Covenanter Witness Vol. 54 - Rparchives.org

isk."
saved."
groups'
service."
will,"
message."
contract. Synod voted not to continue the work for
the present but to use funds to liquidate financial ob
ligations now pending, and to hold the balance for
later action.
Rev. Norman Carson and Dr. T. C. Carson gave
their impressions favorable of the immense work
being done by the National Association of Evangeli
cals, and of its worthiness as an instrument for our
use and their use of us.
The discussion of Making of Wills led by Elder
Ross Latimer who recommended the building of an
endowment fund of $100,000, out of the undesigna
ted bequests, the income to be used for promoting
such emergency requirements as may arise, brought
an expression of opinions pro and con as to whether
they should be invested in the present needs or
stored for future needs. This was left for further dis
cussion in the Covenanter Witness.
Session closed with prayer by Rev. W. J. Mc
Burney.
THURSDAY 7:30 P. M.
Elder William Dodds conducted a Round Table
Discussion on methods of improving Midweek Prayer
Services. Speakers were Mrs. A. A. Wylie, W. O. Hill,
and Mr. Hemphill. One congregation found a ceme
tery a suitable place for an inspiring and well at
tended meeting (preceding Memorial Day). But take
your prayer meeting to the cemetery, rather than
bring the cemetery into the meeting.
FRIDAY 8:45 A. M.
This session was given over to the discussion of
the Report of the Board of Foreign Missions. It was
voted to approve the appointment of Lie. Gene Spear
as Missionary to Japan, and of Eleanor Faris also,
the latter without salary her own proposition. This
latter provoked some discussion as a departure from
"calculated financial
The item that consumed the major part of the
session was stricken out of the report. Should all
students in the Latakia Schools be required to take
Bible courses contrary to the government's regu
lation that religious instruction must be given only
according to the sect to which the pupil belongs, Mo
hammedan, Jew or Christian. Expediency keeping
the schools functioning, or risking the closing of our
schools on the principle that we are commanded to
preach the gospel to all, and ought to obey God
rather than man. This question has troubled our
Board and our missionaries for years and they
wished Synod to take the responsibility of deciding.
The matter was committed to members of Synod
and the missionaries in an open conference.
Recess.
Thus far the report is prepared by the Editor.
He is using a ghost writer from here on.
The following notes on proceedings of Synod
are prepared by the Rev. T. R. Hutcheson. Editor
Friday Afternoon
Dr. R. A. Blair opened the session with prayer.
Rev. Paul Wison moved that, to complete the
regular procedure, the paper from the Foreign Mis
sion Board requesting the ordination of Gene Spear
be granted. The motion was carried.
Foreign missionaries present at Synod were
then introduced by Rev. Charles Sterrett, Corres
ponding Secetary of the Board. Each field had been
June 22, 1955
allotted 30 minutes, but Miss Blanche McCrea, the
sole representative of the Cyprus field said she had
been glad to hear of the progress being made on the
building for the Girls' School in Nicosia, which is
expected to be ready for use this September. The
present school would not have endured the recent
hurricane on the island, and is past repair.
The aim of the school at Nicosia is deeper than
teaching English, but English instruction is a big
drawing card. The children there are normal children,
with problems similar to those in American schools.
But this school is special, a school for teaching
Christianity.
"Do you like it there ," Miss McCrea has been
asked. Many things, of course, are not likable. There
are many strange customs and attitudes. There is a
lack of deep freezers, air-condition units, etc., but she
loves the people, and recognizes prevailing living con
ditions as part of the "joys of There is
need for American teachers : a life- termer if possible ;
at least a short-term teacher.
Miss Elizabeth McElroy, who has been on the
field in Syria for 35 years, spoke of the work in
the mountain villages. She does not go into Moslem
homes now the danger is great but she does teach
in Alouite homes. Evangelists go from house to
house and hold meetings for children after school
hours. The children especially are hungry for litera
ture and information. Twelve hundred villages, and
no other denomination responsible for them. "Tell
young people they will get happiness through Christ,
and knowing they are doing His she said with
conviction in appealing for people to prepare now for
work in Syria.
Mrs. Kenneth Sanderson observed that a time of
furlough gave missionaries a new vision of the field,
an encouraging vision. She expressed appreciation
for support here of the schools and mission in Syria,
and fine experiences in the home land. She once
thought it was enough if teachers gave the Bible
instruction, and let results be incidental. "I know
now that that is not enough. We must approach
people personally about their relation to Christ," she
said, and then gave examples of how Syrian young
people are doing that.
Mr. Sanderson felt Syria was now home. There
he and Marjorie were married six and one half years
ago. He told of disappointment about students who
had gone to other schools after being in Latakia Mis
sion Schools, and had succumbed to liberal theological
concepts and modernistic ideas. He quoted, "It is
possible to come within 18 inches of salvation, and
not be
To convert Moslems is difficult, but
so is it to convert anyone. And here is the attitude
to take "If God worked a change in my heart, can
He not change a Moslem's heart, too"
Rev. S. E. Boyle, representing the Japan field,
chose to talk on, "What I found in the American
Covenanter Church." He found what first impressed
him as tiny, lonely groups. But he came to recognize
the quality of these sacrifice, working, and
giving. "A church is not measured by the size of its
roll, but by the size of its He found the
church is missionary-minded, and found pastors with
faithfulness and originality. We are a small church
with a heavy load, but a great message. He, as Miss
McCrea in Cyprus, finds in Japan strange customs
uncomfortable customs, like sitting on the floor. But
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