Between the dates of August 3 and September 14, 1945, workers from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Palestine, and Egypt met for an evangelistic council in the Lebanon Mountains town of Beit Mery, six miles east of Beyrouth. Here we gathered to study, practice, and experiment on improved methods of evangelism, for we face one of the most difficult challenges in soul winning in the world. Unfortunately, not all the national workers in the union could come, because of binding commitments in their various fields, but a majority were present. Five classes a day and evangelistic services three nights a week provided a busy schedule.
Leading out in the council were: Alger F. Johns, director; S. W. Johnson, instructor in evangelistic methods; A. G. Zytkoskee, personal evangelism; H. G. Rutherford and N: C. Wilson, sponsors of the demonstration meetings. It was indeed an unexpected pleasure and benefit to have with us for three weeks, W. H. Anderson, who was on his way home after fifty years' labor in South Africa. We were all richly blessed by his daily lectures and inspiration.
The effort provided a helpful opportunity to test the methods being presented in the classes, to give guided laboratory practice to the young men in attendance, and at the same time, to present our message to the many people spending the summer months here in the Lebanon Mountains. Come with me, and visit one of these meetings as three young men present the message.
It is fifteen minutes before eight in the evening. The students have carried all the chairs and benches from the dining room and chapel out into our open-air auditorium and arranged them neatly. The organ has also been carried out, as well as the platform sections. Over the platform are three large lights which provide sufficient illumination. Now the chairs for the choir are being arranged on the platform, and all else is in readiness. Out onto the balcony of the main building steps Elder Rutherford, who begins to play gospel melodies on his trumpet, its clear notes carrying far out over the town, reminding the people that tonight there is meeting again, and it is time to be coming. And here they come already. At first some young people appear; then a whole family slowly come in and are ushered to front seats by one of our young men. Yes, more and more are coming, almost a steady stream of them. Now it is five minutes to eight, and the trumpeter has ceased playing. Mrs. Krick has taken her place at the organ, and begins to play. Near by, at the front entrance to the main building, the choir members are assembling, and Pastor Rutherford is there, too, giving them final instructions.
It is now one-half minute to eight. Quickly the strains of the theme song break out from the organ, and the choir is marching down the hill to its place on the platform. Then, just as the last choir member takes his place, the director steps out from one end of the platform just exactly at the right second to give the first down beat for the Victory Song. The next twelve minutes we sit and listen to their melodies, a most enjoyable experience for all in the audience.
This performance ends too quickly, and their director signals them away, each one taking his chair with him and placing it in a row in the front. As these additional chairs appear, they are quickly filled by part of the standing audience. Tonight another two hundred and fifty people have come and we have only two hundred chairs, so children and the students must stand. Next a word of welcome is given by Elder Wilson and translated by Brother Antar into Arabic, the future lectures are announced, and prayer is offered. And just now three women step up to the organ and sing the special music feature for the evening. As they finish, from the opposite side of the platform a young man in a dark suit comes from the shadow Of the stately juniper tree growing there, and at once begins his portion of the sermon—already preaching before he is fully behind the pulpit. He has an important message to deliver and only fifteen minutes to do it, so he proceeds with haste.
His earnestness captures the attention of the audience, from the youngest to the oldest. Standing back behind the last row of seats, the methods instructor with his piece of paper and pencil is making notations about the presentation, for next day's class discussion. Five, ten, thirteen, fourteen minutes go by—still no sign of stopping. The first fifteen minutes is now up and the speakers' attention is attracted by the instructor's white handkerchief as the stop sign. As the first speaker then quickly finishes and steps from the platform, the second speaker steps up and carries on for his fifteen minutes. The third speaker follows in turn. Before he realizes it, his time has likewise passed rapidly, and the service is dismissed with a short prayer.
The presentations were all well done tonight, and the people have given good attention. As they leave, they freely express their satisfaction over the meeting.
