This electronic edition of Meditations . . . for the Lenten Season has been transcribed from a printed copy of the booklet. Thanks to Jean Leathers, Archivist of the Churches of God Historical Society, for providing copies of pages missing from my copy and for searching for the date of publication.

      No date of publication appears in the printed copy. However, the fact that the Women's Christian Service Council (WCSC), which distributed the booklet, was organized in 1953 fixes the earliest possible date of publication. This date considered with the terms of the contributors at Findlay College and Winebrenner School of Divinity, suggests 1955 as a reasonable date. Thanks to Theodore R. Kocher, Director of Alumni and Parent Relations at The University of Findlay, for providing a copy of Richard Kern's Findlay College: The First Hundred Years (1984), which includes rosters of the Administrators and Faculty of the university.

      The following apparatus details the changes from the printed to the electronic text in spelling, capitalization, and punctuation:

            Printed Text [ Electronic Text
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 p. 1:      ASH WEDNESDAY [ Ash Wednesday
            pride in humility--. [ pride in humility.
            thy forgiveness. [ Thy forgiveness.
 p. 2:      his pierced [ His pierced
            nail scarred hands, [ nail-scarred hands,
            God, it [ God; it
            approach too. [ approach, too.
            man:-- [ man;--
            then and only then [ then, and only then,
            thy sight--and thou [ Thy sight--and Thou
 p. 3:      However repentance [ However, repentance
            thou forgavest [ Thou forgavest
            Confession to Jesus Christ [ Confession is to Jesus Christ,
            thy bountiful [ Thy bountiful
            serve thee. [ serve Thee.
 p. 4:      leadeth thee [ leadeth Thee
            steps but [ steps, but
            sin but [ sin, but
            unto God; a [ unto God--a
            then only will [ then only, will
            thee through thy Son [ Thee through Thy Son
            thy service. [ Thy service.
 p. 5:      unto thee, [ unto Thee,
            Elija [ Elijah
            trade and he said, "Follow me"-- [ trade, and He said,
               "Follow Me"--
            God he [ God, he
            Moreover he [ Moreover, he [
            thou dost [ Thou dost
 p. 6:      fully our [ fully, our
            thou wilt, thou [ Thou wilt, Thou
 p. 7:      wilt thou [ wilt Thou
            business man and [ business man, and
 p. 8:      Follow me. [ Follow Me.
            followed him." [ followed Him."
            events entering [ events, entering
            seldom used room [ seldom-used room
            full time Christian Service [ full-time Christian Service
            full time service [ full-time service
            word sacrifice [ word "sacrifice"
            full time Christians [ full-time Christians
            thy way [ Thy way
            thy kingdom [ Thy kingdom
            give thee [ give Thee
 p. 9:      Corinthians 16:13. [ 1 Corinthians 16:13.
            his mortal [ His mortal
            thy promise [ Thy promise
 p. 10:     I John 4:18. [ 1 John 4:18.
            away--prophecies [ away; prophecies
            away, what [ away; what
            all, "greater [ all: "Greater
 p. 12:     he shall lift [ He shall lift
 p. 13:     know thee, [ know Thee,
            thou hast [ Thou hast
            word, "add" we may use the word, "supplement." [ word "add,"
               we may use the word "supplement."
            must [ must
            Thus when [ Thus, when
 p. 14:     experience but [ experience, but
 p. 15:     yet is can [ yet it can
            say "your [ say that "your
 p. 16:     basis and [ basis, and
            his disciples [ His disciples
            heaven--" [ heaven . . ."
 p. 18:     I Peter 4:9. [ 1 Peter 4:9.
            Hospitality is an [ "Hospitality" is an
 p. 19:     other hand we [ other hand, we
 p. 20:     them and he [ them, and He
            answer of course is [ answer, of course, is
            us hence [ us; hence
            in Heaven help [ in Heaven, help
            thou hast [ Thou hast
 p. 21:     In worship and [ In worship--and
            worship, we [ worship--we
            Worship of course is [ Worship, of course, is
            sanctuary but [ sanctuary, but
 p. 22:     men thus [ men, thus
            vacuum but [ vacuum, but
            said "Inasmuch [ said, "Inasmuch
            religion but [ religion, but
            Christ who [ Christ, who
            his hands [ His hands
            his eyes [ His eyes
            his lips [ His lips
 p. 23:     by him." [ by Him."
            Bible "In [ Bible, "In
            created" [ created,"
            world but [ world, but
            thou art [ Thou art
            thou has made thyself [ Thou hast made Thyself
            thy children. [ Thy children.
            on thee [ on Thee
            thy purpose [ Thy purpose
 p. 24:     creator [ Creator
            said "Thou [ said, "Thou
            thyself and [ Thyself, and
 p. 25:     material but [ material, but
            needs. [ needs?
            he could make himself [ He could make Himself
