PARAGUAY

Brother Martinez writes as follows:

We are glad to give you a little information of the Lord's work in this country, to lead you in praise to the Lord for what He has done through the preaching of the gospel, and to help you to pray more intelligently that the Lord may give us greater blessing in the future. On the fourth inst., we had a baptism in which six believers obeyed the Lord, thus testifying before a large congregation that they were buried with Christ and raised up with Him to walk in newness of life. The life's history of each one of these believers shows how the Lord works in power in the hearts of men and women. One,
a young man of about 19, born in Argentine of Syrian parentage, came to this country some time ago. His great delight was to make fun of the gospel and ridicule the believers; but, owing to insistent invitations, he came to the meetings. The Lord spoke to him, and shortly after he was converted. Now his life testifies to the saving power of God. Another is a Paraguayan lady of about forty-five, who has lived a life of sin, and at the same time was very religious, and thought that, at the end, the priest would fix up her account with God. She heard the gospel in our hall, and after two years of attendance at the meetings, the Lord saved her, and now she praises God for having opened her eyes to see that salvation is to be found in the Lord Jesus only. Next is a Paraguayan young man, about twenty-two, who comes from a very fanatical Roman Catholic home. As he was driving a motor-bus, a young believer gave him a tract which interested him in the gospel, and after further conversations, he was constrained to come to our meetings, where he was saved. He has much persecution in his home, but has already been able to lead one of his sisters to Christ, and another sister is encouraged to come to the meetings and appears to be near the kingdom. Two of his brothers also, now in the war in the "Chaco," are much interested in the gospel, and we have great hopes that they may soon be saved. The fourth is another Paraguayan of about seventeen, brother of a believer. He had no interest in anything religious, but the Lord found a way to his heart through the gospel, and he is now very happy in his salvation and active in trying to win others. The fifth, also a Paraguayan, 18 years old, read a portion of the Scripture in his home town but, as he was a very young boy at the time, did not understand it. For lack of work in the fanatical town where he lived (about 95 miles north of Asuncion), he came here, and an aunt, who is a believer, brought him to the meetings, and shortly after he was converted. He is very active and is progressing wonderfully in the knowledge of the Scriptures. The sixth, a man of about forty-five, is an Assyrian, son of an orthodox priest. He was much opposed to the gospel, and on several occasions carried his opposition to the point of violence. About a year ago, on account of home affairs and business difficulties, he decided to commit suicide. As he was going to carry out his plan, in the providence of God he happened to pass by our Gospel Hall just when we were singing. This attracted him and constrained him to enter. He listened to the Word of God, and went home thinking on the message, with the desire of coming back again. He did so, and shortly after the would-be suicide was born again, and now is glad and satisfied in his Saviour. Such cases of conversion prove to us once again that the gospel is still "the power of God unto salvation."

INDIA

Brother Rowland Hill tells of work amongst the children:
We are trying to gather the children together where we can teach them something of the Bible, and now have four centers in this city where we have children's meetings. In two of the centers we meet in the open air in front of a small temple, where there is an open space. The children who come are rewarded with a handful of puffed rice and another grain which we get in the bazaars. The equivalent of ten cents' worth of this grain will serve for forty children if we give it sparingly. Without some little inducement they will not leave their play to come and sit and listen and learn. Last evening we had one such meeting in the house of an Indian brother who is in fellowship with us here. The room was only about 12 x 15 ft. square, and there were seventy-two children packed into it. It was a very hot evening, over ninety outside, and inside that room it seemed well-nigh at steam-heat. I nearly fainted by the time the meeting was over. It is possible to pack them in a small compass because Indian children are small, and they sit on the floor and close together, so there is no waste space.

This work among the children is more encouraging than that among hardened sinners who have grown up in idolatry and have their minds so darkened. We do not neglect the older people, and practically all our village preaching is for and among them, but here in the city where the children swarm so we feel there should be some special effort put forth for them. It makes us rejoice to hear them readily learn the Scripture verses and the hymns, and in this way we feel the seed is being planted in ground that the enemy has not had time to trample to the hardness of stone.

AFRICA

From our brother Will Deans we have the following very interesting account of what we hope may prove to be a real work of God in a new place:

One of the native evangelists, who conducts a school and preaches the Gospel daily in his village, was returning from a visit to some relatives at a distant point and happened upon a village of forest-dwelling Walesi. He stopped to enquire concerning the spiritual welfare of the villagers, and was instantly pounced upon and escorted to an adobe building in the center of the village. "This is our house of God. We have never had a teacher, but have built this house to be ready for the teacher when one comes;" they said, and to his surprise the native evangelist found it to be true. These heathen men, steeped in sin, had desired to know the words of the Living God, and had built a building and resigned themselves to await the coming of a teacher.

