I do not come before you tonight as an expert on the subject that I have chosen to discuss. So I shall refrain this evening from unveiling for you the Beaven plan for success. Rather, I should like to talk to you graduates personally about a philosophy that I feel is eminently needed in our world today, and pre-eminently needed by those who work in the cause of our church and the ranks of workers for our Lord Jesus Christ.
In Paris one day a detective was following another man. He lost him in the crowd and he wondered how he might find him again. He wondered if perhaps he had stopped at a certain hotel. To find out without causing suspicion he decided that the best way was to go to the hotel and inquire if he himself, giving his own name, of course, was registered there. While the clerk was looking for his name in the register he planned to quickly scan the list to determine whether the man he was pursuing was actually registered at the hotel. At first everything worked out according to plan. The detective entered the hotel, crossed the lobby, walked to the desk, and asked the clerk if he himself was registered there. And then he got the shock of his life. Quickly, almost without looking at the register, the clerk replied, "Yes, he is registered here, and he is waiting for you in room 40." Stunned, the man backed away in a daze, a victim of his own scheming. He took the elevator to the fourth floor and knocked on the door of room 40. Slowly the door opened. There, standing before him, was a man looking startlingly and remarkably like himself, a little grayer, a little heavier, with a few more lines in his face—the man he would be in about twenty-five years' time. I will leave their conversation to your imagination or to your reading, for this comes from a story entitled "The Man Who Lost Himself."
I remind you of this, however, because I believe that in the providence of God, if you are permitted to live, that for each of you there will be a person, a you, five, ten, twenty, twenty-five years in the future. When you open that door twenty-five years hence and look squarely in his eyes, how will you like what you see? To you, as you look forward, it seems a long, long time. It will seem short then, as you look back. In a quarter of a century, where do you think you will be? What will you have done? What is now hope, aspiration, fear, determination, will then be a reality. What you will be then will be to a large extent determined by what you think now; for you are not what you think you are, but what you think—you are.
I call you tonight, in the light of the future, to the pursuit of excellence. Naturally, the question arises, What is excellence? Probably no one can define it. More than competence is required, however, for an excellent individual. An excellent person should be creative and concerned with the social and moral impact of what he does. But excellence can get recognition and be appreciated only in a setting of competence. A recent report from Princeton University states: "A society of slobs cannot recognize excellence in its members. It is self-defeating to try to treat persons of top excellence without reference to others. In a school, for instance, if excellence is thought of only in terms of the top youngsters, with the rest regarded as oafs, a backlash of egalitarianism in the community will stigmatize the best. Only where there is a sense that no matter what job an individual is doing he can do it well will there be a good climate for excellence." How can excellence be stimulated? This report goes on to point out that much more must be done to honor the discoverers of excellence.
Let us put it another way. Excellence in performance, in personality, in aspirations, seems steadily on the downgrade. Recently some reactions to this have developed in educational and scientific fields, but public attitudes have continued to enshrine the obvious and the second-rate. In America in particular this seems to be true, where America's standards of excellence have lagged in the change in frontiers—the change from physical frontiers to those of the mind. At work are many influences—specialization, which cuts the individual off from broader tradition; distractions arising from the affluence of our society; and an economic outlook that dulls the taste for adventuresomeness. In the words of the Princeton report again, "A mistaken interpretation of political democracy, which may infuse egalitarianism through all society and induce suspicion of the above-average individual"—this, too, is a cause of the downgrading of excellence in our midst.
I believe that there is a considerable confusion about the meaning of equality in a free society. On many things about equality we are in general agreement. Most of us, I am sure, feel that all men are equally worthy of concern. We feel that the economic cripples of life deserve our sympathy and fairly shared support. Most of all, we believe that all men should have equal opportunity, that every citizen should have equal political and civil rights, or, as the phrase is cut into the stone of our Supreme Court Building, "Equal justice under law."
