— News —

James O. Wilburn, Box 11, Gruver, Texas, Aug. 24: "Our summer gospel meeting with John Maples preaching resulted in one baptism and one restoration. Attendance in all services reached a new level of interest. Dow Wilson will assist us in our next meeting."

Richard Donley, Box 1508, Pueblo, Colorado, Aug. 28: "I did the preaching in a meeting at Raton, New Mexico, that closed Aug. 25. Good attendance and interest. One baptized and one restored. I have time open for a meeting or two next year."

Voyd N. Ballard, Box 465, Woodville, California, Aug. 17: "The Lord willing, I am to be with the church in Coos Bay, Oregon, in a gospel meeting beginning Sept. 7 and continuing for ten days. Brethren in that vicinity are invited to remember this date ad to attend this meeting."

F. B. Shepherd, 1732 Keeaumoku, Honolulu, T. H.: "Anther young father was baptized here last week, thus making the home fully Christian. Tourists coming to the island or Service people stationed here please note this is the only congregation teaching and worshipping according to the New Testament in the islands. Take Punahou -University bus from downtown and get off at Wilder and Keeaumoku. Walk one and one-half long blocks Mauka. Hours of worship the same as on mainland, except Lord's Day evening — then 7 p.m. If this report reaches the eye of anyone knowing the present address of Milton B. Judge, Harry C. Moore, or Ernest B. Winkler, please communicate with us immediately. Just the address on an Air Mail card will do the work. Thanks."

Johnny Ramsey, Box 109, Neenah, Wisconsin: "During the past eighteen months I have preached in the following gospel efforts: Stevens Point, Wisconsin, in December — one baptism; Sheffield, Texas, in March — two baptisms; Rolla, Missouri, in May — two baptisms, two restored; Jacksonville, Illinois, in last part of May — no visible results; Bozeman, Montana, in June — one baptism. We also helped in two evangelistic meetings in this area last month — one at Waukasha where a new congregation of the Lord's people begins meeting next Sunday. A young lady was baptized here in Neenah on August 9. Yesterday we were overjoyed when a man in Green Bay was baptized into Christ. This makes seven baptized and three restored in our labors in the Fox Rixer Valley thus far in eleven months. Brethren, there is an open field for evangelistic work in Wisconsin. May_. God help us to go to work now while the "effectual door is open."

Robert L. (Bob) Craig, 317 S. Blanco, Lockhart, Texas, Aug. 28: "After twenty months work with the church in Bay City, I will move to the above address Sept. 1 Anyone desiring my services in meeting work for next year may contact me there." - O. E. Patterson (For the elders, Church of Christ, Raymondville, Texas), "Dear Brethren: This letter will serve to introduce Brother Marvine Kelley who has preached for us the past year. He came to us from a congregation in Dallas, Texas, and he was recommended as a sound gospel preacher. During his stay with us we have learned that he is sound in his teaching, clean in his living, and that he loves the Lord. He is diligent in his work and study and has an equal amount of energy. While working with us he has conducted three debates with the Baptists and has proven himself very capable of defending the doctrine of Christ. We consider him to be a good pulpit man who is sincere and very capable in his lesson presentations. During his stay with us the church was edified and there were eighteen responses to the invitation. Brother Kelley has asked for this letter and is leaving of his own will. Our good wishes accompany him in his future work in the Lord's vineyard."

Joe H. Morris, 2707 Ky Ave., Paducah, Kentucky, Aug. 24: "Closed two good meetings in Rutherford County, Tennessee, yesterday, Antioch and Walter Hill respectively, with eight baptized. Clayton Briley directed the singing at Antioch and Bomer Phillips at Walter Hill. Both men are excellent song leaders. I promised to return to both places in 1956. Roy E. Cogdill begins our meeting at Clements Street September 3rd through 13th. I begin at Center, Kentucky, the night of September 13th. Clements Street work prospers. Bobby Collier was here during August meetings."

