"If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicket ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.'' (2 Chronicles 7:14) I am responding to the letter written by R.W. Kaufman of Sandys parish that appeared in the May 4 edition of The Royal Gazette . Kaufman wrote, "Let me state at the outset, if you think it through, it is impossible to say `sorry' for acts of your forefathers who lived in a different time and place. This can only be gratuitous at worst and symbolic at best. You can only be held responsible for your own behaviour.'' I am quoting from an article that appeared in Charisma Magazine in March 1996.

The article is entitled, "A Season of Reconciliation,'' and is written by C.

Peter Wagner, a professor of church growth at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California.

1. Church leaders are repenting for slavery; Pope John Paul II is apologising for Catholics' mistreatment of Protestants; and Japanese Christians are repenting for the abuses of the Second World War. We should be encouraged, because this kind of repentance paves the way for revival.

2. God never fails to provide the resources His people need for any challenge He gives them. The unusual times we live in are no exception. One key weapon He has placed in the hands of the body of Christ in the 1990s is "identificational repentance.'' This often overlooked spiritual principle gives believers the power to change the past.

3. "Identificational repentance'' is a valid spiritual principle found in Scripture. To begin to understand it, let's start with something we are familiar with: "personal repentance''.

4. When we deal with a sin in our personal lives, we know we must: (i) Identify the sin specifically.

(ii) Sincerely confess the sin and ask God to forgive it.

(iii) Know that God is faithful and just to forgive our sins whenever we do confess them, because of the blood of Jesus Christ shed on our behalf.

(iv) When forgiven, walk in obedience from that point on and do whatever is necessary to repair the damage that our sin has done to others.

5. We must recognise that not only do people sin individually, but nations can and do sin corporately.

6. God desires to bring corporate healing. He wants to heal the land. The way He does this is parallel to the way He deals with individuals. If we desire to see true healing come to our national wounds, we must take the following steps: (i) Identify the national sin. For example, the principle sin of my nation, the United States, is clearly racism. The corporate sins that have established this spiritual stronghold are clear. The broadest and most pervasive sin was committed in bringing Africans to our shores as slaves -- human merchandise to be bought, sold and used for any conceivable purpose to satisfy the desires of their white masters.

(ii) Confess the sin corporately and ask God for forgiveness. John Dawson in his book, Healing America's Wounds, advises us to keep confessing the sin until it's gone. Cindy Jacobs a prayer leader says, "We must forgive until there is no more pain.'' (iii) Apply Christ's blood. Since there is no remission of sin without the shedding of blood, there will be no remission of national sin outside of the atonement of Christ.

(iv) Walk in obedience and repair the damage. Obviously this final step often will be the most difficult to implement, particularly in cases where iniquity has passed through many generations.

Why should we be concerned about the sins committed by our ancestors? The answers derive from the spiritual principle that iniquity passes from generation to generation.

Daniel and Nehemiah practised "identificational repentance''. Daniel said, "I was... confessing my sin and the sin of my people.'' Daniel 9:20. Nehemiah said, "Both my father's house and I have sinned.'' Nehemiah 1:6. Time alone does not heal national iniquities. In fact, if the sin is not remitted, the iniquity often-times becomes worse in successive generations.

Perhaps, the time has come for Christian leaders, who are endowed with higher levels of spiritual authority to become the most effective participants in such spiritual initiatives.

Desmond Tutu, in his latest book declares that there is "No Future without Forgiveness.'' MURIEL M. WADE-SMITH, Ph.D Smith's Parish Being driven mad May 8, 2000 Dear Sir, Well, madam Premier, seems like the buck stops with you. Dr. Brown now admits that the larger cars are a `done deal'. He was obviously attempting to draw the wool over us byes in January by saying larger cars would be `safer'; that the duty on the larger car was a `paper transaction only' and that he would change the regulations shortly.

Surely the Transport Minister should be able to come up with complete chapter and verse for us disbelievers that these cars are not being imported in contravention of the transport regulations. As Transport Minister he should also know better than anyone else on this Island the concerns expressed by the Transport Safety Boards in the US and UK that the size of a vehicle is in direct proportion to the damage it causes to other smaller vehicles when in an accident (but then it probably doesn't matter if Joe (Us Byes) Public gets insured as long as Government Ministers are OK). Having originally said the regulations on the size of cars would be changed to accommodate Alex Scott's larger car, he now says that `he believes it was done under the previous administration!' Hey, stop passing the buck -- get it right -- if you are going to fudge at least keep the fudge consistent.

Ecologically speaking, with road congestion at an all-time high with resultant appalling `road rage', it would surely behove a Minister of Transport to mandate smaller cars. Less fuel used, less emissions. You would be surprised how fast you think you are going at 40K when in a smaller car you fairly whiz along! Ergo, less road rage! Our `A' class car has as much interior room as the larger cars, has power steering, air conditioning, power windows -- you name it -- it's got it! And just think of the road tax and car insurance we're saving.

How true it is that worms turn. Dr. Brown now turns and squeals "the Premier made a decision very early in our administration and we are now seeing it executed!'' Unless I no longer understand the Queen's English this in fact means that the Premier decided to have larger cars upon being voted into power, so what's with Alex Scott saying there are no more than his one! Say it like it is, stop lying! Us byes have long memories come voting time.

Incidentally, Madam Premier, you should have the drivers of the `new improved' GP cars take another driving test. The driver of GP3 (who incidentally I did not recognise -- can anyone drive these cars?) coming from the north on Cedar Avenue was trying to turn right to go west at the junction with Victoria Street and he drew past another car (which was trying to turn right and go east) passenger-side to passenger-side and consequently almost did not see us trying to drive through the junction on the green light going north! MARGARET BARNS Smith's Parish Let's have fun together April 22, 2000 Dear Sir, In my opinion, I feel that the youth today are lacking in activities. There are things for us to do, don't get me wrong it's just that it costs a good sum of money to do anything. Take for example, I'm a teenaged boy and I like to ride bikes at my own leisure.

However, I really can't do so because Coney Island is not open during the summer (my only available time) and you have to be a member in order to race.

I feel that's not my style. I prefer to have a few of my friends over and have inexpensive fun together. But where is there for us to do so? Well, my grandfather has a large piece of property where I am able to ride safely on but I'm unable to because of the noise.

Today people have no patience whatsoever. A solution to this could be to have a piece of land, (preferably in the West area) and everyone could have fun together that doesn't involve stress.

HASCO A vote for women May 12, 2000 Dear Sir, Surely the time has come for the Anglican Church to accept women priests in their midst. 90 percent of the Anglican Church worldwide has accepted them and many of them now hold senior positions.

I don't know if it is the Synod or the priests in the Diocese are against them. If the latter is the case, then they should be compensated and leave the church, as has been done in the United Kingdom. Many of them then went over to the Roman Catholic Church -- a very commendable gesture.

Let's hope next time a parish becomes vacant, and no Bermudian is available, they consider a woman for the position.

ANGLICAN City of Hamilton Don't take a dim view April 19, 2000 Dear Sir, I am writing to you about the tinted windows on cars.

I think it is irritating to take tint off cars because no one has done anything wrong. There are some people who have super dark tint but they love having dark tint, and they should be allowed to have what they want on their cars.

I thought tint was supposed to help the car from fading on the inside. My opinion is that they should be allowed to have tint on their cars.

16 HALIAN STALLION