But as Eric A. Walker, president of Pennsylvania State University, said recently, "We've got to be brutally frank; we are not born equal." All men are not created equal in ability, nor in what moves them to do their best in all possible levels of achievement. I feel sure that Thomas Jefferson, in writing the famous passage in our Declaration of Independence, never meant that all men were created equal in talents and thus should be rewarded equally by society. Just as we know from experience alone that all men are not created equal in ability, so we should realize that native capacity alone is never a guarantee of superior performance. Many a keen mind unhoned by a sufficient challenge or incentive grows dull. Many a promising young starter fades before the finish when the goal is made to appear grubby to him.
To feel the inner glow from what we imagine a well-done job, may very easily cause us to rest on the oars awhile and thereby lose the race. For the question is not just whether we feel we are doing an adequate job or even a praiseworthy job; the question is, Are we using to the maximum effect the abilities we have?
The challenge today is to create an atmosphere in which men, whatever their level of talent, gain through their association with one another. When this condition exists, those of lesser talent and gifts are drawn upward by the precept and example of those whose abilities are greater, and those of higher attainments are elevated toward new peaks of achievement with the rising level of the average. "Less than in the sum total of their abilities," observed Charles Darwin in The Origin of the Species, "men differ in the degree to which they use them."
Now, some of you may be thinking, "This is a fine sociological interpretation of the day and the trends of the day, but why does this have particular application to us who are workers in the cause of God? Certainly we are not necessarily infected with the virus of the illness of the day. Cannot we remain aloof, going our own way, toward our own goals, which are infinitely superior to those of many around us?" And my answer is, This is one of the great delusions that come upon the workers of the church, the belief that we can remain so far removed from the world in which we live that we are not part of the sociological picture and are not affected by the trends of the day. This, I say, is a delusion, for we cannot escape the influences about us. We are as likely to fall victim to them, if we are not careful, as those with whom we associate outside the pillars of the church.
And because I believe this to be true, I have a special concern that we not fall into these errors, for we have a special reason not to and have had special instruction that ought to preserve us from these sins of omission and commission. Many years ago Ellen G. White wrote repeatedly, urging Seventh-day Adventist youth and workers in the pursuit of excellence. Those writings are as applicable today and as fresh as in the days in which they were penned. Let me share some of them with you.
God requires the training of the mental faculties. He designs that His servants shall possess more intelligence and clearer discernment than the worldling, and He is displeased with those who are too careless or too indolent to become efficient, well-informed workers. . . .
The Lord desires us to obtain all the education possible, with the object in view of imparting our knowledge to others. None can know where or how they may be called to labor or to speak for God. Our heavenly Father alone sees what He can make of men. There are before us possibilities which our feeble faith does not discern. Our minds should be so trained that if necessary we can present the truths of His word before the highest earthly authorities in such a way as to glorify His name. We should not let slip even one opportunity of qualifying ourselves intellectually to work for God.'
Every faculty with which the Creator has endowed us, should be cultivated to the highest degree of perfection, that we may be able to do the greatest amount of good of which we are capable.'
It is right for the youth to feel that they must reach the highest development of their mental powers. We would not restrict the education to which God has set no limit.'
I am instructed to say to students, in your search for knowledge, climb higher than the standard set by the wor1d.4
Above all other people on earth, the man whose mind is enlightened by the word of God will feel that he must give himself to greater diligence in the perusal of the Bible, and to a diligent study of the sciences; for his hope and his calling are greater than any other. 5
Dear youth, what is the aim and purpose of your life? Are you ambitious for education that you may have a name and position in the world? Have you thoughts that you dare not express, that you may one day stand upon the summit of intellectual greatness; that you may sit in deliberative and legislative councils, and help to enact laws for the nation? There is nothing wrong in these aspirations. You may every one of you make your mark. You should be content with no mean attainments. Aim high, and spare no pains to reach the standard.'
You may become men of responsibility and influence if, by the power of your will, united with divine strength, you earnestly engage in the work. Exercise the mental powers, and in no case neglect the physical. Let not intellectual slothfulness close up your path to greater knowledge. Learn to reflect as well as to study, that your minds may expand, strengthen, and develop. Never think that you have learned enough and that you may now relax your efforts. The cultivated mind is the measure of the man. Your education should continue during your lifetime; every day you should be learning and putting to practical use the knowledge gained.'
With this instruction before us, how can we refrain from the pursuit of excellence?
