NELSON COLLEGE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 16 November 1937, Page 9

NELSON COLLEGE

FOUNDATION DAY SERVICE ADDRESS lIV RliV. JAMES HAV, 15.1). LAUGH ATTENDANCE AT CATHEDRAL Tin; church service to murk Hu; ;<riniversary of the foundation of Nelson College was held in the Cathedral on Sunday morning when there was the largest attendance since tsa inception of the annual service. The address was delivered by the Rev. Janies May, 8.D., while the service was conducted by the Dean of Nelson, the Very Rev. P. 0. Haggitt. The first lesson was read by Mr G. Samuel, President of the Old Boys’ Association, and the second lesson by 11. L McLaren. Head Prefect at the College.

. I "'lt is a very great honour to be ask- ■ ed to take part in the Foundation Day celebrations of a great school, and today I am very conscious of the honour done me, and would like to express my sincere thanks to those responsible for giving me a part in the service. Before coming to Nelson upwards of six years ago 1 had read and heard a good deal about Nelson College as being a secondary school of outstanding merit. I had heard of th • splendid record of service rendered in various parts of the world by men and women whose early years had been enriched physically, mentally, and spiritually by their early association with Nelson College; and I am very glad to-day, as one whose three sons have passeo through the College to bear my testimony that the high traditions well earned by this school in Ihe past arc, in my opinion, not only being maintained, but are being still further raised year by year,” said Mr Hay. “I have been brought into very close contact with the boys and girls of Nelson College during the past five years through my work as supervisor at the Nelson centre for the New Zealand University examinations, and I want to bear testimony to the splendid conduct of the students throughout the years. ' have found them exceedingly courteous at all times; boys and girls of sterling character, and when all is said and don*,-, that is t.lv* big tiling a college stands for--to build character—and in this respect Nelson College is well to the front..’'' Someone had said that "the noblest contribution any man can make to posterity is that of a good character. The ' richest bequest that any one can leave to the youth of his native land is that of a shining spotless example.” Froudc (said, "You cannot dream yourself into a character; von must hammer and forge one yourself.” And a greater than Froudc, St. Paul, who was both a scholar and a Saint, had much to say about the value of character and how it is to be obtained The goal which lie set before men was that of the perfect man, and in order to reach that goal, he said, one must possess not only the knowledge of this world but also the knowledge of the Son of God. fn other words, he must cultivate both the mental and spiritual side of his nature. "It is particularly the knowledge ol the Son of God that enables a man to face up to the temptations of life’s way and stand four square against the surging tides of evil so prone to sweep him | ofl his balance,” continued the preachier. “I am one of those who believe j that the next decade will be a period ol j unprecedented change, and I believe of ! great prosperity. The coming years | will offer great opportunities for young | people of mental capacity, mental discipline. and sterling character. But with this oiler will also come the same temptations that confronted the only perfect Man who ever lived. Again and again man’s age long enemy will take you to view the wealth of the world, and will say. ‘All this I will give you if you will only worship me The only way to meet that situation is to follow the advice given by the Great Master, ‘Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.’ “We hear it stated on many hands that the great need to-day, as far as we are concerned, is the development of New Zealand. Millions of money are being spent on the bridging of rivers, the draining of swamps and the tunnelling of mountains, all very necessary work and very useful work no doubt, but 1 think that the greatest need of this or any land is the spiritual, mental, physical and social development ci the inhabitants of the land. “Happiness which spells success in life depends upon the quality of the soul. A great soul must possess faith, integrity, brotherly kindness, industry and an interest in the well being and the well doing of other people. Dr. Barnes once said that there arc at least two things that one ought to do. ‘To make a living and to live a life. One may readily make a living, but it is vastly more difficult to live a successful life One lives his life successfully only in proportion as he develops the soul.

“There are three grades of achievement measured by the motives that actuate one. Some achievements are due to the call of money, others to the cal! of ambition, and still a third to the call of service. Both money and ambition have long since fallen by the wayside, and are discredited as legitimate motives to achievement. Your chief concern, as you stand on the threshold of manhood and womanhood, should be ‘How can I best serve the world, where can I do the most good, where can 1 achieve the best?’ “One should endeavour to be a success, but th . world is fast changing its ideas aS to what constitutes success; who was a success Herod or John the Baptist? Pilate or Jesus? Nero or Paul? Contemporaries honoured the former bill posteiity names the latter. "There are unlimited possibilities in the coming years for the young men and women who lill our colleges to-doy. You may not all become rich or famous, but the highest estate is open lor you all, you can achieve a true personality, a character strong enough to endure both prosperity and also adversity. You arc fortunate to be students of a College whosl chief characteristic is the development of a full life. ] believe you value your privileges, and t believe if is the aim of every student to make his college respected for the worth of his character and the sincerity of his contribution to the well-being f ali his fellows. "Wo shall watch your future careers with much interest we shall listen intently for your footsteps resounding clearly in the halls of duty, justice and truth. These are the corridors that lead to the halls of immortal fame, and we shall wait for you to come ‘in the unit/ of the faith and for ihe knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of flic stature of the fullness of Christ. . .