradations as he climbs
up to the full-orbed catholic faith that
Jesus was Very Man and Very Cod
But the practical method for every
doubter Is to take hold Of the near end
Of this great mystery Of faith and that
end is presented 10 us In Christ's perfect
humanity, and by gradual stages rise TO
an appreciation Of Christ's divinity Ad-
journing all difficult questions let the
seeker after truth only breathe the atmos-
phere Of these four gospels, open his soul
frankly to the teachings Of Jesus, give his
life up 20 the leadership OF Jesus who
alone out Of all our race deserves to be
the model for our imitation
When once q man really bows i'm rev.
erence before Christ's regal position In
the world Of mind and soul. then from
that time many things which were diff
cult become of trifling interest because
they are subordinate"
The faculty. trustees. and graduating
class Of the university assembled in front
of the Continental Hall and marched into
the building al { o'clock After an open
ing hymn lead by Sydney Lloyd Wright
son. Rev Samuel II. Greene pronounced
the invocation Rev. James Macbride
Sterrett read the Scripture lesson, follow
ing which Mr. Wrightson sang by the
Waters Of Babylon" Following DR.. Har-
lan's sermon. the assemblage sang Tenny-
sons Strong Son Of God. Immortal
Love" and DR.. Greene pronounced the
benediction.
Members of the Faculty.
The members Of the faculty seated on
the stage during the service were Howard
Lincoln Hodgkins. Ph. D.; James Hall
Lewis. D. D. S; D. Kerfoot Shute, A B.,
N. D; Henry Clay Thompson, d. D. s.;
John Marshal Harlan. Ii. D.; William
r. Phillips, N. D; William X Butler
A n, NJ D.; Charles Edward Munroe
Ph. D. William Allen Wilbur. A. M;
Charles Clinton Swisher. Ph. D.. LII D.:
Walter c. Clephane. Ii. NJ; Mitchell
Carroll, Pm. D.; Henry p. Blair LII NJ.
John Paul Earnest, A. NJ: Oscar F.
Austin, Ernest G. Lorenzen, Ph. D..
LII B., J. l.. D: George Lansing
Raymond. L. H d: Willlston s. Hough,
Phi B., Phi. NJ; Henry f. Kalusowsd
n d. Phar D.; Burton j. Howard. D. S,
Edward ThurstOn. Edward Adams Muir.
B. S; John W. Holcombe. A. NJ, N. Dip;
Charles Sidney Smith. A. NJ; Edwin y
Hill. PHI D.. Paul y. Peck, A. NJ; Fred
erick Z. Fowle jr., s. p.