• 
In Haiti numerous laymen like the one pictured above hold continuous branch Sabbath 
schools and Bible studies in their search for souls. 
THE 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ENG 
Always Working To Dill Souls 
By RAY L. JACOBS 
President, Franco-Haitian Union Mission of SDA 
"AND HOW long have you 
been holding this lay effort?" we 
asked the speaker who had just 
presented the subject of the second 
coming of Christ in a clear and 
forceful way. 
"Four years," he answered as 
a smile covered his face. 
"Four years!" I exclaimed, fear-
ful lest my meager knowledge of 
French was showing up. But it 
was four years. This faithful mem-
ber had held more than two hun-
dred meetings in that little "court" 
and with his associates was still 
"going strong". 
I had felt impressed to visit 
some of our members around the 
Bethel church in Port-au-Prince, 
Haiti, where I was soon to hold 
some meetings. N o t knowing 
where any Adventists lived in that 
area, I had gone to the church. 
It was closed, but there were two 
juniors beside the building who 
gladly agreed to take me to the 
home of one of the members. 
When we arrived, I was warmly 
greeted by two of the laymen. 
Looking through the open patio 
door I was surprised to see a group of people seated 
on simple benches facing a little table behind which 
was the lay preacher, ready to begin his meeting. 
As the service proceeded a group of members moved 
about quietly, bringing in more visitors, seeing that they 
were comfortably seated. - It appeared that they were 
literally fulfiling the Scripture by going out into the 
"highways and hedges," compelling them to come in. 
Two men were shown a place with their arms loaded 
with trousers they were evidently delivering. A woman 
was brought in with purchases she had made at the 
market, and a young man apparently returning from 
the soccer game across the street was brought in. A few 
did not remain long, but surely none went away without 
having had impressed upon his mind the thought that 
Jesus is soon coming to save those who "love his 
appearing". 
(Continued on page 8) 
Vol. XLI �
AUGUST, 1964 �
No. 8 
The group of ministers who took part in the first baptism of the Panama Englisb 
Big Tent effort. From left to right: the conference evangelist, Owen Holness; Lance Shand, 
associate evangelist; Fulton Archbold, departmental secretary; Glen Masson, conference pres-
ident; Dionisio Christian, departmental secretary; and the district pastor, Flavio Villareal. 
Evangelism 
Hundreds Witness 
First Baptism in 
Panama City, Panama 
DESPITE the political anxiety 
over the approaching presidential 
elections in the City of Panama, on 
Sunday morning, May 3, hundreds 
gathered on the banks of the Juan 
Diaz River to witness the baptism 
of 70 new believers who thus sealed 
their pact with Jesus. These consti-
tute the first fruits of the Christ Is 
the Answer evangelistic effort con-
ducted by Owen U. Holness, the 
conference evangelist, and assisted 
by Lance Shand and Albert R. Green, 
his co-workers. 
Of the scores now being visited 
and prepared for membership with 
the remnant church, another group 
of 25 or more will be baptised on 
June 7. More baptisms will follow. 
From the encouraging response to 
day-to-day visitation and the in-
creasing attendance at the Bible 
classes, there is a firm conviction 
that we will reap a rich harvest of 
souls from this campaign. 
—Albert R. Green 
Pastor, Panama Central Church 
Victoria Avila 
2 
From Here and There . . . 
► Victoria Avila is the first Cuna 
Indian woman to be baptised into 
the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 
She with five other San Blas Indian 
youths are the first fruits from Playon 
Chico. Victoria and four others are 
now attending our boarding school. 
► H. E. Nembhard, president of 
the East Jamaica Conference, writes 
that the Penwood evangelistic cam-
paign held in Kingston, Jamaica, is 
coming to a close. The first baptism 
added 86 members to the church, 
and on June 20 another 40 or 50 
taking this important step. This new 
group will also be organised into a 
church at that time, bringing the 
total to 12 organised churches in the 
city of Kingston. 
► Soon to begin are major evan-
gelistic efforts in Mexico City, Mexico, 
and in Bogota, Colombia. Carlos 
Aeschlimann, son of Alfredo Aesch-
limann and an evangelist of the South 
American Division, is to head the 
crusade and training programme for 
workers in Mexico City. Hector 
Perevra, editor of El Centinela, will 
he the evangelist in the Bogota 
campaign. 
► Harold Bohr, president of the 
East Venezuela Mission, reports that 
he, Glenn Henriksen, and Othir Car-
rera made a trip to the Gran Sabana 
to visit the Maurak Indian church 
members. Besides holding revival 
meetings and treating the sick, they 
baptised 24 new believers, celebrated 
16 marriages, prayed God's special 
blessing for 29 babies, and gave out 
10 diplomas from the Department of 
Education to those who had finished 
courses of study. 
"We are to be one with Christ 
as He is one with the Father, and 
the Father will love us as He loves 
His Son. We may have the same 
help that Christ had, we may have 
strength for every emergency; for 
God will be our front guard and our 
rearward."—E. G. White. 
MESSENGER 
Messages to the Church.. . 
 
A challenging point of view concerning 
the standards of the church 
HEIGHTS 
TOWARD 
By ARNOLD V. WALLENKAMPF 
IN SOME church circles today 
there is a tendency to minimise or 
ignore Christian standards because 
they are said to depict only externals 
or the minutiae of Christian experi-
ence. It is suggested that all that 
really matters is a correct spirit. 
Today's liberals in Christendom 
declare that it was the emphasis on 
doctrines or on standards that ruined 
nascent, dynamic Christianity in the 
postapostolic period, and produced 
a sterile Christianity in the post-
Reformation era. However, adher-
ence to standards is no more stifling 
to a virile Christian experience than 
the skeleton is to the correct and 
intended functioning of the human 
body. Rather, standards may be co-
gent helpers toward the kingdom 
of God. 
