Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-06-28

gymnasium with a large number in at
tendance. the hall being filled to its
capacity. Promptly at 4:30 o'clock the
procession filed into the gymnasium while
the orchestra played the professional.
President Guy Potter Benton, accom-
panied by the marshal. Capt. Stuart A.
Howard. led the way, followed by the
faculty and students
Following the professional President
Benton gave the invocation and the
doxology was sung by the choir. A Scrip
ture lesson was read from the Revelations
by the president and Dean Perkins offered
prayer. After a hymn by the choir
the president gave his baccalaureate SER
mon on 1.-The Merit of Passive Good
ness" Following the sermon, the clos
ing prayer was offered by President BEN
ton, and the choir sang 1.-THE Battle Hymn
Of the Republic" by Julia Ward Howe.
The sermon follows in full:
THE BACCALAUREATE SERMON.
TEXT. John, who also am your
Brother and companion in tribulation and
in the kingdom of patience of Jesus
Christ, was in the isle that is called Pat
mos. for the word Of God. and for the
testimony Of Jesus Christ" Rev. 10.
Theme:-The Merit of Passive Goodness.
The active forces in nature come with
impressive appeal to men and women
eager for accomplishment. The sun wav-
ing his golden scepter to brush away the
night and command the appearance of
the dawn. gliding the ocean with his
beams or galloping the Zodiac in his gilt
tering coach to overlook the highest peer
ing hills, challenges the admiration of
those who love action.
Then the wind with its infinite possi-
NJ ho hol ftu
destructive purpose in the fury Of the
cyclone or kissing away care with fra
grant caress. awakens, at will. by chang
ing moods, the emotions Of love and fear.
And the rain, gently falling to refresh
the thirsty earth in prophecy of abun-
dant harvests and bullying granaries, or
pouring in torrential vehemence like an
avenging adversary soothes into peace
full meditation or arouses indignant de-
hance.
The lightning flash with it's sequel Of
rolling thunder may bring terror to the
bravest heart while it exalts the soul by
majesty Of action as. free from all re-
straint, IL quivers and crashes across the
sky Men thrill with terrified respect
when earthquake shakes the old beldam
earth. and topples down steeples and
moss-grown towers"
Lowell was doubtless right in saying
EVERY man feel instinctively that all
the beautiful sentiments in the world
weigh less than o single lovely action"
and yet we all know that loneliness of
action can never spring from a charac-
ter that is not animated by beautiful
sentiments. In this world where the
chief emphasis is placed upon doing
things we may easily overlook the funda-
mental principles of firmness. steadiness.
poise. calmness and serenity as the in
dispensable preliminaries to worthy &C.
complishment. Is not rugged stability
more admirable than inconstant or in
consequential performance?
The human spirit is so attuned to the
movements of the universe that it makes
quick and sympathetic response to the
call OF the sun, or the wind or the rain,
the lightning. or the thunder or the earth
quake, but do not the immovable works
Of God also have mission Of Importance
In the world?
The lake is not self active 1t is placid
until furrowed by the rude prov Of the
boat or until roughly torn by the storm.
When the boat has passed out Of sight
and the storm has spent itself the wa
tiers return to their evenness and no
marks remain to show where the ruth
less beak has cut its Wayne scars are
the tempest. 1t is in this condition of
normal placidity that the lake tranquil.
lises our restless spirits and assuages
LIES disturbing anxieties.
Behold the mountaini The storm at.
tacks 1t and dies without conquering It,
1t stands forever secure and serene in its
passive resistance and dignity.
These active and passive aspects in ma.
ture suggest their human counterparts
Active and passive characteristics are
noticeable in different types of men. Fol
instance. we have active and passive
Christians. There are those who lead
actively but who fail because they are
not good. Again there are those who are
passively good but who amount to little
because of inactivity.
CRYING NEED OF THE WORLD.
The crying need OF the world is for q
symmetrical manhood and womanhood
We shall never approximate the perfec
unan Of one hundred per cent. efficienc,
until we develop in one personality tn,
proper balance between the active ant
the passive. May we not accept thi
statement as automatic? 1t is self
evident truth confirmed by intuition.
Without forgetting the inescapabl
duty resting upon each of you for tn,
passive strength of character essentia
to the quality Of civilization that will
make this old world all 1t may be, tn
particular purpose of this baccalaureat
discourse will be to emphasize the super
lative importance of giving attention t
the completest possible development O
. strong passive character. This Is no
in disparagement of the active side blu
since that is SO much accumulated Il
speech and print 1t is needful that tn
worth OF passive strength should be i'm
pressed upon young manhood and WON
anhood as the preliminary condition t
meritorious activity In full recognition
then. OF the need of a race of symmetri
cal men and women resulting from
proper balance Of the active and passiv
elements In personality let US assum
there will be no thought of neglectn
the active while we stress the need @
passive strength. How many times ha
the world seen men of the aggressiv
type OF John the Baptist and Napoleo
who have failed wretchedly because the
we're unable to stand up buttressed b
the strength of passive goodness in tn
hour Of supreme trial!
Active goodness dictates and may ar
tAgonise. Passive goodness commands RI
spect for character and may convinc
without action but, in any event. 1t
the necessaray supplement that make
active goodness efficient as compelin
influence In other lives.
Passive goodness shows at it's best whe
the feebleness of old age comes on an
active goodness is no longer possible
What an object Of pity or disgust is tn
old man whose active days were lived