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(A letter from J. Riissell Morse, Upper Salween Valley, W. China, to his mother, Mrs Ruth Morse, 114 South Denver Ave., Tulsa 3, Oldahoma.) Jan. 4, 1944.
Dear Loved Ones:
I shall try to get this letter out before the passes from this valley become snow filled. We are now having lovely dry weather, with
crisp, cold nights (just enough to freeze about a quarter of an inch of ice on top of the water in the barrel north of our house), then sunshiny days when the pcenery would be magnificient if it were not
for the daily smoke-haze from numerous forest fires. Tlie American officer who visited us a couple of months ago remarked that he had never seen a more magnificient outlook than we have from our perch on Pugeleh ridge, looking down on almost all sides. . We may look either north or south along the Salween river, perhaps 1500 feet be low us. We can look eastward to the sheer drop of many hundreds of feet from the top of the Mekong-Salween divide down to the narrow little vallay on the south. The mountain sides rim us round like the walls of a great room hung with pictures. These scenes are constantly changing, not only with the seasons, but also with the weather and the varying work of the people. I remember vividly a,tragedy of several months ago when, on the moimtain side opposite us, across the Salween, a field-fire blaz?d out of control and caught a nice long:-hous-e of bamboo and thatch. There before our eyes, but utterly beyond our help, were those poor people rimning about and shouting and weepfng. In less than half an hour nearly all their earthly possessions vanished. That woke us up to the vulnerability of our own tinder-Hkt; hou?e. For the past two years we have been trying to finish a two-room adobe house south of our bamboo and thatcK one. Only now is the aclob house nearing completion. Henceforth the hazards of fire and
thieves will be less.
You can scarcely realize how hard it is to build anything out here where conditions are so primitive; no ready-cut partswe just
have to go after the raw i^terials in the jungles or on the moun tains and hew them into shape. Yet we have completed a new chapel designed by Eugene on a principle quite new in these parts. To appreciate its uniqueness you would have to notice its thick adobe walls with built-in pillars, over which the roof trussing is built like a cap. No pillars obstruct the view within the auditorium which can seat more than five hundred. Surely Eugene deserves the oportunity to take a first class engineering course some day!
We received the letter from Helen Howe telling of the long Ill ness and death of Gertrude's mother. At the time, I was away on a twelve-day trip among the Mekong Christians, and Eugene and Robert were out on a trip among the northern Salween Christians,
so dear Gertrude was alone except for Ruth Margaret and our Tibetan girls. Only God knew her loneliness.
In this extremity along came several Ma-di Christians (where the Southern Salween Christmas convention was to be held) and they promised to carry Gertrude's pack-load for her if she would attend the convention. So away she went although there were
enough speakers without her. She needed to throw herself into
Christian ministry and in her hour of bereavement bind up the wounds of others. Mrs. Morse afterward went on to the Gopta con gregation for a special meeting among the women. Both these meet
ings were very well attended and profitable in God's sight, but our Gertrude came home suffering severely from influenza, which seized her just as she was about to cross the ridge south of here. It is so steep that it requires more than an hour to descend under
the best of circumstances. Gertrude had two native helpers but it was a terrible ordeal and upon her arrival she actually looked as pale as a ghost. She is about now, trying to clear up a pile of chores, but she was too ill to get out of bed for four days. Yesterday this same flu began attacking me so I'm writing under difficulties. I just don't have my old-time PUSH. Besides, it pays to treat in fluenza with respect.
Because of the widespread needs of our congregations we haven't much time for jamily life of our own as you can see from the situation I've just described. Here were Eugene and Robert
home again after seven month's absence, almost at once making that
trip up the Salween. I went one way and Gertrude another. Just now we are again all under our own roof but in a week or so, one after the other, we must be leaving again. Robert is take a month's tour to the south, visiting all the churches and the nearby imevangelized communities. Eugene will be going north to the new Ta-da station where we shall push the construction of a new missionary residence, (there is none there as yet), and hold a short-term Bible
school.
This is our busiest season for the weather is "di'y" between the
middle of October pnd the middle of March. It is the best time
for those long travels-by-foot which we make. The natives are not busy with their farming now so this is the time to engage them for any building projects v.'e have on hand. If the Dittemores and other new missionane.s can come in the next year or so we shall need
New missionaries
will have great difficulty making even the most basic adjustments without the added burdens of house-building and furniture-mak
ing. So, although we are at what would normally be the end of our term, and don't like to get involved in a building project which is not likely to be of much inmiediate benefit to our family, we feel
that we should undertake this construction for the future of the
work.
Again, Eugene is here now to plan and supervise construction with all his genius and experience in such matters, as well as his complete mastery of the native language. Hie enthusiastic co operation lie gets from his helpers is something heartening to watch.
There are no native houses at or near Ta-da which are at all
I am still wobbling around with this bad cold, if that is all it is. Just this afternoon special messengers came from the District Ad ministrator or Chinese Magistrate, which makes it imperative for Robert to postpone his trip to the south and instead make a trip up northabout five days awayand he is preparing to leave early in the morning. Cut out by the Censor .
Insert: A news clipping sent hy Russell Morse with this letter and with
the following comment loritten along the margin . . . (We wonder that Ihe
Censor didn't cut this out.) "Our field of work, where we are trying to help
driving a plane up and down thousands of feet a moment, wings flapping four
and five feet in the violent turbulence
These are pre-monsoon conditions encountered flying "The Hump" as de scribed by soldiers of fortxme flying Chinese commercial liners to China with
supplies from America.
For fourteen years these pilots, belonging to what the Chinese call "the space machine family," have been flying the toughest air-route in the world, over the roughest country, with the fewest airfields and the scantiest equip ment. During the past five years they have been subject to the hazards of
Jap planes.
Today this tpughness has reached its apex in the India-China route, which starting from Calcutta must cross the Himalaya "foothills"at 16^17,000 feet in a hop described by every flyer who has ever flown it as the hardest flying
he has ever experienced.
Capt. Alec K. Gingiss, Chicago, who arrived in India to fly a coixunercial plane six months ago after more than a year in England as a member of the Air. Transport Auxiliary RAF Ferry Command, stepped from his twin-motored transport after returning from his daily round trip fom China looking like a
Monday-after hangover.
The usually jovial 29 year old Gingiss, a man built like a heavy-weight
wrestler and who can take almost any ptmishment told me:
Then pointing at his battered plane he continued, "There's another wreck." Doubling his fist he said, "Hailthis big, did that It knocked off my radio loop, broke my landing lights, cracked my window panels, dented the wings and pundied holes in the tail. Tve flown all over the United States and
Britian but Tve never seen anything like the weather in this part of the world.
"Hail is not all. Once I was cruising along at about 15,000 feet and almost
before I could think a powerful draft carried me to 23,000 feet with the controls back to the limit. Another time, I. hit air so turbulent my wings flaped for
five feet placing a terrific strain on the plane. Then to cap it off a down-draft
cut recorded air speed to 35 miles per hour and left me skimming mountain
tops and tree tops and hardly able to control my plane. How I ever got out
of that alive beats me!"
Gingiss and other regulars are itching for the early anrival of summer
which will mean the advent of heavy rains and the lessening of icing, hail
and strong winds which have harrassed their planes during the past months.
Clouds also offer protection from Jap planes.
Capt Joseph Genovese, 31, Brooklyn, told me, "a terrific down-draft hit me over 'The Hump' forcing my load loose from the ropes. The freight
hit the roof and almost instantaneovisly we were caught in an up-draft. The load boomed down breaking the floor boards of the fuselage. Boy, what a jolt
that was!"
Not all pilots have been as lucky as Gingiss and Genovese. Several just never arrived. Yet desipte enormous handicaps, these soldiers-of-fortune are daily maintaining a commercial air link with China as distingui^ed from the
military effort..
Comment: From other guarded statements we believe that Robert who speaks Chinese fluentiy, was called by the Chinese Magistrate to come to the rescue of airmen who crashed five days' journey north of the Mission.^ They needed an interpreterand doubtless first aid. We should know more about
it Juid the Censor not cut out that part of the letter. The mission is still "to seek and to save", whether it be Lisu tribesmen or grounded American
fliers.R.M.
January 7, 1944.
men plowing across "The Hump" overhead at intervals during the day and night. I enclose a clipping from an Armed Forces paper pubUshed in India. Think of it as part of my message. Tell Isabel (Mrs. Warren Dittemore) that the Mekong Valley churches are far from disbanding despite there being no foreign missionary in residence there. "To whom shall we go? Thou hast
the words of eternal life." The Tobalo congregation has built a New chapel up by the houses of Apu and Adeh; surprisingly neat job in adobe and pine timbers, well made entry and windows; would seat 300 I guess, altho the best Sunday attendance now is seldom over
60 as compared to the usual 90 to 100 when we were there. I was
over there as "main speaker" at the Christmas Convention. Hlanzone came over from Kang Pu carrying one of her twins, with Ah Fu San tagging along as best he could. Hlanzone and her husband are taking care of the Kang Pu place, the lease on which still has eight years to go. They look forward eagerly to Isabel's return with new
workers.
^
January 8, 1944.
One interruption after another! This letter has been out of the tjTDewriter so I might send an answer to Bro. A. B. Cooke whose Inland Christian Mission station is a week's journey down the Salween. You will remember that he and Mrs. Cooke helped us splend idly with our Bible School a year ago. Since his wife's death Brother Cooke has been in the hospital at Tali and we have been able to help him both physically and spiritually. We have sent him criti cally needed medicines, young fruit trees for their Mission garden
and we have shared with him some of the Lisu Christian literature
which Eugene had printed in India and which Brother Cooke had no means of securing with the present blockaded situation. It is spiriU ual "bread" returning to the Christian Inland Mission for it was one of their workers, more than twenty-five years ago. who adapted an alphabet to their language-sounds and so gave the Lisu their written
phabet to their language-soun^ and so gave the Lisu their written language. They cast their "bread" upon the waters; now we send them Christian leaflets. "By this shall men know lhat ye are my
disciples."
Isabel will find Pugelah greatly improved from the bare, steep hillside it was when we first built here. It is comparitively free from malaria and other afiElictions of river villages. It is central to all
our stations and so some of our new missionaries may choose to live here. As for the Morses we have determined that our next develop
ment will be the Ta-da area. Our present judgment is that the
mission field which we have opened can best be carried on as co operative whole, with workers at such points as Kang Pu, Pugeleh, Ta-da and perhaps Ma-di, which Isabel so much favored when she was here. It is in the southern part of our territory and highly strategic because of the road developments in that area. Misr4onaries, like our homeland ministers, need the stimulation and chall enge of an occasional change of location. The cooperative station plan would allow for that. All these years, Gertrude and I have had no place to go for any restful vacation or spiritual renewing and I feel fagged out and mentally stagnant; duUer and duller in spite of all the Lord has done for us. We miss American magazines,
letters and books. We miss sermons and the conmiunion of the
saints. We miss the many letters we used to have. I am thinking of the wonderful young people who are coming to this field and hop ing to lighten their deprivations and sacrifices- by a bond of fellow ship between us all.
February 10, 1944.
One month later! Gertrude and Robert home from a two week's
Bible School which they held at Ta-da after Robert returned from his emergency trip. Robert leaves tomorrow for a month or longer down the Salween, among the southern churches. They had forty preachers and students in their school, and their only thought was, "forward and upward" despite multitudes of handicaps. Eugene has unpacked the sets of Lisu type which he got in Calcutta for oilr little hand printing press, and I am amazed at the A-1 printing jobs he did. Now we can not only print Lisu tracts and new lettprr? to circulate among the churches, but we can even print hymns with the music just as it is in Lisu Hymns of Praise. As the Lisu do not now have a calendar, our Sunday School leaflets accustom them to a regular week. Perhaps they will prepare the way for a calendar. We are advising Laveme to return to America from India if he finds suitable travel companions and opportimities. Maybe we can't get away before next fall,^so much depends on war conditions. Pray and trust. God is so good! 1 This letter seems far too cold to express my love and gratitude. Lovingly,
J. Russell Morse.
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July 25,1944
Dear Christian Co-workers:
Here's another letter from the J. Russell Morse missionary family who act for us in Christ's service along the Tibetan border. One hundred twelve lines were cut by the censor but surely a hint of what he deleted is foimd in the sentence beginning "About Easter, while Gertrude and I stayed at Pugeleh to take care of the stranded fliers," Someday we shsdl know the full measure of serv ice being rendered by those who "hold the firing line" in blockaded
China.
It is a joy to have my grandson, 15-year-old Russell Laveme Morse again with us. He landed in Los Aiigeles July 2nd, and is to attend the Lake James Conference and later continue his High School work. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
Pray for those on the mission fidd and for those who prepare to go as soon as the way is opened. Miss Dorothy Sterling's pass port has been temporarily delayed. Isabell and Warren Dittmore and David and Lois. iReeis need support of living-link churches. Let
Forwarding Agent for J. Russell Morse Address: 114 South Denver Avenue, Tulsa, Oklahoma
A CENSORED LETTER FROM J. RUSSELL MORSE P. O. at Aiwa, N. W. Yunnan, W. China (via Kunming and Liaking) Residence: Pugeleh, Kungshan Hsien, Upper Salween Valley, "Where China, Tibet and Burma meet"
I sent my last letter to you (Jan. 4-10) by Robert who trav eled southward and so might be able to get it over the Chitselo pass which opens earlier Aan the one we usually use. Then for safety I enclosed it in a letter to the American Consulate at Kun ming requesting him to forward it.