Several summers ago we visited 
Itascha State Park in northern Minne-
sota. In the centre of this park is a 
watchtower for fire spotters. Our 
children and I climbed the nearly 
150 steps to the highest platform 
open to the public. As we rested 
and looked out over the apparently 
endless pine forests interspersed by 
crystal-clear lakes, the danger of fal-
ling from the tower occurred to me. 
In the next instant I thought with 
gratefulness of the railing against 
which we were leaning. 
Likewise Christians are grateful for 
standards that God has established 
AUGUST, 1964 
the 
as guides in right doing, and a fence 
of protection around them. There-
fore, "if any part of God's Word 
condemns any habit you have cher-
ished, any feeling you have indulged, 
any spirit you have manifested, turn 
not from the Word of God; but turn 
away from the evil of your doings, 
and let Jesus cleanse and sanctify 
your heart."—My Life Today, p. 22. 
Minimum Requirements 
Standards, however, express only 
minimum requirements. They merely 
outlaw unacceptable conduct or per-
formance, or define the lowest ac-
ceptable level of achievement or be-
haviour. They never prohibit greater 
excellency or perfection. 
In the School of Medicine at Loma 
Linda University, for instance, a stu-
dent must not drop below a grade 
of B in more than half of the sub-
ject hours enrolled. This is the bot-
tom level for promotion. This does 
not prohibit a student, of course, from 
earning higher grades—even A in 
every subject. The standard sets forth 
the minimum requirements for pro-
motion below which a student must 
not fall. 
The same is true in almost every 
area of life and also in the Seventh-
day Adventist Church. The standards 
adopted and maintained by the 
church denote the minimum level 
of performance for acceptance into, 
or for remaining a member of, the 
church. These standards aim at lift-
ing us out of, or preventing us from 
falling into, moral and spiritual de-
generacy. However, they do not for-
bid us from doing more than the 
standards require or specify. 
Actually, how virtuous are we if 
we do only what is required? Slaves 
are compelled to comply with re-
quirements; it is the second mile or 
the optional addition that makes us 
truly free. Any respectable citizen 
does what the state requires of him; 
any honourable man pays his taxes 
and debts. 
In the matter of food a candidate 
in order to join the Seventh-day 
Adventist Church vows to abstain 
from unclean flesh foods as defined 
in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14. 
An Adventist may eat the flesh of 
clean animals all the days of his 
life and remain in "good and regular 
standing" in the church. But the 
Adventist ideal in this respect is a 
meatless diet in conformity with 
God's original dietary for man. When 
creation has been restored to its 
original sin-free condition and we 
have been redeemed from this world 
of sin we shall follow this pattern 
throughout eternity. 
We are now habituating ourselves 
under the guidance of the Holy 
Spirit and the grace of God to live 
such lives. To this end we have re-
ceived special instruction on this 
point for these last days, namely, 
that "among those who are waiting 
for the coming of the Lord, meat 
eating will eventually be done away; 
flesh will cease to form a part of 
their diet."—Counsels on Diet and 
Foods, pp. 380, 381. 
As born-again Christians with new 
hearts or minds we rejoice when 
clearer revelations of God's truths are 
given to us. We are eager to dis-
cover higher standards of Christian 
living, because we delight to come 
into ever closer conformity to God's 
will which we volitionally choose to 
follow. 
The Christian's experience is anal-
ogous to that of a successful, pro-
gressive physician. When this doctor 
graduated from medical school years 
ago he was not privileged to learn 
3 
More important than a clean house is 
By ARDIS J. KRAMER 
all the techniques known to medical 
science today, nor did he become 
acquainted with the new miracle 
drugs available to the modern med-
ical practitioner. But as new tech-
niques and medicines are brought to 
his attention through a medical jour-
nal, a refresher course, or a medical 
convention, he eagerly incorporates 
them into his practice. This willing-
ness to accept better methods and 
improved techniques indicates that 
his attitude and motives are correct. 
On the other hand, a failure to uti-
lise these improved methods because 
they were not taught him when he 
took his medical training would be 
an indictment of his motive. 
Likewise the sincere Christian 
welcomes God's unfolding will. To 
him the wise man's promise will be-
come a reality: "The path of the 
just is as the shining light, that 
shineth more and more unto the 
perfect day" (Prov. 4:18). 
Seek More Knowledge 
Our prayer that God's will may 
be done on earth as it is in heaven 
will be accompanied by an incessant 
seeking for the knowledge of His 
will. "Much as we may know, and 
much as we may do, there may be 
large fields of obedience where we 
have not taken a single step. The 
great essentials, of course, if we be 
Christians at all, we cannot be ig-
norant of, but it is quite possible 
to know them, yet be ignorant of 
other things God would also have us 
know."—Pulpit Commentary, Num-
bers, p. 189. 
Thus we must not measure our-
selves by the attainments and opin-
ions of other members of the church. 
It is no business of ours to judge 
them so long as they abide by the 
standards of the church. But what 
satisfies them should not necessarily 
satisfy us. As followers of our Lord 
Jesus we should not rest satisfied 
merely because we do not break the 
minimum standards of the church. 
God has higher aims with respect 
to His people. 
"Higher than the highest human 
thought can reach is God's ideal for 
His children. GodlinesS—Godlikeness 
—is the goal to be reached." —Educa-
tion, p. 18. The standards only outlaw 
lower attainments; they are not pro-
hibitions against greater personal con-
formity to God's will. New light from 
God is not to be looked upon as a 
4 
burden but as an aid to lead us 
onward and upward to the heights, 
helping us to become more like our 
Pattern. Jesus opens up before us as 
His children new vistas of moral ex-
cellency. Thus in the Sermon on the 
Mount He did not ask what His 
followers believed, but inquired, in-
stead, "What do ye more than 
others?" (Matt. 5:47). 
We are usually circumspect in our 
conduct when the eyes of men are 
upon us, in order to safeguard our 
reputation, but what we do when 
no human eye can see us may be 
WHEN we had our living room 
carpeted we also put a fresh coat of 
light-coloured paint on the walls. 
