Waldron Mission Fund

 

Under the oversight of the elders of the Crossville church of Christ, PO Box 211, Crossville, TN 38557

 

Vol. 40                                                                        November 2006                                                                         No. 11

A GREAT OPPORTUNITY AND CHALLENGE

 

             Prior to leaving the states on October 19, I received an email letter from a brother in Oklahoma, who preaches via shortwave out of several places including Dubai (Persian Gulf) and Germany.  He told me of a radio contact in Shillong, a Mr. Edward Karunakaran.  The latter also sent me an email after learning of my pending trip and informed me that he is the head of the English department for a college near Shillong.  This college was formed in 1952 by a group of denominational leaders.  They do not teach Bible or religious subjects as such, but they hold chapel every evening at 6:00 for the students and conduct a worship service on Sundays.  The students who are from Baptist, Presbyterian and Church of India (Anglican) homes show a real interest in those services.   

             Upon arrival I sent word to Mr. K. that I was here.  On Tuesday (24^th) he came to our building and invited me to speak at the college and said he would arrange the date.  Thus on Monday the 30^th brother Zimik and I hired a car to take us the 15 miles to the school campus.  After taking tea as guest of the school principal (like the British they prefer the term principal for college heads) I was introduced at 6:00 to a large crowd of young men and women, whose average age is about 20.  These youths will become leaders, not only in their various churches but in responsible positions in business and government.  There was not one member of the Lord’s church among them.

             As I sat on the stage and looked over a hall filled with young eager faces my thoughts were that this occasion must be much like that of the pioneers in the restoration movement 200 years ago when they were able to speak to large audiences of denominational people on the urgency of unity in Christ on the Bible and the Bible alone.  Thus I felt humble and even apprehensive about my ability to meet the challenge of enlightening these 450-500 young men and women on the church, the falling away, the reformation and the urgent need of unity not through reformation, but through restoration.

             From the writings of the prophets and the apostles, I showed that the scriptures must be our only rule and guide in our faith and practice.  Following that line of reasoning I showed how the church, Christ’s kingdom on this earth, was founded on Pentecost, how it spread, how Paul predicted the falling away – the apostasy, how that Luther, Calvin and others sought to reform the apostate church, but their efforts only resulted in many sects, parties and denominations.  I even pointed out that while we were in that hall, some preacher might start another one.

             Then I made an appeal for unity of all believers based on the prayer of our Lord found in John 17:20-21; and pointed out that unity in Christ must come not through reformation of any denomination, but through the restoration of the church of Christ as defined in the apostles’ doctrine.  The lesson lasted about forty-five minutes.  And with the principal’s blessing, Mr. K invited me back for the evening service three days later on November 2nd.  At that time I spoke further on the need to reject the doctrines, the creeds and catechisms of men and showed how that classical liberalism and modernism had led to the corruption of the churches.  I reminded them that the church of Christ was the original church and that it was His kingdom founded on Pentecost.  After this lesson the Chaplin for the school, a young Presbyterian preacher, commended the lesson urging the young people to put it into their hearts and lives.

After this good reception, as I could not stay in person to follow up, I was feeling a deep concern as to how we could keep this door of opportunity open while trying to think of practical ways to do so.  The answer in part came from our Bible stock at Dindigul.  The Bibles the young college students are using are the NIV and Good News for Modern Man.  This latter one, which more appropriately should be called, Good News for the Modernist, is of great concern to My K, my host, who has been listening to gospel preaching for several years and has read some good literature from our brethren.  Since we have on hand a large quantity of NKJV Bibles at Dindigul I informed him that we would ship him 650 Bibles that would be a sufficient number for the whole student body and the forty-two faculty members.  Pasted in the back of each Bible will be a brief message about the church and the offer of a Bible Correspondence Course.

             Besides this means to reach the young people, Mr. K will go south to his home town in Tamil Nadu during winter leave from the college.  That town, Trinaveli, happens to be the place where brother Don Iverson and the Banner Elk church began the most recent SOP this past June.  This will give brother Santhanaraj, who is principal of that SOP, the opportunity to study with him in his own language.

NEWS FROM TAMIL NADU

             You will be interested to know, thanks to God and your generous help during 2006, we, aside from paying the on-going bills associated with the fourteen Bible Training Schools with more than 500 enrolled, have been able to pay off the $40,000, borrowed in January to build the new building at the women’s Bible school; spent $9,308 to buy about 325 goats for some sixty widows; spent about $1,900 on eighteen toilets and bathing rooms for the blind Christians in Thrichy; have just today (Nov. 6^th) sent $ 6,095 from Crossville for 101 bicycles; tomorrow brothers J.W. Samson and Peter Wilson will go to Thrichy to pay $1,590 for a small plot of ground on which to build a building for the blind saints and many other projects.

AMBROSE NELSON SON OF MASILAMANI

             T. Masilamani is one of our teachers in the Dindigul Bible Institute and one of two elders in the Church of Christ, Eastside Dindigul.  He and his wife, Embaroni have two sons.  The eldest is Peter Wilson, who is married to Mercy.  Of these two I have written before, telling of their good works in the kingdom; but I do not recall writing about Peter’s brother, Nelson.  This young man is a graduate of the school of preaching at Dindigul, holds a B.A. degree, was admitted on merit to two years in a government teachers college, completed that, and then completed a year in the government school to learn sign language for the deaf and hearing impaired.  Here is a portion of a letter from him telling about his work in our Home and Bible School for the Blind and Deaf at Pudukottai.

Sun, 5 Nov 2006 06:32:55 -0800 (PST)

Dear brother in Christ,  Loving greetings in His almighty name.  By the grace of God we are all doing well.  We praise God for the saints of U.S.A for their support of us in all aspects.  I would like to inform you about present number of students among the deaf and mute:  There are thirteen deaf boys and nine girls.  There are forty-one blind students in the school.  Each day I am teaching the deaf through the use of signs and lip reading.  I am also creating signs for Bible words.  These have not been developed before in Tamil.  I also teach Bible classes for the blind.  Nelson.

             By the grace of God on November 4^th I completed my 71^st year.  This foreign mission work was begun back in 1967.  When we went to Pakistan in September that year I was 31 and Laura was 28.  God is to be praised and thanked for His care all these years and I thank Him for so many of you who have shared and continue to share in this work of faith and labor.  Please pray for me, my family and this work.

 With love for you all,

  Jim E. Waldron