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Dear Respected Brother Kwang-hsi:
The Lord bless you and your family with grace and peace! The work in K'un-ming has truly comforted us. May the Lord multiply your strength. We are always praying for this. Yesterday (June 26), Brother Hsu Jung-jieh and I returned from evangelistic work in Tuo-Bah-Oh, Zha-Tze-Oh, Yen-Wah-Loh, etc. Although our bodies are tired from traveling, our hearts are rejoicing greatly. I have worked in these places before. The ones who came to listen to me were baptized, but none of them dared to admit that they were saved. When Brother Hsu spoke, I interpreted for him, which took a long time. Thank the Lord that it all went very smoothly. The listeners were all very quiet. These people were once very impatient and could never keep any order. I know that we accomplished God's will this time because when we returned, we were filled with joy. According to Brother Hsu, their meetings are all according to the principle of the local church.
Brother Hsu and I sent men to borrow a gas lamp and a barrel of gas from the Wei-Si Assembly of God Church. This is for use in gospel work near Lu River and Cha-Wa-Rong, because most of our work is conducted in the evening. We very much need a gas lamp, gas, and an accordion. The one who borrowed the lamp will be here in eight days. By then we will have to go on further. Our itinerary is not limited by time; we just want to move as the Lord leads. We do not know when we will return home. Because of the Lord's grace and the love of the brothers and sisters, the storm has been quelled, and everywhere we have peace. The only way we can advance is through the Lu River. There are a few thousand people who have been baptized but do not know what it means to be saved. If we do not give them the truth of salvation and the church, we will be like those who cross oceans and lands to lure some into their religion, making them sons of hell. Hence, this is the first thing that God has charged us to do. We will inform you as to our plans later. May the Lord grant you rich power and gifts, amen. Give our greetings to all the brothers and sisters in K'un-ming!
Brother Hu Yi-min, June 27
My Brother Kwang-hsi:
On the fifteenth of this month, Brother Hu and I set out to preach the gospel in Li-Suh. We went to three places, all of which were former fields of Brother Hu. The Li-Suh believers were brought to the Lord by Brother Hu. Originally, both Brother Hu and I were reluctant to preach in these places for fear that we would be accused of stealing others' sheep. Later, he felt that he should testify to them of his former mistakes and his future way. I felt that it was right to preach the gospel to those places which previously had not heard the true gospel. As a result I agreed to walk with Brother Hu. Getting to those places from Yeh-Ji is, at most, a two-day journey; it takes one day to get to the nearest place. These three places are (1) Tuo-Ba-Oh, (2) Zha-Tze-Oh, and (3) Wah-Shi-Loh Street. There were six to seven hundred people baptized in these areas in the past. After Brother Hu left for Shanghai, many of them became backslidden, and now there are only about two hundred left. Some of them (not too many) are saved, but they do not know anything about the truth. Most of them are not even regenerated.
The natives of Li-Suh mostly live in the mountains, in places that are very inaccessible. Most of them are scattered. In some cases a dozen or so families cluster together, while in other cases, a whole hamlet consists of only one family. Most of their houses are built along the slopes, in the clefts of the rocks, or by the mountain gullies. The houses are made of wood and are called Mu-Leng-Tze, which hold at most five or six people. Except for work, the dwellers spend all four seasons of the year in the house around a fire. For their beds they spread two or three wooden planks on the floor. During the day most of them are out of the house. When the sun goes down, they come home to sleep. Our gospel preaching is conducted mostly in the evening because they have no other free time. Most of the unbelievers among the natives like to drink and are in heavy debt. The Han Chinese induce them to drink wine, and then strip them of their possessions, land, and properties. Most of the Li-Suh natives labor day in and day out. There are only two months out of a year when they have some better days. The rest of the time they cannot even make enough to fill themselves. What a pity! Recently the Lord's word has spread among them, and many Li-Suh natives have turned to the Lord. As a result they abhor alcohol as much as snakes and do their best to remove this abuse. The Li-Suh culture does not consider fornication to be sin. For this reason fornication is very common. Of course, the believers are not like the others; they have advanced greatly. Since the Han merchants realize that believers do not drink, which takes away their source of profit, they have a deep hatred for preachers. However, they can do nothing about it. May the Lord grant them much grace and save their souls from sins so that these Li-Suh people can receive the benefit in their spirit, soul, and body. When the Lord's light shines on them, they will turn to Him through the testimonies among them. Of course, the responsibility is on our shoulders. May the Lord make us faithful to the end, and may the brothers and sisters pray much for us and share in the work here!
