Goshen College - Maple Leaf Yearbook (Goshen, IN)

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GOSHEN COLLEGE RECORD. 19 sciences are continually confornting every iillllliillg' man. Since 0110 is surrounded with these problems which demand solution, thc question naturally arises, Htfan l solve them by some fixed standard? uct-l.I1 l 'find an authority in XVl10IH 'l l1ave great confidence to illterpret them for me? Or how can they best be solvedlu 'illlCl'C is a tendency to solve these problems by a certain rigidly set stand- ard. lt is a part of culture to be able to estimate the values of things by comparing them with some fixed prin- ciple. I-But these standards must not be based upo11 prejudice, or dogmatic ideas. For a judgment thus formed does not give one the true k11owledge of the case. .lt is formed before all tl1e known facts are duly considered, illld thus is based upon g'l'0l111LlS opposed to reason. 'll' a judge in our civil courts were to give us a premature judgment based on prejudice, would we not co11- side him very unjust 4? The judge tries his case carefully, he has before ililll the plaintiff tllld the defe11da11t. He allows each to bring in his witnesses. Each presents his claims. The judge views eacl1 side as the YVli,l16SS6S of each bring in the evidence, both with equal disereetness. The jury decides on which side the evidence lies the stronger. And then only XVl1QIl the judge has the full knowledge of tl1e ease is he qualified to pass judgment. Are we better qualified to pass judgment on personal lite questions before thc cvi- dences are in, than the judge in his ease? NVQ-, like the judge, must have the comprcliensive view of the case bc- l'ore we can decide rightly. 'l'o look at a theory or attitude with contempt, u11- willing to consider it from its own standpoint is to pass on it a per- judiced decision. If one is to Hnd his right attitude to- ward life's proble1ns it necessitates that he have a large preception of life, that he understand the different experineces ol' life, that hc know its possibilities and li1nitations. However, one cannot expect to obtain all knowledge though he were to spend a lifetime in the uni- versities. But. a college course should give him such a frankness of mind that l1e C311 with E111 honest, sympathetic at- titude consider all possible truths. And above all it should give him a unified comprehensive view of life experiences so that a11y new experience may be given its proper relation. Such a college as ours has for its aim to help the student to get such a sur- vey of the various activities as will prepare l1i1n to master life 's problems. 'l'he various courses are offered to in- form him, to bring hilll in touch with data which may give him a working basis. Judgments can o11ly be form- ed ill so far as we have knowledge of the facts of the case. As we are re- quired to live i11 a social, political, reli- gious and scientific world, it demands of 11s that we have a broad knowledge of its workings ,and that we under- stand its development in the past and the laws that have been regulating its progress. So that we may fully appre- ciate its spirit, and play our part in bringing it to a still higher accomplish- lllttllt. However, the information that We have acquired during our college course can not be regarded as the highest value that we have received. its highest value lies ill the develop- ment of the ability to use such informa- tion and to draw rational conclusions on the various problems of life as they

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18 GOSHEN COLLEGE RECORD. VVILLARD A. BLOSSER, AB. Major Subject, Biological Sciences. NORTH LIMA, OHIO Thoughtful and earnest, yet congenial we have se-en him intensely interested in his school work. Those who have known him longest say, VVe always knew Willard would make goodf' Persisteney has characterized all his col- lege career and he now graduates with a thorough knowledge of the ground he has covered. In a recent contest he proved himself as of no mean ability as an orator. In philosophy he has very seldom been at a. loss fir an answer for the instruetor's question. Persistent in effort and kindly -of heart yet broad and keen of vision with good native abilityg his future career will be one ot which his Alma Mater may well be proud. Testing Life's Value W. A. Blosser IFE is confronted with many prob- lems. These problems may vary greatly in their nature, some of them being small and of little importance while 0lLllG1'S are large and significant. To the mind of every rational individu- al some of them will come for solution. The student because of being in a ra- tional atmosphere may be confronted with a larger number, but every one whatever his occupation, will meet with every day problems. The clergyman will have his problems which may be of a theological nature, the social worker will iind himself in the midst of mountains of preplexitiesg the busi- 11ess man will continually have new situations to solve. So each thinking man Whether he be a lawyer, doctor, farmer, professor, or laborer, will have questions and situations upon which he must pass judgment. But besides these problems of a professional and business nature are others which are perhaps 'of greater importance-the problems concerning our personal life and char- acter. Such questions that have to do with our own conduct or social rela- tions as what should be my moral and thical standardsl!', To what extent am I responsible to society? Or they may be questions as to attitudes as Mean l believe in the progressive ten- dencies of Christianity? Can I ex- pect the evolutionary theory as the ex- planation of the development of living matter, or the 'ether-electron theory' as to the explanation of the universe? Such, and many other similiar ques- tions of a personal nature in religion and politics, in the social and natural 77

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20 GOSHEN COLLEGE RECORD. may be presented. We are taught the methods of investigation, how certain facts are to be gotten. Then too, the development of a sense of relative and signilicent value of the various features of a preplexing situation, to know what to let go as of little value, what to eliminate as irrevelent, and what to retain conducive to the right con- clusion. Just as our judge has the power to sift out he right evidence in the case before hiin, so we must be able to recognize facts, determine what evi- dences are of value and have a bear- ing on our question. We must also possess the power to draw the right inferences, to corelate our data and interpret them in view of arriving at a rational decision. Since a well developed education can- not be gotten in so brief a time as four years, this must only serve as a per- liminary stage to be used as the basis for future development. Nor can an education be gotten by the pursuit of one line only, but by a diversity of lines. As our problems touch all phases of life, the various phases must be studied. The natural sciences have much to offer. Each science in its re- spective fields present a systematic ar- rangement of facts. An intelligible knowledge of our universe can only be gained by unraveling the truths of na- ture. The social. sciences must be studied, for man is a social being, and has a complex relation with the differ- ent social organs. To him 'a knowl- edge of their growth and process is es- sential, in order that he may contri- bute to the solution of their problems. And then, too, for the proper mastering of moral and spiritual problems the speculative fields must not be neglect- ed. Philosophy will lead him to an- alyse his own mind. The standard of his moral ideal is determined by his cultivated sense of truth, right, justice and honor. These various fields are fundamental in tl1e constitution of a well developed character. More than fragments of these vari- ous fields of knowledge is needed. The average man has some information, of physics, biology and astronomy, he has fragments from different sources, but he fails to have a comprehensive view of the whole. HThe poorest knowl- edge is knowledge unsystemitized . To such a man, trying to solve some per- sonal problem, science and religion may contiict, and in view of this he can not pass a just decision. While the man who is conscious of the inter- relation of the two would be in better position to solve his question. A com- plete education is a system of truths, in which the place and meaning of every fact is completely defined, and every part has a definite relation to every other part. The apparent con- flict between our experiences in science, and our experiences in social develop- ments and religion, is not because of a conflict between facts, but because of our wrong interpretation of facts. To comprellend life in its fullest meaning, is to be able to interpret the various facts of experience so that it will ren- der to us a coherent view of the truths of the world as a whole. With such a unified view of life, un- derstanding its limitations and possi- bilities, the solution of life 's problems will IIOVV be made possible. If one will renounce his pride and stubbornness and instead become open to conviction, if the individual can lay aside his pre- judice and preconeeption, and become obedient to the new truth, then his