THE GREAT COMMISSION REMINDER

Among Ihe Tribes of Northern ThaUand , ^ 7-,.-

"(Soyein/o alUhewotidt

A'/70H'//W/<7/73/A(?iOA7',
whenlsha/Ibesancfified

andpreach fhe gospel'

Published andmailed freeby

MEL and JUNEBYERS

Forwarding Agent
MRS.ALLEN R.NICHOLS

Talat Chiengkam, Changwat Chiengrai,

Thailand,Asia

116-36ih. Street

Milwaukie.Oregon
US.A.

VOL.

AUGUST, 56 - MAY,

57

No. 1

^>1 t ' j "

{. f j

Thailand is about 100,000 sq. miles or just a little lar^jer than Oregon with a population of 15 million people. The gateway to Thailand is through Bangkok, her capital city, which is fully garnished with all the modern facil ities. In Bangkok there is an uncertain but pleasant mix
ture of the Western culture blended into the slow noncha

lant character of the Thai and Chinese,

This big city is

noisy with merchants eager to sell their wares.

Adding

to this confusion are radios and giant size loudspeakers ! '

turned to full volume blaring forth American symphonies and jazz, Chinese operas, and Thai love songs. The narrow,
winding streets are hazy with exhaust from overcrowded bus es and foreign cars of all makes. Weaving in and out of

this maze are motorcycles, scooters, bicycles, peticabs

and bold individuals who dare to cross the street. There

is the contrast of small,patched,one room hovels to massive

ultra-modern hotels^ from narrow confined quarters to one of the largest and best airports in southwest Asia, from slow moving peticabs to supersonic jets overhead. It is from Bangkok that we begin our journey home to northern Thailand. Boarding the train, one can travel the entire length of Thailand, about 500 miles, in 20 hours. Just before arriving at the end of the line, however, we leave the train at a city calledLampang. From here the mode of travel is carried forth by means of trucks that have built-up wooden frames, thus allowing them to carry
both cargo and passengers.
called Phayao.

Crammed into one of these

trucks we travel 90 more miles farther north to a place

This is the end of the truck route as well

as electricity. Stopping at the hotel for the night, we make preparations for the final lap into Chiengkam. Chiengkam is available by truck only in the dry season, other wise it takes two to three days by ox-cart. Traveling by truck, however, we can cover the exasperating fifty miles
in seven to nine hours. It demands one's continual atten

tion to keep from getting a good bump on the head. About three blocks from Chiengkam*s prosperous market area and
down a small lane you will find our house. It is a wooden frame house with a leaf roof, formerly the home of a local

official.

While living there, a baby born into the family

died at childbirth, therefore, the place is haunted with evil spirits and unfit to live in. Since no one else is interested in the place we have been able to rent it very

cheap,

it has become home to us.

In this house my brother

Don and his family lived for a year while studying the language. Prom this, our home, we have endeavored to live, preach and teach and be a witness to the surrounding com munity. In this house we have regular worship services around the Lord's table. Although you may not have heard from us recently, we are still here and it is in this home we daily trim our lamps that we might keep a light shining in a dark place.

^ OTECTUAL MISSIONARY PRAYER

and bless all our missionaries, under

every trying condition and in every land.

Amen."

With the rendering of this all inclusive statement many

a living link church and wouldbe prayer partner have ab

'solved themselves of any further obligations attached to the burdensome but inescapable imperative to reach lost souls. Some go under the guise of "praying churches" or

the more spirituallv significant title "prayer partners".

In terms of modern Christianity such unrealism is called

prayer. Supposedly it is packed with power and manifests the great spiritual depths to which we have evolved. In
the terms of the New Testament such prattle is but vain
babbling.

What is effectual, fervent prayer in regard to missions? What does it mean to pray and labor for the conversion of
the world? To be so overwhelmed with a passion for the lost that one can do nothing else but cry out unto God? Some endeavor to ease their "missionary conscience" by

framing beautiful platitudes and glibly tacking them onto the morning prayer. In some circles it has become popular to parade one's spirituality by ostentatiously emphasizing
missions. No small effort is exerted in designing all

kinds of vague, noisy sentiments about missions, mission

aries and the lost. Others laboring under a misguided

"missionary feeling" feel a moral obligation to pray for every known field, island, hamlet, native worker and mis sionary in the world even if it is just a quick "Lord
bless so and so" or a "Lord be with the work in India,

China, Japan and the whole world".

