Volume 83, Number 4 February 15, 1988 Editorial February 15, 1988 Do You Know the Pilot? LETTE S Letters Are Welcomed for Publication
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Volume 83, Number 4 February 15, 1988 Editorial February 15, 1988 Do You Know the Pilot? LETTE S Letters are welcomed for publication. The editor reserves the right to reject letters and where necessary, to edit for continuity and space requirements. Letters must be signed and should not be more than 150 words in length except, where, in the editor's discretion, more space is available. Address letters to Editor, Box 16677, Portland, OR 97216. Who Are They? Responding to the article "Who Are They?" in the Jan. 18 GLEANER, the author is evidently my daughter and company skidding around confused by having the signposts turned around the corner into the lobby. in not understanding the ensnarements involved, "Where have you been?" I chided. referring to conservatism and liberalism. In actuality, the Son of God was a true liberal. "We thought we had plenty of time she He Himself gave. He gave everything. He gave By Terry Cassingham responded. Himself, even His own life. It was the rigid rules As we ran for the loading chute we were and regulations of conservatism that ended His t had never happened to me before. I repelled by a shut door. Our hearts pounded. life on the cross. No, Christ could never have I been branded as a conservative. was waiting with my wife, daughter and I appealed to the boarding agent. The conservatives of Christ's day on this earth friends to board our flight from Mexico City "Could you please board us? We belong hated the way He kept the seventh-day Sabbath. to Los Angeles. We had just finished the to the group on the plane' Time and time again the Pharisees accused Him Pan American Youth Congress. It was "Sorry, sir. I can't. The plane is prepar- of Sabbath breaking. The Bible even says that the Jewish conservatives persecuted Jesus and Christmas Eve and we all anticipated mak- ing to pull away from the chute:' he retorted. sought to kill Him because of the liberal things ing connecting flights at LAX without a My daughter's friend lunged for the door. He had done "on the Sabbath day" (John 5:16). hitch so we could be home in Hawaii to Pounding fiercely in beat with his distressed Yet notwithstanding these liberal deeds of kind- spend Christmas day with our families. heart he pleaded. ness, the ultra-religious conservatives of today in this great land of liberty, have insidiously turned Without announcement the captain of "Let me on! Let me on! My mother is on the aircraft sauntered into the lobby where that plane! You've got to let me on!" we were waiting. He introduced himself "Sir," I implored, "isn't there some way you with a radiant smile and proceeded to share can let us on? We'll be delayed here another interesting insights about the flight and day and miss our connecting flight in Los what to expect from the crew. He was so Angeles!" polite, considerate, caring. Then he laid it "No, sir. The door is shut. The plane is on us. pulling away:' he snapped. Feb. 15, 1988 Vol. 83, No. 4 "We are experiencing a little delay. But We really didn't deserve any special treat- you should be prepared to board in about ment. We had been advised. We felt sick. 20 minutes. This shouldn't affect your con- Lost. Abandoned in a foreign land. My wife necting flights in Los Angeles:' he en- and friends were on that plane. How anx- North Pacific Union Conference couraged. ious they must be, wondering what hap- (USPS 394-560) He's either for real or a natural born politi- pened to us. Address all correspondence to: GLEANER cian, I thought. Nevertheless it was obvious I prayed. North Pacific Union Conference he had a pleasing way of disarming disap- Momentarily I noticed the other boarding P.O. Box 16677, Portland, OR 97216 pointment over delay. I could sense an im- assistant fingering his radio, talking and (503) 255-7300 mediate bonding of trust in his word. listening intently. Then he drew near and Editor, Morten Juberg My fifteen-year-old daughter asked if she spoke. Associate Editor, Ed Schwisow Published by the North Pacific Union Con- and her friend could run down to the gift "I have just talked with the captain. He ference of Seventh-day Adventists shop for some trifle. said he is pulling the plane back to the Please Note — Every reasonable effort is made "Make it real quick:' I warned. "You can't chute and you can board:" to screen both editorial and advertising materials afford to be late. Remember, only 20 We smothered