Confidence The Lord's my Shepherd, I'll not want; He makes me dawn to lie In pastures green; He leadeth me The quiet waters by.

My soul He doth restore agam, And me to walk doth make Within the ,paths of righteousness. E'en for His own Name's Sake.

Yea, though I walk &rough death's dark vale. My heart shall fear no ill; For Thou art with me, and T h y rod And staff me comfort still.

A table Thou preparest me

My head with oil Thou dost anolnt. And my cup overflows.

In presence of my foes; *

Goodness and mercy all my hfe shall surely follow me; And in God's house forevermore My dwelling-place shall be.

On with the Message ! By WESLEY DUEWEL

On with the Message! On with the Light! On to the regions still shrouded in'night. On to the nations which never have heard; On with the life-giving, soul-saving Word.

On with the Message! Message of pow'r, Message to meet ev'ry need of the hour. On with the Message o'es land and o'er sea;

On with the Truth that can set sinners free.

On with the Message! Carry it an. Millions in darkness still pray for the dawn. Millions for whom Christ's own blood did atone Die in their darkness, unreaehed, and alone.

On with the Message; Haste thee away; Soon combth night. haste thee on while 'tis day.

On with the Message, by love's passion stirred; On till each creature of Jesus has heard.

On with the Message! Strive more and more; Soon will the days for proclaiming be o'er.

On to all lengths, to where none have yet gone- On with the Mcssage! On, ON, AND ON!

--Her& of H i s Coining

. . . An editorial

........... The kingdom of heaven suffereth vioience, and the violent tx!ke

i t by force.'' Matt. 11 : 12.

In seeking to accomplish any work for God, we shall do well to pzy heed tu these words of the Lord Jesus. We shall not perform any taik effici- rntly 01. cffectively, unleis we are possessed with holy VIOLENCE-A VIO- LENCE that will make u s determined to see the wovk through, come whai may. Satan would make us slothful, indolent, careless, and passive; indeed, whiic the Bridegroom tarries, the enemy would have us ali slumber and sleep. U we are to make our lives and work count far God, we shall have to be fired by a spirit of holy violence that will keep us aware of the peril of the ties and that will cause us to be deterred by no obstacle. There is a foe that we must face, and we must stem the f l d ; this world is no: 3

friend to grace, to help us on to God.

We must have a faith unshakable - a fightin;. faith. While God has promised victoly, we must lay hold on the promises, and we must 5top 2 t

nothing short of the realization of God's will in us. To do this require5 determination, perseverance - and violence, for Satan would fill the heart wth unbelief. Let us have a vigorous faith, lest we fail to enter in to whvt God has for us.

We must preval in prayer. To do this by means of a'spavnodic prayer llfe is impouible. Only by a sustained life of prayer.and communion with the Father will we have the strength that is needed for a violent oppo- sition of sin and Satan.

3

We must be diligent Ih our work. Let us do ,with our might what our hands find to do. There is no room in this battle for bluggards. Let us persevere'in the work that God has given us t o j o , and,not be &erlastinpib casting about for an easier place.

This violence must be expressed negatively as well as ,positively. We must tolerate no sin in our hearts We must relentlessly oppoze and abstain from the very appearance of evil. This does not mean that we are to he kcking in love. On the contrary, if we have a holy, God-given hatred for sin, our lave for God md s,,uls will be thc s t r o n q ?

We are to be violent against Satan. We must be vigilant. for he may appear aa a roaring lion or as an angel of light. Our resistance of h m and his wiles must express itself in a steadfast stand against him. Wc cannot hope to outwit him, but by the grace of God we can y ths tand him

We must be violent against self - often our greatest enemy. Have you ever been violent with your'own crafty heart? We must be willing to deal sternly, even harshly, with those things m us that would keep us from realizing the purposes of God in our lives. The Christian life LS not a pleasure cruise - it is a bitter, ceaseless battle. May God help us to be awake, alert. and violent in our oppoostition of sin and in our determuiahon to do God's will. In pur awn strengbh, me cannot succeed, but the Lord is Sehovah-Nisui -- the Lord our banner; power and might belong to Him.

1 What is the motive of this violent struggle? Not violence tor the sake of violence, bbt rather love for God is our motive. Only when our hearts are supremely devoted to Christ and supremely possessed by His love will we be able to fight this fight of faith with God-given violence.

The object of the fight is souls for the kingdom - our own souls, a x i chose of loscmen and women about us. Let us be untiring, unceasing, unrelenting in our efforts to scatch dying souls as brmdr from t he burning. This will not be an easy task, either at home or abroad. However, it is a supremely important task, and we shall complete it only by the exercise oi holy violence. . ,

Sure I must fight d I would reign.

lncrease my courage, Lora.