We are all still alive and afloat, Gertrude and I just managing to keep our chins above water, and even Eugene and Robert feel ing very tired with all the work we-have so gladly been carrying
through. We are eagerly awaiting {he first 1944 n^dl to cross the
For over a week we have had lovely weather, bracingly crisp and clear mornings with cloud-ban^ gradually gathering during the day until by evening there is usually a very hi^ cloud-blanket covering the Salween valley from crest to crest of the great moun tain divides. Generally hard winds spring up in the afternoons
which generates electricity for our radio battery on the windcharger tower atop the ridge just east of the new little adobe house which is perched here like a fort.
AH the blossoms have now fallen from the peach, plum and apricot trees, but five of the apple trees are now coming into bloom.
The grape-friiit tree (which produced two fruits in 1943 but which
is lacking in quality because the Pugeleh ridge is too cool and
breezy a location for citrus) will be putting out buds ere long. Our grape vines are simply loaded with bud-clusters. Nothing like that in this valley before the "foreign missionaries" came! Incidentally, at the Ta-da station two days' journey north of here, we have another Marsh Seedless grapefruit of the same age which when I left there three weeks ago, was ^eady loaded with himdreds of large bud-clusters. This contrast will give you an idea
of the climatic difference between the Ta-da and the Pugeleh
stations.
Yesterday, Sunday, was as usual the busiest day in the week. We always get a LIFT at seeing our Lisu Christian brethren and "sisteren" come gathering in from all the hills and dales. Yester day there were many from places a day's journey away. Pugeleh doesn't usually have as large a congregation as we find at Ta-da, but I guess that at least 150 were present yesterday. If my memory serves me well, that's even more than the average Sunday morning audience at my own living-link church at HoUenbeck Heights, Los Angeles. It is also considerably larger than the church audiences
at Batang even in the best days there . We had two sermons yester day: the first by the local Lisu pastor and the second by Gertrude
with an intermission of about 30 minutes. As usual I had a num
ber of ^ick people to treat and advise. It was a happy, busy day.
Eugene has now gone ahead with the construction of the new mission house at Ta-da as projected in my last letter. He has worked on it since New Year's without let-up; rain or shine there has always been some phase of the project to be pushed forward.
While I was up there before the Easter Convention of the Yehgu Northern Congregations, I advised him to come home for a brief rest for he was thoroughly weary. He was home only three and a half days yet he was absent from Ta-da about 10 days. He was anxious to get back there so he could get the main essentials of the house into shape before he has to TlEAVE for several months or
more after the passes open. Another reason for haste is that we are now approaching the
main "plowing and planting" season and when aU these farmer-folk will be in a hurry to plant their crops and it will then be very much harder to get workers. For another thing, we want to put on a "'preaching expedition" among the Burma-side congregations, just west of tJae Salween-N'mai Divide in the Akhyang Valley which finally opens into the great Irriwaddy River Valley. The best time to do that is during the four to six weeks after the pass opens, before that notoriously malarial region becomes too hot.
Well Eugene has amazed the Ta-da folks by the very unusual
progress his building project has made in less than four months. It
has meant dig^g and cutting and pulling his raw materials out
of the mountains and forests without the aid of any modern con
struction machinery; even with very few Western hand tools.
slope surroimded by rough pastiire land and forest; Eugene had to build a road up and around from the creek-valley south of the Ta-da plateau before any of the big timbers could be brought up. House construction is vastly different out here foom that in the states for the main framework is made up of big pillars and cross housie will be three stories high, each story over ei^t feet high, and that it will be about twenty-five feet wide by thirty-six long. That takes some building!
' ^ place many people were surprised that we were able to find such timbers nearby and that we were able to get them down and othera up, the mountainside. Some declared that we could never get the dressed timbers up from the creek and over the edge of the plateau. Even if we could^ they argued, how could
we raise such a tall and heavy framework section "by section after eaich was joined! We planned much and prayed more and EVERY
OBSTACMJ WAS OVERCOME WITHOUT MISHAP. There was
Although the Ta-da location is highly advantageous and beauti fully scenic, it is a problem for the builder. It is on a mountain-
beams dressed down from huge trees. Now consider that the Ta-da
not one small accident to draw even one drop of blood or make even one bruise. Everyone in their amazement gave thanks to God and all the Christians took as much joy in seeing the new house
develop as if it had been their own.
. The excavating, and foundation work on that hillside was some job, too, for the building-stone had to be discovered and cut out and brought up from the creek south of the plateau. Eugene also engineered an aqueduct from a creek away back in the mountains west of our place, thus bringing in a: goodly supply of water just
south of the house. It is under the controls needed either for house
hold use or for turning the electric generator which will furnish power to run the machine-shop we hope to set lip some day and
with which we can have electric lifting and a way of recharging our radio batteries. Oh, I am thriUed at the pwssibilities Eugene
describes!
Of course you know something about the depreciation of Chinese currency. There is very little silver available so, to pay the workers, we used goods which the boys brought back from India last yeardelivered by cargo plane^because of the Japanese block ade and the scarcity of cloth, tea and thread, we found the natives delighted to accept their wages in such commodities. In fact, some times more workers came than could be profitably used on the
house so we found other public works" for them to do. Because of
this labor surplus we were able to finish the "compound wall." Many of the young native fruit trees which I had grafted to fine
American varieties had to be transplanted because thev were too
I made a chart of the whole Ta-da place setting down the name and variety of each fruit tree according to its location. Now we have 314 fruit trees in permanent location within the "compound"
walls. Of course most of these are still smell but some will come
All through the strenuous work of building the house we car ried forward the building of Christian character and the teaching of God's word. Besides the Sunday services, our congregations hold Wednesday and Saturday night meetings, but many times at Ta-da we had special song and prayer services or Bible study sessions on other nights. You see, Christians were gathered at Ta-da from
many places and as there are many new "inquirers" and converts
this year is because so many new converts are asking guidance in Christian living. Although last year we baptized only 37, already this year 62 HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED, and in this part of the Salween valley alone there are at least two hundred others now being taught in preparation for baptism.
The censor cut about twelve lines from this page and seventeen from the top of the following page.
February fourteenth Robert left Pugeleh for his "tour" of the Salween congregations to the SOUTH and didn't get back until April third. Comment: We believe Robert may have brought the 4 stranded airmen with him. They bailed out March 29th.Ruth Morse.) When he reached our nearest missionary neighbor, Mr. Orville Carson of the Christian Inland Mission, seven days south, he found him very lonely and much in need of a visit and help. Ml*. A. B. Cooke, his senior missionary, had taken a long trip to another of the C.I.M. stations to get married and hadn't been able to get back as expected yet within several days a month's Bible school was to begin in his station. Robert was able to teach in that Bible school for two weeks and to preach there on four Sundays.
Mr. Carlson wrote me:
"I cannot possibly express how thankful I have been for Robert's help
herea very great help indeed! All the time he has been here he has taken a cla.ss at 11 a. m. as well as helping in all the afternoon gatherings. Robert's
itual &ings were roally precious and most profitable. Practically all our Lisa
"fell for Robert." They hate to see him go."
to part, I feel a real pang of sorrow. We have worked together and talked to gether and eaten together and laughed together till I shall find it dreary getting along without him.' Some of the discussions we had together on spir
Thirty-three lines SCISSORED from this page. Eugene returned to Ta-da to push the building and Robert fol lowed a few days later to help, but both will be coming back here
"preaching expedition" first planned for Eugene and Robert. It may be that I shall continue west as the boys did last summer and go by plane to Calcutta to buy medicines and other supplies. I
would very much like to take Gertrude to India for a rest and urgently needed medical attention, but the trip is terribly strenuous
even for the strongest men. At least I could bring back the medi cines she needs. If the way opens for me to go to India Eugene would plan to meet me on the return to help get the supplies over "The Hump". When you write, address us as usual at the Ai-Wa post office. By all means request all our friends to remember us in prayer, else we might have a smash-up any time. Gertrude's condi
tion is really critical and SHE IS INDISPENSABLE. With a heartful of love.
J. RUSSELL MORSE.
P.S. While I was away seven weeks on my northern trip, Ger trude held a two week's Bible School for young preachers here at Pugeleh with 12 full-time and four part-time students. About Easter, while Gertrude and I stayed at Pugeleh to take care of the fo^ir stranded airmen, Robert went to the southern convention at Go-ta, where the attendance was at least 350. Eugene reported an
attendance of around 650 at the northern convention which he at
tended at the same time. This letter will come to you in duplicate, one copy coming to you through the consultate at Kunming, the
other will be carried overland across northern Burma to India.
God bless America and all our loved ones. This is His World
EXTRA!
EXTRA
Since this letter passes censorship, I shall not be able to men tion names of places but I trust you already know of the places I shall be writing of. On March 29th, this year, four of us Americans bailed out, five days' journey south of your son's home; home of Russell Morse and family. While waiting for the snow passes to open, we spent 55 days in their home and were treated as if part of the family. Eugene and Mr. Morse accompanied us (as guides) on our 38day return trip to India. Mr. Morse and Eugene are here now at a station a few miles away, and I assure you they are in the best of health. Mrs. Morse, Ruthie and Robert remained at home. This letter is an attempt to express unbounded appreciation to J. Russell Morse and his family through you. Mr. Morse and Eugene are intending to take a short vacation in Calcutta and then
to return to their home.
Again my thanks! Without you son's help we might never have returned to our base. He accomplished a great favor to us and a patriotic deed for his country by returning four American airmen
to their base.
My regard to Laveme if he is with you. Sincerely yours, First Lieut, Robert A. Engels,
Area 5APO No, 467
Robert Morse, Center, and the fliers who spent fifty-five days in the J. Russell Morse home, Saltoeen Valley, W. China
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Our Heavenly Father has made possible another giieat forward step in HKs Work being done by the J. RusseU Morse mission group
dia prep^ed to go into the interior by plane xindi^r the; es^^ Russell and Eugene Mpr$e. News wll be r^liea^ed tli^ou^ the Christi^ Standard when we have coi^maiion b{ this, ^e follow ing excerpts will give a general idea how this camie abbut. l^xaise
the Lord!
along the up^r Salween river. Miss Dbrdthy Stealing, Hegistered Nurse and missiona^ worker, has probably by novf aniyed in In
From youn support of this mission, $700 was sent Miss Sterling for added passage money (air-fare); $3000 was forwarded J. Rus sell Morse for station equipment and supplies for the coming year. Mrs. H. M. McCall, of Imperial, California, gave $1000 for medicines and hospital equipment which Miss Sterling shipped to India, also $1000 which applied on the cost of publishing the Lisu Hjminals
and teaching-aids.
As there are neither banks nor stores in West Chiim, currency is of litle value to the natives, so Mr. Morse bought a stock of such goods as the native Christians need; cloth, thread, tea and salt. This
he will use in payment of their services. When U. S. drafts are
cashed in China they lose nearly 90% in exchange and continued inflation. Mr. Morse has again requested that I hold all funds until in India for a long time after the Japanese blockade has been lifted. My grandson, Laveme Morse, is wiHi me and is enrolled in
long and dangerous trip over "the Himip." A main purpose of the
ties make it awkward and almost impossible to tell you about our
trip was to get the big Lisu Hymnals printed uid to buy other need ed supplies. We can see no chance of a furlough for any members of our family before next year as we are in a special mission of great importance to the Allied cause. Much though we all need and would like a furlough with our home folks and the churches in the U. S. A., our country's need and that of our churches here is so acute that we can't puU out this year^
kihd to us. Ji;^t the other, day he ordered: "Give the Morse, family all the help they need and keep on giving it to them." So we shaU
have been developing for us and we believe our new missionaries also have some surprising experiences awaiting them,-but I can't
discuss them in a leter.
our health improving because of much beter food and the expert medical treatment provided by the Air Transport Command. We
bur mission afea and thus being able to help them with the Search
and Rescue work. It has been arranged that we shall continue that work and even to extend and fur^er develop it. The Air Force help us in tlm and in our missionary work by delivering supplies
Wouldn't otherwise obtain: These will be used in the Search and
Rescue work and when the wu: is over this equipment will be the permanent property of the Mission. For instance, an electric gen erating outfit, not only for a lighting system, but also for radio re
ceiving and transmitting.
After the awful havoc of the Tobalo flood, October 23,1940, the
Lord helped nie to say: "The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." I added at that time, "And the I^rd is able to give it all back to us anytime He wants to.
by parachutes. Now: we are being rewarded for staying by our line of duty, "st^ding qn the promises of God'- at a time when hun dreds of other "foreigners" were evacuating.
This help from the Air Tr;^sport Command will enable us to leave a properly developed "biase station" in which our new mis
Ri^t now, Eugene and I are in the midst of a great adventure. We have many obstacles to surmount in getting the LLsu Hymnal printed. It will Qost at least $1500 (U. S. currency) but finding printers who could do it quickly and then finding the large stock of paper required were evieh greater problems! Thanks to God's help
pr^aring and organizing ^ our supplies for the air shipment. Sup
the Hymnals are now almost completed. Oi^ next problem will be
plies that can safely be dropped by p^chute will be delivered that way. Items likely to be damaged in such a delivery will be car
ried to a landing field in Yunnai^ There is such a field about two weeks' caravan trip southeast of'biir "home". iVom that point we shall ,have to engineer transportation overland by coolies:and packhorses. Eugene and I and perhaps" Miss Dorothy Sterling, our new
nurse-missionary, will accompany this caravan.
Besides the usual missionary work and help to the Air Transport
Command if needed, they must organize tibe gathering-up and stor ing of all supplies that may be dropped by parachute. I think this may be about the last of August or early in September. Please ask
all our friends to pray ior them for their tasks are strenuous and
very important. These are supplies which our American co-workers
have made possible for our joint-ministry in one of the least acces sible spots in the world. God be with you all."