In this there is no

real interest, no understanding, merely a misguided senti

ment that one is under some kind of an oath to rattle ev

erything off like a teletype. It is amazing the list that some can cover in a ten minute devotional (five minutes reading and five minutes prayer). Obviously it is impos
sible to cover everything in one of these predigested de votional "quickies" so there is a systematic prayer list offered so that everyone can pray for everyone and in the
end it all evaporates into nothing. Missionaries have been guilty of adding fuel to these vain repetitions by misrepresenting prayer needs. The

post office is cluttered with so called "prayer letters" and "prayer appeals" and letters gushing with a false
"pray-for-us" complex. If these letters are held to the light however the true motive is obvious, there is more

appeal than there is prayer, ^ ^ Despite our around the clock prayer services, pur prayer
circles and our own meager attempts to pray for the lost we.can only blush at our childish game. To the pure in heart these words carry no sting, but the guilty heart is pricked. Our prayers have been dissolved in our own evil breathy There is no passion. There is no longing. There is no

real concern or interest. In fact there exists a loathing hate within us because of the frustrating unreality in
which we have been acting. In this day the Lord of the harvest would be moved mightily to hear the unadulterated

cry of the saints striving in effectual fervent prayer for the lost. Once again He longs to hear men who will cry, "Lord give me Scotland or I die." Or the burdened prayer of a Paul who cried, "my heart's desire and prayer to God
for Israel is that they might be saved." Where is another

ITenry Martyn who when first landing in India burst forth,

"Now Lord let me burn out for Thee." In this age of evan gelical flourish which springs forth from the fountains of wealth, effectual fervent prayer is nil. The planting of the church in pagan lands calls for far

more than an increase in our next year's missionary budget,

more than calling well educated, well equipped and method

minded missionaries, it calls for more than a disinterested

prayer band which meets for social entertainment to pray
for the lost. The desire to capture enslaved souls does not mysteriously surge up within one's breast by means of fabricated missionary programs, pantomimes and exhibits. It may increase the mission coffers but it will never cause hearts to burn and bleed with a passion for the lost. The church will not be established with a "well meaning do good" spirit but with violence. The vivid separation be
tween ccnturies of heathenism and the True Faith will be created with sweat and tears and the final line will be

drawn in blood.

To believe contrary to this is to deny

the book of Acts, history and the present facts. The strongholds of Satan will not fall with a hurried, "Lord
bless so and so." Vain imaginations will not be wrenched free by a "Lord we thank thee for all the missionaries." The powers that have exalted themselves against God will

not be humbled with "devotional quickies" no matter how faithfully we indulge. The warfare that is not against flesh and blood will not be won with the type of prayer
and concern that is manifested today.

PULLING RUSTY NAILS:

In order to build a new structure,

If the old

'the old one has to be torn down and rebuilt.

structure has been standing for many years,and especially in a deteriorating atmosphere of ignorance, evil spirit worship,and idolatry, some of the rotten planks and old rusty nails are reluctant to be Mrrenched loose. In the process of teaching and instruction there are a certain amount of these old rusty beliefs and supersti tions that have been pried up and torn loose. Yearly we have had a session with the leper patients attempting to remove some of these obstacles and replace the structure
which is in the likeness of Christ. This year another

twomonth period was spent in reconstruction work. Fifty students, ranging from all ages attended the classes, thus it was necessary to divide them into groups according to age and ability, Roberta Byers taught the children, who were called "The Little Lights". The next class consisted of young people and adults who could not read and write. They were called "The Big Lights", and were taught by Imogene Williams. The Young People's Group,
known as the "Followers", were taught by Don Byers. I

taught the adult leadership class.