I'll bear the tad, endure the pain,

Supported by Thy word

4

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A Special Message to Prayer. helpers This article to be skipped b y the casual' reader

I , ,

The Christian life is a warfare and a conflict. Every hiiever who strives for a deeper Christian experience will soon discover how real and, fierce is the contest -in which he is engaged. Our awilr&ess of this conflict and of the strength of the enemy we have to fight will in part be determined by the, depth of our spiritual experience.

Missionaries are especially conscious of this spiritual warfare, by virtue of the very nature of their work. The mission field is essentially a battlefield. This is particularly so if they concentrate,on a spxitual,minjstry, aid seek to labor in the Holy Spirit. They are engaged not merely in a cold war OT a war of nerves, but a herce, violent,.-open conflict against the"unseeen hosts of Satan. who contest every inch of progress with^ dogged; determined resistance.

Thinking of the events which have transpired in our m r k in IndonPcia during the last few years, it appears that the Indonesian Missibn has been the object of strong enemy opposition. At times his attacks have bean merely subtle workings and attempts to hinder and impede our progress, but of late he has changed his tactics and is making an intense and sustaided frontal attack all along the line. Practically every dqartment of our wmX ,has felt the effect of these attacks-the missionaries, the national workers and the native church. , ,

The steady exodus of missionary personnel is distressing. Many have had to go home for early or emergency furloughs and their, retwm, to the field has been delayed so long that now there are Zi of our number at home with two more to go soon, leaving only 23 left on the field. We, have also lost several seasoned national leaders, two experienced ordained inen falling into sin, while a third, the pastor Df our Makassar Tabernacle., has been. temporarily disciplined because of the sin and immorality of his wSe.

The native church has also come in for its share ,of $he enemy's attacks. The three groups of believers in South Celebes have been,updergoing.severe persecution at the hands of ~guerrillas, so that the pastor was cpmpelled to leave last December to save his lie. Since then reports say that,,the Chris-

, ,

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5

tians have been threatened and mmpelied to go to the mosque and that meetings have been discontinued. In Sumbawa the struggling, cFrches have received a serious blow because of the sin of the ordained worker who not only fell'into sin, but successfully covered it up lor a period of two years. In h b o k one of thy churches attempted to secede from the national church, while the Makassar church is now threatened with a serious schlsm as a

result of the-sin which has long gone on undiscovered The work in Kaiimantan too has had revemes. First there was the

accident oi the p b n e put tkg it out of commission for eight months, followed by its total lose last Wcernber. In the Apo Kayan district one ordained worker €ell into sin, another teacher committed suicide, and the Dixans had to make a hurried exit because of Mrs. Dixon'e serious physical condition The Long Bia Bible Schml has had .serious crop failures, illness among iis teachers. and :he Sesajap district is left ,without a missionary entirely. In West Kal 'hantm 'our missionary staff has been so depleted that unless r a n - .forcemeats come soon we will have only one missionary couple left for the entire area.

Over rgainst this, there has been a measure of blessing and encouraging progress in the organization of the national rhurch: In the two year period aincq Iai Conference there were more than 2,600 baptisms. Furthermore, not only have six districts been organized, but each of the three large areas of the fiefd has also been organized and the national Indonesian churches have been formed. one for East Kalisnantan. one for West Kalimantan and one for the Provinces of Sulawcsi and the Lesser Sunda Islands. All three churches have 21io sent in oliicial requests t o the Department of ReLgion in Diakar-id asking for recognition as a church. The amount of support given by the nitional church has increased and our Indonesian brethren arc graximlly ralimg on more responsibility. Both the missionaries and national workers are i o be commended for their unselfish devotion and their steady, faithful efforts in the face of many difficulties and trying circumstances, 50

thzt nowidirtanding the opposition, the huilding of the church has eone iorward. . Whiie WQ prabsc God lor the victories, the enemy's attacks ;ire not to be taken Qghtly. The main weapons at our disposal for fighting thbs fnernv are the Sword of the Spirit and prayer. Truly does the Apostle say, "The weapons oC our warfare are not carnal, but mighty co the pulling down oi strongho:ds." Puke God {or promises llke that! It is because of these p-omzse> snd the a5surance of God's faithfulness that we dare to carry on.

kwt here 1s where you praying friends at home can share in the work with u3 and help'us - the very place where vie need it most - right w? the batt;.rilcld. True Ihe kission field is a battlefield. but so i s prayer d

battlcfidct. You w!m are faithful in prayer a t home are in Lhe midst of bat!:e with h. % thli is a spebial call to 4ou to take y o u spiritual meapons a n j ~ c a ~ y on khe hpht with us - that together we may win this battle against

