The Baccalaureate Sermon

President Angelí delivered his 25th annual baccalaureate address to the graduatlng classes at üniversity Hall Sunday nlght in the presènce of au enor mous crowd, every seat being occupied and scores of people standing. Upon the platform sat President Angelí, Deau M. L. D'Ooge and a part of the Choral Uuion. Prof. Stanley presided at the great organ. The exercises opened at S o'clock with music by the chorus. Then Dean D'Ooge read a blble lesson and led In an earnest prayer. Major Casswell, of the ü. S. Navy, a brothor of Mrs. President A ngell, then sang a beautiful tenor solo, after whieh carne the address. Dr. Angelí took as his subject, "Patriotisin and International Brotherhood," and spoke for a little over half an hour. He read from manuscript and in spite of the fact that the subject is becoming a trifle worn made a pleasing ïhe speaker's reason for choosing such a subject for a baccalaureate address is aduiirably stated in this paragraph: "We profess, as individuals and as a nation, to be governed by the principies of Christian ethics. We are all agreed that patrlotism is so eoinmendable a virtue that wc despise, if we do not bate, a citizen who is devoid of it. We are all agreed that our nation, if it is to be respected by others or by us, must maintaiii its riglits with dignity and self-respect. "While our country cherishes this spirit of manly independence, what titude sliould it hold toward other eountries? What spirit sho,uld we cherish toward other peoples? What relations should we alm to hold with theni? These are questions whieh it seeius proper that you should consider in a spirit at once Christian and patriotic, as you are about to go fortü into active life, whei-e you will play an important part in shaping public opinión. I believe it is not unbecoming the day or the occasion that answer to them should be sought in the spirit of devotion to our country, of love to our race, and of reverenee to the Father of nations. "Providentially we are so situated that it has been easy for us, with a genuine patriotism, to develop our resources and to attend to our own affairs without much complieation with the Great Powers of the world, and without cherishing sharp animosities toward them. None of the States south rf us has been strong euough to be a menaee to us. The ocean has been our great bulwark against encroachments from the east. From the moment that wre escaped in 1798 from au entangling alliance with France, we have, with a wise instinct, obeyed the counsel of Washington to avoid any such allianee with transatlantic powers. All tneir dynastie disputes, their question of balance of power, their quarrels about title to territory, their envyings and jealousies, whieh have eompelled them to weigh tliemselves down with taxation for the support of great standing armies and immense navies, and have often involved them in dreadful wars, have not much concerned us and have given us no serious trouble. However, eagerly any one of the European nations may be watching to catch another at some disadvantage and fall upon it in war, not one of them desires aught but peace with us. More than once some of them have settled disputes with us by peaceful mcthods, which they could hardly have settled with eacli other -save by war. It would, therefort'. soem to be both wise and easy to continue our traditional policy of refraining from any part in purely European controversies, and to content ourselves with seeuring a just settlement of questions which grow directly out of our commercial intercourse with them. "On the other hand, there was a rational ground for the satisfactiou with which we saw France, Spain and Portugal withdraw from the American continent. Especially were we constantly menaeed with serious trouble with Spain so long as her territory touehed ours. Thougli the LatinAmeriean races, who inhabit the domain which stretches from our southern border to Cape Horn, have yet much to learn about the just administration of republican forms of governnient it is, in my opinión, a wise políey for our governmpnt to discourage the acquisition by European powers of any more territory on our continent than they now possess. If they are permitted to begin the carving up of the Central and South American states according to the process by which they are grabbing all the most ' sirable territory of the Afriean ' uent, we shall be in danger of having European controversies, from which we have kept alo.of, transferred to our ' own neighborhood. There seems to be no indleation that any European power is inclined to absorb any of the states of Central or South America, ' or would venture to do so, in the face of our strenuous protest. "But it is too mueh to espect that questions will not arise írom time to tlme-many of thein serious and düïicult questions- betweeu us and other natious.' We have of late years liad several suela probleius, espeeially in our relations with Great Britian. War. aceording to modem metliods, is sueh a dreadful calamity, that recently attontiou bas beeu ealled afresh to the inquiry whether we may uot make provisions wlth somc nations, if not with many nations, for tbe establishment of an international court, to Whlch difflculties that cannot be adj usted by the ordinary processes of dlplomaey, may be referred for settlemeut. It is conceded on all bands ihat this natiou is most happily situated to take the lead in so beneücent a movement. Our geographical isolation frees us from many embarrassments which a European continental iover might encounter in taking the iuitiative. We hare already been conspicuous in our efforts to diminish and to avoid the evils of war. We were the flrst to emphasize the rights and duties of neutrals. "The spirit, which should be fostered by our patriotic pride and by our consciousness of strength, is that of quiet confidenee in our power