News
Entrance Into South Africa Refused
Paul K. Williams, Rt. A, Poplarville, Mississippi June 26, 1956 Last Friday I received a report from Paul W. Hall who has been waiting for three months for his visa to enter South Africa. The following is from this report:
"Many things have happened the past few days concerning the South African work which you need to know. Just Saturday I received a letter from the South African Embassy in Washington. Following is what it says: 'I regret to inform you that the application for permanent residence which you submitted on behalf of yourself and your family has been rejected by the authorities in South Africa. In the circumstances I return your passports herewith.' This of course, means the door has been shut to us as far as South Africa is concerned.
"You may wonder what has happened to cause them to refuse us entrance into South Africa. In the past few months an Anglican priest has been forced to leave the country because of his opposition to the government on the native question. You may read about this in the June issue of the Reader's Digest. Brother John Maples, who is now in Durban, has this to say about the situation: 'I have done all, just about, that I can from this side about your visas.
I called on the American Consul last week. He said that the Catholics, the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Seventh Day Adventists were having trouble but he didn't know that we were. He said that only a few visas were coming through and the government is rather upset. He is reporting our case to the American Ambassador in Pretoria and is to call me as soon as any thing is learned. However, there is about nothing we can do but wait. All this trouble is being caused, everyone here thinks, because of an Anglican priest. He came to Johannesburg and caused a big stir about the government's policy toward the natives. He had to leave and since leaving has written a book about it and really raised a bad situation. Until this blows over I don't think we will get any more visas.' I have received my negative answer by the government since Brother Maples wrote this."
Brother Hall is the first preacher of the church of Christ to be refused entrance into South Africa, and this refusal comes as quite a surprise to us. In view of the government's attitude toward all missionaries at this time, it seems useless for us to go ahead and try to enter. We are satisfied that we would fare no better than the Halls. Therefore we are being forced to abandon our plans for going to South Africa at this time.
We cannot know how everything will work out. It is possible that it will actually work out for better things. Perhaps it is not the best time for us to go right now. The Apostle Paul was not permitted by the Holy Spirit to go to some places he wanted to go. This may be what is happening to us.
We plan, now, on staying in the U. S. for the time being. I would like to locate with a congregation right away. We hope that in a few years we will be able to go overseas, if not to South Africa then to some other country. We are abandoning our plans only temporarily. Pray for us that all will work out for the furtherance of the gospel.
Funds To Go To James Finney and Andy DeKlerk
All those who have pledged future help to us are no longer in any way obligated to us, of course. We appreciate more than can be expressed the willingness of so many of you to help in our proposed work in South Africa. We only wish it had been possible to have completed our plans and gone.
The money that is in our travel fund and the money that has been contributed for our car must be disposed of, however. After consideration, I have decided to turn as much of this as possible over to Brother James Finney and Brother Andy DeKlerk.
Brother Finney is making plans to go to Nigeria, Africa to work among the natives. At present he is winding up his campaign to raise the necessary funds for the work there and plans on sailing July 13. He needs $800 more, which I propose to give him from our travel fund. Brother Finney is being fully supported by the Sixth Street church in Port Arthur, Texas, a very fine church. This same church contributed $350 on our travel fund. Brother Finney has a fine reputation as a sound gospel preacher and should do a good work in Nigeria.
Brother Andy DeKlerk has been at Florida Christian College for the past three and one-half years. He is from South Africa, having been converted by Martelle Petty in Pretoria, March 1952. He is planning on going back to South Africa in September. Since he is a South African, he will not have to worry about visa trouble. I have heard a lot of good things about Brother DeKlerk. He is an outstanding debater on the FCC debate team and well thought of by all who have met him. He comes with the highest recommendations of the staff of Florida Christian College. Brother DeKlerk plans to go to Harrismith in the Orange Free State (the center of South Africa). We plan to give him the balance of our travel fund for his work there.
We would, therefore, like to hear from every individual and congregation who has helped us on our plans to enter South Africa. We feel you have a right to say just how the money you have contributed will be used. You have at least two alternatives:
1. Let us transfer this money to Brother James Finney and Brother Andy DeKlerk. It is our prayer that most of you will see fit to do this.
2. However, if for any reason you do not desire to have the money you have sent used in this manner, we will refund your money.
We regret having to make such a request, but we feel all can understand this is a situation completely beyond our control. We solicit your prayers and understanding.
Please let us hear from you as soon as possible. If we do not hear from you we must assume that it is agreeable with you for us to give the money to these two men.
Morton, Texas July 3, 1956 To Whom It May Concern:
Brother Jesse Brookshire, after more than four years of labor with this congregation, has resigned of his own accord.
He has been a diligent and tireless worker and is well liked by the citizens of the town and the surrounding area.
