United Colleges - Vox Yearbook (Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada)

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12 VOX Let us resolve then to live our lives that we can make the words of Browning our own and say: “ ' What had I on earth to do With the slothful, the mawkish, the unmanly — Like the aimless, hopeless, helpless did I dwell Being who? One who never turned his back But marched breastforward — Never doubted clouds would break — Never dreamed, though right were worsted Wrong would triumph — Held, we fall to rise, Are baffled, to fight better.” The very best we can be is the lure to lead us on to the heights of perfection. Let us shun, then, the levels of mediocrity, for they are dead levels: “Leave thy low vaulted past.” Let whatever we have done be but foundations on which to build more stately mansions in years to come. Remembering that Lowell tells us: “Not failure, but low aim is crime.” And Browning teaches us the same thing when he bids us say: “My business is not to remake myself, but to make the absolutest best of what God made first.” This, then, is the message of farewell that I bring to you from the Graduating Class, as we depart from your midst. THEOLOGY FACULTY Back Row —Dr. Jas. Elliott. Prof. F. W. Kerr. Prof. E. A. Hetherington, Dr. J. H. Riddell, Rev. J. D. Fleming Front Row —Dr. John MacKay, Rev. A. B. Baird.

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vox 11 In the Art Gallery of Bologna may be seen Raphael’s dream on canvas. In this picture we see St. Cecelia, the maiden musician, clad in rich robes, with broken instruments of music at her feet, standing with soft, upturned face, listening to the music of an angel choir in the heavens. By her side stands St. Paul, for he, too, had a vision, and his great life quest was “to seek those things which are above.” Behind him stands St. John, who, on lonely Patmos, received a vision of a city and a civilization, beautiful as a bride adorned for her husband. Behind him stands St. Augustine, who received a vision of a city that outsplendored the beauty of the city of Seven Hills. St. Cecelia stands out gloriously on the artist’s canvas, as the woman with the upturned look, her soul reaches out for the highest that heaven has. The artist has told the story well on that immortal canvas, for when once the choral songs of heaven break upon our listening ears, we let go the ephemeral pleasures and pur¬ suits of earth that we might possess the highest that God has in store for us, for Tennyson speaks truly when he says: We needs must love the highest when we see it.” There is no question, but that a good education is a great asset in life, but education alone will never make a man or a woman. It is only when culture is wedded to conscience that life’s true goal is reached, and life’s true crown is won. No one would think of beginning to build a house of any dimensions without first of all having a plan, neither should we think of building a character with¬ out having a purpose. It is the soul with a clear, clean, lofty purpose that tunnels the mountains of opposition, that bridges the rivers of obstruction, that holds steadfast on its way until the goal is reached, that compels even adverse winds and waves to drive it on its way: One ship drives east, another west By the selfsdme winds that blow; Its the set of the sail, and not the gale That tells us the way to go. Like the winds of the sea, are the ways of fate As we travel along through life — Its the will of the soul That determines the goal — And not the calm, or the strife.” A one-talented man with a lofty purpose will be more, and do more than a ten-talented man with a low purpose. For, after all, it is not so much what we do as what we would do—what we pur¬ pose to do—that counts. The aim, if reached or not, makes great the soul.” Nothing in the world can take the place of a lofty purpose— neither high birth, nor inherited wealth, nor talent. It is just as necessary for material success as for moral manhood. The purpose¬ less man is always open to the invitations of the devil, and is liable to go to the devil, or to the dogs, which is the same thing. If we start to go nowhere, we generally get there, and the man who aims at nothing usually hits it with magnificent precision.

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vox 13 THE REV. G. S. CLENDINNEN Wesley did herself honor in giving the D.D. degree to the Rev. George S. Clendinnen, of Fort William, Ontario. Dr. Clendinnen is, first of all, a genuine man. He has the unspeakable advantage of good parentage. His home was puritanic and that puritan spirit he still possesses. In early life he consecrated his being to God, and found his vocation in the Ministry. He was always a painstaking and open-minded student, void of prejudice and willing to put forth the necessary effort to secure an ever-increasing knowledge of truth. He has secured the character of a cultured Christian gentleman. As a Minister, he has been and is beloved by his parishioners. His kindly Christian spirit disarms criticism and his deep interest in the young people makes his ministry very effective. There is no doubt he will prove himself completely worthy of the honor conferred on him by Wesley. —JAMES ELLIOTT. THE REV. J. P. JONES, D.D. Mr. Jones, born in Wales, came to Manitoba in 1896 and, entering the University of Manitoba, graduated in Arts in 1904 and in Theology from Manitoba College in 1906. In 19041 while yet a student, he founded St. John’s Presbyterian Church, holding the first services in a private home and, on his graduation, the congrega¬ tion was raised to the status of an augmented charge and Mr. Jones was its first minister. While in Winnipeg he kept alive his student instincts and in 1919 was given the degree of B.D. from his College. He took an interest in the general work of the church and for years before he gave up his work in Winnipeg had been chairman of the Presbytery’s Home Mission Committee. He continued in charge of St. John’s until 1922, when he left it, a strong congregation, to become the minister of Knox Church, Lethbridge. Three years later he was invited to be Associate Secre¬ tary of the Social Service Council of Canada and on the death, a year later, of Dr. J. G. Shearer, the General Secretary, he was appointed to that important position in the religious life of Canada, which he fills today with great success. —J.C.