Scouting, Volume 57, Number 7, September 1969 Page: 4
52 p. : ill. ; 28 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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ScdUIER
ALK
The Rev. Horace L.Thomas, D.D., is a former
Salvation Army executive officer and founder
of the USO. In 1951 he was ordained to the
Presbyterian ministry and served churches in
North Carolina and Oklahoma before coming
to Detroit in 1966. His two sons are former
Scouts—one an Eagle.
i was in my study early sunday
* morning making last-minute prepa-
rations for our adult discussion group
and the worship service. A large hulk
of a man, quite disheveled in appear-
ance, walked in. My first thoughts were,
"Uh oh! I wonder what he wants—will
it be money, food, transportation, or
medicine? Should I help him without
first checking into his story? But, check-
ing his story will take a lot of time and
I don't have that right now."
Forgive my cynicism. Being in a
downtown location we get many re-
quests of this nature; and most are ille-
gitimate, we learn when we take the nec-
essary time to check them.
"Are you the preacher of this
church?" he asked.
I answered "Yes" in a questioning
tone.
He sensed my thoughts immediately
and said, "I'm not here begging for any-
thing. I came to make a gift to your
church. In fact, I want to pledge $25 for
"WE'VE GOT TO KEEP THE
FAITH, BABY"
this year. I have also been talking to
three friends of mine about doing the
same."
I invited him to sit down, and asked,
"What has led you to do this?"
He answered, "It's because you have
a Boy Scout troop here in this church,
and my son is a member of it. He's got
a lot of good out of it, so I want to
help you because you have helped my
boy!" He went on to say in his own
way that in these days we all have to
do as much as we can to encourage
young people, and especially our own
children, when they get interested in such
things as Boy Scouts.
He gave me a $5 bill and promised
there would be more within a few weeks
to fulfill his pledge. I gave him a re-
ceipt and got his name and address and
he left.
Ever since this unexpected visit, I've
had a strangely warm feeling. I am en-
couraged by the fact that our Scout troop
evidently is doing a good job; but mostly
because of this black man's gift, and
the pleasure he seemed to have in know-
ing someone was interested in helping
his boy to be a good Scout.
His gift seemed greater than had a
rich man presented me a check for
$5,000. He was simply saying to this
slightly cynical preacher, "We've got to
keep the faith, baby! After all, if we
don't, what will there be for our chil-
dren?"
I got the message, and I've had a glow
on ever since. □
Horace L. Thomas
Pastor, Woodward Avenue
Presbyterian Church
Detroit, Mich.
_£ /
"Mom! I told the fellows you baked the best cookies in town and they want you to
be Den Mother."
ARE YOU OUR
KIND OF GUY?
Try a comparison and see.
Our kind of guy . . .
• wants to commit himself to some-
thing that matters.
• likes people better than things.
• wants lots of variety and action in
his work.
• needs a job he loves and not just a
job he can do.
• wants to make the big decisions
himself.
• can't see launching a career as the
third assistant to a clerk.
Our kind of guy satisfies these needs
—and more—in the career service of
the Boy Scouts of America. He also finds
stimulating associations, salaries and
benefits that would surprise any guy,
and excellent opportunities for ad-
vancement.
He doesn't mind knowing that his
opportunities are not limited to just a
spot or two—but to over 500 locations
in 50 States.
If you now have a bachelor's degree
or higher—or expect to finish college
in the next few years—check with us
to see if you might be our kind of guy
and would like our kind of work. We'll
be glad to help you decide. In fact—
even if you decide you are our kind of
guy without our help—we'll still insist
on having the last word!
Look under Boy Scouts of America
in the phone book or write Boy Scouts
of America, Personnel and Training
Division, New Brunswick, N.J. 08903.
Oh yes, we'll pay you while we train
you!
"I know it's a pretty limited vocabulary but
'bobwhite' is all the English my parents
taught me!"
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Boy Scouts of America. Scouting, Volume 57, Number 7, September 1969, periodical, September 1969; New Brunswick, New Jersey. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth331800/m1/6/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Boy Scouts of America National Scouting Museum.