Northwestern Bible School - Scroll Yearbook (Minneapolis, MN)

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DEDICATED UV MEMODIAM to WiDiam DeU Diley by those who have known him and loved him as a leader and as a friend.

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DR. RILEY MBS. W. B. RILEY A Challenge to Youth Introduction The Civil War was about to break—tension ran high in that border town. Branson Radish Riley had left the Kentucky side hoping for more lucra¬ tive farming for his little family in Indiana. There in 1361, in Greene County, William Bell Riley was born. But the Senior Riley—the forerunner of his son, didn ' t hesitate to voice his convictions on political issues. A Southern sympathizer, those Hoosiers one day drew axes on him, whereupon he felt it safer to pack his family in the covered wagon and go back to Ole Kentucky his birth¬ place, and to those who shared his opinions o? states ' rights,and the slavery issue. Decision alters life The country community in which young Wil¬ liam grew up was moral in character. Although the hounds and the dance appealed strongly to his effervescent spirit, the greatest decision and one that changed the course of,his whole life came early. At a meeting at the little Dallasburg church God spoke to him; and in his seventeenth year, alter an invitation was given, he walked the aisle alone, placing his hand in that of the coun¬ try pastor, and publicly acknowledged Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. This decision al¬ tered his whole life. Decision influences character Although he made a hand at nine years of age (which meant he followed the plow from early morning till late at night—ending with the evening chores), young Bill had definite ambitions. His natural aptitude for debate was evidenced in the country school, and as a result he and his teacher went about the county debating, with young Riley often the victor. It was natural, therefore, that almost as early as he could remember he determined to be a lawyer. The greatest event of his early life and one to which he looked with utmost enthusiasm twice a month was county court day, at v hich time young Will would listen to the famous Kentucky orators plead their cases. They thrilled the youth with their oratory. The days following, the young farm lad put into practice all he had heard, and as I have often heard him say, he pled his cases while ploughing « 3 the corn field. With corn shocks and stumps as his audience, he convicted many a man and par¬ doned others. It was wonderful mental exercise for his prospective career and he loved it. But God had other plans. The Divine voice said. Preach the Word ' This was just what young Will didn ' t want to do. He argued with God—he told Him his desire for law from early childhood; he reminded Him that the preachers of his day had to eke out a living by the sweat of their brow during weekdays to preach on Sun¬ days. He wanted to be a success in life; he want¬ ed to be another Evan Settle, the great Kentucky orator. For six months, night and day, the still small voice pled with him. He said later, No one else could hear, but it was like thunder in my soul. Sleep left me by night; the days only con¬ tinued my anguish as I argued with God ' . . . But one day, able to endure the conflict no more, he turned aside from the old-fashioned plow, knelt in the upturned sod on that Kentucky hillside and said, “Well, all right, Lord, I ll give up; I ' ll preach 1 Then he said, “All the storm ceased, and a peace that only Gad can give filled my soul ' Decision produces education To preach the Gospel he decided that he should prepare himself as well as if he were to practice law. He determined on an education—but how? They were poor in cash on the farm. Finally he mustered all his courage, went to his father and promised to pay all the expenses of the conduct of the farm and to give him $1000.00 when the crop was sold, if he, three of his brothers, and the hired man would work for him. It was an amount of net money that no year had ever yield¬ ed, but as he said, “I was desperate in my desire for an education and decided on that method of testing myself and the promises of God ' For a little his prospects seemed doomed. He had plowed. They had planted twenty-four acres —a crop unknown in size to that neighborhood. On the Sunday morning following, before the church hour, he walked to the fields only to find that fully one half of the plants lay dead from cut worms. Discouraged, the big eighteen-year-old boy lay down in the open field and cried. Dis¬ couraged, yes, but not defeated. Monday morn-