Numidia Mennonite Bible School - Reflector Yearbook (Numidia, PA)

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lly -I ae-- Hg JW Jo, ass LHS sly. .olf A out md Ier leir mow 'hee our 5 to pos- red. this ray. leaf heir .ects llow xugh able. Ida e as i? It com- see Ida she 'this and 316 0119 the DIVISION 5 - EXTRA CURRICULAR OUTREACH WORK In order to invite the public to our re- vival meetings there was a need that in- vitations be passed out. It was decided by the extension committee to divide the student body into groups and send them out into the community on foot and in cars. In this was invitations were given to the neighborhood in person. Everyone took part in giving these invitations out. Brother Bontrager urged each group to look for a place open to cottage meetings. In some homes where the residents could not attend services because of physical conditions we asked if we could conduct cottage meetings. Groups of nine or ten brethren and sisters conducted these meet- ings. They' sanga number of songs, had devotion, gave testimonies, and offered prayer. The meetings were appreciated very much and we were thanked for com- ing. We were glad for the opportunity to leave a testimony and to tell about our Saviour. Brother Lester Hoover from Pottsville invited a group of about twenty of us brethren and sisters to go with him to the county prison the evening of December 20. They accepted the invitation. When they arrived they had a short prayer be- fore entering the prison. The group sang songs and gave testimonies. Brother Hoo- ver followed with a short talk on Christ- mas. The service closed with Christmas carols, sung by the group and the prison- ers together. -John Frey CHORUS Singing was a factor of our supreme delight at NBS. Each week-day morning at 10:25, students assembled in the chapel for chorus. Yes, and faculty members seemed as eager for chorus as we students, for the songs sung were the type that spiritually uplift a child of God - that made us feel closer to our Lord as the music swelled and rang through the chap- el. The chorus period also brought won- derful mental relaxation. The book used for chorus was the one compiled by the Bontragers -- Songs That Live. During the first three weeks of the Bible-school term the topics of the songs sung in chorus dealt mainly with the life of Christ from His birth to His resurrec- tion. That outline of songs was followed in the music program rendered on the eve- ning of December 22 - the closing day of the first term of the first year of Bible School at Numidia. A number of the songs sung during the final term of Bible school were also in preparation for the program on January 19, which marked the close of the first year of a Mennonite Bible School at Numidia. One could hardly think of chorus with- out also remembering its directors. Broth- er Bontrager and his little tuning fork were our dynamic leaders the first term. During the final term of Bible, School, Aaron Weaver served as our director - the Bontragers having left for Ohio to supervise at Messiah Bible School. Those weeks at NBS not only deepened our perception of truths from the Word, we also learned to more fully appreciate good music. -Ruby Ulrich

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PERSONAL EVANGELISM Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. Eccl. 12:13. The Lord Jesus, the greatest personal soul winner, gave the commandment, Go ye therefore and teach all nations. We who are joint heirs of the kingdom of God should count it a privilege and pleasure to win souls for the glory of the Father. To be effective in personal work the worker must meet the requirements of the Lord' as found in His Word. He must have the blessed experience of the new birth. He must be filled with the knowledge of His will and Word in all wisdom and spir- itual understanding. He must have a heart compassion as Jesus had, praying without ceasing. He must be both evangelical and evangelistic, and should engage in both preventive and redemptive evangelism. Experiences were shared in personal contacts and in practical application of the Word to the situation in which the Holy Spirit led us. A We received many blessings in pioneer- ing with the Mennonite faith in a new community. F We 17 students were led in class dis- cussion by Brother William Wagler. We were all inspired by his dedication in teaching this subject. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the har- vest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest. Matt. 9:38. Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am Ig send me. Isa. 6:8. -Marvin Reed CHRISTIAN WRITING Five girls are seated in a semicircle waiting for the arrival of their teacher. Some sit in silence rechecking their com- positions. Others converse about the in- spiration, or lack of it, that they had while working on their writing assignments. Let's step more closely to hear what they say. . Wasn't it fun writing descriptions of people? After I got started it went like a whiz ! Yes, Phebe, but the thing I really enjoyed writing was that paraphrase. I had never written anything like it be- fore. But, Eva, don't you dread starting your autobiography? I just don't know where to begin. I felt that way too, Ruth. The thing is to get started. I guess that . . . Here comes the teacher. Let's step aside. Sister Ida walks briskly and erectly. Tucked under her arm is a book by Rudolf Flesch, The Art of Readable Writing. A slight crease in her forehead smooths out while she smiles with understanding and love, as she approaches her students. Her blue eyes look deep into each of their faces. The class begins. The students bow their heads while Sister Ida prays: Our Father in heaven, we thank Thee for the power of words. Guide us in our choice of words as we write. 'Help us 'to express our thoughts in the best way pos- sible so that Thy name may be honored. Be our Teacher and Guide throughout this class period. Through Christ we pray. Amen. With a rustling sound the students leaf through their notebooks and pull out their compositions. Calmly Sister Ida collects them. She begins reading with low, mellow voice. Two hungry boys burst through the door. Dinner is spread on the table. 'Let's eat Steve,' cried Joe Sister Ida stops. A grin spreads 'across her face as she asks, Is Joe going to eat Steve? It sounds like it, doesn't it? Let's put a com- ma between eat and Steve. Do you see what punctuation can do? Sister Ida reads on. After a paragraph or two she stops and asks, How can we reword this sentence to make it mean what you really want it to say? The students give sugges- tions. They are learning from each other's mistakes. Each composition has been read and discussed. The class open their textbooks to see what technique they can learn from Rudolf Flesch. Buzz-z-z, the bell inter- rupts. The class period ends. Notebooks are closed. As the students arise, ideas are already tumbling around in their minds for tomorrow's composition. Sister Ida watches as the girls leave one by one. She prays that each will use the knowledge gained for the glory of God. -Marla Martin

