The North Pacific Union Gleaner for 1990
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NORTH PACIFIC UNION CONFERENCE GLEANER Volume 85, Number 3 February 5, 1990 • . • • ‘,/ • • - • , • 4".1i: , • AN:4, .•• • .s• • ••.4, '"dke 3•1e.r • u tk i•rti,`. - . • . • Editorial February 5, 1990 `The Dilemma of the Horns' By Dick Rentfro, © 1989 unison with the Author of the Ten Com- mandments when he believed: "Thou shalt A buck's head was mounted on the not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness schoolhouse wall. Since this 11-year-old was against thy neighbor" Exodus 20:15, 16. so tall for his age, Abe's friends dared him We believe that honesty like that has its to jump up and touch the buck's antlers. reward in this life and certainly in the life But one side broke from his weight. to come. Honesty is basic to our relation- When the schoolmaster arrived he asked ship to all truth and what we do with it in who broke the deer's antler. "I did it:' our own lives. answered Lincoln promptly, "I wouldn't All his life Lincoln would seem to have have done it if I thought it would break:' believed and practiced that life's best things Because of his honesty Abe was not — simplicity, honesty, truthfulness, purity, punished, and he also earned the nickname integrity — cannot be bought or sold. from his friends, "Honest Abe:' The life of Abraham Lincoln was a life Throughout the great man's lifetime he of impeccable honesty in his boyhood, his was essentially known for his basic honesty youth and in manhood. and fairness in dealing with great issues and Can we emulate Abraham Lincoln today his fellow human beings. Perhaps that is and when we are tempted to become con- why the world today loves Abraham Lin- fused about God's requirement for transla- coln. tion, remember "The Dilemma of the While postmaster of the tiny post office matter, helped to make him the great and Horns:' Lincoln's honesty and the impor- in New Salem, Ill., when Abe discovered noble man that he was in high office. tance of our individual honesty to our thrill- that he had overcharged a woman that day "Honest Abe:' the man who emancipated ing and reasonable faith? a few cents, he walked several miles to make from cruel slavery a great race of human be- it right. ings and who saved the Union. Dick Rentfro writes from Ellensburg, Wash. I am not suggesting that Abraham Lin- He was honest enough to appreciate from coln would never have become President of his personal study of the Bible, the total the United States had he not walked that equality of opportunity of every race under long distance or replaced those few hum- the sun. Lincoln, who probably knew more ble coins, but I think it is plain to see that theology than most ordained ministers of his day, his great, honest heart beat in this young man's honesty even in a small Feb. 5, 1990 Vol. 85, No. 3 bothering to ask him what was so impor- LEANER tant that he had to leave camp. North Pacific Union Conference Special Words "I he promised, and happily zoomed (USPS 394-560) off! Address all correspondence to: By Dorothy Decker The next morning I found an envelope GLEANER on the dining room table. "Dear morn:' it North Pacific Union Conference amping on the beach with the Path- C read, "Thank you for letting me use the car P.O. Box 16677, Portland, OR 97216 finders was a delight to my children. They yesterday. If I haven't told you before, I am (503) 255-7300 enjoyed swimming in the warm Pacific telling you now. You are the best mom in Editor, Morten Juberg Ocean of Hawaii. Perhaps that is the reason Associate Editor, Ed Schwisow the world and I love you very much:' I could not understand why on this par- Published by the North Pacific Union Con- My heart swelled with joy as tears stained ticular day, my son Wendell, whom I ference of Seventh-day Adventists the letter. Love, a word so greatly expressed sometimes thought of as half fish, asked for Please Note — Every reasonable effort is made when our heavenly Father sacrificed His the car keys. He wanted to leave camp. to screen both editorial and advertising materials only son for us. Love, a word that made life "May I use the car?" he asked. and to avoid error in this publication. But the worth the living. Love, the magic word. "No!" I answered sternly. North Pacific Union Conference GLEANER A few years later I found out from does not accept responsibility for categorical or "Please, mom?" he asked again. Wendell's girlfriend, who is now his wife, typographical errors, nor for advertisers' claims. "I'm