            he sent [ He sent
            his son [ His Son
            said "I [ said, "I
            thank thee, [ thank Thee,
            thou hast [ Thou hast
 p. 26:     my Father [ My Father
            makes himself [ makes Himself
            his nature [ His nature
            he has given [ He has given
            to himself." [ to Himself."
            his sway, for he [ His sway, for He
 p. 27:     his glory, [ His glory,
            But he was [ But He was
            his deity. [ His deity.
            he speak [ He speak
            he disclosed himself [ He disclosed Himself
            put it [ put it,
            prophets but [ prophets, but
            he has spoken [ He has spoken
            his unspeakable [ His unspeakable
            May he live [ May He live
            his kingdom [ His kingdom
            his name. [ His name.
 p. 28:     Evangelism [ "Evangelism"
            religion and [ religion, and
            he could impart his [ He could impart His
            few they [ few, they
 p. 29:     his compassions [ His compassions
            mine and [ mine, and
            puppy and [ puppy, and
            broken hearted [ brokenhearted
            stars and [ stars, and
            was I doubt [ was, I doubt
            his help [ His help
            woman of Samaria [ woman of Canaan
            "Ah but [ "Ah, but
            his child." [ His child."
            shame; [ shame,
            breast and cry-- [ breast, and cry,
 p. 30:     my voice [ My voice
            with me." [ with Me."
            Rev. 3:20. [ Revelation 3:20.
            light and [ light, and
            health and [ health, and
            suffered, unspeakably [ suffered unspeakably
            heals but [ heals, but
            followeth me [ followeth Me
            Father too [ Father, too
            prismatic and [ prismatic, and
            everywhere." AMEN. [ everywhere. AMEN.
 p. 31:     he seem [ He seems
            his garment. [ His garment.
            his glory." [ His glory."
            old testament writer [ Old Testament writer
            upon himself [ upon Himself
            his tent [ His tent
            he might [ He might
            down and [ down, and
            he bore [ He bore
            is himself [ is Himself
            his hand [ His hand
            again this [ again, this
            he shall say, [ He shall say,
            like me." [ like Me."
            me and [ me, and
            Nazareth arise [ Nazareth, arise
            thy face. [ Thy face.
            thy Son [ Thy Son
            on thee. [ on Thee.
            with thyself. [ with Thyself.
 p. 32:     deed the [ deed, the
            make him [ make Him
            heed and [ heed, and
            his injunction, [ His injunction,
            Father I [ Father, I
 p. 33:     I Peter 2:21-25. [ 1 Peter 2:21-25.
            scriptures." I Corinthians 15:3. [ Scriptures."
               1 Corinthians 15:3.
            union troops [ Union troops
            the confederacy. [ the Confederacy.
            departure his [ departure, his
            wife one [ wife, one
            federal troops [ Federal troops
            say, "he [ say, "He
            cry "who [ cry, "Who
            God's son, [ God's Son,
            merciful yet he [ merciful, yet He
            Even so sin [ Even so, sin
            self destructive. [ self-destructive.
            is death and [ is death, and
 p. 34:     I John 2:1-6. [ 1 John 2:1-6.
            he loved [ He loved
            his Son [ His Son
            I John 4:10. [ 1 John 4:10.
            it but [ it, but
            my sake and the gospels [ My sake and the gospel's
            table or [ table, or
            humbled himself [ humbled Himself
            him and given him [ Him and given Him
 p. 35:     I Cor. 2:2. [ 1 Corinthians 2:2.
            Personally I [ Personally, I
            "Summa Theologica" [ Summa Theologica
            Cross" and [ Cross," and
            his dying [ His dying
            he had come [ He had come
            his death. [ His death.
            Besides every [ Beside every
            his life [ His life
            face I [ face, I
            before thee. [ before Thee.
            sinner and [ sinner, and
            thy goodness [ Thy goodness
            thou art. [ Thou art.
            thy precious [ Thy precious
 p. 36:     I Cor. 15:20. [ 1 Corinthians 15:20.
            it required [ it requires
            believeth on me [ believeth on Me
            believeth in me [ believeth in Me
            this "Do [ this question: "Do
            "Remember men if [ "Remember, men, if
            dark and by his  [ dark, and by His
            "Surely God thou [ Surely, God, Thou
            of thyself. [ of Thyself.
            to thee [ to Thee
            fails and [ fails, and
            Lord I believe. Help thou [ Lord, I believe. Help Thou
 p. 37:     unto my Father, [ unto My Father,
            to my God [ to My God
            dead; Long [ dead. Long
            made himself [ made Himself
            his kingdom [ His kingdom
            his rightful [ His rightful
            his will [ His will
            redemption and [ redemption, and
