"The stranger within thy gates"
HARBOR WORK
Through the help of the Lord we continue in the work here among seamen. A Chilean vessel, visited early in October, proved a most encouraging venture. I have seldom found a more respectful and interested set of men. All of them willingly received the little Gospel booklets and magazines and read them eagerly. An American vessel, visited a short while after, brought to light the fruits of Communism. An American seaman very bitterly refused our tracts, using abusive language. The same day, however, an American cook took our tracts gladly, and I had a good opportunity for personal dealing with him. Scandinavian seamen afford a fine field, many of them being quite open, and when our brother Holmgren can spare the time he accompanies me to ships from Norway, Sweden, etc., and does personal work. A young seaman on a British ship lost his life during boat drill early in -September. A fellow-worker had given him a Gaelic Bible a short time before. Several deck-boys on another ship of the same line were much affected by this as we reminded them of the uncertainty of life. One of the younger stewards on their own ship had just died of pneumonia in a New York hospital, and this too brought home to them the importance of being ready to go, whether young or old. The "Morro Castle" disaster has changed the attitude of the Ward Line to missionaries. For many years their steamers were not open to our work, but now (as far as I can see) the way is open for us at last.
The Chief Officer of a small British freighter carrying scrap iron to Italy gave us a warm welcome, and two of us spent almost an hour talking to him. He apparently lacked assurance of salvation, and seemed quite cleared up as we left. He expressed a desire to visit an Assembly not far from his ship the Lord's Day following.
Brethren engaged in this work in different ports set aside an hour or more the second Monday of every month for prayer. They pray for the work in a general way, but also mention in their requests the names of unsaved seamen who have manifested exercise. It is a blessed way to prove the faithfulness of God, and we could report many cheering tokens of His goodness to us.-R. A. WEST.
In connection with the above report we have learned from our brother West that about 700 ships are visited during the year, some ships twice or thrice while in port. Considerable expense is incurred during the year in getting from one part of the harbor to the other, and also in the purchasing of the large amount of literature necessary. Opportunity for discussion or personal work is limited, as men cannot be interfered with while at work, either above or below deck, therefore every effort is made to supply suitable Gospel literature for the men to read while at sea. At the present time our brother's stock of suitable literature is almost exhausted. We would therefore ask for prayer and practical fellowship for the continuance of this branch of missionary work.
CHINA
Our brother Kautto tells of his joy in being able to baptize two men and three women. He speaks of many professing Christians, but those baptized have given evidence of their reality. Our brother says, "I am sure that the saints are praying for us in many places, for I have had some interesting cases lately."
Brother Foggin is now rejoicing in restored health and has started out on a six or seven weeks' trip into the far North-west, expecting to get as far as Yumen the most western large city in Kansu.
MANCHURIA
Our brother Tharp writes as follows:
Marvelous changes have taken place in our city during the past eighteen months. I have just returned from a trip in less than thirty-six hours, which two years ago would have taken me five days at least. I could have actually done the trip by air in about three hours. Then we have telephones and electric light, motor roads (dirt roads, of course), an up-to-date postal service, a sanitary Inspector, and many other innovations, but there is far more wickedness in the city than there was two years ago, and our responsibility towards the lost is far greater than ever. While we cannot be too thankful for all the seeming improvements which tend to make the people more healthy and more law-abiding, we do sincerely deplore the new wickedness which has been introduced into the district. However, we take courage, for we realize the Gospel is making its mighty saving power felt and quite a number in the city and surrounding country are desiring baptism. We are not in a hurry as it is easy to make a mistake in this, for there are some who seek to be under Assembly protection in case of trouble (which, after all, is more imaginary than real), rather than to actually know salvation from the penalty and power of sin. We know our sufficiency is of God, but we cannot do without your help in prayer. If the great Apostle Paul asked the young Church of Thessalonica to pray for him, we do well to ask both individuals and Assemblies to pray for us, for we are not sufficient of ourselves for these things nor to meet the wiles of the Devil. To know you are upholding us before the Throne of grace is heartening and encouraging.
The rainy season is over and the farmers will soon have threshed all their crops, and in consequence have plenty of time to spend at the markets so we are about to start out on our fall and winter campaign. It is our aim not only to reach all the markets (which occur every five days) but also to preach the Gospel in every town and village in the district. I would ask your special prayers on behalf of the "Gospel bread-van," which our son Robert is responsible for, and for the faithful helpers who accompany us on these Gospel-preaching and tract-distributing trips. What is called a great spiritual revival is breaking out in some parts of this northern district of Manchuria, but it does not altogether bear the "hall marks" of the Holy Spirit. The professing Christians make much of repeating the name of Jesus, but they show little power in their lives of having been brought into vital contact with the Lamb, "as it had been slain." Pray that our Chinese brethren and sisters be not carried away by this spiritual movement unless it be manifest it is of the Holy Spirit.
My wife is opening her dispensary in a few days' time, when many women and girls will flock to her for treatment. Please pray that daily strength may be given to my wife, and that she may win for Christ many of the women who come. Ruth's school is again in full swing. She is fortunate in having a helper whose sole desire is to win souls for Christ, so I commend them to your prayers.
