Taylor University - Ilium / Gem Yearbook (Upland, IN)

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Sdmmij Morris There was a man sent from God, and his name was not John, but Samuel Morris. He came from the west coast of Africa, where his father was a king among the Kru people. He came as a simple, unlettered negro boy to New York City; he came as one pitifully ignorant and yet as one marvelously wise. His ignorance consisted in not knowing the world, his wisdom consisted of his knowdedge and his explicit faith in God. Samuel Morris was a prince in his native land, he heard about God, he hungered and thirsted after righteousness and peace, he agonized and wrestled unceasingly with God, he prevailed, and became a prince in Israel. Through the words of a Spirit filled missionary, Samuel Morris heard about the Holy Ghost ; his interest became a passion ; his passion led him across the Atlantic to New York City, where he was told that there was a certain Stephen Merritt who could instruct him more perfectly concerning ' the promise of the Father. ' This African prince was one of those, ' who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions. The captain and the crew that brought him to New York were converted. He spoke in a mission in New York City and lo ! the altar was full with repentant souls. Directed by friends he came to Taylor University where he wrought righteous- ness and obtained the promises. The simplicity of Samuel Morris ' s faith was beautiful. His Father was his constant companion, and his life overflowed with the rivers of living water. Taylor University can never cease to honor and love this African boy, who brought with him the very touch of Christ. Like Enoch he walked with God and was not, for God took him ; and to those who saw him go, it seemed that as another Elijah, he be.stowed a double portion of his spirit upon the school. Beloved by his friends, and with his heart set upon returning to his native land, it seemed hard to have his pure, brave life cut short, but surelv it was because God loved him so dearly and wanted Sammy Home. And the spirit of Samuel Morris; the spirit of faith, of love, and of holi- ness, still prevails in the school he loved. Like a mantle the spirit of Sammy Morris rests upon us, and he being dead yet liveth. There was a man sent from God and he came from the west coast of Africa and his name was Samuel Morris. Page Twenty-one

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Commencement Spedkers for June, 1926 As the annual goes to press the President announces the probabihty that Bishop William F. Oldham will be the baccalaureate preacher and that Judge Elbert H. Gary will l)e the commencement speaker in the coming season. An- ticipating the visit of these honored leaders in religion and industry we would add to the completeness of our Gem by giving an introductory sketch of each. I ' dSHOI ' WlLLfAM F. (JlDHAM Uishop Oldham, born in ISangalore, India, December 1. . IS. 4, has l een a bishop twice. He was elected Missionary Bishoj) for Southern Asia by the General Conference of 1894. He withdrew from that office in 1912 to serve as a Corresponding Secretary for the Board of Foreign Missions, but was eleected a regular iMshop or general superintendent at the General Conference of 1916. An important fact about Bishop Oldham in the estimation of Taylor Uni- versity is that he is a spiritual son of Bishop William Taylor, ha -ing been con- verted under the ministry of the illustrious namesake of our institution. The fond friendship of P)isho]) Ta} ' lor for this school seems to carr ' in tlie heart of Bishop Oldham. l ishop Oldham was educated in Allegheny College and the ' i ' heological School of Boston University. His degrees of D.D. and LL.D. were conferred by Allegheny College. He was the founder of the Anglo-Chinese School at Singapore, one of the great schools of the East now having an average enroll- ment of 1875. In the good old days that marked the closing of the Nineteenth Century. Dr. Oldham rendered some valuable service as professor of Missions and Comparative Religions in Ohio W ' esleyan University. His experience in church work has been varied. In his younger days he rendered some vears of pastoral service in the United States, but in the larger field he has been felt as a minister and a statesman in the affairs of the church on almost everv mission field. He is a world traveler, a lover of humanity, and a man of strong faith in God. His present mission field is the continent of South America over which he is the ])residing official for the Methodi.st Episcopal Church. ji ' DCE Elbkrt H. G. rv judge Elbert H. (jary is well known in the industrial world. The articles in Who ' s Who does the unic|ue thing of withholding the year in which Judge Gary was born, but we are told that he was born on his father ' s farm near Wheaton, Illinois. He is one of the many successful men who got their start in the country. Judge Gary is a man of clean life and high moral ideals, a lover of young men, and an exemplary American citizen. His high position as head of the United States Steel Corporation has l)rought him into many industrial discussions and made it necessary for him to grapple with vast economic problems which in his young manhood were not settled and which today are only partially settled. He has always been a fair and dispas- sionate student of the issues between capital and labor ; and, while some years ago he was condemned by lalior leaders because of his lack of sympathy with the eight hour day, we think this should not be construed as a lack of sympathy for plain and struggling humanity. There are two classes of men who have to work all the hours that they are not asleep. Those are farmers and adminis- trative officers in organizations and institutions. Judge Gary started out as a farmer and climaxed as an administrative officer. He has therefore known nothing but long hours of labor for himself. Judge Gary is a well educated man with splendid legal training. He was educated in the University of Chicago, McKendree College and Lafayette Col- lege. He holds degrees also from Lincoln Memorial University, Trinity College, Syracuse University, and the University of Pittsburgh. Page Twenty-two