The service begins in prayer (00:00-01:46), and the speaker, Dr. Theron D. Price is introduced. He was the pastor of Wornall Road Baptist Church in Kansas City, MO (01:47-03:09). The subject of Dr. Price’s lecture was “Great Sculptor, Hugh and Polish Us!” (03:10-10:14). His message focuses on the relationships of theological education to being shaped according to God’s purpose. Dr. Price then discusses the nature and objectives of a theological school (10:15-29:42) before highlighting some points of view in school and student body which seem promising of fruit (29:43-46:33). He closes with listing some dangers in the contemporary (at that time) Christian situation (46:34-49:54), and he ends his time in prayer (49:55-51:26).
Edwin Luther Copeland was Professor of Missions. The service opens up with a prayer by Dr. Stealey from 0:25-1:40. A hymn is played from 1:41-3:17. 1 Corinthians 2:1-10 is read and another prayer is given from 3:33-7:53. The graduates present a gift to the school from 8:05-9:50. Another hymn is played from 11:57-17:21. President Stealey introduces the speaker from 17:27-21:27. Edwin Luther Copeland speaks from 21:32-53:14. Copeland preaches on how to be a good pastor and calls on them to excel in their churches and be men who love people like God loves people. Another hymn is played from 53:37-55:06. There is a closing prayer from 55:07-55:52. The rest of the recording features instrumental music.
William L. Palmer was president of the Alumni Association and pastor of Edwards Rd. Baptist Church in Greenville, SC. The service begins with a hymn from 0:11-5:13. President Stealey introduces Rev. Palmer from 5:18-7:58. Rev. Palmer preaches from two passages of scripture: 1 John 4:8-21 and Matthew 7:21. Palmer references that he was told that people view SEBTS as a liberal and moderate institution but that when he got there all he saw was an institution and people who really loved each other and had an authentic encounter with Jesus. Palmer encourages the students to love and serve God and others. Rev. Palmer preaches from 8:08-19:05. There is closing music from 19:07-21:21.
Robert T. Handy was Professor of Church History at Union Theological Seminary in New York. The service starts with the chapel singing a hymn from 0:00-3:44. Dr. Binkley prays from 3:54-5:26. He introduces the speaker from 5:29-7:53. Dr. Handy speaks from 8:01-44:46. His subject is titled “Some Tensions in Baptist Thought About the Church.” Handy preaches on the importance of the local church. This lecture was part 1 of a 4 part series.
George H. Shriver, Jr. was Associate Professor of Church History. An introduction is given from 0:00-2:26. Shriver begins speaking at 2:46. He speaks on the subject of renewal in the Church, especially related to the ecumenical movement.
Olin Trivette Binkley was Professor of Christian Sociology and Ethics and Academic Dean. He begins the service with a prayer from 0:00-2:18. He begins preaching at 2:40. His message was titled "Christian Intentions in Times of Crisis." Dr. Binkley shares what the qualifications of a preacher are and encourages the students by telling them that in times of hardship they should place their trust and joy in Jesus.
After some songs, the reading of 2 Corinthians 5:19 and Luke 24:44-53, a prayer, an introduction, and a song (start-17:30), Carl F. Whirley, a Southern Baptist missionary to Nigeria, preaches about the joys of sharing the gospel from Luke 24:44-53.
The service begins with the reading of various Scriptures (00:00-00:35) and prayer (00:36-02:10). An introduction is given for Dr. Pope Alexander Duncan, the speaker, according to his character and scholarly background, and his message title is “What We May Learn from the Anabaptists.” He was Professor of Church History at SEBTS (02:11-05:02). He begins his time with three presuppositions: Anabaptists as a whole were noble, sincere Christians (05:03-07:34), Baptists find a certain spiritual kinship with the Anabaptists (07:35-08:22), and Baptists are not Anabaptists (08:23-09:17). He then makes two observations, namely that we can be most discerning about that which we can objectify, and the Anabaptists provide a group from which we can learn much objectively (09:18-11:27). The main discussion of the lecture focuses on what the Anabaptists can teach us, such as: the church is a pure and free community subject to pride and fragmentation apart from unity in Christ (11:28-19:51); church discipline should be enforced in every local assembly without invoking the arm of the state for the purpose of restoring 1st-century Christianity as opposed to reforming from the Roman Catholic Church (19:52-28:35); their devotion and consecration enabled them to rejoice even in suffering and in martyrdom, and they set their eyes on the chiliastic (thousand-year) return and reign of Christ (28:36-40:06); negatively, their stubbornness to relax certain non-essential Biblical convictions caused divisions between them and the world as well as among themselves (40:07-45:47); they taught the value of lay-leadership and the danger of uneducated and unstable leadership (45:48-46:34); and finally, they warn us of the danger of Biblicism (46:35-52:10). The service ends in prayer (52:11-52:29).
