BEYOND OUR WALLS

October 2002 Missions Bulletin of First Presbyterian Church, Las Cruces, N.M. Vol. 4, No. 10

It would be nice to think that Charlie Stone, who went to be with the God he loves in early August, can sense our gratitude for all he did to make this a mission oriented church. Scripture does not resolve the question of whether or not those who have gone on are aware of anything those of us left behind say and think and do. Surely, though, there must be many of us who hope Charlie is aware of our gratitude.

You didn’t know him? If you didn’t, why don’t you get out the directory of our church’s members and take a look at his picture. He is definitely worth remembering, and that’s the reason for this piece. This is a different church because of Charlie Stone, and we need to thank God for having had him here.

When Charlie’s name is mentioned to those who have been active in First Presbyterian for a long time, the words of praise flow. They know him to have been a man with a heart for God and a heart for ministry. They speak of the consistency and the intensity of his efforts in behalf of the spiritual and material welfare of those in need. A current member of the Missions Committee, a long time member of First Presbyterian, remarked that he has never known a more mission-minded person.

Twenty-five years ago a linguist and missionary, Ralph Winter, who had served as a Presbyterian missionary in Guatemala, established in Pasadena, California, The United States Center for World Mission. In addition to operating William Carey International University and facilitating the activities of a large number of mission organizations, the Center publishes Mission Frontiers, an especially informative journal on the mission enterprise.

The people at the Center like to get Mission Frontiers into the hands of as many missionaries as they can, and they invite subscribers to donate in increments of $15 to that end. The journal publishes maps showing which states are doing the most in relation to the number of possible contributors in each. Some years ago, early in the year’s campaign, the state of NEW MEXICO was in first position! The journal was also listing the names of all who had who had contributed enough to reach seventy new people. Yes, there were names of members of First Presbyterian Church of Las Cruces in that list, and one of those was Mr. Charles Stone.

You’ve been reminded several times that the Session of First Presbyterian, several years ago, adopted two ethnic groups for special attention, this as part of the Adopt-a-People program that our denomination and many other Christian organizations participate in. Surely you realize that you are about to be told that the person behind this was Charlie Stone! He is the reason that we keep reminding you that we should become especially well-informed about the Dalits of Uttar Pradesh in northern India and the Suri (Surma) tribe of Ethiopia. Charlie is the reason that we are asking you to keep them in your prayers regularly and consider whether or not there is anything special our congregation ought to do for the ministry of the Prasads to the Dalits and the Haspels to the Suri. [Remember that we informed you last month that the missionaries in Ethiopia are now calling the Suri by the name they prefer rather than the term, Surma, which was imposed on them by the outside world]

We’ve raised the question from time to time as to whether mission concern should be for evangelism or for social and material need. Charlie Stone understood that God’s will, as revealed in Scripture, is for both.

As many of you know, Charlie served repeatedly on the Session, and, even when he was of advanced age, he co-chaired the Session’s Missions Committee one year. He was a member of the Committee periodically until only a few years ago. When it became difficult for him to attend meetings in the evening, we did not see him so often, but, even then, he was doing what he could to serve the Lord.

A number of you have left food supplies in the baskets at the sanctuary entrances for the benefit of the Casa de Peregrinos food program for the needy. Until his recent physical decline, Charlie Stone was collecting those supplies and transporting them to Casa de Peregrinos. He was still doing this even when it was physically difficult for him.

Charlie was deeply concerned for the welfare of the poor of this part of New Mexico, and his life was marked by efforts to help them. His involvement with Casa de Peregrinos was only one manifestation. He also located surplus food supplies and saw that they were made available to needy on both sides of the Mexico-U.S. border.

In his long career in charge of the livestock herds at New Mexico State University and teaching fitting and showing there Charlie came into contact with students from Africa and other places and got involved in helping them improve the livestock situations in their home countries. Much of that help was offered outside of working hours. Even while international students were here he assisted them as he could, for example, by helping them secure sheep or other animals for their ceremonial observances. As surely as he had a heart for the spiritual and material well-being of people everywhere, he also had a heart for the welfare of animals and served as a role model to students and others for good treatment of livestock.

Charlie corresponded with missionaries in various parts of the world, and he kept himself informed about all kinds of mission programs and the activities involved. So, it was, for example, that Charlie knew about the Adopt-a-People program so important in modern frontier missions and became responsible for bringing First Presbyterian into that program. His knowledge of and commitment to missions was truly unusual among those not professionally employed in that area. He worked so quietly, without seeking acclaim, that some failed to know what he was up to, but his faithfulness and effectiveness were remarkable.

Hopefully, he realized during the last weeks and months of his earthly life how much he was appreciated for these things. We hope he is aware of that appreciation at this moment. He was a role model for all of us.

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