Charles Lester Bond was born at the family ranch near Lemoore, California 8 August 1888. His father, James Monroe Bond, a descendant of Oregon pioneers, was a farmer in Stanislaus County of California when he heard from his uncle, Seth, a convert of J. N. Loughborough, of the Seventh-day Adventist beliefs. His mother was Sarah Tabitha Starr, they had eleven children.
C. Lester Bond attended a first SDA Church school, with 31 students, which was begun by his parents, uncle Seth and the Browns, who built and furnished a school. (23 of the 31 students who attended school that first year later became regular, full time employees of the church in different fields of service). After completing 10th grade at this school C. Lester went to the Union School which was later called Armona Academy to complete his high school education.
When the family moved to Phoenix, Arizona C. Lester took nursing while running the family dairy to pay his way. His father, James M. Bond, had become a medical doctor. C. Lester Bond married Gladys Gerow also a nurse, 16 October 1907, in a simple ceremony held in the hospital parlor. He took up colporteur and evangelistic work in Arizona and in Central California Conference. In 1911 he did Colporteur work in Cuba, then back to Central California for Colporteur work then Colporteur and Nursing at Healdsburg, California.
He received additional education at Pacific Union College. Upon his graduation, June 1916 – he did evangelistic work in Northwestern California Conference, was evangelist and MV (Missionary Volunteer) Secretary (Director) in the Nevada Conference, MV and Home Missionary Secretary in Northwestern California Conference, and associate MV director for the Southern California Conference.
He joined the General Conference Missionary Volunteer Department November 1927 and served as an Associate Secretary (director) until November 1946. Elder Bond loved young people and did much to encourage youth work around the world. Under his leadership the Junior Missionary Volunteer classes were expanded and refined. He appointed Arthur W. Spalding and Harriet Maxson Holt to write the first 16 Vocational Merits, later Vocational Honors, currently called Adventist Youth Honors. (AY Honors)
In 1929 he wrote the first in a series of Junior Handbooks, which gave young people and their leaders a valuable resource. The handbook listed requirements for the classes, Friend, Companion and Comrade as well as Master Comrade.
C. Lester Bond was known as “MR. JMV because of his untiring work for juniors and interest in the summer Junior Camp program. His book, Ideals for Juniors, was an extremely popular volume, which expanded and explained the JMV Pledge and Law. He wrote worship books, including “God’s Challenge to Youth” and Adventurers in Christian Living” and “The Quest of Youth”. Bond also was an associate editor of the “The Youth’s Instructor” and was on the book committee of the Review and Herald Publishing Association.
C. Lester and Gladys had one son Edward Gerow Bond who became a doctor, and one grandson, Robert, also a doctor.
C. Lester Bond served as Youth Director and Book and Bible House Manager in the Upper Columbia Conference November 1946-November 1948 at which time he became president of Upper Columbia Conference until 15 June 1957.
It was during this time that I became personally acquainted with Elder Bond. He came to our home for dinner, following a Sabbath morning sermon at Upper Columbia Academy. Though he visited with our parents he spent considerable time getting to know my sister Delia, my brother David and myself. When we got up to do dishes he picked up a dishtowel and helped us with our work. It is of no surprise that we all three went to camp at Camp MiVoden that summer as his stories had been so good we wanted to hear more!
His wife, Gladys, of 49 years, died June 1956. C. Lester remarried the widow of a close friend, Elder E. E. Franklin who had died 15 June 1956 of a heart attack. Christine and Lester were married 11 June 1957. C. Lester became an associate pastor of the Mountain View Church in California for 4 years. Later in retirement they moved to Riverside, California.
Elder Bond, a kindly, dedicated man of God died April 1971 at Riverside, California and was buried at Loma Linda, California in Montecito Memorial Park.
