WHAT I LEARNED IN CHESTER

The lovely, kind old ladies of my childhood church took hold of my life and shook some sense into it!
by Charlie Leck

CHESTER, NEW JERSEY
A Scrapbook of History
by
Frances Greenidge

I frequently write here, on this blog, about my growing up years in Chester, New Jersey. It provides me a break from the constant ranting and raving I do about politics and government in the United States.

In order to write with some accuracy, I pull down some small works of history about this little town in the East. In them I find plenty of interesting references and even photographs of myself and other members of my family.

Very recently I was looking at this historical scrapbook collection by Frances Greenidge. I happened to notice an inscription on the front inside cover and I took the time to read it carefully.

This is the property
of
H. Evelyn Beiser
and
is to be passed on to“my Sunday School student of yesteryear”
Charles H. Leck
with
God’s blessing
and
my love.

I hope you will enjoy reading
about the
Chester
that had much to do with
making you the man you are today.
Evelyn

Indeed, Mrs. Beiser, that little town in New Jersey did have much to do with making me the man I am – nothing to particularly boast about, but nothing to be ashamed of either. And you, dear woman, were among the best teachers I ever had – Sunday or no – and I learned, perhaps, the most important thing in the world from you in that little space, under the balcony in the church, where we met as a Sunday School class. You introduced me to God and taught me the most important thing I would ever need to know about the nature of God; and, perhaps too, the most important thing I would ever need to know about life.

“God,” you said one Sunday morning, “is love.”

Then you read slowly and clearly to me and the other students in your class, from the Epistle of John, some of the most important words I would ever hear in my life. Upon hearing these words I knew that I had mastered the subject of theology and need go no further in those studies. I knew immediately what it meant to be a Christian. You gave me the most vital information I have ever been given in my entire life and I will go to my resting place being forever grateful to you for this lesson.

“God is love; and he who abides in love, abides in God. He who does not know love does not know God; for God is love!”

Yes, I learned a lot back there in that little town of Chester, but I learned it because the town was literally filled with people like you – wise saints of God who will dwell with Him forevermore. I am grateful.