AFRICA

RETURNING MISSIONARIES

"In Thy Name We Go" (2 Chr. 14:11).

Our brother Gordon Searle accompanied by Mrs. Searle and their two children, David age 6, and Thomas age 3, sailed again for Africa at midnight June 17th. They have been away from Nyankundi for just over a year and are returning, we trust, much refreshed in body and spirit. A farewell meeting was held at Elizabeth, N. J., on Thursday June 15th. A large number gathered to express their fellowship with our brother and sister and to commend them to the Lord. Many prayers were offered, the younger brethren taking part in a most encouraging way. Several brethren gave a suited word and as attention had been drawn to possible difficulties on the field through renewed activity of the enemy there was a deepened sense of our dependence upon God and assurance of victory.

Ezra-like, we could beseech our God and be assured that He would be "entreated of us" and that His hand would be upon those setting out on their journey (See Ezra, chap. 8). Reference was also made to John, chap. 11, to show that while our blessed Lord ever acted in love towards His own He also always had the glory of God in view. Should there therefore be delays, trials, opposition or persecution, His servants can be assured of His love yet, His dealings with them will be for the ultimate Glory of God.

On the night of sailing a number gathered at the pier and a further opportunity was given for prayer and fellowship with our friends before they embarked.

"For His Name sake they went forth taking nothing of the Gentiles" (3 John 7).

"Come over into Macedonia and help us" (Acts 16:9).

A request for prayer comes from brother Robert Deans that God would raise up a worker for a large district just beyond Mambasa (Dr. Woodham's station). In a recent and very interesting letter telling of the work and how God has blessed them in it, he says, in closing:

But there is a sad part to be told also. Beyond Mambasa a chief with hundreds around him has been pleading for a teacher to teach his people the words of God, but sad, sad indeed!!, there is no one to go. Pray beloved brethren that our God shall raise up some one to go and fill this post before it is too late.

While on safari last week it was with deep sorrow I learned that a village where the people had been asking for a teacher but could not be supplied have now called for a Roman Catholic teacher to teach them. Beloved may we have sleepless nights over this matter!

From another part of Africa we have the following encouraging letter:

Kamapanda, Northern Rhodesia, April 17, 1933. When we were last in New York we were telling the friends of a large district which we were longing to see opened up to the Gospel. Permission to build our new mission station has now been given by the Government of Northern Rhodesia, but at the moment we are detained at our old station until the workers return from furlough.

During the dry season we were able to visit parts of the new district. In some of the villages the people assured us that never before had they had a missionary amongst them. Some of the trails were almost obliterated by elephants and this made the going very hard. For days we were in the haunts of hippos. On one of the larger rivers we were able to launch a new dugout and during our last visit we bridged some of the smaller rivers and also made a number of paths in readiness for the day when we can seriously start the erection of the new station.

Here at Kamapanda the Lord is blessing. For some weeks now men and women and young people have been coming forward making a profession of faith in Christ. Some of the cases are, to us, very wonderful, but I will not burden you with details.

The medical work for which my wife is responsible has also been much blest and in three or four cases lately God has granted recoveries where friends had gathered to mourn the dead. This is a great help to the spiritual work.

As we see the godly lives and hear the ministry of some of the older natives Christians here our hearts long for the day when God will permit us to see similar things in the new country. Please remember us very kindly to all the friends and tell them how very, very much their prayers for us will be valued. -Sydney Buckland.

Our brethren of the Westcott mission at Baka Mbule also report encouragement and blessing. We can indeed give thanks for this report for it was there our sister Mercy McCandless labored and died. It will be remembered that our sister was particularly interested in the orphan children and of one which she specially cared for we now read:"Mingo, Mercy's charge is a splendid girl, one of the best workers in the village. We all love her."

Our brother Jas. Wilson writes:

Westcott Mission, Baka Mbule, April 13, 1933. Work here continues day by day. We are encouraged as we see the seed taking root and growing. There are quite a number in towns round about asking for baptism and we are kept busy, very busy, as we seek to go to them and minister the word. We are only two here, W. Simpson and myself, and it is not easy to reach all who need us. But we thank God for health and strength so that we are able to keep going on steadily. We have, for some time, been holding monthly fellowship meetings in several places and we find these well attended and much appreciated both by Christians and enquirers.

I cannot write more now but thank you and send greetings to any and all brethren in America who are remembering us at the Throne of Grace.

CHINA
"The Name of the Lord is a strong tower (Prov. 18:10).

Brother Kautto telling of further bombing in the vicinity of his house and compound on April 12th and 15th during which a number of natives were killed, says:-

By God's grace we, and all in our compound, were marvelously preserved from even the slightest harm, though 12 ounces of shrapnel has been gathered up from over the compound.

Outside the wall, around Shunangshantze and Mutouteng districts bandits are rampant, over 300 being reported to be near the former and around 600 in the vicinity of the latter. Perhaps it was by some of these that a Japanese officer was kidnaped a few days ago (according to current report) while he with some soldiers were out getting straw."

We want to thank the saints very much for their prayers for us, for we feel that the One who heard the prayers for Peter and sent His angel to deliver him has been hearing, answering, and delivering, us from the powers of darkness. Like Peter coming to himself we can say "Now I know of a surety that the Lord hath sent Ms angel and hath delivered me." It also brings to our minds 2 Cor. 1:10 "Who delivered us from so great a death and doth deliver, in whom we trust that He will yet deliver."

Trusting that this will find you all well and happy in the Lord, and that you will continue to remember us before the throne of grace.

"In the Name of our God we will set up our banner" (Ps. 20:5)