BAHAMA HURRICANE RELIEF FUND

We have received from brother Stratton a full report of receipts and expenditure in connection with ministry sent to the Fund for aid of those who suffered in the terrible hurricane which struck the Bahama Islands last year. Owing to the pressure of work our brother was not able to acknowledge all individual gifts at the time they were received. He therefore asks those who have not received direct acknowledgments to accept this in lieu of same. It is encouraging to notice from the report the large amount of work that was done in helping brethren build their meeting-halls and homes, and the number of individuals that were helped. We are glad to print the following letters from our brother, and also some showing appreciation of assistance received.

Dear brother:- March 9, 1929.

After a long delay I am able to forward to you an account of expenditures. I will forward later acknowledgments from those who derived benefit but now send the letters from the brethren with whom I conferred. Best of all, now the real fruit is beginning to be seen; souls realizing that deep interest has been taken in them. As nothing has been done by either the Government or other religious bodies, this has given us access in a way heretofore unknown. Brother Van Ryn joined me here this week and after months of steady ministry in the gospel and Truth we began a series of special Gospel meetings, with the result that nine souls have accepted Christ and the whole community is stirred. Last night there was no more seating-room in the Hall, and crowds were without. Many yet under deepest exercise. To-morrow we are to have a baptismal service at the sea-side. Now more than ever before we need the prayers of the saints. I feel led to continue this way for some months. A road is being built through the entire island, which will give access to each settlement. Pray for this desire also. Trust to pitch our tent in neighboring settlement shortly should the Lord tarry. Well, dear brother, I am so full of joy I can scarce write, and am anxious to get after some "wounded souls" with the water of life. Please convey our united love and thanks to all the saints. As there are yet others much in need, should any feel like doing further by way of help will be glad to dispense it for His glory. As ever, sincerely, aff'tly, your brother,

R. S. Stratton.

P. S.-The most interesting scene we ever witnessed we evidenced yesterday at Baptismal service. Twelve souls accepting Christ in all and thirteen others who had done so before went under the waters of baptism, brother Van Ryn performing same after a short word as to its import beforehand by me. The procession was fully a mile long, and tended to greatly impress the eye-witnesses as well as the participants in it. Pray for us now as we seek to lead them on, and may meet persecution by other religious bodies.

Great Guana Cay. Dear brother in Christ:- March 2nd.

Being still in the Island of Abaco, preaching every night to interested companies, I was refreshed in seeing the Lord's good hand in ministering to one of His servants in the welcome gift passed on to me from our beloved worker, R. S. Stratton. I desire to give you my sincere thanks for this precious ministry, and feel grateful to the dear saints in U. S. A.

There has been some blessing in Man-o'-War Cay and Hope Town, and some who wandered away from the Lord have returned to Him and come into fellowship, thus strengthening the Assembly.

May the Lord always fill your heart with joy and peace in this busy service of love for Him.

Again thanking you, yours in Christ,

Robert Jewers.

Arthur's Town, Cat Island. Beloved in the Lord:- March 13th, 1929.

I hereby acknowledge the receipt of your gift through brother Stratton, and desire to thank you.

I came here with my family seven weeks ago, and making it headquarters am able to reach other places-Orange Creek and The Lot to the north, and Zion Hill, Dumfries and Bennett's Harbor to the south. There is great interest shown in the gospel-work in these parts.

At Bennett's Harbor, five and a half miles away, the people are very interested, and desirous for me to pay them a visit. Am hoping to go there for an evening this week.

Since arriving here this time, the third visit to the place, two young men have confessed the Lord, and seem to be very anxious to learn the truth. They come for what they call "Instruction" very frequently.

With desires that God will bless you and use you as a blessing,

Yours in His service though grace,

James S. Hall.

Beloved brethren:-

Palmetto Point, March 9, 1929.

We are in happy accord with the way brother Stratton and brother Van Ryn have labored in the Lord here, and being taken into counsel as to expenditure of funds, we feel it our duty as brethren both to acknowledge same and extend our many thanks to the saints who so lovingly came in and ministered to our necessities. We feel that words fail to express our gratitude. May God abundantly reward you all for your love and material help. Affec'tly your brethren,

Joseph Thompson, Lewis Finder, and other brethren.

BARBADOS

Our brother Hoze reports (March 9) a slackening of interest, but is continuing the meetings, hoping and praying for a reviving. Let us join him in this not only for BARBADOS but for every place.

BRAZIL

J. P. Ribeiro writes (Feb. 14), "Last week in the Tracaja River I baptized four new souls. I have invitations from many others which I hope to fill up as the blessed Lord may give grace. My wife is getting a little better." May we remember the work in this great and needy field.

Duncan McNeil, a brother thirty years of age, writes of being much exercised as to going to Africa to join our brethren Woodhams and Searle. He was married about a year ago to a daughter of our brother Denham of Minneapolis, and has been in the Lord's work for two years or more. When our brother Buchenau returned from Minnesota to California last Spring he turned his Gospel-car over to brother McNeil who labored with it in Manitoba. May the Lord lead our dear brother as to his every step. Surely if He should send help to our brethren in Africa by this means we would all rejoice with them.