The entire school fol

lowed a co-ordinated study of the book of Acts in which

there was daily teaching, flannelgraphs and written ques

tions. In addition to the Bible classes there was prac tice in reading and writing. Each day during the final period the entire school came together to practice singing in four part harmony.

THE ADULT LEADERSHIP CLASS IN THE LEPER SCHOOL

A CfflUSTIAN FAMILY WHICH ATTENDED THE SCHOOL

Each year it is rewarding to note the progress of the leper patients. One prospective leader exclaimed, "Now it is up to us to teach othersl" Slowly but persistently some of the old rusty black pagan nails are being with
drawn from these humble hearts. The church will not be

established by frivolous fly-by-night evangelism but by

"pulling out old nails and putting in new ones", through

fervent prayer and a sanctified devotion to the task of teaching and instilling the Word of God into human hearts

"THE LITTLE LIGHTS" TAUGHT BY ROBERTA BYERS

SOMR OF THf] VISITORS mO CMflU TO OUR HOME

l-^-

-i--.

Soldiers from the 39th Engineers Division.

They came on foot, by truck and by helicopter

' /"I- -

/'

?> i t * ! ' .

; -v

K-

A large white Miao village is only a day's journey away,

thus they make frequent trips to Chiengkam. They go both
to the clinic and our home to hear the gospel records in
their own language.

LOOKING AHEAJ): As the work progresses day by day in a' very routine fashion, we would seek to freshen our spirits
with a vision for the days ahead. As these opportunities open before us we would invite you to invest in thera with
us by prayer. The work of translating and revising the course in the

book of Acts, as well as the duplicating of these courses,

needs to be continued. There is also a need for material

that will help the new converts.

As the opportunity of evangelism in neighboring villages increases, there is a real need for wisdom in guiding, and instructing them. The early foundations and customs es tablished are of grave importance to the future of the church. A real insight to the temperament and need of the
people is apparent.

As plans for the next school at the leper village are laid, we seek to draw out more leaders. Many of these
have already had a great influence in communities that are

interested.

There also needs to be more understanding in

the village, itself, concerning holiness of life and a burden to win their own people.

Within a year's time we shall be making preparations to

go home on furlough. We trust that those who have named Without this

the name of Christ shall be left with faith and knowledge

to stand and that the work shall continue.
our labor is in vain.

L' .V'

-^J

Some of Ilinda's visitors.

Handy and Donny Byers have

moved to Tua but the little Thai hoy is still here.

T . How then do we pray effectually? What is needed to make our prayer fervent? IIow may we dissolve these uni' real patterns and enter into a labor and work of inter
cessory prayer? The following may serve as a guide in .our quest for effectual fervent prayer.

1.

Persist in your own personal relationship with God. A. Daily dying to self assures one of the "holiness" which is imperative and is in direct proportion to your effectiveness in prayer.
B. A^real passion for souls is expressed most real istically by those who first have an unquench
able thirst for God and ITis fiillness.

C. 2.

Nearness to Christ will make you sensitive to

the condition of the lost.

Learn as much as you can about the missionaries and the particular field which belongs to you,
A. Write to the missionaries asking for information. Something about the discouraging and dark condi

tions rather than the bright and newsy items, B. Let your particular field know that you are available at any time to pray them strong when

weak, well when sick, and concerning any problem

that might arise.

3.

Seek the communion and instruction of the Holy Spirit.

A.

Nothing can substitute the intimate whisperings of the Holy Spirit to a waiting,humble,thirsty
heart.

B.

The Holy Spirit can put you into immediate con

tact with the field, its missionaries and its problems. This insight and instruction cannot

be obtained anywhere else.

This facility is an

important internal design of the church.

C.

He will make you sensitive to the cry and bondage

of the lost, make you feel the weight of dark ness till you can do nothing but cry out in
effectual fervent prayer.

There is a need for intercessory foreign missionaries. Those who cannot go in person to the foreign field but one

who sets himself apart to pray for the definite details , of the foreign missionary work. Do we believe it? Then ^
let us get busyI

VISITORS: We are quite used to having the Thai come and visit with us as well as various tribal groups such as the Yao and Miao, but rarely are we invaded by foreign ers who are Americans. Ilecently we have had quite a num
ber.

