THE OLDEST PICTURES OF OUR ORPHANAGE IN KARMATAR

Recently I came across several photographs that went together nicely. The first set of three I noticed for the first time in the EG White estate archives. These are pictures of children. I had no idea who they were except for Ethel (identified by the estate with a question mark), and Mary. These were two adopted daughters of D A Robinson, the first SDA superintendent of our work in India. He arrived in November 1895.

I wondered that these kids were important enough to be identified with their names. The names sound mostly Bengali, and some seem siblings.

The tallest child in the center is certainly Ethel Robinson who was adopted by the Robinsons in England and brought to India at the age of 13. She has been identified by Fern Babcock her granddaughter in the Tidings below.

The child on the right is Mary, adopted by the Robinsons. She married a person named Smart who had been adopted by Dr O. G. Place. Mary settled in Karmatar.

Ethel married a person named Chilson. Her granddaughter Fern was married to Dr Babcock who served in Pakistan. Fern Babcock wrote an article for the Tidings in 1910 in which she posted several pictures. One of them is with part of the second picture above with Ethel. It identifies the other kids are orphans of the orphanage. Finally, I know who the other kids are.

Fern Babcock also donated several old photographs of the orphanage in rented buildings in Karmatar. These rare photographs show the bungalow in which the orphans lived. The first photograph is also posted in the article in the Tidings above.

 

 

Elder Robinson and Dr Brown, who was in charge of the clinic in Karmatar, died of smallpox in December 1899 and were buried under a mahua tree. The gravestones have been transfered to the Adventist school campus in Karmatar and placed behind the church where they may be seen today.

Lesson 6, November 2-8, 2024

MORE TESTIMONIES ABOUT JESUS

Why does the performance of miracles divide those who witness it? Why do some people reject miracle workers? 

Humility of Soul: John the Baptist Testifies Again

1. What did Jesus mean when He said that if He were lifted up, He would draw everyone to Himself? 
2. How effective was John's testimony of the Messiah, considering his own disciples didn't seem to have accepted it?
3. How important is the role of a bridesmaid or bestman?

A New Understanding of the Messiah

1. What did John do that prepared the way for the Messiah?
2. Why does political freedom seem more urgent than salvation?
3. Why didn't Jesus bring freedom from Rome as well as salvation from sin?

Acceptance and Rejection

1. Why did Jesus use revolting terms as eating His flesh and drinking His blood?
2. Why do you think Judas did not walk away from Jesus?
3. Considering that His disciples understood His mission of salvation only after His death, why did they keep following Him?

The Witness of the Father

1. Why did Jesus say about the Father "You have not heard His voice," when the Father had spoken audibly at his baptism?
2. When God spoke again (John 12:28), why did some people think it was thunder and others think it was the voice of an angel, though Jesus had addressed His Father?
3. How does God glorify His name?

The Witness of the Crowd

1. Since no one had seen Christ before, were people justified in being confused as to Who He really was? 
2. Since the people knew that the Messiah had to be born in Bethlehem and from the line of David, why did they hesitate to connect Jesus to the Messiah?
3. How does a crowd turn into a mob? 

 Lesson 5 for October 26-November 1, 2024

Who, if any, are some types of people that we might not mind being left out of God's kingdom?

THE TESTIMONY OF THE SAMARITANS

The Setting of the Encounter

1. Why might a well still be called "Jacob's" after more than a thousand years?
2. Why would Jews avoid traveling through Samaritan territory?
3. What were advantages and disadvantages of fetching water at an unusual time of the day?

The Woman at the Well

1. How could one with "living water" become thirsty?
2. How does one get converted?
3. How else, besides "living," can we describe the water that Jesus offers?

Sir Give Me This Water

1. What properties did the Samaritan woman think "living water" might have had?
2. Why are questions a good way to introduce a topic?
3. How does hiding sin affect us?

The Revelation of Jesus

1. Why did the Samaritan woman bring up a discussion of holy sites?
2. What are the pros and cons of worshiping in church versus at home?
3. What are the dangers, if any, of worshiping in churches of other denominations?
4. How did Jesus catch the woman's attention, and how did He hold it?

The Testimony of the Samaritans

1. Why do you think the disciples, as soon as they returned, urged Jesus to eat?
2. Why would the gospel writer record that the woman left her pot behind?
3. What could have convinced the town folk to follow the woman to Jesus?

