Frankfort Pilgrim College - Pilgrim Yearbook (Frankfort, IN)

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5119 GIPHMH 'N F ' 5 L1terary TRUE CULTURE What is cultu1'e and of what value is it? VVe must first decide what true eultu1'e 1'eally is. After examining' the title of our subject, we find that there must also be a false conception of culture. On the one hand, there are those persons who think culture to bc a refine- ment which is directly endangered by contact with the realities of life. Accord- ing' to this idea of culture, it is a name applied to that serenity and loftiness of mind that can be attained and preserved only by keeping' a safe distance from the maddening' crowd and those less refined experiences of life. To quali- fy according' to this conception of culture, one could have no more than a classical education, which would possibly require an ability to translate and 1'ead the classics, and he could never enter into only the theoretical side of life. On the other hand, there are those who conceive cultu1'e, if mo1'e than a veneer-to be refinement that can be attained, and possibly we must say pre- served, only by direct participation in social life, althoug'h such contact with the world may b1'ing' embarrassment, temptation, and failure as Well as their opposites, but all these, instead of debasing to true culture, are the very experi- ences that bring culture: they are the fire without which the refining process could not take place. He who is cultured may even be in action with his sleeves rolled up eng'ag'ed in the aecomplislnnent of higher purposes. 57 Is a man cultured merely because he cangread Homer, Virgil or Dante: VVe must say no if he is depending' upon his reading' knowledge of these. It may be possible for one to 1'ead Homer, and yet Homer would say nothing to him, as he would have nothing' in his consciousness with which to interpret Homer because of the narrowness of his experiences. It will possibly be true that a cultured man will have at least a. vague knowledge of the classical poets, philosophers, and dramatists, althoug'h we can not say that one would not be cultured because of the lack of this knowledge. It Quay be possible to memorize all the dates given in histo1'y, read all the Sunday supplements, or even attain some scholarly degree and yet not be cultured. As Dewey has said, Hknowledge is a system of relationships. If this is t1'ue of knowledge, what must culture be? lt means more than crowded facts, but related facts with every day evperienees combined, which may be felt to be one own. Huxley has given us a very concise definition of cultu1'e. He said, Cul- ture is an active criticism of modern life. A cultured man is one who has the faculty of continually passing' iudgment and picking' out the better of those every day experiences and give them their proper valuation is his relationships. To be cultured reouires a degree of independence. Someone has said that only he who dares to be lonely dares to be cultured. It must be remembered that cultu1'e can only be preserved by a continual, close observation, judgment, and an appreciation of those everyday experi- ences of life. as well as those more sublime experiences and desi1'es, as one ceases to actively criticize, he ceases to be cultured. Culture docs not make one superficial or worthless in life. neither does it render him unfit to associate with his fellow man, but it makes him a valu- able asset to society, increases his ability to serve, enlarges his capacity to en- joy life, and gives him a true conception of all things. ' +Cleo E. Kelley.

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5112 451931115 F Q ' 0 at L1terary 3 THE CHALLENGE OF THE PROSPECTIVE MISSIONARY There he is faithfully at the plow, in the shop, on the road, mingling with men, but with a peculiar difference, a distinguishing glory, or, on the other hand 'he is already at the institution for preparation toilinv' hour by hour seek- Cg ing to do his praying, his devotional Bible readings, his clbass work, his manu- al work in harmonious order, studying to show himself approved unto God, qx a workman that need not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth , heart-breaks, disappointments, losses, to fight the good fight of faith and seeking to grow in the likeness of the Lord, learning to bear responsibilities, lay hold on eternal life . Moment by moment, learning to deny self and prefer his brother, to die that he may live. He is called of God to the great field, his heart aglow, his mind stimulated, his physical faculties quickened, his countenance illuminated-anointed to preach the gospel in the needy place. '51--H Whether at the home job or at the college, the called man feels his need Q9 of preparation not for his own sake but for those awaiting him. The worker ci alreadydon Itlhe field riippeallhig fori hisliielp Telsl :ti Theh laborerl must bi equippe . e must earn is too s. e is uma ec in t e consic eration o 3 the dignity of the great task. He must know himself! He must know men! Q He must know the Word! He must know God! af The multitudes of India, of China, of Arabia, of Russia, of Belgium, of Spanish lands, of our mountains, plains, and woodlands are beckoning him. -Ji He can be patient for their sake. The Lord, Himself, will lead, will keep, fel 5 .9 Q J 9 'E Q1 E9 will step -by step open up the way before him. Let us not dare to thrust the laborer forth, no! But as we pray the Lord of the harvest to thrust him forth into His harvest, let us not fail to pray for him who is already started on his way to that place of labor and realize that he is now on his way. Let us in keeping with our prayers be keen to obey the Lord by sympathetic contact, recognizing the dignity of his eall, regarding him as God's chosen. Let us build a wall of faith and prayer about him. Let us battle with himi against the enemy who would defeat him now. Let us save him for the field. The archfiend would bring any convenient appeal to get him out of God's plan, to make the call seem un-real, the way, impossible, the Hnancing, beyond reach. Shall we stand with him shoulder to shoulder, co- workers with our great Moderator? Can we feel that we are as truly sustaining God's work in preparing the worker as in helping him on the field? Can we realize that our crown of re- ward will be as precious for this Uworking together with the Lord and with His own as for the later endeavor? Let us pull down those artificial walls of distinction held to, to the disadvantage of God 's work and let the light fall on the whole task! Is it anything to us that our youth, aglow to do the Master's will, which employment the Book says is the way of wisdom, fight the foe on the way and appeal Iso often mutelyj for kindly assistance that would save health, that would strengthen the soul, that would deepen the spirit in God for the best op- eration on the field? In the words of the late Mrs. Karl Kumm, to appear to you: 'tBy the value of souls, by the shortness of time, by the greatness of the field do something definite- If we fail will not these millions rise and ask-why we left them unshepherded'? . -Elizabeth Bodle.

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N1 F if el I5 Ci J E9 Q9 S3 J 'B F Q9 J 'D F 'af ft 5512 Glrama I Literary is C32 Ga 6' T fi ,I Ei E2 it G3 Go 'Q Qi 62 'Q f 1 STATES REPRESENTED OUT OF' FIFTEEN GQ 91 Q3 C9 1 Q Q, C524 ft, THE GLEAMS This our annual of our College Is a helping hand to win, Who have missed the thought of Jesus And are Wandering now in sin. Our hearts are bleeding for them. So we print our annual true, That it might lift them to Jesus. Friend, will you let it reach you? 3 ! We are praying daily for you Though your names we do not know: So we trust you'll soon find Jesus Then you've found a friend so true. -Leonard Guyer. ,-,. , fe Q