"THE CARE OF ALL THE CHURCHES"

The Apostle Paul writing to the Corinthian saints in 2nd Corinthians told of sufferings, perils and hardships endured in the Lord's service, and then added "Beside these things that are without that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches" (11:28).

In a measure the same is true of many missionaries today, First there is the hardship of pioneer work in heathen lands, difficulties and dangers of travel, hostility and treachery of the natives, discomfort and weariness.

After years of toil the seed sown begins to bear fruit and some are converted. Further time is spent in slowly and laboriously teaching the new born saints. Eventually an assembly is formed, the work spreads and other assemblies spring up. The missionary of necessity now becomes teacher and pastor and like the Apostle Paul becomes burdened with "the care of the churches." At this stage little is said of personal difficulties or hardships but that which concerns the native church is prominent in letters and conversation.

From Nyangkundi pur brethren Searle and Will Deans write of the work laid upon them in the care of several assemblies and 21 out-stations. Let us remember our brethren and this phase of this work constantly in prayer. A map of the locality is inserted with the desire that it may help to this end.

The following letters and extracts give tidings of the Lord's work in this and other lands.

AFRICA

Nyangkundi, April 7.

All the native brethren who have gone out from the assembly at Nyangkundi to labor in the bush schools were present at a little conference we had for them over the last week end. That is, all were present except one who was 99:The Lord gave rich spiritual blessing in the study of His word. Reports were given by the various brethren, all of which tended to drive us to our knees in praise and thanksgiving, and a spirit of prayer for the future. Several told of recent conversions.

(PAGES 306-307 ARE A MAP)

April 23.

It seems as though even a suspicion of lukewarmness is the forerunner of a fall. One brother has been put away recently for adultery. He was much used at one time in the Gospel (and we trust he shall be again), but lukewarmness crept in, and now he is sorrowing outside. We trust that the Lord, the Restorer of souls, will restore him shortly. Several other brethren have succumbed to the temptation of drink. Pray that they may ever have the hope of seeing the Lord before them. "And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as He is pure."
May 21.

Truly, the ways of the Lord are past finding out. His workings are marvelous, incomprehensible. Praise God! We get glimpses of His power in preservation and direction that make us speechless with awe. Such an experience has been mine the past two weeks. In great danger, the Lord delivered; in grips with the adversary the Lord prevailed.-Wm. Deans.

Lolwa.

The people are still coming to school, there being 140 on the roll now. I am sure you would all be happy to both see and hear them. If the Lord tarry we expect in a few years to see able teachers going out amongst their own people.-Robert Deans.

CHINA

Kaotai Kansu, May 4.

You will notice that I have a new address. When I wrote you last I mentioned going to Kaotai as a possibility, so here I am. I arrived about two weeks ago bringing a Chinese brother with me. We were over a week getting a place to rent, but at last succeeded and it is very suitable. I have the top floor of a double story building for living quarters which is newly built and therefore clean, and also a shop at the front on the main street which I am having fixed up for a preaching place. I have had a man busy papering and tomorrow he will likely finish up with whitewashing the plastered walls. My new posters have just arrived so I will be able to put them up and. preach to the people as they come in. This is the centre of a large farming area and I judge there are thousands who have never once heard the Gospel preached. Was out in the country yesterday preaching and looking over the land. Was privileged to present the Gospel to some for the first time. You ask the question, "What would be the problems confronting a new worker?" The first is the language which is difficult and so different from other languages. The next is Chinese thinking and Chinese conditions. Everything is adverse to the foreign mind and for this reason the newcomer is constantly exasperated and getting into trouble. It has been said that it is a great blessing that the language is so hard to learn because if the new missionary could speak the language right away he would do more harm the first few years than he could undo the rest of his life. However this may be exaggerated but you see the point. When he first comes he thinks that the older missionaries are all wrong in their methods but the simple reason is that the older missionary has adapted himself to Chinese thinking.

Well here I am settled at Kaotai, feeling satisfied that it is the right place, for the present at least. I have been preaching in the shop these few days and at times have had good crowds and feel sure that the seed sown is not in vain. Today there were not so many as usual but it was the most encouraging of all days as I had several interested ones, one professing to be converted. He claims he has confessed his sins and accepted Christ as his Saviour. Another who was interested said he was hindered because of his family. I happened to have Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress with me so I read the first chapter and part of the second to him and the part where Christian left his family, determined to find the way of life, was very fitting to this man's case. The Chinese seem to understand analogies very readily, and possibly they have more force with them than with us.
–GEORGE FOGGIN.
Lingyuenhsein, Manchoukuo, June 23.