sorry:' I replied, "and that's final!" why he needed to use the car. It was her Stubbornly he rolled up all the car win- North Pacific Union Conference GLEANER, birthday and he was in love. ISSN number 0746-5874, is published semi- dows, intending to stay there forever. And I I still keep that letter close to my heart monthly except July and December for $10.00 stubbornly walked away, wondering if I had and often reflect on the day when I felt like per year by Color Press, 312 S. College Ave., Col- done the right thing. After all, he had given the happiest mom in the world . the day lege Place, Wash. 99324. Second-class postage me no cause for mistrust. Then a terrible paid at College Place, Wash. LIT110 U.S.A. CP42526 when my son first told me he loved me. thought occurred. What if he were to suf- So many special words POSTMASTERS: Send form 3579 to North focate in the car? My day was ruined. Quickly are sprinkled from above, Pacific Union GLEANER, P.O. Box 397, Col- I slipped into my tent to talk to God. He was lege Place, Washington 99324. But the greatest of them all the only one who could help me make the is the magic word called love. Don't send correspondence, GLEANER copy or right decisions. Without a doubt I knew that advertisements to the above address. All such the Lord had guided me again. materials should be sent to GLEANER, Box "Please drive carefully:' I cautioned, not Dorothy Decker writes from Payette, Idaho. 16677, Portland, OR 97216. NPUC Gleaner Editorial 3 while the family was on a trip. It was the first remnant all the gifts that were manifested in the time in six years he had been away from the grind. apostolic church. The Holy Spirit will take The minimal effort to do the chores of milking control of the work in its final phase, 3 LETTE S and irrigation was well nigh more than my Testimonies, p. 328, Testimonies to Ministers, p. 300. physical reserves could supply. But Russ has never Could it be that failure to acknowledge these Letters are welcomed for publication. The forgotten. During the tough times at the facts gives the enemy an undue advantage? editor reserves the right to reject letters and beginning of the '80s he was always there when Harry L. Whitehead where necessary, to edit for continuity and space I needed help and would never accept a penny. Yakima, Wash. requirements. Letters must be signed and should My three score and 10 are nearly run out Ant not be more than 150 words in length except, my cup runs over when I think of these wonderful where, in the editor's discretion, more space is friends I have had. Joseph M. Can The Holy Spirit available. Address letters to Editor, Box 16677, Salem, Ore. Portland, OR 97216. I am tired of hearing my church refer to the Holy Spirit as "It:' "He" is a Person, the third Person of the Godhead. Mistaken Conclusion Let's start showing "Him" the kind of love and Soul Winning John F. Jaeger is mistaken in his conclusion that respect "He" deserves. our schools are failing to live up to Spirit of Steve Robinson Lenard Jaeck's article in the Dec. 18 issue of Prophecy guidelines (GLEANER, Dec. 18). Selah, Wash. the GLEANER was very practical. His counsel I graduated from Walla Walla College with a on shutting the back door by sending people out so-called non-soul-winning degree. I have worked the front door to win souls was right on target. for non-Adventist organizations and have had In my 15 years as a member, I have never seen many opportunities to witness to non-Christians. anyone who has a healthy devotional life and is Also in one of my required religion classes I personally committed to soul-winning work have learned how to lead a person to make a decision insoluble theological problems, leave the church, for Christ as part of a Bible study. I went door- FROM THE or have anything less than a motivating, to-door with the teacher one night in Walla upbuilding influence on others in the church and Walla sharing the various community services community. programs available and inquiring as to needs. I EDITO There is nothing better calculated to make loyal consider this teacher to have given his students church members and practical theologians of us excellent outreach training. From what we hear, the Person-to- all than the arduous but happy task of soul The dedication to service of so many of my Person advertising column is one of the winning. teachers and campus employers has been a In seeking to make the truth savingly known constant reminder to me to temper my ambitions best read sections of the GLEANER.