Boys High School - Epitome Yearbook (Reading, PA)

Page 51 text:

1 Lfarralanreatv Svrmnn REV. GUSTAV R. POETTER, Pastor St. Mark's Reformed Church Sunhag, dum 13th, at 1H.45 A. ill. SPIRITUAL GROWTH John 5:17- My Father worketh even until now, and I work. It is a mistake to think that the creation was finished long ago. Modern science confirms the teaching of Jesus that God is ever working in the midst of the processes of creation. Lazy people necessarily are uncomfortable in this world ever in the making. VVe cannot escape the truth that we are forever sur- rounded by an infinite and eternal energy. VVhy do we feel the breezes on the mountain top? VVhy do we still feel a mysterious energy on the beach of the ocean? Vlfhy everywhere is there motion which we cannot ignore? Simply because God is at work in such physical energy. And this is equally true of revelation. Indeed, it is erroneous to teach that the only revelation is that which we find in our Bible. Not only to Moses and to John has God spoken, but to all mankind from the dawn of human history. He has never left Himself without witness. To be sure, Jesus is the highest type of incarnation. There is none like Him. Yet our incar- nation is the process by which we are to climb to the heights of grandeur with Him. Yes, we are conscious of the physical energies around us, and rightly so: but of greater significance it is to know whether we are equally conscious of the spiritual energies which are within us. If we shall think a moment, there are three factors in the spiritual processes of mankind which help us to understand that the Father worketh even until now, and that .lesus worketh with Him. The first factor we find in the prophets. They are God's spokesmen. They echo the moods and passions of their day, and they are the agents of revelation. Wfe may differ from a prophet, we may resent his demandsg but, mark you, his voice marks an era in human progress. And such a man must be prepared to make his revelation. Godls thoughts have found their way into his mind. Nothing comes by accident. And we may say that all dis- coverers are prophets. Columbus. Galileo, Kelvin are prophets in the fields of science: Moses, Isaiah, Paul, Augustine. Zwingli, Luther, VVesley are prohpets in the field of righteousness. Every voice bears us a little further onward. Nature does not take leaps, either in material or spiritual affairs, but nature is forever moving forward. And we know, too, that what a prophet proclaims in one age is frequently cap- tured by legalists and becomes crystalized in another age. And then what does God do? He allows another prophet to come and to break the crystalization, and rightly so for the progress of the world. Moses taught in the law, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. And this law of Moses was a long step forward in improv- ing the law which he met in his day, when it was custom to knock out two eyes of another who had knocked out one. And then jesus came, centuries later, and said: 'Ye have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, but I say unto you, Resist not him that is evil, but whosoever smiteth thee on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. Here is the Christian principle of non- resistance. VVhat are we doing with it? We still lean heavily toward the law of Moses in our supposed Christian civilization. The early Christians sought to maintain the principle of Jesus. George Fox emphasized it and the Society of Friends are its witnesses. Tolstoi made some daring attempts in it. Gandhi is suffering because of his adherence to it, though not a Christian. This illustration is one of numerous instances in the Bible to show the process of moral and spiritual development under the prophet's guidance. This service of the prophet to mankind is of inestimable value for improvement ever of the world of human beings.

Page 50 text:

+I ,:::-:it ,. :I-' ,cm K . THE EPITOME ...., .J 5': ' N -'-F1 sie gv. ,., -a. .., .- .3 a s HOWARD B. ZIEGLER-Latin Scientific uzigxr uziggieu Gold Barg Treasurer of Class, 3, 4, French Play, Rosalie, Zelos, 3, 44 Operetta, 4g Class Gift Committeeq Thespians, 2, 3, 4, Treasurer of Red and Black, Student Council, 2, 4. Why, of course, this is Antony-that great singer in that greatest of operettas. Howard, we fear, will some day become a great singer. CBut not until he learns to sing.j He can keep the keys of a piano in motion without much eHort. For two years our philosopher has taken charge of the pecuniary end of our class. So if any money has escaped, we shall know where to look for it. 'tZiggie is a sputterer of one of the romance languages, as was shown in the French Play, Rosalie Truly, Howard has been a noble supporter of his school during the past four years, and he deserves much credit. He expects to go to F. and M. and study for the ministry. Pax vobiscum. SEYMOUR ZIFF-Latin Scientific Zipf, 'iStudious Zelos, 3, 4g Class Foot Ball, lg Camera Club, 2, Debating Team, 3, 43 National Oratorical Contest, 4. Bang! Zip! VVheeee! Don't be frightened, ladies, it's only our quietC?j little Ziff. For the last six years t'Zipf has been the terror of the teachers of Reading High, and it was only the thought that he might some day graduate that kept many of them from com- mitting suicide. t'Say-a-Lot is a shark with the wimmun and is to be seen wherever there's a jazz band. His favorite tune is, f'Kin I Lend Yer Notebook? Studious was a prominentC?J member of the Zelos, and he admits that it was through the effort of that society that he became such a famous speaker Chis most frequent speech, VVhen do we eat? j. Ziff is a fine fellow, and we are sure he will be a success, if he goes straight. n 'N if ia SE: ri! W