6

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At the close of a Thursday evening prayer meeting in Long ~ a w a n g , another family came to the altar for salvation. They were dealt with, and the interpreter explained how to pray and ask forgiveness in the nane d Jesus. Pelusat prayed and asked forgiveness, but then stopped. The interpreeer repeated. "in the name of Jesus." Still Pelusat hesitated. There was a battle going on &side, for there is power in the name of Jesus. Finally out can,? the wbrds, "in Jesus' name," and the battle was won Once again the miracle of'salvation was performed. A heathen was barn again into the gt God - in Jesus' name.

. , , .

famdy

But ail has not becn gomg well for Pelusat His accepeance of Christ bas brought confusion to the system of heathen ritual and worship. Pelusat hzd been an assistant to the witch doctor. When an individual was iil, he w e d <a Pelusat and contacted the spirits th-t caused the illness. The s p i r i : ~ informed Pelusat of the sacrifice necessary to plbase them. In turn, Pelusnt reported this information to the witch doctor, who alone has the authority to perform the sacrifice Now who will contact the evil spirits for the sick? Pelusat is a Christian. Apparently there is no one 'with this powcr, and Pelusat has not passed his evil spirit on to anyone else. Furthermore, pre-rice planting ceremonies are made. In ehese, Pelusat played an important part. h accepting Christ, he has broken the spell. Rice crops are sure to fail.' The witch doctor has asked Pelusat to sacrifice blood and 50 reinstate himsell. The heathen elders have tried all rnamer of persuasion - from threats to

.torment - but Pelusat won't budge. He seems to have no fear. He is now an orang scmbahjang -.a man who prays. He will have nothing to do with evil spirits any more; he will pray only in the name of Jesus. Pelilsat knows there is power in that Name, for i t has set him free from his sins and from the power of the devil.

Saran and lhis hosts. W e are told by rmsiionarles who return from f(irlouoh that it is easier to get money for, missions than to get p e o p l ~ to pray :or them. If so, this, is a bad 4 i g . What gm'd is money uniess it is backed up by prayer? May God help each of us to be faithful in t h k the most effec- t w e place of missionary woili - ~<rit<l He comes

, I

7

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Kabar Baik I f

, . "Good News-

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In December, 1951, I had the privilege of'taking my family on our first missionary tour. This was a tour of nearly s v e n weeks with the Kabar Daik in the Tabang area. We praise the Lord for His manifold blessing on thi; trip - for the souls saved. for the fetishes destroyed, far the live) rededicated, and for the thirty-one w60 followed the Lord in baptism. Th; Lord marvelously supplied our needs and kept us all well.

Just ,before the Conleys leh for furlough, I took the family on another t?ip to Gemuruh and Lotoh. During this trip of ten days. the Lord blessed in a wonderful way. Sixteen souls were saved in Lotoh. and seven you= people were baptized in Gemuruh. We praise the Lord for the continued working of the' Holy ,Spirit. GUN Kmentik has informed me that at thr present time there are more than one hundred who are receiving instruction in preparation for baptism.

On May 15, with a canw tied alongside and twenty-one aboard, we Fet out in the Kabar Baik for the District Conference at Tabang. Although the trip was an endurance test (twelve days round trip) for all of us as well as for the motor, the conference was on a high spiritual level, and we praise God for the unity of spirit among the delegates.

8

' Ever since our arrival in Melak, we hive been challenged by the need for a Sunday School, especially since there is not a single Moslem Gnvert to account for all the years of missionary residence in Melak. The response bas been most gratifying. W e have had hnn twenty-five to thirty-five'Moslem and Chinese children at each Sunday session, with an enmllment of about fifty. We covet your prayers that the seeds of truth sown in these young hearts will bring forth much fruit, according to the will of our Lord.

Our last trip beforeConference was in June, when we visited the villages of Bunjut, Empaku, Empas, and Sekolah Darat. In Bunjut and Sekolah Darat the devil seem5 to have an unusually strong hold on the people. Howevcr. we praise the Lord for ,the few who have tasted salvation and are following the Lard. In Empaku and Empas there is a real moving of the Spirit, and a growth in grace. We praise the Lord for the seventeen souls who have been baptized.