Closing down this Blog.

 Friends, after about ten years I feel it is time to discontinue this blog. I have been writing these questions on the Sabbath School lesson since 2011, which is ten years. I would hope that those of you who have been using these questions will continue your good discussions in class. 

I am now teaching the Cornerstone youth class and enjoying discussing questions with them, but on a different set of lessons.

God bless you all. It's been an interesting experience for me.

Gordon Christo

Lesson 3 (Apr 10-16, 2021), All Future Generations

 The Sin Principle

1. Why did humans sin again and again even after seeing the consequences of Eve's and Adam's sin?
2. How likely was it that Adam and Eve themselves sinned again?
3. Did human nature and propensity to sin change slowly or instantly?
4. How is propensity to sin passed on through generations?

The Man Noah

1. How could a righteous and blameless man get drunk and lie naked?
2. What qualified Noah to be called righteous and blameless?
3. What distinguished Noah from other humans before the flood?

Covenant with Noah

1. Did Noah's response cover his entire family or did they have to also enter into a covenant with God?
2. How likely is it that Noah had other children, daughters maybe?
3. Why does God speak to Noah saying it was "My covenant?"

Sign of the Rainbow

1. What do most people associate the rainbow with?
2. What obligations do people have regarding God's covenant to not destroy the earth with flood again? Is that conditional?
3. Why do we speak as though the rainbow has seven colours?

Only Noah Was Left

1. Are "remnant" those who are left behind, or those taken away?
2. How was Noah able to stay so different from the people around him?
3. What did God mean by mentioning "regret" for creating humans? Had He made a mistake?

Lesson 2 (Apr 3-9, 2021), Covenant Primer

 Covenant Basics

1. If one party initiates a covenant can obligations be imposed on the other party?
2. Why do people seal some covenants with an oath? What is the significance of the oath?
3. What is the difference in covenants between equals and covenants between unequals?

Covenant with Noah

1. Though Noah seems to have not been given a choice by God, how can we sense that he did have a choice whether to obey or not?
2. How could Noah be called a righteous person when he got drunk and did something stupid?
3. Are rainbows today confirmation of the covenant with Noah?

The Covenant with Abram

1. In what ways have all people of the earth been blessed through Abraham?
2. To what extent did Abraham fulfill his duty of the covenant? Considering that Israel failed to do their part, did God err in selecting Abraham and his seed?
3. How could Abraham be called the father of those who have faith when his lies about Sarah revealed his lack of faith?

The Covenant with Moses

1. Are there more than one fulfillments of promises? 
2. What kind of obedience from Israel did God expect since absolute obedience seems not possible?
3. Is Israel today still receiving residual blessings from God's covenant to Abraham?

The New Covenant

1. Why do we use the terms Old and New Covenant when the Bible does not use those terms?
2. In what sense is a covenant "old?"
3. Could Israelites of the Old Testament times live under the New Covenant?
4. How can people today be living under the old covenant?

Lesson 1 (Mar 27-Apr 2, 2021), What Happened?

 Turtles All the Way Down

1. Why is it impossible to prove that God created the universe?
2. Why is it impossible to disprove that God created the universe?
3. Why do some people still believe in a flat earth? How is this possible to prove or disprove?

In the Image of the Maker

1. Does the "image of God" include the physical. If we are in God's physical image, then are monkey also in his image?
2. Do men bear the image of God more than women?
3. Do individuals bear the image of God or humanity as a whole?

God and Humankind Together

1. Is procreation part of the "image of God in humans?" 
2. Why did God bless Adam and Eve? What difference did it make?
3. How and why did the original relationship between God and humans come to an end?

At the Tree

1. Had Eve already sinned before she ate the forbidden fruit, or was it at the point of the first bite?
2. On what basis do we assume that Adam was not with Eve at the tree when she ate it?
3. Why could Adam and Eve not repent and be forgiven there and then?

Breaking the Relationship

1. Why do you think Satan took the form of a serpent when he could have appeared as what he is--an angel?
2. Whose sin was worse, Adam's or Eve's? Is "being deceived," less guilty than sinning without being deceived?
3. Is fear of snakes a result of the curse, or did God mean fear of Satan?
4. In the battle between God and Satan who is succeeding in making humans afraid of the other?