Eastern Mennonite University - Shenandoah Yearbook (Harrisonburg, VA)

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ean. is Wneaaage Dear Graduates of the Class of 1951: Congratulations to you' on the completion of the strenuous tasks leading to your diplomas. I am very happy for the privilege of giving you a parting mes- sage. Perhaps you would expect me to paint a rosy picture for you, showing an easy road by reason of your present achievement, with nothing especially hard to face in the future. You may even feel that there are no longer any challenges to be faced by youth. If you had only lived in the days of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Paul, Menno Simons, or J. S. Coffman, life would be worth living. To some former classes I keyed my message to the note of the then present time of crisis. A crisis is still with us, its issues carry the possibility of world- wide chaos. In the face of this we dare not become insensitive to present peril or to the demands for endurance in a time of testing. Your commencement could be the beginning of a baptism of suffering, In .iZ5irecfor 0 .Mg Dear Class of 1951- You will soon be leaving the campus. You have been with us for four years or less during which time you were subject to our influence, teaching, guidance and daily living. You have been an in- spiration to us, we will miss you. In a sense we have sheltered and protected you. Eagerly you look for- ward to the new experiences of entering into life free and unrestrained by your teachers. You are fac- ing a cold and unsympathetic world. Areyou pre- pared? Wliat preparation have you received here? Have we met the challenge of your mental curiosity, your social emotions, your physical vigor, and your spir- itual needs? Have we failed? Have you responded? Have you seen in our lives and living more than Twelve a time that presented just this sort of outlook, jesus braced His followers with these words, By your en- durance you will gain your lives. With a few bold strokes Christ had given a graphic picture of the future. It contained nothing of optimism, only false Christs, wars, earthquakes, famines, pestilences, ter- rors, great signs from heaven, and persecution. jesus' warning pointed to a way of life in the presence of death. This way of life is achieved only by patient endurance, by a brave holding out under most ad- verse conditions. To suffer for Christ, yes, to die for Him may seem like losing one's life. Let us learn that what is lost is transient, what is gained is eternal. As our Lord's triumph was by way of death so may yours be if God chooses thus to be glorified. An affectionate farewell, Clrerler K. l.ebma1l, Demi A Sckoofji meddage mathematics, science, language, history, Bible in- struction and business? Have our lives made a con- tribution to your life through our effort to exemplify Christ, to do and to say what He would, and to be interested in the cause He is? Our chief concern is not what we may have done to help you earn more money, or to be more cultured, or to become more popular in your community. We are concerned with your spiritual preparation and armor, we want to see in you a good soldier of the cross, valiant, bold to speak, fearless to defend, and courageous to press forward conquering more ter- ritory for Christ. Our hope lies in you, our prayers follow you, and your Alma Mater is confident that you will be true to your class motto. May God bless you. D. Ralph Hnrlelfer

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jk igreaiclenfli Wedaage Take care that nobody captures you by the idle fancies of his so-called philosophy, following human tradition and the world's crude notions instead of Christ. For it is in Him that all the fulness of Deity continues to live embodied, and through union with Him you too are filled with it. Col. 2:8-10a fWil- liamsj The Greeks had a notion that one who exercised his powers of reason and developed a system of pagan thought had reached the fulness of life. Paul, in his epistle to the Colossians, warned against the influence of these persons who held views that were disparaging to the person and work of Christ. Some would like to have made spoil of them, taking them away from Christ to the kind of fulness the Greeks claimed to have attained. It was a vain deceit, a form of teaching that was blown up with the winds of human reason. The substance of their error is pointed up by the phrase not according to Christ. They had accepted Christ according to a heathen system of thought instead of conforming their be- liefs to Christ. There is great danger that people will consider Christ in the light of other things instead of considering the issues they face in the light of Christ. The answer to the desire to know is to be found in the fulness of Christ. His incarnation demonstrated the indwelling of Deity personally, really, and sub- stantially. By Him came Divine grace and eternal truthg in Him we have a completeness that satisfies every longing of the human heart. We participate in the fulness of Christ by the power of a continuous faith in Him, and by constant obedience to the Spirit of God. Through Him we have the forgiveness of our sins, power to gain victory over evil, a Light to show the way of eternal life, and a Hope to deliver us from the presence of sin. Knowledge and ex- perience of this sort yields the deepest satisfactions in human relations. May you grow through the years in your appreciation of the Bible, for Thy Word is Truth. --fofm R. Aflzmmiu 340 500111 of j bl5t005 Here are the men who are back of the men who operate Eastern Mennonite College. In a large sense they represent you through the Virginia Conference, by whom they are elected. They are the men who are largely responsible for gathering in the money needed to construct new buildings on the campus. Their outstanding work of the past two years has been the construction of the commodious Women's Dormitory and a central heating plant adequate for FELLOWSHIP LUNCH: Board of Trustees and Faculty the needs of all the campus buildings. At present the heating plant operates for the Administration Build- ing and the two completed floors Qbasement and sec- ond floorj of the new dormitory. These men are men of proven business ability who are concerned not only for the financial, but also for the spiritual needs of the school. They need your support and prayers. Eleven

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