W e thank the Lord for the many opportunities OUT medical work hu: given us to witness for His honor and glory, and to distribute Christian literature. We thank +he Lord also for the wisdom that He has supplied in

' time of need, and for the blessing upon this work. From our very first days in Mekk, we have received all kinds of pleas for help, including the setting of broken banes. pulling of aching teeth, giving injections for yaws, giving pi& for malaria, e k . We confess that it is wonderful to See the way the Lord has mpe-ted for our ignorance with His blessing in healing the Sick.

We request your continued prayers, that all of our work might always be in the Holy Spirit.

The medical work at Long Bia Bible School is quite extensive. Not only do'we take care of OUT students and their families - about one hundred seventy-five persons, but Dyaks from the whole surrounding are2 come to our clinic far help, as the closest government clinic is about sixty miles

. away. W e have clinic six days a week, from 2:W to 4:30 P. M. In addition. there are house calls to make to those students who are too ill to come to the c h i c . During the past year we have delivered twenty-one babies among OUT students' wives. We praise the Lnrd that almost all of these deliveries were normal and that no babies were lost. In the one complicated case we had, the Lord undertook, and 'bth mother and baby were spared.

My language study has been interrupted several times during the past year. I spent two difieerent periods in the hospital, amounting to eight weeks in all, due to having tropical ulcers on my legs. These sores have opened and closed several times, but I praise the Lord that he has embled me to continue my work.

e o i b g o e k n h e

9

' I Merdeka, Merdeka!" shout the children as the jeep stops in the Mi- hammedan village' of Talabiu. Their faces are happy, 50 we don't mind the "Merdeka". Merdeka, you know, is the ward for freedom: Quite often this is shouted at the white face with a doubled fist and an angry look, bnt in this village the people are expecting us, and the sea of smiling faces that surrounds bur jeep takes away some of the fears of an unfriendly ,reception',, ' ' We ask, "Have YOU received permision from your chief so that we czn tell a story today?" ( W e had been through the day before to ask whether we might have ' a service. only to be asked to wait until the chief was a t home.) They answer, "Yes. yes, he is here now."

After being introduced, we are graciously invited by the chief to his, the village'meeting house. We begin to set up the flannel board and start playing the accordion. The l n d o ~ i e ~ i a ~ love instrumental music, and in no time at all the crowd has doubled and tripled, and still more are running to see what is going on. They quickly learn the simple choruses.

W e speak through an interpreter, .om faithful B. Mongan, and tell the best story in all the world - the story of the coming of God's dear Son 3s

babe, a little of His miracles, then His dying and being raised agab to give victory over sin to all who will believe. There. is much shaving to see. the pictures, and plenty of noise, hut. we don't mind that. Instead, we notice the many who s t a d in rapt attention. Here is an eagerness that we seldom +ee, even in those who are already Christians. As the story closes with * e scene of Jesus' going back to heaven a,nd with the promise of His second Coming, one of the men can hardly wait to ask, in all earneskness. "Is this true, what you have said? Is Jesus'really God's Son?" How glad we are to assixe him that this is true. There are many with questions and there are, of course, some who want to argue. To avoid arguments, we quickly suggest that d there are more questions, the best way to find the answer h t o read from God's Word. We show them the Gospel of ,John, explaining that it will tell them the'same story, and that it can be bought for only a few cents. In just a few minutes we have sold the last one. Several are disappointed that we have no more. But wait. "Will you come again?" they ask. "Will we? We certainly will!"

10

Once more we climb back into the jeep, ,this time with 4 -part& gift of t w o squawking chickens. What a surprise! Usually we are asked for things, not given them! With many handshakes, shouts of "hi-oh" and "Merdeka", we are on our way. To say the least, we are overjoyed. We excitedly exclaim, "Did you see this one's face?" and, "This is really more than 1 expected." "'Praise the Lord." "We must came pa+ soon."

After this trip k i th us this afternoon, we trust that you will pray ?hat this and m ~ l y more villages that have been closed for .a long to the Gn~pcl may receive Him, Who alone can gwe real freedom.

,, ,

A WORD ABOUT NEW GUINEA

Since the last irsue of The Pioncer was pmblished (October, 1950), poli- tlca1,conditions and situations relative Lo New Guinea have made it advis- able to separate the two fields for the present time. For this reason, Thc Pioneer is now devoted exclusively to reports 01 the work in Indonesia.

W e are glad, however, to be able to report that the work is going far- ward in New Guinea. Plans are now afoot to enter the Baliern River ama, where there ace over 1500W souls who have never yet been reached with the Gospel. We b u s t that our readers will continue to remember this work in prayer

1 1

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" M y Praise shall be of Thee. . . . . . ,I - Psalm 22 : 25 Let 'us rejoice together . . . . . . .

