“Preparing the Way: Vision, Service, and a Legacy That Transforms”
Delivered on December 7, 2025 during the Sunday Worship in Celebration of the 200th Birth Anniversary of Dr. Horace B. Silliman
This morning we remember and give thanks for Horace Brinsmade Silliman, whose faith and vision gave birth to what we now call Silliman University. Born 200 years ago, HBS offers us the story of a man whose generosity was rooted not in wealth but in a heart anchored deeply in God — a life of faith, family, and service that continues to inspire generations.
Our Scriptural Text is from Matthew 3:1–12, which calls us to:
• Prepare the way (v.3),
• Bear fruit worthy of repentance (v.8),
• Be open to Spirit-led transformation (v.11).
These same themes echo powerfully in the life of Horace Brinsmade Silliman:
• A visionary who prepared the way for countless young people;
• A servant whose faith bore lasting fruit in education and community life;
• A believer who trusted in God’s transforming power expressed through Christian learning and compassionate action.
From his hometown of Cohoes, New York, Horace Silliman looked beyond his surroundings and saw possibilities where others saw none. He dreamed of a school in the Philippines that would unite faith and learning — a place where the mind would be sharpened, the heart shaped, and the spirit anchored in God’s truth. His gift of ten thousand dollars in 1901 was more than a financial act; it was a declaration of faith in God’s power to transform lives through Christian education.
But behind that grand vision was the tenderness of a father’s heart. Horace Silliman knew the ache of grief. His beloved daughters, Mary and Jennie, died young, leaving a pain that marked him deeply. Yet he allowed that sorrow to become the seed of compassion. Instead of turning inward, he turned outward. The school he helped establish became an extension of a father’s love — nurturing thousands of young lives, offering care and opportunity he could no longer give to his own children.
His life also teaches us the ministry of community service. In Cohoes, he was remembered not only for his generosity but for his steady, hands-on commitment to the common good. He helped establish schools and churches, supported hospitals, and even funded projects that brought clean water to his community. He believed that faith must take form in service — that love for God is proven in love for one’s neighbor.
In this way, Horace Silliman was both visionary and servant. His philanthropy was never distant or detached; it was an act of discipleship. His example reminds us that Christian education and community transformation must always go together.
As heirs of his vision, we are called today:
• To see with faith-filled eyes the needs of our time,
• To serve with compassion and integrity,
• To educate not just for success, but for service to God and humanity.
Horace B. Silliman may never have walked the shores of Dumaguete, but his faith built a bridge across oceans and generations. His life shows us that when we give ourselves to God’s vision, our reach extends beyond our years — and our love multiplies in the lives of others.
As we commemorate his birth, we remember him not only as a founder but as a father and servant — a man who turned faith into vision, grief into grace, and love into lifelong service.
His legacy invites us to continue this work: to prepare the way for others, to bear fruit that glorifies God, and to remain open to the Spirit who continues to refine, inspire, and lead us.
To God be the glory — great things He has done, and continues to do — through the life and legacy of Horace Brinsmade Silliman.
