AFRICA

We rejoice to know of the safe arrival in Africa of the Deans family. They arrived at Nairobi, Kenya Colony, Nov. 7th, but owing to a delay of ten days at Nairobi, waiting for connections, did not expect to reach Irumu until Nov. 30th. Brother Deans says:

"The Lord has been very gracious to us and we have every reason to thank Him and take courage. The children are digging in at the new language, and we all feel like snorting horses anxious to get started. Oh, that we might be used mightily for His glory."

From Miss DeJonge we have received the following:

"A telegram received yesterday tells us that we may look for the Deans family to arrive in the Congo about the 23rd inst. Mrs. Searle is making plans for all of us here at Mambasa to be at Nyangkundi to meet the newcomers, and to spend two or three days there (D.V.). We thank God for answered prayer in sending out more laborers to this needy field. As to our furlough, we have been rather undecided as to the time for leaving here for home. Miss Wilson seems so much better that she wishes to wait until I can go home too. We have been discussing plans as to the best way, and think probably we might go by way of the Nile. We are still living with the Woodhams family, while my house is being built. The second coating of mud is now being applied to the walls, so I hope to be able to move into it in about three or four weeks (D.V.). It is being built directly across from the school-house, which is but a roof supported by poles, but suitable for its purpose. Here I have the station workmen (some 70) directly after 6 A.M. roll-call, closing with a short talk and repetition of Scripture portions. At 8:30 A.M. the regular station school is held with some 50 enrolled. In the afternoon a class for advanced boys is held.

Thanking the saints for all their kindnesses I close with love in- the Lord Jesus Christ to you all." Miss Wilson says in regard to furlough:"I am waiting on the Lord to be directed according to His will as to when to go. Physically I have been feeling quite ready for a rest and change and, of course, I long to be with my loved ones again, but the need here is so great it seems hard to leave, even for a short time."

Miss Wilson's letter and a recent one from Mrs. Amies vividly bring home to us the cares, hardships and trials of our sisters who have gone out to countries such as Africa, particularly those who are married and have the care of children. Also they are frequently alone while their husbands are away on journeys of days or weeks visiting out-stations and preaching the gospel.

Gordon Searle writes on Oct. 29:

We have had joy lately in seeing several confessing the Lord, and only pray that they may be genuine. A little assembly now gathers here and one at Mambasa. Here we have Bible and prayer meeting every evening. At present we have had the Lord's coming before us and dispensational truth connected therewith. On Lord's days there is a gospel meeting, and afterwards the breaking of bread separately. Pray for these meetings and for the word as it is given out in the villages.
Just as we go to press the following has come in-all praise to the God of all grace.

Congo Beige,

My beloved brother in Christ:- Nov. 28,1929.

By the good hand of our gracious Lord we landed in the Belgian Congo at a small port called Kasenyi which Dr. Woodhams has called our Appii Forum. The comparison, however, as far as our part with the original is concerned, is practically nil.

Both Dr. Woodhams and brother Searle met us at the port, and their kindly help and influence with both natives and officials, in getting our entry papers put through and our clearance from customs, were very great indeed.

All along the road en route to the above station we could hear from the natives the word, "Yambo," "Yambo," which means, Hello! or, How are you?

On reaching the station the natives turned out en masse, and the "Yamboes" were hearty indeed.

What a joy it gave us to see all the dear saints coming down the hill on which the station is built to meet us. Here is Miss DeJonge looking well and happy, also Miss Wilson with her. Next come Mrs. Woodhams and her children, with Mrs. Searle and her little boy. How glad we all were to meet, and have the joy of knowing we were on common ground in our desire to win souls from this dark country for our Lord Jesus Christ.

Next day being Lord's Day we went to the meeting, and no words can fully describe what we beheld, and the joy we felt when we sat down at the gospel meeting which is held prior to the Lord's table. There were over 100 natives in the place, and the hymns they sang (translated from "Grace and Truth" and Sankey's), were very inspiring, to say the least.

At the Lord's table there were about sixty present, and twelve natives partook of the Supper. How blessed it was to behold the solemnity on this occasion! It was one of the happiest moments in our lives.

The dear saints have done great work here. Brother Searle speaks the language fluently, and also Miss De Jonge, and the former is of great help to us being at this station where we will stay until we acquire the language.

The "good white doctor" has gone to his station at Mambasa, with his wife and children and Miss De Jonge and Miss Wilson.

Sorry to close so abruptly, but the man is waiting to carry the mail twelve miles to post office.