* ............... because of the many opportunities that are now OUTS in all

of the areas of this field.

............... because of the arrival of two new missionary couples, the Lays and the Ulrichs, to help us in this needy field.

............... because of the outpouring of the blessing of the Lord on 0 7 . w

three Bib]$ schools,dvring the past tern.

............... because of the spirit of progress shown by the Sesajap young people, in spite of the fact that the church there has been without supervision lor some time,

.............. because of the re-opening of the island of Bali, and because of the appointment of Mr. and Mre. Maurice Bliss to that island.

.............. because of the fruit being realized as a result of the translation and publication work.

, , '

........ ..:. because of the progress which has been made toward the establishment of the indigenous church. .

............... because of the evidences OI answered prayer lor the healing of some of our missionaries.

. . . . . . . . . . . because of the return-of Mr. and Mrs. Marion Allen to tlte desperately needy field of West Kalimantan.

1 2

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.............. that the Lord will send missionaries and national worker;,

............. that the new missionaries may quickly learn the language,

.............. that the Biblc school graduates may become efficient. effective

so that we may be able to buy up our'opportunities now.

and that they may be used of God to the salvation of souls.

laborers in the harvest field.

.............. that the Lard will bless the efforts of the Lays in the Sesajsp area, and that He will give wisdom and understanding in the direetian of the work.

............. that the hearts of the benighted Balinese might be open and receptive to the Gospel message, that the light might have entrance into thriz hearts.

...... :... .... that the Lord will provide the meam for the furllior

publication and distrtbution of Christian literature.

.............. that the Lord will hasten the establishment of a stranp indigenous church in all parts of the field.

............ that the Lord will speedily touch those of OUT rnissioa;ries at home who are in such desperate need of healing.

............. that the field of West Kalimantan might once again be occupied by a full force of missionaries.

13

Needy Areas

M.C. Allen ._ in W . Borneo

~ .~. ~.

Up along :he thousands of miles of river valleys of Central and Wesr Kalunantan, formerly knonm as Borneo, still live, under the most primitive conditions, some hundreds of thousands of Dyaks. There are made up of many tribes. each one with its awn distinctive language. They have orr rows .and joys, as we have, but the sorrows more often than not far e x c ~ c d the joys. Sickness, poverty, and ignorance join in rnakiig- their lives difficlllt indeed, and in breaking the family circles far sooner than could normally be e-xpected. Some of these broken family c i r c l ~ s aie because of the human sacrifices necessary to their "spirit worship".

Less than ten pcr cent of these Dyaks have cvcr had one opportur;:y even to hear of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, which alone can give them the joy that would make their lives worth living. It is not bekaurc these people are not ready to accept the Gospel that they are still in darkness, for fully ten per cent of those who have had opportunity to helicv. have been baptized, and many more are endeavoring to meet the requirements for baptism.

14

The shortage of workers, both missionary and rrational, has been lo. I large extent responsible for the great numbers who have not been reached at all. This, together with the size of the area, one-third of which is above the rapids, ha5 been a great hindrance to the spread of ,the Gospel.

How large is the area which is the responsibility of The Christian and Missionary Alliance? This 1s best measured by the length of the river valleys in which we work. We are responsiblc for over eleven hundred miles of valley in ,West Kalimantan. What is our population responsibility in this area? The Dyak population in this area is over 212,000 for whom we are immediately concerned; and who is to care for the souls of the over 2W.WO Malays and tens of thousands of Chinese in this same area?

This repr6Sents over sixty per cent of our entire Kalimantan population, both East and West. Yet at present there is only one missionary family in the whole area. This family is in charge of our West Kalimantan Bih!e School. Regular furloughs and a great amount of illness have hmught about this situation. The writer expects to ' b i back on the field before the first of the year.

' ' The problem bf national workers is serious, also. There are twenty-one such workers at present, ahout fourteen of whom are laboring in the Belitan2 area. Only this area comes near to being adequately supplied. This area represents. about ten per cent of the total population. This leaves but sewn national workers, all inexperienced, for the remainder of our work in West Kalimantan.

The future has a brighter side, however. The critical shortage of missionaries is almoit over, and some of OUT brethren, who have regained their health in answer to prayer, will, we trust, soon be back with us. Also, we are' expecting one or 4wo of the couples who are now under appointment or in language study to help in this area.

The national worker situation has a brighter future also. The second class is about ready to graduate, and we are hoping for a t least ten well- trained workers each year to go back with us into the, far reaches of the

Some equipment for river travel has recently been given to the mission. This equipment will reduce travel time from weeks to a day or two. WE are still m d u e need for a boat for the new diesel engine which we already have. This boat would be used as a supply boat for the whole area.