We spent ten days traveling to three places. The purpose of this trip was to bear a testimony and to survey the situation. Thank the Lord that many people like to hear about God's salvation and the gospel of Christ. Many know that they have eternal life and that the Spirit is in them. Those who are saved desire the truth very much. The nature of their meetings is somewhat local (in the eyes of the local believers). But the X denomination in Yeh-Ji considers this area its parish and extension. This is why we do not stay too long to preach the gospel. In these mountain regions I have observed that some among them do have a brotherly love, which proves that they are saved and have life. The past three to four months (between April and July) have been the most difficult months for them. Sometimes they are unable to even buy any food. When we were among them, they always gave us the best. Although we are by no means well-fed, our hearts are filled with joy. The Lord has enlightened us concerning the work ahead. Both Brother Hu and I are of the same mind.
Preaching in these areas must be conducted in the evenings. These people cannot even afford kerosene lamps. They use chestnut oil for their lamps. The first need in our work is lamps. (Sikang is also short of oil, more than we are.) It is uneconomical to use candles. Brother Hu and I considered buying a gas lamp and a few cans of gas from K'un-ming and using them here. Please ask about the price of a medium-size gas lamp (the kind that lights up without alcohol), the price of a can of gas, and the price of a hand-held lamp in the stores in K'un-ming.
If it is of the Lord's will and if He so arranges, Brother Hu and I intend to go to the upper tributary of the Nu River, around Gung-Shan County, and preach the gospel. (This area is at the border of Yunnan and Sikang.) No gospel has been preached to this area yet. According to Brother Hu, the natives of Nu River (an eastern tribe) are much less hungry for the truth than the natives of Li-Suh, yet they are quite aggressive. Brother Hu preached there before. There are about five to six thousand people in this place already, and it is an excellent place to work. May these ones truly belong to the Lord. If the Lord is gracious to us and the gospel spreads from here, we can establish local churches here and stay for a longer time. We need a house for our work. Houses near Nu River are mostly built with bamboo, and we can build three or four of them with thirty to forty Yunnan dollars. Gung-Shan County is also close to Sikang. It would be easier for us to advance into Sikang from here. Presently, Sikang province belongs to the Chinese government in name only. The whole region from the west of Jin-Sha River has been under the jurisdiction of the Tibetan government. A few counties east of Ba-Tong are still under the jurisdiction of the Szechuan government. Any Han Chinese entering the areas under Tibetan jurisdiction must first have their papers examined and checked. They consider Han Chinese the same as Westerners. This is one of the reasons there are still no Westerners preaching the gospel in Sikang; there are too many difficulties involved. May the Lord grant us mercy and grace and open the door of preaching so that we can preach His gospel and advance into Tibet. Please pray for us. We will report the details of the work to you later. Peace.
Brother Hsu Jung-jieh, June 27
When I arrived in Mong-Tze, I stayed at an inn. Later, I lodged temporarily in the little house behind Mr. Hsu's residence and ate elsewhere. I tried to preach the gospel a few times on Dah-Jin Street. A few friends were saved. This was truly the Lord's own work. I also did some edifying work for the brothers and sisters by preaching the message "Who Is Jesus?" It seems that I can only lift up Christ and attract many to Him. Christ has to gain them first before more can be done. I also met two brothers and a few friends in the Southwest United University and have given some of them my personal testimony. This morning, I plan to go to Shi-Ping because Brother Lin has written to me again.
Brother Chen Hsi-wen, July 11
I should have left for Tientsin already. However, because of the arrangement by the Lord in the work and because of my health, I have not been able to go yet. Thank the Lord. The Lord willing, I will be going to Tientsin tomorrow and then to Peking. In every place I will stay for about half a month. During the recent months, the Lord has given me new leading concerning the gospel work in north China and in northwest China. It seems that the confirmation is becoming stronger. Thank the Lord! He is also turning much of my attention to the truth concerning the kingdom. I can only acknowledge my unworthiness in the face of all these needs. May the Lord supply us more and release us more! Issue No. 14 of The Christian is almost ready. The "Bible Study" column is the only article that is still pending. I truly hope that this magazine can come out bimonthly, as scheduled. Please pray for this!
