INDIA CHRISTIAN

June, 1946
"Go ye into all the world and preach
ihe Gospel to the whole creation."
Vol. I
IN INDIA
Six montlis have passed since Mrs.
Rothermel, Miss Hunt and Mr. and Mrs.
Rash landed in Karachi, having spent three
weeks on tlie same ship, the Santa Paula,
without setting foot on land. Although
we stopped a few hours at Port Said and
could see the place at ratlier close range,
still we were not permitted to go ashore,
as permission to proceed thni the Suez
Canal was granted very soon. While the
first of our trip was stormy all proved
pretty good sailors. One day the engines
stopped in mid-.sea for repairs for about
an hour or so, and we were tossed by the
wind and waves, but tliis did not disturb
our peace of mind. Each Lord's Day we
gathered in the Rashes' cabin to remember
Our Lord around His table, and each
evening we had Bible reading and prayer
together. *
Upon arrival in Karachi and after
getting through the Customs wc found
that the only available hotel was Hindu.
Beds were clean enough but Oh! the food!
We older missionaries could scarcely eat
so were amazed how the new folks
managed. They thought that if they had
to leam to eat such food they might as
well begin. We only stayed there for
our first day's food, then found a good
Chinese restaurant for the other days. There
were no accommodations to be had on the
trains for several days as 10,000 Moslems
had just landed from their pilgrimage to
Mecca the day before and taken every
available space.
Upon reaching Cawnpore I left the trio
there and went home so I could get the
house ready, but upon arrival found almost
everything in its place and most of the
rooms had been white-washed. So I just
had the rest done and returned for my
trio. While in Cawnpore they had the
No. 2
opportunity of getting in touch with the
head of the language school who gave, them
the names of good pandits who might be
available. In order to get home with all
of our baggage, we had to hire a whole
lorry and how thrilled we all were, to be
nearing our long journey's end. The trio
were .so delighted at reaching Ragaul
thrilled that the last lap of their long
journey from N. W. Canada, just half way
around the world, was ending and their
new liome in sight. The Christians were
ready to help carry in baggage and wel
come us although it was Saturday night,
Dec. 22nd. On Sunday there were the
usual services and on Monday the very
special welcome service with speeches and
garlands of flowers for around the neck of
each of us. At this service the Christians
brought their gifts of Thanksgiving chick
ens, eggs, grain, money, all sorts of tilings
in gratitude for the safe arrival of new
missionaries and of their "Mama Ji," Mrs.
Rothermel. When Christmas was over with
the usual services we started finding places
for all the things which four of us had
brought, and this was no small task for
our one godown was full of things be-
! longing to three other missionaries.
A pandit was secured and the trio
began their language study, which kept
them busy every day, five days a week.
Mrs. Rothermel kept busy with mission
affairs and securing food for all. Witli
some things rationed and many things not
a\'ailable this was some work. Then, for
over a month Bubonic Plague kept our
village .shops closed so nothing could be
purchased except for a few vegetables.
Fortunately we had some things in our
garden which the Indians had made before
our return. Plague interfered with our
Bible, women going to nearby villages but
the evangelists went to villages farther
away and stayed for about two months in
camp. Several people seemed very near the
Kingdom but were turned away by the
threats of the higher castes. If India gets
ier independence as she surely will very
soon, we trust that even the lowest of
the village people, may be free also to
accept Christ without oppression. This
should be true, in a free land, but depends
as now, on the Indians themselves.
OUR NEW MISSIONARIES
About the middle of April Miss Hunt
and Mr. and Mrs. Rash went to the hills
to continue their language study in the
school where they are still very busy and
doing well. They grew to love the Indian
Christians at Ragaul and tell me they miss
them more than some friends in the home
land. If that feeling continues there is
little doubt of them being unusually good
missionaries for they have the true message
and with love for the people and the Lord
they must succeed.
A TRIP TO MADRAS
In February while a missionary friend
came , to share the pandit for some help
with translation work, Mrs. Rothermel left
on a short trip to Madras to see about the
work there. Manuel Jacobs was very
anxious for her to make the visit before
the hot weather when there would not be
a missionary with whom she could stay.