Our only recourse to reach these m n y thousands for ,whom Christ died 1s prayer to the Lord of the Harvest. We are depending m our friends at home to hold ,us u p in prayer €or our spiritual as well as our material needs

And because of Him who died for t h y also, we are by faith claiming some tens of thousands of these dear people for His Church during thi; nexi term of our returning missionaries.

. hinterland with a vital message of salvation -and victorious living.

15

It was a rainy Monday morning when we set out from Nanga Ambalau, our station in the heart of West Kalimantan, to attend a heathen ceremony in a Dyak village. The occasion was in honor of the decealsed father of the lord government official here, a Dyak. His father had died about three years previous but now, according to Dyak custom here in West Kalimantan. his hones had been dug up and were to he placed in a wooden box ahout h e by three by two feet in sire. This "house", as the natives term it, was elevated six feet above the ground, and there the hones were to remain forever after that. W e had witnessed such rites before, but this was to be probably the largest observance of its kind that this area has had in some time. All the people from up the Ambalau and u p the Melawi Rivers were invited to attend. Two or three Chinese and we. being foreigners, had becn extended special personal invitations.

As our little native canoe pushed slowly up the river through the jungle+ we passed nUmeroUs dwellings whose owners had preceded us the day before to the scene of the celebration. Three hours and'six rapids after our departure. we arrived at OUT destination. After climbing the steep muddy bank barefooted, we were escorted to a longhouse and were soon seated on the floor with the T e s t of the crowd. all dressed in their best clothes, t o while away the time until the ceremony was to begin.

At eleven o'clock we were served rice, beef cooked t w o different ways, and tea. Our table was the rattan mat on which we were sitting, but in honor of the "special" guests, several yards of gay red oilcloth, purchased at t h h e coast, were stretched out for a tablecloth.

The troplcal sun was now #blaring down in full glory. Under its mercilcis heat and glare the ceremony took place at noon in a small clearing around three bulls, each of which was tied securely to a pole supporting a small and crudely carved idol. Next to them was a platform upon which were two iarge crockery jars of rice wine which were for the ghost of the dead man. Draped around the platform were a few sarongs. Underneath were five pigs ili bamboo cages.

At a given signal, like the fancied whoop of an Indian warrior, a group of men, wearing brightly colored sarongs fastened a t the waist over their trousers. made a circle around the animals, facing them. For an hour, to the accompaniment of gongs and the throbbing beat of a tom-tom, they, of

16

sometimes a group of women, went through what looked like dignified calisthenics. It was not dancing; there was nothing wild about it, only a flexing of the knees and a raising of the a m straight out sideways from the shoulders. At intervals during that hour a man or woman would bring tea, wine, tobacco, etc. to the participants. These were partaken of upon the spot. At the beginning of the men's performance and also of the women's, somecne went the rounds, putting a few drops of ail upon the head of each Following this another person dropped a few grains of rice down the hack of the neck and a t one heel of each performer. Occasionally the men who were taking part would give out a prolonged "oh-h-h-h woo!", a t whir+ time the circle would rotate a bit.

Then it was t i e for the slaughter. In turn, each bull was stabbed with a spear once on'either side. When he dropped or was felled. his throat was Cut. Later, a tiny bit of the blood of each was caught and saved. The heads of the beasts were hung on the poles to which they had been tied. There they were to remain until the next morning, when theyrwould be tahrn down and eaten. Next, the pigs were stabbed in their cages.

The Dyaks in this sectio?,believe that when a person dies, he goes to live in a mere booth in heaven. After a ceremony such as this and the killing of one or more animals (years ago slaves were used), he receives a fine house in which to dwell. The more animals, the more elaborate his abode.

Last of all, a man waved two chickens and a bunch of charms back and forth, chanting as he did so. The chickens were then killed also, signifyins the release of the spirit of the deceased.

Now that the rites had all beep. perfomed, the majority of the mob swarmed back indoors to sit, sweat, and chat. A small. energetic minority remained outside to gamble and play other games.

In two more hours we were homeward hound, shooting down Over t!le rapids, glad that we know the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour, but sad for those several hundreds of folk who still have faith in the old heathen ritual which we had just witnessed.

The young official who financed and arranged all of this, for his dead father told two of our Christians that after this one big affair, he was going KO put away all heathen practices and become a Christian too. More recently, he has said to another believer that as soon as he completes some of his office work which 1s pending, he wan& to follow the Lord a n d , come regularly to the services. How we do pray that he will not procrastinate too long!

