Letters

WHAT TAKES THE PLACE OF HOLINESS?

I DO not know how many corps have only one Sunday meeting; it is becoming more common in the Army and in other denominations – and in thriving as well as declining churches. However, I agree it is unwise to discontinue something without an alternative to replace it.

What is holiness? General Frederick Coutts defined it as ‘Christlikeness’ and General John Gowans as ‘growing saints’. Both are apt and concise. It is about becoming more Christlike by developing our relationship with God and, consequently, with others. It is an

outworking of the commands to love God and to love our neighbour.

While, nowadays, the Sunday holiness meeting may not be the most effective way of achieving this, what takes its place? Perhaps we can learn from the past where, in the Early Church, believers met in each other’s houses, there being no church buildings as such, or, like the Berean Jews, examine the Scriptures. Can we look to a growth in prayer gatherings, Bible studies and house groups as the way forward?

May we ever be a holiness movement and may we ever seek to improve our relationship with the Lord and with each other.

Brian Lowndes, Major, Stoke-on-Trent

CORPS CADETS AND SPIRITUAL JOURNEYS

MARGARET Garland’s letter (Salvationist 2 February) reminded me of those wonderful corps cadet house parties at Sunbury Court. To people of my generation, who as teenagers were corps cadets, those weekends were the highlight of the year. I have felt sadness at the demise of the term ‘corps cadets’ because through that special ministry many young people went on to become Salvation Army officers.

While other activities have taken the place of corps cadets, ask any officers of my age, now in retirement but still loving and serving, and most would agree that they heard the call during those important teenage years at their home corps. And many others made fine local officers within the corps and are still faithfully serving today. Our corps cadet guardian at my home corps, Chelmsford, taught us so much that helped us at the beginning of our spiritual journey through life. I guess that the lovely old choruses Margaret quoted have remained with us all as well.

Joy Taylor, Lieut-Colonel, Christchurch

THE GOD OF REST AND PEACE

THE excellent article by Lieutenant Erin Metcalf (Salvationist 19 January), entitled ‘Doing the most good’, has been a great help to me. Having attended The Salvation Army since childhood my enduring memories have been linked to busyness. Growing up within a Salvation Army fellowship I was always encouraged to be busy, to take on lots of responsibilities even if it meant being at the Army every day of the week.

On leaving school I worked for The Salvation Army, first at Hoxton Goodwill Centre and then at the Salvation Army Assurance Society chief office. I worked hard within disciplined settings, and a strong work ethic was instilled in me. This has carried on throughout my life and I remember only too well regularly making ‘to do’ lists at the start of every day and taking on far too much because of being afraid to say ‘no’.

Lieutenant Metcalf challenges us to examine our ‘busyness’ not just within our everyday lives but also within our church settings. For me this question is challenging, as I have always found it difficult to say ‘no’. However, I am now challenging those long-held beliefs because health issues have forced me to do so.

The article quite rightly highlights that all too often we think the thrill of ‘busy’ makes us look good, makes us feel important and bolsters our ego. I am now finding that, with the support of friends and corps officers, I am able to say ‘no’ positively. I am able to rest and to see what really matters.

The fear I once had of saying ‘no’ had nothing to do with my relationship with God or my commitment to him. As Erin points out: ‘The status symbol of being busy is an idol, an idol that will keep us from the God of rest and peace.’

Kate Cousins, Great Ayton