Banner Of Life Carried Nearly Half A Century

September 20, 2018 at 12:32 p.m.

By Ken Locke-

I’ve been told many times that you should never reveal a lady’s age. But I’m going to break that rule.

I watched Mary Louise Lowe rise before the crowd at the Manahan Orthopaedic Capital Center in Winona Lake on Monday to confer an award named after her to a deserving couple. The throng rose in a standing ovation for her before the presentation. A fitting tribute to a wonderful woman 93 years young. (Yes, I broke the rule. Please forgive me, Mary Louise!)

I sat there with a piece of paper in front of me and started jotting down some statistics and thoughts. The Roe v. Wade decision was in 1973. Mary Louise has been fighting for life and the rights of the unborn for just under 45 years, when a Right to Life group was formed in Kosciusko County. It was also noted that over 60 million children have been aborted in America since that date. That’s 1.33 million on average per year. Only God knows how many children have been saved in our area because of Mary Louise and others who have carried this banner for almost a half century.

The speaker for the Right to Life of North Central Indiana Banquet, retired Lt. Gen. Jerry Boykin, ended his gripping talk with this question about abortion, inspired by his wife, whose mother chose not to terminate her in 1957, and his leadership in the United States Army. He asked everyone, “Have I done everything within my power to save the lives of the unborn?” Boykin, in his plain-speaking way said, “Abortion is murder, period.”

A nation that does not protect life is moving toward an appointment at the judgment bar of God, the Creator who has given us life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Life is the key issue of our day, from womb to the tomb. Thank God there are folks like Mary Louise who have graciously borne this torch of truth along with many others.

Micah 6:8 says, “He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” As we follow Christ seeking justice for the unborn, may we show forgiveness, mercy and humility because of our own sins.

Thanks, Mary Louise, for your example (and Jerry, wow! I just called a three-star general by his first name!) for your perseverance.

There are bright signs that folks are becoming more pro-life. Let us pray and work for that day when abortions are rare in this land of liberty.

His truth is marching on...



Ken Locke is community ministries director of The Salvation Army in Warsaw and director of the Greater Warsaw Ministerial Association. Have ideas for this column? Go to www.gwma.info.



I’ve been told many times that you should never reveal a lady’s age. But I’m going to break that rule.

I watched Mary Louise Lowe rise before the crowd at the Manahan Orthopaedic Capital Center in Winona Lake on Monday to confer an award named after her to a deserving couple. The throng rose in a standing ovation for her before the presentation. A fitting tribute to a wonderful woman 93 years young. (Yes, I broke the rule. Please forgive me, Mary Louise!)

I sat there with a piece of paper in front of me and started jotting down some statistics and thoughts. The Roe v. Wade decision was in 1973. Mary Louise has been fighting for life and the rights of the unborn for just under 45 years, when a Right to Life group was formed in Kosciusko County. It was also noted that over 60 million children have been aborted in America since that date. That’s 1.33 million on average per year. Only God knows how many children have been saved in our area because of Mary Louise and others who have carried this banner for almost a half century.

The speaker for the Right to Life of North Central Indiana Banquet, retired Lt. Gen. Jerry Boykin, ended his gripping talk with this question about abortion, inspired by his wife, whose mother chose not to terminate her in 1957, and his leadership in the United States Army. He asked everyone, “Have I done everything within my power to save the lives of the unborn?” Boykin, in his plain-speaking way said, “Abortion is murder, period.”

A nation that does not protect life is moving toward an appointment at the judgment bar of God, the Creator who has given us life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Life is the key issue of our day, from womb to the tomb. Thank God there are folks like Mary Louise who have graciously borne this torch of truth along with many others.

Micah 6:8 says, “He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” As we follow Christ seeking justice for the unborn, may we show forgiveness, mercy and humility because of our own sins.

Thanks, Mary Louise, for your example (and Jerry, wow! I just called a three-star general by his first name!) for your perseverance.

There are bright signs that folks are becoming more pro-life. Let us pray and work for that day when abortions are rare in this land of liberty.

His truth is marching on...



Ken Locke is community ministries director of The Salvation Army in Warsaw and director of the Greater Warsaw Ministerial Association. Have ideas for this column? Go to www.gwma.info.



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