That evening, in the quiet and peace of our mission station, we thought again and again of the D y a k still at that village, feasting on the beef and pork killed $hat day, drinking rice wine, and rejoicing over the new home in heaven to be given to the dead man - knowing and understanding little or nothing about the One who said, "In my Father's house are many mansions .....,. ....... I go to prepare a place for you."

17

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We arrived a t the Bible School in Long Bia in the Iirst week of February, 1952. At ttiat time, a vacation was in progress, to permit the students Lo harvest their rice crop. A little more than two weeks after our arrival, classes were resumed. Mrs. Post and I took over the classes that had been taught by Mr. and Mrs. Whetzel, for they were preparing ta go on furlough, and neednd every available moment in getting ready.

Mr. Whetzel patiently and thoroughly instructed m e in the numerous details involved in the operation of the school. He also gave me a list of matters awaitino, attention, as well as of problems yearning for solution. Mr Whe;rel fully and ably briefed m e on my duties, add provided me with an understanding 0: problems that had amen and that might arise. Thus when somc of these mattersdid come up, I was adequately informed.

It 1s a pleasure to insert here an expression of genuine appreciation ia

Mr. and Mrs. Whetrel for the splendid manner in ,which they served in the Bible School, and for +&e line quality of their leadership. For that matter, wc feel, too, that the foundation laid by the tireless labors of Mr. Van Pattor made i t a great deal easier far us as we came to share in the responsibility oi the school.

On March 12, the Whetrel family started downstream, to the accompa:ii- men: of salutes from shotguns and an antiquated mortar. They were given 1 rousing send-,off, and it was hard for all of us to p e e them leave. A week 01

so later the student body joined in a farewell for Mr. Rudes, as he with Pendeta Baja Djalung and two studen:-workers started for Long Nawvng On April 8, Mrs. Jackson left for her furlough. To her was also gwen J

"boomhg" send-off. Not only that, but the students bore her on a sort of p!atform arrangement f r o 3 her house to thc bank of the river. Once again there was unrestrained emotion, and tears flowed down scores of faces. It war a m a t eloquent tribute to the ministry of Mrs. Jackson.

In the latter part of March, a three-day series oi meetings was held, :D which all the churches in the Lower Kajan were invite,cl. Meetings werc held all through the day. These proved t o be 3 real help t o 'the student hody, also. T h meetings were of a reviiraL character, and there seemed to be 2

noticeable change ~n the attitude of many after thodmeetlngs.

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- --*,- -- "On the last Friday of each month, an all-day prayer meeting is held.

These days, too, bring real hlessmg to the school. It is soul-stirring to hear Dyaks piay far the believers in distant countries and for missionary work in other lands.

.

The week bllowrng graduation, the Sesajap graduates left far their area by 'way of Tandjong Seior, Tarakan. 'and Malinau. Nineteen adults and seventeen children were in the party. Mr. Lewis helped in making it possihlo for the entire group to travel from Long Bia a t the same t m e , by arranging for the use of two additional outboards. Their leaving .was an unforgettable xene, for they and the students remaining to continue their work were loathe to part fram one another. We saw Ado Kajan students. Mahakam students, Pudjungan students, and Sesajap students merging and mingling their sorrows of parting. Nevertheless, it is a gratifying sight to witness the departure of graduates or student workers going out to minister the Word.

Pray with us that, above all, the students shall come to know the fullness of God experientially. Our sincere desire is that our lwes shall be an

' example before them. We are fully conscious that the contr ibt iun of our daily living is of equal, if not greater unportance than aur.teaching. W e pray for HIS anointing for every class and for all the duties with which we have peen honored.

The Lord has done so much for me that I cannot help but praise Him for His faithfulness and mercy. My duties have been varied and the days have been full, but the b r d has provided the strength for each days, have as H e has promised To His Name be the glory for two definite healing touches in my body.

,Many are the bookkeeping probiems on this held. Before the Lard, I do riot looli upon ihis money as dollars and cents, but as the Cord's money, of which 1. as a missioaap, am a steward Daily strength has been given Lor this work, and thp Spirit's presence is more real to me than ever before. A

It has been a gyeat pnvdege to teach In the Bible school here in Illakassar. The Bible study involved has been the meam of victory in the office work many times. The study of Galatians meant a new milestone in my Christian experience. My heart has been more burdened for the student< and the workers through this daily conhct in the classroom.

: "largarzt S k a w e m a m

19

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s AN INTRODUCTION

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2

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Early Sunday morning. August 24, Rev. W: M. Poet, the field chairman, and I left headquarters by plane for Bandjemasin and Tarakan. After two hours of flying we landed in Bandjermasin, where we waited two days far a plane to Tarakan. This gave us time to make a courtesy call upon the Governor of Kalimantan, his secretary, and the head of the Department of Religion.