Sitting back to enjoy the effect, I 
was startled to note how dirty my 
furniture was in its newly cleaned 
surroundings. Somehow the dirt 
hadn't been so evident against our old, 
rather dark and soiled paint. 
It seemed to me that I must clean 
that furniture immediately, not even 
waiting for a few days, but circum-
stances necessitated some delay in 
my work. Whenever friends stopped 
by to see the results of our decora-
ting, I felt certain that the first thing 
they would notice was the soiled 
backs and arms of my chairs. As the 
days passed, however, I found that 
I scarcely noticed the dirty furniture. 
I had become accustomed to it. 
After a few weeks I resumed my 
"spring cleaning," and my furniture 
came in for its share of attention; 
but as I worked I couldn't help 
thinking how like sin that dirty fur-
niture was! When I first awakened 
to the fact that I had allowed "dirt" 
to creep into my living room, I was 
somewhat shocked and very con-
scious of it. Then I found that I 
wasn't noticing it so much any more; 
and before I really got at the task 
of removing it, my consciousness no 
longer even registered it when I sat 
in my living room. 
more significant, for what we do then 
reveals our character. It has been 
said that character is like a rifle; it 
cannot shoot higher than it is aimed; 
and Geike said: "Our character is but 
the stamp on our souls of the free 
choices of good and evil we have 
made through life." "A character 
formed according to the divine like-
ness is the only treasure that we 
can take from this world to the next." 
—Christ's Object Lessons, p. 332. 
The apostle Paul in writing to the 
Philippian church, said: "But we 
(Continued on page 8) 
Everyone knows that a persistently 
harboured sin ceases to hurt the con-
science after a time. In Testimonies, 
volume 4, page 146, Ellen G. White 
corroborated this general knowledge 
by saying: "That which looked very 
wrong to them at first, gradually 
loses this appearance by being con-
stantly before them, till finally they 
question whether it is really sin." 
It's alarming when we realise this, 
isn't it? 
My routine spring cleaning got rid 
of the dirt in my home, of course, 
but, more important, it caused me 
to wonder whether a little "spring 
cleaning" perhaps was in order for 
my heart. Our daily devotions and 
weekly visits to Sabbath school and 
church really aren't sufficient. They 
are the equivalent of the regular daily 
and weekly cleanups in a home. It 
takes a little special time set aside 
for soul searching to reveal the sins 
in our life to which we have be-
come accustomed. Let us not over-
look our need for a real "spring 
cleaning." 
In the words of Alexander Pope, 
"Vice is a monster of so frightful mien, 
That to be hated needs but to be seen; 
Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face, 
We first endure, then pity, then 
embrace." 
—Review and Herald 
MESSENGER 
The Adventist Home 
Parents should share the responsibilities involved in 
BUILDING A HOME 
SUCCESS in marriage depends to 
a great extent on the factors that go 
into the marriage—the kind of people 
who become husband and wife, their 
respect for one another, their plans, 
hopes, religion, et cetera. However, 
the organisation and structure of the 
home also is important. Home is a 
relationship, an experience. Such ex-
perience is the cumulative work of 
a lifetime. It makes us what we are. 
Marriage is not a severance with 
the past and the beginning of an 
entirely new life. Two poeple are not 
suddenly changed by a miracle at 
the marriage ceremony. We bring to 
marriage our strong qualities and our 
weaknesses. True love will be patient 
with the faults of the spouse, and 
will continue to admire the qualities 
that kindled love's flame in the 
beginning. 
Organisation of the home necessi-
tates a division of responsibilities. In 
many homes there is no clear division 
along this fine. Both husband and 
wife follow an occupation so they 
may be able to meet their financial 
obligations. Both come home ex-
hausted to face the evening house-
hold chores. No one is sure who 
should care for the children—if they 
are cared for at all. 
There is often a heavy price to 
pay for this state of affairs. Children 
feel neglected and are often undis-
ciplined. Leaving children unsuper-
vised for several hours each day, 
without either parent at home, fre-
quently gives rise to emotional prob-
lems and possible delinquency. 
Husband's Role 
What is the ideal role of the hus-
band? By tradition he is the bread-
winner for the family. It would seem 
that Paul had this in mind when 
he said, "But if any provide not for 
his own, and specially for those of 
his own house, he hath denied the 
faith, and is worse than an infidel" 
(I Tim. 5:8). An essential part of 
AUGUST, 1, 9 6 4 
By W. JOHN CANNON 
the responsibilities of the husband 
is to provide and protect. 
This same responsibility calls for 
consideration on the part of the hus-
band. He is to give aid and under-
standing sympathy. "Many a husband 
and father might learn a helpful 
lesson from the carefulness of the 
faithful shepherd. Jacob, when urged 
to undertake a rapid and difficult 
journey, made answer: 'The children 
are tender, and the flocks and herds 
with young are with me: and if men 
should overdrive them one day, all 
the flock will die. . . . I will lead 
on softly, according as the cattle 
that goeth before me, and the 
children be able to endure.' "—The 
Ministry of Healing, p. 374. 
The husband should have time for 
his family. Says God's messenger: 
"Leave your business cares and per-
plexities and annoyances when you 
leave your business. Come to your 
family with a cheerful countenance, 
with sympathy, tenderness, and love. 
This will be better than expending 
money for medicines or physicians 
for your wife. It will be health to 
the body and strength to the soul." 
—Testimonies, vol. 1, p. 695. 
Not only should the husband be 
a helpful influence when he comes 
home, he should spend sufficient time 
at home. There can be no justifiable 
reason why a husband and father 
should be continuously absent. What 
shall such a father say when the 
great Judge of all the earth asks, 
"Where is thy flock, thy beautiful 
flock?" 
The husband and father carries 
serious spiritual responsibilities. He 
is to be priest of the household. He 
is held accountable to God for the 
religious exercises of the home. He 
should see that morning and evening 
worship are conducted. A family 
that gathers around the family altar 
morning and evening will have the 
presence and peace of heaven in 
their hearts. Love for God is the 
only secure basis for true love in 
the home. In the organisation of the 
home, time for worship is a must if 
the marriage is to be truly successful. 
