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


the Spirit itself beareth witness with
our spirit that we are the children Of
| God. That witness Is the Indispensable
preliminary to works that live.
| You can't do business until you know
the business from the bottom up. You
cant practice medicine or law until you
are familiar with the underlying prin-
ciples OF the profession. You can't live
religion until you have experienced 1t.
| without passive goodness, resulting from
appropriation Of the Holy Spirit, for the
necessary foundation there can be no
superstructure Of active goodness. It
were necessary to choose between the
two-to develop one and leave the other
| undeveloped-there can be no question
but that the choice should fall upon the
| Dasic element. Does II not clearly fol-
low. then, beloved, II you would make
your lives count in the service of man
kind, you must see to II. first of all, that
your characters are established so solidly
that they will be able to resist the most
Violent assaults the forces Of evil can
hurl against them?
CHARACTER AS THE CHIEF ASSET.
Our great captains of industry-life in
| surance presidents, bank directors and
railway managers--are men whose char
acters are the chief assets Of the insti-
buttons or corporations they represent
Because their passive worth Of person.
! Atty is generally conceded their word is
taken at face value and their associates
defer to their Judgment. This same
ldown-reaching virtue is necessary to
guarantee respect for those who are set
In positions of intellectual and moral
| leadership. 1t is the main assurance Of
confidence essential to the success Of the
I, small business man. to the mechanic and
the day laborer. No compatibility be-
! tween husband and wife, no respect for
parental advice ia conceivable apart from
the reciprocal respect that sincerity in
sures to make family connections ideal.
There can be no cordial fellowship among
nelghbors unless neighborly relations are
backed up by substantial confidence in
mutual probity.
The greatest tragedy in the college
world is that wherein a young man or
woman supposed to be a student is simply
playing a part. Failure to attain the
highest scholastic standing faithful study
can bring on the theory that extra class
room activities have greater educational
value than the discipline offered by the
challenge Of the curriculum is culpable
sophistry. The pretense of college life Is
not real college life. 1t Is arrant hypoc-
risy to profess to be a student when you
are nothing but Stacker" II any one
in this graduating class has been taking
JUNCTION to himself for neglect Of his
highest privileges on the ground that he's
an all-round college man he has stulti-
fed himself by pretensions which have
limited his largest usefulness as an UNI
dergraduate.
Popularity based upon activities that
arc incidental only to the prime object of
tho college is always ephemeral. The
student who enjoys the lasting respect
Of his fellows is the one who gives at
tention to the main purpose of student
life and then does his best to supplement
his success in the classroom or labora-
tory by lively participation in every le-
climate phade of student activity. /
dare say there is none of you about to
) graduate who does not entertain some
regret because of omissions you now
find II too late to rectify. This Is the
experience of every honest man. am
not speaking. though, Of those who are
obliged. as all of us are. to make confess
sion Of occasional lapses from duty.
have in mind those who hug the delu-
, sion that the adventtious can compen.
safe for lack Of the intrinsic. II through
the pity or indulgence of your teachers
you have been able to get away with
, stimulation of realities during these four
years I beg you to believe me when
say It will be impossible for you to dc
SO in the larger realm where you will
find yourself tomorrow and the day after
, The counterfeit is soon discovered. The
refining fires Of the world are relentless
in separating the dross from the pure
gold.
/ believe most Of you are young mer
, and women faced in the right direction
You may not always have put first thing:
first but your purposes have been serious
! You despise sham and honor truth. II
, you have failed to exercise yourselves Il
{ the utmost in building sturdy passivit,
, let me enhearten you now in this last
, official message Of your student days by
, bringing the cheering assurance that il
is not yet too late to make correction o.
4 error and to strengthen yourselves fo
the conflicts which await YOU by tn,
) stern resolve that come adversely or pros
6 perity, you will establish yourselves II
the possession Of that passive goodness
which will bring you contentment despite
all contrary winds. which will guarantee
3 you the respect of your fellow-men ant
which will win the approval OF you
God.
COLD PASSIvITY MORE VALUABLE
) THAN FEVERISH ACTIVITY.
Cold passivity is more valuable as
social asset than feverish activity. Mis-
fortune may strip you of all your ma
terial possessions but no disaster can ro
q you of your true character. II that is al
1t may be. with nothing else remaining
you will be worth more to society thai
, your neighbor who has only houses an
4 lands and stocks to back up a bustlin
,. display. You may be stretched upon
II bed of incurable illness and yet in physi
z cal helplessness your strength of char
( acter may send out from the sick-roor
- an influence that will accomplish infinite
O be wrought by the dazzling efforts Of tn
n person with Astounding health.
q Let me remind you of a great parabl
= uttered by Jesus during His eartly min
v istry. In the matchless sermon on tn
. mount He referred. to those who ga
q Lord, Lord. have we not prophesed /
Q thy name? And in thy name have cas-
. out devils? And in thy name have don
X many wonderful works." This was t
emphasize the need of a more valid pass
). port to divine approval than mere word
j. or ostentatious performance. Then Fl
z declared "Whosoever heareth these say
|. ings, Of mine and doeth them, Tor livet
h them), I will liken him unto q wise maj
n which built his house upon a rock; an
Q the rains descended. and the floods cam,
y and the winds blew. and beat upon this
1 house; and 1t fell not: for it was founde
o upon a rock"
d This rock-like manhood and woman