A SUSTAINING STRENGTH
The author of “Cast Down But Not Destroyed” (SA German History), Major Willi Kothe, tells of two occasions when he was crossing the Border. In 1953, with a party of Cadets returning to the Training home in Herne, he was greeted by the Border Guard singing an SA song. He asked the Guard how on earth he knew that song, and the reply was that “I learnt it many years ago in an SA Sunday School.” The Guard remembered, and drew strength from it. He remembered the SA Uniform, what it stood for, and a time when the SA had been part of his life – all at a time when the people were only too aware that the rule of man on earth will fail, and things go horribly wrong, so they were ready to trust in God.In 1983 as Major Kothe was returning over the same border, a different young Border Guard asked him whatever kind of uniform it was that he was wearing. The Major asked him if he had never heard of the Salvation Army – he hadn’t. So in the West, in a time of prosperity, people were forgetting about God, and in the East, man had again tried to suppress the work of God and religious organisations. Major Kothe thought of that other Border guard from the east, realising that he would be retired by then, and prayed that he still had some memory of the part that the SA had played in his life, and even more importantly, of the things of God which he had learnt as a child at the Army.
So we never know how far reaching our influence may be, even on the children who just come to Sunday School for a few years. Also, we need to rely on God when times are good and we feel we’re getting on just fine, as well as remembering Him when times are bad. He should be the ruler of our lives at all times, not a last resort when things are bad.
Margaret Day
Former
UKT
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteOur Sunday school?
ReplyDeleteWell... the Sunday school, youth club, and youth Bible class initiated last autumn were showing real promise. They ceased when Major Glad farewelled.
Seems that now music programmes are more important. We replace SS with YP band rehearsal with a median age of 50. Sunday training for all ages?
reposted and toned down- my 1st comment was deleted!
Dictionay defines Hamilton corps as:
ReplyDeleteparochial
narrowly restricted in outlook or scope
insular attitudes toward foreigners, those residing in intellectual, sophisticated societies
Again Sven you allow people to make nasty comments about Hamilton. I would have thought an intellectual supposedly Christian man like yourself would have more sense. How wrong I was. I'm afraid I see no evidence of Christan concern for anyone in these comments or the fact they are left on your blog!
ReplyDeleteDear March 9th visitor- Sven is out of town and I know he rarely checks the comments, but has obviously deleted one some days ago that he deemed vitriolic. I don't know if he's seen the others to which you refer, but as our corps' website removed their comment section, this seems the next best option.
ReplyDeleteLet's see how he treats your very gracious comments.
For the record, I know that Sven has offered to assist the corps website administrator in correcting spelling and grammar error. He is not at all prejudicial and speaks highly of the HTC.
If he speaks so highly of the corps why then does he allow others to make nasty comments and leave them for all to see? If you care about something you don't allow others to bring it down or those connected with it!
ReplyDeleteWhat is nasty about someone expressing an opinion or ' ... residing in intellectual, sophisticated societies ...'?
ReplyDeleteThe truth may indeed hurt, it might be unpalatable but I do not see anything inherantly unChristian about such posting or them being permitted to remain on this site.
For what it is worth; the opinions expressed on this site or any other will not 'bring the corps down or those connected with it'. Sadly, history has proved time and time again that we are often more than capable of bringing the things with which we are associated and involved to its knees ourselves without the need for outside help!
Thanks Sven for providing this forum for mini spats to reside. Better here than during rehearsals, corps council or public worship meetings, as is the past.
ReplyDeleteThank you too for your challenging articles. Just read comments on how you and Glad are sorely missed in Exeter. Same holds true for the faithful true in Hamilton!