Phoenix, July 21
Miss Sterling to Mrs. Ruth Morse:
"Last night a telegram came from Washington saying that my passport application had been rejected because I was not going out for military service . . . We must wait to see God's plan. He has provided everything e;xcept the passport. I believe that just as soon as the way is clear He wU provide that ^so." .
India, July 29,1944
dia if necess&ry until the last of iSeptember but you must reach Galcutte as soon as possible . . We feel that it can probably be ar ranged that you come BY AIR . . . soon after you receive this you will get wbrd from Washington, D. G., and you may even be ^ked
'
,1 Washington, D. C, August 24,19M L. Duiic^-lp Miss Sterling: "At tibe present moment^ the Air Transport Command is iendeavoring to seciire for you throu^ the Joint-Chiefs of Stdff Stnd
into the Ghinese-Burma-India Tlieatre of Operations, The Commanding General of the India-China Division, Air
able to furnidi funds and &e above clearance can be obtained for
We are doing all in our power to expedite your trip in return for assistance the Morses have given to Air Transport Command
fliers.^' .
Sterling.")
September 2,1944
plies can go by boat. Am allowed only 65 pounds luggage plus over coat on the plane.;My boxes will be dropped from a cargo plane
sometime after my: arrival. ' -
"On the evening of August 31 a special air-mail letter airrived from' Washington with orders to come &ere as soon ais i^e required "shots" have been taken. All other papers are now OK.
I have already had shots for t^hoid, paratyphoid and sm^pox, but now I must add yellow fever, cholera,.lypbus and te^uius. I tried all over tovm to get them but had to go out to liUkfe Eleld where I got part of the treatment. Usually the sbnts ai*e given a week apart for three weeks but I hope to finish them in Washing
ton."'
Postcard,.
Miss Sterling to Mrs. Morset
Postcard, ,
tl^t I am leaving sometime this afternoon to meet your father and Eugene wto Me still w^ttog for me in India. Then we shall go on to China. I shall give them all your thessages. Goodbye and God
bless you."
be returned to you. Arrangements are made for my baggage (box es) to go by boat immediately. Just sent Mother Morse a telegram
Dorbiiiy Steirling
, Mrs. Gertrude Howe Morse pr^ a report for her Living Link j^urch, (the West Side,) Springfield, HI. from which the fol
lowing items have been taken;
. , .
..^
May 22,1944
"The mountain-pass is just opening up after being snow-bound for four months. This report is to be carried over "the Hvimp" and mailed froni India. So m^y of oiu* letters have been lost when com mitted to ordinary post that we have lost heart about writing. How
we long to know how you all are!
work in 1^ y^ey then Mr._ Morse and I feel that we cannot leave
theni. It is just top lonesome to live here without ones family, and oi*airiary home maintenance work is too heavy for them to manage
The ihissibn work is progressing ^ well,as cotlld be e3q)ected. This yeiaif, regions/Which had reused the Gospel haVe turned to
the Lord in earnest inquiry. Please pray for Aie workers in this field, for they have a tremendous work to dofar more than they c^ adequately do in ^eir own strength. In this mission area there
time among these congregations. With my home responsibilities, I think I do not average more than four months' preaching and teaching away from Pugeleh, but I put in another month teaching in
tH^ School for Evkhgeliste and Teachers which we hold here. When Mr. Morse is away, I give out such medicines as seem to be needed
aiMo^V^^y confer^^^
vice.
ly Ae iMny people wjip come tp oiir station. Then, too, there are
On my evangelistic trips, walking trips of many miles up-mountaiii: and do:*^ mountain, I am escorted by two Christian porters who carry my bedroll, extra clothing, food aiid teaching supplies.
We eat the native^food of rice, eggs and sometimes meat or vege tables when it is kWlable but ihust always have an extra supply
from home. The Lisu diet is peculiar in that it does not regularly have meat or fat or vegetables or SALT but consists almost entirely of the few grains they are able to raise in this valley, mostly buck->
wheat, millet, wheat and rice.
be climbed, and narrow gorges and cliffs to pass but the country
is beautiful^that is, if one has time and strength for appreciation. Sometimes our clothes are soaking wet from the rains but we change our shoes and other clothing on arrival and we seldom feel ill ef fects from such exposures. The going is hard underfoot but our
Heavenly Father watches over us.
After this year's long-school, which was held at Ta-Da, Robert garet I decided to hold a short Bible School for some of our young teachers who had been imable to attend Ta-da. Eleven were regu lar in attendance, but there were four or five others who came part of the time. We studied Acts, Revelations and Church Problems in discipline an4 doctrine for about six hours a day. We had a precious,
precious time together and the Lord was in our midst to bless.
went south on war work. While I was at home teaching Ruth Mar
change of interest. Just them Robert returned from his six w'ee^'
a few moinents later, natives brought them one of Robert's letters of instruction, prepared for just sudi emergencies. Soon Robert found them and brought them to our home. Warm baths, clean
clothes, good food and warm comfortable beds soon revived their
so they had to jump. They landed safely and were delighted when
trip bringing four aviators. Both engines of their plane had cut out,
spirits. They had to wait nearly two months for the passes to dear of snow before it was feasible to attempt the return to their eastIndia base. Eugene and Mr. Morse went with them as guides and are
now in India.
but oiu: food problems were immense, to say ^e least. According to them, their stay with us, in the very heart of "the Hump", was
very pleasant, interesting and restful. Now that tiiey are gone, I am finding rest and change in a quiet home.
have been helping for years, our co-workers in this hard but won derful mission field. We are only poor, weak vessels but the Lord
well as for tibe other workers and all of the Lisu Christians. We
have been so faithfully "holding the ropes" for us. Some of you
We thank the Lord for all of you dear ones back at home who
has stooped to use us in His work. Your prayers have helped us to be instruments in His Hands. Please continue to pray for us all as
shall pray that the Father's sustaining grace may compensate and
reward you for your efforts and gifts for His work in Lisuland. Sincerely yours in His Name,
Gertrude H. Morse.
Scpteniher I, 1944
Xo. 12
SXJPPLIES
Friends in varioiia parts of the
ATTEMPTED ROBBERY
We had quite a robber scare. There
had been lots of talk of it and most
way opens to go back. In one home recently a four-yearold handed me his precious Sunday
School paper he had carefully saved, while his six-year-old brother was Ininting up all his old ones to cut the Bible pictures out for the Tibetan childien. These colored Bible pictures will be a great help in teaching those
children.
early one morning Synom had seen a strange man going around on the outside looking at t^ie windows;- -One night I was awakened before midnight by some noise. I heard sev eral give the "robber yell"sounded like it came from up by the brick
kiln. Then I heard a shot and I climb
would be especially welcome. Dried wear skins. foods, sealed in tins or jars, are more Now the gist of the matter is this: practical than canned goods because Whereas last summer it appeared of tlie need to keep down weight that I would not have much future when packing. use for clothes, except perhaps a Ah time and funds allowed I have lounging robe, today I am able to go been buying some items of equipment about my work in a nearly normal including a tent, bed (folding iron manner, tiod has not dealt with us ac cot), saddle, sad irons and shoes. cording to our deserts, but accord P'riends have given me some articles ing to His mercy. Praise His Name. of clothing, a lantern, and other During January and February I items, for wliich I am deeply grate have been busy with the projects of ful, cleaning up the orchard and repairing One couple has offered to pay for the roofs of the hospital and Miss a typewriter when I have found the Schwake's dwelling. The orchard was one I want, so if anyone knows where in su<;h condition as to make one who a good Underwood Portable can be loves trees weep. Branches have been hacked off with knife and axe, leav obtained, please let me know. My grateful thanks to all who have ing stubs which could not possibly
gency siiri'i<tienlly great to justify coming from the other house with a lantern. It was Gladys. She wanted sending in a pair of overalls by air. advised me to take as much as I can to know if we were all right. She cer The solution seems to be to go native, to supplement my diet, these things at least in the matter of dress, and tainly is not easily frightened. limited on the field, and doctors have
A Ki said that earlier there had
ed out of bed and pulled my pants their children's outgrown clothes for ing to leave and we were disposing of on. There was more yelling, some use in the orphanage I am planning excess baggage I had to put up a fight seemed to come from in back of to start. Any supplies that are useful lo save even one pair of overalls for Gladys' house. in caring for babies and children are I got Yo-er out and carried him inyseif. Now this lone pair hangs in welcome. tatters and hardly suffices to cover downstairs. Mrs. Shao was up with a One woman suggested that if they wliat it is supposed to cover. pine torch and Synom and A Ki were knew I could use them many might be also up. The yelling got farther and Tliis is not an appeal for old cloth glad to dry fruits and vegetables tor farther away so I started to go back es. 1 am afraid that even the Red lue to take, oi' to send after I am (!r()ss would not consider the emer to bed. Then I saw someone was
At ihe time my family was prepar
ihere. Since our choice of foods is so
Some
niotliers
have
contributed
PROPERTY IMPROVEMENT
been three men talking outside her window (in hospital building). In the morning we learned that a band of about six robbers had tried to
break into the new house built for
without
Nichols.
getting
anything.Edgar
PRICES IN APRIL
It costs $120.00 U.
S. for a for eigner to live, this would permit one servant, no extras, and $15.00 will contributed in any way toward these heal. Broken branches have been left feed one native now, but it may take needed supplies. The smallest contri hanging to the trees, giving access twice that six months from now. The bution is of value in sending the for the entrance of bugs and worms folk at Chengtu write that prices and eventual decay. Gospel to Tibetans and the Lord will have doubled there since Mabel and I have tried my hand at tree sur bless you for it.Melba Palmer. gery Cor the first time, filling cavities the children left. Carpenters here demand three ru in several apple trees with lime plast pees a day, and that is better than TWO BAPTISMS er. I have also white-washed many of 33.00 gold. Yesterday I bought ?20.00 News has reached us that on May the apple trees to keep down insects worth of meat to have with mien. It 28th A Ki, a former servant of the and prevent sunburn. The apricot was a small portion for one person. Nichols family, for whom we have trees are so very hardy that they $20.00 Chinese currency equals $1.00 bear good crops in spite of the mis prayed much for a long time, obeyed U. S.Edgar Nichols. treatment and neglect, but most of her Lord in Christian baptism. the apple and peach trees are diseased On the same day Postmaster Jen, DITTEMORE BABY formerly sprinkled by a Methodist, and do not bear the crops they should. Jonathon Tibbs Dittemore, three And though scores of trees have completed his obedience by being im month old son of Warren and Isabel been propagated from this orchard, mersed. Mr. Jen wants to come to Maxey Dittemore, missionaries pre not a single one has been set out upon paring to sail to West China, died America to study for the ministry. We know you will rejoice with us Ja Po Ding. I am trying to remedy unexpectedly July 28th. Our deepest in these two precious souls now serv this, both that there may be young sympathy goes to the parents and we ing Christ on the Tibetan Border. trees coming on to replace the old know the Lord will comfort and sus
Page 2
for these when we find out who is to continue the task. Perhaps some church or other group would like to undertake this expense as part of its missionary work. It seems to us quite essential that the Tibetan Missionary continue to be published because we cannot af
ford to take the time and money
from our work on the field to write
Have doors
been
(tlosed
to your
advance? Go forward.
personal letters to all who support us, so this is our only means of keep ing you informed of the progress of the Gospel among Tibetans. We need someone with a permanent address,
spare time, some journalistic, bookl<e'ping and office ability, access to this great task. As stated in the last a typewriter, and a knowledge of. issue of this paper, we are anxious and deep interest in Tibet and our to start a program of real advance mission, to manage the arranging oi" ment just as soon as it is possible to materials which we will write, and get back to the field. The main items prepare the paper for mailing. 111 that program are to be a language Tliough not essential, it would study home tor new missionaries, a simplify matters to have someone in Bible College to train native leaders, li^ugene, Oregon, take over this work and an orplmnage for the care and so we could continue with the same training of homeless children. printers. There is a great deal of work Such a program demands the en involved in this continually, so do listment of every consecrated Chris nol think it is an easy task. This, tian who is interested in the spread too, is a volunteer job without reof the Gospel in Tibet. What are you miuierution. The expenses (mostly) doing? Many of you are backing us have so far been cared for by free faithfully with your prayers and off will offerings and we hope this will erings. for which we are extremely continue. If you are interested in this grateful. Yours is. a very necessary job contact me immediately. part of the work, which we could not One more thing is greatly needed, do without. May the Lord continue and that is more missionaries. If you to })less you richly for it. However, have a desire to serve Christ on one there are other things equally im of the farthest, hardest fields in the portant, which we must hiiv if this world, get in toueh-with nie at once work is to succeed. so we can be making plans. I wish
the lack of workers to help carry ou
Before I can return to the field
If you depend on Him and pray .\s you advance, each step, each day Tilt! Lord will open up ihe way.
