Thou wilt show me the path of life. In Thy presence is fullness of joy. Psalm 16:11 – SPRING 2020

This fascinating bit of first-century pricing information, seemingly so trivial, provides a marvelous

glimpse into the heart of the Creator. Of all the birds used for food by the people of those days, sparrows were the cheapest on the market, costing only a farthing for a pair of them. In fact, they cost even less in a larger quantity, for on another occasion Jesus said: “Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?” (Luke 12:6). The “farthing” was a tiny copper coin of very small value, so a sparrow was all but worthless in human terms. And yet the Lord Jesus said that God knows and cares about every single sparrow! God had a reason for everything He created; each kind of animal has its own unique design for its own intended purpose. Modern biologists continue to waste time and talent developing imaginary tales about how all these multitudes of different kinds of creatures might have evolved from some common ancestor. Even some evolutionists have started calling these whimsical tales “just

so” stories. They would really be better scientists if they would seek to understand the creative purpose of each creature rather than speculating on its imaginary evolution. The better we comprehend the amazing complexity and purposive design of each creature, the better we realize the infinite wisdom and power of their Creator. Then, all the more wonderful it is to learn that their Creator is our Father! He has placed them all under our dominion, and we need to learn to see them through His eyes if we would be good stewards of the world He has committed to us. We can also thank our heavenly Father that we “are of more value than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:31).

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Notes from CarolDear Sweet Friends,

What a joy it was to have Rose-Mary Rumbley in February.

Her presentation about Vice Presidents was timely and

informative and most entertaining. This presentation was a

great reminder of our responsibility as citizens. Thank you,

Rose-Mary, for your faithful service to the Widows Ministry

and the Lighted Pathway.

Please pray for our church family and friends in the

community as we work thru the adjustments that we’ve had

to make as a result of the CoronaVirus. Certainly, we as

individuals have had to make changes.

In His Service,

Carol Cashman

BY DR. HENRY M MORRIS, III

The Price of

Sparrows“Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.” (Matthew 10:29)

Dr. Henry M. Morris III holds four earned degrees and regularly speaks about his love for the Word of God. Dr. Morris teaches a class at First Baptist and serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Institute for

Creation Research. Dr. Morris is a gifted writer and speaker and we are grateful for his daily devotionals.

A Brief story of Gladys AylwardBy Rose-Mary Rumbley

Have you ever read a book you couldn’t put

down? Of course you have! Have you ever read a book about a missionary you couldn’t put down? I have! The story of Gladys Aylward, missionary to China, is captivating, thrilling, and sometimes unbelievable. But it’s all true. A movie was made of her story in 1958, INN OF THE SIXTH HAPPINESS, starring Ingrid Bergman. Gladys was deeply upset by the inaccuracy of the film, but, nevertheless, she found herself a figure of international interest, thanks to the popularity of the film, television, and media interviews. In the first place, Gladys was small and Ingrid Bergman was tall. The names of the characters and places were changed, even when the names had significant meanings, such as those of Aylward’s adopted children and the name of her inn. It was the Inn of the Eight Happinesses, named for the Chinese belief that the number eight stands for the eight godly actions: Love, Virtue, Gentleness, Tolerance, Loyalty, Truth, Beauty, and Devotion. At the end of the film, Gladys leaves China, but in reality she worked with orphans for the rest of her life. In 1958, the year of the film’s release, she founded a children’s home in Taiwan, which she continued to run until her death in 1970.

But wait! I’m way ahead of the story. Let’s begin with the young Gladys in England in 1890 working as a maid in a wealthy home. God called her to go to China as a missionary. She was so sure of the call that she ignored the plea of some friends who had returned from China. “Don’t go! It’s too hard to learn the language!” But

she thought of John Wesley and George Whitfield. Nothing could stop them. Nothing was going to stop Gladys Aylward! She was called of God!

She was blessed with a good voice and a persuasive personality. In fact, when she was not working, she began to preach on the street. Hyde Park

was a great spot to proclaim the gospel. In the home where she worked, there was a fine library, and she began to read about China.

One day, she heard that a missionary in China, Jeannie Lawson, needed help and Gladys decided she would be the perfect one to help!

Of course, money was definitely a problem. She would never be able to afford the trip on the sea. She had to take the train! She was to travel through Europe and then on through Russia. Then when a ship was available she would sail to Japan and then

on to China. This was going to take weeks.

She was taken captive in Russia, but God was always with her. The Russian Police finally released her and she was able to get to Japan, a country that had only hatred for China. And too, there had been the Boxer Rebellion, an uprising of a sect of Chinese who were displeased with the Christian Chinese! But, in spite of all of this she made it!

Eventually she met Jeannie Lawson, who proved not capable of continuing in her work, so Glayds was truly a gift to the Chinese who had come to depend on the work of this other missionary.

Now, she is in China during the time of Chiang Kai-shek, who was a Christian. But, China at that time was being bombed by Japan on a regular basis.

However, in spite of all this turmoil, she was able to keep the children safe. The building of the orphanage was truly a work of God.

Gladys accomplished the impossible when she convinced an official in the Chinese government that the binding of girl’s feet must be stopped. “They are crippled by such a brutal and inhuman action.” All binding of feet was stopped and Gladys was able to go the schools, to take the binding off and massage the feet, and to bring them back to normalcy. She was able to stop this ghastly action! I must add the love story! A Chinese officer asked Gladys to marry him, but, alas, she waited too long for her response to his proposal, and he went on with his life without her. But, this did not hinder Gladys. She was on a mission and she never stopped working for the Lord. She decided that she was not meant to be married!

In spite of the fact that the Japanese did occupy China and she and the children had to flee to the mountains. In spite of the horrors of World War II, when she lived in constant fear of Japanese bombings, Gladys and the children lived through it all.

And then she went on to serve until her death. She is buried in China and is still regarded as a hero of the country.

A number of our Fellowship took the opportunity to tour the Institute of Creation Research Center for Science & Earth History. All attendees had a great time together and enjoyed learning about the Center. Thanks to Dr. Henry Morris for welcoming our group and thanks to Jim Haines and Jack Smith for hosting the tour and lunch.

Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, ICR’s latest outreach is the ICR Discovery Center for Science and Earth History, with cutting-edge exhibits, planetarium shows, and live science presentations. The Institute for Creation Research continues to expand its work and influence, endeavoring to encourage Christians with the wonders of God’s creation.

Please take time to visit the website of the Institute for Creation Research. The institution equips believers with evidence of the Bible’s accuracy and authority through scientific research, educational programs, and media presentations, all conducted within a thoroughly biblical framework.

Field Trip to the

icr.org