On Friday, May 16, 1958, the graduation program was given in the SEBTS Chapel. The audio begins with the conferring of awards and degrees by Dr. Sydnor Stealey, the President of SEBTS (start-19:14). Dr. Olin Trivette Binkley, Professor of Christian Sociology and Ethics and Academic Dean of SEBTS, then gave the charge to the graduates (19:15-33:02). [The recording ends at this point due to the rest having being inadvertently overwritten at some point before digitization.]
After reading Colossians 1:17-21 and a prayer (start-5:41), Dr. Sydnor Lorenzo Stealey, the first President of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, discusses the importance of the executive committee and the behind the scenes aspects of the Seminary. [The original audio fades out before the message finishes.]
After some hymns, reading Colossians 3:12-21, and a prayer (start-7:50), Olin Trivette Binkley, the Academic Dean and Professor of Christian Sociology and Ethics (and future President of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary), reviewed the seminary’s covenant, specifically the part about family.
After a reading of Isaiah 40:31 and a prayer (start-3:45), James E. Tull, Professor of Theology, calls the listener’s attention to what the “world” is in the gospel, especially when looking at John 3:16.
After reading Psalm 95:6-7, a prayer, and introduction (start-2:50), Glendon McCullough, the Personnel Secretary of the Home Mission Board, shared an inspiring message about a Japanese-American who had a zeal for evangelism during World War II. [The audio from the original tape cuts off before message was finished.]
After the reading of Isaiah 40:28-31 (start-1:42), John Burder Hipps, Professor of Missions, Emeritus, preaches about life at its best from John 10:7-16.
After reading Romans 13:1-10 and a hymn (start-5:15), B. Elmo Scoggin, Professor of Old Testament, goes over Southeastern Seminary’s covenant and discusses how it should be lived out.
On Thursday, May 15, 1958, the commencement sermon was given in the SEBTS Chapel. After the prelude and processional (start-0:34), Dr. Sydnor Stealey, the President of SEBTS, gave an invocation (0:35-2:40). After a few more songs, prayer, Scripture reading, and the graduates’ gift to the seminary (2:41-22:20), Dr. Dotson McGinnis Nelson, Jr., the pastor at First Baptist Church of Greenville, SC, gave the main address entitled, “Truth Incarnate” (22:21-1:07:15). The service concluded with a hymn, a benediction from Dr. Stealey, and the recessional (1:07:16-end).
