Torch, Fall 1986

Praise God For Senior Saints! by Dr . Paul Dixon President, Cedarville College P raise God for senior saints' The blessings they have provided to our college family and to me personally are immeasurable. Mr. and Mrs. Ruel Taylor have lived next door to my family for many years. Two years ago I invited them to chapel to honor them for their 71 years of marriage. The students applauded loudly. The Taylors' example made a tremendous impression on them . They saw that it is possible to face the good times and the bad times together without throwing in the towel on God, on one another, and on marriage. Through the years this godly couple have prayed faithfully for missionaries, pastors, and other servants of God. Our son Scott, during his teen years, took note of Mr. Taylor sitting in the yard or on his porch reading his Bible . This fine gentleman went home to be with the Lord in the summer of 1985 at the age of 91 . Miriam Maddox celebrates her 80th birthday on November 16. She continues to teach at Cedarville College and, since she now uses a walker, we send a car to bring her to campus. Her God-given skills lie in the area of speech therapy. Each year she tutors numerous students with varied speech difficulties or those who simply desire to improve their communication skills. We administrators look forward to attending the recital she arranges for her students each quarter. Ma Printy came to Cedarville College at age 61. For 15 years she served as head resident of a women's dormitory. The impact that she had on our entire campus is evident in that we named one of our dormitories Printy Hall in her honor. A television station in Dayton sent a reporter and camera crew to our campus to record the story of this energetic woman who is dedicated to her God, has a love for students, and desires "to keep serving until it is time to go to heaven." When Ernie White retired 12 years ago, he and his wife Martha moved to Cedarville. Their interest in young people quickly became apparent, and throughout the years a steady stream of college students have visited the "White house ." They enjoy popcorn, soft drinks, games, and a home away from home. Most of all, they find the Whites to be caring Christians who love young people and know how to listen and to provide needed counsel. These are just a few of the numerous senior saints God has sent to share their experience, their wisdom and, most of all, their love with our college family. Because of their ministry , our lives will never be the same. We bless God for them. May their number be legion for every church, every school, and every family. The rest of us have a responsibility to learn from them, to value those good things they have to share with us and , in turn, to minister to their needs. They are important to God, to His Church, and to each of us. Senior Adults - Facts and Figures Population trends indicate we are moving from a youth-oriented society to a culture that will be largely dominated by older people. Presently there are 24 million Americans over 65. This number increases by 300,000 each year and will~ increase to over 30 million before the year 2000. Right behind this group is another 35 million people who are 45 to 65 years of age. If the Lord tarries, by the year 2030 one of four Americans will be 60 years old or older.