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September 2005: John Stam - "Go Forward, Bearing Precious Seed"

John Stam, April 14, 1932.

The photograph above was taken on the roof of the 152 building of Moody Bible Institute just one week before John Stam graduated from MBI. During the commencement program Stam, representing the men of the Day School class, gave an address titled Go Forward. Portions of the address are below.

Under the good hand of God we were lead to come to the Moody Bible Institute two years or more ago, impelled by the desire to equip ourselves more fully for the service of our Lord. We do thank God for this place and for the lessons we have learned here, and grasp this opportunity to express our gratitude to everyone who has helped to make our training here a possibility, and especially to those under who faithful ministry we have grown in the knowledge of our Lord...

For every Christian there is this challenge of man's need and of God's command to make all haste in the propagation of the gospel. Let us be sure that we are engaged in what is really His work, and then despite the difficulties, the remembrance of His faithfulness in the past will give us renewed hope and courage for the future.

People of God, does it not thrill our hearts today to realize that we do not answer such a challenge in our own strength? Think of it! God Himself is with us for our Captain; the Lord of Hosts is present in person in every field of conflict to encourage us and to fight for us. With such a Captain, who never lost a battle, or deserted a soldier in distress, or failed to get through the needed supplies, who would not accept the challenge to "Go forward, bearing precious seed."

To view John Stam's complete address click HERE.

After Stam graduated from MBI he went to China and in 1933 married Elisabeth Alden Scott also a MBI graduate. Together they worked for China Inland Mission just over a year before they were martyred in December 1934. Their deaths sparked a renewed interest in missions and many Christian flocked to the mission field. For more information on the Stams go to Collection 449 - Ephemera of Elisabeth Alden (Scott) and John Cornelius Stam. To located other collections with information on the John Stam go to the online searchable database at http://www2.wheaton.edu/archives/search and enter "Stam, John Cornelius" (without the quotation marks).

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