Covenanter Witness Vol. 54 - Rparchives.org

nal."
he considers priceless. The difference is
that what he considers priceless has a
value, but the whole world gained is
not to be weighed against the loss of the
soul.
Some translate the word "soul" with
the word "life" instead. Jesus Christ
used a word that means both the life
and the soul, and to keep the meaning
clear we had better stick to "soul." Had
He meant just the life He could have
said so.
martyr proves
Furthermore the death of a
that there are things
which are of more value than the life
alone. For these a man will rightly ex
change his life, but not his soul.
While
the question actually means
that there isn't anything, even the
whole world, which equals the value of
the soul, the fact is that we do in ef
fect trade things for our souls. Esau
traded off his birthright, and wished he
hadn't done it. Men trade their souls for
things they
want at the moment and
quickly find to be of no value, for our
sense of values changes. Here is an il
lustration. A ship is in distress at sea
because of fire in the hold and it must
be abandoned. The captain tells every
one that there are enough lifeboats to
hold all the passengers, and that each
boat will carry in addition three boxes.
There is plenty of food and the ship has
in its cargo many boxes of gold. The
captain's advice is that each boat take
two boxes of food and one box of gold,
but in one boat there are those who have
a different idea. They think it is too bad
not to get all the gold they can so they
take one box of iood and two of gold.
They begin to drift and are not picked
up
so after some days there comes a
shout from this boat, "We'll trade a box
of gold for a box of food." Still they are
not rescued and the supply
of food is
dwindling so a second offer is shouted.
"Two boxes of gold, for a box of food."
Finally the situation becomes desperate
for them and they cry in anguish, "Take
all our gold and give us just a little of
your
food."
Today the things of
the
world have their apparent value and the
temptation is to take them in preference
to the things of the soul, but there will
come a time when they will lose their
value and the tilings of the spirit will be
seen to be of inestimable worth. Then
we would gladly, if it were possible,
trade all of the world for one soul. "The
things which are seen are temporal; but
the things which are not seen are eter
A drink may seem harmless and
desirable, but drunkards do not inherit
eternal life. Sex attracts and seems to
offer much, but it can destroy the soul.
Pride, wrong ambition, selfishness, and
many other wares are offered in the
devil's market in exchange for the soul.
In fact nothing is too large or too small
June 8, 1955
for him to offer it in this exchange.
Norman McLeod has given us an alle
gory with some lessons. A young man
walks the path of life holding carefully
to a silver thread which guides him
safely as long as he grasps it and fol
lows it. As he goes along singing he
notices a little way off the path the
most beautiful golden bird he has ever
seen. As he starts for it the bird flies
away leaving a beautiful golden egg
which he feels he must have. Holding
the silver thread he tries to reach it,
but it is too far away. Surely it will do
no harm to let go of the thread for
just an instant and get the beautiful
egg, but when he lets go the heavens
suddenly become black, lightning flash
es, and thunder terrifies him. The egg
in his hand is nothing but ugly ashes,
and when he gropes for the thread it is
gone. Finally, above the trees, he sees a
little light and there, out of reach, is the
silver thread.
Young people, what are you giving in
exchange lor your souls Parents, what
are you holding out as most desirable in
life, the things of the world or the
things of the spirit. "What shall it profit
a man, if he shall gain the whole world,
and lose his own soul Or what shall a
man give in exchange for his soul
W. M. S. Department
Mrs. Ross Latimer. Editor.
Praver Hour I :00 P.M Monday
The Thirty-Second Annual Meeting
of the
Women's Presbyterial Missionary
Society of the
New York Presbytery
The 32nd Annual Meeting of the New
York Presbyterial was held in the Cam
bridge, Massachusetts, church, May 3
and 4. The Rev. and Mrs. Donald I.
Robb, the members of the Missionary
Society and Missionary Guild gave all
a very
gracious and warm we'come.
We were indeed fortunate in that we
had the Rev. Claude C. Brown from our
Southern Mission and the Rev. and Mrs.
Samuel E. Boyle as speakers. Mr. Boyle
showed pictures of the work and work
ers in our Japan Mission field.
Officers elected for the year 1955-56
were :
Mrs. Paul Wilson, President
Groton, Vermont
Miss Elizabeth Henderson, Vice-presi
dent
Newburgh, New York
Mrs. Orrin R. Ferry, Recording Sec
retary
Montclair Society
Mrs. Norman Speer, Corresponding
Secretary
Walton, N. Y.
Mrs. Abbott S. Cutter
Cambridge Society
The Convention Theme was "Ye Shall
Be My Witnesses," Acts 8:1, and the
Convention Psalm, the 40th. The devo
tional periods conducted by the Rev.
Donald I. Robb, and Mrs. Samuel E.
Boyle were very helpful.
Important business included action
taken which will in the future divert
monies from Life and Memorial Mem
berships of the New York Presbyterial
to be used for building
of the Aged People's Home of the Re
formed Presbyterian Church.
and maintenance
A recommendation was also sent to
the Woman's Association that the name
be changed to The Covenanter Home.
The spiritual atmosphere of the con
vention was very high, and the renewal
of friendships and the making
of new
ones added greatly to the enjoyment of
all. It was indeed an experience of fine
Christian fellowship with a real purpose,
that of promoting the mission work.
Ethel Ferry
Recording Secretary
MISS MARY L. KENWILL
The passing from this life of Miss
Mary L. Kenwill on Tuesday, April 19,
1955 brings to the members of the Cen
tral Pittsburg W. M. S. a deep sense of
bereavement and loss, and we desire to
pay a tribute of love and esteem to her
memory.
Miss Kenwill was born and reared in
Pittsburgh, and her forty-two years of
faithful and efficient public school serv
ice was rendered in this area.
From childhood she
participated in
the activities of the Sabbath School and
Church, and when older, carried many
responsibilities in the service of the
congregation. She was capable in the
work she performed and her consecrat
ed leadership will be greatly missed.
The members of our W.M.S. recall with
pleasure and gratitude the times our
meetings were held in her home where
she extended the hospitality
cious Christian hostess.
of a gra
We rejoice in the assurance that she
is now at Home with the Lord, and our
prayer is that all those who knew her
and witnessed her devotion to Christ
may be led to dedicate their lives anew
to Him.
With thanksgiving to God for the
salvation that is ours through the aton
ing
work of Jesus Christ our Saviour,
we look forward to a glorious reunion
with loved ones gone before in His pres
ence. Committee of W. M. S.
365