Go forward.
u[) the money somewhere. I took our good friend. Postmaster Jen along to
there
might
be several
consecrated
young Christians ready to go with me the most necessary parts of the work as soon as the way opens, and others
These buildings are covered with flat galvanized sheets with upturned edges where they join. This joint was covered with an inverted U strip. But as We stated upon our arrival here, most of these upon the two wings of the hospital had been re moved and sold by a former caretak er to buy opium. I hired our Ho Shang to do the work of repairing and he proved to be quite clev'er.'He conceived the idea of pounding one edge down and crimp ing the other over it. thus making a
tight seam and one that could not be
Surely there must be some individuals It is important to locate all these cost to make the strips to cover these or groups with enough spare time workers soon, that we may be pre seams. and ability, who cannot go to the mis paring for the time when I can re After several unsuccesful attempt.^ sion field, but are willing to do all turn to the field, which we hope is 1 finally rigged up a "still" which they can at home to help out. Here not far off. If any of these tasks ap
is an opportunity to share in a very peals to you, please let me know, and definite way In the great missionary above all pray that all these needs task. may be supplied. The Lord is able, Our work cannot continue without and we look to Him for the help someone to forward funds to the field, needed.Melba Palmer. since it is not safe to send money di rectly to the missionaries by mail. We PROPERTY IMPROVEMENT need someone with a permanent ad (CojUiHued from Page One) dress, plenty of spare time, letter writing ability (preferably with a ones which die out, and that there typewriter, and access to a hecto will be nursery stock for new mis graph would be helpful), good at sionaries to take to their stations mathematics and bookkeeping, with when they come out. an understanding of direct support Hitherto we have not felt it wise missions in general and our mission to spend our money except for the in particular (or a willingness to absolutely essential repairs on these learn), and vitally interested in help buildings. The attitude of the United ing it to progress. Society seeming to be to leave every If you can qualify, get in touch thing in the hands of the natives we with me immediately, telling all about do not care to fix things up for them yourself, and giving references. But to rob and despoil, as had been done remember, this is a volunteer job, before. without any remuneration. In fact, However, after Mrs. Nichols' inter up to the present time, I have paid for view with Dr. Lewis Smythe at Chengall postage, supplies, cables, and other tu he sent the money for three years' expenses of this job from ray own taxes and asked me to make an esti personal funds. However, some other mate of the cost of repairing the hos arrangements will have to be made pital roof and he would try to scare
yielded tar in appreciable amounts. This from the fat pine which Is used here for lighting purposes. This tar boiled down and spread over heavy cloth makes a good covering for the many bullet holes in the roof. So now we are just waiting for the rains to come and show up holes we may have missed, but we believe we have a good tight roof that will protect these buildings for years to come. May God guide and bless and keep you is our prayer.Edgar Nichols.
Mrs. Nichols
Page 3
It was Interesting to note that the next day her husband spoke to Naomi about this being baptized. He had de
The
climax
of
her
performance
eight
months.
Having
recently
re
ceit. I had been suspicious for some time previous. Our precious Naomi held hope to tlie bitter end. It was
the first lime that Naomi was taken
aries I perceive that Miss Palmer has carried ou for me by printing excerpts
fine
recovery
after
two
months
of
sick for weeks. It taught her a good the yearnings I have to write more lesson, however. I think she thought often. The wilUngne.ss may be present at times we have been too strict. I but duty calls more often, leaving no have told her time and again that I
time even for rest.
Having
reviewed
tliese
Tibetan
of the joys and sorrows of the work. I was Impressed with a statement
that Mrs. Bare made in one of lier re
heartaches we often experience. In speaking of our native Christians, she said, "We love all of our native
friends, are grieved when they stumble, rejoice when they prosper." Her closing statement was of the greatest moment to us. "We pray for you and the help you need." How we need this assurance. The following lielped the missionaries, then why did husband in the Christian life. This is are the papers that I have on hand: we pick on her? I referred her to the request she has of you who pray Dee. li)41. .June 1942, Sept. 194 2, for us out here. Ij^ph. 2; 8-9. June 1943, Aug. 1<)43. Dec. I!t43 and We have a friend out here named
Mar. 1944.
to Llie work. We are thankful we dis Our Gwayine, Naomi's sister, con covered this one's duplicity before it verted two years ago, is a great com was too late. fort to us. She has a gambling hus God is beginning to deal with some band, yet she keeps her light shining him. Recently I've taken of these hypocrits. We have one before Lhatsa, who at one time taught the Gwayine and Naomi in a Bible study Bibie stories. While this young wo class with plenty of helpful Bible man has always been kind and help memory verses. Gwayine simply eats ful to the missionaries, still she has the Word, She seems never to get resented correction. She boasted enough. May God grant her the two some lime ago that she had always precious little boys she has and her
This year her sin reached its height. She had never, that we knew
cultured wo
in whom we had hoped a perfect work was to be done was one called Yndreh, II soldier's wife, a patient of ours. This case will show you how discourasinK the work can be at times. You know the Chinese in the raw are
full of deceit, in fact they are clever actors. This one proved such a case.
of, offered to the idols, though she has an idol worshiping husband. This year, however, just before Christmas, our Naomi came home one day griev ed and said to me. "Do you know our Lhatsa has gone to carry a tray to the idols." We went to prayer at once for this woman regarding this mat
man, the only one of these officials' wives who is trying to understand
She played a most clever part during the months of her treatment. I sup pose she thouglit it was the price she had to pay to get care. They have
a perverted idea that we like them
are contacting her often and trying to help her with the proper line o reading in it. We found, shortly before her baby was born, that she, too, had been in ter. quiring of these idols which the lamas One morning two weeks later, be serve. There was a very heartrending fore breakfast, a rather pale-faced circumstance connected with this, too. Lhatsa walked into my home bearing Naomi discovered that the Moham
her only son on her back with blood medan woman servant of this Tai Tai
They come into the dispensary, Chi about his head. He had fallen from to this idol. She then called upon an nese and Tibetans alike, and begin to the top of their staircase striking a innocent type of Christian down at extol the wonders of our flod. I have rock below. Upon examination it was the chapel by the name of Lozung .slopped that for God says that none discovered he had cut a V-shaped Chu Drea. This girl had been shown shall call upon Him only in sincerity wound in his forehead. When I laid many favors by this Tai Tai and felt
of purpose. Jesus made that clear to it back, to my great astonishment I the Samaritan woman, as we read discovered that the periosteum or cov in John 4:22-26. ering of the bone was lacerated also. obligated, so went.
You would have to know our Naomi
gushing into a turkish towel bound refused to carry the request on paper
SERVICES
The first time I rode Dapple Gray and went with the group across the river to preach it did seem good. I am coming along fine, though I do have to apply the brakes sometimes. Easter is past and we had a fairly
Pray for this Tai Tai. She is still During the course of the repair so bound by her official position. We activities we could have wished for. work [ again gave her warning that are, however, pleased that through Had a sunrise prayer service at eight God was having long patience with the healing of her little daughter this
This required six sutures plus eight or more on the outside, Knowing the possible complications on such cases, I had to use plenty of precaution. It was a good thing the child's mother had used the intelligence she has, which is rare in these regions. She came at once. They usually try their own filthy methods and when that fails 1 am supposed to help them.
While we were working with her Naomi gave her a lesson from God's word regarding this thing. We felt
sorry for this woman as she had not had the experience the other one had
had with the Lord.
o'clock at the street chapel. Then the at Do Rah, with outdoor service at
her.
chided
her
for
her
lack
of
rest of the day was spent at Li's house obedience to God's word. I explained
dren to the chapel in town for Sun day school. She is my best Chinese
one thirty and dinner at two thirty. er, for she has had the greater opI spoke in Tibetan from I Cor. 15:12- portunties, unless she repents, I told her to let that luisband of hers go 20. We had hoped to have some bap tisms, but none of them came his way and she go hers if he insisted on following these Idol practices. through.Edgar Nichols.
lady friend though I do not speak her language. When we began deal ing with these Tai Tais in town the most of them boycotted us but this one felt a patriotic urge at least for
Page 4
us. We find that these women who (lome up here from the more cultured localities in China are by far more patriotic. They appreciate what our country is doing for their country
at least.
bedside of her husband who recently nearly died with pneumonia. He is a T.B. so you may well Imagine their anxiety. I met his mother at a feast some time ago. She told me he was anxious to get home and wanted to put himself under my care. I am al
Triune
God
was
beyond
his
ken.
The Shaos are ever a source of joy to us in that they try to minister to
their fellow Christians. Mr. Shao
preaches and leads meetings in the evenings with the help of Naomi and
Joseph will be coming home in June. We are planning, if the Lord opens the way, to send Naomi down to the Bible school also. A wealthy Chinese has granted the school a mil lion dollars for the education of
Chinese who will do border work among the Tibetans. Isn't that thrill
Mr. Jen, the Postmaster, both need them. If I can get down country for il. is expensive to take him there, I that much needed rest I'll be good for prefer it as he has to live on a special the next ten years. diet which could be far better handled I was amused at the rating of poor In one of our schools by our fine health for me in one of the papers. dieticians. I know full well that if he When I think back over a day's work goes here he is likely not to survive that begins at five in the summer and long on the cheap food they provide six in the winter, I could not help for their students. but laugh. I realize that I have a In his youth he was a member of dietary problem on my hands but a church group that sprinkled their I know of another who has the same converts. Since studying the Bible condition as I have and is at home. independently and with the help of This is what she says. "1 am glad Mrs. Nichols, whose student he was, to know all which you tell me of your he asked for baptism on Pentecost. physical condition. You know I have What a joy that was to us!! the same condition. With all the op Then our A Ki. the wife of Ho portunity 1 have to eat just what I Shang, also came through. What a should eat. 1 do not control my con day of rejoicing thai was for us. We dition here as well as you seem to had it up here in Dr. Shelton's bap there." tistry. The day was ideal. We have All right then, are you all willing taken u picture for you. It will be for the work's sake to see me to that senl as soon as possible. rest? Am 1 woi'th as much to the I would say that if thy lime comes brotherhood work as that well in In and it seems God's will to release dia which the Scliaefers wrote about this yoiiug man from his government and RDt such fint' responses? We position here that our churches get have greatly appreciated the fact behind him with a will. Any church that our Christian Church is meeting that undertakes for him will have her obligations to her missionaries reason to rejoice greatly when the far better than the average church Book3 are opened. His position at groups out here. It seems that some pre.sent is a trial of faith that few are using the war as an excuse. We oi our young people at home have. were quite astonished some time ago His English is the most fluent I have to read in one of our <diureh period heard any Chinese speak in these icals that one church was doing more regions. Keep him in your prayers. home extension work because of a Some one has asked about my curtailed mission program due to the James. He has decided that he wants war. Poor church, she needs to send to loliosv a iiiie of medical work like onie oi hei- >ouiife lifcopltj to iiie liem. Brother Shao's, as it is too late for She might have her viewpoint chang a medical course for him. This middle ed. There' never have been such oi)school up here had to be closed for portunities in China and Tibet as a time because of the lack of proper there are today.Gladys Schwake.
He would like to come to the U.S.A. for his theological training. While
teachers. The educated Chinese from
(CONTINUED IN NEXT ISSUE)
FINANCIAL REPORT
him down to Kangting. January 1 - July 1, 1944 It seems the food is so poor there TIBET.XX MISSIOXARY Reci'ij)ts: 5120.20; halanci? Jan. I, $33.99, that I have to lay out $25 per month Total, $154,lit. Paynu-nts: Printins:, SS4.2r>! Cuts. $23.00; to try to keep his health. This evident Po.stape, 20.20; SUso., $0.63. Total. ly is not sufficient as recently he had 5134.0.S. Balance on liaiid: $20.11, to be in the hospital for a week with
a diptheretie sore throat.
l-'OR TI13ET
Mozong has been down country do If anyone is interested in this boy $26ft8.0r). Total, $5923.02. Payments; Mahel Nichols, $3520,00; ing some work from which he hopes and wishes to help him through his Doroth.v Xicbols. $1,63; Gladys .Schwake. to be released soon. I hope if he training I am sure he will greatly $1000,00. Totai. $4521.63.
comes up home he can wait for me
Receipts;
$3224.97;
balance
Jan,
1.
should I go down.
appreciate this. I expect to bring him MELBA PAr.JLER home for the said training if it seems Rec-i-ints; $fi8!).63; balance Jan. 1. $115.99 $805.62. Our Postmaster should by all workable. If not, I will remain in Total, Payments; T..ivltis expcmses, $112.36; means have honorable mention. This China and take a position offered me Doctor, dentist and medicine. $50.73; young man has proved such a bless down country until such time as 1 Po-stase and stationery supplies, $16.05: Travel. $121,31: Gift.s and misc., $23.07; ing and given out such fine testimony have him ready for the work. Tithes and offprinps. $100,14; Cable ex
penses. $34.27; Supplies for Tibet, $96.24 in his quiet way that we covet your We were so thankful to learn from Total. $554.80. prayers for him. He is only 25 years our Postmaster that the mails will Balance on hand: $250.82.
of age but much more mature in his accept vitamin or cod liver oil tablets
judgment than the average Chinese that age. His understanding of the European has been invaluable to us. He is hoping to enter the ministry.
Received
for
return
to
Tihft:
$6.R0;
in letters. If any of you can accom modate us with both of these kinds of tonics in your letters you will be do ing all of us good. Mr. Nichols and
and
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Dear Ones:
Oxir hearts are overflowing with -praise and thanksgiving for oxir Heavenly Father's gracious answers to prayer. It has been His will to grant many of our petitions and we know that He will con
tinue to answer all of them in the aEirmative which He sees will be
for ihe best. i
Many of you have been following the rapid succession of events concerning our field. Youknowhowwonderfully Dorothy Sterling's journey to West China was brought about^by God's hand to Whom
she has committed her way.