To the motley throng in the little schoolhouse, the evangelist was a God-sent messenger, the answer to their long-cherished expectations. Weighing every word, they joyfully listened as he recounted the love of the Saviour who had fully atoned for their sins, leaving only acceptance for them. They were insistent in their urgings upon him, that he stay and be their teacher. He explained that he had a large distant village under his care, so was sorry that he could not come to live among them and teach them, but said, "I will tell the brethren at Nyangkundi about you, and we will pray to God to send you the teacher you need," and with this they were forced to be satisfied.

True to his promise, the evangelist told what he had found to the assembly here, and our hearts were deeply exercised concerning the need, and the open door. The Lord Himself, by His grace, made provision. First one young man, named Yoane Julu, said that he would go. And out to them he went, to live and to teach. Soon word came back that two other villages near-by were clamoring for teachers of God's Word, and Yoane said that it was too much for him to handle alone. Again God supplied, and today there are four villages in the forest, at the edge that meets the grassland, that have resident teachers, brethren from the local assembly who have acknowledged God's will for them and left their homes to live in this foreign tribe and tell them of Jesus' dying love.

Mrs. Deans and I visited them about a month ago and found that the villagers were attending services enthusiastically, and even the old chief and his twenty-three wives came to hear the Truth.

At a little conference for laboring brethren held at Nyangkundi this week-end, one of these brethren who have gone to meet this need told of four who had given their hearts to Christ and given intelligent witness to salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. "Others are eager," he said, "and will believe, for they find the Word of God sweet to their taste." "How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!"

JAPAN

Our brother E. B. Craig writes from Oakland, Cal.:

Interesting letters have lately come from Dr.Tsukiyama and from his wife, also from brother Fujimoto, telling of the work. Brother Ishihama of Kobe was sentenced to one year in prison for his public protest against the worship of ancestors, especially the Imperial ancestors. He has appealed the sentence. We await news of the retrial by the higher court.

The tenant of the Mission property at Tsurumi is about to vacate. This has quickened our exercise as to returning to Japan. The Japanese brethren are very desirous for us to return. We mention this for definite prayer, if the Lord will. The way is not open yet.

CHINA

Definite prayer is requested on behalf of brother Kautto and for the work at Taitowying. Our brother is finding many hindrances, and conditions at that place are discouraging.

INDIAN WORK IN THE U. S. A.

Our brother Anderson sends us the following request for prayer:

Valentine, Ariz.-About thirty-five miles west of us in the Walapai Mountains they expect to start two new C. C. C. Camps, with about two hundred boys in each camp from different States. These will all be white boys. I would appreciate very much your prayers for an opening in these camps where I would like to hold weekly meetings. Twenty-five miles east of us there is a C.C.C. Camp of Indians from three of the western States, representing many different tribes. We are having weekly meetings in this camp with much interest shown, and trust there will be fruit for God.

BAHAMA ISLANDS

Brother Jewers writes:

We are finding much to encourage here in the Islands. Another brother and I reached Deep Creek, south of Andros Island, and have been kept busy each day in visiting people with tracts and Gospels of Luke, etc., and preaching the gospel at night. Four confessed Christ at the close of our stay in Deep Creek.

We visited Black Point where a hurricane struck them in 1929 and caused great loss. Now we have been preaching for a week in Kemp's Bay each evening, and many are exercised and in tears, and three have turned to the Lord and confessed Christ publicly, the schoolmaster and his wife being among the number. They seem very real, and the people do not want us to leave. It seems the showers of blessing are yet to come.

I am sorry to say the Seventh-Day Adventists and Roman Catholics are busy sowing their seeds of error. Though these people are the poorest of the poor they are very liberal and bring us of their farm produce, which is a great help as we are doing our own cooking. We are looking to God for great things as we move along the Island.

As recent extracts appearing in our pages show, many laborers have been passing through severe testings and trials of faith. Many, too, in the Home-land have been similarly tried, and have proved, with those abroad, the sufficiency of the Lord.

FRAGMENT As the side wind fills the sails and conduces to increased speed, rather than a wind directly astern, so the presentation of the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, rather than direct appeals, is always more effectual in calling forth that devotedness which He looks for and appreciates to the full. None have more cause to respond to His love than those for whom He spreads, not month by month, but week by week, His feast of love. May it never become a ritual with us, but ever carry with it its deep spiritual significance. If hearts are touched, the precious things of life are soon poured at His feet.

FRAGMENT We are thankful whenever the Lord is pleased to thrust forth as laborers into His vineyard, men and women who already have been doing service to Him in the Homeland. The first missionaries were "approved of God to be intrusted with the gospel" (1 Thess. 2:4). They were not simply "allowed" to be intrusted with it. Not permission but approval is what is stated, and the fact is borne out in the narrative of the Acts. This obviously indicated a considerable period of diligent service and of testing therein, before they were commended to God for service in the regions beyond, and these things are written for our instruction.-Extracts from "Echoes of Service."