After the Formal Program There Is Always a Time When Faculty, Trustees, Graduates and Their Relatives, and a Host of the Seminar
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WESTMINSTER SEMINARY 38TH COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES After the formal program there is always a time when faculty, trustees, graduates and their relatives, and a host of the seminary's friends linger for congratulations and conversation, and a tea served in Machen Hall. The Rev. LeRoy Oliver, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, presided over the exercises. An invocation was offered by the Rev. Robert Prins, Christian Reformed pas tor in Paterson, N. J. Following a Scripture reading by the Rev. John Morton, Reformed Episcopal pastor in Philadel phia, the Rev. Robert Atwell, Orthodox Presbyterian pas tor in Westfield, N. J., led in prayer. After the Rev. Egbert Andrews' address, printed here in, President Edmund Clowney conferred twenty bachelor of divinity, and five master of theology degrees. Dr. Cor nelius Van Til then addressed the graduates in terms of their calling in the face of the issues of the day. United Presbyterian and Southern I Love Being a Missionary Presbyterian Churches.) The young man continued; "At this HARVIE M. CONN college I was fed on books such as this. I learned a great deal about Barth and Brunner. Then I came here." had just finished my third class Orthodox Presbyterian missionary I nodded in understanding. A pic I for the morning and was about to Harvie C01l7l has an effective teaching settle down to a bowl of soup for ministry in a theological seminary in ture was beginning to form now. lunch that I had snatched from the Seoul along with his evangelistic "My mind was very confused by makeshift restaurant in our dirt-floor preaching and personal witnessing in books like this when I came here. basement. In the past, I had enjoyed many places. Then I listened to your classes and eating with the students in the base the lectures of the other teachers. I ment, but the restaurant (not approved over David Strauss, Albert Schweitzer, did not feel free to ask questions in by Duncan Hines) had been moved to Rudolf Bultmann and the like. And I some of the classes. But I always felt that freedom in your class." a smaller room this term-and if you had never been quite sure, when it was didn't get there the first three minutes over, just who had really received the He certainly did! after bell, you just didn't get there. going over from my friend-Albert "Now I don't want this book any We're all delighted to have a student Schweitzer or me. He had entered the more. It has done me much harm." body of some 340 young men and seminary as a graduate of a general He thanked me for the few minutes women this term (now the largest college. And I wondered if he, like of time and left. The conversation had in all of Asia). But why do they all most college graduates in seminary, taken no more than three or four want to eat at the same time in the didn't feel himself to be several minutes. same place? notches higher than his fellows. The soup was still warm and I was The morning had been as usual a He bowed in greeting and asked if remembering a Bible verse about wit busy one. Apostolic History-94 stu he was intruding. nessing and missionaries. "Brethren, if dents. Greek Grammar--48 students. "Oh no, please sit down." Besides, any of you do err from the truth and Galatians-88 students. Lots of per how can you intrude on a bowl of hot one convert him; let him know, that sonal attention for everybody, of soup? he which converteth the sinner from course, with this good pupil-teacher the error of his way shall save a soul ratio! And of course a teacher so Book for Sale from death, and shall hide a multi gifted at the Korean language he can tude of sins." "I brought the book with me about catch the nuance of every single ques I love being a missionary! tion thrust at him! Questions like: which we had spoken yesterday," he "Would you say that Floyd Filson's said. views resemble those of the Tubingen "The book?" He could read my school?" "Where do Haenchen and blank stare--a perfect reflection of my DR. VAN TIL'S NEW BOOK mind at the time. "Oh yes, the book. The Confession of 1967: Conze1mann differ in their approach Background and Significance to Acts as history?" "I don't under You had a book you wondered if the (Presbyterian and Reformed, 1967, stand you when you say that Bultmann seminary library might not be inter 128 pp. $2.50) does not do justice to the task of the ested in buying from you." may be ordered from apostle as conveyer, rather than cre "That's right. I brought it with me GREAT COMMISSION PUBLICATIONS ator." "My teacher last hour taught today." 7401 Old York Road me something quite different. Does He handed it over to me. It was an Phila., Pa. 19126 Pak Yune Sun teach this way also?" English edition of Emil Brunner's "How can all this help me in preach- work, The Divine Imperative. WANTED TO BUY mg.. ;>" Machen, The Christian View of Man, We didn't have the book in our Rian, The Presbyterian Conflict. seminary library and I knew it would Requests for these books (now out Interview be useful as reference material for of print) have come in. If you have The door to the little office shook advanced work. The price was settled one to sell, write to the Guardian with a quiet rap and I acknowledged on and paid. office, naming the price. the request. "Please enter." My bowl "This book did me much harm," of ~ot soup was about to be forgotten he said. DID YOU KNOW agalll. "I don't understand," I replied. • that evangelization is the most wonderful work in the world ? A second-year student entered. He "Did you know that I graduated • that our school specializes in was not one of my favorites, to say the from Soongsil College?" (For the training young people to serve least. Last semester, in Gospel His benefit of our Western readers, Soong Christ in his ch urch and mission? tory, he had driven me crazy every sil College is an institution now be Write Today! class hour with some question or chal longing to the Korean Presbyterian Dr. Dick L. Van Halsema, President REFORMED BIBLE INSTITUTE lenge of the subject materal. We had Church, Tonghap group, associated 1869 Robinson Road, S. E. spent a semester together already going closely with the missionaries of the Grand Rapids, Michigan 49506 The Presbyterian Guardian is published monthly (except combined in July-August) by the Presbyterian Guardian Publishing Corp., 7401 Old York Rd., Phila., Pa. 19126, at the following rates, payable in advance in any part of the world, postage prepaid: $3.00 per year ($2.50 in Clubs of ten or more); $1.00 for four months; 25c per single copy. Second Class mail privileges authorized at the Post Office, Philadelphia, Pa. 74 The Presbyterian Guardian Westminster Seminary Commencement Address Who Is Sufficient for These Things? EGBERT W. ANDREWS I n this climactic year when a once great have been, in a very special sense, entrusted church has officially relinquished her his with the gospel. It is our function so to toric standards, I am reminded of the year make Christ known, in all the fulness of his of my own graduation when the same church person and work, in all his winsome loveli was about to set aside those standards in ness and awesome holiness, that the fra practice. It was matters concerning foreign grance of his knowledge may be diffused by missions that brought the crisis to a head. us in every place. And our class of 1935,besides being famous for providing the seminary with its illus The result will be that some will believe trious Professor of Old Testament, became and others will not believe. To those who deeply involved in foreign missions. Five or believe on him, the knowledge of Christ is six of our number became foreign mission like a vivifying smell, ending in life. To the aries-four of whom are still serving in unbelievers, the knowledge of Christ is like other lands today. the smell of death, ending in death if they continue in unbelief. "He that believeth on In his second letter to the Corinthians the Son hath everlasting life: and he that (chapters two and three) Paul describes believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the function, the results, the frame of mind, the wrath of God abideth on him" (John and the manner of his activity as a captive 3:36). servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. Because Christ had triumphed over him, he also par This, of course, is only so as Christ is ticipated in the triumph of Jesus Christ. preached as he is set forth in the Scriptures. It is not so on any Barthian reconstruc AN ODOR OF LIFE - OR OF DEATH tion. According to Barth, all men are elect When a victorious Roman general re for all men are in Christ and Christ is the turned from the wars, he paraded in trium elected man. Jesus Christ has accepted the phal procession through the city streets. In grace of God in our place. It was Jesus honor of his victory sweet odors from the Christ, alone true man, who alone was re burning of spices and the fragrance of jected by God.