The Banner - September 27, 1974

              me 'BANNER^,
Page l.Sept. 27, 1974
IJr. Staples Excited
About '74 Enrollment
BOB GRAZIANO and his daughter in front of Kingdom Hall
"I am very excited about the
enrollment this year, our 25th
anniversary. It is the largest we
have had in the history of our
school," said Dr. James Staples,
president of Ca 1 i for nia Baptist
College.
The latest enrollment figures
were 734 enrolled students as of
the 24th. Dr. Staples, who tries to
make as much contact with the
students as he can, said that he
was encouraged also by the spirit
that the new students exemplified.
Dr. Staples said that he was also
excited about the student lead revival. "I think," said Dr. Staples,
"that when students speak to students there is more meaning. It
sets a good tone."
One of the ways that President
Staples gets a chance to talk to
students is by eating with them
in the cafeteria. He said many
students have expressed a feeling
of openness, of caring, and of
loving, especially from students
that have transfered from secular
schools.
CBC is on a better financial
footing this year, according to Dr.
Staples, and finding financial support for the school is one Of Dr.
Staples' most important jobs. He
traveled over  35,000  miles  last
year on the ground, traveling to
speaking engagements for CBC.
Dr. Staples said, "One of the
most encouraging things Academic
Dean Carleton and I heard recently was from the dean of one of our
old line Southern Baptist universities. He said, Our recruiters wfio
come back from California these
days, tell us there is not the interest there used to be in our university, but instead Southern Baptists
are high on their own California
Baptist College and young people
want to go to their own school.' "
Ministerial Alliance
oud okaz-iaww anu nis uaugnier in ii uiu oi rviiiguuiii nan sets a good tone. /'""I T\ • T* • ■
t h     u>   w/t n' rl    ^ays ttevlve» nevive!
U^nOuCLtT   S       rV IITI\5S$\5S    -LJloCyUooULl By GEORGE LEWIS about 10 percent. But, because
EDITOR'S NOTE: The following
is the first in a series of fife off-
campus interviews and reports by
Banner editor Fred Parsons. This
first interview, regarding the Jehovah's witness faith, is presented
in two parts, the second part to
appear in next Friday's, Oct. 4,
Banner.
The editor wished to draw no
conclusions from his conversation
with Mr. Robert Graziano, who
represents the faith, and intended
only to expose a branch of Christianity that is often subject to
curiosity. Parsons is not a Jehovah's Witness.
Bob Graziano is a respected
member of his congregation, one
of four congregations of the faith,
in Hemet. In order to respond in
a way that would best represent
his faith, Graziano did not answer
the questions of the interviewer
spontaneously, but taped his answers at his leisure. The brother,
John, who is referred to in the
interview, is the brother of the
editor. John Parsons is a Jehovah's Witness.
How many Jehovah's Witnesses
are there? Last year there were
1,656,673 baptised persons regularly, that is, each month, engaging
in the field ministry - preaching,
with 3,662,407 world wide in attendance at the Kingdom Halls for
the memorial celebration April
17.
Who founded your faith? Jehovah's Witnesses feel that this question should be answered by giving
the ancient and modern history of
Jehovah's Witnesses. Since Jehovah's Witnesses are not a sect
but are an association of men and
women who put God's service first
and line up with Bible principles,
they are part ofthe group of Witnesses that began with the first
true Witness of God - Abel. It was
Jehovah God who spoke of his
people   as   Witnesses   in   saying,
"You are my witnesses, and I am
God", Isaiah 43:12. And it was
Jehovah's son Christ Jesus who
said, "You will be witnesses of
me to the most distant part ofthe
earth." It was the apostle Paul
who referred to Abel, Enoch, Anuk,
Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and the
prophets as "so great a cloud of
witnesses," Acts 1:8. So witnesses
of Jehovah existed all the way back
to Abel. In modern times Jehovah's Witnesses began their activities in the early 1870's. In
iS/O enarles I. Russell, brought
up by God-fearing Presbyterian
parents, was not satisfied with the
sectarian explanation ofthe Bible
given him, so he started a Bible
study class with several of his
friends. They discovered many of
the Biblical truths that had been
hidden by Christian traditions. In
1879, to help in his work, the first
issue of the Watchtower was published. Circulation of that first
issue was 6,000. Today it has grown
to over 8 million each issue, and
it's a semi-montly magazine. It
is published in 72 languages. In
1881 what has become the Watch-
tower Bible and Tract Society of
Pennsylvania, the legal corporation today of Jehovah's Witnesses,
was organized by Russell and was
incorporated and chartered in 1884.
That is how the work began that
is now carried on by Jehovah's
Witnesses in 208 lands.
Theology can really spin the
mind. How confused are you? The
answer to this is quite simple.
Yes, theology, as taught by many,
is confusing. Theology is confusing only if we use the wisdom of
this, and I underline the word this,
world, in place of God's word-the
Bible. In 1 Corinthians 3:19, it
brings that out. It states, from the
New World translation, "for wisdom of this world is foolishness
with God." However, Psalm 119,
105 states, from the King James
translation,  "Thy word is a lamp
unto my feet and a light unto my
path." So from this we can draw
the conclusion that studying the
Bible without the traditions and
teachings of men would really be
as a light or a lamp to one's life.
There would be no confusion and
minds spinning.
Why do you not refer to yourselves as God's Witnesses? God
is merely a title, justaspresident,
king, or judge are titles. Today,
as in the past, there are many gods
worsnipped in ditterent lands. To
distinguish Himself from the false
gods, the true God has given Himself a personal name. And this
sets Him apart from all the others.
