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In
the Montreal River camp, however, ministers were not always available.
Noah Bearinger recalls that this was not a stumbling block for the
devoted COs.
“On
Sundays we had church services in the morning and again in the
evening, in the frame building which was known as the recreation
hall. We had no resident minister so some boys from different
church groups took turns bringing the message. Quite a few were
from the immigrant Mennonite groups, and they were gifted speakers.
Their beliefs and way of thinking were much the same as ours,
so our spiritual needs were well supplied. A few songs were sung,
then somebody was asked to lead in prayer. A portion of scripture
was read, usually by the boy who brought the message.” [ASM,
94-106]
Unlike
COs in work camps, men performing agricultural service had the opportunity
to attend local church services. It would not have been practical
for ministers to visit each one. Often there was only one per farm,
so there would have been thousands of farms to visit. On the farm,
then, each man's spiritual development was in his own hands.
One
remarkable story comes from Norman H. Fehr, who worked in the small
town of Govan, Saskatchewan for an elderly man whose son was in
the air force. It was hard work, Fehr remembers.
“Summer
or winter it was always a sixteen hour work day. Sundays were
special only because I did get a few undisturbed hours to myself.
It was a tremendous plus to have my own bedroom. So the few hours
that were mine were spent reading my Bible, praying, and writing
a few letters.”
More
than a few hours must have been spent reading the Bible, because
by the time Fehr was released from alternative service, he had accomplished
an amazing feat.
“By
the time I left this farm I had read through the Bible twenty-two
times, and the Word remained fresh and meaningful each time.”
[ASM, 261]
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