AFRICA
Brother Robert Deans writes:
LOLWA, IRUMU, Aug. 27.-We start to-morrow, D. V., on our safari, deep into the forest. I am rather afraid we cannot go far, as we hear of swollen rivers making the way impassable. However, we will go as far as we can, and if we cannot reach our objective we will, if the Lord will, try again in the dry season. Oh, beloved brethren, there is so much to do. Let us pray that the Lord of the harvest will send laborers into the harvest.
Concerning the recent translation of the Scriptures into Kingwana, our brother Searle writes:
I have been away seven weeks on concentrated translation work at an A. I. M. station, where, in conjunction with Mrs. Uhlinger and Ella Deans, we reviewed and corrected from Matthew to Revelation, also spending many evenings on the preparation of hymns for the new hymn-book to be used in the Kingwana-speaking district. The hymn-book will contain about ISO hymns, of which many are new ones. A new and more grammatical type of Kingwana construction is being adopted for both the New Testament and hymn-book! The complete New Testament is to be printed for the first time in this language. We do praise God for making this possible by His grace and help. The translation and revision of certain books was done by A. I. M. missionaries, and the final revision as above-mentioned. Through prayer and God's gracious purpose we are anticipating much blessing to accompany the distribution of the New Testament. Young Congo is very anxious for reading material, and this is a wonderful opportunity, if the Lord tarry, for the spread of His Word. As to the work on the station here, there seems to be a deeper interest in the Word which is being taught daily. But your combined prayers are needed, for the enemy is incessantly busy against the welfare of the flock. Our real, deep need is a true spiritual revival, that there may be victory and joy in the lives of His own to His, glory. Nothing less than this will be of any account. Oh, may He bring it about soon, manifesting Himself afresh to all His own.
Brother S. L. Buckland, a missionary in Northern Rhodesia, .sends us the following very interesting letter:
"Thou knowest not what a day may bring forth" is truly a word for these parts of Central Africa. During the last six months we have been busy building our new mission station. Owing to the absence of skilled labor, the bricklaying, as well as other jobs, has fallen to our lot, and yesterday we were thankfully putting the finishing touches to some of the buildings. Today they are in ruins. Some natives were firing the grass at the foot of the hill. The fire climbed at an astonishing rate, and before it could be checked had caught some thatching grass which was lying unused. The wind carried the flames to a shed in which the wood for the wet season was stacked, and from there they leaped to a temporary house, and then to the kitchen. Then the fire caught still another building and it looked as though nothing could save our own house. The natives swarmed in and threw out our things, breakable or otherwise-saying that the house had gone. Just as everything looked hopeless we were able to sever a connecting roof and the wind carried the flames to the side, and the house was saved to us, for which are very thankful. So, instead of being off on the path today, as we had hoped, we are busy clearing away the rubbish and commencing to rebuild.
From all parts of this large district men have come for work. Many of these have brought their wives and families with them, and almost every day they have been hearing the Good Tidings, and some have made a profession of faith in Christ. At the weekly Bible Reading, which we hold for those who are newly saved, we have as many as twenty. Just how many have passed from death unto life we cannot tell, but God knows their hearts, and we feel that your prayers for us are being answered.
In our last letter we mentioned the activities of the "Watchtower" people. You will rejoice with us that there is a manifest abatement of their influence, and in many of the villages which we have been able to visit we found almost the old-time friendliness and an open ear for the Gospel.
Oct. 25, Detroit, Mich.
The Lord's work in Tangier, Morocco, N. Africa, during the past five years has been full of the Lord's blessing. Souls have been saved from amongst Mohammedans, Jews, Spaniards and others, giving us great joy. Work amongst men, women and children has kept our hands and hearts full. As elsewhere we have had our times of opposition; but this instead of depressing us has been a source of joy, for it attests the reality of the work done. Amidst it all the Lord Himself has drawn near to us in a very special way in taking to Himself, on the 27th July, the one who has been my loyal fellow-laborer and companion for over thirty years of the thirty-eight of our service with, and for, Him in Morocco.
This bereavement is the reason for my being for the present in this country, for after a short season in England and Scotland I arrived in New York on the 19th Sept. During my absence from the field our native brother Abderahman is carrying on the Gospel work in Tangier, and according to reports recently received from a brother who visited Tangier and spent a short time at the Gospel Hall, all is going on well. Another native brother, I am glad to hear, is helping in his spare time.
Our hope for the future is to continue the work at the Hall, which God has so singularly blessed; also to visit the villages around the city which have opened up to us in a wonderful way. Village work has been carried on spasmodically owing to lack of men and means. Recently we visited a group of villages and preached Christ in several large huts crowded with men, and one with women. Afterwards one of the chief men offered us a piece of land on which to build a couple of rooms for gospel work. This is just one instance of the many doors which are open to us. There are towns, villages, and at least one large city, within our reach where there is no male missionary. Whilst it is true there are several sisters in the places of which we are writing, those who understand work amongst Mohammedans will realize that men are needed to work amongst men.
Two native brethren are doing well in the locality where they are:but I would rejoice if the Lord should set them free for a wider ministry. Our hope for the future evangelization of this country is the raising up of native brethren to carry the glad tidings to the people of their own country. -Robert G. Steven.