The business of the brothers is generally good. Thank the Lord. Brother Chang Tze-jieh returned to Tsingtao at the beginning of the month. He has indeed grown, and the Lord has clearly used him. Thank the Lord. He will conduct some perfecting meetings in Tsingtao this week. Then he will go to Lai-Yang to preach the gospel.
Brother Witness, Chefoo, July 11
(Recently we received a letter from Brother Wang Jien-tang, saying that Brother Witness Lee and the family of his brother Lee Chang-en arrived safely in Tientsin on the morning of July 16. After conducting meetings for two days, he was slightly sick. Thank and praise the Lord, Brother Lee has recovered from the illness, and tonight he will continue to speak on the truth of Luke 14:17. Every night there is an enthusiastic and crowded audience. Many sit by the door, outside the door, and outside the windows. More stand during the whole time. We see the Lord's glory everywhere, and we truly have to praise the Lord — Editor.)
Sister Lee:
Thank and praise the Lord that in the midst of such difficult times we can still proclaim the great grace of His love and redemption. May we accomplish the last part of His plan while we still have a little light. Whenever I read The Open Door and see how the Lord has worked through a few co-workers, I cannot help but give much thanks for the fresh fruit borne in the many inland provinces through our brothers. Hallelujah. In Chekiang to the south of the Yangtze River, the roads are very damaged, which causes much trouble in traveling. But most of the places are still meeting and preaching the gospel. A few of the local churches around Ning-Hai are somewhat revived. For example, we see much of God's work in Shen-Chen and Hai-You. There has been a meeting raised up near San-Men Bay also. When we see the newly saved ones, we rejoice and praise loudly for the great lovingkindness of the Father! Brother Lou Chuan-en and his family have now come to live in Ning-Hai. The Lord has used him to lead the brothers on. Beginning August 4, we will have a conference in Ning-Hai. We hope that Brother Lou will be responsible for this conference. I promised to visit Tai-Shun and Wen-Ling, but I cannot fulfill my promise because of the inaccessibility of the roads. The Lord willing, I will go to Wu-Yih in the fall. As far as my personal life is concerned, I have been very dry and thirsty. I very much wish that Jesus Christ, the source of life, would fill my heart so that I will only be satisfied with Him and not have merely a doctrine of the filling of the Spirit. This is all I will write for now. Peace in the Lord!
A weak brother in the Lord, Hwa Shi-bin, July 16
God has brought us through in our work in Ch'ang-sha. First we had seven days of meetings in Yi-Shing Girls' School. This was followed by three days of meetings in Brother Yun's house. All the success goes to the Lord, and all the failures are mine. May the Lord preserve His own work. I intended to go to Szechuan after the conference in Ch'ang-sha, but at the persistent invitation of the brothers and sisters in Hankow, I came to Hankow on the fourth by public bus. We started a conference today. We do not know how many days we can continue meeting; everything depends on the political situation.
Tang Shou-ling, Hankow, August 7
I left Shanghai on July 26. Under the Lord's guidance, I arrived safely in Ch'ang-sha on the afternoon of August 4. Along the way I saw the Lord's wonderful and gracious leading. I could not help but be filled with thanksgiving and praise. Many brothers and sisters have left Ch'ang-sha because of the change in the political situation. But hungry, seeking sisters are still waiting to meet with us here. We have scheduled a conference to begin on the eighth of this month. There will be two sessions each day. The length of the conference will depend on God's leading and the provisions in the environment. We can only say that we will have it as long as we can.
Sister Tso Fu-ru, Ch'ang-sha, August 6
We preached the gospel for four evenings and then conducted a three-day study on the truth of salvation. All were under the Lord's blessing. All the brothers and sisters strove in oneness in prayer, and the outcome was good. In the next few days, we will schedule a baptism. (According to a letter from Chungking on August 11, twenty-four brothers and sisters were baptized on the seventh — Editor.) The weather in Chungking is tolerable. Some have said that this is the first summer in forty years which has not been that hot. This is also God's grace. I received a letter from my own brother some time ago saying that the Lord rescued him from great danger. Thank and praise the Lord. The brothers and sisters are all safe. Beginning next Tuesday, we will have a Bible study meeting every Tuesday at Brother Chang Tsing-yu's home. I have agreed to be responsible for this meeting while I stay here.
