Covenanter Witness Vol. 54 - Rparchives.org

MEETING OF THE FOREIGN
MISSION BOARD
The Board of Foreign Missions met
in the 23rd Street Y.W.C.A., December
14, from 10 A.M. to 6 P.M., except for a
brief period for lunch. The meeting was
opened with prayer by the President, W.
K. Metcalfe. Fourteen members were
present. Devotions, based on Phil. 2:19-
24, were conducted by Rev. R. A. Hen
ning.
The Recording Secretary, having an
nounced his intention to accept a call
to Kansas City, tendered his resignation.
His resignation was accepted with re
grets, and a rising vote of thanks was
given him for his efficient service, and
a resolution of thanks for the minutes
was ordered to be prepared by Rev. J. P.
Wilson.
The balloting for a new Recording
Secretary
resulted in the election of T. J.
Wilson. Since he was not present, Rev.
R. A. Henning was chosen, and acted, as
Recording Secretary
pro tern.
The Treasurer, Mr. C. R. Fox, re
ported an overdraft of $12,340, and $5,000
in bonds that had been called in was
referred to the Finance Committee for
recommendations as to investment. Dr.
G. M. Robb led in a prayer of thanks
giving
for God's continued blessing in
providing funds for mission work.
In the correspondence reported by the
Corresponding Secretary, Rev. C. S. Ster
rett, was an interesting letter which
promised $1,000 to help in sending an
other new missionary to Japan, providing
the missionary would be sent out by Sep
tember, 1955. This and some other mat
ters in the correspondence got attention
in the general discussions and special
intercessions following recess, but no
definite action at this meeting.
The advertising of our mission work
got some action, as was recommended
by the Finance Committee, Mrs. Olive
Beatty, Chairman. A new brochure has
been prepared, ordered printed, and cop
ies are to be sent to the congregations
of the Church. A special page in the
Covenanter Witness is to be requested,
and an advertisement inserted in Evan
gelical Action, to run for six months.
The Constitution for a newly proposed
Governing Body for Larnaca Acad
emy, Cyprus, consumed about three
hours of the Board's time in discus
sion. Dr. W. W. Weir, by request,
was present to present his views
on the subject. Elder Niklaus Hagmann
ably championed our denominational
ideal for a mission school. Others par
ticipated in the discussion pro and con.
The question was involved with our
former "Re-study
of our Mission Pro
gram in the Near East," and resulted in
no action about it,
except the passing of
a motion to consider the matter further
January 5, 1955
at a special meeting of the Board, set
for January 18, 1955.
Reported by Rev. W. C. McClurkin.
A COVENANTER COMMUNION IN
SAN DD3GO
By Walter McCarroll
It was my privilege to assist 'Dr. Ed
gar in that congregation's second com
munion. The high day
of the feast was
Sabbath November 28 with a prepara
tory service Friday night, which had been
preceded by a Thanksgiving service on
the Thursday at which time was inaug
urated a new
building fund for a much
needed addition to the church to meet
the requirements of a growing Sabbath
School. Saturday was a strenuous day
for the Pastor in visiting and in pro
longed conferences with prospective mem
bers. At the Session meetings Friday
night and Sabbath morning seven new
members were received into the fellow
ship of the Church: Mrs. Roberta Kem
per and son Van; Mr. and Mrs. Marvin
McKensie; Mrs. Norma Runkle; Wayne
Adams; and Ronnie Foss. There were
six baptisms: Norma Runkle and daugh
ter Lynn, Wayne Adams, Ronnie Foss,
Van Kemper, and Debise McKenzie. This
brought the total membership to 46. The
congregation was organized with 39 mem
bers.
A table was spread across the front of
the church which accommodated most
of the communicants which
42. Some members were away
numbered
from the
city at the time. The action sermon was
preached by the guest minister from the
familiar text, "He brought me into the
banqueting house, and His banner over
me was love." (Song of Solomon 2:4).
After the usual reading and explaining of
the words of Institution the communicant
members came to the table singing a
part of the 45th Psalm. It was a time of
refreshing from the presence of the Lord.
The congregation pays $700 toward the
pastor's salary, and are making pay
ments on a parsonage as well as retiring
$1,000.00 borrowed from the Board of
Church Erection for the completion of the
church building. The prospects are good
for the congregation to become self-sus
taining within a few years.
Under the efficient leadership of Dr.
and Mrs. Edgar the congregation has just
completed participation in the Christian
Life Magazine's annual Sabbath School
attendance contest which lasted from
October 10 to November 14. This in
volved an almost unbelievable amount of
publicity
and promotion before t^e con
test began. Then continued publicity and
promotion each week of the contest. Then
after the contest is over, the preparation
of a Contest Scrapbook, consisting of
samples of publicity
and pictures of the
contest in its various aspects. Then an
8-page entry blank to fill out giving ad
ditional information. All of which has to
be sent in to the Magazine to be laid
before the judges. There are six different
Classes set
up by the Magazine, depend
ing on the size of the school. Our School
was in Class E in competition with other
schools all over the world, having an at
tendance last year between 75-125.
50%
of the score is based on the in
crease in attendance for the six weeks
period over against the average atten
dance for the preceding twelve months;
30% on the promotion before and during
the contest, and 20% upon the visitation
preceding and during the contest. The at
tendance increased during the contest
from an average of around 100 last year
to about 230 for the six weeks of the con
test. The high point was reached on the
last day
of the contest when 265 were
present. 385 different persons were pres
ent at one time or another during that
six
weeks'
period. It is the aim of the
school to keep attendance up
around the
200 mark during the coming year, which
is more than they have space to accom
modate in the church. They used garages,
a living room and a tent, with one class
outside during the contest. The building
fund, inaugurated on Thanksgiving Day,
at last report had grown to $400. The ad
ditional class rooms have become a
necessity, and work will be begun as soon
as the necessary funds are available.
I was entertained in the beautiful new
home of Dr. and Mrs. Edgar, located on
a mountain side, about ten minutes drive
from the church, and commanding a view
of a land of far distances. The success of
the work has been due in large part to the
untiring and devoted labors of Dr. and
Mrs. Edgar, assisted by a fine corps of
workers in school and church. The Cove
nanter work in San Diego should com
mand the prayer support of the entire
church.
A NEW YEARS GREETING
We pray that you may all survive
Twelve happy months in '55.
And many years thereafter.
May all the tears and all the fears
Have compensating laughter!
If brilliant rays filled all your days
And none of them deficient
There'd be no place for heav'nly grace
Which God says is sufficient.
The thorns in flesh are sent to mesh
With our own soul's resistance;
They build up strength that will at length
Increase our faith's persistence.
INTERCESSION
D. R. T.
In traveling among the nations, John
R. Mott made it a practice to study the
sources of the spiritual movements which
transform whole communities. Invari-
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