Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-06-25
COMMEN CEMENT
WEEK OPENS At
MIDDLE BURY

Middlebury, June 21.--Presdent |
John NJ. Thomas delivered the bac-
calaureate address to-day at the open |
ling of commencement week at Middle |
bury College. The address was de-
Ilivered In the Congregational Church
(which was filled with relatives and
friends of the graduates and the
townspeople.
THE BACCALAUREATE SERMON.
President Thomas text was;
when l was a child l spake as a
child, l felt as a child, thought as a
child: now that l am become man. 1
have put away childish things" Il Cor
inthians BID.
The sermon in part was as follows
ct do not plead that college men merely
Iretain respect for the church as an In
sttution which has claimed the devotion
J Of many rare spirits and which has been
of great service to society; that they con-
tinue to reverence the Holy Bible. be-
' cause it has been a useful textbook of
morals in the education of the race, or
because 1t contains passages of great
literary beauty and power; nor that they
merely treat with consideration the doc
trines which have sustained noble souls
and which have commanded the respect
of many great minds. Religious man
hood demands more vigorous attitude
than this. 1t requires earnest and thor
ough effort to think through religious
questions for ones self. to worl; out a
personal creed that shall be the express
sion of his own conviction on the import
ant problems OF life with which religion
is concerned
! II am aware that creeds are not high
~ in favor in these times II Ia popular
l to reproach them as refugees for timd
spirits. rs attempts to stife investigation
7 and check the progress of free thought,
as ministers of unjust authority over the
mind and conscience. / do not deny that
, they have been so employed. but the
fault has been in the spirit of those who
, used them wrongfully. The misuse of any
, institution or practice does not prove that
It may not have true and proper use.
A creed is simply formal statement
{ or definition of the convictions of an in
e dividual or any association Of individuals.
Every man has one. whether he realizes
2 It or not 1t may be very vague or in
= definite, perhaps inconsistent and illogi-
cal, but as working theory of life it Is
= present nevertheless and seriously affects
= his conduct.
A MANS BELIEF.
THE creed of an earnest man, who has
attained some measure of knowledge OF
the worlds thought and life, should not
\ be vague and illogical, but definite and
clear, and In harmony with his knowl-
edge in other spheres, and expressive Of
= the spirit of his lie. Large portions of
f 1t may be in forms which have been hall
4 lowed by time Some articles may be
< adopted from the confessions of the past
I with new meanings attached to many
= terms, but held in no less sincerity. 9th
er convictions will be new, ones very
r own forged from his own observations
and experiences, and held In the same
> fixity and courage with which the saints
Of older days testified to the faith which
God delivered to them. 1t is the truth
. which claims our reverence, not of neces-
sity that which Is old. nor yet that which
, lis new, but that which commands our
- minds and holds our conscience as in
j, harmony with the reality the great God
: has enabled us to see.
THERE ARE REALITIES
There are realities in this world, chal-
longing our attention, upon which we
i must make pronouncement. We must
have some thought about the world it.
self, the vast means of things. whether
/ 1t is Ineligible or no, whether it Is n
y thing of system and order or law. or Of
i chaos and chance. 1t has been testified
+ that there is n spirit in all things that
- mind Is master and that matter is its
" slave.
1.-THE opposite testimony has been rem
dered, that spirit is delusion and that
what seems mind is the manifestation of
a matter. These Views have consequences
~ and shape the manner of the men who
hold them. If the dead are not raised
let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we
die man must place himself on one
side or the other. He must live, and the
spirit or the flesh must command his
r. life. We must choose some day whom
we will serve. and that choice should be
, deliberate and thoughtful. with regard to
W all the evidence from every source with
r the pitiess use of logic and all the
Al powers OF mind with which We are en-
ga dowed. Such an issue is not to be de-
"a termined by impulse or sentiment, by
90 tender associations or by gentle feelings
In If Baal be God, follow him despite al
T. consequences.
It, LET A MAN USE HIS MIND.
10 Let q man use his mind, and all thai
y" Is mature and strong within him. Let
him read the scriptures with open intel
'e ligence. shielding no fact from the light
u refusing no information from any source
u as to the truth OF the history. the ma
30 ture Of the writing, the worth of tn,
:" ideals therein set forth. If the Bible Is
- not dependable, If 1t be not worthy o.
" reverence. let us find 1t out We do no
- want guide We suspect can not be trie(
40 and proved, which we are holding merely
~ to please some old-tme friend or be
10 cause OF the pious custom Of the past.
W. Let man read the gospels and stud,
~ the words and character of Jesus Chris
with the freest mind and a Judgment a.
~ devoid OF prejudice as he can make II
II the Galileean master be but one o
- the heroes of history. let us know It, !
his precepts and commandments be no
49, suited to the enlightenment of the cen
- turtles let us discover that. If they hav
. been mistaken who have seen in him tn
:, Image of God, We do not want to follow
~, their mistake, We want to see him fac
to face, and If we reverence him, W
=, want to reverence him with all our be
ing as one who commands the homage o