So far i have in mind 4 couples with their children for a start here. You two - Neil & Kathy - Don & Patty and Burnd & Sylvia. These are all Born Again Christians and not allergic to work. i think we must be very cautious not to get any deadbeats or Agitators.
Nelson had a deep distrust of government “interference” with Copper Island:
Some years ago, when the Regional Dictatorship was first brought out, i borrowed their manifesto and copied the whole foul thing. Not a square foot of BC was exempt from their mandatory rulings. When the house was burned, my copy was lost. Some character in Vancouver was paid to zone Bamfield and around Barkley Sound: either the man was mentally unbalanced or he had a depraved sense of humour. For example, one section about Bamfield was zoned for “Hog Farm.” Imagine hogs rooting big cedar stumps out and growing fat, and also the expense of shipping grain in to feed them. Another portion for mushroom growing. Very likely he never heard that mushrooms are commercially grown in closed buildings. Copper Island was zoned for Railroads, Airports, Trapping and portable sawmills. Now if Copper Island is still so zoned, would there be any sin if we put up a little sawmill (since we already have the timber)? Surely we would be allowed to stay here with the mill, and if we happen to be religious, should our home religion affect our zoning? And if Christians wish to come visit, without being advertised for or charged, should that have any bearing on zoning? i hope i am not offensive, but that is as i see the situation.
The principle of stewardship is a constant theme in the Bible, from Adam and Eve placed in the garden of Eden to Jesus' parable of the talents. The teaching is that everything we have was entrusted to us by God, and that we are responsible to manage it in a way that represents him well. We treat the stuff of God as he would treat it, as his representatives on earth. In a letter to Neil, Nelson wrote:
It is a terrible responsibility to be title holder to the Lord’s property. To select an heir is a very serious business, and most likely there is not a person walking this earth whom all would approve of.
- They would need a vision and a love for Copper Island and a realization that such a property to buy is almost non-existent.
- They would need a greater desire to serve Christ than some denomination.
- To log off or sell the property should never once enter their mind.
- They would need to exercise extreme caution, these evil days, as to whom they would invite to use the place.
- There should be no advertising by print or radio, but by word of mouth people would come to know where to come to find the Lord.
- Friends could do work and give gifts but never would they be asked to pay for the use of the facilities.
- They would come as friends of Jesus and depart the same way.
Continue in prayer to God to guide us, and soon, for the world is deteriorating by the hour and Christians need a refuge from the evil one.