Yes, there should be time for wor-
ship. This is more than the saying 
of prayers or the hurried reading of 
a few verses. There must be time for 
communion with God. Church at-
tendance and participation will go 
along with this. 
The picture of the husband and 
father as head of the home organisa-
tion is not one of autocratic leader, 
but rather that of a shepherd, who 
cares for, understands, and loves his 
flock. This is the kind of role that 
Jesus resumes toward His people. 
The Wife's Responsibilities 
Now what of the wife? To get a 
true picture of this relationship we 
need to go back to the beginning of 
things. God created man. "And the 
Lord God said, It is not good that 
man should be alone; I will make him 
an help meet for him" (Gen. 2:18). 
Lamsa's translation for the Peshitta 
say, "I will make him a helper like 
him." Created from a rib from man's 
side, woman was to be a companion, 
a helper, one who would be at his 
side; she was to him bone of his bones 
and flesh of his flesh (verse 23). 
In the home organisation the wife 
is to have her responsibilities. She 
bears and cares for the children. The 
care of the home also is primarily 
her responsibility. When these tasks 
are well done they constitute a full-
time occupation. 
When the wife and mother resigns 
her place as queen of the home, some-
thing happens to the children and the 
family. Children lack the care and 
love that are rightfully theirs. Much of 
the emotional imbalance in children 
today can be traced to homes bereft 
of both parents for a large part of the 
day. Perhaps much of juvenile de- 
5 
linquency finds its first cause here. 
if this is true to any extent whatso-
ever, then whatever economic ad-
vantage may be gained, the price is 
far too high to pay. Our children's 
welfare is much more important than 
a few dollars of extra income. 
Furthermore, the home itself is 
endangered. When husband and wife 
return to a house where the chores 
start with the evening meal, and both 
are tired out and yet have to work 
far into the evening getting ready 
for the next day, is it any wonder 
that frayed nerves give rise to irrit-
able words? Could this be one cause 
of the alarming divorce rate? If it 
is, again it is too high a price to 
pay for a temporary economic ad-
vantage. 
In a book written by Judge Louis 
H. Burke, and others, With This 
Ring, appears a typical reconcilia-
tion agreement used in the Supreme 
Court of Los Angeles. In this agree-
ment are these words: "Successful 
marriages are those in which husband 
and wife plan together, work, play 
and laugh together, and suffer, 
sacrifice and pray together." 
How can a husband and wife play 
and laugh together when most of 
their time together is taken up by 
work or home chores? The part of 
the day that should be the most 
delightful of all, the evening hour, 
when the family enjoys its fellowship, 
is destroyed by busyness in tasks that 
should have been the wife's work 
during the day. The strains and 
stresses increase under heavy pres-
sures. Fellowship, sharing, and re-
creation are lost in the task of making 
a living. This matter is worthy of 
considerable study and prayerful 
thought. 
Something should be said about 
the power of words. So often words 
slip out, in an unguarded moment, 
that wound deeply the ones we love. 
Cross words sometimes are the re-
sult of frustrations in our dealings 
with others. We are so eager to be 
well thought of by our professional 
associates that we repress our true 
feelings and transfer the anger to 
our loved ones on some petty pre-
text. At other times we' expect too 
much of the partner. Whatever the 
reason, beware of barbed cliches 
such as, "I told you so"; "You're 
always doing that!" ,"Mother (or 
father) never did it this way"; or "How 
dumb can you be?" "Look before 
you leap" is good advice, but "Think 
before you speak" is even better. 
6 
Confidences Should Be Confidential 
In building a home there is another 
area worthy of consideration. It is 
the area of trust and respect each for 
the other. There are certain privacies 
that could and should be reserved. 
For example, both husband and wife 
should have a small amount of pin 
money, mutually agreed upon. This 
may seem unimportant, but this will 
make possible the joy of planning 
and executing an occasional surprise 
for the other—a gift, party, et cetera. 
Each partner should decide that 
when difficulties arise he will never 
discuss the problems with a third 
party, particularly if that party is 
of the opposite sex. We have instruc-
tion on this point: 
"There is a sacred circle around 
every family which should be pre-
served. No other one has any right 
.eamp of Life filiat 
JVAtut I Need 
The lamp of life that now I hold 
Must never shine on me, 
But light Thy tender face divine 
And draw all men to see 
Thy heavenly, Thy saving, grace— 
Love that shall endless be. 
0 Father, grant I hold the lamp 
That all may see but Thee! 
1•••
••••11MINIMIK �
 
in that sacred circle. The husband 
and wife should be all to each other. 
The wife should have no secrets to 
keep from her husband and let others 
know, and the husband should have 
no secretes to keep from his wife to 
relate to others. The heart of his 
wife should be the grave for the 
faults of the husband, and the heart 
of the husband the grave for his 
wife's fault." —The Adventist Home, 
p. 77. 
There are two 'dangers in sharing 
home confidences, with others. The 
first is that "the eternal triangle" 
may be formed, if the confidant(e) 
is of the opposite sex. How much 
unhappiness and misery has resulted 
from broken family confidence! Re- 
member your sacred vow, "forsaking 
all other." If you will refuse to take 
the first step, the last fateful one will 
never be taken. 
The second danger in sharing 
home confidences is that the problem 
of righting the wrong is infinitely 
greater when a third party is in-
volved. And the difficulty increases 
as the confidence is repeated until it 
becomes public property and is in-
flated beyond recognition. Guard well 
your family confidences When deep 
emotional problems are involved, 
seek professional advice. Go together 
if possible. 
One other matter should be 
mentioned. This is the relation of 
both parents toward the children. The 
child has a right to expect of his par-
ents (1) love that is shown by active 
interest, (2) harmony between 
parents, (3) a good example, (4) 
justice, (5) a home that is much 
more than a house, (6) a sense of 
security. 
The family is the foundation of 
society. It is the keystone of the 
church and society. 