The way, too, in which God has provided the necessary sup plies for our isolated field and, now, medical care for the depleted
people might have New Testaments. We are full of joy thiat God has made possible the printing of those Bibles and we know that Ae $402.27 which we have in our Bible Fund will make possible the
Then, too, so many have been praying with us that the Lisu
printing of even more, when we arrive in India. We are rejoicing now that nearly half the necessary $5,000.00 for our journey and first year on the field has come in at this date,
November 4. The letters from Bro. Morse and Dorothy Sterling
do not sound very encouraging for our leaving soon, but it seems to us even more of an opportunity for God to show His managerial
ability, if it is in His will.
there. How we long to be in the Mekong valley this winter and spring among our 1200 Christians there and then to surprise the Morses, in May, by sending them word we a^re there. Wa^en has made splendid progress in Chinese. If he were in China it would not be long before he would be quite at home with it. He will
already beginning to talk some Chinese. We believe they will do ver^- well with it. Please realize that they both must put in 10 to 12 hours a day in study and thus cannot earn a livelihood while here. Consider them to be doing the very thing they would be doing if
they were already in China.
continue his study until we leave. David and Lois Rees are now here in language school and are
In June, Miss Jane Kinnett of the University Christian Church, Los Angeles, California, will graduate from N. C. C. in Eugene, Oregon, and will enter this school of Chinese Studies, in preparation for going to our field. Miss Ruth Anne Lowe is also in Cincinnati
preparing to go and assist Dorothy Sterling as soon as her nurse and Bible training is completed. These recruits are mentioned
God bless each of you who have helped make possible our get ting to the field. We have faith to believe that the full amount we need will be on hand by the time we must leave.
Trusting our all in His hands,
Isabel and Warren Dittemore,
It has been with much interest and hope that we have watched developments between your forces and our mission, the "Tibetan Lisuland Churches of Christ," of which J. Russell Morse is the director. We are especially happy that Miss Dorothy Sterling has been ableby your gracious help and permission^to join them.
Since Bro. Morse has also repeatedly urged our coming out to
their aid at the very first possible opportunity, we are maidng bold to apply to your command for like service in the Mekong river val is, Search and Rescue of any of your fliers who might have to bail
out in that valley.
We believe this would be of help to your forces because, as you know, the passes between the Salwin and Mekong valleys are blocked with impassable snows for four or five months of the year. There are no American or English missionaries in that valley within at least a week's journey to the north or south of our home at K'ang P'udirectly on a line east (in the Mekong valley) of the
Morse home at Pugeleh (in the Salween valley). Mrs. Dittemore (as Miss Isabel Maxey) has spent four years in this valley^in which our mission has about 1200 native converts
Mr. Dittemore, an ordained minister with^in addition to his ministerial training^two years study of Agriculture and three years
We are childless. Our supplies are ready to go. And the funds for the journey are almost assembled. May we, therefore, ask your earnest consideration of our appli
cation to become a part of the Search and Rescue Mission for the
.^Ur Transport Command in the China-India Division and to be Ranted passage by air, in ihat event, so that we can begin work
at once? -
Your request for assistance in reaching the missionary estab lishment at K'ang P'u in the Mekong valley has been recMved in this Headquarters, and forwarded by radio to our India-China
Division for comment. We understand that you desire air trans
We note you mention that your supplies are ready to go. You should be advised that, in case your request for transportation is approved, the normal allowance is 65 pounds per person. It is pre sumed tibat you do not contemplate the movement of any more
School must be nearly over at Berkeley and I am wondering what your next move will be. Have you learned anjrthing encour aging yet about your passports? Mr. Morse is anxious for you to come just as soon as possible and says he will help you all he can. However, I don't know just what he has in mind because it seems
and soon.
last year so that large quantities have been tsiken in. When mine arrive they will probably go in the same way. Many of the neces
sities which I coidd not bring with me have been gotten here. Upon
arrival at my destination (just five days) I learned that Mr. Morse and Eugene had found it necessary to come up here on business and had left a week previously. I was very much in a fog, being so suddenly set down in this place and finding myself on my own, but "lo I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." Would like to teU you about events that followed but can't. In a few days, transportation was provided for my coming here, where
the Morses were waiting. Mr. Morse and Eugene have both been
working very hard and have accomplished many things this sum
mer. The new Lisu hymnals are ready for us to take in and an order for Lisu New Testaments is being filled. They will be ready in a few months. From all I hear, Morse's health is greatly
mucii of his time and help to us. Write when you can. Love.
Dorothy.
boundless interest and enthusiasm which Eugene has. One of the Lisu evangelists, Barnabas, is here with them. This is the first time he has been out of the valley and he is seeing many strange and wonderful things. All are in a big hurry to get back now and go to work there. Many have helped us in getting supplies. Probably Chaplain Richards has been the greatest help. He has given so
Letter from J. RiLSseU Morse, dated October 9, 1944 Isabel and Warren Dittemore,
Our beloved co-laborers:
Our hearts have gone out to you every day of this tremendous
plane and it may be months before her boxes can be gotten to her. Such faith in God, such decision of character and pioneering spirit,
yet. such a quiet and gentle soul! God's grace will carry her through. Little does she realize what .
with pack mules and coolies to our "lost horizon." We expect to reach "home" about October 28th, before first of the, .November snows, ^k all friends to pray for us. Dorothy Sterling joined us here September 30th and your choice of her has our complete approval. The whole-hearted and efficient spiritual support which you have constantly given both her and us shall ever be remembered and reciprocated. But we almost cried when we saw she had brought only about 50 pounds on the
tumults and vicissitudes lie ahead of her in China's Wild West, but Dear ones, while our hearts have ached for you in the mystery of suffering after the passing of your precious little first-bom son,
yet we feel a constant assurance that your affliction at this time
while we look not at the things whic^ are seen, but at Ae tfiingg
which are not seen." In the valley of the shadow of death there is
"worketh for you a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
nothing for the Christian to fear. Only in our own faring of the
Cross with our Lord can we truly say, "My Jesus, I love, I know
dark ways shall be made plain, and glorious. If there were no
Thou art mine." In suffering we can honor Christ. Some day the
in our Father's heaven is stUl yours and God can give you others here on earth in due time. Never give up hope. May going trough
these things together draw you nearer to God and to each other. Surely you are nearer and dearer te us because of it.
This expedition was started with much fear and trembling and sometimes imminent defeat and disaster seemed staring us in the face, but by faith in God we refused to accept it, and now we are about to leave India seeing practically all our long list of aimg
accomplished arid in fact a great de^ more "than we at first dared hope or even imagiiie. We are deeply grateful, both to God and to the many friends in the Army Air Corps He has enabled to help usi For one thing, the 3,0Q0 copies of large Lisu Hymnals were printed with'the. best binding I have ever seen, despite many obstacles, and
joins the road down to (censored) ^alsp rhany other sufiplies too numerous to mention. Besides some types of supplies given us
leaving only a small balance in our Calcutta account. So Mrs. Chamberlain should make another remittance (same amount as the last) to the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp., Calcutta, so
it
" Also we have arranged with British and Foreign Bible Society, Calcutta, for printing 1500 to 3000 Lisu New Testaments, depending upon paper available, arid paid down 4,000 Rupees needed to cover cost of the piatesbut we believe they may agree to pay the remain ing costs frpm Society f^ds, and Calcutta office is negotiating with China office in ifcese matters.. The Calcutta superintendent,; Dr. H. L. Hodgson, has written you at my request. As flie plates will be
available for further printings as needed, I doubt if it will now be necessary for you to get that 5,000 printed in New York City as you wrote us. Prices of all commodities in the Far East are now terribly high, and we judge best to buy only the most vital needs, saving funds for use later when purchasing power will be greater. Don't put fimds into Chinese banfc if can arrange otherwise. We 'a^ a fifst-class little electric outfit (generating, lightingf-tadio receiver and even (censored) but later that was can celled ^d here at the last we have with difficulty gotten some used equipment, not so good but it will enable us to make a start. During our absence, Robert wrote, a great windstorm broke the propellors of our.-wind-charger at Pugeleh, then blew it clear off the 50-foot
tower. ;
mente here and doing any necessary repacking of ^e boxes. When snows and rains start ^er New Year, until May, it will be difficult to fly in for dropping, sP we hope the boxes can jarrive and be
arranged for drpfiping before New Year 1945. Since coming Pver here, have received, and devoured your very heartening letters of July 18th, .August 18th and September 23rd. In both joy and_ sorrow our hearts have been linked with yours and we have been thrilled by the very helpfiU arid effective way you have been developing that end of .the work. Isabel, just the other
day I told Bro. Richards ^d. Dorothy that up to datie, you are our brightest memory in all our experience arid observatipn of bringing
out new missionaries and helping them get launched. You know just a little of how many sethacla and disappointments there have
been. But having you to work with has compensated the Morse family for all of them. There has been so much you could have foimd fault with, things that grieved us too. I'm awfully sorry that, after conference of all four of us to gether, we can see very little hope of getting you out here and into our field before snow blocks the passes, in fact certain conditions at this end are such that we even doubt the advisability of it at this
fact that, when at last you actually do arrive, much better arrange ments and preparations will greet you. Probably our roomy new Mission House at Tada will be finished by then and I prophesy it will be one of the "surprises of your life. We delight to prepare the
way for such as you folk are! Please pass on to our folk any parts of this letter you think might interest them. Tell La Veme he must make the best of his school opportunities, must not accept any speaking invitations out side Tulsa County during his school terms. TeU Mother it is likely
one or two of us'may get back there in 1945 on furlough. Just several days ago we received wonderfully encouraging personal letters from (1) Commanding General, Army Air Forces (cen sored) and (2) from Comm. Maj. Air Transport Command (cen sored) , both at (censored). I hope to copy Aem for my dear old mother's comfort" and she can let you see them. Let's constantly help one another in prayer. With Christian love,
J. Russell Morse,
A.P.O. No. 629, c/o Postmaster, N. Y. C., c/o Capt. Winfield Richards, Chaplain, 0434207
51st Service Group, A. S. C.
1>eO
Mr. Mrs. J. Russell Morse had spent one missionary term at Batang, West China, when they came home in 1927, to begin Aeir new missionary^ Service among the Tibetan-Lisuland people. Eugene and Robert, then 6 and ^
respectively, are now doing full work in the mission field. ^
December 1, 1944
I w^t to thank all of our loyal Christian helpers who supplied funds arid materials for Miss Dorothy Sterling's gomg to work with the J. Russell Morse family. It is a wonderful joy to know that she has reached her destination and that her supplies are on the way.
God does Tprovide. The Dittemores, our o\ira tr^ed Isabel Maxey and her, splendid hiisband, Warren, ^e ready to go but they
should be assured of Living Link isupport before they leave Ajneri-
ca. In fact, they cannot get passports without that backing. Could not some of our congregations cooperate in this sujpport, say a band of two or liijee congreogations pledging to raise about a tibousand
dollars a year for each of theml With Chinese inflation this amoimt
would be barely enough to provide necessities and is the least that a great brotherhood should do. The opporti^ty for the^ going may come suddenly as it did for Miss Stealing. Pray over this. Our work is expanding in western China. That means that we .of the home teani rnust increase our^^orts.
We have been cautioned to oinit the name of the river on which
da^es represent.
the mission, is located.. I am, sure you mil understand what the
I send Holiday Greetings to you. May the New Year be one of happine^ arid woi^while accomplishment to you, Misps^.
Your Sister in .Christ's Service,
Mrs. Ruth Morse .
August 8,1944
Robert MorseHome Folks and Friends:
I have been thinking for some time of all the things I'dUike to write; tpclay I h^ye a M p| leisure. Probably ypu haven't had a
lit first, Aat we ^e still- two days'; hard travel: from-.tibe. jieaj-est postal agency at Ai-wa for we are off the postal runner's route. We get mail irreg^ul^ly in summer tmie, once evety ten 4&ys: or so. If the postman wiarits riiedicirie he may come over the iirioimtain to us, or he may leave our mail with the nearest Christian
family on his route. Ours is a closed-in village. We.hire a private runner to take mail out. Last time the i>ost^ ruriner crossed the pass he was held up, beaten and"rpbbed as he crossed the pass and much important out-going mail was lost. Men are now so desperate that they rob to get liie postage stamps on letters. You will notice
that I have used a small fortune'ih stamps ori this letter. Inflation affects stamp values and those we bought last month
may be only half enough to cariy the letter this time. So our letters
may come back marked "Insufeient postage" or' more often the postal clerk just takes thestam^ off, and destroys the letter. There-
fore we dare not paste on all those stamps and send the letter direct from the Ai-wa station. Neither can we register the letters witii
thd runner that passes.near here. It is a vicious circle.
vice, but otir only safe (?) method is to seal our mail packet, a^-i
dressed to the Kumming Am. Consulate, liiside are our addressed letters and a bill to cover the postage which the Consulate/has so far been good enough to attach to ihe letteris. So you wiU see that
I find that we all shrink from letter writing, because you are using them as "press-releases", and so instead of chatting along
that we have a family council on whatever is vn:itten-^and liien re-^itten, for you know any reader has to put Ms own interpre
tation on the written word. The weight of a letter has to be con
informally as we would do in a private letter we. begin to worry about our choice of words, proper punctuation and the result is
for^a few moments, scribbles down his idea of the moment and
mails it in the comer post-box. Here a letter takes part of our working time, not our leisure time, for there is practically none of ourselves going and of solving the problems which arise in ttiis vast mission fieldfor practical purposes of covering it, it's as big as
the whole U.S., or you can cross the U.S. in less time, and with less effort than we can go from one end to the other of the missiondistrict.