him with "gracias" and and to avoid error in this publication. But the minutes until boarding:' dashed down the chute. A swell of applause North Pacific Union Conference GLEANER greeted us as we were reunited with our does not accept responsibility for categorical or The 20 minutes fleeted by. And true to typographical errors, nor for advertisers' claims. the pilot's word, the boarding agent's sono- friends and loved ones. It sure was gratifying to know the captain. Second-class postage paid at College Place, Wash- rous voice rolled out of the speakers. ington. Published semimonthly at Color Press, "All ticketed passengers on Flight 720 to I fantasized a different outcome if the cap- except one issue in July and December. Subscrip- LAX please board through gate 8-A." tain hadn't reached out to us in the begin- tion, $8.00 per year. Litho U.S.A. CP40162 My daughter. Where was she . and her ning. Seemed he cared so much for his POSTMASTERS: Send form 3579 to North friend? I raced down the corridor and passengers he didn't want even one missing. Pacific Union GLEANER, P.O. Box 397, Col- slipped into the gift shop. Not there! After Then I thought of Jesus and His grace and lege Place, Washington 99324. 5 minutes of nervous searching I made a mercy. hundred yard dash back to the lobby. Not Don't send correspondence, GLEANER copy or advertisements to the above address. All such there either! Then I heard the pounding of Terry Cassingham writes from Enumclaw, materials should be sent to GLEANER, Box anxious feet and turning around I beheld Wash. 16677, Portland, OR 97216. NPUC Gleaner Editorial 3 the signposts around again, making the ensnar- of the definitions for sin is error. For the sake of ing issues more confused than ever, with the first discussions, can we use the word "mistake" as the day Sunday and the seventh day Sabbath even- same as error? Wise Witness tually becoming the focal point of controversy. Then since God is love and since Jesus showed Cannot we see the handwriting on the wall? us He was love, can we assume the Holy Spirit Confused Babylon! Conflicts of confusion! In this is love also? Also remember the Holy Spirit adulterous generation of today, is it any wonder represents Jesus as Jesus represented His Father. why Great Babylon is referred to as "the Great Let's put it together: the unpardonable mistake Whore that sitteth upon many waters" (Revela- is rejecting love, God's love, Jesus' love and the tion 17:1)! Holy Spirit's love. Thus when we reject love, we John G. Hoffman reject life and choose our own destruction, Bothell, Wash. whether now or in the future. How can we be happy now or living in eternity when we don't I applaud and agree in principle to Alden want love. Thompson's appeal to the conservatives. The Since we wouldn't be happy and the Godhead danger with conservativism is that we become wants us to be happy, they are forced to let us zealous in converting people to a set of rules and go by our own choice. How can we be happy with- regulations instead of the Lord who lovingly asks out love? us of our own free will and for our own best good Connie Liebelt CO to live by these rules and regulations. Salkum, Wash. I would much rather spend a day with someone "Stop sniveling, Harold, just because your who knows and listens to the voice of Jesus speak- church baptisms are zero, the tithe is down ing to them to reform them, than one who lives 50 percent and your report is due to the con- the formal life of Pharisaical righteousness. The ference today, it's not the end of the world!" latter person has no love relationship with my Lord, while the liberal needs to guard against ig- LATE NEWS Not to be reproduced without permission. noring the Holy Spirit's call to a reformed life. Ron Koenig Alaska Bellevue, Wash. recommend these three sites to the Gover- Anchorage: William T Hinman from nor for a final selection. Maplewood Academy in Minnesota has Laurelwood Adventist Academy Inc., a Lost Bible been named Youth and Education director private group, has signed a tentative sales for the Alaska Conference. contract to purchase the property. Any pro- Last February (1987) I lost my Bible at the Beaverton Adventist Church. I have searched the Nome: The first Eskimo Camp Meeting spective sale to the state will await the church over unsuccessfully since then, hoping meets Feb. 17-20 in Nome. The speaker is results of negotiations with this group. to find it. It was given to me 15 years ago by my Max Martinez, a vice president of the Interest in the property for the correction husband, before we were married.