"The restoration and uplifting of 
humanity begins in the home. The 
work of parents underlies every other. 
Society is composed of families, and 
is what the heads of families make 
it. Out of the heart are 'the issues 
of life' (Proverbs 4:23); and the 
heart of the community, of the 
church, and of the nation is the 
household. . . The success of the 
church, the prosperity of the nation, 
depend upon home influences."—
The Ministry of Healing, p. 349. 
In these days when Satan is all 
too successful in his attacks on the 
home, let us determine that with 
prayerful effort and divine help we 
shall do all within our power to 
make our home a place where angels 
will delight to dwell. 
—Review and Herald 
Family worship should not be gov-
erned by circumstances. You are not 
to pray occasionally, and when you 
have a large day's work, neglect it. 
In thus doing you lead your children 
to look upon prayer as of no special 
consequence. Prayer means very much 
to the children of God, and thank 
offerings should come up before God 
morning and evening.--MS 12, 1898 
MESSENGER 
With the Departments 
Educational 
ICOLVEN, A City of Refuge 
By GILBERTO BUSTAMANTE 
President, Colombia-Venezuela Union College 
DESPITE recent financial re-
verses in both Venezuela and 
Curacao, which resulted in many 
less scholarships for student colpor-
teurs during the vacation period, and 
notwithstanding the upgrading of 
sister Adventist schools in our union, 
305 enthusiastic students matriculat-
ed for the 1964 school year at 
Colombia-Venezuela Union College 
in Medellin, Colombia. Once again 
we reached our goal of "Always 
more; never less." This enrollment 
surpasses last year's high' of 275 
students, and it does not include the 
50 or more children in the primary 
school. 
Our students hail from the seven 
different missions of the Colombia-
Venezuela Union and from ten dif-
ferent countries, including Germany, 
Italy, Portugal, Poland, Yugoslavia, 
and Lebanon. Although the majority 
of them belong to the Seventh-day 
Adventist Church, there are also 
those who follow the teachings of 
the Baptist, Presbyterian, Evangeli-
cal, and Hindu religions. 
Thirty-three students hope to 
finish their "bachillerato"—college 
preparatory—course this year, and 21 
others, the junior college courses in 
ministerial training, normal, secretar-
ial, and commercial fields. 
For the first time in many years 
we began the 1964 school year with 
a complete faculty, 29 strong! They, 
too, are a cosmopolitian group and in-
clude J. W. Zackrison, Virgil Fryling, 
and Eduardo Weiss from the United 
States, Mrs. Ruth Riffel of Argentina, 
M. P. Buonfiglio from Italy, Carmen 
Monzon from Cuba, and Laurel Marr 
from Jamaica, giving valuable 
leadership to the departments of 
ministerial training, music, history, 
normal training, mathematics, and 
Spanish. However, the main force of 
this strong group comes with the 
efficient well-trained Colombian 
teachers who are dedicating their 
talents to the training of our youth 
for service. Filling key positions are 
R. H. Maury, business manager; 
Guillermo Sierra, registrar; E. Gomez 
and Laurel Marr, deans; and Mrs. 
Amanda Larrazabal, food director. 
For all these blessings we raise 
our voice in gratitude to God and 
pray that He will continue to bless 
this school as He has done in the 
past. 
Through the MESSENGER we 
wish to send greetings and Christian 
love to all who have been connected 
with Icolven in former years. 
Seated on the front row and standing in the second row are the teachers and staff of Colombia-Venezuela Union College. Standing 
behind them is the present student body. 
AUGUST,'1-964 �
7 
► During 1964 more than 530 
student colporteurs have scattered 
out to every corner of Inter-America 
selling our truth-filled literature. 
► The affiliation of Antillian 
College with Union College has been 
approved by the Inter-American 
Division and the Union College 
Board. 
► Seventy-four students graduated 
from Montemorelos Vocational and 
Professional College the weekend of 
May 30. Of this number five com-
pleted the ministerial course; 11, 
nurse's training; 20, the normal 
course; 20 received their "Bachille-
rato"; four completed the commercial 
course; and 14, their secondary 
training. This group of normal 
graduates is the first to graduate 
with government certification. 
► On June 6, fifteen students 
received diplomas from the Adventist 
Seminary in Cuba. Five of this class 
finished ministerial training; two, 
business administration; three, the 
Bible worker's course; and five, 
secretarial training. 
8 
ALWAYS WORKING . . . 
(Continued from page 1) 
When I told the mission president 
of my visit, he said, "Yes, in every 
church there are a faithful few who 
work constantly, year in and year 
out, to give this Truth. They never 
stop. Rain or shine, heat or cold, they 
are always working to win souls." 
Then a faraway, troubled look 
came into his eyes, and there was 
a moment of silence. I knew what 
he was thinking even before he ex-
pressed his wish—his prayer— that 
somehow that same spirit might per-
vade every single member in the 
church. 
How soon the world would be 
warned if all the believers would 
begin active work, and then would 
just keep on keeping on! Sporadic 
efforts begun and abandoned before 
fruit is borne to little if any good. 
Whether it is a- literature distribution 
campaign or a branch Sabbath school, 
a sunshine band or a lay effort, or 
any other kind of soul-winning effort, 
it should be continued until the job 
is done and interested souls are 
brought into God's remnant church. 
Four years seem like a long time 
for one lay effort. But there were 
more than 30 adults present that Sab-
bath afternoon, listening to the great-
est message ever offered to this world. 
What if every Sabbath school class in 
that one church had been out holding 
a similar effort! Then 300, instead of 
30, would have heard the Good 
News. And if every class in the city 
of Port-au-Prince had been doing its 
part, five thousand could have lis-
tened to the gospel story, and who 
knows if we might not even this 
year see the fulfillment of the prom-
ise of Jesus "He that believeth on 
me, the works that I do shall he do 
also; and greater works than these 
shall he do; because I go unto my 
Father" (John 14:12). 
