THE HURRICANE SUFFERERS
March Harbour, Abacos, Beloved brethren:- Oct. 11th, 1928.
I am informed by the Bank of the telegraphic transfer of $200. that has been made in response to my telegram to you. I now take the opportunity to thank you and those who have kindly responded to the wire. I am enclosing copies of letters from both the Current and Eleuthera which I based my telegram on, and trust leaving this coming week to look into conditions, at which time I shall be better able to advise from personal observation and let you know what I find out as to conditions.
Meanwhile accept my thanks and I shall give accounts of way money trusted to me is spent.
Ever sincerely and aff'tly yours, R. S. Stratton.
Current, Sept. 17,1928. Dear brother Stratton:-
Oh, what a time of sorrow here! A hurricane yesterday passed over us, leaving many homeless and without food or money. My brother Rupert lost his home and all he had. Bruce the same; Maude the same. Sixteen homes down in all. Such a sight was never seen here before in the history of this settlement, and if relief does not come soon most of the people here will soon be starving. Brother, pray for us. We need it in our distress.
Your brother in grace,
J. Algreen.
Palmetto Point, Eleuthera. Dear brother R. S. Stratton:- Sept. 8, 1928.
I exceedingly regret to report that the recent hurricane wrought serious damage in Palmetto Point as well as at Savannah Sound and some other settlements on Eleuthera. Teacher's residence and new schoolroom seriously damaged-about half or more of the homes destroyed. The Bible Truth Hall got its share. It was blown off the foundation and left with a very bad twist in it. We managed to have meetings in it Lord's Day past, but it is in a dangerous condition and is likely to fall at any moment. It will be impossible to make any repairs apart from taking it to pieces and re-building it,
so before we do anything I thought to let you and brother 'Van Ryn know of it. If you both can come this way we would be glad, as no doubt you will be able to make helpful suggestions.
If you cannot come we will have to get what carpenter help we can around here and get to work at once.
Upon receipt of this I should be glad if you can wire me.
I am quite ill, was ill before the hurricane and in the height of the storm was compelled to leave the residence and creep on my knees and hands. It is the worst experience I have ever had.
There is some suffering among some of the brethren, but if any appeal is made I would rather for you and August to do it. Yours in Christ,
—- Frank.
JAPAN NEWS LETTER No. 68.
S.S. Empress of Russia, in Mid-Pacific, Meridian Day, Beloved brethren and sisters:- Sept., 1828.
Yesterday was Monday, Sept. 10, to-morrow will be Tuesday, Sept. 11, but to-day is the dateless Meridian Day, on which we cross the International Date Line. Going East a day is gained, and going West a day is lost at this point-apparently. Going with the sun the day is lengthened, and going against the sun, the time is shortened, and the difference necessary to adjust the calendar is adjusted by international agreement at this point.
In the 2nd class, with some missionaries of the China Inland Mission we have had Bible 'meetings on board, and on the Sunday evening at the Song Service I was asked to speak. I used John 3:16. The audience was small, but very attentive. The attendance at the dances was larger, alas!
One of our earnest sisters in the Lord, wife of brother Hagiwara, died shortly before we left Japan. But in addition to the two mentioned in July letter, two more were baptized and added to the number.
Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe. Taking brother Fujimoto with me I visited the scattered few brethren and sisters of our company in these cities; and sent farewell letters to others in other parts of the country.
Remembrance. We feel very sad at leaving our dear brethren and sisters, especially as there is such an earnest spirit amongst them. Brother Nishihara, the draftsman, and brother Tsukiyama, helped compile a new address list at my request, in which I have information as to each one, to help keep in touch with them all. It is a loose-leaf book and brother Nishihara took a little snapshot photo and pasted it on the sheet of each one.
Last meetings. By invitation I spoke at the Doshinsha brethren's hall on the Sunday evening, speaking on John 3:16 to an interested audience. A young university student was especially affected by the gospel. And on the Wednesday evening, the eve of our departure, at our usual Kanda "open-air" there was a good crowd to listen.
