AMERICAN CHURCHES OF CHRIST MISSION II 0:-; l; 1(0:\(; , SOUTII CHI;';A To the Students of Hanling College (;rl'l'tin~: We COUllt it <I pri,-ilegc to r espond to your kind il1\"itation to s(,llt\ a IlH'ssagc fro III beyond the w('stern sea for the lU2~ Pl.,tit Jean. Jlunting COIICgl' holds a sacnd plan' in our hearts. To thL' strong faith and the high Ch"ist ian ideals of hl'!' worthy teachers Wl' ;11'1..' Illllch indebted. Till' nllul' of their faithful perse\'erance through long trying years of Bible School wOl'k (';1111101 be estimated. Throughout AIlll'I' ica, pulpih have been filled, and churches enriched by students trained i ll their classes. Then are ttll'SSt'ngl'rs of Lift· toiling through the jungles of AfI'jca; conquering the heilthen rage in Japan; pushing ttll'ir way into I'estless, M,('thing China; and attacking till' stronghol d s of S,lt<lll in South Anleric~, who ut OIH' time sat at tht' feet of your belovt'<I prl':sidl'lll. Your heritage is indl'l'd a "ieh unl', And we trust t)lat wh ile you un' burning lhl' midnight oil OVer Physies and Ch('lllislry, alHI wh ill' you fll'(' enjoying til(' 'ioc iai p"j\'iiegt's so liberally ufforded thnt YOLI wil1 nol Llil to d"ink det'pl~' of tht' Chl'istian spirit fOl' which the school st, uHl s, and which :11011(' is the purpos(' of its l.'x isiL'nce , And as yOll partake of Ihl' s piril of the '\la'iler, ~' OU will 1l:lI'lake o f lil (' spirit of service, for ,I esus C:11ll(' 10 minish-I', aold not to be lllinisit'red unto . Wl.' pra~' that YOLI hUH' :1 wOI' ld-w itl(' \'ision of 'l'r\'ie('. We pr:l~' Ihat Allll'l'ic:l iIlay be blessed, and Ihat gn':lt 1I1H''':lng{'liz{'d sedi(llls of dark l'onlilH'nis nJaY be iightl'd by thl.' torchl.'s that are sd burnin g ill ~'O UI' heart s. And now that (;011 IlIa,\' abLindanll~' bkss and pros per Harding Co ll ege is 0111' fo,incl'l'e wish. ~111. A:\1l .\IIlS. (;ICOIH;E S. I3E:\SO:-;. :\Iany lilll es it Sl'l'lllS thai we almost gd to be al "cast:' ill Zion" in Alllel'ic:l, :lIld forgl'l that Ihl'l'l' ,Irl' ,Ollis in othcr parts of th e world that .Jeslis died to ~ av('. In nil prohnhility S0111(' of the early Jewi s h Christians said within thelllsLd\'l's :IS Iht.' y ,... Iutiied thl' wunls ur .Jc'lIS, "Other s ht.'l'p have 1 that arc not of thi s fo ld , thelll I III liSt bl 'ing." only meant othel' .Jews ::ocn tieJ'ed in othcl' places. But ill 0111' prnctict.'s :ll'l' We 1101 say in g "ulliel' "heep" m:;O:ln others close to us? It is L>L,(,<luse Jeslis hfts ;1 people in China who must heal' Hi s voicc <lnti live. Ihnt Iwo hutlili{'s f!'Olll H:ll'dil1g College, rind one from J)<l\' id Lipscomb ColleU"c al'l.' now in ChilW, and 1101 th:lI all Wl'n,' 'i:n'ed in Allierica; but Jesll s says "(;0. teach all natiolls." And in Paul's d:I~' , the whole creation was causcd 10 hefll' Ihe t;ospl·1 as a resu lt of till' work of tht, TWELVE :\IE:\ Christ had prcpared to carry Ilis Illl'ssage 10 Ihe world. Whal ought we, over MOO,OOt) strong in America, to I1c('omp li sh? \\'h:1I does Jesus expect of liS? The Chinese thl'llISl'iH' " are throwing off the yoke of Dellominationali'illi. They :lI'C seeking a basis fol' :I Chincse Church of Christ. The Challenge is ours to give thcm Ihe Il'u l' b<lsi" or the Chl'istian re li gion. They do not w:lnt rI fon'ign chu r ch. They don't W:lllt nlissionaries <IS dictators of :l foreign church. They do 'vant Chrisli:ll1ity anti the assistance wc can be to thelll in cstabli <; hing il in Ihcil' midst. TIll'Y :11'(' greatly in need of teachers. and they I'c<llize it. II opcns lip the bi,~gesl oppol'tunil~' W(' ha\'c eH'I' had in Chin:l; but one IlIli st be willing 10 suffer hard<;hips :IS (;od's workml'n, and be p:ltient and stcfl dfa s t. To-dHv is the tiny of sl.' l'vice, (;od w:ln ts workns today, May each onc of LIS awake 'out o f Olll' s leep ,lIltl laiJol' toda~' while we may, }111, AND ~IHS, LEWIS T. OI.DHA~[ 95
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