Brother Chang Yu-zhi, Chungking, August 4
Dear brothers in the Lord:
...I went to Zhuang-Shan in An-Hsi this time. It so happened that it was harvest time, and people were busy. As a result I was able only to have a four-day conference. They hope to start the Lord's table in the near future. Presently, Brother Chang Tung-yuen is working there. Please put him in your prayer. I did not go to the meeting in Ban-Ling, Wu-Keng because of the political unrest there. Presently, Brother Wang You-yi is still there. Please remember them in your prayer. Thank the Lord that Du, Nan-An, has raised up a brother, Brother Hung Deng-an. Now there is a gospel meeting every Lord's Day at his house. May the Lord also raise up some brothers from Du. There is only one sister who loves the Lord; she is living there with her family; the rest are all gospel friends. Some believers who met in Chuenchow have moved to Du, Nan-An, and every Lord's Day they have gospel meetings there. May the Lord raise up His testimony in that place also.
Brother Han Jin-siu
(1) Brother Tang Shou-ling went to Szechuan by steamboat after his conference in Hankow.
(2) Brother Han Fu-shen returned to Chang-Deh. Brother Liu Ai-wu went to Yi-Yang and intends to rest for a while.
(3) Brother Wu Ren-jieh is still in Chuenchow.
(4) Brother Hwa Shi-bin and Brother Lou Chuan-en are now in Ning-Hai.
By the Lord's grace, I am forwarding X dollars for The Open Door, X dollars for the Lord's work, and X dollars for taking care of the needy saints. Please direct it as the Lord leads. May the Lord bless this little offering. May the grace and love of the Father be with you all the time. May the Lord bless and grace your work.
Brother Wang Bao-guang, July 9[Address omitted]
Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord:
During the past few years I have been working around Kansu and Tsinghai provinces. The Lord has been very gracious to me, and there is nothing I can say except to thank Him with full satisfaction. Two years ago I left the interior of Tsinghai and went to the area around Liang-Chow in Kansu province and have frequently witnessed the Lord's wonderful power. Last May I arrived at Lan-chou from Liang-Chow, and from there I went to south Kansu. I spent about a year in south Kansu. In April of this year, the Lord directed me to come to Shensi. Unfortunately, I am not that useful; my faith is not that strong, my love is cold, and my spiritual condition is dry. What a pity. Please pray for me.
Yet I treasure all the brothers and sisters I see along the way. I went to Sian on June 6 of the Chinese calendar. The Lord has been protecting me all the way, and I am safe. The meetings in all these places are under the Lord's blessing, and we thank the Lord for this! While I was in Sian, I read The Open Door and received all the news. It has indeed refreshed my heart. Please send me two copies of The Open Door from now on. If possible I would like to have back issues starting with Issue No. 3. Greetings to the brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Brother Hu Tien-en, June 28 of the Chinese calendar[Address omitted]
(This brother is the co-worker of Duan Chai-ju. Thank the Lord that a few of them are zealously preaching the gospel in the provinces in Kansu, Tsinghai, and Shensi — Editor.)
Thank the Lord. Despite the difficulty in the environment, we have received every issue of The Open Door. The news makes us feel that the Lord's love is ever deepening. Thank the Lord that through Him we can stand in the present grace by faith. In the past He has caused us to look forward to His coming with joy. In tribulation He has caused us to rejoice all the more. He wants our tribulation to beget endurance, our endurance to beget hope, and our hope to not be put to shame. May the Holy Spirit pour out His love in our heart so that we can feel His love and love Him. The brothers and sisters here are all under the Lord's protection and are living peaceably. May glory and praise be to our gracious Lord. We are forwarding X dollars to be used for the expense of The Open Door. Please accept it. In the future please send us thirty copies. There are many brothers and sisters who are scattered in inland regions, and if they ask for it, we can then send them a copy.