One day three G.I*s. from the 39th Engineers came plod ding into Chiengkam on foot. They thought they had about come to the edge of the world and were surprised to find Americans living there. They seemed delighted to see us, especially the children and the things familiar to a home. They had been roughing it, eating G.I. rations, thus they felt happy to take a hot bath and eat some good home cook ing which June fixed up. They are part of a survey team
working in connection with the Thai government and Geo

detic Survey trying to bring the maps of Thailand up to date. Since this first group visited us there has been a continual stream of fellows from Texas, Wisconsin, Idaho, etc. The big excitement, however, came when some of them arrived by helicopter. The.whole town turned out in mass to see this strange whirligig. We were bappy to share our home with these men as well as the testimony of Jesus and give them a front seat view of missionary work, A soldier does not always have the best reputation in a foreign land, but coming into a mis sionary home has a sobering effect and they all seemed to respect and be concerned about what was being done. They in turn showed their appreciation by giving us a good quantity of rations as well as food from their Bangkok supply. In the fifteen or so that passed through our home
there were two who gave witness both by their mouth and life that they were followers of the Lord. It was good to see their testimony. We don*t have much to offer a visitor, but sometimes just a place to sleep, some familiar food and a home is all a person wants. One day the British Consulate visited Chiengkam for the

weekend. He took dinner with us as well as worshipped with us around the Lord's Table. He was very interested and S3rmpathetic toward the missionary work in Thailand.

Bal. August 1, 1956

RECEIPTS: Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec., 1956
$ 242.52 50.00
15.00

^ 523.68

* Milwaukie Church of Christ Coburg Church of Christ

Louisa Beem

Mr. & Mrs. L. Copenhaver

Elmira Church of Christ

350.00
30.75

El Cajon, California Friends

Trent Church of Christ Multnomah Church of Christ Walter Nelson

19.00
50.00 250.00 25.00

Garibaldi Church of Christ

50.00

Eastside Christian Church, Albany

Ted Caruthers

10.00
10.00

First Christian Church, Roseburg

Mr. & Mrs. J. C. Shields
Corbett Christian Church S.W. Church of Christ Burns Church of Christ Friend

35.00
80.00
10.00 15.00 5.38 100.00

Florence, Ore. C.E

Molalla Christian Church & Gleaners ...

10.00
33.25

Court St. Christian, Sal em

Ronald Parrish

5.00
5.75

Elery Parrish Oregon City Fidelis Group Cora L. McCauley Standard Publishing Foundation
Friend

5.00 10.00 10.00 15.00

200.00

Delbert Stanton

Christian Church, Lebanon Mrs. 0. E. Hobart, Columbia, Mo Frieda Warden, Seattle, Wash Dr. & Mrs. A. J. Jepson, Washington ... First Christian Church, Klamath Falls..

40.00 10.00 25.00 10.00 50.00

15.00^ $2315133

^ 2315,33

DISBURSEMliaJTS; Aug.,Sept.,Oct.,Nov. ,Dec., '56

Household supplies & utilities ... $ 387.77
Pood 271.61

Postal (stamps & customs)

Photo Teacher

100.88
23.09 12.37

Books (Thai & English)

Travel Personal Gerber Products Co

105.98
60.72 154.44 28.28

Supplies from stateside Photo-Lith Co

Taxes on Wi-Ne-Ma lot

200.00 34ol5
2.43

Check service charge

Total hal. Jan. 1/57

2.83

$ 1384.55
$ 930.78

Mailed byMrs. Allen R. Nichols

116 36th Street

X(ilwaukie 22, Oregon

THE GREAT COMMISSION REMINDER

Among theTribes of Northern Thailand
'And fhe

;;..

"Goye/nfo a//ihe worid^

MARKI6:I5

know that lam fhe Lord,

tvhen IsfKi//be sancfified

andpreach fhe <yosper

inyou beforefheireyesT
ZK. 36-13

t
Published andmailed free by
MEL and JUNEBYERS

Forwarding Agent
MRS.AU.eN R.NICHOLS

Talat Chiengkam,

116-36ih, Street

Changwat Chtengrai,
Thailand,Asia

Mi Iwaukie, Oregon
USA.

