Want To Do "Mission Work"; Read This!
This is to tell you briefly about a gospel preacher in western Colorado. If it's "glamour" you are interested in you won't want to read another line. But if you are interested in loyal, zealous, conscientious, humble and sound men, you will want to know more about Zoma E. Fiske My nine year acquaintance with him has convinced me that these are characteristics in his life. Perhaps you have not heard of him before. He is one of those whose work has not been "norated" but who has been, just the same working faithfully through the years.
His preaching life has been associated with two congregations in the "mission fields": Delta, Colorado, and Farmington, New Mexico. And he has done a good work at both places.
For several years, while earning his living as a "milkman" (his way of "making tents") he preached the gospel in and around Delta, Colorado. Then he moved to Farmington, New Mexico, to be their regular preacher, in full time work. Then he went back to Delta after several years to work again, this time as a fulltime preacher. For six faithful years he has labored with them.
The church in Delta has known many struggles, and passed through many difficulties: there has been "anti-ism" of more "stripes" than we hardly dream of in the south! And then the usual discouragements of most solid mission work: slow growth, etc., families moving away who meant much to the work.
It seems to me (but I am not an authority on "mission work"; however I have held quite a few "mission meetings," and three of them at Delta) that brother Fiske and the brethren at Delta have done well. A few years ago a new building was opened for worship and study, a number have been baptized and restored all along. But the fact that some 71 "regular attendants" (members and their families) have moved from Delta, has kept the work there from showing the numerical growth that we usually see in the south.
And now, brother Fiske is making a change. It would be fine if some good congregation in the south that esteems godliness and soundness above college degrees (don't get me wrong, I am a "college man" with an MA. degree, but I still believe soundness and godliness are far ahead of degrees!) would contact brother Fiske toward becoming their preacher. But brother Fiske does not want to leave his own country. He is above 40, he and his wife have reared their family out west, and they love the cause in western Colorado. They have their own home near Delta and a small acreage. And there is a small struggling congregation at Olathe, near Delta, where he can help establish the cause. He would rather work there than in a big "pastorate" in the south. Not everyone would be so willing!
Brother Fiske's youngest son (Jack) is willing to help his dad preach the gospel and will [on] the small acreage, raise a large truck garden and tend the cow, and otherwise help toward the support. If brother Fiske could receive half support (which he considers $100 a month) he could adequately carry on the work at Olathe, he believes. However, he plans to work there anyway, but will have to work part-time if this does not work out. But, brethren, one faithful brother ought not to do ALL the sacrificing! The Fiskes have sacrificed for the Cause for many years, living on small salary, paying doctor bills and raising four boys on a small income. I reckon they have never been paid much over $200 a month. (Tipton, Okla., has supported the Delta work for several years.) Which of us preachers in the south make such a sacrifice?
If you want to help, contact Zoma E. Fiske, Box 542, Delta, Colorado, or the church in Olathe, Colorado.