Covenanter Witness Vol. 55 - Rparchives.org

and other evangelical groups, the Association maintains three offices : The Washington office, handlingall diplomatic matters; the Purchasing Office inNew York City, buying missionary equipment atwholesale to the extent of about half a million dollarsannually ; and the Universal Travel Service in Chicago, official agency of the EFMA serving most of ourmember missions to the amount of $469,000 lastyear. As part of the services rendered in the Washington office, there is a daily contact maintainedwith the Passport Division, obtaining approximately275 passports during each of our fiscal years formember and cooperating missions. In addition, theoffice secures over 200 visas from those foreign governments maintaining visa services in the nation'scapitol. Many countries not granting visas in Washington usually have consular sei*vices in New YorkCity or Chicago where our offices there assist in obtaining these visas.The activities of EFMA include all functionsthat the Association can perform for the missionagencies without duplicating their efforts. We maintain excellent relations with the government inWashington so that whenever it becomes necessarywe can intercede for our member missions. Thus farwe have sponsored two annual retreats for missionary executives that have been greatly appreciatedfor the helpful suggestions received from the various boards represented and for the valuable information given on the activities performed by missionstations all around the world. In cooperation with aswide a constituency as possible, the Association hasmade a complete surveyof all evangelical Spanishliterature (having perhaps the most complete libraryof evangelical Spanish literature in the Westernhemisphere in its Washington office), has printed acatalog that was widely distributed in Central andSouth America, and has just concluded a second surof Spanish literature.veyEFMA enjoys a unique privilege in that as anAssociation of mission agencies it can lean back onthe NAE constituency when ever such a constituency is needed as a basis of authority in dealing withUnited States or foreign government. Through theWashington office the NAE officially serves evangelical missions in their problems with the selectiveservice, immigration, and the State Department. Thetremendous effort made on behalf of religious liberty for our missionaries and national Christianswhere intolerance or violence has caused intense suffering is always done in the name of the NAE andnot by the mission boards. This gives us greater influence with governments, Congress, and also keepsthe names of our mission boards out of these struggles.In addition to all of these activities the Association endeavors to keepour missions informed regarding the many changes that occur in missionarymechanics ; that is, requirements for visas, permits,travel, laws, etc. In all of these matters, the EFMAoffices are used by approximately 100 mission agencies, a majority of whom are not members. TheBoard of Directors of EFMA has felt that the spiritof service of this Association must reflect the spiritand zeal of Christ in assisting all who need help incarrying the Gospel of Christ to the ends of theearth.8United Evangelical ActionSYNOD'S BUDGET FOR 1955-1956DEPARTMENTSGRANTEDForeign Missions $32,400Home Missions 9,000Southern MissionNoneIndian Mission 2,400Kentucky Mission 4,000Home Mission Secretary 4,000Young People's Secretary 350Woman's Association 6,000Theological Seminary9,000Student's Aid 1,550Ministerial Relief 12,000Widows and Orphans 2,000Geneva College 15,000Covenanter Witness (Preferred claim) 7,800Witness Committee 13,500Christian Education 500Miscellaneous Fund 400National Assn. of Evangelicals 100GLIMPSES from page 2TOTAL $120,000Family Life Committee continue.strong programs there.Distribution of Christian literature, new publications, andtranslations are major efforts. A correspondence course inBible study has been offered for the first time.Missions Threatened in Nigeria(Watchman-Examiner)Missionary activity among the Moslems in Nigeria willbe paralyzed if the new government, which assumes powernext July 1, does not retract some of its announced restrictions. Unless the government does back down, most evangelical missions have threatened to close their medical andeducational work on behalf of Moslems.The situation became tense when evangelicals learnedthat the new government would require all missionaries toabide by the followingconditions with regard to workamong the Moslems: 1) No church or open air meetingsamong Moslems; 2) No indoctrination in hospitals whereMoslems are present; 3) No indoctrination of Moslem pupilsin schools; 4) No evangelism in leprosariums where Moslems are present; 5) No entering Moslem homes and compounds to evangelize.All missionaries are to be required to sign this agreement or be expelled from the country. The same five conditions will be written into the entry permits of missionaries going to Nigeria.The Sudan Interior Mission and the National Council ofChurches of Nigeria have advised the Government that suchclauses are not acceptable, and further action is awaited.(The Banner)A Tithing BankerJohn Sewart Kennedy, the great New Yorkbanker, rose from very humble circumstances. Hebegan his business career by giving God a tenth ofhis income. In one of his account books he wrote:"Behold, the tenth of all I give unto Thee."In it he kept his account with God, whose steward he was. During his lifetime he entered severalmillion of. dollars in this account. At his death hebequeathed nearly $30,000,000 to religious, charitable and educational work.The United BrethrenCOVENANTER WITNESS