: To the Students of Harding College About. thirty-five years ago two mcn of gl'eal V151On, DaYid Lipscomb and J. A. Ha rding, conceived the imperative need of t.eaching the Bible in school as a regular text-book. Their conception re5u lted in the establishment of a schoo l in which every student \.... a s I'equi red to prepare and l'ccitp, at le:1st, one Bible lesson daily, Thi s was a new school "unde r the sun." There had been Chu r ch colleges and un iversities, Chdstian Colleges, Theologi cal Seminal'ics, and Divinity Schoo ls, from time immemot'inl; but a school in which eVClJlbody from the primary pupil to the senior college man was required to rec ite a daily Bible lesson was a school of a new type. At least, among t he disciples of Christ there .vas not another such school in all the world. ]n t hese th irty and more years this ~('hool and those that have developed from it h twc wrought wonders in the church of ou r Lord. So effectually have faithful Chr istians taug-ht the word of God in these schools that their students today are preaching it around the world. Nearly all of the missionaries from the Church on for eign soi l today ha\'e gone out from Bible schools . Thi s Bible school movement is, pel hups , the most important movement begun in the nineteenth century, At least, the Church ha s made no other move s ince the days of the Apostles toward making opportunities fol' teaching- the word of the Lord that is in any way comparable to the oppo r tunity afforded in and through these schools. Withou t doubt, we believe there is no j:p'eater opportunity in all the world to preach the whole wo rd of Goel t han the 0pPo l'tunity given to the teachel's in our Chl'istian colleges. Though our schools afford an op portunity inconceivably great, they are beset with most serious difficulties: and whethe l' we s hall continue to have in the years to come a r ecognized standard college in the world is for us to say. In other words, whether this effect.ual door of utterance shalt be kept open to the Church of God is for t hose of us to say who know the value of the work, who know its needs , and who loye the work because of its great service to youth . So in this our annual message to you we want to lay on your hea r ts one of the problems, the sohling of which is vital to the work. Thi s problem is the pressure, even the demand, being urged by accrediting agencies that every recognized college must have a substantial endowment. The dny is not far di stant, even at the door, we believe, when no college without endo,.... ment. will be f ound on the accredited li st of colleges and universities. Thi s means that, as we a re today, everyone of ou r schools would be irretrievably damaged and this g "eat and effectual door of utterance alt but closed. What shall we do'? Shail we perm it it? Shall !-larding Colle,ge be endangered '? We want you to sny with us, HI( God will, it s hall never be. By the help of God we will give our all to preven t it, and we this day pledge ourselves, heart and hand. to the endowment campaign." We want to assure you, our children, t hat we believe in you and your loyal ty to do all that is in your power to keep and maintain Harding Colleg~ a standard institution . We remember the creating of an e ndowment is no small undertaking, but t he students of this institution are worthy to do great things and they are also capable, with God's help. We loye you and we are fO I' you, for Harding College. BROTHER AND SISTER ARMSTRONG. Page thirt een. • 1
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