Brothers meeting in Chuenchow,Yang Shi-chao and Wu Ren-jieh, July 16
Thank and praise the Lord. His wonderful grace has come also to Feng-Jiang. We also thank and praise Him for sending Brother Chen Ke-san and Sister Bau Hsu-min to come and edify us. We also thank and praise the Lord that two brothers and sisters were baptized in the meeting hall on June 11. In particular we thank and praise Him that He recovered His table on June 12 so that we can practice fellowship and remember and worship Him. Please pray for the meetings here. May the Lord be merciful to preserve the meeting until His return, amen. July 7 (Thursday) was our regularly scheduled prayer meeting. All the brothers and sisters fasted and prayed. Although the amount we offer is small, the thought behind it is sincere. Please find X dollars sent to you via the post office, and please direct it to brothers and sisters in difficulty.
Chen Bing-jiu, Keh Chang-chai, and Chen Tuo-sien, July 12
Dear Brothers Kwang-hsi and Hsi-wen:
Through your letters I learned that you preached in Ku-Jiu and Lin-An and were blessed by the Lord. Furthermore, the bread-breaking meeting has started in Ku-Jiu. Thank and praise the Lord that He has enlightened His children and attracted sinners to come under His name. I left for the south on April 14, going through Hanoi, Liang-Shan, and Lung-Chow. From there I traveled by bus to Ch'ang-Wu and arrived here on the twenty-second. Along the way I witnessed the Lord's protection. Thank and praise Him.
On May 1 (Lord's Day) we began to have the bread-breaking meeting in my home. In addition to myself, Brother Lin Dao-liang (who is a teacher at the Bible school here) comes to join us often. Brother Mu and I have written a letter to Brother Philip Luan inviting him to come and pioneer in Wu-Chow. The Lord willing, this wish will soon be realized. Presently, I am renting an apartment with Brother Mu, which we secured on the day we arrived. There are six rooms (all on the third floor with water and electricity). The sitting room, when opened up, can hold thirty to forty people. The rent is $12.50 plus water and electricity. In considering the world trend, believers all realize that the night is dark and the day is near. We should do our best to testify for the Lord and preach the gospel. During my long travel, I had many opportunities to preach the gospel to individual travelers and to sow gospel seeds. May the Lord water these seeds so that they can grow. I have witnessed to six or seven of my colleagues at work. Most of them are willing to accept without much resistance. I hope that in the future they will solidly receive the Lord's salvation. Yesterday morning Sisters Lin Siu-jieh and Hu Hwei-ying from Shanghai came here via Hong Kong at the recommendation of Brother Luan. The same day they took up jobs at the Nan-ning Railroad Hospital. Greetings to all the brothers and sisters in the Lord. Peace to you. The brothers and sisters and Brother Mu charge me to greet you.
Brother Lin Yau-huei, June 7
Dear Brother Lan:
On May 18 my whole family moved into the refugee relief center. Although we passed through danger, the Lord protected us, and we are finally safe. Brother Yuan Lin-shu is in the villages and has visited us twice at the relief center. We are told that the brothers and sisters in the villages are also safe. Brother Chang Yun-siu and his family moved into the second relief center and are also safe. Thank the Lord. Greetings to you in the Lord. All the brothers and sisters send their greetings to you.
Brother Hwang Tse-hou, July 9
According to the newspaper report, fifty thousand people escaped from Ch'ang-sha into the countryside in two days (July 23-24). But thank the Lord that the brothers and sisters were not affected during our conference. Brothers Zhang Gun-jih and Yu Yien-chou from Yi-Yang, and Brother Feng Shian-lu from Chang-Deh have also come. The subject of the conference was "The Glory of Christ." Brother Tang Shou-ling was responsible for giving the messages. We had one tragedy in Ch'ang-sha: Eight hundred people who were escaping to the countryside hired a steamer, and the steamer sank because of being overweight; only six people survived. Indeed, those who do not have God are afraid of death when they do not escape, and face death even sooner when they try to escape. This world is filled with tragedies! We can only ask the Lord to come quickly and to terminate these things.
Lan Tsi-yi, Ch'ang-sha, July 26
There were four days of gospel meetings from July 27 to 30 at 4-3 Chang's Garden. Although it was hot, many people came. Two rooms were filled, and we added more chairs outside the door. There were over a hundred people within that little place. Thank the Lord, there were twenty to thirty people who raised their hands to receive the Lord, and many put down their names. On August 1 and 3 there will be a new beginners' Bible study. The brothers and sisters are all in one accord this time toward the work of preaching the gospel. We do thank the Lord for this.
