MORE TREASURES FOUND IN OFFICE MOVE: THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY This is the story of the Treasure of Qumran. I knew I had obtained autographed copy of the autobiography of Athanasius Samuel and I was hoping I would find it--and I did!! In 1947, while Metropolitan of Jerusalem of the Syrian Orthodox Church, Mar Samuel received news that some ancient texts had been discovered. He arranged to see the scrolls. After examining them, and suspecting that they were indeed very old, Samuel expressed an interest in purchasing them. All four scrolls that had been discovered would find their way into his possession. They were what would become known as the famous Dead Sea Scrolls. With the outbreak of hostilities between the Arabs and Jews following the establishment of Israel, Mar Samuel relocated to the United States in 1949 and played a major role in the life of the of Syrian Orthodox Church in North America. From 1952 he served as Patriarchal Vicar to the United States and Canada, and from 1957, as Archbishop of the newly created Archdiocese of the United States and Canada. He lived until 1995. AND NOW THE REST OF THE STORY! Samuels family was one of many Syrians who had to flee Syria because of the persecution by the Turks in the final days of the Ottoman empire preceeding the first World War. Samuel eventually landed in Southern India as did many Syrians. It was here that Samuel was ordained as a priest before going to Jerusalem where he discovered the Dead Sea Scrolls that bedouins had found in a cave. FAST FORWARD A DOZEN YEARS: A young man from Southern India whose father was related to Athanasius Samuel wanted to come to America to study the lumber industry. Athanasius Samuel sponsored him to come to Northern California. That young man was---JOHN GABRIEL who would connect with the Buck family and Doyle Farnsworth. He would return to India and through Gods amazing grace and providence he was convicted to give his life to the Lord and begin what is today Kerala Christ Church Mission with over 40 churches, Crossroads English School with 2,150 students and the Childrens Village Orphanage with over 40 children. 28 years ago John asked us to partner with him in this ministry and we have been privileged to join churches and individuals in bringing the gospel message to Southern India. When I studied about the Dead Sea Scrolls in Bible College I never dreamed we might be involved in a way with the man who discovered them and that connection would be through the John Gabriel ministry!
Posted on: Thu, 14 Nov 2013 01:18:10 +0000
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