Board of Foreign Missions
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
One Hundred and Tenth ANNUAL BOARD OF FOREIGN MISSIONS Reformed Church in America 19 4 2 'Bax w- 1 1 0 REFORMED CHURCH HEADQUARTERS 156 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK Board of Foreign Missions MEMBERS OF THE BOARD 1939-1942 Rev. Paul H. Achtermann Rev. Joseph R. Sizoo, D.D. Rev. James E. Hoffman Mr. Clifford P. Case Rev. Bernard J. Mulder, D.D. Mr. Donald Mackenzie Rev. Harry W. Noble, D.D. Dr. Leland Rex Robinson 1940-1943 Rev. L. A. Brunsting Rev. David Van Strien Rev. Edward Dawson, D.D. Rev. Anthony Van Westenburg Rev. Garret Hondelink Rev. G. J. Wullschleger Rev. E. F. Romig, D.D. Mr. F. E. Smith Mr. W. Lloyd Van Keuren 1941-1944 Rev. J. W. Beardslee, Ph.D. Rev. Milton T. Stauffer, D.D. Rev. J. R. Euwema Rev. J. H. Warnshuis, D.D. Rev. Harry J. Hager, Ph.D. Mr. W. T. Hakken Rev. Harold W. Schenck Mr. F. W. Jansen Mr. Herman Vanderwart Honorary Members—Rev. Wm. Bancroft Hill, Litt, D. Rev. T. H. Mackenzie, D.D. OFFICERS OF THE BOARD President—Rev. Edward Dawson, D.D. Vice-President—Rev. J. W. Beardslee, Ph.D. Recording Secretary—Rev. Milton T. Stauffer, D.D. Corresponding Secretaries— Mr. F. M. Potter, L.H.D. Rev. L. J. Shafer, Litt. D. Treasurer—Mr. F. M. Potter, L.H.D. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Rev. J. W. Beardslee, Chairman Rev. Harold W. Schenck Rev. J. H. Warnshuis Rev. Milton T. Stauffer Mr. Clifford P. Case Rev. David Van Strien Dr. Leland Rex Robinson Rev. Anthony Van Westenburg Mr. F. E. Smith Mr. Herman Vanderwart Ex-Officiis: The President and Vice-President MEDICAL ADVISERS Edward M. Dodd, M.D., 156 Fifth Ave., New York. Dr. Lilian C. Warnshuis, 153 St. Mark's Place, New Brighton, N. Y. R. H. Nichols, M.D., Holland, Mich. Harold E. Veldman, M.D., 1418 Plainfield Ave., N. E., Grand Rapids, Mich. The Board of Foreign Missions respectfully presents to the Gen eral Synod of the Reformed Church in America its one H u n dred and Tenth Annual Report and the Eighty-fifth of its Sep arate and Independent Action and the Sixty-seventh Annual Re port of the Woman’s Board of Foreign Missions. 1 9 4 2 FOREWORD The Board of Foreign Missions and the Woman’s Board of Foreign Missions have this year joined with the other Boards and Agencies of the Church in presenting the work of the year in a common story of the year. The General Synod is referred to this volume for the main facts of the year’s operations. We are presenting here the financial statements of the Board of Foreign Missions, a summary of the receipts and expenditures of Synod’s Board and the Woman’s Board and a brief outline of im portant matters of personnel and policy not included in the joint story of the year. While the detailed financial statement of the Woman’s Board will be made available to the Church in separate form, this report is being presented as a joint report of both Boards as has been the practice for the past two years. The Boards work in close coopera tion with a united budget and a united approach to field problems and it is therefore appropriate that the report to the General Synod should be made in this form. It has been a year of swiftly moving events, each day bringing new and staggering problems, but the consecration and courage of the missionaries and their families and the steady and unperturbed loyalty and faith of the Church have been an unfailing source of inspiration and strength to us at the Church House. We can only be deeply grateful to God for His infinite mercy and His loving care. F. M. P o t t e r L . J . S h a f e r D o r o t h y V a n E s s ANNUAL REPORT, 1942 The War The fall months of 1941 were lived in a sense of impending crisis in the Pacific. All but two of our missionaries had left Japan and the greater number of the mothers with children had come home from China. With the hinterland of free China to which to withdraw and with the amazing opportunities offered for preaching the Gospel, male missionaries and the single women were reluctant to leave. Two of the evangelistic missionaries, Dr. Henry Poppen and Rev. H. M. Veenschoten, returned to the field, leaving their families in this country. They arrived at Kulangsu on November 27th. In India conditions remained normal and the earlier disturbed situation in Iraq and the Persian Gulf had quieted down. Missionaries had re turned to Baghdad and work was progressing normally. Then war broke out in the Pacific. On December the 7th there were two missionaries in Japan, twenty-two