Let me highlight some things I vividly remember about Pastor Juriansz. My family was very close to Pastor Juriansz since the late 1940s. He saved me twice.
Back in 1956, Pastor Juriansz conducted a Week of Prayer at Lakpahana SDA School in Mailapitiya, Sri Lanka. He was relentless in his pursuit in seeing that Stephen Jesudason, Jeyekody Edward and many others, along with me must give our hearts to Jesus. By the end of the week, the Pastor won. Stephen, Jeyekody, many others, along with me were baptized by Pastor Eric L. Juriansz (his first experience baptizing) at Kandy SDA Church on Sabbath, June 2, 1956.
In January 1959, I registered in a Commercial school in Kegalle and was studying bookkeeping, shorthand and typing. Pastor Juriansz and Pastor Robinson had their caring eyes on me. And Pastor Juriansz was sent from Mailapitiya to convince me into dropping the studies I was doing and enroll at Spicer Memorial College. I showed no interest to this proposal. I was ready to go into the world and make a living. I suggested I had no money to attend school in India. Pastor Juriansz and Pastor Robinson quickly worked out a plan whereby I was to teach at Lapahana (relieve Mrs. S. J. Louis who was taking maternity leave) from September 1959 to March 1960 and then begin Summer School at Spicer. With a great deal of reluctance, I agreed to the Pastor's suggestion. What a change that was! It has made all the difference in my life!
Pastor Juriansz was very tactful in dealing with problem areas. He knew how to remove the sting without being stung. When I began teaching a 7th standard class at Lakpahana in September 1959, I recall three girls--Damayanthi, Jazlin and Rajakumari were in the class. After a few days, Pastor Juriansz and Pastor Robinson decided it wasn't good to have me teach a class with three girls in it. So they arranged for me to teach a different class and Pastor Juriansz to deal with the class where Damayanthi, Jazlin and Rajakumari were. Is it any wonder that in December 24, 1972, I should actually get married to Jazlin--one of the three girls back in 1959. Talk about tact and know-how, that Pastor Robinson and Pastor Juriansz had!
I've always thought of Pastor Juriansz as a person who saved me twice:
Back in 1956, Pastor Juriansz conducted a Week of Prayer at Lakpahana SDA School in Mailapitiya, Sri Lanka. He was relentless in his pursuit in seeing that Stephen Jesudason, Jeyekody Edward and many others, along with me must give our hearts to Jesus. By the end of the week, the Pastor won. Stephen, Jeyekody, many others, along with me were baptized by Pastor Eric L. Juriansz (his first experience baptizing) at Kandy SDA Church on Sabbath, June 2, 1956.
In January 1959, I registered in a Commercial school in Kegalle and was studying bookkeeping, shorthand and typing. Pastor Juriansz and Pastor Robinson had their caring eyes on me. And Pastor Juriansz was sent from Mailapitiya to convince me into dropping the studies I was doing and enroll at Spicer Memorial College. I showed no interest to this proposal. I was ready to go into the world and make a living. I suggested I had no money to attend school in India. Pastor Juriansz and Pastor Robinson quickly worked out a plan whereby I was to teach at Lapahana (relieve Mrs. S. J. Louis who was taking maternity leave) from September 1959 to March 1960 and then begin Summer School at Spicer. With a great deal of reluctance, I agreed to the Pastor's suggestion. What a change that was! It has made all the difference in my life!
Pastor Juriansz was very tactful in dealing with problem areas. He knew how to remove the sting without being stung. When I began teaching a 7th standard class at Lakpahana in September 1959, I recall three girls--Damayanthi, Jazlin and Rajakumari were in the class. After a few days, Pastor Juriansz and Pastor Robinson decided it wasn't good to have me teach a class with three girls in it. So they arranged for me to teach a different class and Pastor Juriansz to deal with the class where Damayanthi, Jazlin and Rajakumari were. Is it any wonder that in December 24, 1972, I should actually get married to Jazlin--one of the three girls back in 1959. Talk about tact and know-how, that Pastor Robinson and Pastor Juriansz had!
I've always thought of Pastor Juriansz as a person who saved me twice:
a) Brought me to the SDA Church Membership on June 2, 1956;
b) Redirected my course in life by persuading me to attend Spicer
Pastor Juriansz was Dean of Boys at Lakpahana for a short time. One day several boys were in bad behavior. The discipline committee met and the decision was made. The "bad" boys were to receive corporal punishment. Pastor Juriansz began pleading on behalf of the "bad" boys. The discipline committee was determined with its decision. Finally, Pastor Juriansz said "As the "father" for the boys--good and bad, he was prepared to receive the corporal punishment. Boys were let free. Imagine a dean doing such a thing--bearing the punishment upon him!
b) Redirected my course in life by persuading me to attend Spicer
Pastor Juriansz was Dean of Boys at Lakpahana for a short time. One day several boys were in bad behavior. The discipline committee met and the decision was made. The "bad" boys were to receive corporal punishment. Pastor Juriansz began pleading on behalf of the "bad" boys. The discipline committee was determined with its decision. Finally, Pastor Juriansz said "As the "father" for the boys--good and bad, he was prepared to receive the corporal punishment. Boys were let free. Imagine a dean doing such a thing--bearing the punishment upon him!
Pastor Juriansz was good at teaching sex education. I recall him telling how we must be very cautious when we take a bath. Clean yourself but do not spend much time around sensitive parts.
As a Pastor and a Teacher, he had no difficulty integrating faith and teaching. Whether in the Math Class or any other subject he taught, it was just natural for him to talk about Christ. When he saw me as a student worker in the carpentry shop at Lakpahana, he would say I should be a worker as Jesus was in His father's carpentry shop.
What a happy day it was when Pastor Juriansz was present at my graduation from Andrews University in 1969.
The last time I met him was at the GC Session in Toronto, Canada. He was concerned about me being away from home so much of the time. He cautioned me to be always joined to the family. While he believed "Distance makes the hearts grow fonder" he also believed that all too often "Distance makes the hearts go "wander."
Due to a automobile accident, Mrs. Brian Juriansz passed away in 1983. Pastor Juriansz never remarried during the last 28 years. For all the years I've known Pastor Juriansz, his wife and he were always together. When they had children (Roseanne, Rosemary, Rosalie, Darrel & Leyanne), they too were always seen together with mom and dad when the children were young.
With the death of Pastor Brian D. Juriansz, the Adventist Church has lost a beloved friend, counselor, father, pastor, a fine genuine Christian who was so tender-hearted.
I want to meet Pastor Brian D. Juriansz and all the others who have been laid to rest. Come, Lord Jesus, quickly!
Perhaps some readers will recall Eric B. Hare's story of the Juriansz family and "the little yellow truck." Seems they were going from Lakpahana to the "town with the sweetest name," Kandy, the family sitting on passenger benches in the back of the truck. Forced off the winding, hilly road by a vehicle coming up, the little truck plunged down a brush-covered embankment, but, protected by an angel, the truck came to rest with little or no harm to the truck or the passengers; even little baby Juriansz not losing the nursing bottle it was sucking on!
Two other Juriansz brothers were well-known workers in Northwest India Union back in the mid-twentieth century when the headquarters of the union was in Bombay. Frank, married to Joy Christo, Gerald's sister, was treasurer of that union, and Robert was one of the union secretaries (as we call directors of departments today).