Mrs. Rothermel was in Madras less than
a week but was away for almost two weeks,
for it takes three days and two nights of
travel each way. Manuel had foimd a
young man and his wife who are very
aiudous to be missionaries to their o\vn
people, and as Manuel has always been
handicapped because he had no woman
worker and cannot teach women himself,
was very anxious for Mrs. Rothermel's
approval, although she feels him quite
trustworthy and competent to do so. The
Church of Christ at Ragaul is pajdng haff
the salary of this couple which will tend
to increase their interest in that work also.
Last summer Manuel nearly lost one
leg because of an infection caused by an
injury, and it was then found that he had
diabetes. Besides this he had another
affliction which he calls his "thorn in the
flesh" which it truly is, and so we are
asking your prayers for this earnest, zealous,
servant of Our Lord, who continues his
work faithfully, despite all.
For years our Brother Manuel has
worked and continued to plead for help
in the way of a missionary couple but thus
far there has been no one to answer this
crying need. Is there not one couple who
is wilhng to come and help in this great
need in South India? I am sure that
anyone taking up that work would find joy
in such service for Christ. If you cannot
come you can tell others of the need and
you can pray that some couple, hearing of
the need of harvesters in this field, will
say, "Here am I Lord, send me." Is there
anything better one can do than dedicate
the life to His cause in a land of darkness?
Do not come if you still hold to the things
of this world as necessary to pleasure for
there are too many such out here already.
But if Christ is all-sufficient for you and you
wish to take up your cross and follow Him,
to give your life if need be, then I am
sure He can and will use you for His
honor and glory.
A HELPING HAND
Just after my trio left for die hills
to continue, their language study .a wire
came from Marian Schaefer asking for
immediate help on account of her father's
critical condition, so I left for Calcutta the
next day arriving April 26th, which was
the day before Mr. Schaefer passed away.
I did all I could to help prepare for the
funeral the following day, securing the
minister whom they wished; and then stay
ing with Mrs. Schaefer .while Marian went
back to Bilaspur to pack her things to sail
with her mother which she did on the
6th of May. As they were expecting three
new missionaries, who arrived after their
departure, I was asked to go to the hills
and live with the two young women. Miss
D. Chitwood, and Mrs. L. Mosier, while Mr.
O. D. Johnson was to take the rooms which
I was to have occupied and get his meals
with us. This is what I have done, trying
to do all I could for them to help get
started in a new land where there is much
to leam besides the language. I have tried
to do for them as though they were my own.
A WEAPONS CARRIER
Travel has been so very difficult in our
district since we had no vehicle of any
kind, and since our railway has not been
put back after being taken out about six
years ago for war needs. Cars are scarce
and not available so when in Calcutta
Mrs. Rothermel found that Army supplies
were available to missions so she arranged
to buy a weapons carrier. Some said, "What
a thing for a mission to havel" But Mrs.
Rothermel replied that as we carry the
best of all weapons "The Word of God
which is the Sword of the Spirit" we are
the very ones who should have such a
carrier. It is just a truck and will be our
"Gospel Motor" in which wo shall go to
the villages and preach, taking a load of
the Christians with us, as well as Gospels
for sale.
NEW CONVERTS
Since our return to India Brother
Manuel has baptized one young man who
was a Hindu, but who saw the Light of
Christ, His Saviour and decided to follow
Him.
At Hamirpur where our district jail is
located, one of our evangelists who lives
there has, with the help of his wife who
is a Bible woman, con\'erted the woman
jailor, who has charge of the women
prisioners, and her two daughters. He
recently baptized them and is quite hopeful
of more of the family soon. We should
pray for all these new converts and those
near the point of decision. And remember
those who are in government jobs and who
may be transferred any time, that they may
grow strong in the Lord and in the power of
His might, and tell others.
