hUpon entering into the world, Protestant Reformed young people must realize that they are not going to be accepted and to some extent will be despised. In the first Epistle of John 3:13, John writes, “Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hates you.” Here we are being told not to be surprised if we are despised by the world. After one semester at a Junior College I have been able to experience a little of this hate and realize that because I am Protestant Re­formed, I also am treated differently.

One question often asked between stu­dents is, “What high school did you attend?” Many students are surprised to hear that Covenant is not a Catholic school. They seem interested in the history, size and a few other facts of our high school. I cannot discuss doctrine because many do not have this background. The subject turns to movies, dancing, plays, etc. . . . and my views are stated. Besides disbelief many find not only my ideas strange but me as well.

Students with a Christian Reformed background find Protestant Reformed ethics particularly strange. They know all about what we can and cannot do. They too find our stand on movie attendance very strange. To my surprise many have never heard of the split in 1924 or of common grace, and are surprised that the Protestant Reformed Church came out of the Christian Reformed Church.

Rejection has also come from the ad­ministration. Some professors seem to have something against Christian schools. Many of these professors are not only willing but proud to show their prejudices. They will point out to the class which students went to Christian high schools and personally try to degrade those students. Once when a particularly hard question was raised a professor was prompted to respond, “Mr. Looyenga you must have received a far superior education at Covenant Christian, I imagine you know the answer to that question.” Again at another time, “Mr. Looyenga, if you don’t know the answer to that question, your father did not get his money’s worth.”

When our lectures concerned the origin of life, all aspects of evolution and creation were discussed. The Age-Day theory of creation which states that the days of creation lasted many years was taught along with the literal creation. The profes­sor asked if there was anyone who be­lieved in creation. Five students raised their hand. Then the professor asked if there was anyone who believed in the literal twenty-four hour six day creation. Only one hand remained extended. The profes­sor smiled sympathetically and said, “I didn’t know we had any of your kind left.” These are just a few examples of how the world can despise the Church. The Church as a whole is not hated or despised to the extent of persecution. However, there will be a time when this hatred will worsen and the whole Church will be per­secuted oven unto death. In conclusion, I quote Christ’s words stated in Mark 13:13, “And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”