Covenanter Witness Vol. 55 - Rparchives.org

in'eat,'that we may be faithful this respect to our personalconvictions, our church vows, and your trustin us as missionaries. This is not a matter of resolutions, however, as much as of personnel. One shorttermer in each school yearly would do more to bringabout what the church at home and we here on thefield desire than resolutions passed in Synod. Letus put the problems before the youth of the churchat home, not before non-Covenanter members of ourstaffs.The 25% cut in our field expense allowance willaffect our evangelistic programme, though we shalldo all in our power to stretch our pennies as far asthey will go. The Board's allowance (now 1,200dollars yearly) is allocated by Commission (presbytery), and not one cent of it is used in the schools.The Larnaca Academy has always paid all my travelfor evangelism in the school as well as for teachingduties. We would have liked to have arrangedMemour's octivities outside the limitations of aschool schedule, but it is financially impossible underthe present circumstances.Miss Avge David expects to leave by air forGeneva on August 31. She is answering God's callto prepare herself to return to work here. We trustyou will all make her feel at home, encourage herin every way possible, help her to see what thechurch there hopes for the mission here, and do allin your power to inspire her to do it to the gloryof God.A Word of FarewellBy Elizabeth McElroy"SEE YOU IN SIX YEARS," said a little totas he waved goodbye at the railway station as mytrain pulled out. His face, those of friends andloved ones left behind will be sweet memories of myfurlough to make the coming years go faster."Time will fail to tell," of all the things thathave happened a month with my brother's familyin Morning Sun; Grinell; last September to Christmas at Moody Institute and the hearty fellowshipof the Chicago Church ; January to April 20 Greeley,Denver, a short stay in the home of Mrs. Matthewswith visits to Los(my sister in Hemet, Calif.)Angeles, Santa Ana, San Diego and Fresno. Thenbegan my bus ride to the south by way of Phoenix,Hot Springs, Fort Worth and Orlando. My speakingschedule took me to Syracuse, Parnasus, BeaverFalls, Synod, Bloomington and back to Topeka. Myvisit to Quinter (my childhood town) was hurriedbut full of touching visits with old and new friends.I expect to meet Mr. and Mrs. Sanderson inNew York City and will travel with them to Syria.I wish to thank the Church for its prayers. Manynew friendships have been made and old ones renewed, all of which will mean much in the days tocome. The children will not be forgotten either, especially their interest and prayers.I have come to know the Topeka Congregationand feel one of them all due to their kindness andfellowship. Forest Park was a mountain top experience with Jesus and Christian friends.Pray that the doors may be kept open andthousands brought to Christ. Be with all ChristianOctober 5, 1955Workers over the world. Pray that Haseeb maybecome an Evangelist if it is God's will. My strengthis in Ps. 73 :23 "Nevertheless continually I am withhand."thee, thou upholdest me by thy rightYour Co-worker in Christ."So We Wrought in the Work"By Chester T. HutchesonDear fellow Covenanters ;How are things going on in your part of theworld? Fine, I hope, but if you should ask me thesame question I fear, I would sayThought in this country is boiling as I suppose itnone too well.always is in a new republic, and more especially inwhen all things move so much faster.these times,Politically speaking our newly elected presidenttakes over on the 5th., and we trust things will take aturn for the better, but we know he has strong opposition. Pray for Syria at this time.I fear that I do not have much to report for thelast summer month. I note an article about "SummerSabbaths"in the 'Witness' for July 27. It speaksof the "Summer Slump" That has been going onhere during August. We have had regular servicesin the morning all summer, but attendance is small,partly for two reasons ; many have gone to villagesfor the summer and some in town find it too hotto make the effort to come to church. However, Sabbath School has continued all through the summer,with a fair attendance. For the younger ones, partlyinduced by a gift of a Christmas card, (used one)for attendance, and a handful of carob pods fromour large tree in the yard. These are 'the husks theswine did but at this time of the year they aresweet and palatable.We had good success in the students that wepresented for the government examinations thisyear, i.e. a good per cent passed according to stateaverages. Only 15% passed in all the state of Syria,in the Brevet examinations, (this comes at the endof the 9th grade) while for our school it was 28%.Perhaps you will say this is low, and it is for U.S.A.but not here. Another 30% or so, should pass thismonth, when they are given a second trial, or makeup examinations as they are called.Our High School class showed good progressfor the year, and all are trying to go on for furtherstudy of some kind, for the coming year.Here is an unsolicited appreciation testimonywhich I thought I might share with you from oneof our High School graduates. It was written to allthe faculty. A part of it reads as follows ;"In that school and in that Christian environment, I was taught to obey, to love, and to help. IfI didn't learn from that school anything except thissentence, 'Wherever you go, what ever happens toyou, don't ever lose your faith, your hopes, and yourdreams,"I would consider it enough to continue mylife and be a man."Although I am happy as I mentioned above,yet there is a sorrow and a sadness that is overwhelming on my soul and vitality, because I am departing, because I am leaving that establishmentwhich is based first of all on the Bible."Registration problems are beginning. Just afew days ago a poor looking man, farmer, came to me215