United Colleges - Vox Yearbook (Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada)

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vox 21 Valedictory Address—United Colleges , 1931 Theological Department By John D. Mackenzie, B.A. Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen— There are always certain occa¬ sions in the life-history of every individual which stand out con¬ spicuously; and which never really fade from mind. The married man, I presume, looks upon his wedding day as one of these memorable oc¬ casions—the confirmed bachelor upon the day when he abjured all such things, and we as students, will always think of the day when as very green freshmen, we first entered the University and swore allegiance to our Alma Mater—but tonight, it is with still more in¬ tense feelings that we, as the Grad¬ uating Class of ’31, bid farewell to our Alma Mater. We feel a deep regret that the time has come when we must say good-bye to our beloved colleges, Wesley and ’Toba, whose beaten walls and stuffy class-rooms have come to mean a great deal to us during the last seven years, per¬ haps seven of the happiest years of our lives. We think of the great service which these colleges has per¬ formed for this province, and in¬ deed for Canada—and we think of these pioneers who out of their very limited means, founded these institutions. They were men with a vision, they could look beyond the present, with its many unsolved problems and see a greater day for education ahead. They built that men and women might be educated not along material lines only, but that even the secular training might be permeated with the spirit and the purpose of the Master. We wish to pay our tribute to men like these, and we are glad to know that the ideals which were cherished by the founders are being fulfilled by their successors in office, our Prin¬ cipals and Professors. Nobler build¬ ings, we expect, will soon replace the weather-cracked walls of ’Toba and Wesley, but as long as we live, we will cberish fond memories of our old colleges. In saying farewell to our Pro¬ fessors tonight, we would like to thank them for the advice and guidance which they have given us in the last seven years. It is only after completing our course—and when we have a short time in which to look back and review their efforts on our behalf, that we begin to appreciate them as we should. Too often, we must admit, our attitude has been critical and narrow—and we have not under¬ stood the way that we have travel¬ led, but now, as we look back, we see that our Professors have not been a hoary-headed group of slave- drivers, who would sink us in a sea of Greek, Systematic Theology, etc.—but that they are a group who have always treated us kindly, fairly, and encouragingly. We go out feeling that we have in them friends whom we may continue to appeal for advice as we meet the problems that are yet to be faced. I am but voicing the thoughts of our class as I attempt to show our appreciation to our Faculty. . . To our fellow-students we would say only this: If you were to review the work of our class, you would find many mistakes, and at times, a strong spirit of criti¬ cism—do not repeat these mistakes -—learn by them. In saying good¬ bye to our fellow-students we are

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20 VOX recognize that there is also a defin¬ ite call to everyone, whatever his vocation or profession, to use that vocation as a vehicle for the up¬ holding of high ideals. Your edu¬ cation and your spiritual percep¬ tions, if they have done their work in your moral make-up, have so far redeemed you from the vulgar hunt for mere profit as to send you out, chivalrous knights of a worthy crusade, to gain a Holy Land where Principle is above gain and where Honor and Purity are of more account than many pleas¬ ures. Never, if such is your ambi¬ tion, were you more needed in the world than you are today. The second word is Leadership. Our Lord uttered a warning to His followers that may be paraphrased something like this: “The men who lord it over their fellows and assume a pompous dignity have been greeted with the acclamation ‘Well done!’ You must change all that.’’ The spiritual leader is not a boss; his leadership is but the call from one who knows and does for others to share his purpose. Every best experience that has come to you has been qualifying you for such leadership and it is much in demand. Our third keyword is Vision; not the ethereal dream of an un¬ practical visionary, but the call of the coming victory, the terrific magnetism of the greater thing yet to be without which no one achieves anything. The supreme discovery of Jesus was the wonder and the triumph of the life utterly devoted to the doing of the will of God, and in Him and in His fol¬ lowers that has opened the gate¬ way into the highest. That is the light of your life; catch sight of it in your fellowship with your in¬ comparable Leader— And, e’er it vanishes Over the margin, After it, follow it, Follow the gleam.” And, once more, it all seems to be summed up in that word which is the key that unlocks the secret of the Christ life: Service. Great gifts have been lavishly poured in¬ to your life; beware what you do with them. The selfish hoarding of the gifts of life invariably atrophies the faculty to grow and achieve. It was no mere glowing metaphor that our Lord used when He said: “He that sav- eth his life loseth it”; it was rather the plain statement of an inexor¬ able law. The story of human so¬ ciety is replete with the pictures of the self-centred and grasping, who have either broken on the rocks of insatiable ambition or have at¬ tained to fame as the destroyers of all that stood in their way. The path of service, blazed by Jesus, is proving to be the only way to true greatness. Today’s life, with its acute problems and poignant suffering, presents an unparalleled challenge to selfless and consecrated leadership. Invest your trained powers in that great venture and, fascinated by its amazing returns in human welfare, you will be glad to say: We ask no other wages, When Thou shalt call us home, But to have shared the travail That makes Thy Kingdom come.” We’ve been talking over plans for our spring party.” “Oh, how nice! I know where there’s the loveliest spring.” Barney—My room-mate talks in his sleep, does yours? Maurice S.—No, it’s so annoy¬ ing—he only smiles.

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22 VOX saying farewell to one of the strongest classes which has ever en¬ tered the halls of our colleges, and we hope that in the years you are together that you will be united as we felt our class to have been. I be¬ lieve that we may boast that our class has been welded into a fel¬ lowship which time will never de¬ stroy. We have a confidence in each other which gives us a guarantee that no matter where we may go, or whatever our problems may be, we will have the support of our class-mates. This gives us courage and strength to go on. We call tonight Graduation Night”—but it might be better if we, like the Universities to the south of us, called it “Commence¬ ment Day.” We have completed our academic work for the present, but the great battle for which we have prepared is still ahead of us. Tonight, as never before, we feel our own inability, and our weak¬ ness as we go out into a world permeated with social, economic and religious unrest. Although the task is going to be difficult, we feel there is a challenge, and that the opportunities for Christian ser¬ vice are greater than ever before. We feel that we are about to pour our small Christian contribution into the great stream of Christian¬ ity which has been purifying the world for 1900 years. We feel that we are adding our little bit to the contribution made by the graduates of these colleges in the past. May we, like them, so invest our lives so as to make this land more Christ-like, and may we, like them, have an unflinching faith in the Great Unseen yet Guiding Hand which is leading the world to bet¬ ter days. . . And so tonight, may I, on be¬ half of the Graduating Class, to our colleges, to our professors and to our fellow-students say fare¬ well. “Did you hear about Bert swal¬ lowing his teaspoon yesterday, Al¬ lan?” No, Wes. How is he now?” Poor fellow. He can’t stir.” Policeman: No fishing allowed here! Charley C.: I’m not fishing. I’m allowing this worm to bathe. Policeman: Let me see the worm. C. C.: Here it is. Policeman: I arrest you for al¬ lowing it to bathe without wear¬ ing a regulation swimming suit. And then there was the guy who was so dumb that he left “pig troughs” while plowing for the convenience of the sowthistles. Clarence S.—Do you believe everything every fool tells you? Mert T.—Oh, no—but some¬ times you do sound so plausible. Motorist—“Is it very far to the next town?” Native— Well, it seems furth- ern’s it is, but it ain’t.”—Free Press. Bob Neil—Do you have any trouble with shall and will? Chas. Avery—No, the wife says you shall, and I say I will. Editor—Do you know how to edit a magazine? Prospect—No! Editor—Well, we ll give you a place on the staff—I guess you’ve had experience.