OCR Text |
Show The Gospel Is The Only Way Of Life For Him I NEWS F jj 7DQER i LIMA, PERU many good people are so about the things of this world that they do not recognize the Importance of living to the fullest the commandments of God. n Thats the way'Isaias Bravo, dentist in Lima, looks at the atin and out of titude of many persons as far as the Gospel is the Church concerned. Pres. Bravo hasn't been in the Church too long, in fact he was baptized in August 1961, but he tells a questioner quietly, and firmly, that the Church is the only way of life. He had been a devout Catholic he noted that he knew the mass in both Latin and Spanish but many questions came up that he could not answer through the scriptures. I knew about the Church in 1961, but it was very hard for me to accept all the teachings, some of which included the Prophet Joseph Smith story, the coining forth of the Book of Mormon, and that Jesus Christ was here on this continent before Columbus came, he said. In fact, the first time Pres. Bravo read the Book of Mormon he was unimpressed. I know why now. I read it without faith. I read it without following the admonition of Moionl that I should read it with faith and prayer, Pres. Bravo said quietly. He said the missionaries chided him that he had read the book without faith and challenged him to read it again with an open mind. They told him to pray about it and read wth faith. This I did, Pres. Bravo said. This time I knew without a ihadow of a doubt that it was a true work. I was baptized shortly after. Since Joining the Church, Pres. Bravo has been active in all phases of Church work. An elder now, he has served as a Sunday School and priesthood quorum teacher; a branch secretary and branch president twice; a district secretary, member of a district high council, and counselor in the district presidency and now district presi- (From the Religious Newt Service and tt wires of tte At9ciated Press and tte United Press international I Too Merger Action The St. Louis Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church, U.S. (Southern) put the denomination over the top in a favorable vote on merger with the Reformed Church In America but the union had already been rejected by Reformed Church regio il bodies. s For union to take effect a affirmas tive vote of the 77 presbyteries and of the 45 Reformed classes was needed. The St. Louis action brought to 58 the number of Presbyterian units favoring merger. A few days earlier more than 16 Reformed classes replied in the negative, thus defeating a merger which had been in negotiation since 1962. well-know- dent We have a program in our district now to teach the people of the branch- es principles of leadership and the importance of being a good leader. I feel we have a need for more education of our members and to try to bring more educatd people into the Church be-- three-fourth- two-third- Proposed Names s s y ijf ,V y - '4 'nii ni Seventeen possible names for the united church being planned by denominations participating in the Consultation on Church Union were suggested by small study groups at the annual meeting in Atlanta. Names suggested were: United Christian Church, United Church of Jesus Christ, United Church of Christ, United Church, Universal Gospel Church, Evangelical Catholic Church, Church of Jesus Christ Uniting, Church Union, The Church United in the U.S.A., Christian Community in the U.S.A., The Christian Church Union, The Christian Church in the U.S.A., The Uniting Christian Church, American Christian Church, the Unity Church of Christ, Church of Christ in the U.S.A. and Church of Christ United. f ' muttoCi Dr. Isaias Bravo, a Lima dentist, works on a patient. He serves the Church as a district president. cause of the need for local leadership in our branches, he said. He said some branches are showing from 70 to 80 per cent participation in branch activity, while others are only 18 to 19 per cent This is due to leadership and lack of the understanding of leadership principles, said Pres. Bravo. He feels that it would help the local brandies if missionary work could be extended into the universities of South America. He said he felt that the work of the Church wasnt easy. But, he said, he has noticed that when people are touched by the Holy Ghost they seem to know fiie truth and their lives change. His present goal is to take his wife and small daughter to the temple. Another child is expected sometime in April. He plans this trip late in 1969 or 1970. Pres. Bravo was born July 6, 1925 in Cerro de Pasco, a Peruvian mining town where his father was employed. His parents were Adrian and Bose Bravo Dula Magulna. He started to study medicine in the university in 1950 and studied for two years. But he found this too expensive and dropped out of school. But in 1967 the urge to get a professional education was too strong and he went to the dental school in the University of San Marcos where he received his doctorate. He has , been practicing dentistry now for seven years. He said being a member of the Church helps him in his work. It has made me have more respect for other people and realize that they are children of God," he said. Genealogy Interest High In The Philippines MANILA Interest in genealogy and. in the preservation of historical records is high in the Philippines, according to Pres. Paul S. Rose, president of the Philippine Mission. As emphasis he noted that Dr. Sera-fi- n D. Quiason, director of the Phli'p-pinNational Bureau of Libraries, has1 accepted an invitation to attend the World Conference on Reoords scheduled to be held In Salt Lake City Aug. 5 through 8. He also will speak at one of the sessions. John W. Orton of the Genealogical e of Salt Lake City, visited with Dr. Quiason recently as well as conferSociety ring with other government officials. His mission was to determine the best sources available for genealogical research. . Government officials here were very helpful in providing the information desired by Brother Orton, Pres. Rose said. Dr. Quiason is highly Interested in genealogical work and record keeping and recently asked all provincial libraries in the Philippines to encourage families to draw up their family Study Post-Ordinzli- on trees and furnish their libraries copies of tksse genealogies. A series of seminars in connection with his memorandum also are sched- uled by Dr. Quiason to give instruction to the librarians across the country on recording valuable genealogy. Pres. Ferdinand Marcos of the Republic of the Philippines, recently issued an executive order forming a committee to Investigate the preservation of historical records in the republic. It is felt, said Pres. Rose, that these efforts will aid the genealogical research in this country. A national Church of England strategy for further training of dergy after ordination was recommended in the second and final report of the Theological Education Committee of the Advisory Council for the Churchs ministry. It not only tressed that training was one of the Anglican Churchs most urgent needs today, but linked its value with ecumenical developments. In its recommendations the Theological Education Committee also suggested that study for the ministry should take place over six years, with the final three taking the form of training. t 'Aid' In Reverse In Washington, a state which has a rigid constitution forbidding aid to churches, the churches are giving financial aid to the state. The Greater Seattle Council of Churches presented a check for 81,000 to the State Department of Public Assistance and said it would continue to raise funds to buy prescription drugs for the medically indigent. The Council of Churches began its campaign after an appeal was made by Matt Hudson, director of the central office. The council is serving as transmittal agency for contributions through churches, other organizations and individuals. Woman Minister The first woman minister in the Church of Scotland (Presbyterian) was ordained by the Presbytery of Aberdeen and will take up a post in a new parish now lacking a church. She Is Miss Catherine McCon-nachl66, who recently retired as a deaconess after 37 yera service. Miss McCbnnachies ordination was a direct outcome of the historic decision of fire Church of Scotland's General Assembly last May to lift its centuries-old ben on women ministers. Two years previously it had authorized women elders for the first time but opposition to ministers still prevailed at that time. .WffKENPiNQ (SMIHi |