Covenanter Witness Vol. 55 - Rparchives.org

etc."in Japanese is in preparation. About 70 Psalms (allor in part) have been prepared so far. The churchgroup at Ichinotani have set aside 20,000 Yen (about$55.00) for the printing of the Psalter. The Board isglad to hear of this program.As a Far East Commission was appointed bySynod, the Board has transmitted all correspondencerelative to Hong Kong to this body.The .problemSyriaof Syria, although different inform, generally are the same as those facing us in theUnited States. The materialistic lure is strong amongsome and so the workers must face this problem asthey labor among the people. At times some of theSyrian Christians feel that their labors are in vain,that there is no response to the Gospel offer. Communism has spread it wicked influence in Syria. Amongsome people there is a dislike to the American dueto the aid and comfort which this government gaveto Israel. The Syrian Government is hostile to theChristian Faith and the police have orders to watchfor the Mission car and find out where it is going.But the Gospel cannot be bound. Mr. Hays has madeseveral contacts with civil officials due to the questioning.The Girls School reports an increased enrollmentwith well over 300 pupils in attendance. About onehalf of these were registered Christians, and areenrolled in Daily Bible classes and attend chapelweekly in the church. Christian fellowship groupsare sponsored after school hours by two youngteachers. The Intermediates' meeting is held on Sabbath which is conducted in English.The government is requiring more and moreeducation so consequently the government classesare over crowded and those who cannot keep up areforced to attend private schools. The Boys Schoolis filled and it is often necessary to refuse admittance to some classes as space is not adequate. TheNear East colleges are demanding that our schoolincrease its physical plant. Unless this is done, thescholastic standingwhich the school has worked hardto attain will be lost. Already it has lost some standing. It is the strong feeling of Mr. Hutcheson thatthese requirements should be met.The Board has voted some $600.00 to the SyrianMission for translation work. This amount resultedfrom the deputation work of Miss McClurkin and isin their hands at this time.Recommendations1. That Synod appoint the Far East Commissionconsisting of Samuel E. Boyle, Charles H. Chao,David D. Hansen, and Koji Katayama, the Commission to elect its own officers.2. That Synod appoint the Syrian Commission toconsist of the ordained ministers,one elder fromeach congregation, and Chester Hutcheson, theCommission to elect its own officers.3. That Synod appoint the Cyprus Commission consisting of T. M. Hutcheson, E. Clark Copeland,.W. W. Weir, and Messers. Mouradian, Guleserian,and Euclid Panaviotides, the Commission to electits own officers.4. The terms of Walter McCarroll, Charles Sterrett,Edwin McBurney, Thomas Wilson, Mrs. JamesBeatty have expired and their successors shouldbe appointed.5. That the schools in Syria teach Bible to all Christian students who attend.6. That Synod approve the appointment of Mr. andMrs. Gene Spear to Japan.7. That Synod approve the action of the Board reapproval of Miss Eleanor Faris to go out under ourname but without any monetary help from theBoard.The Testimonyof a Chinese Christian Junk DealerRev. Samuel E. BoyleDuring these days of forced separation betweenthe Christian Church of China and foreign Christianfriends, many are wondering how our brethren inRed China are getting along. Information which doesget through is too fragmentary and doubtful to befully trusted, but we do know by faith that God istaking care of His own in a real way no matter howdifficult may be their trials and temptations underatheistic communism.The following testimonywas uncovered recentlyas we were clearing out old papers in our preparationfor the return to Japan. It occurred to me that thissimple testimony of an unlettered believer duringSouth China's suffering under Japanese occupationand war might indicate the manner in which theHoly Spirit, the Comforter, is now shepherding Hisflock under the Chinese communist regime.August 3, 1955Mr. Cheung of the City of Do ShingThe subject af this sketch was well known tothe writer. He was led to the Lord by Chue UeKeung, son of one of our Reformed Presbyterian pastors in the West River field of Kwangtung ; and wasbaptized as a Christian in the Do Shing chapel by meabout 1939. Mr. Cheung's business was that of ajunk collector, walking daily through city streets andvillages calling out his trade of "old glass, scrap iron,feathers, The following testimony was relatedto the writer after the World War II had come to anend, and missionary work in Do Shing was temporarily resumed between 1945-1949.Mr. Cheimg's Testimony"When the Japanese army came to Do Shingnine of us Christians fled to the village of our church69