COLONEL LESLIE RUSSELL

Leslie Russell became an officer from Guelph, Ontario, in 1924 and, since then, with Mrs. Russell, has served In Canada and the Eastern and Western Territories of India, for a time holding the interesting position of International Headquarters' Auditor for India, Pakistan, Burma and Ceylon, which incorporated the editing of the English language edition of "The War Cry" for all these countries.

Born on the mission field of missionary officer parents and having served as a missionary officer all his career, save for six years, it can be said of him that “Here is a missionary by blood, birth and choice".

From the world of commerce, Leslie Russell entered the Toronto Training College to become an officer and, very soon, a missionary. Not of his own choosing, but because of need-and his ability to meet it has kept the Colonel mainly in finance work. With but four years' service as an officer, Captain Russell took charge of the finance department of the Eastern India and Burma Territory, and remained in that one appointment for fifteen years. Then came a transfer from Eastern to Western India as Financial Secretary.

Following a period of five years spent in the finance department at the Canadian Territorial Headquarters, Brigadier Russell was called upon to return to India. After twenty-one years already devoted to the stringent, penurious life of a missionary, and with the growing children's interests to consider, this was not an easy challenge to face. But the call to sacrifice met with self-renouncing love.

Mrs. Colonel Russell (formerly Captain Nellie Jones), whose winning personality is an asset wherever she goes, has always shared in the fulfilling of this calling. Brought up in a Salvation Army family-her father being a local officer for over forty years at Dovercourt and Brock Avenue Corps, Toronto-at the age of seventeen she made the decision for officership and entered the Toronto Training College. She would be the first to acknowledge the wonderful leadings of God in taking her to India, even before her husband's arrival.

As the I.H.Q. Auditor for India, Pakistan, Burma and Ceylon, Colonel Russell travelled the length and breadth of this great sub-continent. Meetings of varied character with officers, soldiers, young people and others in widely diverse parts of the country presented opportunities for spiritual fellowship and personal evangelism. Though facts and figures occupied much of his daily routine, the Colonel was always an evangelist whose delight it was to "preach the Word".

From 1962 to 1965 he was the Finance Secretary at International Headquarters, London, in direct association with the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the international affairs of the Army. It was from this responsibility that he came to Canada in the spring of this year to be the Financial Secretary, the post he now relinquishes.