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T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
August, 1933
FAMILY CIRCLE
“ What is Written” T wo B iola graduates, Jacob R. ( ’21) and Mrs. D u erk sen (Christina Harder, ’ 19), are affiliated with the General Conference of the Mennonite Mis sion, Korda, via Champa, C. P., India. Quoting Augustine’s words, “ Thou hast made us for Thee, and our heart is rest less until it rests in Thee,” Mr. Duerksen writes: “ Sometimes we have had the wonderful privilege of finding that kind of hungry men in the jungles o f India. We don’t always find them. One day we came to a village and found such hungry men, about thirty of them, sitting in a shady place on the ground which had been swept clean with a broom that morning. Their clothing consisted of but scanty loin cloths, and their dwelling places were small dirty huts. They could not remember that any one had ever come to their village with the message o f the gospel of Christ. So Dukalu (our evangelist) told them in simple language, and yet with a great deal of fervor, about the love o f God revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. His message was well seasoned with personal testimony and thanksgiving. When he sat down, there was a time of reverent silence. Finally, I broke the silence by saying, ‘God in His mercy has written these words in a book, and if any o f you can read Hindi, you will have the privilege of reading the Word of God from a book. Can you read?’ “ At once they began to question among themselves, ‘Is there any one in our village who can read?’ It seemed at first that there was no one. But off to one side there was a cripple who came to the meeting crawling on hands and feet. He said quietly, ‘I can read,’ and for the first time reached out his hand for a portion o f Scripture. As we left those men, they were crowding around the crippled one who could read, asking, ‘What is writ ten ?’ ‘What is written ?’ ” Probably never before had that poor twisted body performed a service so great to his countrymen. Indeed, no greater ser vice can ever be rendered than to impart to another “what is written.” This is the holy task to which every former student of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles is called. Alumni News Florence Turner, ’30, has been accepted by the Orinoco River Mission for work in Venezuela. While waiting for funds for passage to the field, she is teaching in a Mexican Sunday-school in Los Angeles and singing in the Women’s Sacred Ensemble, directed by Herbert G. Tovey. Mary Jamieson, ’31, is working in the Presbyterian churches of Spokane, Wash. Her work is with the young people and children and in visiting in the homes. Sarah Osgood, ’29, M. Alma Still, ’26, Martha Minkel, ’26, and Nell Hedrick, T9, are among the workers at the Ruth Pro tective Home, El Monte, Calif. The Lord has given them many opportunities o f wit nessing among unfortunate girls. A. J. Anderson, ’23, of the Central Amer ican Mission, has had the' privilege o f con siderable preaching and teaching outside of Guatemala City. Recently he wrote: “ I had a very pleasant trip to the Jutiapa region
many are taking part in the activities of the church. Leona S. Thoering, ’20, writes from Kiungchow, Szechwan, China, regarding a visit to a little farming community in the mountains: “ Several are ready for bap tism, and it is a joy to see whole families believing. The evangelist has a school for the children o f believers, so we hope to build up a strong church there. W e shall value your prayer for this place. The work is very discouraging. The Sunday- school is well attended; in fact, I have more than I can manage—about fifty boys. We have no help of any kind—and how it is needed I” E. Rexford ( ’27) and Mrs. Smith (Grace H. Weller, ’26) are laying plans for a Mexican Presbyterian Church at Coachella, Calif., where they have been laboring with such marked results. Already there are eighteen desiring membership— thirteen by baptism and five by letter— with a number o f others wishing to be as sociate members. Not long ago, Mr. Smith assisted the pastor of the Mexican church at Brawley, Calif., in special meetings. Open air services are held at the large ranches where many Mexican families live during harvest season. These meetings give opportunity for preaching the Word to a large number who otherwise would never hear the gospel. Mrs. C. B. Sheldon (Hattie Louise Cope, ’22) and Mabel J. Crawford, ’27, both graduates o f the Brethren College, Ashland, Ohio, and missionaries o f the Brethren Foreign Missionary Society in French West Africa, are enjoying the privilege of being together on the mission field. Mrs. Sheldon writes o f her family: “The kid dies keep so well, for which we praise the Lord. David (nineteen months old in March) runs all over the place now.” Nora M. Steiner, ’28, has completed nurses’ training and is expecting to leave for Africa in the late summer or early fall under the Africa Inland Mission. George R. Keepin, ’21, is a pastor at Hazel Green, Wise. He is studying for the degree of Bachelor o f Divinity at the Uni versity o f Dubuque, Dubuque, la. Pearl Weeks, T3, living in San Bernar dino, Calif., sent this telegram to the Bible Institute for alumni day: “My apprecia tion of dear B. I. increases with the years. May God bless her continually that the fruits of the Spirit may abound in the lives o f her sons and daughters to the Exceed ing praise o f Him who has called us in fellowship.” John H. Hunter, pastor of the May flower Congregational C h u r c h , Pacific Grove, Calif., writes as follow s: “Mrs. Hunter is still suffering from the results of being knocked down by an automobile just before Christmas. Our daughter, Mary ( ’28), who is in the Camerouns, West A f rica, is very well and very happy. We ex pected her home this fall on her furlough, but she has received word from the Board that on account o f financial conditions, all furloughs are postponed indefinitely. Our youngest daughter, Margaret, is with us, having graduated from Occidental College last June. She is helping in the work of the Sunday-school, Christian Endeavor So- [Continued on page 283]
A nderson -P enner W edding P arty Left to right: Mr. and Mrs. Carl A. Anderson, C. Harry Anderson, Mrs. Anderson (Sara Penner, *29), Marguerite Lofthus, *28, Esther Lofthus, *28, Rosella Penner, Herman Gutyahr. in Eastern Guatemala. I preached seven times in Jutiapa, mostly teaching messages, and from there we went to Santa Catarina Mita, Rodea, and Pinuelas.” According to the Central American Bul letin, Anne E. Thomas, T8, who is sta tioned at Cartego, Costa Rica, accompanied by a native young woman and thé faithful native pastor, conducted an evangelistic trip to several “pueblos” where the Bible, for the most part, is a closed book. To use Miss Thomas’ own words : “The first four or five miles were made by automo bile, and then began the long tramp over hills and plains, evangelizing as we went. Altogether we walked between forty and fifty miles, held cottage meetings, and had blessed fellowship with some o f God’s very own blood-bought children, hidden away in remote places. Will you not join us in prayer that ere the day closes and the dark ness deepens, we shall not only be able to evangelize the towns we have recently vis ited, but shall be able to reach out to the many thousands in other near-by towns who are still without the light of the gospel ?”
Margaret Kuter and a group of girls at the West Hollywood Community Church.
Margaret Kuter, ’31, will soon have com pleted a year as director of Christian Edu cation at West Hollywood Community Church, West Hollywood, California. Thirty-five girls from this church attended the Lyceum-Eteri conference at Camp Bethel in June. The work among the young people is progressing spiritually;
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