Schultz, Susan A.

English

Asbury Theological Seminary

ARTICLESPROFILE OF COMMITMENT-HOWARD FENIMORE SHIPPSBIOGRAPHICAL NOTESSusan A. Schultz*"My call to teach at Asbury Theological Seminary was as clear asmy call to preach," said Howard Fenimore Shipps at a faculty dinnerwelcoming him and his wife Ruth, shortly after he had joined theFaculty. This statement made an indelible impression on the mind of onelistener who has recently had occasion to survey Dr. Shipps' career andnow to share a few insights into the life of this dedicated servant ofGod.Howard Shipps was blest with the godly heritage of a Christianhome. His father,Charles Carpenter Shipps, was a Commission Merchant,and his mother, Clara Elizabeth Fenimore, was related to the familymade famous by the novelist, James Fenimore Cooper. They were members of the Delanco (N.J.)Methodist Church and were closely associatedwith the Delanco Camp Meeting. Early in life Howard was brought to aknowledge of personal salvation. His older brother, Dr. Hammell Shipps(Cinnaminson, N.J.), reports: "When a small boy he (Howard) had aserious injury and lay unconscious for several days. For a long periodfollowing this injury he suffered from incapacitating headaches whichapparently defied medical measures. Much prayer was made for hisrecovery. During this time he felt God's call to the ministry and hepromised God that he would heed the call if He would heal him.He was evidently miraculously healed and had no recurrence of themalady. He has never wavered from the calling." Commitment has beenthe hallmark of his life as a Christian, as a pastor, and as a scholar.*Professor of Bibliography and Research and Director of Library Services, Asbury Theological Seminary.Profile ofCommitment 7His basic schooling was obtained in the Pahnyra Public School,the Delanco High School, and Asbury College. It is an interesting parallel that his daughter, Sara Beth, attended and graduated from these sameschools even as a child of the parsonage. Sara Beth did not find it a handicap to follow in the footsteps of her respected father. Followingcollege days. Dr. Shipps earned his B.D. degree at Princeton Seminaryand later his ThD. from Temple University.His commitment to do wholeheartedly whatever he found deserving of his effort and attention soon led to recognition of his leadershipabilities by his peers. The Asbury Collegian, 1923-26, records his exploits as sophomore class president, president of the Asbury AthleticAssociation, and president of the Athenia (Literary) Society. He was amember of the Inter-collegiate Debating Team which matched witswith teams as far away as Wheaton College and the University ofWyoming. Under his father as captain of the community athletic team,Howard had early learned to excel in various sports and was the winnerof many trophies and letters. Not the least of his honors was that of thewinner of the well-known Penn Relays. Of his leadership in basketballat Asbury College, the Collegian reports: "Captain Shipps is a naturalleader, always cool and dependable; a splendid floor general." This interest continued into seminary as he traveled with the Princetonbasketball team. Perhaps the discipline of these sports inculcated in himthat attitude of fair play, a policy which is recognized by his colleagueson the seminary faculty. This is elaborated upon by one of his seniorcolleagues.HOWARD SHIPPS-AS I HAVE KNOWN HIMAs one who has been a colleague ofHoward Shippscontinuously since his coming to our faculty, I have had opportunity to observe him under a wide range of experiencesand in a wide variety of circumstances. Let the first observation be this: he has always embodied the qualities of theChristian Gentleman. Pressures of issues or schedules havenever cancelled this out, nor even clouded it.In committee work and in faculty sessions, I remember him as one whose fair-mindedness usually carried theday with his colleagues. He seemed to work by an unspokenprinciple of always "having something to say the secondtime around. " In dealing with those with whom he felt he8 The Asbury Seminarianmust take issue, he was always gracious in his opposition-he always seemed to want to leave an opponent with "away out," a way to save his own pride.The foregoing suggest a keen sensitivity to the feelings,the needs, and the opinions of others. If he seemed at timesto be a bit "slow to speak," he was never "slow to think,"and taking more time than the rest in reaching a decisionalmost uniformly resulted in a quality of opinion whichcommanded our respect.These qualities, along with