Joseph and Freda Elgie were married about 1909 shortly after moving from Joffa to Chatham, Ontario. A strong religious background had been provided for them by their parents who were of the Methodist faith. Their home had been the scene of many church get together, and they saw their parents always as very active members of the church. The pattern of life appeared to have been molded and cast firm and sure for them. Every day routine work at the store for Joseph, home for supper and then into the activities of the church. Each day the scene being enacted until a rather unusual customer came into the store one day. That particular evening a rather excited husband greeted his wife in the kitchen with the news of what had happened at work. That in itself was strange because very little changed from day to day to create exciting news to impart to his wife, but today was different. “Freda I have heard the strangest things. A customer came into the store and he told me that there is no such thing as “heaven going when one is dead”. That the teaching of Hell fire and the existence of a Devil being a super natural being is all false”.
The conversation around the supper table relived Joseph’s experience and carried on into the late evening. With the remaining embers losing their glow in the fireplace Freda sat by the oil lamp and wrote to her father telling of the stranger that had come into their lives bearing a different message. A reply was almost immediate and a stern warning with it to avoid in the future any further contact with this “messenger of the devil”.
Little would appear now to effect Joseph Elgie thinking, for the comments of the visitor had confirmed what had been going on in his mind for some time, that the church he attended had been interpreting the scriptures incorrectly.
When the modern day Peter had stood at the door he had thrust home deep with the sword of the word from the pocket Bible he always carried with him. Joseph could no longer return to his church.
The passing of time, and differences now of Bible understanding created a rift between them and their parents and eventually they moved out west to settle in North Vancouver residing at a comfortable home close to the water front.
The guns of the first world war had been silenced. Cities, town and hamlets were trying to re-adjust to the ways of peace. While this wonderful news was accepted with pleasure by the world, it did not ease the way of life for Joseph and Freda. A living still had to be made, and the dollar had to be stretched further. But life had smiled upon them with the addition to the family of a little daughter. She was now four years of age and while the trip was a heavy task for her parents it was a regular outing she looked forward to. Mum and Dad took her to the beach where she would play hide and seek with the sea gulls and beach-comb for treasures washed ashore from ships from other lands. Her father in the mean time with bent back would be busy sawing at logs collected from the beach, necessary fuel to keep their home warm in the cold and damp days which lay ahead.
Back and forward the long cross saw cut deep into the cedar log, muscles ached as the log gave way a bit at a time to the hungry teeth of the saw. It was hard work and he was wishing he had chosen a smaller log when suddenly the blade began to flow freely by some given power. Raising his eyes he saw another man on the other end of the cross saw. The rhythm was quickly regained and in silence the log was sawn in half. Mopping the perspiration from his brow Joseph invited the man to sit with him for a moment and after formal introductions the conversation turned to religion. In the mean time the little girl had left her dream world of far away places, coming down from her flight with the sea gulls and now listened to this interesting conversation between these two men. Suddenly her father reached out for her mother’s hand and with a firm loving grip said, “Those are the things we heard about from the stranger that came to the store in Chatham”.
The seed of the word would not lay dormant any more. From that day a fervent study of the Bible was carried out and Joseph and Freda were baptized into the saving name of Jesus Christ.
Moving from North Vancouver to Say-ward on Vancouver Island they were forced into isolaiton but the flame of the Truth kindled strong in the hearts of the new additions to the family of God. Continued Bible study and the regular keeping of the Memorial service coupled with a daily witness to their new found love occupied their lives until February 9th 1954 when Joseph died, to wait for the trumpet to sound calling those who had died in faith to life anew. Freda lived on until 1972 leaving her precious heritage for her daughter and grandchildren in the hope of the gospel of Truth.
A warm smile, Bible in hand, and keenness to give a hand on the other end of the saw, ingredients for the gospel message to travel throughout the land and convert the lives of many to God Almighty.
A life story as told by Sister Helen Rosenau (the little girl on the beach). Do you know of a similar life story of someone being brought to the light of the gospel? If so please contact the undersigned.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One