Yuen Chou Jieh-min, August 1
This time the Lord has done some special work at the Midwife School. Five girls were baptized. On the seventh of this month, we conducted a baptism using the swimming pool of the YMCA. There were seven brothers and sixteen sisters. We truly thank the Lord! Brother Lee Shi-chun from Hankow has left for Ch'eng-tu already. Mrs. Wang has found a job through the recommendation of Brother Hu Suen-ming. Sisters Ma and Tong are now working and studying at the Ren-Je Hospital through my recommendation. Others are preparing themselves to apply for the schools. Sister Yuen Jing-hwa has gone to Nan-An to work as a private tutor.
Yuen Chou Jieh-min, August 11
Enclosed please find X Hong Kong dollars for the following uses: (1) X dollars for the publication of The Christian, (2) X dollars for the publication of The Open Door, and (3) X dollars to each of the workers. (Since there are no workers in Hankow, please direct the money to workers nearby who are in need. Please distribute it according to your discretion, and please retain one portion for yourself.) Eighty percent of this money is from one sister, while the rest is from four brothers. Please notify us when you have received the money. (In addition, another X dollars in Philippine currency is for The Open Door.)...May the Lord care for the brothers and sisters who are in difficulty (Isa. 26:3).
Brother Simon Meek
(1) Brother Ho Yueh-chiao wrote on August 2 from Shanghai: "Madam Guyon's biography was published on July 31. Six hundred copies have been sold to Peking, Tientsin, Chefoo, K'un-ming, Hunan, and our bookstore. Issue No. 14 of The Christian is now being typeset, but the `Bible Study' column is not here yet. Brother Stephen Kaung and Sister Shen Hwei-min were married at the YMCA in Ba-Shien Bridge on July 30. Brother Chang Kwang-rong and Sister Miao Yun-chun are still in Shanghai. Because of her mother's illness, Sister Miao cannot go to the north as planned."
(2) Brother K. H. Weigh wrote on July 22 from K'un-ming: "Brother Watchman Nee's wife and mother arrived here on the nineteenth. May the Lord use them."
(3) According to a letter dated July 12 from Ning-Hai in Chekiang, Sister Tu Yun-sien's wound has been healed, but she still cannot walk on her right foot.
(4) Sister Wang Yien-tse returned to Kulangsu according to a letter of August 5.
(5) The local meeting in Peking is presently in Brother Hsiao Lu-yuen's and Sister Lin Shu-yun's house, according to a letter dated July 29.
(6) According to a letter in July from Er-Mei, Sister Shen Ma Min-shiu is returning to Ch'eng-tu around August 10.
(7) Brother Stephen Kaung wrote to Tang Shou-ling: "On August 8 I left Shanghai for Hong Kong. If I have the guidance from the Lord, I may go to Szechuan through Hunan and Hankow. Because I could not get a ticket in Kwangtung, I returned to Hong Kong. The trip to Szechuan will have to be cancelled temporarily."
(8) According to a letter sent by Brother Kuo Bu-yueh to Lan Tsi-yi, he felt clear to go through Hong Kong and Shanghai and to return north to Chefoo. Then he will go to Tientsin and Peking. But before that he will have to go with Sister Tso Fu-ru to Kweilin first.
(9) Sisters Ma Min-jen and Ji Hwei-jen left Yi to go to Chungking.
From July 25 to 31 there was a conference in Ch'ang-sha. The Lord's servant, Brother Tang Shou-ling, spoke on the subject of "The Glory of Christ." The result was good. Many brothers and sisters were revived in life and had a turn. Thank the Lord. Beginning August 8 there was a sisters' conference on the subject of "The Will of God." There were two meetings every day. What was released met the real need of the sisters in Ch'ang-sha. May the Lord bless these messages. Sister Tso's footsteps have not been decided yet. She has moved into a sister's house. Mail can be directed to the meeting hall.
Brothers Yang Dai and Kuo Jen-yung, August 12
[Omitted]
(1) Whenever a brother or sister changes his or her address, please inform us of the new address in detail, as well as his or her condition, so that we can publish them in this paper. This will relieve the concern of many.
(2) Many local churches are meeting in the homes of the saints. Saints who arrive in a new locality can look up the address of any brother or sister in that city listed in this paper, and can find the meeting place accordingly.
