How Grows the Church?
Introduction:
Will Michael Dwight please come forward.” Hudson Amerding spoke these words with great authority. At that time, he was the president of Wheaton College and then, as now, he had the bearing and manner of a naval officer who had commanded many men in times of great trial. He called the student Michael Dwight (not his real name) to the front of the chapel assembly. This was during an era when bell-bottoms were popular, along with long hair and a certain attitude toward authority. All of these marks of the era were much in evidence in the person of Michael Dwight. He was known as a leader among the malcontents at the college, and when he was called forward by the naval officer turned president, everyone in the chapel auditorium held their breath for whatever fireworks were about to fly. Michael Dwight came forward, and Hudson Amerding addressed him directly. “Michael Dwight, I want you to know that you are my brother in Jesus Christ, that I love you, and that I refuse to allow what others may think about our differences to come between us.” Then the two men separated by so many apparent differences embraced each other.