ceive him and then and only then would he be eligible for church membership. Myers, incidentally, is still praying for him. Contractor Myers’ gardener and care taker, who left Myers Bros, nine years ago to tend the California flowers around the Myers residence in suburban La Canada, would tell you about the boss’s little talk two or three years ago. Myers had him on his knees in the library at the end of the talk as the caretaker asked Christ into his life. The Myers home, incidentally, is something of a lighthouse in the neigh borhood, a weekly evening Bible class being conducted there for neighbors and other friends. Some attendants aren’t regular churchgoers, and the class has been a means of revealing to them God’s plan of salvation. Launched about three years ago, the Bible class is an outgrowth of a children’s class Mrs. Myers conducted years ago. This had proved fruitful: one of the converts of the children’s class was a nephew and another is today an official with Bank of America. Ray Myers, who was born in 1894 in Leeds, Iowa, took over the management of Myers Bros, when his father retired in 1918, after founding the construction business in 1900. The firm concentrated on private residences during the early years, but after Ray took over, Myers Bros, construction signs began to ap pear on big commercial projects. However, housing units are still a specialty, some 12,000 having been built over the years as far north as Spokane, Washington, south to San Diego. Hon esty and quality work have long been a mark of Ray Myers and not long ago he found it costing him money. Heading up a 1000-unit project in the Los An geles area, he soon found himself on the losing side when Communists threw a monkey wrench into the building pro gram and held up construction, in an effort to break Myers. Their action slowed down work to such an extent that by the time the units were com plete, prices on building materials had gone sky-high and Myers found himself on the losing end to the tune of one mil lion. But he walked into the Bank of America, from which he got a loan, and signed a note for that amount to clear his name. During this period, Myers says, he prayed much, and all in all was drawn closer to the Lord. And, because the Lord was with him, he was able to plunge into another similar project and recover the loss. Honest to the core, he’s a businessman with the “know how.” That’s Ray Myers, the thickset contractor who is doing a big share in the job of building the West!
eighth grade in school). Besides, he has served in advisory capacities for several religious organizations, including the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, of which he is board chairman, and the Church of the Open Door, where he is a board member. Regardless of where he is or with whom he is, Myers is known as a fellow who stands true to his convictions. The Lord comes first with him, and business companions who sip cocktails often or der ginger ale for him without even asking. He isn’t the sort of man to collar an associate or client and cram the Gospel down his throat, but from time to time when someone asks why he doesn’t smoke or drink, he’s ready with a clear-cut testimony of what Christ has done for him. An example of how he put in a word for the Lord in everyday life occurred when the wife of a wealthy client showed up with a new Cadillac. “How do you like my new car, Ray?” she called to him. “ It’s a beaut!” Ray said, strolling over to the car. “ The cook thinks I’m too extrava gant. She says she thinks the Lord will come some day and I won’t need an automobile. Silly, eh, Ray?” Obviously the cook was a Christian and she wasn’t. “Maybe not as silly as you think; the cook might be right.” “ You mean to tell me you believe that old stuff, too?” She seemed flab bergasted. “ I certainly do,” Myers returned, go ing on to explain that he, too, is looking for Christ’s Second Coming and that he is ready for that coming. There’s a saying that money talks, and once it talked right out loud to open the way for a pointed testimony when Ray Myers was discussing income- tax problems with another contractor. Learning that the Myers Bros, manager gives a sizable chunk of his income to the Lord’s work and takes the allow able 15 percent deduction on his tax return, the other contractor suddenly got an idea. “ Say, you get out of pay ing a lot of taxes that way. I’m going to join your church!” Myers straightened up and leaned forward. “ My friend, I’m afraid you’ve got the wrong idea about this thing. You just can’t go down and join a church just because you figure it will be a way of dodging part of your tax.” Quite abashed, the reluctant taxpayer roared: “ You mean to tell me your church wouldn’t accept me if I came down there and gave them $200,000 a year? What kind of stuff are you hand ing me?” Myers quietly informed him that he knew of many churches that wouldn’t accept him— unless he were a truly saved man. And he proceeded to tell his friend that if he got sick enough of his sins to forsake them, Christ would re
THE LORD CALLS HOME KING'S BUSINESS AUTHOR O UR readers have been blessed over the last four years with occasional very able articles from the pen of the Reverend Claude E. Copperwheat, mis sionary of the European Christian Mis sion, who was stationed in France. He and his wife were efficient and tireless in evangelizing the villages of France, and teaching the Word of God at every opportunity and by every possible method. A recent letter from the Mission indicated that due to Mr. Copperwheat’s ill health, the family, including the two sons, Harvey and Wesley, was returning to Mr. Copperwheat’s native land of England, for rest and recuperation. As we go to press, a letter has just arrived which we quote in full: “ It is with real sorrow of heart that I write this letter to you to tell you of the passing into the presence of the Lord of my dearly beloved husband. As you know we had come to England for his health, and although surrounded by loving hearts and much prayer, he grad ually became worse. On medical advice, he went into Manchester Royal Hospital. However, he was not there long, for on June 2 at 6:45 p.m. God called him Home. The funeral took place at the Southern Cemetery Chapel of Manches ter on Friday and the service was con ducted by Rev. W. Stuart Harris, Home Director of the European Christian Mission. “ Among my husband’s last words were these: ‘I have fought a good fight, and I have been faithful!’ This was truly a triumphant ending for one so young in the service of the Lord, for he was only 38. “ The loss is great indeed for the boys and myself, yet we sorrow not as others who have no hope, for we know that ‘Daddy is with Jesus,’ and some day we shall see him again. “ Thank you for your prayers. Continue to remember the boys and myself and especially France, the country he loved so much that through his death many may be challenged and be responsive to the call of the Lord for Gospel witness in that needy land.” Mrs. Martha Copperwheat Heightside NewchurchAn-Rossendale Lancs., England.
Copyright, 1952, Scripture Press, U8U So. Wabash Ave., Chicago 5, Illinois. POWER, February 2U, 1952.
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