The theocrat. [volume] (Zion City [i.e. Zion], Ill.) 1914-1949, 1919-06-14

IAlA1iDS1 VI llIS SldSS vi lllC previous year
entered the new school, and we who now
compose the Class of 1919 have completed
three years work in the Zion Preparatory
Department. Many students dropped out
of the race during the first year for vari-
GUS reasons, and few have been added
to our original class, until we now have
twelve members, six girls and six boys.
lh1s dropping out of the race, which
was so marked in our class, is but typical
of the action in any race or undertaking =
the Christian life, for instance. Undoubt-
edly, many people desire to enter upon a
Christian career because they would like
to enjoy some Of the pleasures and privileges
which Christian has, but which, one not a
Christian may not en- Joy. Others become
Christians because they really believe in
the doctrine; but soon hardships overtake
them, and after time they are found mis-
sing from the ranks of those who are march
ing onward. The tests become more severe,
until by the time the goal is neared, only a
few contenders are in the race An exact
parallel of this may be seen in the mem
bers of our class.
Then we may draw another comparison
between a Christians life and the four
years of our Preparatory School training.
A man, on first becoming Christian, US
ually knows little about the developed life
and ideals of a Christian; but if he sticks
to the job, as it were, he will learn quickly
and progress So it is in the four years of
Preparatory work; when we first entered
upon this work we knew very little of what
was before us, but it soon was made plain
to u.s. We found that we were expected
to study hard, and so progress from year
to year. We have lived up to this ex-
pectation, and now it will be necessary for
us to leave our school and seek our vari-
Gus places in life
We might also compare Our four years
course to that Of a river. The great river
at its source, is a tiny mountain stream
let, AS this thread proceeds down the
mountainside, other streamlets join it, and
soon a fair-sized stream is formed. It
gushes over rocks and dashes down cater
acts, passing uninhabited regions and dark
forests Other streams join this one, and
soon they all emerge on level plain as a
wide smooth-howing river. The little
streamlet and the dashing mountain stream
were of little use to mankind, as they were
away from mans habitation. But when
we come to the river, we see stored up in it
the power and energy of all these little
streams, and since it is at mans command,
it is of great and varied use to him.
So it has been with our training When
we began, we were like the mountain stream
let, small and weak in every way, but the
source of a greater power, as yet undevelop-
ed. We were of little use to humanity.
At times we were as the dashing CATER
act, unruly and almost unmanageable but
Our teachers were patient with us so that we
have learned to be more steady, and as the
seriousness of life dawned more and more
clearly upon us, our manner came to re-
semble the smooth-howing river-happy
and joyous, yet earnest and determined.
We have not studied with the single pur-
pose of furthering our own selfish ends,
but that we might help in the greater work
of bettering the condition of mankind
and of building up Zion If it had not
been for Zion, we would not be graduating
from this school; and if we had been train
ed in and were being graduated from some
other school, our lives would probably be
| far different Zion schools and Zion have
done much for us, and now it is our turn to
do all we can for Our General Overseer and
Zion.
You now have some idea of what Our
work during our Four Years Preparatory
Course has been, and | will say as said to
you at the beginning: We extend to you
hearty welcome to our Class Day Ex-
ercises, and may everyone here tonight
receive some blessing from what is said
and done as the program proceeds.
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