Our united love to all the saints.

Yours in His blessed service, R. Deans.

CHINA

Mrs. Kautto writes as follows:

Taitowying, Nov. 26, 1929. Dear brother:

Mr. Kautto expected to write you, but I do not think he had time, as he had to go to Tientsin for a week, and then to the out-stations. His letter from Shuang-Shan-tze, received last evening, says in part:"Arrived here yesterday afternoon about 4 P.M. Last night had a meeting among ourselves, only one man from outside came in. This morning two men came, to whom I tried to preach the word of life. One thought it was Sunday to-day and so came to hear the preaching. I hope he wasn't disappointed. The other one was a soldier, who wanted me to become his (kan t'ie) dry father, which I had to refuse to do. To-morrow am going to Mutouteng, D.V. Am sorry to hear that this year we may not be able to have that month's Bible study course, for many of the Christians have gone to other places to look for work, and those that are left do not want to take so much time. However, I'll try to arrange with them for a shorter period of meetings. , Am expecting to return home some time next week."

It is most encouraging to hear of the intercession on our behalf at the missionary prayer meeting, and we give thanks with joy for such fellowship, and look, while we work, with renewed hope for His answer who delights to honor that Name. With Christian love and greetings to all the dear Christians from us both.

INDIAN WORK

Our brethren and sisters engaged in this work are experiencing many difficulties and trials of faith, yet rejoice at the opportunities for preaching the gospel and witnessing for the Lord in a dry and thirsty land. The same applies to our dear brethren laboring in Central and South America.

HARBOR WORK

We give below a few items of interest sent to us by brethren engaged in this work. Those who have any knowledge of ships or harbor conditions can fully appreciate the difficulties of those thus engaged, particularly during the winter.

Brother Holwill writing from Montreal tells of many interesting opportunities of speaking to and helping the seamen during the busy season which has just closed. We report below one or two interesting cases. The conversion of a steward

It was in 1927, toward the close of the year, that we met this man. It happened late one evening about 11 o'clock when I was making my way home I espied a large freighter, a ship I had often missed before. Her cargo was all out, and she was waiting for daylight to sail. I had enough Gospels to reach about six men and though it was late and raining we climbed aboard. I saw a light in the saloon and walked in. Someone called out from below, "What do you want?" I found it was the steward and his mate stowing away food supplies. I gave them my message of love and was about to depart when he asked me if I cared for a mug of cocoa. This was hard to resist, and I was busy explaining my business and found I had two very interested listeners. The steward said he wished he knew something of the Scriptures. We had a word of prayer and I got home rather late to my much worried wife. Now after nearly two years, I have met this man again. He tells me he believes in the Lord Jesus Christ and wants to get a good Bible. This was a case for real joy.

The Friendless Sailor Helped

This man was ashore one day last month when his ship pushed off without him. With it went all his clothes, papers and two months' wages. A seaman on another ship who knew of me sent this man to my home where he was a bit disappointed to find that like Paul I worked by day and preached by night, and did not run a Sailors' Bethel. However my wife gave him some food and some left-off clothing that did very well. We offered him some money but he refused all but $1. His home is in England where he has a wife and two children. As he entertained hopes of getting work on another ship in St. John's, N.B., he started off on the long hike of 380 miles with the $1. and the food my wife gave him. Truly the life of the average sailor is a hard one, and they really do need the joy of salvation.

The sick Christian sailor

We met recently a dear old Christian called "Larsen," who was taken off his ship here and put in a hospital. We visited him and found him under the care of a Christian nurse (apparently the only one in the large hospital) and had a happy time of fellowship with him and the nurse, my wife too being with me. He afterward came out to Verdun and remembered the Lord with us on Lord's Day.

From our brother Germain we hear as follows:

The harbor season is over, and as we review the past seven months, we give unfeigned thanks to the Lord for the privilege and honor that He bestowed upon us to be His witnesses to many of the seamen who came here. We are glad to report, to the honor and glory of the Lord, that again we have been much encouraged in the work amongst the sailors. When possible brother S. J. Holwill and self worked together, but on account of our calling and work (our brother having to attend to his store and work as an electrician) we could not always do so; however, some 240 ships were visited in this way:brother Holwill some 162 alone, myself 28, and together, some fifty more. The ships visited were British, Italian, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch, German", Japanese, Belgian, Spanish, French, Greek, Finnish, but men of other nationalities were met and served in their own tongue.