The importance of the name was
attested to by Jesus in Acts 15:14,
where it states this, New World
translation, "Simon has related
thoroughly how God has for the
first time turned his attention to
the nations to take out of them a
people for his name."
Why do you not refer to your
place of worship as "church?"
Many people speak-of the buildings
in which people meet as churches.
But di you know that the Bible
never does? In the Bible the word
church always refers to people.
The Greek word Ecclesia, which
is translated "church" or "congregation," literally means "that
which is called out." And it refers
to a group of persons called out
from among others for a particular
purpose. But it is used as the
equivalent of the Hebrew word
gahal: a congregationorassembly.
Since Jesus instructed his disciples to "seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness," (Mat. 6:33) Jehovah's
Christian Witnesses meet in halls
to be instructed and encouraged in
their seeking that kingdom first;
hence   the   name   Kingdom  Hall.
(Continued on page 3)
By GEORGE LEWIS
Staff Writer
Revival has hit this place! At
least that's the hope of Campus
Student Ministries and the Ministerial Alliance as they put on their
third annual Student-led Revival.
It's been happening since the 23rd
in the Book of Life building at 7
p.m. each evening and will end
today at this week's chapels.
Rick Warren started the speaking on Monday night, followed by
Jim Christman, Darrell Walker,
Matt Brooks, and Larry Beam.
Gordon Davidson spoke at Wediies
day's chapel, with Jack Barling
speaking today.
Joe Daniel, chairman of the
Music Committee for the Revival,
headed up the student-organized
brass band, which played on Tuesday, Thursday, and today. The
school's own brass band played for
chapel Friday. Soloists were Toni
Plemens, Don Fugate, and the Scott
Brothers. The Ministerial Alliance
provided the counseling needed
when people were touched by the
messages.
Rich Young, president of the
CSM, told the Banner that atmosphere of the revival was to be
serious. According to Young,attitude was to be the major difference
between this revival and a chapel
service.
A wide variety of things could
happen at a chapel service, right
down to a 'fun' chapel service.
But Young said he expected the
speakers to say serious things,
and he expected changes to happen.
So what was hoped for was a church
atmosphere.
Young added that the turnout for
these  revivals  has  usually  been
about 10 percent. But, because the
planners of the revival had been
taking this whole revival to God,
they expected a larger turnout than
that.
25 th Homecoming
Planned Already
Plans are now in the making for
this year's "very special' Homecoming, special this year because
CBC is celebrating its 25th anniversary. .	
Alumni from the past 25 years
will be involved in activities hosted by the various clubs and classes
on campus.
The tentative plans include a
music festival, an alumni, faculty
and student golf tournament and a
banquet during the festivities.
Because it is the 25th anniversary of CBC, Dr. Olie T. Brown,
associate professor of religion,
urges as many alumni and present
students as possible to participate.
Grad List
Totals 24
The office of the registrar has
announced that 24 students graduated from California Baptist College in August, bringing the total
for the year 1973-74 to 119.
Since the college was founded
there  have  been 1405 graduates.
Of the summer graduates, six
were religion majors, five business administration, and three
psychology, with the others spread
over several departments and diversified majors.
Librarians Encouraged
By Improved Services
Opportunities Open in Ministries
By KATHI BRADLEY
Staff Writer
Most students got acquainted
with Campus Student Ministries at
the C.S.M. Festival. We cannot
stress the importance of C.S.M.
enough. The importance it can
have in the spiritual life of our
campus as well as the great opportunity it offers for us in our own
personal Christian walk is tremendous.
C.S.M.'s purpose is to provide
an opportunity for Christian growth
and out-reach. C.S.M. trys to pro
vide the opportunities to do just
that. It is the goal this year to get
every student involved in an activity of Christian growth and of Christian out-reach.
There are a lot of opportunities
for students to serve Christ in a
way that they feel He can use them
best on this school campus. Anyone who would like to become a
part of C.S.M., should talk to Joe
Cutsinger, director, or Richard
Young, president.
If you have ideas you would like
to share which you feel the Lord
can use through C.S.M., come and
talk to either Cutsinger or Young.
Feel free to share whatever it is
that God may have placed on your
heart in a way of service to Him.
Here are the opportunities for
you to serve Christ through C.S.M.
In the area of Community Ministries there is the opportunity to
serve on weekend revival teams, in
convalescent hospitals and in
tutoring.
In the area of missions there- is
-(Continued-on page 3)'
CBC's Annie Gabriel Library
is open to all students. The many
facilities and helpful librarians
are available to assist California
Baptist College students with all
their study needs, according to
librarian Jan Cutsinger.
Students may use the library on
Monday, Tuesday and Thursday
from 7:45 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., on
Wednesday and Friday from 7:45
a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on Saturday
from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
"We think this will be the best
year we've ever had," stated Mrs.
Cutsinger, speaking for Mrs.
Hyatt, periodical librarian and
Miss June Reeder, who is reference librarian.
The librarians said theyarcen-
couraged at the increased amount
of money for more books. Also
available for student use is a reestablished reference station and a
reserved book room.
For the first time the Victorian
Room has been opened for student
study.
Also on show in the library are
two display cases. A new display
is established every other week.
Students or clubs interested in setting up a special display are asked
to contact Miss Reeder in the
library.
For the first time student pages
will be working over the entire
library area, instead of a specific
section, as was done before. Head
page this year is Laura Mae Merino.  '«   ■'•  v   '