It's different out here than in the States, where one sits down
Enough of our reasons for not writing; the big reason tliat wie do is the spiritual strength we get from letters from home. We are
as hungry for letters from home as those other soldiers in far off
lands. Knowing that we aren't forgotten; knowing that you are praying for us and for the work we have joined ourselves together
to do, helps us ,more than you can ever know) Those letters have been the. biggest back-bracers we have. We read and re-read them
man for months, is a wonderful joy to us. Now for my activities: from May, 1943 to May, 1944, I was
and look forward eagerly to the next mail. Spring, ydth its first
once on Friday the thirteenth of August when one of our plane engines nearly gave up the ghost. We knew how the engine felt, for we too, wiere sick from being up 17,000 feet without oxygen masks and without clothing warm enough to offset the freezing tempera-
days. We all landed in the army hospital with bad cases of malaria. (I ve taken enough quinine to make me deaf at times and enough atabrine to make me see yellow, but even yet, I can't travel, thfe mountain trails without being ill. I still have malaria bugs in my cerebellum. Figure that one out!) I worked as aide to a certain major in Major-General Wheeler's
"at home" exactly 28 days. The trip to Ft. Hertz took twenty-odd
tures of that altitude. We went back to Assam cross-country (walk ing) and then I came back that way to Pugeleh by Dec. 7, '43, hav ing walked 75 out of 100 days. During the winter I made four "emergency" trips from home, mostly on army business but I managed at all times to witness for the Lord and to help out with the Christian teaching in the native villages where my "calls" took me. I helped in three terms (about ten days each) of Bible School, performed several Lisu maxTiages and preached almost every even ing, even though most of the days were spent on those tortuous and torturing mountain trails. We have been plugging away steadily for eight years now, in this horrid climate and jungle witiaout any relief except what I had in the Chinese college ( ) and the trips to India. Mother hasn't had that. When you consider that on our trips away from home one is never at any time "free" to rest, you can see how very wearing the trips are. There is no time for personal reading or writing. Now I am not complaining. I am giving you the explanation for which you asked. We have said little about the actual prob lems we face here because we didn't want to worry or burden you. Naturally, for me and for Eugene, who have been brought up out here, and are somewhat accustomed to these hardships, tibe life
is less difficult than it would be for those accustomed to the con
veniences of civilized living. I am coming to the place where I think there are no limits to the hardships that Dad and Mom are willing to endure for the Lord's sake but that we others must soon limit the sacrifices that they should be allowed to make. Otherwise, we are going to have a family of broken-down hulks for the junk-pile who will never be able to regain normal health and strength. Mother must have some sort of furlough or relief, but I can't see yet where it is coming
from.
It was a bit of a shock to leam that Eugene had gone on to India with Dad and our four rescued fliers, taking with them oxir main Lisu evangelist, young Barnabas, who is to help on proof reading the Lisu boofe to be printed in India. It came to me then just how much I had come to depend on Eugene. Now I'll have to go by myself on the fall preachi jg trip among the churches along the Mekong. (That means over the mountain passes again.) Even though Eugene hasn't graduated from a BiMe college he knows The Book; he toows native customs and the languages of this border country; he has a practical turn that few college men have. In short, he is about the most splendid "prospect" for missionary work that I can imagine. He is less affected by malarial conditions than
I am.
Sometimes I think Eugene's "brain-storms" are crazy, like building houses, roads, and using water power, but when he turns out the finished product, in itself almost a superhuman effort, I see that the idea was not only logical but practical. The trouble is, he leads the way where half a dozen shoidd follow and right now we don't have tiie man-power. So we are all looking forward to we-have-to-do, and so take up the slack in our lines. We have one
^e time our new recruits get here, leam the languageand the ways-
I believe that The Lord's Kingdom has spread in these regions largely because of the prayer-support we have had from our faith ful rope-holders and co-workers in the States-and not due to money or, to our successful management policies. The Lord has used His power to make the most out of the blundering little we can offer in service and to fulfill His Will in spite of His Servant's weaknesses or short-comings. There must be no let-up in prayer-supjwrt from
fighting forces are slowed down. Remember, you and you and you,
all who have this effort at heart, are missionaries as well as we.
the home force. Our situation is like that of the niilitary front. If
written (if ever) it will be seen that it is not all victories, hot ^
progress. It has been a queer mixture of joy with bitterness, vic tory witii defeat, and innumerable hardships which might easily have sent the workers home in despair. (See 11 Cor. 4:-).
But His promises are true, and not given unto unfulfillment;
se we know, and have experienced as Fact, that victory is ours.
rope-holders, the fact that actually, it is PRAYER that counts, and we want plenty of it, CONSTANTLY. That switches on the power to the tools which we are in The Master's hands. We can
leave the results to Him. This is not just The Morse Family's work; it is Your Work, too. So let us each look to our own stewardship. With heartfelt love, I remain thinking of you until next time,
Yours,
ROBERT MORSE
EXCERPTS.
Above aU, dear Grandmo^er, I desire that you get over to our
In five days I landed in India, almost too rapid a transition, but we were told at each stage of the trip what to do next so all proceeded smoothly. Mr. Morse had gone on to Asseun by the time little sight-seeing. It was all very novel, interesting and arresting. One thing impressed me about the city: the extremes of beauty and ugliness and filth. Thie better, part of Ae city had seemed indes
appreciated how clean the better part was. People walk in swarms
on the streets ^d narrow side-walks. If tired, they lie down on the walk or the road or even on the railroad tracks and go to sleep. When the coolies work, they usually have an lunbrella in one
hand and a hoe in &e other. V^en sawing wood, one Indian pulls
on the saw and the other pushes. If digging, one pushes in the shovel and sometimes two lift it out. The loads the coolies carry on their
look very well yet, his health is said to be greatly improved. Eugene is amazingly full of enthusiasm about ^1 the mission work. This is
such a contrast with the attitude of most other American men
After being in Calcutta three days I came north here where Mr. Morse and, Eugene were waiting. Although Mr. Morse doesn't
stationed here, but of course they were forced to come while Eu
gene is here because he loves it.
We are now waiting for good weather so we can go over into China. After arriving, we shaU have a two weeks* caravan journey to our mission. When my boxes of medical ^d hospital suppHes reach India they will be dropped from carrier plane at the mission
station.
To our-precious home-folks:
We are all packed and ready to leave for the plane eastward today. After landing in Western China we: Miss Dorothy Sterling, Eugene, and Barnabas with me, shall have a walking trip of about
two weeks to the northwest with a small caravan of pack mules and coolie carries. We did not trust the breakable supplies, such as medicines, to be delivered by parachutes at .
Since coming to India we have taken only one day for general sight seeing, but have worked steadily toward a long list of goals
for the Lord's work. As we leave we see practically all these sfoals
attained as well as much more that we had not dared to ask or
Several days ago two letters came to us from our nation's capi tal which I beUeve wiU encoiurage you as they have xis, so I^all
copy as much as censorship is apt to allow. This is from the Commanding General of the United States Army Air Forces, dated Sept. 19. 1944:
"Dear Mr. Morse:
doing and have done among the lisu tribes of West China, to effect
the rescue of American Air crew members who have been forced
Air Forces and my personal appreciation for the work you are
down in that area. Search and rescue work initiated by you, and your efforts to counteract enemy propoganda, coupled, with your unhmited zeal to Christianize and educate the Lisus have proved of
familiar with your work . . . I am sure that when the chronicle of your outstanding achievements can safely be told, this feeling will be echoed by all Christian peoples. "The Army Air Force recognizes the importance of your work, both to the successful prosecution of this war and to the establish ment of better relations between the people of this cpimtry and those of the Valley. To each of you may I extend the commendation and thanks of the Army Air Forces for your efforts on our behalf and the assur ances of our highest esteem." The following letter was written by the Major General Com manding, Air Transjwrt Command, U.S. Army Air Forces, Sept.
11, 1944:
"Dear Mr. Morse:
"I want to take this opportunity to express the great apprecia tion of this Command for the work that you and your family are doing in your district in ^Valley.
"When the story of your efforts in the saving of American Araiy Air Force personnel can be told to the public without endang
ering your very lives and wiping out the magnificent work you are
doing with the natives, I know the entire population of the United States will certainly join me in the expression of greatest gratitude
to you and your family.
"Not only do I want to express the feelings of this Command for your efforts in behalf of the United Nations* war effort, but to extend my gratitude for the Christian missionary work you are doing with the natives of your district. "Your magnanimous efforts in assisting the Air Transport
Command to return fliers who have bailed out during flights over
your valley have been of imtold value. All authorities of the .Cen
tral Government of China, the Diplomatic Services of the United States in both India and China, 2ire being informed of your pres ence and the part you are playing in behaU of the United Nations." Such hearty recognition, coming altogether imsought and be-
es about it, including the First Christian Church at Compton, Calif., which adopted Eugene, but I trust they will feel now more than
ever that tiieir sacrifices for Christ were not in vain. We have been
poor letter writers these past few years but only because war con(titions have hindered communications. Also tiie more we. have
filling and over-flowing out here. Now the plane has come and the pilot is in a hurry to be off, so I must close. I shall leave this for Chaplain Richards to mail. We received the remittances you and Mrs. Chamberlain cabled to our
account in Calcutta. God bless you all. Pray for us as we shall for
all of you.
Lovingly always,
J.RUSSELL MORSE
On the back of Mr. Morse's letter, the following note was penned:
Oct. 12, 1944 51st Service Group, ASC A.P.O. 629, N.Y.C.
Dear Mrs. Morse:
I censored this letter and will add a few lines to say we surely appreciated having your son and Eugene, also the native evangelist, Barnabas, and Miss Sterling with us for two weeks or a little longer. I first met Russell in 1928 and have kept more or less in contact with him since. Then to think I should run into him right here in
Assam seems providential.
IVe tried to help him get all ready to go back to the Mission.
I've visited with him and been around with him so much that he
didn't have much time left to do his own work. But by and by, they
got all their supplies dropped at the Mission,
Dorothy Sterling joined \is here on September 30. Yoiir choice of her has our complete approval. The whole-hearted and efficient
spiritual support wHch you have constantly given both her and us
J.RUSSEL MORSE
Chaplain and us' with all Ibe services while they were here. Words cannot express how much they have helped us all. Eugene is about my age and I can tell you he is one fine boy. I just wish I could have gone back to the mission with him. Miss Sterling, the new missionary nurse met them here and is going back to the mission to carry on her work. I can tell you they are doing a wonderful job and we are all proud of them. We made some pictures before they left so I printed these ex tras for you. The chemicals were too old to bring out very dear pictures, but anyway you can tell who they are.
I was surprised to hear that Brother Morse's home is in Tulsa for I live just over the line in Arkansas and I was stationed at the Tulsa airport about three years ago.
Sincerely,
SGT.M.L.MILHOSE
Your letters of June 13 and July 13 were received here on Sept. 5. We praise God for yoiu: safe arrival and these letter?. We have not had a Standard nor any of the home papers since the war, and letters are so irregular. Please write often. Be sure to thank God for America where people have love and meroy for each other. If only you might have gone home last year then you mi^t have comforted and loved Grandma Howe for us before
she went to be with the Lord; There is a deep hiirt in iny heart that
none of us were with her at the last.
We are looking for some word from Daddy and Eugene about their return and wondering why the long delay. Eugene has written us that'oiif supplies ate to be dropped at the s^e place where the food-sstuffs for our four guests were dropped last Maya week after th^y left, by the way. Some of the supplies dropped were too badly
.miashed'to be usable.
iye mahaged to get along, although if they had stayed another week
^we Woiild have been quite out of food. You will wonder where we
foimd a place for them in our tiny house. Well, Rocco Cammaratto
.ahd'Ed" Saley slept in your be<h:oom while Charles Allison and Robert Engels slept in our room. Ruth and I moved to the little north storeroom and Daddy used a cot in the study room. As
abode house which was supplied with a stove, the radio, our one
,Ey^^, clear day, the boys tried to flag attention and at last, after try&g. al50ut five weeks, help came just as we were finishing
breairfast. My, but there was a mad scramble out of the house to the .little fidd north of our cow pen! The plane,came rigjit close and dropped a letter and a bag of miscellaneous items. They deliver ed five loads at about the same time the next day in the place .whfere- %e once-planned to build a house, a levelled off place on
top of the ridge. But there was no clothing or shoes and not enough -. The boys kept foor. for; a three weeks journey to looking for more but none came until after their departure, too late.'^to.send runners to catch up with them. It was very quiet and
loiiely '^er our six men left us. With Anzie and Drema, there were
stiir five people in my household to provide for. During all that period, with all those extra people, we had food enough for only two meals a day with perhaps pop com or rice for the lunch. ' . Our two cows supplied milk throughout our greatest need and .we had eggs, and fruit which we canned last summer. Praise the
Lord who meets our every need. The Lord also guided our party over those terrible passes. Once two of the porters were almost overcome by the cold and high altitude. Eugene, who was climbing right along beside them,
saw their condition and made a fire by pouring some kerosene, from
the lantern onto some pretty wet bamboo, (There was no wood
that high up, you know.) After reviving the men, the party oroceeded. Suddenly Eugene's feet slipped and he plunged head first, down a long snow embankment missing a deep crevasse by about 3..feet. -They had to spend the night on the bitter cold mountain top, huddled together for warmth and not daring to sleep. Eugene
worse by that trip. Your father said it was by far the most difficult trip.he eyer made. The roses in your rock garden are blooming beautifully and the little new trees are coming along nicely, but we have had some
terrific wind storms which broke off some of the bearing apricot limbs and which blew down and damaged our wind charger so we now have no radio reception. We have a few grape vines along
the west wall.
.r
r
-
4.
4%
"X-ec
the top of the mountains and It shall be exalted above fhe hills and people shall flow into if." (Micah 4:1.)
home a week later and found much deeper snow on the pass.
Eugene securied Ehr-su-fu and two other carpenters from the Mekong valley to work on the inside finishing of the Ta-da house. Ihey are capable men and with Eugene there they will get much
done.
and must find food and make preparations for the students. This moraing, four Lisu came from six days' journey away to study with
us. They have no food, because it is very difficult to buy nee or grainthis year, sowe shallsharewith them. I am sorry to tell you that Moses, one of our bestLisu evange lists, was recently drowned in the Salween river. He atten^ted to cross the river at Yeh-gu. 'A boy in the boat with h^ became frightened and stood up, thus overtummg the boat. iVtoses was wearing a heavy Tibetan wool garment which so wei^ted him
down that he couldn't swim to shore. We miss him terribly and we are at a loss to know what to do for his congregation at Du-<u-dee.
a suitable leader is found for them.
