The Mankato free press., 1922-06-09
BETHANY COLLEGE STUDENTS

They Heard Annual Sermon Yes
terday Evening; Song Service
The annual sermon of Bethany
College was delivered last evening
in the Emmanuel Lutheran church.
Jesus Our Teacher" was the theme
Of the sermon, chosen by Dr.. s. C.
Yfivisaker of Conccrda college.
The exercises opened with the or
gan prelude, played by Professor
B. A. Laukandt. To this music the
graduating class entered proceeded by
the trustees of the College, Attorney
William Stradtmann. ]. e. Stock
man and President F. A. Winter.
The faculty of the college followed
the class Following the scripture
reading and the prayer by Rev.
Winter, the College Chorus sang
King of Love, My Shepherd Is"
On the basis of Luke 10, 3442,
the speaker chose his theme, and he
Contrary to the opposite con-
ception of SO many. Jesus Teaches
with divine authority, the content
| of what he says concerns US vitality,
his demands are-of the highest order.
Many refuse to accept HIM as
teacher because they place their
own Judgement above His, they
consider his demands too high.
Others want to make short cuts to-
ward the goal He sets, and fail on
that account. To conform to the
ideal set by Him, TO 1--we a Cody
life Is impossible without first learn
ing the fundamentals. The funda-
mental lessons which Jesus would
teach are the lessons Of sin and
grace, of faith and love and finally
Of hope. So. -,
"-rhe lesson of sin is chiefly mega
tive for 1t leaves to one the false
hopes and vain imaginings we may
have of our own virtue and good
ness, it shows us the need Of grace,
the grace of Good in Christ Jesus.
But the knowledge of sin and the
knowledge of grace must be more
than mere knowledge. Christ teaches
these lessons in such manner that
through His word He brings about
that heaven born something which
we call faith And faith is conf
dence, joy, peace in the assurance
of the forgiveness of sin and the
assurance of salvation Faith,
again, is glad to accept the other
wonderful lessons Jesus would
teach; it has, as it were, taken
Jesus by the hand and follows Him
as he shows us the wonderful
goodness of His word. One doctrine
more beautiful and wonderful thaA
the other. He points ont to us.
Above them all and through them
all shines the glorious majesty Of
the Tribune God, majesty which Is
manifest in holiness and righteous
ness, but above all is love. Would
that we could learn this lesson of
lDv %A4 nf %<Srv uJe@ NE
and this as a pattern and source
for our love toward Him and our
feliowmen. The world has none too
much of it.
''The lesson of hope, based as It
is on that Of grace, is not the least
important For what is life without
hope? The Christian hope is a sure
hope and it is a true hope. 1t does
not concern material success or
pleasure, but it permeates all Of
these. Just as the Christian love,
so the Christian hope enters into
every moment and every phase Of a
Christians life. 1t spurs him on,
it strengthens him, it comforts him.
AT this Bethany College, you,
my dear young friends, have had
the privilege of sitting quietly at the
feet of Jesus as Mary of old. You
have been taught these lessons
which have been summarized brief
ly. They point the way for you to a
happy life here on earth, to a useful
life in the real sense of the word
They will carry you safely through
all the vicissitndes OF a life that Is
feeting to perfect life of joy and
bliss that shall never end"
The Offertory was played by Mrs.
Minnie Hubbard's Violin class, The
College Glee Club then sang "Lift
Thine Eye" by Mendelssohn.