and of serene faith that no nation will lightly involve itself in serious difficulty with us. If there were no other reason for this faith, the delicate equipoise by which the great powers of Europe are kept from war with each other affords a sufficient ground for it. What European state could not be eugaged in strife with us without exposing itself at once to attack from some one of its neighbors, who would welcomc the oppoi'tunity? Their relations with eaeh other put them under bonds to keep the peace with us, if it is possible for them to do so." Dr. Angelí reviewed recent notable expressions in favor of international arbitration and spoko of the conference held at Washington a few weeks ago. It was there proposed, he said, that the government est-ablished a court of arbitration with Great Britain to be followed by similar agreements with other nations. In regard to this. he continued: "If now this country and Great Britain can demónstrate the practieability and usefulness of an arbitral eoiu-t, it is hoped that the chief Kuropean nations, who are not so grievously burdened by the maintenanco of enormous armaments and the constant solicitude about the outbreak of war. may imítate our example. These two great English-speaking nations have a most conspicuous, if not a dominant, part to play in spreadiug civil froedom and Christian ciïilizatiou through Ihc world. If they can avoid serious dissensions with each other, and be true to their traditions of liberty :md faith, it seems hardly possible to cxaggerate the influence they may wield for good. Can there be any -jreater aid to their co-operation in promoting the spirit of peace among natious iban their adoption of a permanent system of arbitration with each other'? "Let me repeat, it is not proposed to leave ourselves uuprotected against danger, to surrender a solitary right of an American citizen anywhere on the face of the eartli. to submit tamely to insult and injury from any power, to abate in the slightest degree the most ardent spirit of patriotism. We can with manly dignlty make it apparent to the world that we seek peace with all uations, but that we know our rights, and are bound, if neeessary, to defend them with our good right arms, that mueJi as we dislike war, we believe there are calamities more dreadful tban war, and that we are ready to resort to' war to avert them. But with tbe same manly dignlty we can show to mankind that we are willing to submit to a properly constituted arbitrary court all questions which are suited for arbitrament and that by our words and our example we desire to commend to all nations this peaceful method of disposing of most international controversies. whieh caunot be adj usted by the usual methods )f diplomacy. "I have thought it wise to direct your attention to tbis theme at tbis time, since you, as educated citizens, go out now into life to exercise an exeeptional influence on public opinión, and I wish you to exereise a wise and conservative influence in shaping our policy towards other nations. Occasionallj' I hear the charge that life in our American colleges and universities is tending to beget a spirit of languid patriotism and political indifferentism in the students. I believe the charge to be utterly without foundation. It probably grows from the fact that after the careful study of 'economie and historical snbjects, many young men find themselves unable to assent unqualifiedly to the sweeping or ambiguous statements of some political platforms. But with the recollections fresh in our memories of the days when so many of tbe bravest and best of our young men rushed . from these halls and from every college to the battle field, many of them, ,las! never to return, it is diföcult to imagine how anyone can question the burnlng patriotisia of the American studeuts. There is no brighter chapter in the history of our civil war than tliat which records the valor of lie youug men who rushed froiii the colleges to the front in 1SG1. No more is it true that, college students are not deeply interester] in our polltieal affalrs, though it may be true, as it shoultl be, that they are disposed to vise their independent judgment In de;iding on political doctrines. "It is because I have this confidence in your patriotism and in your purpose to bring a calrn and thoughtful consideration to irablic questions that I have asked you tonight to reflect on what is our proper attitude as a Christian nation towards the other great powers, and especially on our duty in establishing au arbitral arrangement l'or the settlement of international difficulties. The Europeau nations have cheerfully recognized the great services we have rendered to mankind by Inboring for the vindication aud the enlargement of the rights of neutrals and by furnishing so ïuany illustrious examples of arbitration. They envy us our exemption from the dreadful military burdens tinder which íhey groan. Is there auy higher and nobler service we eau now proft'er them than by showing them how to escape in many cases the dread arbitrament of war by the establishment of permanent courts? Xo nation questions our military strength. All nations will listeu with respect to our appeal for peaceful methods of settling controversies and will watch with sympathetic interest our well considered efforts to introduce these methods in our own intercourse with other powers. Rememhering that 'God hath made of one hlood all nations of men,' what higher honor can we wish for our people than that they should add to all their triumphs in the industrial arts and in the establishment of free and republican institutlons the splendid triumph of teaching all nations to live together as brothers under the blessed command of the Prinee of Peace." The exercises closed with singing, iu which Miss Donnelly, of Detroit, carried the solo part very sweetly, and a benediction by Rev. D'Ooge.