Chapter 27– My Three Semesters at CPU College of Theology

After finishing my two years Associate of Arts (AA), I proceeded to CPU

College of Theology. We were at Johnson Hall most of the time. We have our classes the whole day. We eat at Johnson Hall dining room. In the evening we went go College of Theology library that was also at CPU main library.

I entered the theological college with quite a good background. When I was 3rd & 4th year high school, I often joined Rev. Ernesto Carvajal while visiting and calling on his members every Saturday. I attended prayer meeting every Wednesday afternoon at 5 p.m. I joined the choir practicing every Saturday afternoon and Sunday Worship service.

The church always hold evangelistic meetings during the dry season of February, March and April. I always attend these nightly rallies.

I listened to Rev. Carvajal as he preached on Sunday` and during 3 months of evangelistic meetings in 1959 and 1960. During the night I took a Sermon outline of Rev. Carvajal that Sunday, then mount the pulpit of Dumangas Baptist Church and deliver a sermon silently.

I tried to follow Rev. Carvajal as he preached his message trying to remember his 3 main points, his subpoints, his illustrations. I tried to follow the timber of his voice, his gestures and his words. But one thing I cannot do. I don’t have the ability of Rev. Carvajal to make the audience laugh. Niether the tenor and words to make them sob or wept.

When I was 2nd year at CPU College of Arts and Sciences, I was called to work as Youth pastor of the Iloilo Baptist Youth Fellowship by Mr. Pat Dionio, President. This assignment gave me the opportunity to visit youth organizations of Iloilo churches every Saturday and Sunday. That provided me a chance to observed youth organizations in Iloilo Baptist churches.

We attended Baptist Youth meetings on Saturday afternoons and joined choir practice Saturday evenings. We participated on Sunday School Sunday morning. I was asked often by the Pastor to preach during Sunday worship service.

On Sunday afternoon we had sharing and planning among members of Iloilo Baptist Youth Fellowship and how to mobilize the youth for active participation in the youth ministry. At 3:00 p.m. I went back to Iloilo City to my responsibilities as a working student.

The arrangement gave me some 45 week-ends to visit churches and youth groups in Iloilo that year. It gave me a chance to preach. It was a big opportunity. Few students were given the same opportunity of visiting churches and youth groups for nearly the whole year. That was also the way how I developed my preaching and lecture skills.

My classmates in First Year at the College of Theology were: Margarita Juanico from Antique, Elizabeth Yap from Manila; Adino Delgado from Capiz; Lore Bacerra from Davao, Dionita Irao from Aklan, Procerfina Corvera from Antique, Norma Monteclaro from Iloilo City and myself.

Elizabeth Yap was the daughter of Dr. Jose Yap, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP). We were only eight (8) theology students at that time. Me? I did not make good in my study. I left theological school after three semesters and went to Manila.

All of my classmates made good in their ministry. After finishing their theological studies, they were immediately called for different church assignments. Adino Delgado worked as pastor in several churches in Panay and Negros and made his mark in Evangelism and strengthening churches.

Lore Bacerra and Norma Monteclaro got married after graduation and worked in CPBC churches for several years. Then they went to the United States where they worked until they retired They have outreached ministry in the Philippines with several churches.

Dioneta Irao worked as Pastor of Kalibo Baptist Church in Aklan and married Mr. Noel Villanueva, son of the President of Aklan Kasapulanan of Baptist churches. She pursued a course in education and taught in high school at the same time as Pastor of Kalibo Baptist Church.

Elizabeth Yap worked in Manila for years and later went back to Iloilo City where she has business and continues his services to churches. Margarita Juanico worked with several churches, later joined the teaching staff of Filamer Christian College. Miss worked with Calvario Evangelical Church, married Mr. Nathaniel Espantar, an agriculture graduate. The started a business and organized a cooperative among members of the church and the community.

Our professors and instructors were Mrs. Wanda Kelley, Dean, College of Theology, Rev. Loel Bacerra and Mrs. Marilyn Bacerra. Miss Gladys Baban was our teacher in piano. Mrs. Elora Jordan taught us music and the choir.

Miss Gladys Baban was a lovely piano teacher. She taught me rudiments of piano, what was called the fingering lessons. I loved piano. But piano I think do not love me. Only one song I mastered during my 1 semester piano lesson, “Itik¬-Itik” which I often played, where ever I have a chance.

My fingers seemed hard. My hands were used to hold plows. Both my left and right fingers were just hard to touch the delicate piano keyboards. I did not enroll in piano the following semester.

The women students were housed at Johnson Hall. The males stayed at the top floor of Franklin Hall. We had good time and fellowship at the College of Theology

While at the College of Theology, I got hold copies of some books, lectures and speeches of Dr. Robert (Bob) Ingersoll. He was considered the Dean of Atheists in the United States. I read some of his books. I liked his speeches and lectures.

