Boston University - HUB Yearbook (Boston, MA)

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THE CRY OF TI-IE SOUL. A BAeeAl.AURRA'1'E ADnRi:ss.' In the Heart of Man A cry: In the Heart of God, Supply. A month ago in one of our daily papers, I chanced to see a poem from the pen of a well-known Boston author. It is not often that I stop to glance at poetry in a daily sheet, but this I read and read again. Then I cut it out and proceeded to read it a third time. Its tone and matter impressed me not a little. It seemed the moan of a soul consciously sinking into a fixed and final Adespair. Let me give it you : - LURD, ifI climh to my desire With all my strength of hope or prayer, To-day lieholds me nothing higher Than yesterday, and I despair. llave I not striven these threescore years To change my nature? I-Iave I failed Through nights of terror, days of tears, To tight what foes my soul assailed? Lo, life has left me wholly weakg Ev'n the small heart I always had Deserts mine age, and when I seek Strength from the cross, it drives me mad 'l'o feel that I have no more claim Than Cain for mercy. 0 my God, Ev'n though I plead in jesus' name, Why shouldst thou sparc Thy chastening rod? 1Delivered before the Graduating Classes of the University, by the Presi- dent, on Convocation Day, 1888.

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18 l BOSTOzV UxV!VL'lI'S1TY YEAR BOOIK. JOSEPH G. THORP, LL.B., Cambridge, Srhoalnfl.nw......................... ....INs'I'RUcI'oR. , EEEN TOURJEE, MUs.D., Franklin Square, Collgge of flfzlsfc .... .... ...................... .... ........ D I ' IA N. LUTHER T. TOWNSEND, S.T.D., Watertown, Srhaol uf Thmlqgy- - . . -- - - -- - - - . .- . . - . . .PRM:'I'IcAI. TIIEOLOGY. JAMES UTLEY, M.D., Newton, Sfhav! fy llleflir-im' .......... ....... I .IICIIIRIIR IIN NIINOR SURGERY. BALFOUR H. VAN VLECR, SLB., Andover, Collqge of Liberal Arm. . . .. .. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . LIcI:'I'URII:R IIN Bromcv. JOHN H. VINCENT, S.T.D., Plainlield, N. j., Sffhool of Yheolqggf ...................... ........ L ECTURER. CHARLES S. WALKER, PII.D., Amherst, ' L'ollqgw.' 4y'.fLgrz'ml1m-e, MIcN'I'AI. ScIIcNcIc, PoI.I'I'IcAI. ECQNIIMY, PAs'rok. CLARENCE D. WARNER, S.B., Amherst, Cnllqge ly' .-Lgrzkzrllure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MA'I'IfIIcMA'I'Ics AND PIIvsIcs. WILLIAM I . WARREN, S.T.D., I.L.D., 829 Broadway, Cambridge, UlZiUL'f5f4jl .... ...................................... P RESlDl+IN'l'. WILLIAM MARSHALL WARREN, A.B., Cambridge, Cullqgv If Liberal .-Irl: .... .... ...... I N s'I'RIICI'oR IN M.x'I'IIIsIIIA'I'Ics. CHARLES WELLINGTON, PII.D., College Qf.'1.g l'ffIIflIlI'c' ---- ----- . AssIs'I'AN'I' I'RoIfI':ssnR or CIII:xIIs'I'Rv. ARTHUR H. WELLMAN, I.L.I3., Malden, Sfhpol ly' Law ...................................... INSTRUC'l'0R, CONRAD WESSELHOEIIT, NLD., 302 Columbus Avenue, Srhaol of1llen'ir1'm- ........... ...... 1 'A'I'IIoI.uI:v ANI: 'I'III:RAI-I-:II'I'Ics. WALTER WESSELHOEIW, NLD., 97 Mount Auburn Street, Cambridge, Srlwol qf lllcrifcim' .... ............................... O B5'I'E'I'RIcs. FRANCIS WHARTON, S.'I'.D., LL.D., Washington, D. C., Sfhool fy Law ................................ CoNIfI.IcI' oIf' LAWS. 7 GEORGE E. WHITAKEIR, A.B., Somerville, - Callqgfc afL1'bcral Arr: ............... INS'l'RUC'l'OR IN MATHI-:MA1'Ics. WALTER H. WHITE, M.D., Hotel Clifton, School ry' lllca'irim- .... ................................ I AIIRARIAN. GEORGE E. WHITING, Franklin Square, Follqge of xllmic .... ........... J ........ O RLIAN ANI: CO5II'OSI'I'IUN. SARAH S. WINSOR, M.D., Hotel Berkeley, S4-kool of lllarlzkiur' .... .............. A ssIs'1'AN'r IN OIIs'I'B'I'RIcs, I-:'rc. DENTON G. WOODVINE, NLD., 739 Tremont Street, Schaul If lllea'1'n'm- .................. .... D Ismslas OF 'I'IIE TI-IROAT. CARL ZERRHAN, 130 Chandler Street, College fy' lllmil. . . ....ORA'I'0RIO ANI! ORCI-IIes'I'RAI. CoNnUc'roR.

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20 BOSTOAI ZLVIVERSITY YEAR BOOK. Yet, strike no more, for I am downg Grant me but this, to pass, and ceaseg Give to thy saints their heavenly crown, I ask but nothingness-or peace: That peace which passeth, as men say, The understanding of mankindg 'Tis hard to understand what way Of peace may be for men born blind. The words haunted me for days. I said to myself, Can it be that a man of letters, a poet, a seeker after ideals, living in such a focus of spiritual life and inspiration as ours, after sixty years of struggle for good things must confess himself left in such black- ness of darkness as this? Is it possible that this is the sole consummation and fruitage of all his strength of hope and prayer? Was it for this that, through the threescore weary years, he per- sisted through nights of terror, days of tears, to fight what foes his soul assailed? ' As I mused I seemed to be present at the place and hour of this touching utterance. I seemed to see the man himself and the hand that dashed upon the paper such tempestuous lines. Prone upon the writing table, whereon the lamentation with scarce-dried ink was lying, he had bowed his head, and as he lay I heard him moaning yet again, Lo, life hath left me wholly weakg Ev'n the small heart I always had Deserts mine age, and when I seek Strength from the cross, it drives me mad. fl' 4' ll ll' ,W lk 4' I ask but nothingness -or peace: 4- io- -or x- in Ill as- 'Tis hard to understand what way Of peace may be for men born blind. Overcome by so pitiable a spectacle I turned away 5 but as I did so I heard a Voice, a nameless, formless Voice. A sweeter I had never heard. I was glad when I noted that its words were addressed to the victim of despair. Its first utterance was, Have I been so long time with you and yet hast thou not known me, Thomas?