Farewell. At a farewell meeting which the brethren had for us at the home of the Omata family, about forty gathered. Then the day we sailed a like number came to see us off. They sang in Japanese, "God be with you till we meet again." Some friends too were present, and a few from each of the other two companies of "Brethren." The farewell was very touching to our hearts. When we were two days out at sea, I sent a wireless message for them all to Dr. Tsukiyama, in Japanese, thus:"Jude, verse 20 to end." And I mailed a letter to them as soon as the steamer reached Victoria, B. C.
Aff'y yours in our Lord,
E. B. Craig.
Nyangkunde, Congo Beige. Dear brother:- Aug. 29,1928.
I am enclosing a medical order as per my last letter.
I hope that the medical fund has grown since you last wrote me so that these orders will not give it a permanent shock! But our faith is in God, and though I send this order to you since you are kind enough to attend to these details, yet I remember that you are powerless unless our God lays this need upon the hearts of His people.
Last Lord's Day it was our pleasure to baptize eight natives in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Five of these were boys from Mikairi's out schools, one was a boy from a near-by village who has been coming quite regularly to the station and the other two were Alurs who are here with us. One of the Alurs is the wife of our cook-boy, who has grown up with us. He is a very bright Christian, and we were glad to see her take this step in open testimony for the Lord. This was a very happy occasion for us all, you may be sure, and we are thankful for these who shall be the Lord's for an eternal Day.
Miss De Jonge has not been very well the last few months. A condition has developed which is somewhat obscure, and I have called in Dr. Trout of the African Inland Mission for consultation but we have not been able to come to a decision. I am next going to consult with the doctor of the Kilo Gold Mines, and if necessary I may arrange to take her to Dr. Cook at Kampala (Uganda) for that is the nearest place where an X-Ray is available. But above this we would greatly value the fellowship in prayer of the Lord's people.
I will not write more this time.
Yours in Christ, by grace.
R. C. Woodhams, M.D.
A cable just received tells of our dear sister having to undergo an operation which in the Lord's mercy was successful. Let us pray earnestly for her and them all.
Parintins, Brazil, Dear brother:- Sept. 14,1928.
"Repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ" was preached for the first time in three distant and isolated settlements. Spent two days teaching hymns.
One young married couple of believers were helped out of Seventh-day Adventism. In another section, one family of seven adult persons (no children) began studying the Word-all nicely interested. A three days' visit was paid to believers of a zone not seen of us since 1925; they report encouragement and a mind of cleaving unto the Lord.
I spent one week with the brethren at Tracaja River, with two decisions and a few humble and earnest souls whose hearts the Lord is opening. Children kept safe at home, Mrs. R. being ill and very weak.
Phil. 4:19; Eph. 3:20; Prov. 11:25.
Your brother and servant in Christ Jesus,
J. P. Ribeiro.
Antwerp, Belgium. Dear brother:- Sept. 24th, 1928.
Your letter of Sept. 10th is before me, and I wish to thank you for it. Please communicate my sincere thanks in the Lord to the saints for their prayerful interest and loving fellowship, which I accept in the Lord's precious name. How precious to willingly acknowledge that One died for all-that they who live should no longer live to themselves, but to Him who died for them and has been raised. Thus I desire also that the light of my life may be blazed out for Him.
Not often does one meet with men who do not want to receive the gospel literature, but in almost all cases one sees them immediately begin to read. This does one good when one realizes they, as is the case with very many, have been the dark and without the gospel all their lives, to see them get in contact with the life-giving Word for the first time. One day last week I canvassed the Br. S.S. "Gambia," which I had reached last November. This ship had West-Indian firemen, and several of them asked for New Testaments. Last November I had given out some, so they reminded me of that, and wanted more.
Mrs. O. has now been sick for over six weeks with pneumonia. She asked me how long I had held my present belief. I answered, "About fifteen years." She then said that she thought that one's belief was born in them. She said that they had never seen a Bible here in Belgium and did not know what one was, but in Scotland during the war she had become acquainted with one. She further said that if one was born and reared under Roman Catholic influence, that then she thought that they would remain under that all their lives. This gives us to see how important it is to give these poor benighted people the precious Word of God. The worst thing about the influence of the Romish System is that it so distorts their consciences that it is difficult for the light to penetrate into their darkened hearts. Even when they are brought face to face with plain facts, still they refuse to acknowledge them, but, thank God, His Word has proved to be living and operative and the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.