He is a very able speaker, preaches the gospel with force, conviction, and without fear or favor to any man or group of men.
The church here has realized its greatest period of growth during the time he has worked with us.
He has a very fine family, and we wish to commend him and his good family to the brotherhood. We believe the congregation that secures his services will be indeed fortunate. Our prayer is that God may bless him with many years in which to proclaim the gospel of Christ.
Signed:
F. J. Collins Alvin N. Ray
Coy T. Sullivan R. C. Strickland
J. P. Powell W. W. Zeeb (Zuber)
Elders and Deacons Church of Christ
Morton, Texas Guthrie D. Dean, Ruston, Louisiana: "I conducted a meeting at Kokomo, Indiana, July 11 through 18, where Brother Charles Crozier is doing an outstanding work as the local preacher. There were record crowds during the meeting with eight responses. Two of these were from the Christian Church and two from the Catholic Church."
The First Vacation Bible School Among Churches Of Christ
Pryde, E. Hinton, Dora, Alabama The "Christian Leader," June 5, 1956, carries the following:
"Dr. and Mrs. A. R. Holton held the very first vacation Bible school to be conducted by churches of Christ. At least, the LEADER has no information of any previous school f this nature held by our brethren."
I was not certain, so I wrote to Brother and Sister Roy H. Welch, East Point, Georgia, who were our inspiration and efficient helpers in our first schools of "this nature" in East Point. Brother Welch informs me, after consulting the records, that we had o vacation Bible school at the East Point church in 1927, which is one year earlier than that conducted by Brother and Sister Holton. But Sister Welch says that my wife and I held a two-teacher daily vacation Bible school in the spring of 1926. So I think that I was the preacher who was the very first to hold such a school. Does anyone know of an earlier school?
I remember well that we had such a school in 1929, combined with a gospel meeting at night. I conducted the daily vacation Bible school, which had an average daily attendance of well over 200; and Brother B. C. Goodpasture did the preaching in the meetings in the evenings. The two efforts, made simultaneously, greatly supplemented each other. I urged attendance for the meeting, and Brother Goodpasture boosted the Bible school. Those two weeks of my life will be remembered with great pleasure to the end. That school had an average attendance of 206.
Thetus Pritchard, Box 145, Cortez, Colorado: "The church here is growing. Yater Tant closed a fine meeting with us on July 15th. Four were baptized. We broke all attendance records the first day of the meeting, and then broke that record by a big margin the last day of the meeting, having had the best attendance throughout the series that has ever heard the gospel in this town. We have bought land in a choice section of the town, and plan to build there an adequate meeting house. Our present facilities are much too small to take care of the growing congregation. I have been here since the first of the year. Brother Tant is an able and sincere preacher of the gospel, and did us much good. His wife and son, David, were with him. David Tant, a fine young gospel preacher in his own right, led the singing for the meeting."
T. H. Tarbet, Jr., Melbourne, Australia, July 1: "Brother and Sister Charles Coughlin of Arkansas, who are in Australia for about two years on a 'working vacation,' were recently identified with us. They live on the other side of the city, about 30 miles from our meeting place. Besides the 13 members which we now have, there are seven other adults who attend the services regularly. Our work needs to be expanded. We hope and pray that all of you will be able to continue your support, and increase it if possible. We are able to cash ordinary checks from America. Air mail all correspondence to us at 91 Roberts St., W-13 Yarraville, Victoria, Australia."
C. D. Plum, 4185 E. Main St., Columbus 13, Ohio, July 16: "Husband restored, wife baptized yesterday. Stop with us at Whitehall-Columbus (Route 40). Good place to worship."
Pryde E. Hinton, Rt. 2, Box 340, Dora, Alabama, July 7: "We have just closed another daily vacation Bible school at the Sayre church, near my home. We had a daily average attendance of 109. At least one-third of these children were from denominational homes. If the Lord wills, I shall begin another school at Awin church, near Greenville, Alabama, Monday, July 30, and will preach each evening at 7:30. We shall begin the meeting with a 'Homecoming' the 29th, dinner on the ground, after the morning assembly. This was the last earthly home of Brother Flavil Hall."
Roy Gulley Laredo, Texas, July 17: "I have been working with the church here since May 1, 1955. I was supported by the Northside church in Abilene until June of this year. The church here has had many internal difficulties over the past but through the grace of God it is now at peace and working. There is still a group meeting separately that left the church before I came down. Most of the past years has been spent trying to bring peace about. Outside interference by some in high places has been a constant hindrance until recently. The church has now thrown off the shackles that, bound it and is now headed toward a solid growth. Seven have been baptized and several have made confessions of wrong within the year. The church has invited me to work with them another year. Contributions, interest and attendance is climbing. We would like to hear of any who may be stationed here at the Laredo Air Force Base."