APRIL 1941 - No
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VOL. XI1 - APRIL 1941 - No. 43 REPORT NUMBER CONFERENCE GROUP 1941 Back row, left to ri9i.t: , Messrs. Mitchell. Dixon. Willfinger. Wiliiams. Dcibler. Morkcn and Meu-. Cmir-. TOY: Mr. Harry Post. Mr. Walter Pad. Mra. Walter Part. Mrs. Dixon. Miss Dittrnar. Miss LEROY.Miss Mnnb. Mra. I)-ibler, Mila JsHmy. Miss Kcmp. Mr. KZoernann. Mr. Fbk. Front row: Mn. Harry Post. Mrs. Mouw. Mrs. Wiltiama. Mr3. Fkk. Mr.. Ja!fray. Mr. Jaffray. Mr. Snrid. Mr. Brili. Mrs. K6ncrn;m. Mire Eeely. &eilands ~ 2-t in& >1;es;on 3t -1 "V-. i he @hrl&a and I iissionary A!l;ance Addrcm: Z&jangiroewcg 77. Maka6sar. C&L X.E.1. THE PIONEER EDITORIAL THE CONFERENCE The Conference of The Cliristian and Missionary Alliance in the Netherlands East Indies, which met at Benteng Tinggi, the mountain resort a little less than two hours drive by car from Makassar. from January sixth to twenty-third. was rather an exceptional one in more ways than one. In the first place. we had the honor ,and privilege of the presence of the Foreign Secretary of our Board, Rev. A. C. Snead. with us. The Conference was consequently a longer session than usual. When we 'meet, however. o'nly once in two years. we do not feel obliged to hurry the sessions as we might #doif we met regularly once a year. Another ,outstanding feature of our Conference was he international, political situation a,nd the presence OF war clouds in this neighborhood. As this work develops and enlarges the problams confronting us increase. There were many weighty and complex questions about which we sought a'dvice and counsel from our Foreign Secretary. I,t was with deep regret that we finally received word fron: Mr. and Mrs. Woerner ,that they were unable to leave British Malaya at the time owing to war conditions. The prolonged sessions were trying and taxing, but were interspersed continually with spiritual refreshing in the min- istry From the Wond of God, vouchsafed to us through our good Brother Snead. In due course he left Makassar For the Philippine Islands, and after one more coaference held with the missionaries at Zamboa'nga. has journeyed on his home- ward way. As we write this editoriail. well on in March, we think of him as arriving in New York City and back at his home at Nyack. We ,trust that the future of the work may L THE PIONEER be blessed in an untold measure through the visit of the Board's representative our Foreign Secretary. Rev. A. C. Snead. LITTLE MISS MARY JEAN POST Just before coriference convened, Rev. and Mrs. Harry Post welcomed to their midst a little daughter, Mary Jean. This young lady. if a little late for Conference. arrived in time so that ;she could c,ome to Benteng Tinggi and greet us all with smiles. On the last day of Conference she was dedicated to the Lord in a service conducted by Mr. Snead and Mr. ]affray. May the Lord's blessing, that maketh rich, be poured out abundantly qpon the parents and their little daughter. MR. AND MRS. ANDREW SANDE The whole Conference was held ,in rather a time of SUS- pense as to the arrival of Mr. ansd MIS. Sanae. They were announced to arrive a good dcal earlier. but war conditions. difficulty about passports, visas, etc.. delayed them, so thar they di,d not arrive at Makassar till everybody had left Con- ference to resume their work on their various stations. SO Mr. and Mrs. Sande m,issed seeing the N.E.I. missionaries and the N.E.I. missionaries missed ,the privilege of joining in the welcoming of our two new mis,sionaries on the field. Those of'us who are here in Makassar have extended to them our most hearty welcome as they join the N.E.I. family. They are already busy at the study of the Malay language. ASSISTANT CHAIRMAN One of the most important features of our Conference was the unanimous choice of our brother Rev. C. Russell Deibler as Assistant Chairman of the N.E.I. Mission. The 3 THE PIONEER field being so large, the problems of the work so rapidly in- creasing, and the need of someone to help the Chairman shoulder the many detailed responsioilities. especially visiting the missionaries in the various parts of the field, made the appointment of an assistant chairman imperative. MI. Deibler is ad,mirably qualifiied in the judgment of us all for this new office. Special prayer is requested for the Chairman and the Assisiant Chairman and for the Executive Committee in the edministration of the work during the period between con- ferences. Until now the Committee