Monday Spot (23 June 2008)
Next week Monday Spot will revert to its more usual format, that of bringing readers a brief account of the past week-end at Chatham Corps. We hope you have enjoyed the different style of the last few weeks and will continue to join us regularly.
Back in March this year Commissioner Gisele Gowans wrote a letter to Salvationist in response to comments made on the subject of our attitude to the sufferings of the Jews. The Commissioner, a regular worshipper at our corps, has given her permission for that letter to be reprinted here on this website.
Commissioner Gisele GowansThe Commissioner writes:
“Up to now, we have in the main, shown our indifference to the sufferings of the Jews” writes Edith Powney in her article in Salvationist (26th January 2008).
Could I come in defence of this statement and give justice to the many Christians and Salvationists who did care and saved many Jewish families at the risk of their lives. I was a young girl living in Paris during the Second World War and observed what was taking place at the hands of the Gestapo and the French police.
When my husband, the Retired General, was the Chief Secretary in France, 45 years after the war, the Armee du Salut held a special function to introduce General Arnold Brown to many friends and benefactors of our Movement. One guest came up to me and expressed his gratitude, saying: “The Armee du Salut saved our lives during the war”. When he told me his name I was deeply moved. Was it a coincidence or the ways of God who moves in mystery?
His parents, I recalled, who were Jews, were allowed to hide in a small room under the roof of a block of apartments where my officer-parents lived. My mother had gravely explained that I should never ever mention to anyone that Mr and Mme T. lived up there. Their two small boys had been taken to safety to a rural district of France.
Here we were, forty years later, and Simon, one of the two sons, was thanking God, and the Armee du Salut, for providing protection and life.
Many stories of courage and self-giving have never been told but there is thanksgiving and gladness in many a Jewish heart still today for the deeds of tender-hearted and generous people.
We thank Commssioner Gowans and all those who contribute to this website and enable us to publish material regularly and often. Readers who are not familiar with the publication Salvationist can find the latest and other issues by clicking here.