We are rejoicing this morning, for Robert has run the first tract off our little press. Being cut off from the mission presses in China proper, we are hoping this will be made a great blessing to many precious souls, as well as being a convenience to workers all through the district. Please ask the friends to pray for the press and also for the Christian lad, Chen-Pao, who is to run it, and who hopes to soon make it self-supporting. I would also ask for prayer for tracts we are distributing among the Japanese, some are by our brother Craig, now in Oakland, Calif., and another is "God's Way of Salvation" by the late Alex. Marshall.

Conditions in China are getting worse every day. Just within the last few days an old missionary with forty odd years' faithful service was ruthlessly shot down by robbers while defending his aged wife and grand-daughters. Our brethren and sisters in "The Celestial Empire" need much prayer made on their behalf. –EDWIN J. THARP.

WEST INDIES

St. Vincent, B. W. I., May 24.

I returned yesterday from a two-weeks' visit to Union Island, where meetings were held nightly but consisted chiefly of ministry for Christians as the rain had commenced and the people were very busy working the ground from which they only get one crop a year. The larger islands are favored with more rain and produce much more per acre. The Gospel was told out to a goodly number on the Sunday nights.

We baptized four women while there, two of middle age and the others, rather elderly. One of the latter was the mother of a young woman who professed about the middle of last year and was baptized on my last visit.

We were grieved to find that the recent loss of a small sailing vessel, when about eighteen or twenty were drowned, had added two more widows to the assembly, one with eight and the other with five children, all young. It was a pathetic sight to see the youngest of the two widows having to leave her children to go and work a small piece of land about two miles from her home to try and find food for her family. The poverty of most of the people there is intense. We were further saddened to hear of the mis-behavior of two of those in fellowship which called for excommunication. One of these had gone on consistently for about seven years and been a help among the children.-W. B. Huxster.

SOUTH AFRICA

Santiago, Chile, June 6.

We had much to discourage us on our return to Chile, some had ceased to "run well" and the love of others had "waxed cold" but now lost ground has been regained and the Lord has given us encouragement. We now have many opportunities for proclaiming the Gospel. An open-air meeting on Sunday mornings is giving good results. This is held near to the market-place and we always get a crowd.
We have also begun at a village outside the city where a brother has gone to live. We go there twice a week and the interest is good, but the priest is much annoyed.

I also go once a week to Bancagua, where there already is an assembly. The Russellites tried to get in there during our absence, but the brethren detected the error in their teachings. They still need a lot of instruction.–A STENHOUSE.

HARBOR WORK-New York

"Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters." Having brother Wm. Huss of Boston as our companion in the course of ship visitation here, we found an old Mohammedan Bos'n who was able to converse in English. He was a devout believer in the Koran and defended his religious views warmly. Said sins were washed away in the waters of Mecca. Brother Huss thereupon asked him how he, an American, unable to get to Mecca, could get his sins washed away. What a dilemma our poor friend found himself in! It seemed to open his eyes and after some very important Bible truths about sin and its true remedy had been put before him we felt certain that we left a very much exercised man.

Approaching two Newfoundland seamen in the forecastle of a small British passenger vessel, I found them both just coming out of a drunken sleep. Neither had any knowledge of God, though both knew something of the Bible. One especially, almost boiled over at the thought of resurrection and a life after this one. But on finding out that he had a great love for his departed Christian mother I told him how he could positively meet her again if he would but comply with God's terms. At this all of his bitterness vanished and he became quite soft. The other man too appeared much moved.

A few days after these events I had a golden opportunity with a well educated young wireless operator who was practically on infidel ground. His attitude was rather strong at first. He quoted Carl Marx, the Koran and other anti-Christian books. Like myriads of others in the present day, the thought of eternal punishment was too much for him. How could a God of mercy and love plan such a future for "His children"? The discussion lasted for almost an hour but when it ended he melted and begged me to return. In fact I believe God was dealing with him for he spoke at the end like one under conviction.

Much different from any of these was the young English steward we met late one afternoon in the Red Hook section of the Brooklyn waterfront. He was quite open. I left him some excellent Gospel literature. Said he had recently lost his father. Then he asked where the mission was and although he finished his work late went to the James Slip Gospel Mission where he confessed the Lord at the end of the meeting. We praise God for this fruit.-R. A. West.

A Request for Prayer-

Recent news from Africa would indicate that the time has come for Mr. and Mrs. Deans and their two children, Ella and Bob, to return home on furlough. Prayer is therefore requested that they may have the Lord's guidance in this matter and if it be His will funds may be forthcoming.