GEORGE HENRY, STAR Writer

Ecclesiastes chapter 12 and verse 1 asks us to remember our Creator in the days of our youth, and one young person who has adhered to this command is elder at the Mount Nebo Apostolic Church in Manchester, Clive Saunders. He has been an elder for that congregation for over three years. He gave his life to God in 1980 at a young age.

"I have always been a God-fearing person and was very fearful of going to Hell. I was grown up in the Sunday school and the word of God was preached to me, and I knew that to surrender my life to the Lord was the best and only way to escape Hell," said Saunders.

He told THE STAR that when he got saved, life for him as a young Christian was not easy. He added that that was so because he had not acquired a good education. He pointed out that during his early years, he was not living with his mother, who migrated to England when he was a lad.

"My father was not a stable man. So, actually from age 15, I had to start working for myself; but I got saved at the age of 18, and it was during that time that I experienced a lot of temptations as a new Christian," said Saunders.

He added that after he got converted, several persons predicted that he would have backslid; but he has lived to prove them wrong.

He pointed out that when he just got saved, he used to be engaged in fasting for at least three days and three nights per week. This, he said, helped him to grow in the faith and to become a strong Christian. Saunders added that it is important for followers of the Lord to study the Bible.

"The scripture declares that the word of God is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. It is like a map that would lead you from Earth to Heaven. So it is very important to study and to read the word of God. And as Paul says in the Bible, we should study to show thyself approved unto God," he said.

He explained that during his time, persons were more willing to attend church and were never being forced to do so by parents. These days, according to the church elder and Sunday school teacher, persons who teach have to be offering children incentives for them to attend.

"During my time, we never got any incentives and we were more interested in the activities of the Church. And we were more obedient to our parents, in comparison to the children of today," said Saunders.

He wants children who are not attending Sunday or Sabbath school to know that they are missing out on many teachings that are vital to their spiritual life. He added that when one stays away from such classes or stays away from church, one becomes spiritually weak.

Saunders, who loves all the books in the Bible written by the Apostle Paul, is the father of three daughters and three sons. He is happy that all of them are following in his footsteps based on the good example that he has set for them as a Christian and as a church leader.

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