He had given everything to establish that congregation m ihe true Gospel and they loved him. Pray that they may stand faihiul unil
Everywhere, we find many, many new Christians. Pray tlwt they may have understanding and true faith and that we may be
able to teach and guide them.
Lisu and will for perhaps a year before she does anyof the mission teaching, but of course she will be a great help with the sick who
come to us. She helps me more than I can tell you by teaching Ruth Margaret. We feel Miss Sterling's deep consecration. Praise God for all his wonderful goodness. He has undertaken far beyond
our prayers.
W. RICHARDS STERLING
We thank Chaplain W. Richards, serving with the Air Trans port Service at a base "somewhere in India," for most of the news
which reached America during November and December concern
ing the Morse-Sterling party. Our last news-letter told of Chaplain Richards making the trip "over the Hump" with them. His letter of Dec. 11 explained tiiat because of bad weather the regular "run"
scheduled over the mission station for Dec. 1, could not be made
and that another "run" was scheduled for Janu^ first. He has
great faith in Miss Sterling's ability and suitability for the great worfc she has undertaken. "I can safely say it is my opinion that
Miss Sterling wHl not be shocked at hard^ips, rather I think she will be thrilled at the prospects. Where she is going, outside of
being isolated from her foU^ at home, die is going into a better
place than where I am stationed. I don't believe die will ever enter tain the idea of even wishing she were home. Your son and I both
My tell and she seemed to appreciate them and when we advised her to think it aU over before shecrossed theHump; her only renlv
was. Whpn r1r wo crof *1,-. XT J if J
told her the toughest and most discouraging tales we could truth-
as difficulties but as Challenges to greater service. She will no doubt be lonesome but she has resigned herself to that and it will not be long until she will be able to speak the language and can make new friends among the Lisu people. Then eveiything will
1d0
"She will be all right and will face the difficulties encountered, not
Chaplain W. Richards, also copied the following letter which Mi^ Dorothy Sterling wrote from the mission ten days after her arrival there on Nov. 8,1944. Chaplain Richards sent Miss Sterling's letter to Mrs. Ruth Morse in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
"Would like to tell you in detail about our trip in but if I wrote all of it you might not receive it. However, I can assure you that it was quite as interesting and beautiful as it promised to be when seen from the air. The trip took 12 days. We had horses for the first nine days, but mostly I found walking much less tiring than riding. Walking merely made my legs tired but riding tired me all over.
serious. By the twelfth day I was so weak from having lost my appetite after swallowing a "bug" on the eighth day, that I had to
that I wasthankfulfor the opportunity by that time.
However, sulfa drugs quickly controlled the infection and it was not
perhaps two hours. On the eleventh day, Eugene suddenly devel oped a "strep" infection in his wrist and had to travel by chair.
i^e the hwa kan. I hated to give in to riding but I must confess
l^ge, square abode building with a Ihat^ed roof and a hard-packed <wt floor. Part of the floor is covered with a bamboo matting and the people bring pine needles to cover the rest of the floor. They
I the Lisu a very different people from the Chinese or the simple, friendly, likable folk. There were about 165 Christians at ^our chapel last Sunday. The church is a rather
Some things about the Lisu Christians would surely pijt Ameri cans to shame. Instead of coming warmly dressed to a heated, cushion-pewed church to sit for an hour or an hour and a half's service as we do in America, many of the Lisu Christians come on Satur
walk. The people are barefoot and wear nothing but a dress or suit OT linen-like cloth. Babies wearonly a littlejacket, shortandopen in
heated and the wind blows in between the thatched roof and the
days, as they must come afoot for a day's journey. Thechurch is un-
other words, they came long distances to spend the day in worship,
and they do just. that. .
This morning the church was so cold that when the people sang you could see their breath in the air. Yet they have at least three serv ices during the day, withsermons from two to three hours long. In
i^nt. Why they don't all freeze is more than I can comprehend.
Even the. little children are very quiet through the long services. In addition to my discomfort from, the cold, I found sitting on the floor for hours at a time about the most uncomfortable sitting I know. The Lisu's ability to sit far exceeds mine but I am making a valiant attempt. After sitting on the floor withno place to put my long legs andnothing to lean against for about three, hours, myback u 1-^ follows r might break intermission. and I rather dread the next service, which after an hour's Certainly the services
will be more enjoyable to me when I can understand the sermon. None of the Lisu speak English.
During most of the time when the services are not in progress on Sunday, there is a steady stream of people wanting medicines. Being used to the orderliness, cleanliness and systematic running of American clinics, I find this pushing crowd amazing. The people come for prayer as well as for medicine for their sick. They have a very strong belief in the power of prayer. I hope to be building my own house in the spring and must buy all grains and foods a year in advance, in the spring and fall. Please pray for us and for the
Lisu Christians.
On January 5, 1945, Chaplain Richards wrote: "Just a few lines today to say, believe it or not, Dorothy's boxes have arrived in India, been brought on to Assam, sent over by air transport and 'chuted' down at the mission. So all the equipment is
now there. Almost unbelievable in fact that in a few days over
three months from the time Miss Sterling flew from New York, all her baggage and she herself are in at the missionsuch an inac
cessible placeand at this time of year! But it's done. Praise the
Lord!"
My grandmother, Mrs. Ruth Morse, with whom I live while attending High School in Tulsa, thought you might like some explanations about items merely mentioned in these letters from West China. For instance, my mother wrote that she came down "the bamboo sHde" (instead of going around by the switchback trail). Folks here visioned her clinging to a bamboo rope as she
slid down the face of the precipice.
But this is what her remark meant to me: When our bamboo
house was built in 1940, our helpers cut many loads of bamboo from
the mountain back of our house and slid them down an old skid-
road which had been used for years as the easiest method of getting building-bamboo down to the valley. This skid-road or "bamboo slide" is a narrow groove of more than two miles in length between growths of small trees. Going down it, the traveller braces his feet against the sides of the groove or digs his heels into the clay and hangs onto the tree-branches along the "slide." I did it once, and I got down in a hurry, but I never imagined Mother would risk it.
Rinnp bntb Fathpr and Miss Sterlinff soeak of our Pugeleh con-
^^de clay steps leading up to the chapel, the thatch roof of which
bas, then the resident pastor, lived in the house just partly shown
and Robert a couple of rows behind him. People are sitting on the
at the left. Our own homealso with a thatch roofis on the next
as it actually is: "crude, and cold and uncomfortable," because I was there when It was built by the men and women who worship
^ Christian co-operation proud of it it represents. tiiey are; what a triumph of sacrifice ^d They consecrated it with their prayers and they treat it reverently as "The Lord's House." It
is a long step up from heathenism.
terrace back ofand above the chapel. I never thought of this chapel
the Pugeleh chapel. Two years of war and blockade have passed
smce I last saw that congregation; their clotiies must now have new patchesor be almost beyond patching.
Why is it necessary that missionaries to primitive lands put up with actual privations and hardships? Well, as father says, a missionary goes out as a sort of brother to the people he helps. He mustn't be away above them, reaching down; he must find their
level and then reach out. The primitive Lisu are just like the rest of us in theh^ response to sincere friendship and tbeir trust in one
excite greed and invite danger to him who deals fairly with them.
The missionary must not live too far above the possibilities of
self. So the missionary must know how to live the simple lifeand he must forget that it is a hard life. He mustn't pity himself. Did
T word about the future of missions, among" tbe Lisu. We have had^ serious difficulties m teaching theiti to read but only because ofscarcity of equipment. With a phonetic X^su alpha bet using the letter-forms of our alphabet, but sometimes upsidedown, or on-the-side, to represent more sounds thanweuse, allsorts of teaching aids can be printed for them. The Lisu have great capacity for' development. I have known some people who were able to read theirBibles after only a few months' teachingpeople who had never read a word before. I have been humbled by the deeply spiritual natures of some of them. That is why I have faith
take their places among the civilized and Christian peoples of their
world.
twenty years, I see the boys I played with as future leaders, able to
I think often of Stephen, Pushi, John and other boys who were my real friends and comrades. They were interesting persons
That's why I see my own future among them. It will be worth givmg up the comforts of an American home to have a part in the great development that should continue among the Lisu The foundation is laid. My family and Miss Sterling and other mission
you, dear fellow workers, wherever you are.
God bless and keep us all.
LaVeme Morse
aries will help m that development, God willing. So will you and
'
Ih'CCMllM'f J, 11)44
No. 1
GOD LEADS
Miss Scliwake is making her long-
IMPROVEMENT IN BATANG
CHURCH
that she may be delayed there until the passes open up in the spring. Naomi, her companion since my re turn to the States, is entering the Bible school there, so she will be go
ing back alone unless the Lord un
dertakes in a very special way. I am making every effort to get my supplies packed and my work in com petent hands so that if our govern ment decides to let me go eariy next
the Christians that they must clean up their lives. We do hope and pray that when Joseph and liis companions from the Bible School reach here in October. He siiid 1 need not even take a there will be iu least the nucleus of tent. Coming back he will loan me a church and their enthusiasm and
this tent he has. He wants to see me
man wants to render me aid in get ting down to Kiingtlng by offering to take my load if I will pay for the rid ing animals. This is my cue for which 1 have been waiting. This party leaves
Pasloi- I.,ee's sermons have greatly improved in spiritual tone and lately
safely to Chengtu. He is not going down himself but will put me in the proper hands. What a (lod is ours!!
Praise be to His matchless Name.
year I can plan on making that trip back to Batang with Miss Schwake.
Because of the high cost of travel and living in China now it will take
Sunday I felt that my cup was full and running over. All our Ja Po Ding folk attended (he preaching and com
munion service in the town. Post
not have, but many souls are dying out there without hope, while we spend billions on war. If the Lord wants me to go now He will provide the funds through His people and will open the way in spite of present ob
stacles.
MISSION WORKERS
We continue much in prayer con
cerning recruits for the work here and are satisfied to rest the matter
with God.
After I have made most of my pre parations for going, if the way is still closed, it would be a great ad vantage for the future work, as well as travel to and from the field, for me to spend the remaining time here in America studying in the Chinese language school in Berkeley, Cali
fornia.
Since the war is progressing so fav orably I have hopes that I may be able to join my family before another
year rolls around.
Until prices go down and the-exchange is somewhat stabilized I can see no hope of putting the Shaos on
This would hasten the time of get ting our Bible school and other pro jects well established after my return
to Tibet. Although Tibetan is the
full time salary. It would require $50 gold per month to do this.Edgar
Nichols.
NEEDED: A NURSE
If any nurse wants to know what the requirements are for this work
to get both languages eventually and I can make much better progress studying Chinese in a class with oth ers than trying to study Tibetan alone
without a teacher.
a wish, for it costs $200 for a four GOD'S CARE month term, merely for tuition, be God has kept me like the sides the cost of books and living ex with her cruze of oil lately. penses, which are high in Berkeley, first of the month I look ruefully but here again the Lord can be de at my cash box and begin to count pended on to provide, if it is His will out what has to be paid in salaries, to do so. Pray much that His will etc. wondering all the while if it will
may be done in all these matters.
Melba Palmer.
here with his arm nearly cut off. He has the use of at least two fingers. Never saw him until four days after the fight.) At least six months of public health work. Six months in a widow fine doctor's office. (I mean a good Every all around practitionier.) Special in
structions in all the impossible and
(A
a slight balance over. What a Father! I love to see Him work. It strengthens one's faith.Gladys Scliwake.
HURRY I If you have supplies or articles of equipment you want taken to the field-for use in our mission, be sure to send them soon so I can get them packed by the end of the year if pos
sible.
CHRISTMAS GREETINGS
May
other
you
have
the
peace
of
and
those who
all very good about the orphanage, Bible School, school, etc. Only God
can make all things possible.Gladys
Schwake.
Page 2
Subscriptions: A letter or post card giving your Issued Quarterly EditorMiss Melba Palmer, 1137 correct address entitles you to a one year subscription, which may be re Hilyard St., Eugene, Oregon. MissionariesMr. Edgar Nichols & newed at the end of the year in the Miss Gladys F. Schwake, R.N., Ba- same way. Promptness in this matter will save us time and postage and be tang, Hsikang, West China, On Furlough^Dr. and Mrs. Norton greatly appreciated.
called
Wonderful.
Counselor,
KEEP PRAYING
If God sends you out please bring me winter underwear and stockings.
Our sheets and cotton blankets are about done for. Have everyone get the The Prince of Peace has come to
earth
S. O. S. !
As I concentrate my efforts on pre
parations for returning to Tibet as soon as passage and passport can be best quality possible. Bring just the material for new secured I am continually reminded of my own inadequacy in relation to the quilts and we can buy wool and make great need out there. The field is so them ourselves. Wool is so much
vast and the laborers are so few and
men's
wisdom
Are there not young people trained for the ministry, who are now serving yourself. Keep prayingGod has His
here in the States where the need is
lighter than these cotton filled ones you had here. Be very sure that you replace your self there by a capable a person as
plain, you know.Gladys Schwake. That they may learn to follow Him And wars forever cease. not so greatwhere the laborers are Again-it has been necessary to omit more plentifulwho are willing to say, "I'll go where you want me to the Junior page, but we hope to re version sickness and sorrow were not store it in the next issue.Editor. go, dear Lord"? understood. Looking back over the There are thousands of people out past years with spiritual eyesight I A LETTER FROM DZON DREMA there in Tibet who have never heard catch an entirely different vision of Christ. Shall we give them the op (This letter, written in Chinese, in which I see God's hand. portunity that people here ih America was translated by Postmaster Jen I have learned if we wish to reform are refusingthe opportunity of and Naomi Ho, two of our fine Chris matters we must first reform individ knowing Him and being saved from tian leaders at Batang.) uals. In the early history of the world
their sin?
