The Creator of this universe had in mind great things for his friends here. From the beginning of the great controversy, he has ever had standard-bearers whose lives reflected his great purpose. The standard has ever been the same. Only the bearers have changed. In every nation, unknown to one another, but guided by the great I AM, patiently they have toiled, unmoved by the world’s applause or censure.
History readily points us to the great movements of the past, but it is not always easy to recognize in the commonplace about us the ripples in a tidal wave which manifest his mighty working.
Seventy-five years ago there swept over the world an awakened interest in the Scriptures which stirred the church to its very center. To-night we are here as one result of that mighty work. The gospel is fast being carried to each individual, and the living temples are being cleansed for their royal priest.
The simplicity of Christ’s helpfulness was broader than mental equipment or moral discernment. The secret of the multitudes always about him was the ministry he gave to the bodies of his followers. His was the gospel practiced, — he was a medical missionary.
It was fitting that this movement which stands for physical and moral righteousness, should organize in its advance guard the school whose annual commencement brings us here to-night. No less beautiful and fitting is the way in which the class whose commencement we are beholding have been summoned. From east, north, south, and west, across continent and ocean, we have come,— across continent and ocean we shall soon go. The advent message has reached each of our hearts. To some it came with childhood’s earliest teaching; to some it came in youth’s joyous enthusiasm; to some it came in the seriousness of early manhood and womanhood. In each it awakened the ambition which coveted the four years’ training we are just completing.
It is not always easy when the perspective is narrow, to comprehend the magnitude of the structure we are in. It is not always pleasant to wait the patient placing of brick on brick, and the quiet settling of that which binds the whole together, that we may view the completed structure we so eagerly desire. We have been content during our course to plod through the plans of our architects, but never for a moment have we lost sight of the great Architect’s design for us. With our nights of study have been mingled nights of watching with the weary sufferer. With our days of freedom, we have followed the Guide to his children behind the prison bars or in the gloomy cell, and have seen them led into the liberty wherein “Christ hath made us free.”
In the clinic we have studied the varied and wonderful ways in which nature combats the foe which would take her life. In the laboratory, before the completeness and perfection of the human organism, we have felt the place was holy, and have gone forth on the streets to lead his little ones outcast there, to the place where they can be taught the friendship and love of their Creator. The tones of the Macedonian cry called us to work among Chicago’s Chinamen, teaching them his word and truth. From the lectures which led us into the very secrets of life, we went to give the helpless, deserted one rest and comfort and home.
From watching the nerve cell slowly recover the force it lost in the struggle for existence, we have gone forth to take the weary and exhausted toiler from her bench in the sweat-shop to a place in the glad outdoors, where God’s life and love were jubilant.
The pitiable and sorry scene of the drunkard’s helplessness gave renewed determination in our efforts to guide the youth away from the slavery of drink and drugs. We have seen the very life of our alma mater threatened only to behold from the ashes of our sorrows this magnificent embodiment of her principles which shelters us to-night.
To our teachers: however short we have come of your expectations, we earnestly express our appreciation for what you have fairly attempted.
To our friends who have encouraged us: we thank you sincerely. To the future which awaits us on the morrow, we move steadily and surely forward. We count the greatest blessing to be that the Lord has deemed us worthy to work beside our Elder Brother in these our college days.
Beloved, we, with you, are eager to hasten the time when his coming will put an end to the physician’s calling, and the nurse shall be off duty forever.
“The healing of that seamless dress is by our beds of pain;
We touch Him in life’s throng and press, and we are whole again.
O Lord and Master of us all, whate’er our name or sign,
We own thy sway, we hear thy call,
we test our lives by thine.”