VOL.

AUGUST - DECEMBER, 1957

THE PASSING OP YEARS -

BUT A NEW HOPE

THE FRINGE OF PERFECT PE^CE

For a few moments this month a battered, blood soaked;,

straggling world will pause and reflect on the birth of 6od*8 Son. Exhausted world leaders will unclinch their

fists and search for hope in the message of ^ Christmas carol The shattered nerves of planet earth will relax

and find a moment's comfort in the sacred words of Matthew,

now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise *,

Longing eyes will search the heavens for a sign, an angel who will once again declare, "Glory to God in the highest
and on earth peace and good will toward men.** Human hearts

will look into the manger, desperately trying to absorb the sweetness of the words in Isaiah, " and He shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Prince of Peace,** Many a soul
will search and long for the Prince of Peaces Underneath the gaiety of our misobserved Christmas

lies the soul of man cowering in the shadow Of war, unrest,

greed and misunderstanding. When the equipment for our
Christmas pageants is stored, and the carols cease to be
-sung, and the passages of Matthew and Luke are sealed for

another year - what then? In the early hours of the next

morning there will be the blinding flash - the bursting of

a million suns the pounding shock waves -> the terrible shaking of the earth, and on the horizon a huge cloud will

rise, taking the form of a gigantic mushroom. Slowly this monster will drift across the nations of earth, reflecting the sinister shadow of this corrupt age. Once again relaxed
hands will tighten and come slamming down on council tables.

Tempers will burst, ignited by rage, greed and jealousy.

The dove of peace will be caged. The sky will be black with
war huhgry vultures seeking for the blood of men. And from

outer space will come the mysterious beeps" of a man-made

satellite, but still no information on how to live in harmony and peace.

In the shadow of this evil age, the children of God seek

a time and a place to remember the birth of Jesus, sing carols, exchange gifts, and try to believe in **peace,and
on earth good will toward men**. Is it possible? Yes. To
the Christian there is Perfect Peace, for Perfect Peace is a person. Possessing Him, we can walk through every atomic blast, read despairing headlines, endure every act of vio
lence and injustice and still be clothed with Perfect

Peace. The ruler of Peace has come and he still reigns.

Ehibrace Him with your whole heart and you shall have Peace!

Without Him you are lost in the uncertainty of this age.

After one day by airplane and truck, and two days by horseback, we were happy to receive Betty and Alger Fitch at Chiengkam in Northern Thailand. We
believe this is a definite step in trying to unite
the efforts of the home church with that of the

foreign evangelist.

eigh
o da

six

FAITH COMETH BY HE/UIING

i
c ..

Nai Kaw and a blind boy listen to the story of Jesnsy who was raised from the dead.

Through the agency known as "GOSPEL RM^ORDINGS" many

unreached tribes have come to hear the message of Christ even before a missionary has learned the language. These recordings are all made by natives under the supervision of a missionary. No matter where you go, the native likes to hear the story in his own language. In some cases the Christian native has profited the

most, for in many areas the native cannot read. Thus by listening to the records many times he is enabled to
memorize and understand the Christian message and readily explains it to others.

We are indebted to **Gospel Recordings" for their effort, for all of these records are supplied to us free of charge. May they be used to His glory.

Nai Chanta and Nai Non, two Christian men listening to Gospel preaching in their native tongue. Nai Chanta has since taken the phonograph and some records to the mountains that the Miao tribesmen might also hear - for "how shall they hear unless one he sent.**

Listening to the "noise box" which tells the story

of creation.