I had an exceptionally busy week last week, having canvassed forty-five ships of twelve nationalities. On some of these there were as many as five nationalities among the crew. Last Saturday I canvassed a French ship on which were some Allamites and Arabs; then I reached a British ship on which were about 30 Bengali, 33 Urdu and 36 Goanese. What a field to give the gospel to many who have not heard it, and cannot come into any of the British Missions in the various ports!
Yours aff'tly in Christ our Hope,
Jonas Eck.
Verdun, P. Q.
Dear brother in Christ:- Oct. 8th, 1928. At the present time I am amongst the French-Canadians, some 125 miles away from home. Very few are those who are able to work amongst the French people, so I have a large field to myself. I have open doors among the French Protestants of the back part of the country, and also among some children of brethren who drifted away and went to live amongst the Roman Catholics. The family where I am had not been visited these last eighteen years, and they, as well as many others, fell into many hurtful things. So, I am glad to be able to point them to and call them back to Christ. By the grace of God I can say that I have many more invitations than I can respond to. Kindly pray for me and for the field. I am, aff'tly yours in Him,
Louis J. Germain.
Barcelona(G), Spain. Dear brother in Christ:- Sept. 20th, 1928.
The Lord is blessing us here in the midst of many difficulties, and we praise Him for His sustaining grace and for whatever cheers us or draws us nearer to Himself. We regret that we cannot preach the Word as freely as in Costa Rica, but are thankful for opportunities in Sunday School and occasionally in some hall, where, we are told, had been fruit among some young people. The literature is a fine means to reach people and we enjoy this privilege. We covet your prayers.
With our united Christian love to you, and all the saints with you, Sincerely yours in our coming Lord,
B. Montllau.
Winslow., Arizona. Dear brother:- Sept. 10,1928.
With the exception of two or three, I have just completed a thorough canvass of all of the Indian homes in Winslow. The interest on the part of many, at least so far as attendance at the classes is concerned, continues good. In visiting at several of the homes last week, I was thankful to note a spirit of self-examination on the part of some who feel that they have failed in coming to the meetings and that it is to their shame. One man whose work is particularly dangerous told me that he cannot help but feel thankful from day to day to God for preserving his life. He has had a number of miraculous escapes, for which he gives the glory to God. Another elderly woman who has a little hold of the truth and has a tender conscience, told me that she could not go to the Indian ceremonials (to which thousands of white people flock each fall) because "they are so bad." And yet some of the Winslow Indians who profess to be Christians do go to these affairs and apparently enjoy them. But when the white people who profess to be Christians do the same, what can we expect of Indians but just removed from heathenism?
A Hopi man who has lived within a stone's throw of the Mission in all the two years that I have been here, came last Friday evening for the first time to a meeting. The man is exercised and I praise the Lord for this break. And yesterday morning, at Sunday School, a girl about eight years old from a hostile Hopi family came 'also for the first time. She has three sisters who are old enough to come, and it may be that the Lord is beginning to get Himself an entrance into that home.
A Hopi woman died a few weeks ago, refusing the help of a white doctor until it was too late to save her. Many times have I given her the gospel, and yet I do not know whether she died saved or unsaved. Her husband told me that on the morning of the day she died, seeming to have a premonition of it, she said, "I wonder where do we go when we die." It may be that the Lord brought to her remembrance His words that had been told to her, and that in her dying hour she may have seen the light and come into it.
One terrible handicap to the work here is liquor. Wins-low seems to have a plentiful supply, because the Indians can get it whenever they want it, and it causes great distress.
These are lights and shadows in the work, but the Lord overrules all and He will yet get Himself glory amongst these people.
Affectionately yours in Christ our Lord,
Minnie Armerding.
All who present the truth of God in any way should pay attention to the words of exhortation in Neh. 8:8:
"So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand reading." -I. F.