Dear Miss Palmer:
great
men
sacrificed
themselves
man shall die in hiFiniquity, but ^is I hope it Ts bett^er. I hope that the ful life which also bears its example, blood will I require at thy hand. Nev churches at home, which you visit, such as drinking, gambling, etc. ertheless, if thou warn the wicked are receiving the message regarding These things tend to tear down fam of his way to turn from it, and he the work out here favorably. This is ily life. One finds that in many in
turn not from his way; he shall die in his iniquity, but thou hast deliv ered thy soul." Ez. 33:8, 9. Our work is of pioneer nature. It is my hope to find a good location somewhere along the Chinese-Tibetan
my prayer. I hope Miss Schwake has written you about what has been done
"When I say unto the wicked, O For a long time I have not writ freely. They left a fine example to wicked man, thou shalt surely die, ten, please excuse me. Every day, others. and thou dost not speak to warn the morning and evening, I pray for you We have, unfortunately, the other wicked ^om his way; that wicked and your family. How is your body? side of the picture, jiamely. the sin-
stances it separates husband and wife. The children are scattered and
here in the past three years. I will not the original unit, the home, is broken have to add anything about that then. up. If the original unit is broken up We are trying to improve the it effects the whole national life.
church here. Like all churches we
. Such living calls down woes, not only on the individual, but on the uage study home for new mission that intellectually different. We have whole country from king to peasant. aries, a Bible College for native lead all learned, high and low alike, that It is the same old story of the in ers, and an orphanage for homeless we must seek God's mind in every nocent suffering with the guilty. children, from which we may send thing that we do. If we neglect this To moderate these two extreme
border where we can establish a lang
have a variety of people. I mean by
workers into Tibet proper to evangel our efforts cannot prosper. We must ize wherever they find opportunity. also have a united effort in prayer In order to do this we need preach both here and there thus working to ers, Bible teachers, missionary doc gether to accomplish that which He tors and nurses. Who is willing to desires. answer this challenge and obey We liken our Christian life to two Christ's command to go? If you are kinds of growth. There is the outside interested in serving Him among evidence which all men see, then we Tibetans please get in touch with have the deeper growth in the heart me immediately, so we can begin to that only God can see. It is necessary make plans. to blend these two growths into a Will those of you who cannot go, harmonious oneness thus bringing please pray that many consecrated forth a well rounded Christian life. young people will answer the call of Such a growth is healthy in the Chris their Lord for workers in His vine tian life and soon spreads to others. yard and. that others will supply the The Chinese have an old ' saying.
needed funds for this work.
poles we find the church or the body of Christ, His disciples, acting as salt giving the proper seasoning to life
in general. We look forward to the time when the work of the church
of the thousands of people in China and Tibetan border country a few have been saved. We are determined, "First correct one's self and improve though few in number, to bear the
"The harvest indeed is plenteous, one's behavior, then regulate one's cross of Christ and sacrifice for Him. but the laborers are few. Pray ye family, thus one regulates and tran- At present there are so many prob therefore the Lord of the harvest, quillzes the country." Such proverbs lems to hinder our advance. One of
tliat He send forth laborers into His
harvest."
Palmer.
Matt.
9:37,
38.Melba
In the years previous to my cou- but unable to fpllow out the willing-
Page 3
leadership here. If we wish to start promised land still his followers spreading out in the work in other were given that privilege all because places with the Gospel then it is of the fine foundation laid by him at
God's direction.
We recall how the spies were sent out into the promised land to investi
wall and asked people to look at it to gate it. On their return only two satisfy their hunger. Would they be gave a favorable report, namely Caleb satisfied? No, the stomach would and Joshua. The rest were afraid of still be empty. the people. We know" what happened
ed to know by past experience who want the supplies but not the actual
work of battle. We feel that the .soidier who is giving front line service is worthy of his hire.
dare we fail you then? You American people love the Lord. You make a willing sacrifice to come to such a difficult place in which to work and help us. In ten thousand times I can not forget such sacrifice even once. I feel that we should do good work
so as to reward the mission. I am
willing to sacrifice my life for the work if need be. I can see a great future for the work if God grants us the financial aid to carry things on in a larger scale. I cry unto the Lord in the middle of the night regarding all these mat
ters. It is the most I can do. We are
Looking back over the past and to the cowards. They were destroyed. knowing that the Gospel was first Only Caleb and Joshua of the men brought here we feel our responsibil-! that went up were permitted to en ity in this matter. Though there was ter the promised land. an interruption in the work for a We feel a similar urge today. Out number of y^ars, still we^ see^ that -there lie those fields untouched by Romans 8:28 still holds good. "We the Gospel and here we are with know that to them that love God Joshuan leadership yearning to claim all things work together for good, God's promise to His Son, Psalm even to them that are called accord 12:8, "I will give thee the heathen ing to His purpose." When the foun for thine inheritance." Handicapped dation for the work was laid here as we are at present by the financial years ago our people did not make stringency we must patiently wait the mo.st of their opportunities. Now God's time. We do yearn however to they are thirsty and desire to have see Joshua accomplish his goal. We their thirst quenched. In this we feel that it can be done by &, united earnestly hope to win the final vic effort by God's people all over the tory. We hope for one united heart world. I am willing to do my part to and that you will stand behind us to bring this to pass. Will you? that end. If this can be accomplished My dear Miss Palmer, two months then we cannot thank you enough. ago we received a radiogram stating We hope that you will look upon us that my Gwa Lan had passed away.
in mercy that we may not lose hope. I saw in this the devil trying to dis
Last year Miss Schwake and I
turb me. If I am under the blood of
counseled regarding a family school Jesus Christ, how can the devil dis for our Ja Po Ding Christain children. turb me? Yet he sought with his
We decided to do the best we could with the limited means at hand. As
turn God protected me by His word much in the same position that the yet we have no special funds on of promise which gives us the assurchildren of Israel were when they hand for that purpose. They-should- ance-timt^e is present to help and" were athirst and Moses was com have beds, bedding and utensils. We protect against this constant enemy manded to strike the rock for water, are getting along with the bare neces of our soul. so we wait God's plan. I hope as you sities such as study books, etc. I How deep are God's ways, yes, past continue the publicity work in Amer have been satisfied to work under finding out. When we sent Gwa Lan ica the Lord may give you wisdom, handicap even to writing on the to school we felt it was God's will. strength and power to promote the ground if that were necessary as my Miss Schwake spent much money on work here so that the task may be Lord did. her trying to prepare her for future We have a desire to establish an work. My sprrow was very great in completed. We hope you will ask all of your orphanage. If this could be done many the loss of this child, as you can well missionary friends and those who poor children could enter and be imagine our hopes and desires for her love the Lord and their country to trained in the Christian life. In the in the work. I was looking forwarding pray without ceasing for us of the event this work is made possible we to directing her in the future work. Tibetan mission here in Batang, that can decide what vocational pursuits Suddenly she was gone. Now I see
we may soon go forward in God's
work. If our hearts are right in Him and one with Him we can complete the work in a short time. Though we be from'the four corners of the earth, still we can be as one family. We are obligated to seek the one lost sheep even though we are of the ninety and nine. We must remember the prodigal son. He caused his fath er disappointment, yet when he
came to himself he came
would fit them best for future use fulness beside their Christian train
ing.
Dr. Shelton's and Mr. Ogden's on the waiting ](ist idjiing along courageous efforts In the past years waiting for my child. This kept me
give us wonderful memories of what
too much in the middle of the road and hindered my forward movement.
touches me to tears. Our missionary Now I thank God for His grace that work would have been more prosper keeps me from further heartache.
ous and many more people would have Shall I not return unto my Lord a been converted at that time if they heart of sacrifice? Amen. back to could have gotten a proper assistant, This letter may not seem; too clear
his father. Tell your people not to one who understood local conditions to you since I have written in the get discouraged even with the prod and was filled with the Holy Spirit deeper old fashioned Chinese veiled
igal but to look more to the returned ones and rejoice in them.
If we can get enough financial backing to carry on a larger work around Batang then well and good.
Batang you know is the most central point around these regions and should
and knew its intelligent use. Dr. Shelton and Mr. Ogden were much in the same position as -was
Moses when he led the
my own will. I have sought the mind of God. Please carefully and repeated children ly read this. If there is anything you
are in doubt about consult the Lord
through the wilderness. It was raw untried country and brought forth resentment at its hardships on the part of his followers. We recall
Moses bore his responsibility for the and all of us. children of Israel so well that though Sincerely yours, he was not permitted to enter the Wang Min Wen (Dzon Drema)
Page 4
Forwarding Secretaries
For Miss Gladys Schwake:
Mrs. Wilma Watson, 157 Parkdale forethought has been justified. Avenue, Buffalo, New York. If some dear old grandmother still For Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Nichols: C. W. Nichols, 120 S. W. 33 St., possesses a pair of iron muffin tins, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. would she give them up for the work? For both Miss Schwake and the You know we have such a time get ting leavening agents here and there Nichols: Miss Melba Palmer, 1137 Hilyard are three of us needing muffins. With the iron tin one can bake puff pastry St., Eugene, Oregon. so called and need no leavening agent. For .T. Russell Morse and family: I.ii's. Ruth Morse, 114 S. Denver I'll rejoice greatly if such a set is available. Ave., Tulsa, 3, Oklahoma.
I want to thank Bro. Ford for the
when she purchased the best quality them and the S.S. my warmest greet ings, I'll try a personal contact later. I long for one of your report letters.
All of the things you girls gave me are still in use. The snow pants will see me through road trips. I hope, till
I get home, if I come in the next two years. These mts. are so cold in the
THANK YOU!
Sau Jose Bible College is donating
fall that they are ideal riding pauts. Be careful not to deny yourself too pictures he sent of the church and mucrh for me. Your offerings are
much too generous. I fear. God has been so good.
his officers. It was one year ou the way. It arrived with the last runner, its correspondence course for use in having been mailed by Miss Palmer our Bible College for Tibetans. We last April. We are now getting any Kieatly appreciate this assistance to number of such letters. It seems wierd ward securing materials for uiir pro to receive greetings from a dead ject. daddy but letter written during his
1 wanl to thank all iny supporters He send.s me patients that can pay I'or their treatments, thus tiding me and the new ones too. for their gen erous support during these years. I over the gap. A few times 1 have had just some e.xtra cups, wliich it is no can't tell you how it has cheered me. lo sell some of my things which 1 longer using and would like to sell us I want to thank the Koss family for would rather have kept. He evidently for use in our Tibetan work? that fine letter of encouragement, also does not want us lo become too at Does anyone know where a port the East Creighton Church of Fort tached to things, you see. able phonograph can be secured? Mr. Nichols at this writing is up
Dues some church have an old com munion set with aluminum cups, or Wayne, Ind., for their letter accom
WANTED!
at camp having a much needed rest with the Postmaster. The latter has
All my old associates of yesteryear receive the Tibetan Miss remain their old faithful selves, how ionary and although some eighty you do warm my heart!! It is nearly copies of "TipR From The Top" have punighment that I must forego writ been sent out the book can still be ing you personal letters but there is had for ?1.00 from C. W. Nichols. post office, not one of you that has not an under Mr. Nichols has never been in bet standing heart. One of your recent DEAR PRAYER HELPERS letters stated that you felt these ter health in two years than he is (Continued from last issue.) poor efforts of mine were as good now. God has surely worked a miracle Now regarding the possibilities of as personal. Thank you, that relieves in his body and we give Him all the the Lord restoring my companion, the situation, glory. Let this be an incentive to your Miss Palmer, to me some time in the I thank my hospital for her sup continued prayers. Oh yes, "God is the future. Knowing her as I do I am port. I realize we are many in various same yesterday, today and forever." not surprised at the accuracy of her foreign countries doing mission work It takes the foreign mission field to memory regarding the things she from her portals and she is to be impress this lesson on one's heart
who will
will need if she comes out. For the
commended on
and mind.
benefit
of all
concerned
want
to
add a word which she, in her reti cence, would not add. When buying for missionaries please pool your funds and buy the best quality of goods, not that we want the best, but we find in our years of experience on the field that our clothing and bed ding with other things get such ter rific handling that they need to be very strong to stand the strain, par ticularly shoes.
I wish there were some kind of
It Is such help, too, that counts for send me snapshots of their pastors so much. Bethel will surely be blessed and church officers. Can you do it? I through the years for her training like to have them hanging in my
I would so greatly appreciate it if do I remember her prayer program. all of my supporting churches would
of young women just for the foreign prayer closet. It is such an inspiration
field and home mission service, none to look into faces of those one knows other need apply. I recall the loving to be wholly dedicated to the Lord gratis care given to returned mission and that without reservation. We are thankful beyond words aries worn out and tired. Just how
tired you may never know unless you that our little family got home safely. We miss them at every turn but" God taste and see.
Eva, I can't tell you how much I has His healing balm, plenty of work. appreciate your keeping "them thar" The time is not long when we all may of it, they are asking $1,000 for one Mt. folk remembering me. The lower gather at His feet Who has promised, pair of stockings at Kangting and Jennies offering is like a sacred "As thy days so shall thy strength that is thin Chinese material which thing to me when I recall their pov be." is not durable. I can't thank my erty. How are the Homer Dempsey's? Yours in His great love, church enough for her forethought Do they still conduct the S.S.? Give Gladys Schwake.