TOWARD THE HEIGHTS 
(Continued from page 4) 
are a colony of heaven, and we wait 
for the Saviour who comes from 
heaven" (Phil. 3:20, Moffatt). The 
apostle is here using the figure of 
a common Roman practice. When 
Rome added a new province to the 
empire it often set about Romanising 
t h e community immediately. In 
doing this the Romans sometimes 
built a typical Roman city and settled 
their citizens in it. Thus a Roman 
colony was formed. The purpose of 
the colony in a barbarian or non-
Roman province was for the dissem-
ination of Roman customs and finally 
the saturation of the whole country 
with Roman ideals, thus serving as 
a leavening or Romanising influence 
in this new region. For this purpose 
thousands of Romans were living on 
the fingers of the Roman Empire, or 
outside it, while doing a service for 
their country. 
These people appreciated the priv-
ileges and the hospitality they en-
joyed in these other countries, but 
still most of these settlers remem-
bered they were Roman citizens and 
that they did not really belong in 
their present home or environment. 
Many of them looked with longing 
anticipation for the day when they 
would be able to return home to 
their former domiciles within the 
Roman Empire. 
Carrying out the analogy, we as 
Christians have a dual citizenship. 
(Continued on Page 11) 
MESSENGER 
Sabbath School 
A GOOD REPORT 
THE BIBLE says, "A good report maketh the bones fat." We have 
a good report for you concerning branch Sabbath schools. We have 
just compiled the first quarter's Sabbath school report. What a good 
one! More than 3,000—yes, 3,000— NEW branch Sabbath schools were 
started during the first quarter, of 1964. That is more than we had in 
our total two years ago. Surely we are living in the day of God's 
power, when He is -making bare His arm. 
Reports like the following come in right along: 
"In the Cayman Islands a little church of 11 members has set 
a goal of 16." 
Edwin Hyatt, Central Jamaica's Sabbath school leader, states, "There 
are ten churches that have qualified for the certificate award for 
operating one branch school to a class. Three churches qualify for the 
rose star of two branch schools per class. Spanish Town church has 
25 classes and 70 branch schools." 
"Ten new branch schools were recently organised in the Mayaguez, 
Puerto Rico, No. 2 church." 
"Three hundred seventy-seven new branch schools were organ-
ised in the Dominican conference during the first quarter." 
"The Harry Watch church in Jamaica has 70 members and now 
reports 26 branch Sabbath schools." 
Brethren, do you hear the sound in the mulberry trees? Are you 
keeping pace with the onward programme of God? Come with us 
and we will do thee good. What a wonderful day when we can 
report that 5,000 new branch Sabbath schools were started in one 
quarter! My Brother, my Sister, if you will start yours this week, 
this will become a reality. 
—Fernon Retzer 
‘ita*:cWisssa.. 
.c•azscig. 
Around the Unions 
eattflat ameiticatt 
Almirante, Panama 
Church Dedicated 
On the afternoon of April 26 the 
beautiful Almirante, Panama, church 
was dedicated to the worship of God. 
The members were host to four hun-
dred fellow believers and friends 
who gathered for the opening of the 
church door. Standing room became 
scarce as all seats in the main sanc-
tuary and the two Sabbath school 
side rooms were filled. 
The church building is a simple 
but beautiful structure, an honour to 
the Lord. It is the most attractive 
building in town and is located only 
a few steps from the main street. The 
members of the church worked long 
and hard to bring the building to 
completion. Special recognition must 
be given to the .rntrabers who gave 
not only free labour and money, but 
under the leadership of Sister Thar-
zarbell Biggs, the church treasurer, 
took time to prepare and present 
more than twenty fund-raising pro-
grammes, Winston Cunningham, the 
pastor, is an experienced builder, and 
he personally did much to finish the 
building. 
It was a privilege to have two 
fellow protestant ministers on the 
rostrum for the dedication service. 
The history of the church and the 
consecration prayer were given by 
Elder Cunningham; the burning of 
the debt record was supervised by 
Rafael Irsula, the conference trea-
surer; the sermon was preached by 
the conference president, Glen E. 
Maxson; and Fulton Archbold, sec-
retary of the department of lay 
activities, led out in the act of dedi-
cation. 
In the evening a baptism of five 
candidates was a fitting first service 
for this newly dedicated church. 
We thank God for a consecrated 
ministry, for bard-working church 
members, and for the sacrificial 
giving of all, both in the mission 
field and in the homeland! 
—Glen E. Maxon 
Pictured above is the new Almirante, Pan-
ama, Seventh-day Adventist church with W. 
D. Cunningham, the pastor opening the front 
door. 
earn .Bean 
....1••••••••••••
••••••••••••••••••• 
Itinerating in the 
Caribbean Union 
During March and April, C. L. 
Powers and I spent four weeks 
travelling in the Caribbean Union. 
Beginning our trip in the U. S. Virgin 
Islands, we visited St. Croix, St. 
Thomas, St. Kitts, Antigua, Dominica, 
St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Barbados, 
Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago. We 
spent one or two days in each place 
inspecting denominational properties, 
visiting schools, speaking in our 
churches, and wherever we went we 
observed signs of progress. It was an 
inspiration to witness the dedication 
and fervor of our believers and a 
pleasure to be associated with fellow 
workers. 
Included in our itinerary was a 12-
day trip to British Guiana. In the 
Georgetown area we participated in 
the dedication of three churches 
and a ground-breaking ceremony, 
besides meeting regular Sabbath ap-
pointments. 
Later, accompanied by M. E. 
Nebblett, president of the British 
Guiana Mission, K. W. Whitney, 
secretary-treasurer of the Caribbean 
Union, and others, we spent several 
days visiting the Davis Indian dis-
trict in the interior of the country. 
To reach the area we flew 200 miles 
over jungle, rivers, and mountains, 
landing at the mouth of the Kama-
rang, River. We then travelled by 
dugout to the small village of Kako 
on the Mazaruni River, where we 
dedicated a lovely new church. 
