Pepperdine University Pepperdine Digital Commons Churches of Christ Heritage Center Jerry Rushford Center 1999 Forever Young: The Life and Times of M. Norvel Young & Helen M. Young Bill Henegar Pepperdine University Jerry Rushford Pepperdine University Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/heritage_center Part of the Christianity Commons Recommended Citation Henegar, Bill and Rushford, Jerry, "Forever Young: The Life and Times of M. Norvel Young & Helen M. Young" (1999). Churches of Christ Heritage Center. Item 10. http://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/heritage_center/10 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Jerry Rushford Center at Pepperdine Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Churches of Christ Heritage Center by an authorized administrator of Pepperdine Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. $25.00 Once in a while, there are those who transcend the ordinary . and even the extraordinary, in that they succeed in several arenas of endeavor. Such is the case with Dr. M. Norvel Young and Helen M. Young, a legendary husband and wife team that climbed mountains of achievement in academia as well as religious life, a couple that touched the lives of kings as well as cabdrivers. Telling their stories in not easy because of the breadth of their experiences: their tales range from Tennessee and Oklahoma to Texas, California and the far recesses of the globe. They completed more than 40 international trip s in which they helped rebuild a devastated post-war Germany, smuggled Bibles into Russia, conducted a ceremony for the Shah of Iran, met with the King of Thailand, visited with Mother Teresa . and so much more. In their home in America they entertained presidents, supreme court justices, international authors and educators, and religious figures, as well as countless ordinary people, with whom they identified. What was remarkable about their lives was the love, hope and encouragement they brought to any per­ son, any group, any situation, any venue that they encountered. Th ey dreamed big dreams, and matched those dreams w ith backbreaking labor and prayer to assure that a better reality was the end result. Th e ir example serves as a memory of nobler days. Indeed, the world yearns for a new generation of people like Norvel and Helen Young. B ill Henegar knew Norvel and Helen Young for nearly 30 years, and knew of them for much longer. He is assistant vice president for Creative Services at Pepperdine University, and is the author of three other hooks. Henegar came to Pepperdine just as the institu tio n was moving to university status and the Malibu campus was being built. He was a first hand witness to the remark­ able achievements of the Youngs, w ith their “miracle at M alibu” and other advancements. Jerry Rush ford has worked closely w ith the Youngs for many years, serving as m inister for the Malibu Church °l Christ, as director for the Church Relations office and as professor of Religion at Seaver College. Rushford is the author of a book on the migration of C hristians to the Oregon territory in the 19th century. As a church historian, he lias traced the Restoration Movement and the remarkable careers of many C hristians, not the least of which are those of Norvel and Helen Young. In 1987, Rushford and H enegar collaborated on a pictorial history of Pepperdine on the occasion o f the University's 30th anniversary. Rushford edited the volume, while H enegar designed and produced the book. Historical narrative was provided by Howard A. W hite, fifth president of Pepperdine, and Patricia Yomantas contributed the presidential biographies. ( '.over Design: Rick Gibson Inside flat) photography: Ron H a ll In an era o f vanishing heroes, Norvel and Helen Young stand more and more in bold relief against our times. Not that they lived perfect lives, but that they lived perfectly human lives - with their feet in the valley, sometimes even in the sand, but with their hearts on the mountaintop. And always, w ith their heads in heaven. For those who never knew Norvel and Helen, their story w ill bless your life if you appreciate the virtues of nobility, love and truth. And for those who thought they knew the Youngs, you are in for some surprises. You w ill dis­ cover that there was much more to them than you imagined. Norvel and Helen had more facets than a finely cut diamond, and they reflected light with more brilliance. THE LIFE AND TIMES M. NORVEL YOUNG & HELEN M. YOUNG THE LIFE AND TIMES M. NORVEL YOUNG & HELEN M. YOUNG Copyright © 1999 21st Century Christian Published by 21st Century Christian 2809 Granny White Pike Nashville, TN 37204 Printed and Bound in the United States of America A ll Rights Reserved A ll Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version. Copyright © 1973,1976,1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. A ll rights reserved. ISB N # 0-89098-167-1 IV C o n t e n t s Prologue — Some o f Them Do Sparkle! .................................... ix Chapter 1 — From the Soil o f Tennessee.................................... 