I am concerned particularly about those who have unusual talents, those who have potential to promulgate new ideas of great significance. We cannot make progress in the resolution of our social, political, moral, and economic problems and in the continued improvement of our standard of living unless our society is bequeathed new ideas, which to a great extent are yet to be born from great minds that have received no proper nurture.
Almost every country is short of personnel of the highest level of competence. This church is short of personnel of the highest level of competence, and this should not be. Within this group graduating tonight are many with talents of the greatest potential. It must be our active concern as citizens, as educators, as lovers of God, that the very able among our youth be provided opportunity with stimulation in order that latent abilities may mature. Thus we shall be prepared to meet the crucial challenge of future decades and maintain the noble heritage that is so precious to us all.
There are certain favorite and standard themes that commencement speakers often take. One of them is a review of the progress of mankind with an invitation to the graduates to continue the progress. A denominational variant is to point to the progress of the church, to the pioneers and their glorious dedication to the work, and to invite the graduates to make the same kind of dedication. Tonight, however, I have a much simpler message than this. I say to you graduates, perform to the limit of your abilities. There are members of this class capable of a type of leadership possible to only a small minority of the population. For some of you this may reflect not only a high intelligence, but a sensitivity to the needs of others and a deep concern for the public welfare. This precious gift has been entrusted to you for the benefit of mankind. Treasure it by using it.
You may find yourself ahead of your fellows at times, and that can produce a feeling of loneliness. Yet much of the world's progress is due to that relatively small band of persons who were true to the responsibility of the exceptionally gifted in particular areas. Each of you has demonstrated that he has that combination of intelligence and diligence required to reach to this point in your educational journey. From here you will proceed in different directions and at varying rates, but you will never know the outer limit of your ability if you are not willing to put it to the test.
Retain your personal integrity. If your goal is legitimate, it is possible to obtain it without loss of integrity. Recognize, but do not condone the fact, that at times men gain personal advancement through acts that whittle away at the foundation of our social order. Should the whittling continue indefinitely, the foundation of that order will be in danger. If the time should ever come when the next step in your advancement seems to involve a compromise of your integrity, hold fast to that integrity, hold fast even when the immediate rewards seem to go to those who compromise. They, too, cannot escape the fact that a man's reward is what he becomes as well as what he receives.
What then is required of you? Latitude of perpetual questioning, and seeking of answers. As intelligent individuals, it is required that we develop inquiring minds and an everlasting desire for learning. The joy of doubting and questioning must not become corroded. When one is active mentally, he resists the comforting lull of the known. It is natural to feel comfortable in surroundings that are familiar. There must be the familiar and known havens to which one may return to re-establish his confidence, to restore his faith, and to commune with his loved ones and with his God. But one cannot stay on the mountaintop forever; he must return to the plow in the valley.
For the sake of the truth you already see, you may someday want to distort newfound truth. It is a tremendous problem. New evidence can shake our convictions down to the roots. Sometimes you will have to hold your beliefs in the face of facts that seem to annihilate them. Again, may I urge you to have courage. Truth does not contradict itself. In time the conflicts resolve, often leaving your first ideas not only intact but enriched. What is true will endure, if you take the time to question calmly and if you go to the authorities who can help you. Always consider new evidence, and never distort facts to fit your favorite idea, for distortion is running from reality, from that very reality which is the intellectual's job to interpret and explain to the rest of his society. Fix your heart on truth.
The other danger is that you will become cynical. The cynic runs from his job too. He tests his ideas against reality, meets hardship, decides the whole problem is unsolvable. And you might want to throw out your books and try farming. Now, I have nothing against farming. Take it up if you want to, should the time come when you get that "where-am-I" feeling. Give up books if you want to, but keep on thinking that, hard as it is, there is truth. But do not allow yourself to be narcotized by that favorite denominational cliche which is the perfect excuse for the closed mind, the one of amorphous totality which says "We have the truth," implying that there is nothing
important yet to be discovered or learned. How much better it would be for us to say "We have truth," indicating that we have a part, and that conceivably we don't know everything yet.