W. Woodrow Allen, Kearney, Nebraska, July 29: "Three fine young people were baptized in the Bible Camp at Fremont, Nebraska. This camp was the cooperative endeavor of several Christians from all over Nebraska and was a wonderful experience for both the young people who attended and the adults who worked in it. Brother Glen Bettenhausen is now living and working to establish a congregation in Grand Island, Nebraska. This is the third largest town in the state, but there is only one other family who are faithful. Brother Bettenhausen moved there without any assurance of support, trusting that brethren would respond to his needs. The church in Lincoln, not yet self-supporting itself, paid him for one month, and the church in Omaha has given him one month's support. Brethren, will you not help this faithful preacher of the gospel? He needs regular monthly support so that he will not be required to divide his time and work at secular work to support himself. If you are interested, write Glen Bettenhausen, 612 West 10th, Grand Island, Nebraska, or Hershel Dyer, 14th and "F", Lincoln, Nebraska."

Robert II. Bell, 672 Nineteenth St., San Diego, California, Aug. 24: "From July 5-12 the church in Friendship, Tennessee, conducted a meeting in which I did the preaching. The local preacher, Brother David Davidson, directed the singing in an excellent manner, Nine were baptized. On July 19th I began a meeting with the church in Glass, Tennessee, which continued through the 29th. Brother Jackie Parks, of Obion, Tennessee, led the singing during this meeting in a very fine way. Four were baptized. On Aug. 2nd I preached for the church in Milan, and attended the summer lectures at David Lipscomb in Nashville that week. Then from the 9th through the 16th of August I was with the Vaughns Grove church in a meeting. Brother Billy Ray Davidson conducted the singing, and did his part well. One confessed sins during the meeting. I promised to return to Tennessee in '54 and again in '55 for other meetings. We returned home last week to continue our fine work with the Central congregation. A large audience greeted us yesterday and one was baptized at the morning hour. Brother Robert W. Lehmann, a local preacher, devoted his full time to the work of the church during my absence and baptized two and restored three. His work was deeply appreciated by both the congregation and myself."

E. L. Flannery, Box 192, Cullman, Alabama, Aug. 24: "A man who learned the truth by listening to radio preaching was baptized here Sunday, making the 26th baptism in my work here the past year. On September 13th I begin working with the Harding Avenue church in Sciotoville (East Portsmouth), Ohio. This is a young congregation and is located within a few miles of the Portsmouth Atomic Works. Being a native of Ohio I am glad to move back "home," and hope the kingdom of Christ will see growth in Ohio where it has been so weak since the great digression. My address after September 10th will be Rt. 2, Sciotoville, Ohio."

J. Herman Campbell, Central Church of Christ, Twelfth and Hoover Sts., Los Angeles, California: "Brother Homer Hailey of Tampa, Florida, was with the Central Church of Christ for a series of meetings from July 1 through July 12. Brother Hailey served as the regular minister for the Central church in 1945-46 before going to Honolulu. This is Brother Hailey's second meeting with Central since 1946. The attendance was good, and as could be expected, the sermons were excellent."

Charles H. Crider, Box 515, Apache, Oklahoma, Aug: 27: "In July we took a vacation trip to North Carolina. We were impressed in many ways with this state. We visited the Grinsteads, who work with the church at Pike Road. He informed me that there are only 25 gospel preachers in the whole state of North Carolina. Sectarian churches are in every town. The "Digressives" are there, many of them still wearing the name of Christ. They are like the little boy's "Hot Chicken" sandwich: the name doesn't indicate what is inside. One only has to drive through the state to see that this is a great mission field. We were so impressed that we plan to move to Newport the second week in September to work with the church there. Camp Glenn is eight miles from Newport and Camp Lejuene is 35 miles away. Any one having friends or relatives in either of these camps, who are members of the church, please send their names to the church in Newport. If they are not meeting with the church we will contact them. Our stay in Apache has been pleasant in every respect. The church here has not had a phenomenal growth but continues to move forward. In the past 18 months new pews, carpets, and air conditioning have been installed, the church building rewired, new song books purchased, preacher's house painted; all paid for. Elders and deacons have been appointed, and there has been 18 responses, only nine for baptism. Anyone interested in working with this fine congregation contact the elders, Box 256, Apache, Oklahoma."

