Fresno Pacific University - Portal Yearbook (Fresno, CA)

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AbmtntBiratum FACULTY STAFF STUDENT COUNCIL PORTAL STAFF

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GlljalUttg? Knowing the uncompromising faith of our school of learning, the spiritual ideals for which it stands, we congratulate you, the graduating class, upon the successful completion of your respective courses. Considering the desperate moral and spiritual need of the world without the gospel of Christ, the wide spread indifference of Christendom today, we are as- sured that our churches who stand fast for the faith once delivered to the saints, rejoice to see young life which has the vision to prepare itself for the altar of the Lord ' s service. Prepared for the Lord ' s service, he that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. ( Ps. 126: 6) . The figure of speech employed in this passage vividly portrays to our minds the sower, weeping every step as he goes to bear precious seed, which he draws forth from his bag and scatters on the earth. Thus it is that he goes forth! You, too, have toiled and worked in equiping yourself with an abundant supply of the seed of the Word. Bearing precious seed, which of necessity presupposes that the mental depository of the heart is saturated with the precious seed of the Word. This has been your task, and you have attained to it notably well. Bearing precious seed, — Who can calculate its value? its transforming power? its dynamics? May you ever hold to the firm conviction of the Bible as the very inspired Word of God, for it is the power of the God unto salvation. Your preparation for the field of Christian service is adequate, fitting you for the par- ticular task to which God calls you. It is now your sacred responsibility to scatter the seed of the Word. In your task of sowing, there will often be times of weeping, times when the fellowship of Christ ' s suffering will bear heavily upon you. But, as you return from your harvest field there will be awaiting you an abundance of the harvest . Bearing precio us seed, therefore, even with weeping, you will come some day from the harvest field, bringing your sheaves: Let us encourage your hearts to pray till the tears come, work till the sweat comes, wait till the harvest comes. — R. M. Baerg

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$restbent ' £ Jfles age THE GREAT DIVIDE Choose you this day whom ye will serve. Joshua 24:15. Only seventy-five miles frcm Jasper town is the world fomous Colombia Icefield, unmatched for scenic beauty and splendor. The Athabaska Glacier can easily be reached by the interested observer. Here little streams gc trickling down. These later become roaring rivers and rush on and on until they rest in the mighty bosom of the world waters. The astounding fact is that the rivers, though they have a common source, divide and by their own channels finally disappear in three different oceans, the Arctic, the Pacific, the Atlantic. The Great Divide makes all the Difference. So it is with human life, and so it is with the students of the Pacific Bible Institute of Fresno. Flowing from o common source, the Institute, the Great Di- vide and the channels along which life flows make all the differ- ence. Finally our lives identify themselves with one of three oceans: Th Life of Uselessness The Life of Self-centeredness and Selfishness The Life of Christ-centeredness and Service Such is the course of life. It is, indeed, tragic that such should be the classification. Yet undesirable as the facts may be, we are forced to these conclusions. It would be folly, however, to put all the blame on the source. The Great Divide makes all the Difference. From the objective point of view the Great Divide can very well be compared to Christ, while from the subjective side it speoks of the choice and relationship of the individual. That life which refuses to consciously and volitionally relate itself properly to the life and purposes of Jesus Christ and make Him Saviour and Lord and place itself unreservedly at the disposal of the will and purposes of the Master will automatically drift into a life of uselessness or self-centeredness. The life of Christ-centeredness is a result of total separation frcm sin and the world, absolute submission to Christ as Lord, and humble yet believing appropriation of the riches and power provided for us in Christ Jesus Such a life comes neither by demand nor can it be institutionally produced. It is the fruit of the conscious choice on the part of the individual. Thus while it is the aim and effort of the Pacific Bible Institute of Fresno to lead the student into the Christ- centered life, the success will depend upon the yieldness, choice and faith of the individual. Again and again the school has to experience that some people are welded seemingly indissoluby to self while others are blind or obstinate to the purposes of God. For these the Great Divide spells trogedy. In most individuals there is another spirit, however, and readily they yield to the gracious operations of the Holy Spirit on behalf of the will and cause of Christ. With a prayer in our heart we express our desire for every student in the words of a writer. May it be true of us that: The presence of God is the joy of my life; The will of God is the law of my life; The service of God is the business of my life; The glory of God is the crown of my life. Dr. G. W. Peters. DR. G. W. PETERS PRESIDENT