Considering that |each freighter has from twenty-five to forty-two men as crew, it means that some 9000 sailors were reached with the Gospel. How glad we are to bear testimony to the faithfulness of the Lord who provided, through His people, for every need, so that we had always plenty to give, either in Bibles, New Testaments, Gospels, booklets, gospel 'papers, calendars, and sailor's kit-bags. We do therefore give thanks, not only to the Lord, but to all those who helped us in one way or another. We would particularly thank the sisters and young people who made and sent in over 800 sailors' kit-bags with money to buy New Testaments to go along with them. May God now be pleased to bless the precious seed to His own glory.

The work for the Lord in different spheres continues with encouragement from Him. He gives us opportunities amongst the English and French R. C., and consequently we are glad to speak of Him to those we meet. To God be all the praise!

Like brother Holwill, our brother Gibb in Boston works by day and preaches by night. He finds much real joy in serving the Lord in this way, and reports many happy cases of men who are interested and aroused by the truth. Let us think of him as he thus labors for Christ.

At Baltimore brother Anderson writes of this work which he too does in his spare time and endures hardship for the Master's sake, but is amply rewarded by spiritual blessing and gospel openings with the men. Brother West of New York who devotes his whole time in service to the Lord reports as follows:

The Lord has kept us busy among the seafarers for the past six years. During that period we have evangelized thousands of men with tracts, Gospels and New Testaments in as many as twenty-five or more different languages. We have also given out the hundreds of kit-bags made by the sisters, and many calendars too, which things the sailors love.

Two colored seamen on the S.S. "Hoxie" confessed the Lord one day last month while I was speaking with them. Also two other colored men, stewards, on the "City of Savannah" showed a decided exercise and I look forward to another visit with them.

An old Irishman on the "American Banker" gave me a happy hour this month. Of the Roman Catholic persuasion, he is trying to "make reparations," as he termed it, for a life of sin which he now thoroughly repents of, I believe his conviction was of the Holy Spirit, and was glad to hear him say he knew our Jesus, communed with Him and had no fellowship with the ungodly seamen around him. I was glad too to point him to Christ as the One who "finished the work" on Calvary.

The East Indian Seamen are a real problem, but I am happy to report many who ask for New Testaments, some in English, others in their own languages. God is working among many of these men, and I could give instances of this, did space permit. We seek the prayerful fellowship of saints as we begin (under His control and guidance) our seventh year with "those who go down to the sea in ships." "Brethren, pray for us."

Dear brethren:- Dec. 6,1929.

458 S. W. 6th St., Miami, Fla.

If you know of any brother who is looking for a Spanish-speaking field of labor for this winter, I would suggest that you call attention to Cuba. It has a large population and a good sprinkling of Chinese and other nationalities. In conversation with Dr. Forrest at the Christian Alliance School in Toccoa Falls last summer, I was surprised to learn that they had received about a dozen young Cubans for Bible instruction in the past few years.

The island is long and narrow, Santiago, the largest city to the east, is about seven hundred miles from Havana, and there are many large towns en route. The American Bible Society removed their Agency for the West Indies from Porto Rico to Havana about three years ago so there is no difficulty in obtaining Bibles and Testaments for Colportage work.

Away from Havana American influence would not be so strong and it is a large inviting field. I would be glad to give all assistance possible to any who thought of work there, and to go also if it seemed desirable. I have been in correspondence, with brother Dresch about it and he would like to come but the work in San Antonio seems to require his presence in the winter.

Being a poor linguist I hesitate about going alone but no doubt the way to learn the language is to go in for colportage work and pick up a working knowledge. I trust the Lord may lay it upon the heart of some brother to take up work there. It would seem that there has been an inequality with so many in Porto Rico, and none among us in this larger field.

Brother Stebbins purposes going to the Marsh Harbor conference at the new year and to devote himself to the work of the gospel.

Affectionately in Christ our Hope,

Roger B. Eames.

Parintins, via Manaos, Amazonas, Brazil.

Dec. 10,1929.

My long journey is nearing its end. Have visited practically all the great centers, "preaching the kingdom ,of God and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ." Thus far three young sisters have offered themselves to the Lord as teachers of day schools in the woods of Amazonia.

It is hoped that in Pernambuco a little company is gathering for breaking of bread.

In the goodness of God I expect to reach home by January 9th, after seven months of journeying by sea and land. Then by the 15th of April (1930) it is my mind to leave for the U.S., reaching New York City by the first ,days of May.

Yours in our Lord, J. P. Ribeiro.