Goshen College - Maple Leaf Yearbook (Goshen, IN)

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Young People's Christian Association. N reflecting over the various features of our student life in the past year, surely not least prominent among our reminiscences are those associated with the Y. P. C. A. and its noble work. The lofty purpose of the organi- zation and the effective and dignified manner in which its promoters by the force of their characters and their faith in the imminent powers of the God they served, have succeeded in making the work of the Association fulfill its intended purpose,have associated with them memories of strong and permanent impulses toward the reali- zation of our best possibilities and toward sacrifice for the welfare of others. There are memories of inspirations received from contact with those whose lives overiiow with the good, true and beautiful. There are memories of religious meetings in which devoted hearts gave expression to lofty and holy ideals of Christian living and service. There are memories of services received and services rendered which bound us closer together in the common cause which is intended to be one of mutual help in the effort to attain that which is of supreme value in human life, namely: fullness of life in Christ. While our coming together at an institution of learning is primarily for intellectual ends, yet our close contact with each other as students affords grand opportunity for united effort and mutual help in enjoying and developing our religious lives, as well as uniting in helping others. In order best to take advantage of these opportunities the Christian students of the College are organized into the Young People's Christian Association, whose object as defined in its Constitution is to unite all students who desire to strengthen the spiritual life and iniiuence of the Collegeg to promote growth in Christian character and fellowship, and aggressive Christian work especially by and for students, to retain its members for Christian service and lead them to devote their lives to Jesus Christ where they can accomplish the most for the extension of the Kingdom of God. This object is attained through the work of the various committees representing the several departments of the Association work, which are united under the direction of the executive officers and the cabinet of the Association. It is gratifying to all who are connected with and interested in the movement, to note to what extent the work of the past year has accomplished the defined object of the organization. One of the most important departments of the work is that represented by the devotional committee, which provides for and arranges all religious meetings of the Association. The Thursday afternoon devotional meetings have been more than usually marked for their evidence of the strong devotional spirit of the student body. In these meetings the students met for united devotion and in addition discussed subjects of practical and daily importance in Christian living. In order to train Christian students in Bible knowledge and to deepen and strengthen their spiritual lives, the Association offers, and urges all of its members to take, courses in systematic daily Bible study. These courses I have resolved to use my hands and not my tongue.-Kate Blosser.

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O, Dorm, yes thou hast sheltered Maidens, many in this past yearg Thou also hast given much pleasure To those who have gathered here. If thou couldst unfold thy own story, XVhat wonders might be revealed Of homesick tears and of festal spreads That thy walls have so kindly concealed. We hear in the chambers about us .Toyous laughter, sounds woeful and strange, We know 'tis the battle of pillows, The matron's soft footstep, and presto a change. Then sometimes a pitiful voice Is heard echoing thru the hall, Calling Father! Father! Father! But Elocution is the cause of it all. Between the dark and the daylight, 'Ere the night has seemed very long, There comes to disturb our slumbers What is known as the rising gong. No time is left for slumber When that clamorous peal is heard, For often when girls have tried it, They were absent when breakfast occurred. Dormitory. Mrs. B. F. Thut, Matron. Then often, O, how often, In the days that have gone by, Did we hear that bell at meal-time, Telling us all to draw nigh. Round the festal board all were gather Spread with beef and potato-mash, Crackers and gravy, yes and pie But nothing there excelled the hash. O, I forgot?-Fannie Rupp. O, gentle reader, think not That these things are our highest goal, For our studies are very enticing, When we've returned from the evening stroll Yes, Dorm, thou hast given us pleasures, And friendships both loyal and trueg Hours quiet, talks helpful and good, Which memory will bring out anew. Then what are all our contrivings And the wisdom of our books, When compared with loyal friendships, And the gladness of your looks. And to thee, dear matron, we owe, Our highest respect and esteem For thy love and untiring efforts Will help us in stemming life's stream. And forever and forever, As long as the College grows, As long as teachers have troubles, As long as students woes, There will be a Dormitory, And a matron hovering near, To guard all youthful maidens, NVho are found sojourning here. - DoRM GIRLS. ed,

