John and Mary Steen
– A Memorial

Besides their family, this memorial is primarily intended for ourselves and for some of our very close friends – who knew and loved Uncle John and Aunt Mary.

Gordon A. Rainbow, 1997

The Campbell's later moved to London. They were among the little company there who began to meet together to remember the Lord Jesus in the breaking of bread.

This poem – as others by John Steen presented here – bears a clear witness to the Scriptural principles and practices that governed and characterized John and Mary's life.

Faith's Outlook

M isleading is vanity's glitter,
A round are its false delights,
R iches, honour and pleasure,
Y outh is enslaved by the sight.

F aith looks out and beyond it,
R are are the things it sees,
A Risen Man in the heavens –
N one other than Christ could it be;
C hangeless in holy splendour,
I n His hands His sufferings trace,
S hining God's glory, radiant,


effulgent in His face.

C ould ever a sight be like it?
A Man in heaven, you say?
M ay the light of this glorious triumph
P reserve you in your way.
B e ever your joy and power
E ach day of every year,
L ooking off unto Jesus, knowing
L ove's task is to set you there.

No Date, John K. Steen

Cut off from a world of violence,
Of corruption death and sin;
Cut off from its vain, false pleasures,
That destruction only bring.

Cut off from all worldly wisdom
And philosophy of man,
Who with feeble human reason
Tries the things of God to scan.

Cut off from all worldly glory,
From its vanity and pride;
That behind which man endeavours
Moral nakedness to hide.

Cut off from all class distinction,
That which makes so much of man;
But which, in God's holy presence,
Cannot ever hope to stand.

Cut off from the world that man made
Just to gratify his lust,
Thinking not that his sad finish
Is just death, his body dust.

By the death of Jesus cut off,
Now my life's no longer here.
With this world I've no connection,
Now I live outside its sphere.

Linked up in the Spirit's power,
Linked with what's of God on earth,
Bearing God's own blessèd imprint,
His own sovereign act, new birth.

Linked with those who His name honour,
Those who own His glory too,
Standing thus apart from this world,
With the world to come in view.

Linked in sacred ties together,
Ties which God Himself hath wrought,
On this earth, in love together,
Safe we'll be to glory brought.

Linked together while we're waiting.
Linked with Christ the Lord, our King.
Linked in heavenly bonds together,
All His grace and power to sing.

Linked with Him, with Him how blessèd,
Linked with Him, the Conqueror,
Sin and death and hell He vanquished,
Now He lives for evermore.

Linked with Him, God's richest blessing,
O what joy doth fill my heart,
With the Father's Well Belovèd
Is our blest eternal part.

What more could the creature ask for,
What could e'er compare with this?
With God's Son to be before Him,
There in brightest heav'nly bliss!

May 7, 1930, John K. Steen

It is not known where church bells ring,
Where organs peal, where choirs sing,
And clergy take their stand,
Not where glimmering stained windows
With leaded pictures cast shadows;
'Tis foreign to that land.

It is never found in circles
Where commercial interest rules;
Never in the world of science,
Never learned about in schools.

Politicians do not know it;
No, their eyes have never seen –
Matchless worth and beauty soft –
Its most fair and lustrous sheen.

The martial world, with glitt'ring fame,
(All its feats of valour shown),
This sweet beauty, decked with grace,
It has never, never, known.

The natural mind and sight, O Lord,
Although keen as eagle's eye,
The glory of this hidden gem,
Never, ever, can descry.

The Church is Thine, for Thee alone.
By Thee sustained and nourished;
By Thee its every grace is known,
Its fresh, sweet beauty cherished.

We learn its preciousness to Thee,
Its value to Thy heart,
For Thou to gain this costly gem,
With all didst freely part.

And as we realize through grace,
Dark though the day may be,
Yet here there's hidden from the world,
A treasure Lord for Thee.

We're with the obscure place content,
By man unrecognized,
For we are of the Hidden Gem,
By Thee so highly prized.

May 7, 1930, John K. Steen

I worked for him, in his bookkeeping service, for a year. The first few months, before Betty and I were married, I lived in his home. We also broke bread together. After moving from Tillsonburg, we often visited John and Mary.

• As a result, I have observed him in many characters: as a brother, as a servant of the Lord, as a householder, as a relative and as an employer. He was even-tempered in all circumstances.

• If not the most, he was one of the most gracious, kind, and caring persons I have known; certainly he was the most heavenly.

As to his service to the Lord, he was "a faithful man and feared God above many", Nehemiah 7: 2.

• Though unappreciated by some in his locality, he shepherded the saints until the end, and will not be ashamed before the Chief Shepherd. 1 Peter 5: 4.

His poems not only display a freshness of devotion and purpose of heart but, for his young age, a remarkable intelligence as to the assembly and our position in the world where Christ was rejected; his lifetime of dedicated service was true to his youthful commitment.

Dear Gordon and Betty,

For the happy time we spent with you,
Our many thanks we send.
Was sorry to have made you feel
You had nearly reached your end.
You had to dig and push and shove
While the cold wind did blow,
But after all it wasn't us
Who sent you all that snow.

As we journeyed homeward,
The roads were bare and good.
The car purred like a kitten
Right underneath the hood,
And seemed to feel at last
We now are homeward bound.

I suppose you are part settled
In your new home 4 – 0 – 9.
I hope you have the stove attached
So you can sit and dine.
I think I can hear Betty say,
"We'll put this chair right here.
Oh no! I think it would
Look better over there".

It really doesn't matter
If they look just right,
As long as there's a welcome
To any – day or night.
And may you both a blessing be
To all who come to dine –
And may God's richest blessings rest
On your new home 4 – 0 – 9.

c. February 1962, Aunt Mary.

You gave me the idea, Gordon. Don't laugh too hard at my first try.

Their car broke down on the way to our house after fellowship meetings – shortly before our move to '409' O'Connor Drive.