Our next stop was at Paruima, 
several miles up the Kamarang, 
where we have a secondary 
boarding school for the Amerindian 
young people. We had meetings 
three or four times a day in the 
church, which is located at the vill-
age, a mile from the school. 
Dr. 0. J. Pogue, who accompanied 
us, held clinic each day for the sick. 
Since medical facilities in the area 
are almost nonexistent, the doctor's 
presence was much appreciated by 
the people. 
On our return we stopped at the 
village of Waramadong, where we 
found a large number of faithful, 
energetic believers. Together we laid 
plans for a new school building. We 
hope that as a result of our visit 
among them, the young people re-
ceived a new vision of training for 
service in the Lord's vineyard. 
J. G. Fulfer 
AUGUST, 1964 
C. L. Powers and J. G. Fulfer standing at the side of the Richland Park church with 
Noel Bailey, the district pastor, and the local church elder. 
Leaders Visit St. Vincent, Grenada and Tobago 
Dedicated Members Make 
a Dream Come True 
About a year ago the dream of a 
sacrificing people came true with the 
dedication of a representative church 
building on St. Vincent Island. For 
some 30 years the Richland Park 
church struggled as it grew from 
just three members, w h o had 
read Adventist literature and become 
convinced of the truth, to what is 
now a thriving church of more than 
165 members, with an intermediate 
school of 186 students. In 1940 a 
small meeting place was built, but 
this was soon outgrown. The group 
was compelled to seek larger quarters. 
With a meager start of $1,000, 
these consecrated, self-sacrificing 
Seventh-day Adventists ventured 
forth by faith, putting their all into 
the cause. Little by little plans took 
form as hearts and purses were ded-
icated to repeated sacrificial giving. 
Today a beautiful structure costing 
well over $20.000 tells the story of 
a joyful people blessed in their wor-
ship of the God they love and serve. 
No pains were spared in making 
this church attractive on the outside 
and restful, cool, and worshipful on 
the inside. But this was not all. In 
their planning, the members gave 
thought to the needs of the children, 
and two ample classrooms were pro-
vided. 
In 1962 all four of the secondary 
students who sat for the island's 
Government Cambridge Examination 
passed commendably. Last year just 
one student sat for this examination, 
and he obtained the highest grade 
possible. This year a former graduate 
will complete the ministerial course 
at Caribbean Union College. 
The Lord has blessed this faithful 
church. Perhaps one feature worthy 
of notice is that this church has 
accepted and faithfully followed the 
second tithe plan. Our prayer is that 
God will continue to bless the mem-
bers and give them an even greater 
vision of what can be done through 
dedicated human instruments. 
—A. A. Ward 
President, South Caribbean Conference 
Those who are Christians in the 
home will be Christians in the church 
and in the world.—Signs, Feb., 17, 
1904. 
Highlighting the visit of C. L. 
Powers and J. G. Fulfer on the 
picturesque island of St. Vincent was 
a service in the Kingstown Seventh-
day Adventist church on March 22. 
This meeting was attended by repre-
sentatives from each of the ten 
churches on the island. 
Located in the heart of the city, 
the commodious Kingstown church 
has a seating capacity of 500. It and a 
smaller church about three miles 
away were acquired from another 
church organisation some eight years 
ago, for a sum that could hardly 
have paid for the equipment. 
An effective plan was adopted by the 
visiting brethren to bring a full mes-
sage to our people. Both shared the 
hour and a half at their disposal. 
Elder Fulfer presented a heart-
warming message dealing with the 
pioneers of the Advent Movement 
and their gift of loving sacrifice to 
make possible our heritage — the 
remnant church. The appeal for 
greater loyalty, devotion, and sacri-
fice was met by a spontaneous pledge 
of dedication. 
Elder Powers told of the triumphs 
of the gospel in Inter-America. 
Though suffering and hardship have 
been the lot of many in politically 
unsettled countries, the marvels of 
God's blessing and protection stand 
out as unmistakable evidences of 
providential overruling. His church 
moves on gathering greater momen-
tum, capturing trophies from the 
enemy's camp. 
Later in the itinerary this pair 
visited the islands of Grenada, known 
as the spice island of the West Indies, 
and Tobago, the land of the bird of 
paradise and a part of Independant 
Trinidad and Tobago. 
Nine years ago Grenada suffered 
a staggering blow from Hurricane 
Janet, and only last year Tobago was 
crushed by the might of Flora. Never-
theless, in Grenada . we have ten 
churches with a membership of 1,500, 
and in Tobago 1,300 members meet 
in 15 church homes. Representatives 
from these churches filled the 
spacious meeting places arranged for 
the special services on these islands. 
Although in each case the visit 
was short, a warm fellowship de-
veloped between these Godly visitors 
and our church members. With happy 
faces and a characteristic show of 
hands our believers asked that their 
greetings be sent to their fellow 
brethren wherever the division presi-, 
dent might go in all of Inter-America. 
Our people will long remember 
this visit, and the inspiration of it 
will surely result in greater faithful-
ness as our members prepare for the 
soon and inevitable end of all things. 
—A. A. Ward 
10 �
NIES S'E*10f-R` 
Pictured to tne left are the workers and office staff of the French West Indies Mission. 
Standing fourth, sixth, and ninth from the left are Pastors Depinay, Toussaint, and Erin. 
�
osommeafti.....• 
Wed indie6 
fitartat-Jicatiars 
Three Workers Ordained 
in French West Indies 
On Sabbath afternoon, April 18, 
three workers of the French West In-
dies Mission were ordained to the 
gospel ministry. They were Maurice 
Depinay and Jerome Erin, pastors of 
large and growing districts in Mar-
tinique, and Eric Toussaint, lay 
activities secretary of the mission. 
Each has given many Years of success-
ful service in soul-winning work. 
