Professional Documents
Culture Documents
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Jopiin. Mr-
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andprcachfhe ^osper
whenlsha/Ibesancfified
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Published andmailed free by
MEL and JUNEBY&RS
Forwarding Agent
MR.andMR&GEO. KEADY 6405 S.E.I7th.Ave.
Portland 2,Oregon
U.S.A.
Vol.lli
December, 1961 " and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe
No.2
Two young people from the Leper village, playing the part of Maiy and Joseph in the Christmas play.
Indifferantly
the Thai answered, "I don't know, man just came to be I guess." "Where does man go after he dies?" continued the
missionary.
"No one knows," replied the Thai "man Just dies and
that is the end."
"Well then, why is man on the earth?" "I don't know, man is Just here and that is all there
is to i t . "
"No, I don't thinlc it is important and I am not particularly interested. Man is here, he is born into the
and is like an empty void. He accepts it humbljr and waits for death. This sort of complacent philosophj/ in the life
and culture of the Thai is a direct result of Buddhistic
fatalism.
God
sent his Son into the world that mankind might have this hope. But how often the message of salvation and hope go unheeded. Once again the Christmas season is here and this message of hope is revived. Will we as Christians
Bethlehem to be obscured by oiir observing Christmas just 'for a time of festivities, pageantry and commercialism?
May God help us, A world without hope is at stake unless the message of Christmas becomes real. Many will celebrate Christmas, but how many will actually experience it? Many things, some of which have been mentioned will all but rob Christmas of its message of hope. Let us not
music, sensuality, sexaal and daring movies and obscene literature of this space age is certainly indicative of man's empty heart - a heart void of "hope and without God
in the world." A moment's reflection causes one to
realize that his world's anchor is not holding. How im portant it is that we as the people of God get the real message of Christmas to a lost world.
Now is the time to take our bearings - focus on heaven's star that it may guide us back to Him who is the
which is steadfast and sure (it cannot slip, it cannot break down under whoever steps upon it). It is the hope
which reaches farther and enters into the very certainty
"In times like these you need a Savour, In times like these you need an anchor. Be very sure - BE VERY SURE - your anchor holds and grips the solid rock."
Each year the Thai celebrates the New Year with a "water throwing" custom. For two or three days you are liable to get a good dousing wherever you go. There is much merriment in this symbolic washing which endeavors to make people forget the past and start out clean. I suppose it is their way of "turning over a new leaf."
start on a fresh page and try to do better. Basically there is nothing wrong with making a fresh start. It is the kind of courage and determination we all need. But we cannot malce new year's resolutions with regard to habitual sin, thinlcing by some magic the subconscious is absolved of all its past sins, cleansed and stimulated to start anew. This mi^t pacify the sinner, inflate his ego and make him believe he is all right. This self-in duced cleansing of the soul may sound good but it is theologically wrong. It is the trick of Satan to keep one's soul in a perpetual state of sin and consequently in a perpetual separation from God. If some of our faults and habits are caused by sin we cannot expect to overcome them by "turning over a new leaf resolution." We must first "resolve" to get rid of sin by accepting Christ as our personal Savour. To do anything less is but the works
of the flesh. Like the sacrifice of the Israelites i t has
to be repeated each year. There is no lasting cleansing. Hence each year we come face to face with our sins, the same problems, the same defeats. Each year we gather our "ego" together and launch out on a "new resolution cam
paign" and before one minute of the new year has elapsed the "new leaf" is soiled by the ugly marks of sin which
s t i l l remain.
There is only one kind of introspection and discipline which is valid in regards to sin. Likewise there is only
one cure. Be not decieved "the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin."
'Until you have griped this anchor of the soul - you have
not - you cannot - experience Christmas.
^4
Buddhist version of Jacob's ladder.
No
God d.oesn't turn a "new page" or look around for a "new leaf" nor play "hide and go seek" with the sub-conscious. God "cleanses" the soul from all sin. Beyond this there is no sacrifice. If we reject this in favor of "new resolutions" we trample beneath our feet the blood of the
covenant.
There is only one kind of "new resolution" per missible. Resolve to repent - confess - and seek clean sing in accordance x-jith the provisions of the new covenant. May we place our "attempts" and "resolutions" beneath the blood. This process is valid for eternity. We need not return yearly but by faith hold our position within the perfection and fullness of Jesus Christ. Let's settle the sin question once and for all.
Job I'.S
(Most of the Thai in the north still make their o^^m cloth in this manner)
FINANCIAL REPORT - MY 1 THRU OCT. 31, 1961 Book Balance - April 30, I96I 12,^29.19
-Receipts:
May
June
$ 386.^0
277*60
$U^560,7U
Books (Thai, English, supplies) 228,00 School (Children's books, supplies) 1^0.00 Film & reprints ^8.83 Customs & freight li9.26 Postage 31.28 Travel (motorcycle, trips to Bangkok)2^1i.U0
Medical lUli,00
1^6.8^ 5.^6
80.00
Miscellaneous
111,^U~|25307^2
$2s2$3.22
By the time this bulletin reaches the contributing churches and many friends of Mr. & Mrs. Melvert Byers,
Mr. & Mrs. Allen R. Nichols -will be established in their
new home in Ashland, Mo.. Mrs, Nichols served so faith fully for many years as the forwarding agent for the Byers. Letters and money gifts are still being mailed to the Nichols' Portland address. In the future, please mail all money gifts and letters to the new agents for Mr. &
MEWS ITEMS
October 6> 1961 I have been laid up the last month with a foot in fection. It started out just as a little scratch on my ankle. It would just about heal up and then I would talce
a trip out to a village and the roads are terrible - mud
and water - and I would reinfect the thing. This last time it really flared up. I got a hi^ fever and that brou^t on my malaria so I was in bed for three days. Now I sit around with my foot propped up but is still
quite painful. I suspect it will turn into a small ulcer
At any rate I am
Dorothy Uhlig left for home this week. Her mother is critically ill and the elders advised her to come home
ri^t away.
way.
Missionary Medicine and will be in Bangkok I would like to go out and see what my foot is going to do. I woTild have to go out by ox-cart and it takes so long for a round trip.
November 30, I96I
Miss Soubirou, our School of instructor is taking a world tour the last four days of this month. and see her but will have to wait
Greetings from Thailand. The sun has come out to stay for awhile for the rains have stopped. Already the Thai
are out in the fields harvesting the rice and it won't be long and I suppose we will be fighting the dust and the heat. Things here are going along nicely - slow but still progress is visible. Sometime in January we hope to have a week's gathering for the believers - sort of a school and try to get those in the far out villages acquainted
with some of the others. This will also be our Christmas.
The Christmas season comes ri^t during their rice harvest and many could not attend if we had it in December.
At present