many others, add up tothe estimate suggested above. His presence on our facultyhas enriched not only his students, but also those ofus whoworked with him. It is significant that those of us whoworked with him the most closely felt most strongly thefavorable impact of his life and character. He put into thekind of words that even the non-literate could read, thetestimony to Christian sanctity.Home and church combined their influences to shape this Hfe.In his youth Howard was deeply involved in all the activities open toyoung people such as the Epworth League and the Youth TemperanceLeague. No doubt this bore fruit in his years as pastor in numerouschurches in the Southern New Jersey Conference of the MethodistChurch when he took a special interest in youth and was innovative inhis work with young people. He recognized the need of separatefacihties for young people's activities and used his office to secure aseparate building for them in one of his early churches. With truck andloudspeaker he took the church ministry outdoors into the resort areason the Jersey Coast. This special ministry led to the opening of a newchurch which was then added to his appointment. He worked with theSalvation Army in fresh air camps for city children and during the depression arranged for young people to attend the Delanco CampMeeting without charge for meals and lodging.As a pastor he had the heart of a true shepherd. He was unflinchingly faithful to his responsibilities as minister to his people.It should be noted that he served his home church in Delanco foreight years, a prophet recognized in his own country. Nor did his lifeescape the crucible of suffering�financial strain during the depressionwhen salaries could not be paid; the heartache of delivering "missing-inaction" messages to the bereaved during the Second World War; thelong, critical illness of thirteen-year-old Sara Beth, an only child, whichProfile ofCommitment 9often seemed to bring family responsibilities into conflict with the dutiesof his pastorate.His was a lifelong commitment to the message of heart holinessand to identification with the cause of Christian sanctity regardless ofthe price to be paid. He was a leader in the movement, serving fortwenty-five years as president of the Delanco Camp Meeting, foundedby Dr. George Ridout, and later known as the Fletcher Grove CampMeeting. He was also the founder of the Ministers' Conference on theDeeper Life which continues to be held annually and which brings renewal and divine empowerment to many pastors and to laymen as well.In his Annual Conference he was a leader in evangelism and servedmany years as chairman of the Board of Evangelism. Some excerptsfrom his reports in the Southern New Jersey Conference Journals givethe reader a glimpse into the deep concern which motivated him in thisministry:1935. We would desire that during the coming year an earnesteffort be made in the churches throughout the Conference to removeevery obstacle in the way of that mighty religious awakening which Godso much desires to give. Let us go forth to make this the greatest yeat inour history for the spirit of evangeUsm! Will we dare to beUeve that Godcan help us to make it so? God's skies are still full of Pentecosts.1937. Methodism had its rise in the personal experience ofWesley, and its power cannot be properly appraised without countingthe importance ofDivine guidance and fervent prayer. It is of the greatestimportance for us to build our plans and programs upon lives that havebeen quickened, like Wesley's, in the heartwarming way of Aldersgate,and upon that waiting before God that gives wisdom and power for thetask.1938. Someone has said, "When John Wesley went from Aiders-gate, he went from religious ecstasy to fifty years of obedience, costly,hard, and ceaseless. After Aldersgate he made history." Let us make thechief purpose of our ministry during the coming year, not only to addmembers to the church, but to add members to the living body ofChrist. Let us make Aldersgate the lifelong urgency of our ministry.1940. Methodism is mobilized and equipped to do great servicefor Christ and mankind in these difficult days. If the Holy Spirit shouldcome upon our modern united Methodism as He did upon the earlyChristian Church, we of the Church would become awakened and irresistible witnesses in our local communities, in the United States, and inthe near and far-flung Mission Fields.10 The Asbury Seminarian1942. We feel, as has been expressed by Bishop Hughes, that thetime has now come when Methodism must evangelize or perish. We