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run success1vely through four years The Work of the Hrst year IS rn The L1fe of Chr1st, the second year Acts and Ep1stles, th1rd Old Testament Characters and the fourth year, Teach1ngs of Jesus and H1s Apostles Classes 111 each of these courses have been orgamzed and conducted through the year wrth a larfre enrollment and good attendance The 1nterest shown 1n th1s department has been a11 1mportant feature of th1s year s work Belrex 1ng that one of the first dutres of the Chr1st1an Church 1S to preach the gospel to every creature, It 1S 1mportant that Chr1st1ans, and espec1ally Chr1st1an students, have a fa1r degree of knowledge of the cond1t1ons and sp1r1tual needs among people who know not of Chr1st and H1s salvatton To a1d the student 1n acqu1r1ng th1s knowledge the ASSOCIRUOII offers several courses 1n IVIISSIOH Study In the present year classes were organ1zed ln the fol low1ng stud1es durtng the first half of the year one class studred Introduct1on to Fore1gn MISSIONS and two o hers studred Kmghts of the Labarum I the second half one class studred Japan and Its Re0fenerat1on d another stud1ed The Evangelmauon of the World 1n th1s Generat1on The Soc1al Commlttee arranged for two soctals for the students These soclals were occas1ons of much soc1alen3ovme11t as well as opportun1t1es for hav1ng all new and old students meet and become acquamted Through the sol1c1tat1ons of the membershrp comm1ttee the number of members 111 school th1s year has been 'Io acco1npl1sh the objects of the Assoc1at1on as defined 1nvolves the expend1ture of a cons1derable sum of 1noney Th1S mo11ey 15 co11tr1buted by the students the faculty and the alun1n1 of the College Spec1al mentlon deserves to be made of the loval manner 111 WhlCh the members of the Assoc1at1on supported 1ts work by g1v1ng l1berally to 1ts treasury Th1s money has been used for var1ous purposes some for the benefit of the student work and some for the support of m1ss1onary work 1n both the home and fore1gn helds Delegates were sent to both the Y M C A and the Y W C A Student Conferences at Lake Geneva last summer Delegates were also sent to the State Y DI C A Convent1on at Marron, Ind , last Fall B1ble study and MISSIOU study refer ence books have been bought for the Assoc1at1on L1brary Of 111oney sent away some went to the Fort Wayne MISSIOH, so1ne to the Chrcavo Home MISSION and some to Indla MISSIOU Through these channels as well as through the d1spersement of 1ts members the Y P C A makes 1ts 1nHuence felt throughout the length and breadth of our oxxn land and 1n forergn lands Wlthln the year three of 1tS members hare gone to the fore1gn 1n1ss1on held A11other has been ordamed to the m1n1stry and taken up Work 1n the home field Beslde these a number have xolunteered for both home and forewn work, wh1ch fact we take as ev1dence of a good rel1g1ous atmosphere 1n the College Summmg up the work of the Assoc1at1on for the year we are conv1nced that lt has been a grand success for the cause of Chr1st among men, and lt IS the hope of all 1nterested that the ev1dent growth of the work 1n the past may cont1nue 1n the future, that the strength and range of the work may be developed to the1r greatest poss1b1l1t1es and that men everywhere may enjoy more fully the abundance of l1fe 1n the salvat1on of Jesus Chr1st A modest woman Barbara Gmgench ' . . . v 1 4 . ' l 1? , . 1 1 : u . s it a v . u 77 - t K ' LL ' .77 H ' so U ' H an . H .r . . . . . .,, n n ' . 3 . 1 .4 . . - 1 increased fron1 fifty-eight at the opening of the year to about one hundred and forty at the end of the year. 1 p u ' n ' . . v G u Q V K .D . . . .