THE HARBOR WORK

NEW YORK

March 8, 1929.

Our brother, James Willies, left the work as a full-time worker in April, 1928, so I have been alone in this large harbor since then. His going left me in a strait as to how to continue single-handed. I finally decided that, as he had done very faithful work on the North River with the large ocean-going liners, I could justly leave that end of the work alone for a time at least. This I did, keeping at the tramp steamers coming into Brooklyn. In the fall I again started work on the North River piers, dividing my time between them and the Brooklyn piers. In December we had a very happy time with brethren from Baltimore and Boston. Two meetings were held-one in Jersey City and another in Passaic. Brethren Anderson, H. Loizeaux, and R. Schaefer were our visitors from Baltimore, and brother Gibb and his wife from Boston. Brother Anderson has a good set of slides and gave a good address on them We also had a good word from brother has to work in his port. In February I went to Boston and met brethren Holwill and Gibb for another conference Brother Holwill does faithful work at Montreal in, the Spring and summer among seamen; so we were able to "compare notes and to encourage one another in the labor of the gospel.

For the past fifteen months I have given special attention to work among passengers. On ships going to Bermuda Cuba, Florida, on Mediterranean cruises, etc., I found' open doors and left suitable books and tracts for passengers. It is sad to see the worldliness, frivolity and sin to be found here as everywhere; but after the "Vestris" horror one feels more the necessity of preaching in this way to people who start out for pleasure or health, and often find death.

Important items in our work are the follow-up cases, the individuals we meet, some of whom are concerned, others who show sincere interest and welcome the workers, and another class, namely, those who are "His own." We have found many of the latter, and it is a great joy to meet them and, where possible, entertain them. All of the brethren in this work keep careful record of such cases and pass names on to one another, thus forming links in a living chain. Recently in February, I was able to meet four young lads on the Str. Surrey, from Wellington, N. Z. Through brother Gifford, a brother who labors among sailors there, I learned of this ship's coming and so found them. All four came to our Gospel Mission in Brooklyn and enjoyed the hospitality shown them. One of them, a R. C., proved himself the brightest in divine things. The Lord's people would do well to pray for such cases.

Besides the distribution of immense quantities of literature in all tongues to thousands of seamen, I have had uncounted openings with men, in personal and group talks, and while hardness of heart, scoffs, and open hostility often confront the worker, yet we truly believe God will make the power of His Word felt in many a soul ere it is too late. To this end I beg your fellowship in prayer for this important and needy field.

R. A. West.

BALTIMORE HARBOR

We are having a nice time on the boats here. Some souls have been saved since the beginning of the year. I have got some fine openings lately on City boats, and also on Anchor-Brocklebank boats. Quite a few of the latter are coming here now. Had an interesting time following up cases from brother Gibb and West.

Was on the S. S. "Matra" on Tuesday until 12:15 a.m., got a very fine opening with quartermasters.

On Friday, March 1st, I visited the "City of Newcastle,"' had some fine openings, and was leaving the ship at midnight, when a watchman approached me on the dock, and said, "I want to speak to you. You know, sir, since I last saw you my father died, about two weeks back. He was a Roman Catholic Christian." "Well," I said, "I am sorry to hear that, but you just made a statement I have not heard before, and if you have no objection I will make two statements out of your one. What is the difference between a Roman Catholic Christian and a Roman Catholic?" His answer was, "A Roman Catholic Christian is one who trusts in Christ alone as his Saviour and his only hope of heaven. A Roman Catholic trusts in his religion which will never save him." I spent a while talking to him, using my flashlight to light the pages of my Douay Testament as we stood on the pier. At 12:35 a.m., a young R. C. Cadet came along, and both of us talked with him about his soul. Just as I started for home at 1:00 a.m., the watchman putting his hand on the boy's shoulder said, "Boy, this is the first time I had a good talk with this man, and I find out he works during the day, I meet him at all hours of the night in different places, as he seeks to bring Christ on these boats. Remember this, I am a Roman Catholic; he, as far as religion is concerned, is a Protestant, but we are both on the same ground, trusting Christ, and not our respective religions. Remember, it's Christ you want, and not religion."

Coming as it did in the early hours of the morning, it drove all tired feeling away, and made me say, "Oh, that men would praise the Lord for His goodness and for His wonderful works to the children of men."

I generally seek to stop at 10:00 p.m., if I am on a ship, because I realize men need to sleep, but whenever I get an opening, and am requested to forget the time by the men, I do forget it, and keep on. This happens pretty frequently on British boats.

One Captain (an Irishman) said I was not to leave the ship until I saw him. He was in bed (9:55 p.m.) when I got to his cabin. The lights were on, so I knocked. He let me in, and when I apologized for hauling him out of bed, he shut the door and said, "You are here now, and not getting out until I am ready to let you go." I was-with him for an hour.

Yours sincerely, in the Master's service, Charles H. Anderson.