Page 52 text:

50 THE EPITOMPL Next we observe that reconciliation is another factor or element in the spiritual processes which confront us as spiritual beings. Wliat do we mean by reconciliation? Its three-fold meaning is expressed in the recognition of God in the affairs of the world, the recognition of God in the relations between us and our fellows, and the recognition of God in the coming kingdom. God is here. God is not an absentee God. It has always been difficult to recognize God as con- tinually present with us. We may think of Him when in Church services or when under some religious influence, but we too frequently lose sight of Him in the common duties of life. In other instances He is an absentee God all the time- somewhere far, far away. The history of Christianity has not helped us to a better understanding of an ever present God, whether we look at it from the Roman Catholic or Protestant point of view. Mr. Bryce has shown us that the pagan Roman Empire was transformed into the Holy, Roman Empire when Ceasar became Pope, with prefects and sub- prefects as archbishops and bishops and a long line of dependencies. The system remained essentially the same-absolute imperialism. The Pope was the vicar and representative of God. That is an error, for God does not need representa- tion. God is here. He has always been here, and He always will be here. Protestantism, in the sixteenth century, went back to the Bible, and made the Bible a kind of constitution of God, leaving Him still enthroned somewhere far away in the universe. Protestants rested their case on an infallible Bible as Roman Catholics had rested theirs on an infallible Church. The issue was clearly de- fined, but God was still an absentee. And then came Biblical criticism, which weakened the infallibility of the Bible, as Protestantism had weakened the infallibility of the Church. To many it looked as though the very foundations of the faith had been attacked-the Bible from the Protestant point of view and the Church from the Roman Catholic point of view-but the founda- tions of the faith were as unmovable as ever. These foundations are more im- pregnable than either the Bible or the Church. The Bible is an essential witness, as is also the faith of the Church. The fact was that the notion of an absentee God was being attacked from two angles in order to bring mankind to the reality of God in us. The prophet's function has ever been to call us to this spiritual realization. Finally, we add penitence as a spiritual force to the realization of the spiritual energy within us. VVhat shall we say of penitence? First it must be defined as a moral necessity and sincerity, and, second, it must be recognized as an integral part of faith. Two hindrances to penitence meet all of us. The hrst is hypocrisy. That is the most common sin in human experience. One of its expressions is to regard our privileges as merits and not as responsibilities. To illustrate: Sup- pose you are well born, or well educated, or a holder of wealth. If you think that as a merit and therefore think yourself better than others from whom you isolate yourself, instead of regarding it as a responsibility and therefore as an obligation to the less fortunate, yours is a case of sheer hypocrisy. It was this that jesus denounced more severely than any other sin.The second hindrance to penitence is accepting a mild form of Christianity, which is the common condition of this age. Christianity of these times, whether Roman Catholic or Protestant, does not stand for what jesus stood for in His time. It is a kind of colorless thing, character- ized more by its denominational label than by the heroism of Jesus. It has much to say about theology, but traditional Christian theology has lost its prestige. Christianity's position on great ethical questions is not sure. Cn these problems some Christians are on one side and some on the other, or there may be a general, apathy toward the whole controversy. And, therefore, the real prophet hesitates not to warn us against these hindrances to penitence, and bids us to banish them from our lives, and in deep penitence to become reconciled to God who is ever in us. For It is God who worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.