(3) If the brothers and sisters move to a locality without a meeting, they should meet by themselves, even if there are only two or three, because the Scripture says, "Not abandoning our own assembling together...but exhorting one another; and so much the more as you see the day drawing near" (Heb. 10:25). The Lord Himself promised that "where there are two or three gathered into My name, there am I in their midst" (Matt. 18:20). We also hope that wherever the footsteps of our brothers and sisters are, the opportunity for men to hear the gospel is also present.
(4) If brothers or sisters want this paper mailed directly to them, please write to us. Otherwise, please receive your copy from your local church.
(5) Of the co-workers and local churches that we know of, none have solicited relief funds or raised money for the need of the work or the local churches. We wish to maintain the same nature by the grace of the Lord.
(6) At this critical hour we need to practice the words of Hebrews 13:1-3: "Let brotherly love continue. Do not forget hospitality....Remember those...who are ill treated as being yourselves also likewise treated in body."
Ruth Lee in Wan County, August 15
Issue No. 10 was mailed from Hankow in the middle of August. We have hurriedly typeset Issue No. 11, hoping that the Lord would give us the grace to send this issue out from Hankow as well. We have not moved to another city, because Hankow is most centrally located. The co-workers in Hankow are fulfilling their ministry under all kinds of dangers. If not for the grace of the Lord, we would have spent all our time in fear, and there would not have been any time for work. The political situation is changing unpredictably. If Hankow becomes blocked, we will move back to Shanghai. The Lord willing, I hope to pass through Szechuan, Kweichow, Yunnan, Kwangsi, and then to Shanghai via Hong Kong. Brother Lan Tsi-yi's itinerary is still uncertain, and we can only move on according to the Lord's grace. Presently, we dare not make any decision.
Please send the news of the work and the news of the churches to either Hong Kong or Chungking. If you live close to Hankow and the surface mail can be delivered, you can send your letter directly to our P. O. Box in Hankow.
Brother Hwang Tze-hou has sent us letters from Shu County. But wire transfers of funds are still impossible. We have not received any letters from the brothers in Chou County. I do not know where Brother Chai En-shang of Ho-Tsin in Shansi is. We hold him in remembrance!
Concerning the relief to brothers and sisters who are in need because of the war, funds from Kiangsu and Chekiang have been under the direction of the few workers in Shanghai during the past months. Funds from Szechuan, Hunan, and Hankow have been dispersed through fellowship between Brother Lan Tsi-yi and myself. Recently, any money that came in was immediately used up, mostly on those with dire problems. Relief work is like putting out fire. Thank the Lord that some brothers and sisters moving into the Szechuan and Hunan areas through Hankow have found ways to take care of themselves. Some are still unsettled. Anyone who tries to walk from Hunan to Szechuan and then to Kansu and Sinkiang needs God's miracles to lead him on. The few of us co-workers always pray for those brothers and sisters in tribulation and in need. Please pray also for us so that we can truly be led by the Holy Spirit and be faithful in the things with which He has entrusted us.
If you want to send any money, please send it to Mrs. Yuen How-tsai in Chungking, Szechuan. Once Brother Lan Tsi-yi or this magazine has a fixed address, we will inform you.
At such a critical juncture, this issue is trying its best to publish news concerning the work as well as news concerning the churches. We ask that the local churches try their best to give this magazine to the local brothers and sisters so that they can pray for us. Some places have many brothers and sisters. In addition to announcing this magazine to them, please, if possible, use other means to send them a copy. Some do not pay attention when things are announced, or some may have missed a meeting when an announcement was made. Once I went to a place and asked one sister, "Have you seen Issue No. X?" She said no. I asked, "Is it not true that they are at the meeting hall?" She said she did not know. Actually, after the meeting someone had made an announcement, but the sister who was quite burdened for the magazine still missed it. Needless to say, those who are not as concerned will surely miss it. Some may think that since a person is not concerned about it, we should not give it to him. But I think that some messages can give encouragement to those who are not concerned, and that we should do our best to distribute it to them. The Lord does not forget us, who are always weak and cold; let us not forget those who are also weak and cold.
I am still in Wan County. Within this month I will probably be in Chungking, and by September I will be in Kuei-yang. My address in Kuei-yang is [omitted].
Ruth Lee, in a mountain village in Wan CountyAugust 14, 1938