callupon every pastor and lay delegate to wait before God until his ownsoul has begun to burn with that sacred enthusiasm which will bringupon him a new passion for the lost. This spirit of enthusiasm and passionmust become contagious. It must be carried by you down into the heartof every church within the bounds of this Conference.1945. We are now called to a great evangelistic Crusade, Howshall we do it? It is our opinion that before we can regain and "maintain the spiritual glow" of early Methodism, we too, like the disciples,must have a baptism of the Holy Spirit. What was the secret leading tothe changed lives of those early disciples? The New Testament tells usthat they "continued with one accord in prayer," not one day, but tendays, and the Spirit was given them. Prayer brought them close to God,and in that closeness they saw the things in their lives which hinderedthe work of grace. When they understood they surrendered to God, andHe came into their lives and filled them with His power.1953. (Reference is to the great World Mission of Evangelismannounced by the World Methodist Council at Oxford, England, in1952.) Here is our high calling in Christ! The local church is the point ofbattle, the place of action. The success of this campaign requires vision-vision ofGod, of self, and of the needs of our world; it requires passion-passion that will kindle new fires upon the altars of our hearts, ourhomes, and of our churches; it requires personal sacrifice�sacrifice oftime to pray, to wait before God, to visit, to witness for Christ. Let useach one ask himselfhonestly and sincerely, "Am I really and fully committed to this World Mission of Evangehsm so that God can use me inthe way that He pleases, or am I just celebrating another anniversary?"Yes, Christ can change the world, but He can only do it through me asI am fully committed to His will and His program for the church.As pastor of growing and changing congregations. Dr. Shipps wascommitted to the pursuit of continuing education. Long before hethought of teaching at Asbury Theological Seminary, he took additional courses to broaden his horizons. When the Seminary's invitationcame to him, he needed only to take his qualifying examinations andwrite his dissertation, having previously taken the courses PrincetonTheological Seminary and Temple University offered in his field.Since coming to Asbury Seminary he has sustained his scholarly interestsby avid reading, travels at home and abroad, and researches locally inthe history of Bethel Academy, Methodism's first effort in higher education in the West. From his pen have come A Short History ofAsburyProfile ofCommitment 11Theological Seminary, in celebration of its fortieth anniversary;Benjamin Abbott, Forgotten Apostle of Methodism, doctoral dissertation at Temple University; contributions to the World Encyclopediaof Methodism. He also helped edit the Methodist Trail in New Jerseyon the occasion of the Conference's 125th anniversary.Travels abroad took him to Europe several times where he followedthe Wesley trails in England, and the Luther trail and other Reformationsites on the Continent. He was a member of the Oxford Study Group inMethodism, which met in England in 1969.Weekend retreats for seminary students at the Trappist Monasteryin Gethsemane, Kentucky, now scheduled quite routinely, were also aninnovation which can be credited to Dr. Shipps. These retreats have beenmost meaningful in the lives of the participants. An unexpected byproduct of this venture was the close personal friendship which developed between Dr. Shipps and the late Thomas Merton. This resulted ina significant visit of Brother Merton to the Asbury campus. AfterMerton's death. Dr. Shipps received a special invitation by telegram toattend Merton's furneral.Howard Shipps' life of dedication and commitment may well beepitomized in the words of Charles Wesley:A Charge to keep I have,A God to glorify;A never-dying soul to save,And fit it for the sky.To serve the present age,My calling to fulfill,O may it all my pow'rs engageTo do my Master's will.Arm me with jealous care.As in thy sight to live :And oh, thy servant. Lord, prepare,A strict account to give.Help me to watch and pray,And on thyself rely,Assured, if I my trust betray,I shall forever die.

Profile of Commitment- Howard Fenimore Shipps

https://place.asburyseminary.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1803&amp;context=asburyjournal

Profile of Commitment- Howard Fenimore Shipps

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Asbury Theological Seminary