A YEAB TO BE QUIET

This has been a rapidly changing and tempestuous year^ The wheels of Science have increased their tempo to a ^ deafening roar. The awesome realities of technological ' advancement come bouncing back from outer space. The rumbling thunder of war has precipitated a fallout of

greed, lust and fear. Added to this din is a moneyhungry, pleasure-loving, fast-stepping, fashionable church, seeking to meet the demands of the world by em ploying the ways of the world. The coming year predicts no change. The professing church will become more entangled with the machinery of
godless materialism. In an all-out effort she will em

ploy new schemes, promote bigger and more non-essential projects, demand larger budgets to facilitate finer church buildings, and compete with others for more church

members and larger attendances. Yes, we will be living in a new year of mere professing church members, where new "works of the flesh" are made manifest. May God
help us to be true **born again** children of God and not to be entangled therein.

If perchance someone is weary of this **mad race**, there is a brighter side, for this new year does hold a bright and cheery promise. It holds for you a blessed quietness and perfect peace. The prophet has promised
that '*my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation and sure dwellings and in quiet resting places**. The

New Year holds all this for you, if you would but push in the clutch and release yourself from the machinery and course of this world, whether scientific or relig
ious.

In place of largeir budgets, we simply need more Christians willing to give their all. In place of new and modern methods of promotion and revival, we need more yieldedness to the Holy Spirit. In place of build ing and adding to our already comfortable and expensive edifices, we need to launch a project that will re
decorate the **interior life** of believers with holiness

and fruits of the Spirit. We need not continue in the frenzied pace of last year. WE NEED TO RETIRE AND BE QUIET THAT WE MIGHT BE CLOTHED WITH A PERSON. He alone

is our method, our project, our budget, and our power. Contrary to earthly wisdom, this is a year to stop **doing** and start 'being'* a year to go in and ''sit before the Lord'* and be quiet that we might have the power to walk soberly and wisely in the days to come.

Bal, July 1, 1957 RECEIPTS; July, Aug., Sept., Oct.

t 140.78

Church of Christ, Healdsburg, Calif

Corbett Christian Church Trent Church of Christ

$ 20.00
10.00 90.00

Coburg Church of Christ Court St. Christian Church, Salem

Multnomah Christian Church Garibaldi Church of Christ Molalla Christian Church

40.00 10.00
200.00 50.00 60.00 10.00 60.00

Maud Byers
Friends

Ted Caruthers Eastside Christian Church, Tangent, Ore.

Burns Church of Christ

6.00 4.95
2,02

Mr. & Mrs, Jay C. Shields Dr. & Mrs. A. J. Jepson

Mrs, John Pointer

25.00 35.00
5.00

UcKinley Mission Church of Christ,Milwaukie Christian Church, Ashland

The Dalles Christian Church

10.00 125.00 5.00

10.00
777,97

6 918 75

DISBURSEMENTS: July, Aug., Sept., Oct.

Household and repairs
Food Customs

$ 134.46
159.36 33,90

Books, correspondence, postage

Film Clothes Medical Miscellaneous

58.63
31.40 3.83 74.12 5.09

Ministers Life & Casualty Union

The Photo-Lith Co Taxes Check service charge

126.25
52.25 2,32 2.91
t 684.52

Total Bal, Nov. 1, 1957

$ 234.23

Mel and June are completing their fifth year in Thailand, and God willing they expect to return home in the spring on furlough. Will you pray with us that God will lead, and direct in this need? - Mrs. A.R.N.

i.

PACTS

AND

FIGURES

WHAT

A GIRL

WHO WHERE WHEN

WEIGHT
HE IS

Robin Elaine Borers Chiengkam, Thailand August 4, 3:55 a.m.

7 lbs. 8 oz.
A GIRL

The basket in the corner

Had blankets trimmed in blue, For we had thought that this one

Would be a boy, brand new. The many days before "he" came. We always talked of "him"; We thought we'd call him Bobby,
Or maybe call him Jim.

And then "he" came one morning.

He seemed a wee bit shy; He said that he was sorry. And then began to cry.

And when we saw the trouble, It left us in a whirl; For "he" was not a little boy, But just a little girl.
So now we have a daughter, That makes us three you know; But we are very happy,
For God has willed i t so.

And tho she sleeps in blankets. And a basket made for "him";
He seems to be contented

To be a "her" again.
M.W.B.