:0:
Dear Friends in Christ:
The rains have started in earnest now
and it is wonderful to sit in a nice warm
room and write letters while you listen to
the rain on the roof. We are having ten
days holiday from Language School now
so are able at last to get a few other things
done. It seems since coming to the Hills
the Middle of April all we have had time
for is Hindi and even then the days are not
long enough. The language has proven
to be a full time job for us since our arrival.
The Lord has bles.sed us with some of the
best pandits of the school who have made
the language a thing that can be understood
and mastered with much hard work.
It is just a year this month that I
started to visit the churches in preparation
to my coming to India. At that time I
had many doubts and fears about the
future. I wondered if I would be able to
stand all the difficulties and lonely times
that would come. Now I know more of
His faithfulness and realize that "Through
Him we are more than Conquerers."
I am happy in the .service of the King.
I am happy as I look to the fields white
unto harvest to which He has guided me.
Tliis is my life, and God being willing,
I want to give my time to the needy souls
of this land. It is easy to love thc.se people,
to love the unlovely as well as those who
have been touched by the power of Christ.
The faithful Christians make it easy to go
on day after day, for you can then look,
at the lost souls in the villages and know
that those who will yield to His lo^'e will
enjoy the same peace and calm.
I did not come to India because of the
task or because of the great results, for
the task is hard and the results are so very
few. I came because I knew of the thou-
-sands in need of a Savior and because I
knew of the only Saviour of the world,
the one who could satisfy every desire of
their hearts. God has poured out His
blessings for us here in such a marvelous
way that the things we had feared have
been made easy for us. The thought now
and the prayer that is ever on mv heart,
"Will I be able to be faithful to the task
to which He has called?" Pray for us that
we might be found faitliful stewards of His
work in India.
Yours in Him,
Edna Hunt.
To the Brethren:
As I write this word of greeting to
you from our liillside in the foot hills of
the Himalayas, it seems that I must try
in vain to show you the true picture of
the matters of the Kingdom in this land.
How easy it is for us, at home or abroad,
to slip into a routine attitude regarding
His work. It is a constant fight here to
prevent the "missions" idea of the years
from making a false impression on our
minds and methods. If the Son hath made
us free, we must be free indeed free of
man's ideas, conceptions and changes in
the Divine Plan for the redemption of
the world.
Brethren, we cannot but think of those
hundreds of young people at home whom we
met that love the Lord's way and in think
ing of them, we pray for their steps to be
led to help us and Him in the task that
is before us. Words lack tlie power with
which we pray the Lord will touch your
hearts and cause you to send or to be .sent
for Him here. It is a wonderful, glorious
and lifting experience IF you live by the
spirit.
"Finally, brethren, pray for us that the
word of the Lord may run and be glorified,
even as also it is witli you: and that
we may be delivered from unreasonable
and evil men: for all have not faith."
2 Thes. 3: 1-2.
Yours in the faitli,
Thomas G. Rash
:o;
Dear Co-laborers,
We rejoice in the Lord always, for He
has set our feet on higher ground and has
led us into a deeper joy and fuller under
standing of His will and way. May we
who have seen the light of the glory of
God ever "stand fast, and hold the traditions
which ye were taught, whether by word
or by epistle of ours." These words of
Paul to the church at Thessalonica were
meant for each one of us who are a part
of the body of Christ. If His children the
world over would liold to the things that
are written, and would spread the message
on to others, His church would grow, not
orJy in number, but above all in spirit and
in truth.
We thank God for tlie time of fellow
ship which we have each Lord's Day around
His table. Though we are few in number,
He is ever present. When we first came to
the Hills in April, there were five of us
including Miss Hunt, two native Christians
{botli of whom were led to the Master thru
Bro. Rothormel some years ago), and Mr.
Rash and Myself who gathered together
for this memorial feast. Later the number
grew to fourteen. It is a joy indeed to
meet in one of the homes each week and
have scripture and prayer, a message and
the breaking of bread. Missionaries have
considered us non-cooperative because we
do not attend ser\'ices at the interdenomina
tional church where some 400 people meet
on Sundays. But how can we attend these
services when His word has been made
clear to us and we know that He has given
us a divine plan to follow. His word shall
stand through fire and sword and more
insidious still, men's cunning ways should
try to crush it out. How can we lean on
any one but Him, how can we build on
any other foundation than that which is
laid which is Christ Jesus?