W. Wallace Layton, Box 10086, Houston 18, Texas, Aug. 29: "Meetings at Bend and Big Spring, Texas, resulted in 19 responses to the invitation. Nine of these were baptized, eight restored, and two memberships. I have completed one years work here with the Garden Oaks congregation. During this year we have built a new auditorium with a seating capacity of 500 and have had 79 additions. The church is unified and at work for the Lord."

Jack McAmis, Rt. 1, Box 105, Kannapolis, North Carolina, Aug. 28: "We have just closed two meetings in Concord, North Carolina, a city of 25,000, which has no church of the Lord. I held the first meeting and Brother Robert O.Wilson of Elizabethton, Tennessee, held the last one and the total results were four baptisms. The meetings were held in the same spot under our tent and many heard the Truth for the first time. We plan a strong church in Concord in the near future. The work is growing in Kannapolis as well as in the state as a whole. Our local radio program over WEGO, Concord, North Carolina, continues to bear fruit."

Elvis Bozarth, Hq. Bn. Special Services, 1st Marine Div., FMF, c/o FPO, San Francisco, California: "Members of -the church meet every Lord's Day at the 1st Marine Div. Chapel at 4:00 p.m. Today was our first assembly and there were three of us present. Several more will be attending as soon as we can get the word around. The Division Chaplain permits us to use the chapel and song books, and provides communion supplies but he won't advertise any religious service that is not conducted by a Chaplain. Due to the collateral duties assigned to Chaplains in the Naval Service, our preachers have been reluctant to apply for a Chaplaincy. Thus, the religious guidance and worship must be taken care of by the men themselves. As soon as I can finish gathering material for "ammunition" I will provide some facts to Congressmen who can make it possible for preachers with conviction to come into the Naval Service. I understand that the Army and Air Force have no regulations to hinder one in "contending for the faith" as a Chaplain."

ITALY GRANTS VISAS C. R. Paden, Rome, Italy The Italian government in an unprecedented display of leniency has granted two-year visas to four families desiring to enter Italy for the purpose of preaching the gospel. Late last week (July 31) the government announced that visas had been granted to the Gerald Paden, John Butts and L. V. Pfeifer families and yesterday added the name of the Wyndel Hudson family to the growing list. (The Hudsons have already landed in Europe but have not entered Italy yet.) The Embassy in Rome has told us that the applications of the Dayl Pittmans, Bernard Howells and David Lavender families are "under active consideration." The Embassy feels confident that these visas will be forthcoming.

The government is required (law of Sept. 28-29, 1948) to act upon applications for visas within two months from the time it is received in the ministry of Interior offices in Rome. Some six weeks are required for applications to arrive in Rome after they are made in the various Italian consulates in the United States.

The granting of these visas for such a length of time gives rise to the hope that visas of workers now in Italy will be given long term extensions. In the past the government has blocked the visas of members of the church and considered them as a unit. Present visas for workers now in Italy expire August 31.

Officials of the Embassy in making the announcement of the government's decision to give these new visas were careful to insist that for the time being no new applications be filed. They seemed to think that perhaps the government is adopting a new policy toward us and that we should not make a nuisance of ourselves by flooding their offices with requests for new visas.

Each worker must go by his respective Italian consulate to have the visa stamped in his passport. This. the Embassy pointed out, will prevent any future difficulty.

The arrival of these new workers will more than double the American force in Italy and naturally will hasten the day when the church of our Lord is firmly re-established on Italian soil. To the beleaguered forces on the field this is heartening news indeed, Norman Cooper, Portales, New Mexico, Aug. 26: "Sunday, August 23 marked the beginning of a new congregation — Church of Christ in Portales, New Mexico. Ninety eight met for Bible Study and the Lord's Day contribution ran near $350.00. The brethren are seeking lots for a building site and plan to build at an early date. I preached at both services."