United Colleges - Vox Yearbook (Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada)

Page 13 text:

REV. JOHN H. RIDDELL B.A., B.D., D.D., LL.D. Principal of United College, 1917-1938 The Funeral Address for Dr. J. H. Riddell delivered by the Reverend Donald C. Munro, Minister of Memorial Park United Church, Carleton Place, Ontario. Romans 1:16— I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of love unto salvation to everyone that believeth. T ' lHOSE of you who knew the late Dr. J. H. Riddell with any degree of intimacy will note the appropriateness of this text, for it is in itself a declaration of a great conviction, thor¬ oughly experienced, constantly proved and held forth as the supreme incentive to life and action. In this letter to the church at Rome these words are Paul’s “Apologia Pro Vita Sua,” the defence he made for himself as an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, because it was indeed the gospel of Christ that had enabled him to carry on so triumphantly to the very end. It was this gospel of Christ that had arrested him with such compelling power when he was a young man. It was this gospel that had sus¬ tained him and upheld him through imprison¬ ments and ship wrecks — and cruel scourgings — perils by land and sea, and from ruthless adversaries everywhere. It was this gospel that had kept him steadfast when he was scorned and rebuffed and rebuked as a misguided fanatic and a fool. It was this gospel that had been his strength and his stay when he was obliged to pass through the deep waters of personal suf¬ fering and sorrow. But it was this very same gospel and its power to save that Paul believed would some day conquer the Roman empire and thence lay claim to the whole world for Christ, simply because it was of God and of God’s purpose to bring salvation to everyone that believeth. So, far from being ashamed of or apologetic for it, Paul gloried in it, rejoiced in it and lived by it. This is the way Dr. Moffatt translates our text: “I am proud of the gospel. It is God’s saving power to everyone who has faith.” At any rate, it was the power of God to St. Paul, because it had so completely laid hold of him and had transferred his character. It had penetrated his whole being. It had soaked and saturated his every thought and word and deed. “To me to live is Christ,” he said. “I determined Page Eleven

Page 12 text:

(Seated) Ramsay Cook, Bud Harper, Roger Maybank, Glen MacKenzie, Ken McVey, Don Denison, Rev. Hugh McLeod, Merlyn MacLean, Essie McCreery, Bill Zaporzan, Jim Morgan, Pat Cameron. (Standing) Joe Fry, John Klassen, Kay Sigurjonsson, Melba Verge, Des McCalmont, Mr. Gerald Bedford, Joan Christie, Donalda Finlay, Joan Kergan, Janet Scott, Jim Smith, John Wright, Bill Paterson, Barbara Melnick, Marilyn Starr, Josephine Morgan. Student Council, 1952-1953 Honorary President . Dr. Hugh McLeod Senior Stick . Don Denison Lady Stick . Joan Christie Secretary ... Merlyn MacLean Treasurer . Ken McVey Assistant Treasurer . Sam Braker Athletics . Thom Murray Building Fund . John Klassen Current Affairs . Al Mackling Debating . Roger Maybank Handbook . Glen Mackenzie Publicity . Melba Verge Social . Donalda Finlay, Vic Mearon Theatre . Des McCalmont Vox . Ray Tulloch, Glen Mackenzie Senior U.C.S .C. Rep .. Janet Scott Junior U.C.S.C. Rep . Essie McCreery Collegiate Coed Rep . Pat Cameron Senior U.M.S.U. Rep . Jim Smith Junior U.M.S.U. Rep .Jo Morgan Brown and Gold Rep . Helen Scurfield Faculty Rep . Gerald Bedford Theology President . Joe Fry Theology Veep . Bud Harper 4th Year President . Ramsay Cook 4th Year Veep . Kay Sigurjonsson 3rd Year President . Ray Tulloch 3rd Year Veep . Joan Kergan 2nd Year President . Bill Paterson 2nd Year Veep . Marilyn Starr 1st Year President . John Wright 1st Year Veep . Barbara Melnick Collegiate President . Bill Zaporzan Collegiate Veep . Jim Morgan Page Ten

Page 14 text:

not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” Those of you who knew Dr. Riddell, learned to appreciate a similar zeal and ardour, because the gospel to him was a first hand vital ex¬ perience. It was not something he inherited, though he stood in the line of splendid family traditions. Nevertheless it was something he had made his own. For him Christianity was not a mere nodding of the head to give approval or assent to a creed or any formula of belief. It was rather a living experience of the truth of God’s word, as apprehended in a vital fellow¬ ship, and commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ. Accordingly, his Christian faith manifested it¬ self in everything he did. He bore the marks of his Master, which were evident even in his countenance and always in his behaviour. And just because Dr. Riddell set a very high standard for himself in belief and conduct, he lived on a plane of thought and feeling far be¬ yond the attainment or understanding of those who yield themselves to the subtle attractions of worldly wisdom, in fashion or popularity, or greedy gain or passing pleasures. These had no claim upon him since he had higher motives and objectives. When one dared to sound him out in his convictions it was like striking flint. He was so fundamentally sane and sound that in his personal habits and every day relationship to others one could have rung a coin on his conscience. I first met Dr. Riddell in 1940, when as chair¬ man of the Renfrew Presbytery I was presiding at the opening of a new church hall at Smiths Falls. Dr. Riddell was there and delivered his famous address on “The Elder.” Nine years later, in the spring of 1949, I had a letter from him intimating that he would like to spend the summer months in some town outside of the city, where he could indulge his hobby of gard¬ ening. I went to Ottawa to see him and he was easily induced to come to Carleton Place. I have since regarded this as one of the wisest acts I have ever done because his almost daily companionship was not only a blessing to me, but he became a highly respected citizen. And while Dr. Riddell was already well stricken with years, his presence was immediately felt, even by those whom he casually met on the streets or who heard him occasionally from my pulpit, with his strong resonant voice and his equally strong emphatic message. During the last few days in the press recog¬ nition has been given to Dr. Riddell for his ser¬ vice in the cause of higher education, particu¬ larly in Western Canada. This is only fair and just, but he once told me that some of his most satisfying work had been done after he had become Principal Emeritus of Wesley College in 1938. It was in this period he produced and published two books. The first was “The Elder,” containing the address which he gave in a trans- Canada tour along with the results of his schol¬ arly researches. The last time he delivered this address was when we ordained two elders in this church in April, and in it Dr. Riddell dis¬ played much of his old time vigour. He said of this brochure that it was the one piece of his work that had any survival value. The other book was the History of Methodism: The Middle West of Canada. He was pressed to write it because he was the one person who had a first hand acquaintance with the men and move¬ ments. He hoped that it would be a source book of information for later historians. And then there was his third and last work, which he was working on until a very few weeks ago. It was his memoirs, and he honoured me by asking me to go through it and make any suggestions. Certainly these memoirs give a sort of completeness to his long career, a sum¬ ming up of his life and thought. He preferred to call them “Gateways”—under Several phases. There was the “Gateway” concerning the life of a boy on an Ontario pioneer farm, with its hardships and advantages. You will recall his boyhood idea of God, — dwelling above the big tree in the barnyard, until that idea grew into the prayer to the Father, through communion and fellowship with Christ. What prayers they were! To me they often sounded like love let¬ ters, with the familiar and fervent, — “Dear Heavenly Father” — and “Our loving Heavenly Father” — for such they truly were. Next came the Gateway to our Education. Here were the difficulties of getting to school, the problem of finance, the struggle and the sacrifice. Out of this came his determination to help needy and worthy students, and the scholarships he established in colleges in Al¬ berta, Manitoba and Ontario. Then came Gateways to service. His desire was to preach, and not to teach, but he was Page Twelve