News & Events

Graduation, 28th of November, 2009

A highlight of the November 2009 Remnant Herald Camp was the graduation of two of Highwood College's students, Raymond and Emmanuel Higgins. They graduated with a one year Diploma of Evangelism. This course taught the students the fundamentals of teaching the word of God through personal and public evangelism, coupled with the right arm of the gospel, the health message. Working in the health centre, the students learned hydrotherapy, massage, nutrition, and anatomy and physiology.

The ceremony was lead by Br Peter Mutton, Highwood's General Manager, and Pr Berry, our guest speaker. Pr Berry gave this charge to the students:

"So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. When I say unto the wicked, O wicked [man], thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked [man] shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. Therefore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel; Thus ye speak, saying, If our transgressions and our sins [be] upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live? Say unto them, [As] I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?" (Ezekiel 33:7-11) Pr Berry exhorted the students to "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood." (Acts 20:28), and to "Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight [thereof], not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over [God's] heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away." (1 Peter 5:2-4) With Paul he said "I charge [thee] therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away [their] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry." (2 Timothy 4:1-5)

"The greatest want of the world is the want of men--men who will not be bought or sold, men who in their inmost souls are true and honest, men who do not fear to call sin by its right name, men whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the pole, men who will stand for the right though the heavens fall." {Ed 57.3}

Finally, Pr Berry concluded by exhorting the students not take this charge lightly but to commit their lives to God and make time to get to know Him as a personal friend. So that they could say with Paul,

"I have fought a good fight, I have finished [my] course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing."(2 Tim 4:7,8)

Br. Mutton then handed the students their diplomas. The Students then each gave a short speech where they, gave a testimony of what God had done for them at Highwood and thanking all those involved for what they have done for them: teachers, parents, staff members, fellow students, and most of all, our Father in heaven.

We wish the students God's blessing and guidance as they consider their futures.