adults and five children in China, with the other Missions at full strength. Eleven of the adults and five children in China were on the Island of Kulangsu. The last letter to reach them from the Board had indicated that it might be well to evacuate to free China, since Kulangsu would not be safe, but the letter could have arrived only a few days before the war, and in any case boats had not been permitted to run between the island and the mainland for some time; consequently they were caught on the island. Money had reached them just before war broke and money had also been provided in Japan for months ahead. With the advent of war, communications were cut off and the story of the next few months, so far as our missionaries in Japan and China were concerned, was one of reestablishing contact. First a cable was received from the Mission in free China, asking for money. A supply was sent through the Bank of China and through a newly established Missions Bureau for all the Missions in Chungking we obtained assurance that the funds had been received. From various messages received through the Embassy at Chungking and through the Swiss Government it gradually became clear that the missionaries on Kulangsu had been at first interned, then released to their homes; that Miss Couch was technically interned in Japan but that both she and Miss Darrow were safe and well. A cable just received from the Mission in free China reported that contact had been established with the Island of Kulangsu and that plans were being made for the repatriation, with American diplomatic representatives in the Far East, of Mrs. Agnus and three 3 4 FOREIGN MISSIONS children, Mrs. Vander Meer and two children, Mr. Voskuil, Mr. Koeppe and Miss Geraldine Smies. The others are for the present at least remaining on the Island of Kulangsu. Money has been deposited with the State Department on which our missionaries there and also in Japan are permitted to draw for subsistence needs through the Swiss Government. As the war swept toward India, increased concern was felt for the missionaries there. In April Rev. and Mrs. Ralph Korteling, Rev. and Mrs. H. E. Van Vranken and daughter, due on furlough from India, and Mrs. Galen Scudder and son, whose furlough is due next year, suddenly appeared in New York, having made use of the oppor tunity to leave India on two days’ notice. While, as in the earlier case of Japan and China, the Board has cabled the Arcot Mission granting full liberty of action, at present there is no indication that any general evacuation is contemplated by our Mission in India. In Arabia the year has been one of increased opportunities. The enrollment at the Basrah Boys’ School, for example, is at capacity and eighty boys had to be turned away at the beginning of the school year. The China Centenary of the Amoy Mission The celebration of the China Centenary has given the Church a unique opportunity to register its interest in the Christian task in China. A significant series of anniversary meetings was held through out the Church and the new literature on China was in great demand. Altogether about 200,000 pieces of literature were distributed in re sponse to definite requests. A cable recently received from Free China gives assurance that the war was not permitted to interrupt the cam paign of house-to-house visitation carried on in China as a part of the commemoration of the one hundred years, and reports that evangelistic opportunities are great. The Board sent a letter of greetings and a cable to the South Fukien Synod of the Church of Christ in China and greetings were also sent from other bodies, among them the Classis of Grand Rapids. During the year there has been received for the Centenary Fund $14,123.22 and for the David Abeel Fund of the Woman’s Board $10,593.93. In connection with the Centenary celebra tion and the emergency in the Far East there has been continued prayer in public and in private for our missionaries, their families separated from them, and for their colleagues in the work. We are deeply grateful to the Church for the loyal support given the Centenary celebration in all its aspects. One very encouraging feature of the year has been the increased number of candidates who have offered for service abroad, This has given convincing evidence that there is no lack of consecration and conviction on the part of the youth of our Church. It is clear that THE WAR AND MISSIONARY PERSONNEL 5 young people will be ready whenever the Church is prepared to send them.