Science in Christian Perspective

Letter

 

[The ASA]


From: JASA 11 (September 1959): 30

The American Mission Dembi Dollo, Ethiopia December 6, 1958 
Dr. H. Harold Hartzler, President 
The American Scientific Affiliation 
121 Clark Street Mankato, Minnesota 

Dear Dr. Hartzler:

Thank you for your recent ( ?) letter of September 16th about the activities of the A.S.A. The mail comes by boat, hence takes six weeks to two months, therefore the above parenthesis, and the lateness of this response to your request that all members write you a personal letter.

T and my family are in our second term of missionany work here in the land of Ethiopia. At present we are located at Dembi Dollo, which is almost directly west of the capital city of Addis Ababa at about 8y2 degrees north and near the Sudan border. We are serving with the United Presbyterian Mission which has been here working among the Gallas since 1920. My work is training teachers and evangelists for the church. At present their course consists of Bible subjects and teacher-training courses. Some work is in Amharic, the national language and some in English. However, the language of these people is Gallinya, so I cannot yet converse with the local people who have had no schooling. After spending so much time learning Amharic, now I will have to find time to begin on Gallinya.

I want to tell you that I have appreciated my membership in the A.S.A. very much and have profited a great deal from the studies in the Journal. (Before entering the ministry-training at Fuller Theological Seminary-I graduated in mechanical engineering at University of California.) Our chief problem out here is communication of the truth of the gospel in the broadest sense, and in that respect, where it has been necessary to interpret the relationship between the gospel and the gifts of science to a culture under rapid social change, the A.S.A. has been helpful. I regret to say that the burden of work here has been such that I have only been on the receiving end of the activities of the A.S.A.; yet as I turn and face these people, it is largely one of giving out and f rom this standpoint, I know you will be glad with me that A. S.A. has been of some help to me in doing this better for the Lord.

When we were last home on furlough I did want to attend the convention in Boston. But at the time my wife was presenting me with a new daughter and we were also packing to return as well as getting ready for a short period of refresher courses the Board was offering us. I do regret I could not attend. I did have some good talks with John Sinclair while in southern California, whom I am sure you know.

Wishing you every success as you lead the A.S.A. in service for the Kingdom, I am,