Welding: Bodies and Souls E ditor ’ s N ote : Through th e years, articles have been featured in THE K IN G BUSI NESS concerning the w ork of Biola graduates on th e foreign field. This m onth, w e want to share w ith readers th e distinctive m inistry of one of our graduates in rehabili tating m en in need. Rev. A rthur L ayn e supervises the m inistry of th e Union R escue '
M ission’s G reen Oak Ranch. T he pictures show M r. L ayne w orking w ith th e m en, not on ly guiding them in their exp erien ce of the w elding profession, but also in knitting their hearts m ore closely to the Saviour. A young man at Green Oak Ranch, rehabilitation farm sponsored by often led to frustration and to drink ing sprees.
the Union Rescue Mission at Vista, California, is learning welding with a zeal. He had never learned a trade and had become a drifter on Skid Row. He accepted Jesus Christ as his per sonal’Saviour in the Mission at 226 S. Main Street, Los Angeles, and was sent to the ranch. There he heard about a welding class being operated by the foreman, Arthur Layne, a BIOLA graduate. The young man heard Art explain that when he was converted he was “welded to Christ.” He saw in the Bible that Jesus said, in John 17:21, “ That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou has sent me.” “ That’s spiritual welding,” said the young man as he concentrated on learning the art of material welding. Art Layne nodded with a smile. He got the idea of the welding class after noticing that many of the men coming to the ranch had no particular occu pation or training and, as a result, they had difficulty finding work. This
“ Once the spiritual application is explained to them, they take to weld ing with enthusiasm,” Layne said. The students have their regular duties at the ranch, but certain hours are set aside during the day which they devote to their new vocation in metals. The training consists of cut ting with gas, welding and brazing with gas and electricity, and black- smithing with the old, coal forge. Assisting Layne with the teaching is Clarence Bonham, better known to his students as “ Casey.” Bonhan is a Skid Row convert who was saved at the Union Rescue Mission. It didn’t take Layne long to learn that Casey could weld, and it didn’t take Casey long to find many weld ing jobs to be done on the farm. Since Layne can weld also, they struck up a working friendship. The ranch foreman learned quickly that Casey was no ordinary welder. He is an artisan at the trade. One day Layne said to Casey, “You know, I’ve been concerned about the number of younger men coming to the ranch who have never learned a
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THE KIN G'S BUSINESS
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