Noel Morse
KNOCKING
AT
THE GATE
Is Spiritual Emphasis Week wrongly
named? We say that Christ is the center
of Montreat life. If this is true, the em
phasis is always spiritual and there is no
need for a definite week called by this
name. Perhaps this was the message Dr.
Truesdale intended to convey when, in the
first of this year’s service, he asked, “When
Christ makes His entrance into Montreat,
do you merely pass Him by?” This haunt
ing question is indeed a thought-provoking
one.
Dr. Truesdale further inspired us when
he related the story of the old, bea'en tug
boat that suddenly acted like new one day.
One bystander offered this solution: ‘Old
Bust-Me-Up has a new captain now”. Does
the new Captain make a difference in your
life? Our speaker, truly a man of God,
showed us again that Christ is not only our
Captain, but “Christ, your big brother, will
be there whenever and wherever you need
Him”. We were also reminded that we
have a reservation in Heaven paid for by
a Friend, and no one can take it away.
Did Heaven break through to you in a
strategic place during the 1958 Spiritual
Emphasis Week? Heaven can break through
to you every moment if you will continually
emphasize the spiritual.
The trite expression, “Little pitchers have
big ears”, certainly has rung true this
month; these big ears have heard an abund
ance of typical Montreat statements. All
of us have felt that we had more to do
than we ever could get around to, and
Carolyn May wrapped up this feeling when
she came charging into her room late one
night exclaiming, “I’ve got to hurry to bed
so I’ll be there in time to get up!” Dr.
Holt came up with an original daffynition
when he told his class that rock’n’roll was
nothing but rhythmic confusion. One of
the students, showing great intelligence and
deep thought, upon hearing that Dr. Bell’s
son-in-law had visited the campus, asked,
“Is Dr. Bell’s son-in-law married?” And
finally, Martha Robinson took Romans 12:1
a little too seriously. In trying to present
herself as a living sacrifice, she sat in the
offering plate one morning in chapel! (She
may have been looking for a strong usher.)
DECEMBER, 1958
While Lois Keys was making her abode
in the infirmary for several days, she and
Miss Ward took a test in the Reader’s
Digest and discovered that they were just
too righteous. They came to the conclusion
that it was time for them to “loosen up”
a bit, so their plan is to take the little
brown jug out behind the Music Building
every night. Speaking of the Music Build
ing, Mrs. Dunford was up there one day
lamenting the fact that on the previous
Sunday morning she had had to sit on the
front row in church—she called it the
Amen Corner. She said that as a young
girl, she used to sit on the front row of
her church’s choir loft, which was in the
balcony, and lean over the rail. One day,
she accidentally pushed a hymnbook over
the edge, and it landed squarely on the
bald head of a member of the congrega
tion. He was so stunned that they had to
interrupt the service to take him out. Mrs.
Dunford stoutly asserts that this is her
one claim to fame, and that she has been
walking the “straight and narrow” ever
since that time.
Thanksgiving week-end brought with it
the excitement of seeing familiar faces of
college alumni once again. It was thrilling
to hear of their experiences in this big,
old world and also to learn of the success
ful and challenging lives of some who were
not able to come back to their Alma Mater
at this time.
It was good to see Mary Frances
“Frizzie” Edwards and to know that her
missionary efforts in the high school at
Wendell, N. C., have been so successful
as to net four prospective Montreat stu
dents whom she brought with her. A 1958
graduate made the week-end memorable by
becoming engaged to one of our present
co-eds. Congratulations to Mary Lou Kiser
and Tom Arena! Ann Sharpe finally got
here after waiting in the Asheville bus
station from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. (Courage
is included in the education of every Mon-
treater.) Sylvia Haley was back with her
same warmth and radiance but without that
familiar old green Plymouth which she
traded in on a new one. It gave us a
special pride to hear three of our alumni
introduce themselves as members of our
college faculty. With great joy, we wel
comed back one of our dearest friends,
“Aunt” Una Mae Mangrum, former secre
tary to Dr. McGregor, and now a public
school Bible teacher. All of these friends
presented us with another challenge to
carry on the Montreat tradition in the best
way possible.
VSE OR ABUSE?
By Bettye Hampton
It is a trait of humanity to take unfair
advantage of the privileges granted to us.
Many times we do this unconsciously, but,
more often than not, we do it deliberately.
The student lounge in the gym has be
come a subject of great controversy with
the students of Montreat College. Nine
out of ten students have expressed their
desire to keep the lounge open to the stu
dent body. And yet, nine out of ten stu
dents seem to think nothing of breaking
the few rules which allow the lounge to
remain open.
Paper—from ice cream, candy, etc.,—fre
quently decorate the floor. Glass from
broken pop bottles adds a certain glitter
to the place. These “decorations” are typ
ical of places frequented by high school
students, but we are no longer in high
school. We, as college students, are sup
posed to be able to carry out our duties
properly and with the capability with which
they have been accredited to us.
Wherein does the fault lie? Is it in the
individual himself, or in the set-up under
which the student lounge operates?
The Sophomore Class has taken as a pro
ject the beautification of the lounge. Does
it merit their efforts when we treat it in
so unjust a manner? Have the hall courts
lived up (o the responsibility they accepted
when they agreed to take over the upkeep
of the lounge?
The purpose of the student lounge is to
provide the students of Montreat College,
in addition to their academic work, a well
balanced and enjoyable atmosphere. Each
member of the student body is expected to
accept his responsibility and “carry
through”. No soccer team could be suc
cessful if the players did not co-operate
and work together. This teamwork is also
vital if our student lounge is to be a credit
to our school.
No matter what we do, we represent
Montreat College. An unkempt student
lounge reflects upon the name of the col
lege as well as upon you.
Use it; don’t abuse it.
HOLIDAY GREETING— From Page 1
What is this thing called the Christmas
spirit? It is all these and more. As carol-
lers sing laughingly, “Deck the Halls with
Boughs of Holly”; exuberantly, “Angels We
Have Heard on High”; expectantly, “0
Come, O Come, Emmanuel”; and serenely,
“Silent Night”; even so is the spirit of
Christmas expressed. It is the “babe wrap
ped in swaddling clothes, lying in a
manger”—the promised Messiah, the hop
ed-for Saviour, the reigning King. It is
the angels’ message: “Glory to God in the
highest, and on earth peace, goodwill to
ward men.”
Joyeux Noel! The Christmas Sisters