            his cradle [ His cradle
            his cross." [ His cross."
            his throne [ His throne
            his manger [ His manger
            his hand [ His hand
            for him [ for Him
            his immortality [ His immortality
            thy name oh [ Thy name, O
            praising thee [ praising Thee
            with thee." [ with Thee."
 p. 38:     Gal. 3:13. [ Galatians 3:13.
            Heartbroken he [ Heartbroken, he
            window and [ window, and
            word--redemption. [ word "redemption."
            bought back. [ bought back.
            brothers we [ brothers, we
            his smile [ His smile
            his too [ His too
            his gentle [ His gentle
            his breath [ His breath
            he has not made [ He has not made
            he has not given [ He has not given
            beyond this we [ beyond this, we
            his because he [ His because He
            Him we drifted [ Him, we drifted
            his loving [ His loving
            sinful he [ sinful, He
            to himself. [ to Himself.
            he must [ He must
            thee father [ Thee, Father,
            sins binding chains. [ sin's binding chains.
            bless thee; [ bless Thee;
            Thank thee [ Thank Thee
            thanks to thee; [ thanks to Thee;
            adore thee; [ adore Thee;
            thy name." [ Thy name."
 p. 39:     his mercy he [ His mercy He
            say "Ye [ say, "Ye
            mysterious; [ mysterious.
            prayer "That [ prayer: "That
            know thee, [ know Thee,
 p. 40:     God;" "ye [ God." "Ye
            Father;" [ Father."
            John said "as [ John said, "As
            Again he said [ Again, he said,
            God therefore [ God: therefore
            him not. [ Him not.
            he shall appear, [ He shall appear,
            like him; [ like Him;
            him as he [ Him as He
            his adopting [ His adopting
            his unspeakable [ His unspeakable
 p. 41:     the creator [ the Creator
            his first [ His first
            he "breathed [ He "breathed
            them "Receive ye the Holy Ghost." [ them, 'Receive ye the 
               Holy Ghost.'"
            said "I [ said, "I
            of Thine [ Of Thine
 p. 42:     his atonement [ His atonement
 p. 43:     he pardoneth [ He pardoneth
            thy sight, [ Thy sight,
 p. 44:     thy truth: thy word [ Thy truth: Thy word
            Sanctification has two [ ""Sanctification" has two
            way [ way,
            his followers [ His followers
            he said in his [ He said in His
            thy truth, thy word [ Thy truth, Thy word
            life and [ life, and
            Spirit faithful [ Spirit, faithful
 p. 45:     gave himself [ gave Himself
            he might [ He might
            unto himself [ unto Himself
            Hebrews 9:14 "How [ Hebrews 9:14: "How
            offered himself [ offered Himself
            ask How [ ask, How
            is "through [ is, "through
            his sacrifice of himself [ His sacrifice of Himself
            Christ a person [ Christ, a person
            says "Look [ says, "Look
            says "See [ says, "See
            for himself [ for Himself
            his own [ His own
 p. 46:     he shall [ He shall
            like him, [ like Him,
            him as he [ Him as He
            thou art mindful [ Thou art mindful
            thou visitest [ Thou visitest
            thou hast [ Thou hast
            before him in his [ before Him in His
            himself and for his [ Himself and for His
            he said "Glorify thou me with thine [ He said, "Glorify Thou
               Me with Thine
            with thee [ with Thee
            he said "The [ He said, "The
            thou gavest me [ Thou gavest Me
            even as we [ even as We
            He says "If [ He says, "If
            with him, [ with Him,
            says "we [ says, "We
            like him. [ like Him.
            God, therefore our [ God; therefore, our
            his glorious [ His glorious
            he is able [ He is able
            unto himself." [ unto Himself."
            like him!" [ like Him!"
 p. 47:     I Peter 5:1-7. [ 1 Peter 5:1-7.
            scripture [ Scripture
            chief Shepherd [ Chief Shepherd
            material but [ material, but
            The crown of life means [ The "crown of life" means
            his Church [ His Church
 p. 48:     with me in my [ with Me in My
            my Father in his [ My Father in His
            his Kingdom [ His Kingdom
            his disciples [ His disciples
            with him. He said [ with Him. He said,
            with me in my [ with Me in My
            we being His win [ we, being His, win
            his righteousness, [ His righteousness,
 

      The daily Scripture readings suggested with the meditations are available in supplemental files. These passages have been exported from the King James Version (1769 edition) module of the OnLine Bible. The readings are accessed by clicking on the highlighted citations.

      Addenda and corrigenda are earnestly solicited.

Ernie Stefanik
Derry, PA

Created 31 January 1997.
Updated 13 July 2003.