A servant in the field abroad,
(Mrs.) Leota Rash.
SEND ALL OFFERINGS FOR
Miss Hunt or Mr. and Mrs. T. G. Rash, To: E. E. Breakenridge,
1910 Sixth Street, N. W.
Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Offerings for Mrs. Rothermel should be sent to her Forwarding Agent,
Mrs. G. M. Ensign, 1819 Carroll Avenue, Middletown, Ohio.
INDIA CHRISTIAN
"Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to the whole creation.'
Vol. I
ON THE FIELD
Dr. Z. S. Rothermel
Mr. Thos. Rash
Mrs. Lota Rash
Miss Edna Hunt
October, 1946
No. 3
RECRUITS
Mr. Ralph Harter
Mr. William Roland
Mrs. Jean Roland
Mary Esther Roland
Bom in Cincinnati, Ohio, January 21, 1945
ROLANDS TO SAIL
You may know that we had planned to remain in Cincinnati for another
year of study. Circumstances seemed to point to our leaving for India this
winter, and after much prayer we concluded that God was directing us to
this decision. We commenced making plans to that end, and have a trip
scheduled to visit many churches before we sail. We regret that time will
not permit us to visit many otiiers which we would like to visit. Please under
stand if we can not visit you, and please remember us in your prayers that we
may be guided aright. Our sailing date is not definite, but we hope to sail
for India in January. Upon arrival there we will study the Hindi language
at the language school in the Himalayan Mts. We will then return to the
plains and work in Hamirpur, about 20 miles from Mrs. Roland's Motlier, Dr.
Zoena Rothermel.
Our Indian address will be; Ragaul, Hamirpur Dist.
U. P. India.
All personal letters will reach us tlirough this address.
The address of our forwarding agent is: Mrs. Grayce S. Ensign
1819 Carroll Ave.
Middletown, Ohio.
Please send all money and business correspondence to this address, making
checks and money orders payable to Mrs. Grayce S. Ensign.
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NEWS FROM INDIA CAUSE FOR REJOICING
"Edna and the others will be surprised when they find out you are coming
so soon. I gave a thank offering at Sunday School right after I had your news.
So it was a surprise for every one. I had another reason for gratitude for
I killed a snake a few days ago iny first, and Xdidn't know I had caught
it until the next day, after I had put my hand within an inch of where it was
pinned in the window, but it could not reach me. The Lord knew all about it,
of course, but I did not. Tlien, the ne.xt day when I opened tlie window again
it turned and hissed and stuck out its tongue, but it could not get away, so
as it turned I closed the window again and thus killed it, for in a short time
when I told Yohosu he found it dead. It was a krite, about two feet long.
Don't be frightened for the Lord, I'm sure had often protected when I did not
even know of the danger just as this time." ZOENA ROTHERMEL
BAPTISMS
In August the twenty year old son of the jailoress at Hamirpur took his
stand for Christ. Six new converts were recently baptized in Madras.
Manuel Jacobs and Converts in Madras.
LIST OF THINGS NEEDED
(British gDvcrnnu'iit requires guarantoed support.)
1. New car, preferably General Motors. 8. Stockings, an;
2. Big Ben Clock. 9. Mercerized oi
3. Two or more thermos bottles or jugs. 10. Christinas tre
4. Voil dresses, size.s 36 to 40. 11. Funeral home
5. New or old quilts and comforters. 12. Candy, any k
6. Old coats or woollen dresses. 13. Childrens clot
7. Electric transformer and electric 14. Carpenter am
power plant.
8. Stockings, any kind, sizes 9'/^ or 10.
9. Mercerized or cotton table cloths.
10. Christinas tree trimmings.
11. Funeral home advertisement fans.
12. Candy, any kind.
13. Childrens clothing, up to 8 yrs.
14. Carpenter and mechanic tools.