We were met in Tarakan by Brother A. J. Lewis and Mr. W. Heyneker. Brother Lewis had made all the necessary arrangements for our departure early the next moining by outboard motor. Rev. W. M. Port, Mr. A. J. Lewis, and I, along with .a native-guide and another man who was to return with the outboard, left Tarakan an August EXh, via the Sembakung River for the Sesajap. This trip took us through an area which has been visited only two or three times in the past twenty years. Some villages have never had the Gospel preached the first time, while others have heard two or thrcr times when a missionary was passing through, as we were, enroute to the Sesajap.

We vrrived in Long Berang after ten days of travel by outboard mobr and native canoe, and three days of waUting across several mountains. The house in Long Berang was a wuelmme sight and was in good condition. It was a joy to meet with the Christians here and have a short time of fellow- ship before going into the Kerajan area. Word was sent by a runner to the pastors that we were planning a conference in Long Sepajang about Sep- tember 20th. x) *he Christians were expecting us in most of the villages. While 11 was not possible to visit each village, we were able to visit fourteen @ages and conduct a service in each one.

We were song that Brother Lewi5 was not able to continue with us, hut during our first days on the trail he contracted dysentery and wa5 forced to return to the coast where he could get medical attention. Upon our re- turn to Malinau, he was able to meet us with the outboard motor and take us to Tandjongselor, for which we were thankful.

How we praise the Lord for the work being done by the native church in the Sesajap! There are fifty pastors supported by the native church, but there are many problems which need careful study and much prayer. Most of the Christians can neither read nor write; therefore, all they know

~~

m t !he Word of God must come from the pastor. Many of these pastorb have had insufficient training to face the many problems of a young church. Fourteen did not have an Old Testament, but it is not that they do not want one. The transportation problem 9 the Sesajap and in ' thf Sesajap is tremendous and is the cause of the insufficient supply of literature available to these pastors. The only means of transportation is by carriers over dan- gemus mountain trails after leaving Long Berang. The church as a whole has suffered because of the difficulties in transportation, since cloje mis- sionary supervision has been unpossible. The missionaries who have been on the field have done good work but there has been a lack of personnel niost o f t h e time. Often there has been so mission-ary for many months. The shortage of litqrature can be seen from the fact that Ihe workers at OUT

conference in Long Sepajang ordered 200 New Testaments, 100 Old Teita- rnents. 300 'song books, and smaller amounts of other literature. This wiU give one complete Bible and one song book to those who can read. One of the great needs is for adequate schools for our 4000 Christians. There are only fi<e schools at present, two under the native church and threi government schools. If w e are ever to have a strong church we must provide schools for the youth.

Sunday School and youth work has been very small, but recently a

youth group has been organized. This new youth group plans to send some of its young ladies to Long Bia for first-aid training so they can return an5 help' their people the treatment of their many tropical sores. This entire project has come from the young people themselves. We believe it will prove 0 be a great blessing.

The church took another forward step at the Long Sepajang coderence which we feel will p row a great blessing to the church, bu t it will need much prayer. They elected a new district committee with a Dyak leader. All but one of the committee are Dyaks. Brother Mongan, who had keen the leader, has stepped aside t o advise and to help train these Dyaks to become leaders in their bwn churches. The five-day conference was we!: attended, and we feel sure that each one present returned with great spki- tual blessing. Brother Post spoke three times each day with much blessing.

The church is working and God is blessing, but we feel sure lhat Gad would like to do an even greater work. We praise the Lord that drinking, and betel-nut chewing have almost ceased, but the church needs ? revival. Many of the churches still have their five o'clock prayer meetings each mor- ning, but in other churches there have been discontinued. Satan is workirg in theae last hours, so pray that the church will not give place to him.

Our return trip took us to Long Bia for a few days, where Mr. Posl ministered to the students in the Bible school. Then, after scven and onc- half weeks of traveling in the Sesajap, we boarded the plane in Tarakan on October 15. That afternoon we arrived in Makassar, where Mrs. Post an2 Mrs Lay awated US.

21

, . . .. . ... . ~

Borneo (Kalirnantan) represents the greatest-concentration of our missio-

nary farce in Indonesia. On this ma? you may locate 5everal of the missio-

naries whose names appear on-page 22.

Alliance missionaries serve also in the islands oi Sulawesi (Celebes): ' Bali, and Surnbawua

- ___.__._-,I..- ~-

Pert je lakan Makasrar N.V