science and the Bible ■ 1
b y Bolton Davidheiser, Chairman, Science Division, Biola College
ÏÏI appreciate STONY BROOK'S Christian Atmosphere” says Mark Hanchelt E lgin, Illinois The ideals of the founders of Stony Brook enter generally into the lives of the students. The School motto is “ Character before Career.” In this atmosphere Christian deci sions are made, lives are given direction and purpose, and some are inspired to volunteer for a lifetime career of Christian service. Deputations of student speakers have done a vital service in meetings in churches on Long Island and elsewhere. The King’s Men, a choral group, makes regular concert tours each year. Christian Education at Stony Brook has real meaning. The atmosphere is wholesome without being pious. Boys are urged to live their lives in accordance with the will of God as set forth in Scripture. Bible Study is a major subject and is required of all students throughout the entire course. By maintaining a balance between reli gious, academic, and recreational activities,
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they prefer to lay them in the nests of other species which have speckled eggs. Thus the difference is not so obvious and infiltration is accom plished with greater ease. Various au thors say that when a cowbird lays an egg in the nest of a robin, which has light blue unspeckled' eggs, the robin usually throws out the egg im mediately, accompanied with a sound which it is tempting to compare with a human exclamation of disgust. It is common knowledge that many Christian organizations have been in filtrated by those who have no inter est in the claims of Christ and who oppose the gospel of salvation by grace. As it is difficult for a cowbird to invade successfully the nest of a robin because its eggs are so different, so in a church which is wholly com mitted to the Word and is in close fellowship with the Lord it will be difficult for enemies to infiltrate be cause they will be so obviously out of place and easily recognized. The European cuckoo is a very dif ferent bird, but with very similar habits. Some birds parasitized by the cowbird manage to raise one or a few of their own young in addition to the usurper, but not so in the case of the cuckoo. Before it has feathers and before its eyes are open, the young cuckoo systematically emp ties the nest of all but itself. It works its body under the rightful nestlings and, rising upon its well-developed legs, it heaves them over the edge of the nest. With its large unfeathered wings it feels around to make sure the job has been accomplished with thoroughness. If the cuckoo could speak, it would no doubt say that anyone who challenges its right to do this is “ bigoted.” To deceive its dupes, the European cuckoo goes so far in pretending a compromise as to match the color of its egg shell with the eggs of the nest on which it has designs.f But regardless of the color of its eggs, its nature is the same and it will never change. When it has the opportunity, it destroys those who have been deceived. Some men, as well as some birds, will never learn from experience. *Bird Lore. May, 1937. Page 197. ■(■Different females lay differently colored eggs, and choose nests containing eggs matching their own.
“ "'!SL7’ e l l o w u n f a ir .” -U- “Yellow warblers are not dem ocratic.” This is no doubt what cow- birds would say if they could speak and if they spoke in accordance with their character. Cowbirds never build a nest. They lay their eggs in the nests of other birds, usually in the nests of birds smaller than themselves. The cow- bird’s egg generally hatches before the other eggs in the nest and the young cowbird grows more rapidly than the other nestlings. It calls for more attention, and gets it, until some or all of the rightful young in the nest perish. Some birds notice the strange egg in their nest. They act as though very much upset about it, but in the end most of them do nothing effective. As a result they raise a cowbird, to the detriment of their own kind. On the other hand, yellow warblers fre quently do something about it. They construct another nest above the first to avoid incubating the egg of the in truder. If the cowbird lays another egg in the new nest, the yellow warb lers build still another nest on top of the others. A number of observers have reported finding yellow warbler nests four stories high, with cowbird eggs in the abandoned lower levels. Alexander Wilson, called “ the fa ther of American ornithology,” at one time took a tolerant attitude toward cowbirds, but as he learned to know them better, he described the female as “lacking in every moral and ma ternal instinct.” Cowbirds do not pair but live a communal life and “ the male offers the same amenities to any female, indiscriminatingly and they are reciprocated accordingly, without exciting either restraint or jealousy in any of the party.” * People who have made a study of cowbirds say that in many cases their dupes appear to be completely una ware of the fact that they are har boring and nourishing an enemy. Un less the birds notice the intrusion im mediately and do something about it right away, they will never rid their nest of the usurper. They may still be feeding the demanding young cow bird when it is twice as large as them selves and quite able to take care of itself. Cowbirds lay speckled eggs and w a r b l e r s a r e
the School aims at a harmony of purpose. By intelligent applica tion of this Christian program, in both administration and teach ing, Stony Brook is making a dis tinctive contribution to American education. D r . F rank E . G aebelein Headmaster
For Catalogue and Information, write Director of Admissions, Dept. 80. THE STONY BROOK SCHOOL Stony Brook, long Island • New York
THE LITTLE GIANT HOTOMATIC Gas Water Heater No. 3 Will supply all the hot water needed for Baptistries, Church Kitchens, Rest Rooms. Heats 450 GPH, 20° rise in temperature. Inexpensive, too. Write for free folder. Dept. KB-22 LITTLE GIANT MFG. CO. 907 7th Street Orange, Texas
JOIN THE A.E.C.C. If you have been colled to preach the Gospel ° f 9 ^ Lord Jesus Christ and are in undenomi national work, you ore invited to become a member of this fast growing organization. Credentials issued to members. Your inquiry invited. AMERICAN EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN CHURCHES 192 N. Clerk St. Chicago 1, III. PHIL KERR'S "MUSIC IN EVANGELISM" Two books in one: a history of Gos pel Music, plus many stories of famous hymns and their writers. 216 pages, cloth $1.50 Phil Kerr's Gospel Songs - 50 cents Box 409, Glendale, California
JULY, 1962
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