The qualities of reason and courage mark good men and women in every walk of life. Let us look at the excellently developed individual. After years of study, has he overcome the dangers, is he reasonable, open-minded? If he advocates a cause, does he interpret fact honestly? Does he extend his conclusions too far? If he is a true intellectual in the sense of being a mature, informed, capable thinker, he can help us, for he holds much of the wisdom of the ages in his head. This man or woman has the mental power to see deeper and farther than mQst of us, and so he can point our way.
Thinking is the hardest job in the world. Creativity is an exhausting process. But there is no substitute for mental sweat, just as there is no satisfaction as sweet, as deep, as long-lasting as that which comes from spiritual and intellectual labor. The law of labor binds equally genius and mediocrity. Webster took thirty-six years to complete his Dictionary. Bancroft took twenty-six years to write his History. Gibbon took twenty years to write The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.
I challenge you to a regimen, to a discipline as exacting, as severe as that of a monk or an athlete, the discipline of the learned man. This discipline demands mastery of mind and emotion. In such control, man, in turn, finds mastery over matter. As of this moment, dedicate yourself to learning. Never again will you have such an opportunity to learn. Develop your mind. Dig down deeply into the subconscious for the hidden sources of the wonders that rest therein. Exercise your memory. Use the creative forces within you, and the craftsmanship in your hands. Lift the world a little forward by your work. What seems like effort today will become easy tomorrow by constant practice.
Your life as a learned person will be judged by what you believe, how you act, the ideas you develop, the books you keep, the writings you write, the words you speak, the effective way you teach and preach. Remember you have been chosen from among many for this life. So it boils down to an ancient question of quality versus equality.
A great football coach used to keep a big sign in the locker room where all the players could see it when they were getting ready for a big game. Printed in large, bold letters it read: "When the going gets tough, let the tough get going." I think that's a very useful motto for all of us. Toughness of spirit can overcome anything, and the art of doing what other people think is impossible results from acquiring that toughness of spirit.
William James pointed out that basically there are two kinds of people in this world, the tender-minded and the tough-minded. The tender-minded give way under any adversity, but the tough-minded know what they want and are willing to try to get it. A tough streak exists inside each of us. Discover yours, and then develop it. You will then find that you, too, can do the impossible.
I ask you, members of the class of '59, for two things. First, an appreciation of excellence and of the intellectual. But remember, the intellectual is never really at home; his life is one of inquiry, of re-evaluation, of new conclusions. Facts appear that affect our whole system of values and ideas. Facts get lost and forgotten too, and have to be rediscovered. Our culture is always in flux. And the keepers of culture (and the intellectual is one of these) must always be watching. The world is confused. We need heroes of the mind, as well as of the spirit, to show us how to live. Second, I ask of you a rededication to the highest goal ever put before mankind. It is found in Counsels to Teachers, page 24:
Godliness—Godlikeness—is the goal to be reached. Before the student there is opened a path of continual progress. He has an object to achieve, a standard to attain, that includes everything good, and pure, and noble. He will advance as fast and as far as possible in every branch of true knowledge. But his efforts will be directed to objects as much higher than mere selfish and temporal interests as the heavens are higher than the earth.fect our whole system of values and ideas. Facts get lost and forgotten too, and have to be rediscovered. Our culture is always in flux. And the keepers of culture (and the intellectual is one of these) must always be watching. The world is confused. We need heroes of the mind, as well as of the spirit, to show us how to live. Second, I ask of you a rededication to the highest goal ever put before mankind. It is found in Counsels to Teachers, page 24:
I challenge you tonight to the pursuit of excellence. And if, in the grace of God, it should be your privilege to reach the stage of retirement and inactivity, you will have an easy yardstick by which to determine whether or not you have been in pursuit of excellence. Rest assured, when your work is done, if you bemoan that you did not do more, you have not caught the vision. But if, when your work is finished, you bemoan the fact that you did not do it better, then truly you have been in pursuit of excellence.
REFERENCES
1Christ's Object Lessons, pp. 333, 334.
2 Counsels on Health, p. 107.
3 Testimonies, vol. 8, p. 311.
4 Counsels to Parents and Teachers, p. 402.
5 Ibid., p. 510.
6 Fundamentals of Christian Education, p. 82. Testimonies, vol. 4, p. 561.