He wrote simple and short phrases but full of meaning that challenged many beliefs and traditions of religion during that time, including belief in God. Bob Ingersoll challenged my faith. He made me doubt the existence of God. I fought this doubt in the sanctums of my mind.

I tried to challenge Dr. Ingersol in the crevices of my mind. There were times that he won me to his side. But my experiences of worship and simple faith fought hard, against the wisdom, strength and powerful arguments that there is no God by the most powerful, brilliant, and influential atheist in the United States of America. By that time, 52 per cent of my mind believes in God. And 48% was with Dr. Robert, the famous atheist. It was said that on his death bed he exclaimed, “I thanked God that there is no God.”

I remembered some schoolmates at the CPU in 1963 and first semester of 1964. I remember Noel Lapatha and Rosina Ilustre. I saw them always together walking from the library to Johnson Hall aand back. I have never seen Noel Bacerra walking with another at CPU. After finishing theological studies, they married. They worked together in Maao Evangelical Church, Barrio Maao, Bago City, Negros Occidental. Then they went to Canada where they worked until they retired. Lately, they built a new church mostly with Filipino members. We often communicate on Facebook and share some thoughts starting in 2017 and the following years until today, August 2020.

I often saw Esfe Tandog at Johnson Hall. He is also a working student. I remember Pastor Alfeo Tupas at CPU. I saw him often. We had a short conversation. Later, he worked with the Baptist Convention as Field Secretary for Stewardship. We got the opportunity to work together when I was appointed Director of New Frontier Ministries of CPBC through Rev. Edwin Iglory Lopez, General Secretary. Later, when NFM ministers and church ministers were arrested and brought to Camp Delgado, CPBC leaders feared of possible further arrests and changed New Frontier Ministries to CPBC Relief Ministries.

Few months later, the Philippine Constabulary Regional Commander and his top officers came to CPBC and asked for dialogue and exchanged of ideas. The Regional Commander apologized for arresting 45 pastors, church and cooperative leaders in Guevara Beach, Oton,Iloilo in July 1984 and brought them to Camp Delgado for investigation. When Mrs.Feraz Legita was appointed Director, she changed also Relief Ministries to Development Ministries of CPBC.

After I enrolled at the College of Theology in 1963, life was much better. We were served food at Johnson Hall dormitory. I began to experience, how dormitory Intern students lived. We were served food -- rice, viands, vegetables, sweets and water. It was a new experience being an Intern dormitory student and scholar in the College of Theology.

At home in Carles, I pounded palay before I cook and able to eat. Often, I had to go to the swamp or river to catch fish 2 hours before lunchtime. In my younger days, it was easy to catch fish, shrimps and crabs in swamps and rivers. Indeed living inside the university was far more comfortable when you are an Intern dormitory student.

Mrs. Wanda Kelly was a loving dean of the College of Theology. She’s motherly. We have very good teachers. But the one that challenged my mind most was Rev. Loel Bacerra, who taught theological and Biblical subjects.

While I was 2nd Year in the College of Theology, my father who was a veteran and member of the United States Armed Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) sent me an Educational Benefit papers that give me a scholarship as a son of a Filipino veteran.

He waived to me his educational benefits. Just with an amount for food and fares, I can enroll in any college in the Philippines through the Educational Benefits from the Philippine Veterans Administration. PVA will now provide me with free tuition, wherever I will study in the Philippines.

Despite the privilege I enjoyed of having free studies at the College of Theology, I began to toy the idea of leaving the College of Theology and go to Baguio City or Manila. There, I will study any course I would like to take, except medicine for that was more expensive.

Law, journalism, foreign service and public administration would be easier to take. I knew some vocations that can provide me with incomes, while studying in Baguio or Manila. One skill I developed was photography.

My mind continued to toy with the idea of leaving the College of Theology. The educational benefit given me by my father turned to be the biggest temptation of my life. I made plans for adventures outside of Iloilo after 3 semesters in the College of Theology,

I began to think that the ministry was not my calling. Perhaps, Satan has put that idea in my mind. The tempter has worked softly and effectively on me. The idea of going to Manila or Baguio City kept pressing on my mind.

Before the start of the 2nd semester, I went home to Carles. I did not tell Mrs. Wanda Kelley of my plan. I told my father and mother that I will go to Manila or Baguio City. I also told my younger brother Restituto Jr., sisters, Elvira, Zenaida and Mildred that I will go to Manila. They gave me their permission.

Three days later, I went to Estancia. I boarded the ship at the Estancia pier for Manila. That ended my dream to be a pastor of a church in the Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches. During that time, CPBC had approximately 900 member churches in the country. It has two churches in Mindanao. And another church in Metro Manila, Faith Baptist Church in Quezon City.