has been composed 0: five members including the Chairman. This number is now increased to seven. THE WlSSEL LAKES FIELD The only regret in connection with the appointment of Mr. Deibler as Assistant Chairman is the fact that ii deprives the Wissel Lakes field in Netherlands New Guinea of the most important service of Mr. and MIS. Deibler in that nen work. The story of the opening of the work in this most primitive part cf the N.E.I. had been one of remarkable prov- idential working of the Lord. Then suddenly. after a year and a half of missionary elfort by Mr. Deibler and Mr. Walter Post, war condiiions brought the work to a close. T,he circumsstances rnad,e it absolutely 'necessary fo,r our mis- sionaries to retire. Much earnest prayer was made, and in a shorter time than wc dared to hope, the work in that most remote part of our fiold was reopened by the Government. W,e are gl+d to announce that on March 13th. MI. and Mrs. Walter Pqst arrived by plane at the Wissel Lakes. They are accompanied iback to their work by nine native workers, four of whom are Dyak student-evangelists. who will be a sreat help to them in building houses, boats. etc. We send forth this 4 THE PIbNEER appeal for prayer mast earnestly to all our friends in bchalf ol the interior of Netherlands New Guinea. Pray that God will bless Mr. and Mrs. Post very riohly ; that God will bless and fill with Hi,s Spirit each of the native evangelists ; that God will deeply mo've upon the hearts of these prtmitive Kzpauku adMoni tribes an,d many 0th- Ston,e Age, primitive tribes. people hitherto unknown and unheard of ; that they may realize their sin an:d their #needof a Saviour ; that their hearts may be illumined by the Spirit of God so that they will see and know the Lord Jesus as their only Redeemer. Furthermore, we request that spee'dily we may be able to reach the many still uncontacted tribes of the interior of Netherlands New Guinea, that the Gospel may indeed spread lik,e holy fire from heart to heart, from village to village. from race to race, until these hitherto unknown and unheard of peoples, perhaps the liast of the tribes of earth to hear the Gospel. may be brought to Christ. You ,may wonder why The Pioneer does not come through more regularly. The .matter of fact is that without special help from friends we find it difficult to finance the publication of it oftener than we do. The present time, of course, has been unusually busy for all the missionaries on the field on account of the Conference in January, but we are getting down now to regular schedule again, and hmope that we may- be able to publish The Pioneer more often in the future. We sometimes have good articles and important news concerning the work that we are unable to send to you for lack of funds. During these war times it may be difficult to send us money in the regular way but international money orders can be abtained and American ,bills reach us without difficulty and little delay. We shall greatly appreciate your help. 5 THE PIONEER "DAYS OF FEASTING AND JOY' (Esther 9 : 22) by Iirs. C. Russell Deibler Early ri,sing. 1oNng days, wearisome business sessions, tedious resolutions and mot,ions - to most minds .that spells 'conference'. However. our Eigihth Annuai Conference has not been all work and,no enjoyment. Conference days. despite the necessary business sessions, have really been ",days of feasting and joy." Time and 'space would not permit us to record in full the messages brought us during the morn- ing devotional periods, but permit us to share with you a portion of them. The Lord was gracious in bringing ,to us our Foreign Sec-- retary, Rev. A. C. Snead, whose counsel was mosL helpful and whose messages were a source of much encouragement and inspiration. Our souls were biessed and refreshed as he opened to us God's Word and pointed out some of t::e precious truths found therein. His first message dealt with the 'Goal of Christian Service.' "Winning souls," said MI. Snead, "Is like bringing in the 'material to be used for the building, but budding the Church is the actual construction of the building." He ,poi,nted out that building of the Church is the real goal of Christian service and urged us to study more diligently the Word o'f God which is the blueprint for the buildi'ng. How privileged we are to be called of God to not only win souls but also to build those whom we have won into the Temple of God. It takes more skill to build the Temple than to go gather in the material.