News
T. H. Tarbet, Jr., Melbourne, Australia, March 2, 1956: "We are happy to report another baptism, which brings to eight the membership of the church in Melbourne. Her husband, who is Postmaster in West Footscray, next door to our hall, is also interested, and is attending services. Attendance is on the increase at all meetings, including the mid-week Bible 'Study in our home. We are now meeting in the hall in West Footscray for all services on Sundays, having but recently started having the morning meetings there. From 16 to 23 are coming to Bible School and worship in the mornings. At the Sunday night sermon lectures and question periods which follow, we were having from 16 to 26 before the first of the year; but the attendance l is now running from 23 to 40. Many are coming regularly. So the good seed is being sown.
"The first part of February I was away for 13 days, including one Sunday, in a gospel meeting series with the little church at Warner's Bay, near Newcastle, New South Wales. The only other American evangelist we have in Australia is at Warner's Bay. He is Rodney Wald, who is doing a really good job in that part of the country. He, along with Brother and Sister Bob Jefferson (Australians reclaimed from the digressives) make up the congregation there. One lady was baptized during the meeting, and others who heard the truth for the first time were disturbed. This may not sound like big results, but when you consider that it gave the church there an increase in membership of one-third, you can see what it meant to those brethren. Brother Colin Smith of Sydney preached in Melbourne the Sunday I. was away.
"The mailing list for gospel tracts is getting larger all the while. Also, we continue to see evidence of good that is coming from the weekly articles which are published in the suburban paper. Books are being borrowed from the small lending library of the church, and also from my personal library. People who are religiously inclined will read almost anything put before them, and we need to keep gospel literature in front of them all the time.
"We need to spend more money for preaching by means of the printed page. This door of opportunity is open to us; and it promises even more than it does in America. These people have more time for reading. Television has not reached Australia yet. Neither are there so many automobiles. Also, there is not such an abundance of reading material as one sees in the States. With this door open before us, we are planning to extend our use of gospel literature just as fast as finances will allow. For this reason it is our hope and prayer that more and more brethren in the USA will see fit to contribute more and more money to this work. We can cash ordinary checks on American bank accounts. It is easy to make a contribution to this work. Simply make out a check to 'Church of Christ' and send it air mail (using a 25-cent stamp) to me at 91 Roberts 'St., W-13 Yarraville, Victoria, Australia. You have been very good to support the work here, and your contributions have made it possible for us to see some good results already in what is reputed to be one of the hardest fields in the world. Thanks for your good fellowship. Continue to pray for us."
Thomas F. Shropshire, Box 153, Ranger, Texas, March 27: "Two have been baptized at 225 South Rusk since I last sent in a report. We have lost a few who moved away but interest and attendance have continued to hold up well. The location of the congregation is to be moved in the near future. Last year lots were purchased in the eastern part of town on the corner of Strawn Road and Young Street. Recently a rural school building was purchased and moved in on the lots. It is now being repaired and remodeled to serve as the permanent meeting place of the congregation. In the future, the congregation will be designated as the Eastside church of Christ. We expect to be able to accomplish a great deal more in the new location than has been the case at 225 South Rusk."
Louis J. Sharp, East Side Church of Christ, Little Rock, Arkansas, March 26, 1956: "There have been four baptisms, three restorations, and eight identified with the East Side congregation in recent weeks. We have begun our fourth year with this fine people as of March 8."
W. Earl Mansur, 19551 Welby Way, Reseda, Calif., March 27: "Several restored and identified here recently. When in this area worship with us at 7054 Winnetka Ave. in Canoga Park. I am to do the preaching in a meeting with the church in San Jose beginning tomorrow."
Bob L. Woodward, 713 4th St., Trumann, Arkansas, March 30: "I began work here Jan. 1. Brother Tommy McClure, Second and Walnut, Paragould, Ark., closed a meeting with us March 6, resulting in five baptisms and two restorations, bringing the total to seven baptisms and three restored since January 1. I hold a meeting there this fall. We are in process of buying a bus. Eugene Britnell will hold our fall meeting. Brethren out of work might find it here. There is a factory here employing about 1400 people. Trumann is about 5000 population. I begin a meeting with the church in Yoakum, Texas on April 2."
J. M. Wilson, Hagerman, New Mexico, March 26: "Please announce that W. Curtis Porter of Monette, Ark. will be with us in a meeting beginning April 22nd through May 2nd. All in driving distance and those who might be passing this way are invited to be with us in this meeting. The church here is small and young, still in the mission stage, being partly supported by the good church of Eighth and Grand in Artesia, N.M., where Robert Waller is doing such a fine job as preacher. We need your prayers in our effort to spread true New Testament teaching in this community. So make a note of this date and be with us. The building is located just across the railroad as you come into town four blocks south on South Oxford An. We'll be looking for you.