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GIRLS' DORM LIFE Dorm life is just one of the many exper- iences we enjoy here at Numidia Bible School. Although we don't have much extra room and we must practically live out of suitcases, we really enjoy it. There are eleven girls in the small dorm and twenty-one in the big dorm. The thirty- one empty beds are used for carry-all space. Because of our crowded facilities, we learn to share these things. We also share spiritual blessings. We sometimes get to- gether and discuss our problems or our opinions on certain issues. One night we had a prayer chain. This proved to be a blessing for each one who participated. After a night of heart-searching revi- vals, a group of girls had a special prayer meeting down in the prayer room. After we had prayed, Sister Ida joined us. We asked questions that had been bothering us and also shared some of our exper- iences. Things in the dorm aren't always ser- ious. A few beds have been short-sheeted. Occasionally, after lights out we all gathered in the hall and sang for the fel- lows. Among the songs were a few Christ- mas carols. We received a chorus of thank- yous when we were finished. - Sometimes during study period or after lights out Sister Ida must come up and, in her kind way, remind us that we should be more quiet. Considering everything, I'm sure dorm life has been worth while for all of us. -Mary Ellen Frey EXTENSION COMMITTEE The Extension Committee, made up of Harold Hurst fchairmanl, Ruby Ulrich, and Norma Horst, was organized to direct any efforts from this year's student body to study the layout of this little city of Numidia and its surrounding villages. To alert the 200 neighbors in this town, the student body handed out announce- ments of the revival meetings held by brethren Kenneth Brenneman and Paul Ebersole. We were ,received with much warmth and little opposition. In general, the people were aware of the need of such a school as this and were glad for our interests. Others, however, were unconcerned and rather brisk in telling us they were not interested. Our hearts have been blessed by making these personal contacts. --Norma Horst BOYS' DORM LIFE Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. Matt. 7:12. - . As we think of dorm life, quite a num- ber of incidents, some good and some not always so good, are remembered. Impres- sing to me was how so many can and did get along, realizing that we all have our likes and dislikes. Surely the difference can be attributed to the fact that we were Christians. A It truly was a wonderful experience to be in a dorm with Christian boys who were interested in the things of the Lord. We enjoyed many blessed experiences. One particular time a dorm brother be- came sick during the night. Brother Ern- est and Brother Ebersole were called. With a few other boys they prayed' that the pain might be relieved. Praise the Lord for answered prayer! One of the highlights of dorm life came when we gathered together in the evening for prayer circle. We would read and meditate upon the Word, have prayer re- quests, and then prayer by whoever want- ed to lead out. It was wonderful to share with each other our past experiences in our Christian lives. I trust each one in our dorm has learned to be, and will be, a better follower of Jesus. -Moses E. Yoder, Jr. :ff X U .,.r.u..ak,.e.1n- 1 as Larry- Qi il il fl l 1 X., .1 -af 3 J 1 1' il V 2. 3 'z l 2 Z' ti .25 5 2 's of l' I -El 2 Y S H 5.3 ii iff