Joy abounded during the ninth annual Alumni/Graduation Week at Heritage Baptist College. The theme this year was "Is There Not a Cause?" The 14 different messages, the various events, and the special fellowship blessed the hearts of all those who participated.
This was the sixth year that the Graduation Week was held on the campus at Hopewell. All in attendance experienced the Lord doing a special work
Tuesday is always set aside as Alumni Day, and this year Graduation Week began with the morning preaching.
After the services, the special lunch delighted everyone. Brother Harvey Shilling and his friends fried the Indiana crappie fillets. Brother Shilling not only fried the fish, but hecaught them too. (added note: Brother Shilling has told me that the Lord always blesses this time by allowing him to catch more fish) The salad, grits, and brownies added to the delicious meal. With the assistance of Mrs. Tootie Vaughan and Carol Kelley, everyone went away filled
The Tuesday Alumni Day Fish Fry continues to bless body and soul.
For the tenth straight year, Heritage Baptist College sponsored the Wednesday night local church rally. Heritage students provided some of thespecial music along with Pastor Tim Lindsey and his fine church choir.
Many saw for the first time, the new platform which enhances the auditorium. The preacher of the evening was Dr. Tom Wallace from Murfreesboro, TN. Dr. Wallace brought a wonderful Bible centered message, interlaced with his timely illustrations.
Gray Brother's Cafeteria catered the Spring Banquet for Heritage Baptist College and this year it was held on campus.
The Alumni Banquet featured dinner, music by the Heritage Singers and the Pryor Sisters, with generous giving by God's people. The gymnasium was filled for one of the largest ever attended banquets. Dr. Randy Parker, from Greenfield, IN, delivered a special message that set the atmosphere for the banquet offering.
Over $18,000 total was given in cash and pledges.
On Friday night, May 6th, we enjoyed a wonderful concluding service. Friends and family gathered to witness the bestowing of degrees and to hear Dr. David Ball deliver the commencement address. Pastor Ball challenged the graduates to have a ministry that will "Be an Example."
The date was May 1, 1915 and the Cunard Line's finest ship, the Lusitania, was beginning her 202nd crossing of the Atlantic. WWI was now 9 months old. In several different newspapers that day, for the first time, the German Embassy had printed a warning right next to the Cunard advertisement. As the Lusitania prepared to leave pier 54 there were 1,959 passengers and crew aboard.
Jack Lawrence, a reporter for the NY Times, interviewed the passengers that day concerning the submarine threat. Millionaire Alfred Vanderbilt showed no concern saying "I don't take much stock in it myself." One of the most famous Americans on the ship was author Elbert Hubbard. When asked if the ship should go down, Hubbard replied, "Why, I'll stay on the ship. I'm too old to go chasing after lifeboats, and I never was much of a hand at swimming. No, we'll stay by the ship." In the rush of the morning, many people had not read the German warning, but those who had, carelessly brushed it aside.
Only one couple took the threat seriously and cancelled their booking. Mr. & Mrs. Edward Bowen, a wealthy shoe dealer from Boston, heeded the warning.The Bowens didn't realize it then, but that decision had protected them.
Seven days later, in calm water just off the coast of Ireland, the Lusitania came under attack by German submarine U-20. On that sunny, Friday afternoon, Commander Walther Schwieger fired one torpedo which struck the ship on the starboard side. The Lusitania sank in 18 minutes. Only 764 people were rescued, and most of the dead simply disappeared. The bodies of millionaire Alfred Vanderbilt and Mr. & Mrs. Elbert Hubbard, were never recovered. (Larson, Erik. Dead Wake. New York: Crown Publishers. 2015. p. 91-95)
The Bible warns of eternal danger, and yet the remedy is also found in its pages. How many individuals, like the passengers on that great ship, continue forward to their own destruction?
On April 29, 2016, a dear Canadian friend, Rev. Ross Smith went to meet His Savior. Brother Smith had been very active in establishing and pastoring churches in Nova Scotia and Ontario, and he was a great friend of Heritage. He leaves a wonderful legacy of souls saved and a faithfulness to God's work. Brother Smith had retired from active pastoring several years ago, but he had never retired from getting out the Gospel. He was 85 years old.
Contact an Admissions Counselor TODAY and plan to visit Heritage. You can reach us at 317-738-3791