1 The Morrows The B irth o f Ruby The Move to Nashville The Youngs The Courting of Ruby Becoming a Family A Church-Centered Life Chapter 2 — Norvel on H is O w n ................................................15 Lipscomb Days Student Leader at Abilene A Year at Vanderbilt Beginning of an Adventure The British Isles The Continent Pressing On Crossing Into Asia Homeward Bound Chapter 3 — Boy Meets G irl .........................................................33 F irs t Sight o f a New College Mr. Young, Meet Miss Mattox Back Home In Nashville Return to the Golden State Chapter 4 — A Woman Named Helen M attox .......................45 The Imposing Figure of F. L. Young F. L .’s Daughter An Oklahoma Childhood College Days in Arkansas Go West, Young Woman Chapter 5 — Laying Foundations ................................................ 6 7 A Blossoming Romance August 31, 1939 The Newlyweds Young Professor Young Helen and Norvel in Nashville M. Norvel Young, Ph.D. Chapter 6 — The Texas Pla ins ...................................................... 9 5 T he Call of Broadway A Different Kind of Preacher The Young Children Building a Great Church Chapter 7 — Builders W ith a V isio n ........................................ 1 1 7 Germany For Christ A Visionary Journey A New Home for Broadway Encouragers of Christian Education A Place for Homeless Children Pages o f Pow er Creating a College Chapter 8 — Answering a New C a ll........................................ 1 3 5 C alifornia on the Line The Watershed Decision Reality Sets In The New Dean Tim e for Attention Chapter 9 — Search and Rescue ................................................. 1 5 5 R ebuilding the Faculty Recovering the M ission From Red to Black Vindication of the Founder vi Chapter 10 — L.A. C risis .............................................................1 7 7 A Home in Heidelberg The Watts Riots Malibu Dreaming A Campus Under Siege Chapter 11 — The Miracle at M alibu ..................................... 2 01 A Dynamic Partnership B irth o f a College A Campus by the Sea Norvel Chooses a Successor Chapter 12 — Trium ph and Tragedy ...................................... 2 1 7 A New University, A New Home Those in Peril on the Sea The Seaver Legacy Poison Stress The Coming of Winter Aftermath Chapter 13 — The Long Way Home ....................................... 23 5 The Wilderness A Contrite Heart Rebuilding Trust Fo u r Decades Together Chapter 14 — A Woman for A ll Seasons................................251 Hostess Par Excellence Woman of Many Words A Mother in Israel The Mantle o f Leadership Chapter 15 — The Friend-Raisers............................................26 5 A New Century You M ust Come See U s Causes and Friends Always a Welcome Guest Citizens Young vii Chapter 16 — Travels W ith Norvel and Helen ....................2 8 9 Annual Pilgrimages Journeys o f Encouragement Ambassadors at Large Enchantment o f the Orient Chapter 17 — Once More ’Round the W orld .......................30 7 Beyond Fourscore A Sober Warning Racing the Sun A Tu rn in g Point Remembered A Home-Run Finish Chapter 18 — The G ift of a Larger L ife ................................33 3 A Celebration o f Life An Empty Place Against the Sky Memories of Daddy Beyond the Sunset Helen Alone Epilogue — Living Lights, Shining Stars ...............................3 5 2 Acknowledgments............................................................................3 5 7 PROLOGUE Some of Them Do Sparkle! Many people vivid ly remember the popular Broadway m usical, Camelot. The songs were inspiring. The story of Lancelot and Guenevere was enchanting. Some may recall that the armies of King A rthur and Lancelot eventually engage in battle against one another. But probably few remember how the story ends . A boy of 14 is discovered behind A rthur's tent on the battle­ field where a conflict soon w ill spell the end of Camelot. The boy admits he is a stowaway but quickly explains that he has come to fight for the Round Table. He hopes someday to be a knight, even though he has never even seen a knight in his village of Warwick. "I only know of them," he says, "the stories people tell." A strange lig h t comes into the kin g 's eyes. "W ha t do you th in k you know of the Knights and the Round Table?" asks Arthur. "I know everything, M ilord," the boy enthuses. "Might for right! Right for right! Justice for all! A Round Table where all Knights would sit. Everything!" A s A rth u r excitedly talks w ith the boy, he fina lly orders, "Kneel, Tom. Kneel. With this sword, Excalibur, I knight you S ir Tom of Warwick.