Eastern Mennonite School - Shenandoah Yearbook (Harrisonburg, VA)

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PRE IDE T, MESSAGE , l b l l't:r1stm-iN'r.lot-iN I.. S'l'Al'FIAl-ZR To the 194.1 Graduating Class: UI-iAR GRADUATIQSI You have reached your goal and now you face the unknown future with a diploma from a Christian school: but this is not your greatest resource in meet- ing the tests ol life. That is Christian character. Xvithout it. education, culture, and good resolutions will not avail. Success in the lile olf a Christian is measured in terms ol' what you possess in the inner man. True Christian character has in it the elements ol' supernatural experience. lt has for its basis an inward spiritual transformation wrought by the grace ol' Cod and the operations ol' the Holy Spirit. NVith such an experience you need not fear the influences of the hostile world from without. nor the conllict with the llesh from within. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put conhdence in man is the testimony of the psalmist. Men everywhere are trttsting in intellectual achieve- ments, in organization. in invention, and in the trained millions of the army. naval, .md air forces. These national resources are not invincible, but the Cod in whom we trust is both omnipotent and eternal. Il' He preserves the lives ol' multiplied millions who reject Him. will He not give special care to those who trust Him? Trust in the l.ord will not exempt one from trial, from suffering, from being misunderstood by the people of the world nor from persecution. lt has pleased the Lord to advance His cause through the suffering ol' His own. Our Lord suffered when He was here, and He calls upon us to follow in His steps. In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. To the Christian, union with Christ is more important than physical life. I.et us take courage in these dark days trusting in the Lord, and we can safely look to Him for guidance to our good and for His glory. l5l

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I Y IIST UILDING RATION VESPER HEIGHTS OBSERVATORY OT ON PICTURET GYMNASIUM 1NOT on Pxcruasx F at Wigan' H o 5' College High chool

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Dean and College Class Advise1 s Message Dmtt hll'1MlSl'2RS or 'rntc Ct.Ass or t9.1.1: I have intensely enjoyed ottr fellowship togetlter during the past two years. The beautiful Christian graces found in your lives have won for you a large place in my heart. May this Christian friendship be but the beginning of a life- long fellowship which shall be constantly enriched by the realization in our lives of the riches of our motto, That I may know Him. Have we descended to the depths or ascended to tlte heights or measured the lengths and breadths of these words? They tnark a sharp contrast. between l'aul's aspirations and those of his .Iewish opponents. Proud -Iewish boasters in tlte llcsh cottld be outdone by the apostle. XVhat more could any tlew claim than he? Circutncized, a Benjamite. an Hebrew, a Pharisee, a persecutor of tlte church, and blameless as regards the law! But Paul discovered an absolute al- ternative: he must either place confidence in all these gains or count it all loss for Christ. He could not at the satne time proudly boast of his Jewish heritage and also win Christ. All things had to be counted as loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus. To be found in Him, having the righteousness which is through the faith of Christ, was thezway to this excellency. That I may know Him, became the all controlling aspiration of the apostle's life. Closely following these words and in the manner of giving their meaning he notes that their realization is found in experiencing the power of His resurrec- tion and tlte fellowship of His sufferings. The former empowered him for holy living and serviceg the latter led hitn to take up his cross daily and to share with Christ the agonies of the cross. The climax of this knowing Him is realized in tlte attainment unto the resurrectiott of the dead, an experience not yet actualized but one to which he is press- ing on. It is to the mark for tlte prize . . of the high calling of Cod in Christ jesus. I lind three great ideas bound up in this context, all centering in 10-5 yvmifat ativrov. The first is the absolute necessity of wholly renouncing all earthly gains in order to win Christ. lt is the self-abnegating position, putting our full trust in Christ as the all-sufficient One. The second meas- ures the gamut of personal fellowship with Christ. lt is not at once intimateg it radiates power: it points to death as the way to greater life. The third marks an attitude of aspiration. The goal is not yet attained, nor is there perfection. The course ahead is that of following after, one of reaching for- ward, and of pressing toward the ntark. May these challenges spur each one of us to the realization of this ' great motto. DIQAN Cnr-:s'r1-:R K. I,titm,xN l7l