Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-06-29

WIN Inc baccaInureate service, which was
held Mt the First Church instead Of on
the college green, on account of the nclem-
ency of the weather, At 4:30 O'Clock the
medical seniors marched into the church,
followed by the young women OF the class
and the academic seniors. After the nvo-
cation by the Rev. G. G, Adama paator of
the church. tho Doxoogy was sung. Mr..
Adams read the Scripture lesson, from
Micah, ", IL, and Gloria Patria was
sung. Dean Perkins of tho college of arts
and sciences. who. with President Benton
Deans Nutey, Hills and Tinhham, and Mr..
Adams, occupied the platform. led the
prayer, after which the Portuguese hymn
was sung. President BENTON then Dolly
ereh the sermon on tho sub
1ect, THE Permanently CO the King
dom OF Cod" The closing prayer was Of
Tered by President Rcuton. and Onward
Christian Soldlers' was sung by the con-
sregation. after which the president gave
the henodiction. The church was filed to
capacity with undergraduates and friends
of the graduating class.
PRESIDENT Bentons sermon follows in
fun
THE PERMANENCY OF THE KING
DOM OF GOD
Text "How great are His signs,
How mighty are His wonders, His
Kingdom ia an everlasting Kingdom
and His dominion is from generation 10
generation
Daniel IV-s
The irrepressble longing for perma.
nence Ia manifest in the ambition OF the
universal man for an undying name
ho
neunce wealth. temporal pleasure and
even physical comfort II by such re.
nunciation they might gain assurance
of eternal fame. Some have ambition
to find immortal honor in one way
Others hope to attain It in ways that
arc different.
The missionary Of the cross gives him
self up I'm what he believes is a com.
plete self-abnegation. to spread the
truth OF Christ. but as he bids farewell
to Kindred and native land. he sees ii
the tear-drops that fall on his own gar
ments and that glisteu I'm the eyes OF
loved ones, the reflection of a hope thai
snail find fulfllment in far NOR,
exceeding and eternal weight Of glory.
The privations endured by noble mer
and women I'm heroic service for tn,
spread of righteousness and for human
up-Eft are none tho less commendabl,
because the workers believe they are in
vesting their lives In ways that will
Insure them perpetual influence.
1t is In the halls of statecraft tina
most men hope to find somewhere
niche that will defy the flying centuries
and that will withstand the erosion o
the endless ages No empire has eve
been established, no kingdom has eve
been planted. no government instituted
which has not found its beginnings II
hopes for its everlastingness. Caesa
refused the Roman crown because h
aspired to live in memory as the found
er, rather than as the ruler, of an en-
during nation. Napoleon was insanel,
selfish, but his selfshness found it's ex
preston In the daring plans tina
had for their ultimate object the per
petuation OF an obscure Corsican nam
In an indestructible French empire.
The reason for the uncertainty OF al
uncertain governments is ever found II
the lack of an indestructible religion
basis My main proposition to-day, grow
Ing out of the text is this: The kingdom
huilded ms n superstructure upon
foundation of true religion, is an ever
AStng Kingdom.
CALsE RELIGIONS BEGET FALSE
IDEALS.
Go to tho history Of the fallen ma
tions of the earth: look to those tina
are topping to-day; and the inevitabl
conclusion Ia that false religions hav
hegotten tho false moral ideals that
full-Prown. have brought governments
overthrow
Tho civilization OF ancient Greece chal
lenges the admiration OF the genera
tions Athens is still the synonym q
culture Sparta Is yet the model @
persistent courage, The periclean Az
Is the golden epoch of craftsmanship I
the annals Of time, Why, then, ! won
der, did not this rugged, little sea-gir
and mountain-ribbed country OF olde
day culture and valOr and statesmanshi
endure? Go to the gods of Greece 70
the answer. The Olympian deites were
in the minds of their worshippers, bu
men ana women, exaggerated and ON
nlpotent. If Zeus and IIera had humd
destinies in their keeping, and If Ell
phasized virtues were incarnated |
them, they were also believed to b
monsters Of nccentuated human passion
al a2petites.
The fervent relgionist always pei
sonifies his god and takes him as HI
pattern. Greece Respondent in the men
DRY of n Homer a Plato, a Miltiade
and Praxities, wasted from influenc
to insgnlficance because Its civilizatio
was thus unHound at the heart -cente
because Its people found sanction &c
immortality In religion whose deitit
were the exemplars of vices easier
imitation than their virtues,
India with wealth Of natural resource
llns wrapped up within It the possibil
lies Of invincible empire, Hinduisr
though, with its hateful caste systeI
with It's bodily torture, with its bigh
ed childhood, with Its hdeous doctrii
of TRANSPORTATION and with it's hums
funeral pyres, has reduced India to
condition of absolute impotence, 1t
no wonder that England has made it
fruitful dependency
China. by the rhctorician. ~ ,u,o
'The Sleeping Giant" among the n
tions. The metaphor Is hardly a goo
one Tho provinces Of China, eaC
dominated by It's own petty viceroy a
the republic of which they are mempe
does not find n body sufficiently kr
together to make of II n healthy orga
irm, A giant suggests strength, a.
China Ia not strong. II Is the playthii
of tho world, Tho reason for Chine
imnotenco ia I'm the Chinese religiO