Covenanter Witness Vol. 53 - Rparchives.org

evangelism"evangelism."Editorial NotesNovember 3, 1954 279Syrian Mission 4,502.83Japan Mission 3,731.10By Walter McCarrollHome Base 552.22LossOverdraft Aprilof Scholastic Standing. It seems that 1, '54 __ 1,264.72ourTotalschools in Latakia haveExpenditures $14,023.02lost the right for their gradBalance overdrawn Sept.uates to enter the American University at Beirut 1, '54and$ 3,548.58Aleppo College on their diplomas, but must take theentrance examinations. The reason for this is theSUMMARY OF RESTRICTED FUNDSlack of necessary equipment. The library is not largeenough. Another room is needed and double the presChina Orphan FundChina Relief Fund$ 3,640.30542.13ent number of books. Also a laboratory is needed Milne Wilmoth Fund 5.403.65where each student can work out his own experi Farida Ibrahim Fund ___ 9,672.29ments. The schools have no chapel. Two or moreyears ago the roof was torn off the old chapel andhas not been replaced for lack of funds. It goes almost without saying that schools in these days mustNicosia Building Fund __Larnaca Building Fund _Gihon EstateAccomodation Account_378.27536.8215,000.00907.14be kept up to a certain standard in curriculum requirements, teacher personnel, and physical equipTotal in Restricted Funds $36,080.69ment or they will soon go out of business. There aretwo ways of putting a school out of business, one bydecisive action giving the schools the quietus, theother way is by doing nothing. Following the secondway the agony is prolonged but the end is the same.Looking at it from this distance one can see nogood reason for letting the schools in Latakia losescholastic standing for lack of the necessary physical equipment. There is the Farida Ibrahim Fundwhich amounts to considerably more than nine thousand dollars. This was left by a native Syrian woman,the product of our schools in Syria, who came to thiscountry and toiled and saved and died leaving herIt can be argued that these restricted funds arenecessary as a reserve to carry the work when nothing is coming in; that it is better to be safe thansorry. It can be argued that the support of the workalready undertaken must be guaranteed before making a larger venture of faith. On the other hand itcan be argued that because we refuse to make aventure of faith the Lord is withholding blessings.The door of opportunity for direct evangelism inJapan is now open. It may close soon. If a group ofgenuine Japanese believers can be raised up beforethe door closes to foreigners, then maybe this constitutes a distinct call from the Lord for immediatesavings to our Board of Foreign Missions to helpmaintain the work in Syria. Why should not some ofthat money be made available immediately to provide the necessary library space and meet laboratoryneeds, and put a roof on the chapel and make it usable? Mr. Hutcheson was sent out as an educationalmissionary. What does the church expect from aneducational missionary? That he will do his best tobuild up the schools under his care? Or does thechurch set limits on him and say in effect that heaction on the part of our church. WoeIsaiah 6.Tither's CornerSeven Ways of GivingIx> Go.must maintain only second-rate schools that lookrun-down-at-the-heels ?(1) The careless way: to give something to everyToo large a proportion of the church's money ispresented, without inquiring into itsmerits.spent upon schools and not enough on direct evangelism? Would that all critics of the schools could (2) The impulsive way: to give from impulse,spend about three years in the Near East on "direct as much and as often as love and pity and sensibility! That might open their eyes to the facts prompt. This is uncertain and irregular.of life. Rev. William Lytle was a strong believer in(3) The lazy way: to make a special effort to"directBut what happened? He was earn money for benevolent objects by fairs, festivals,thrown out of his field, and is now confining his efetc.forts to evangelism in and through the schools. Mr.(4) The self-denying way: to save the cost ofHutcheson writes: "The church is willing to spendluxuries and apply them to purposes of religion andmuch money keeping churches or even Presbyteriescharity. This may lead to asceticism and self-comalive, who haven't produced a missionary or studentfor our Seminary for nigh on to half a century. Thenplacence.why not continue here where the tangible results are (5) The systematic way: to lay aside, as an ofas good or better?"fering to God a definite portion of our gains onetenth,one-fifth, one-third, or one half. This is adaptTreasurer's Report. April 1, 1954 Sept. 1, 1954 ed to all, whether rich or poor, and gifts would beReceiptslargely increased if it were generally practiced.Contributions $11,516.76(6) The equal way : to give to God and the needyFrom Invested Funds___ 222.40just as much as we spend on ourselves, balancing ourMiscellaneous 629.44personal expenditures by our gifts.Total Receipts $11,739.16(7) The heroic way: to limit our own expenditures to a certainExpendituressum, and give away all the rest ofour income. This was John Wesley's way.Travel Expense $ 3,365.85Cyprus Mission 1,871.02Arthur T. Pierson