Although not explicitly asserted in the classical creeds of the Church, it is a fundamental Christian conviction that God is at work in the world in ways that touch each and every creature. What kind of interaction there might be between divine creativity and things like flecks of dust, or massive stars, is beyond our ken. But we believe that rational creatures like ourselves are capable of grasping the work of God in our experience, and that we can respond to it in worship, and take up its saving effects into our own lives.
We should not expect to trace the hand of God in a way that would turn theology into a natural science, and the life of faith into a business transaction. But we can understand something of how we take up Divine Grace into our lives by thinking of the way
in which we take up into ourselves the influences of other people: our parents, friends, and teachers. It is from this point of view that we think of two stalwart friends, Ruth MacPherson and Isobel Horton, whose recent passing we notice in the following pages.
We read what is said about them and acknowledge with gratitude that we have been blessed by their lives. This experience goes back and back in time, as is evidenced by an article on Alvah Chipman by his granddaughter. Here again we find testimony to the way in which a person’s actions for what is good and right have far-flung
consequences in others’ lives. It is hardly too much to say that in these ways we see not only how important good role models are, but also understand how we make ourselves like them by our own actions. This is the value of saints, in some Christian communions,
and certainly one of the purposes of the Christian Story with which we identify ourselves in worship.
Also we have an update on our website, a good review by regular contributor Ed Colquhoon of a book on the making of the King James Version of the Bible, and a notice of the forthcoming Friends’ Luncheon in connection with the Vincent Rushton Memorial Lecture.
That’s it for this time!
Rodger Forsman, Editor
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