into his cap during the bidding prayer, and
sat down composedly afterwards, expecting not to be much
interested or benefitted, but comforted with the assurance that
at any rate it would be almost luncheon time before he would be
again thrown on his own resources. But he was mistaken in his
expectations, and before the preacher had been speaking for three
minutes, was all attention. The sermon was upon the freedom of
the Gospel, the power by which it bursts all bonds and lets the
oppressed go free. Its burthen was, "Ye shall know the truth, and
the truth shall make you free." The preacher dwelt on many sides
of these words; the freedom of nations, of societies, of
universities, of the conscience of each individual man, were each
glanced at in turn; and then, reminding his hearers of the end of
the academical year, he went on--

"We have heard it said in the troubles and toils and temptations
of the world,* 'Oh that I could begin life over again! oh that I
could fall asleep, and wake up twelve, six, three mouths hence,
and find my difficulties solved!' That which we may vainly wish
elsewhere, by a happy Providence is furnished to us by the
natural divisions of meeting and parting in this place. To
everyone of us, old and young, the long vacation on which we are
now entering gives us a breathing space, and time to break the
bonds which place and circumstance have woven round us during the
year that is past. From all our petty cares, and confusions, and
intrigues; from the dust and clatter of this huge machinery
amidst which we labor and toil; from whatever cynical contempt of
what is generous and devout; from whatever fanciful disregard of
what is just and wise; from whatever gall of bitterness is
secreted in our best motives; from whatever bonds of unequal
dealings in which we may have entangled ourselves or others, we
are now for a time set free. We stand on the edge of a river
which shall for a time at least sweep them away--that ancient
river, the Kishon, the river of fresh thoughts, and fresh scenes,
and fresh feelings, and fresh hopes--one surely amongst the
blessed means whereby God's free and loving grace works out our
deliverance, our redemption from evil, and renews the strength of
each succeeding year, so that we may 'mount up again as eagles,
may run and not be weary, may walk and not faint.'"

"And if, turning to the younger part of my hearers, I may still
more directly apply this general lesson to them.