Covenanter Witness Vol. 55 - Rparchives.org

church."parents'sive system that it is. The tragic blind spot in Communist thinking is their total unawareness of thefact that in destroying belief in God they are pavingthe way for the creation of an awful despotism. Weare indebted, among others, to Fyodor Dostoevsky,the Russian novelist, once a revolutionary himself,who said that the fundamental issue in the revolutionary situation was rebellion against God. He saidthat if God were destroyed and men deified, then theState man would create would eventually be deifiedtoo. As a result, instead of bringing freedom andblessing to man, all that would result would be anunlimited despotism.(To be continued)"Building TogetherBy E. Clark CopelandAugust is an important month for us in Cyprus.On the first the new currency came into use. Wenow have a pound (still worth 2.82 dollars) dividedinto 1,000 mills rather than 20 shillings of ninepiastres each. It will be easier for the bookkeepersonce the transition period is over. The postage system also changed accordingly, hence there is newinterest for stamp collectors. That might be anexcuse for you to write us a letter.August 2 there was a general strike in protestagainst a new law authorizing the governor to detain indefinitely without trial anyone he is persuaded is involved in the terrorist movement (E.O.-K.A.) to overthrow the. government. There wassome stoning and firingof government buildingsthat night. The Tripartite Talks in London August29 will be an occasion for more demonstrations, weunderstand.August 3-7 we held our Young People's Conference at Troodos. The theme: "Building Together,"Eph. 2:19-22. Morning addresses presented a studyof the church (1) Christ's Body, (2) Christ's Ambassador, (3) Christ's Dwelling Place, (4) Christ'sBride. The Bible Study: The book of Joshua. Oneevening we had a fine address by an English armydoctor on "Modern Science and the Christian Faith."Another evening we heard a very informative address on "The Scripture Cannot Be Broken" presenting archeological attestation to Scripture historicity. Missionaries in various parts of the NearEast vacationing in Cyprus add a great deal to ourconference by their presence, their addresses, anda Missionary Hour on Sabbath afternoon when wehear what is going on in the various fields. Thereare manyvisible barriers in all fields in this partof the world, but there is a note of victory as wehear of the return to historic Christianity as knownin the Reformed faith in some fields, a more ardentlabor in prayer in all. This year a new feature ofthe conference was a discussion group for missionaries and Christian leaders based on a studyof apostolic missionary methods. Though I couldnot attend it, I understand it was a great blessing toall who did. The conference was begun by our missionand continues under our direction and sponsorship,but it has grown far beyond our own churches. Wewere Greeks, Armenians, Englishmen,convertedJews, and Americans representing some fivediffer-214ent denominations. We had a number of Britishsoldiers present. A group of them from Limassolenjoyed the Psalms so much that they ordered twodozen Psalters to use in their own meeting. Oneof the great blessings of the conference was theunity of Spirit that was evident, and the contribujoint"tion "which every supplied. On Sabbath afternoon I went off into the woods to meditate on mymessage for the closing service. I was soon consciousof the sound of voices and the tones of prayer. Ilooked up and there on the opposite hill I saw themajority of the conference in prayer, and I knewthat petitions were going up for that last meeting.It was a great blessing to be conscious of thatsupport.Another note of sadness this summer was thedeath last week of Miss Helen Egyptiades. She wasa teacher of music who had spent many years in theStates. Her last years were spent here with hersister, Miss Effie, who for many years was a teacher in the Academy for Girls until her retirement.The passing of Miss Helen leaves Miss Effie thelast of ten children of the late Rev. Egyptiadeswho was called from Smyrna in the early days ofour mission here to get the work organized andprepare a metrical version of the Psalms for usein the services. Miss Effie is 83 years old, weak andfrail from suffering with shingles for nearly ayear, but cheerful and comforted in the Lord. Wecommend her to His tender care.We are looking forward to Miss McCrea's return on the 28th of August. In a few days Mr. H. H.Memour will return from the European Bible Institute where he has completed a three year course. Hewill teach part time in the Larnaca school and joinin Evangelistic work. We ask you to join us in earnest prayer that his coming will be a blessing to usall and that he will soon be a strong pillar in thehouse of our God. Three other teachers are joiningus from the U.S.A. from outside the CovenanterChurch. Mr. Carlton French has been connected forsome years with a mission to the American Indiansand to Jews, and he has worked as a missionaryteacher in the U. S. and in Europe. In passingthrough Cyprus last year he learned of the Academy and applied for a position. Mr. Theodore is aGreek who has studied some years in the U. S. andbecame acquainted with our work through the Navigators. The Rev. Jesse Mitchel interviewed him inDenver and was favorably impressed. Mr. M. Sparsiswho graduated from the Academy and from GenevaCollege received his M.A. from Columbia this pastyear and is returning to teach in Larnaca. We begyour prayers that these may find their places in themissionary programme of the schools and be usedfor the glory of God here.Just today Miss Reade received a letter fromMiss Aphrodite Trombettas, now visiting her parents in Jiboutti, saying that because of the poorhealth of her father and her fear of thepolitical situation here, she would be unable to cometo teach in Nicosia this year as she had planned.She says that she is very sorry that this change ofplans has to come, but that most of all "I will missmy This creates a need for a teacher atthe eleventh hour.The church and the board have been callingfor greater Covenanter emphasis in the schoolshere. We, too, are asking God's wisdom and graceCOVENANTER WITNESS