C. L. Powers, president of the 
Inter-American Division, presented 
the sermon, emphasizing the need 
not only for successful experience in 
teaching the Truth, but also for the 
living of consecrated lives. Matthieu 
Bermingham offered the consecration 
prayer and Yves Menai presented the 
charge, after which Ray L. Jacobs, 
president of the Franco-Haitain 
Union, and M. S. H. Perau, mission 
president, extended a hearty welcome 
to the new ministers. 
The ordination service was con-
ducted in the largest theater available 
in Fort-de-France in order to accom-
modate the large number of visitors. 
This service was truly a fitting climax 
to the workers' meeting which had 
been held during the three preceding 
days. 
Mme. Marguerite Depinay 
AUGUST, 1964 
TOWARD THE HEIGHTS 
(Continued from page 8) 
We are citizens of the respective 
nations in which we live, but pri-
marily we are citizens of the king-
dom of God and strangers in this 
world. As such we choose to live 
by the laws or standards of God's 
kingdom even though these may 
appear strange to the people of this 
world, but "to have the religion of 
Christ means that you have abso-
lutely surrendered your all to God, 
and consented to the guidance of the 
Holy Spirit."—Messages to Young 
People, p. 30. 
The higher the Christian mounts 
on the ladder to heaven, "the more 
of the grace of God is revealed in 
his life, his sentiments, his principles. 
He is learning, ever learning the 
terms of his acceptance with God, 
and the only way to obtain an in-
heritance in the heavens is to be-
come like Christ in character."—Our 
High Calling, p. 72. Therefore "we 
are not to lessen the distance be-
tween us and worldlings by coming 
to their standard, stepping down 
from the high path cast up for the 
ransomed of the Lord to walk in."—
Counsels on Health, p. 280. Rather 
we are to habituate ourselves to liv-
ing on the heights of heavenly society 
and to the glory of God, because 
we expect Jesus presently to come 
and take us to the mansions He is 
preparing for us. 
—Review and Herald 
M. E. Weir Ordained 
to the Ministry 
In the presence of a capacity 
crowd Meremouth E. Weir was set 
anart to the sacred ministry on Sab-
bath. April 18, at the North Street 
church. There was a full representa-
tion of ministers from the East 
JamaiPa Conference and the West 
Indies Union. 
The field was privileged to have 
B. L. Archbold, home missionary 
secretary of t h e Inter-American 
Division, present to preach the 
ordination sermon. Pastor Archbold 
stressed that the gospel minister is 
not an ordinary man; rather he is a 
representative of heaven, God's man. 
Others who participated in the 
service were M. G. Nembhard, sec-
retary of the West Indies Union, who 
gave the ordination prayer; W. U. 
Campbell, union president, who pre-
sented the charge; and H. E. Nemb-
hard, president of the East Jamaica 
Conference, who welcomed the can-
didate to the ministry. E. J. Parch-
ment presented Pastor Weir his 
ordination certificate. 
—M. G. Nembhard 
THE INTER-AMERICAN 
I ESSENGER 
SYLVIA POWERS �
 Editor 
DAVID H. BAASCH �Associate Editor 
UNION CORRESPONDENTS 
AntiMan Union �
 Lillian Norcliffe 
Caribbean Union �
 K. W. Whitney 
Central American Union �
 Ella Santa Cruz 
Colombia-Venezuela Union �
 A. H. Riffel 
Franco-Haitian Union � Marcel Abel 
Mexican Union �
 R. F. Williams 
West Indies Union �
 Mrs. W. A. Holgaet 
Published monthly as the Official Organ of the 
Inter-American Division of the General Cop- - 
ference of Seventh-day Adventists, Box 780, 
Coral Gables, Miami, Florida, U.S.A. 
Price: $1.00 a year. 
Printed by the College Press, Caribbean Union 
College, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, W. 1. 
All communications relating to editorial and 
circulation matters should be addressed tc 
"The Messenger", Box 760, Coral Gables. 
Miami, Florida 83134, U. S. A. 
* All articles bearing the credit line "Review 
end Herald" are reprinted from the Review 
and Herald, the general church paper of the 
Seventh-day Adventists. 
1 lb 
BREVITIES . . . 
10.- On May 13 the Central Amer-
ican Union office was moved from 
San Jose, Costa Rica, where the 
headquarters have been located since 
the organisation of the union in 1926, 
to Guatemala City, Guatemala. Their 
new postal address is Apartado 770. 
110. The division MV, educational, 
and publishing advisory council met 
in Montemorelos, Mexico, May 25 to 
June 2. Among the visitors were E. 
E. Cossentine, educational secretary 
of the General Conference; J. H. 
Hancock, associate secretary of the 
General Conference MV Department; 
G. A. Huse, secretary of the publish-
ing department of the General Con-
ference; F. L. Baer, L. F. Bohner, 
and D. L. Olsen, of the Pacific Press; 
and R. G. Campbell, representing the 
Review and Herald Publishing Asso-
ciation. Their council and inspiration 
were greatly appreciated by all the 
delegates. 
0. The division Sabbath school de-
partment reports a grand accumula-
tive total of 9,734 branch Sabbath 
schools at the end of the first quarter 
of 1964. The South Caribbean Con-
ference reported the largest number 
of new schools during that time. 
ORDINATION IN VENEZUELA 
With the laying on of hands by the ministers gathered for the biennial 
session of the East Venezuela Mission in Caracas, Felix Belzares was set apart 
for the gospel ministry in the Central church on Friday evening, January 17, 
1964. C. L. Powers, the division president, preached the ordination sermon; 
Rafael Fleitas, mission publishing secretary, offered the prayer; Andres Riffel, 
president of the Colombia-Venezuela Union, presented the charge; and Harold 
Bohr, president of the East Venezuela Mission, gave the welcome. 
Pastor Belzares has given proof of his calling by his dedication to the 
winning of souls. He is a graduate of Colombia-Venezuela Union College. 
From Cuba comes this picture of the worker: r and ark 
rn 
riA,i,yes who gathered for the East Cuba Conference workers meeting 
was held at the Adventist Seminary, in Santa Clara, November 26 to 28, 1963. 
12 �
MESSENGER 
which