The Other Sheep: my introduction

                As I am sure that most people reading this blog will have already read the introductory post, I will not take the time to explain The Other Sheep, nor our project for the semester. Instead, I would like to begin with a statement of just how amazing it is to be able to read such a text. The issue I was assigned contained many stories and updates from missionaries around the world, many of whom seemed to be regular contributors. I was amazed at the age of these writings as I became privy to reading letters addressed to former general superintendent and missionary Hiram F. Reynolds, records about the “Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene,” and a short article mourning the passing of Phineas F. Bresee.

                Within the stories and reports that the missionaries sent in, it was interesting to note just how often illness and recent deaths were mentioned. Prayers were often asked for the sick Christians in the area. However, there was at least one case where a death was used as an opportunity to share the Gospel.  Mrs. R. G. Codding, who was serving in India, mentioned how she and her husband were having difficulty connecting with anyone in the area in which they lived. The adults all avoided them and the children were afraid of them. One day, however, a family down the road lost their baby. The Coddings went over and expressed their deepest sympathy and to express their belief that the child was now in heaven, and somehow managed to earn the respect and trust of the family. Following this, the Coddings were able to go visit quite often and began to share the Gospel message.

                A final thought, there was one other time death was mentioned that greatly struck me. A recent convert at the Hope School in India, run by L. S. Tracy, dies after only being a Christian for seven months. The next paragraph of the article started by expressing that “God has been good to us all.” At first I thought, “Why are they talking about how God has been good right after talking about death?” But then I realized, the boy who died was a Christian. He was in heaven now. There was no need to be upset. This would not be so if he had died just seven months earlier. God had been good to them all.