INDIAN WORK

Mrs. Anderson writes from Valentine, Arizona:-

Mr. Anderson met with an accident two weeks ago while working here. He fell some ten feet, and broke one wrist and sprained the other, also hurt one big toe badly. He is doing very well however, and was able to preach last Sunday at Kingman. We are so thankful he did not hurt his back, as he fell backwards to a cement floor. Romans 8:28 is true. "We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose."

Spring weather is here after two months of extremely cold weather, and it makes it so much easier to get around to the meetings.

From Miss Holcomb at Shiprock, New Mexico, we have the following:-

"O that men would praise the Lord for His goodness and for His wonderful works to the children of men!" These words seem most fitting as we think of all His goodness to us the past few weeks. What a joy it is to know that we can commit our ways to Him who rules the world, and be absolutely sure that He will rule and overrule for His own glory and our best good in every detail.

Yesterday the mail came, and what a mail it was! We had no new mail for thirty-seven days, although early in that time we received one sack containing a very little mail that had been carried beyond us, and was a month old when we received it. The snow has been deep all along the north side of the mountain between here and Shiprock, so that travel has been difficult all winter. About the middle of January, when we hoped that the worst of our winter was over, more snow came, and for weeks the road was scarcely open at all. Occasionally a truck would break through, but the loose snow blew into the tracks immediately.

Early in the winter we had been asking the Lord that if we were to be snowbound, as we were for two weeks last winter, He would let us have what we needed for the time, in advance, specially coal, flour and grain for the stock. Now that the road is opening up again and we are again able to bring in supplies, we praise our dear Lord that we have lacked nothing. " Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus."

During the winter eight cars have broken down between here and Shiprock, and have stood by the roadside several days waiting for repairs. There are only about ten cars out here. Our own was one of those that broke down, and it was wonderful the way the Lord cared for us. We were coming home with a load of supplies, and about half-way out from Shiprock, on an uphill pull through the snow, the transmission tore out. There we were, a woman and a small boy, five miles of bad road from any white person's dwelling, and night was coming on, with the temperature around zero. But our dear Father had planned it all for us. Five miles before that, when we had stopped at the trading-post there, we found the Government farmer just ready to come on to his home five miles this side of where we broke down. He insisted on our driving ahead of him, so when our car gave out he took us and the freezable part of our load in his car to his place to stay all night, and the next day sent us on home, thirty miles farther. The rest of our load was all safely locked in our car till Mr. Girdner could go after it a day or two later. Then when our load of coal came out two days later, the men who brought the coal took the car in for repairs, and we were thankful to be able to get it done.

The snow has not made much difference in our work here, as our Navahos have to go past us to the trading-post from time to time, and then too the snow has not been as deep here. Each day has seen some callers at the Mission and most of them have listened to a gospel message. Mr. Girdner has given the message for those who are here for evening prayers, and I for those who are here for morning prayers or during the day.

CHINA

The following letter and extracts from letters recently received give much cause for thanksgiving, showing as they do God's faithfulness in keeping His servants safe amidst many difficulties, and His goodness in allowing them to see fruit from their labors.

Tientsin, Feb. 27, 1933.

We have come to Tientsin to get the canvas and other necessities for the repairing of the tent and the summer's camping trip, and are nearly ready for the return on to-night's train to Changli, where our cart has been since Monday night. It was not wise to permit the boy to return alone to our station, since cars and animals are being commandeered daily by the soldiers.

Although there is, and likely will be for some time, disturbance along the northern border and through the province of Jehol (to the north of us), we so far have not seen anything indicative of danger in our immediate district, and are anticipating another happy summer in the tent-work, and do not expect to have to leave, though should that necessity occur Miss Hancock who is soon leaving on furlough, via Germany, has already offered her house and station-work to us at Kwang-ping-fu in the southern part of this province. We hope in the mercy of God to be going on with our own work.

The improved roads on the mail lines of travel make getting about much easier, even though the traffic is much increased, due to troop movements with their equipment supplies and commandeered conveyances.

Yesterday we had the pleasure of a little visit from a military missionary, Lieut. Harrington, of the 1st Queen's Regiment (British), who told us of a real work for the Lord among the soldiers and officers, in which he has seen the happy conversion of many, one by one, through prayer and after many months.

It is nearly two months since we heard from Brother Foggin but his last letter indicated he was happily at work distributing tracts, putting up Gospel posters, and speaking, as opportunity offered. He had visited a new station opened by Mr. Bell near the border of Tibet, and spent about a month there.

CHARLES AND ESTHER KAUTTO.
Extracts from other letters of our brother Kautto:-

In these difficult days we are constantly proving the faithfulness of God in many unexpected ways and we are being kept in peace.

Banditry which is rampant all around has kept me from itinerating as much as I should have liked, but seeing my inability to visit the outlying districts, the isolated believers have managed in one way or another to come in and see us, and get help through the meetings. Several walk long distances to remember the Lord each week, and we are cheered by their warm-heartedness.

A few days ago we heard of a Chinese Christian living in this district who, although he had been baptized, did not understand the power of prayer until he became very poor. He began to pray that God would supply him with food and clothing. One day he had the assurance that God had heard Ms prayer. He went out to the hills to get firewood. He was returning at twilight, and was not far from home when he heard a noise in the bushes, and said to himself, "This is God's provision for me." He found it was a big wolf coming stealthily towards him. He picked up a big stone and threw it. It caught the animal's legs. He said only God could have made the stone do its work. He had no other weapon, not even a stick. He went up to the wolf after throwing a second stone, killed it, and then took it home and skinned it. The following day he took the fur to town and sold it for sufficient to purchase food and clothing, and was overwhelmed with thankfulness and praise. He prays about everything now, and will never forget his first lesson in the prayer life.

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God, and the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." There are several, I am glad to say, who last year worshiped idols at New Year but this year they have texts up where idols had held sway before.

We were rejoiced to find Chang standing well and confessing Christ before others. He is diligently learning to read.

We have met several interesting cases in the village and some seem real in their faith in the Lord Jesus. One of them, Mrs. Che'n, had disposed of her idols and other heathenish things, willing to make a clean sweep of all. Just recently, after two months, we have seen her again. There is no trace of idolatry in her home, and she tells us she is being persecuted.

NOTE

We have just learned from the newspapers that on March 24 the home of our brother and sister Kautto at Taitowying, just south of the Great Wall, was bombed by two Japanese airplanes, and nine Chinese were killed. Though the lives of our brother and sister were endangered, in the Lord's great mercy they escaped harm. Let us continue in earnest prayer for them.

AFRICA

We are thankful to have reports from our brethren in the Belgian Congo telling of the steadfastness of the saints at Nyangkundi, and of conversions at Lolua and Mombassa. Brother William Deans is much improved in health and has returned to Nyangkundi, hoping to be able to continue there until the return of our brother and sister Searle.

As mentioned in our last issue brother Searle and family hope to return to Africa as soon as funds are available.

"Whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well:because that for His name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles" (3 John 6, 7).