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MiSSIONAftltS
THE INDIA CHALLENGER
Published in the interest of the worl< of the Lord Jn South India
by

SOUTH INDIA CHURCH OF CHRIST MISSION

67,000 MILES TO INDIA
THE GREATEST JOURNEY

That is a long way to India, is it not,

but that is how far we traveled in the

While

on

our

journey

across

the

United States, presenting the work of India, and on the way to India. We
traveled 57,000 miles in the United

oceans, which took us 32 days, we went on an even greater journey than half

States and spoke in over 200 churches and camps in all parts of the country. We spent eleven months in touring the country and we certainly hope that our visit to your churches and homes has inspired you, as it has us, to be better servants of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

We were thrilled when our passport finally came in January, but it took until April to get our visa and ship ar
ranged. It was truly the Lord's will

way around the world. The best partof this journey is one that every one of you, our friends at home, can also travel. We did not want to waste any time on the ship, so we started reading the Bible through Genesis to Revela tion. As we read, we wrote down in our notebooks the most interesting facts and sermon outlines. Though we had read the Bible through many times be fore, it was not near as thrilling as it
was to read it in such a short time. It

that we were granted all these things,

for many missionaries have been de
nied entrance into India.

seemed that we were living in the land and talking distance of Adam, Moses,

Abraham, David, Isaiah, John the Bap

tist, Jesus and the apostles.

We sailed from New York on the

Lest you might think we are placing

too much emphasis on the constant

S. S. City of Perth, an English ship

manned by Scotch officers and native

Indian crew. The ride was pleasant, as you will read about inside this folder, and we would like to tell you a few highlights of the trip that we could not mention in our travelog.
At Port Said, Egypt, we had our first view of the East, and were we sur prised! There were great throngs of

reading of God's Word, let me tell you what happened to us yesterday eve ning. The date was July 10th. After we
finished our Tamil lesson, some men came to talk to us and to find out what we believed about the Bible and the

Church of Jesus Christ. One young

man who had been converted just three years had read the Bible through 60 times in 6 months. He had read himself out of Hinduism and at the first of this year quit a good job as superintendent

beggars and salesmen, peddling any

and everything. They swarmed the ship from small boats with each man yelling and screaming about his wares.
It was a sight and sound we will never forget as long as we live.

In Karachi, we were amazed with the number of refugee camps that were

in the Post Office department to preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified. He was not converted by any man, but by the Bible only, and that is all he preaches. These are high types of men, where to be a Christian requires ALL. His zeal
puts all of us to shame and this is an other proof of the great power of Bible
reading and prayer.

placed so close to the capital building.

How terrible the division has been!

PORTHOLE NEWS FROM THE PERTH

Saturday

April 29 We were to sail today and many letters from friends

and gladioli from the Lawrenceburg Church of Christ
30

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

May

1
2

This seemed like an endless day. So much\vater.

Rail Day. It was a shame to lose all the good food.

Lord's Day. W worshipped God in our ca^u

cheered us off.

Saturday
Sunday

3 Rail Day. 4 A beautiful day. Our stomach trouble gone. Sun shining. 5 Azores today. Passed the tip of Azores. 6 Played deck tennis. 7 It is wonderful how close one can feel to God out here. 8 We expected to be at Gibraltar at daylight. 9 Passed the Rock of Gibraltar and saw Europe. 10 There is a good place to wash clothes here. Also an iron. 11 Malta today. This is the island of Paul's shipwreck. 12 We saw many beautiful birds while crossing the Medi terranean. 13 Beautiful weather. The sea is as smooth as the floor.
14

We arrived at Port Said, Egypt. It was good to feel land againour first stop since leaving New York.
We went through the Suez Canal. It is beautiful with all

Monday
Tuesday

15

the shrubbery along the banks of the canal.

16 17

We saw Mt. Sinai today through the telescope, and

thought of Moses and the Ten Commandments.

Wednesday
Thursday, Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday

We are in the Red Sea now. Weather is more than con siderably warm. 18__We-stopped at Eden tonight, and the people looked like th Arabian Night's story.
19 20 21
22

We took three new passengers on board today. Sun was terrifically hot today. Our fourth Lord's Day on ship. The laundry is in the hold of the ship and the temper
ature there is almost unbearable, even with a ventilator.

23
24

We arrived in Karachi today. A city with refugees

crowding the streets.

We took a gharry ride today, and saw beggars, children

and adults with not even the necessities of life. Sailed toward Bombay. Sea was rough.

Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Monday

25 26 27 28
29

We arrived at Bombay. Here is a bustling city, with

more or less modern buildings and a very active trade. We visited three churches today in Bombay. We heard
an excellent sermon by an Indian minister.

Shopping day. The weather is so much hotter than we could imagine while we were in the States, that we
needed some reinforcements.

Tuesday

30 31

Wednesday

Thursday
Friday Saturday Sunday

June

1
2

Left Bombay afid started for Colombo. David fell out of bed even though his bed was provided with sideboards. Our first real rain came today. We arrived in Colombo today. This is one of the most
beautiful spots in the East. Ruth's birthday.

3 4

Arrived in Madras at 5:30 p.m. Stayed on board ship

Saturday night.

Cleared our baggage through customs and attended church Sunday night with Bro. Manuel Jacobs. We had
to part with only $50.00 for customs.

CHURCHES OF CHRIST IN SOUTH INDIA

MARCHING AHEAD
We were thrilled beyond measure several days ago when we visited the churches of the Poovalambedu Circle area about 40 miles away from here.

stick instruments, and sang at the top of their lungs' I talked to them and
gave them greetings from you, their brethren in America. They have been
waiting for 15 years to have a mission
ary come to South India to work and

Bother Yesudian, the son of the man

responsible ^or the .work in that area

came to visit us when he had heard that we arrived in Madras. We made a

they were thrilled beyond words. After a general meeting, I talked to the 8 native preachers and some have worked without pay for two and three years. They are very sincere men of God and each man preaches in about two villages, Mrs. Rothermel started this work over 15 years ago with Brother Doraiswamy and other native workers. Today 14 villages and 325 baptized Christians with almost 400

date to visit the work and on the pre

scribed day, we aros? at 4 o'clock and walked to the train station (after breakfast), and rode down near the bus. stop and just made the 5:30 A. M. bus, for Madarapakam. We rode until 7:30 and the bus, a worn out American

school bus with small children seats,

finally stopped and we were allowed to go outside for a few minutes and stretch our aching legs. We boarded it again and rode for another hour over roads, ditches, puddles and fields until
our stomachs and backs were com

more attending, is the result. They have

only one church building and the rest

meet under trees, in homes or any available place. Theirteaching and

lives are straight and after this con

pletely jolted loose. We were supposed to go the rest of the way (6 miles) by an ox cart, but it had rained the night before and all the oxen were busy in the rice paddy fields. We walked three miles and were met by a native pieacher who had managed to secure

ference, we all went out to baptize 5 young men into Jesus Christ. They
were from different churches and were

waiting until all were together to be

baptized.

small cart. We rode the rest of the way

two small weather-beaten oxen and a

and as I stood in the water helping, my

Brother Doraiswamy baptized them

lage, a great crowd of people met us

but walking would have been faster and easier. When we got near the vil

my neck. They plaj'ed many drums,

and put a garland of flo^""tjs around

heart was filled with grateful thanks unto Almighty God for sending us here to work. We plan to visit this area twice a month to teach and work with them. They know first principles, but need to grow in God's grace. Pray for
the brethren there.

A VISIT FROM BROTHER HARTER

rival by Brother Ralph Harter, of the Christian Mission to India. We were

We were met the day after our ar

It is a wonderful feeling when you

are in a strange land, 10,000 miles from

thrilled to see Brother Harter again,

and he was of immense value to us in getting situated. Mrs, Rothermel was planning to come even until the last minute, then when she was unable to come, Brother Harter volunteered to
come and meet us.

for Tamil, a house to live in, and taught

us something about how to deal with

home to meet again an old friend from home. He helped us to find a teacher

the people here. The day he had to leave came all too soon, and how sad
we were to see him leave. Thanks
Ralph!

RETURN ADDRESS:
Herschel Oberst

Washington, Indiana
R. R. 3

'MORRIS CODK'
Dedicated to our many friends in the Lord Many people have been to the Orient but now that we have seen something of the East, we can only say that the half has never been told. It is impos sible to convey these people, their ha bits and customs in words. One needs a moving picture, smell and taste of
the environment all at the same time.

at once, so perhaps from time to time we can give separate impressions, that will make the whole picture. Soon wo will be sending back some of the pictures we have been taking, and wire recordings of the church
services.
FOLDER.

WATCH

FOR

THE

NEXT

It is hard to give these impressions all

Our present address is 1st Street, Lloyola Nagar, Madras 24, India. Some have been sending their letters to 1/16 Sterling Road, and that was
perfectly correct, Wo have moved to
the above address. TO US, HERE. PLEASE WRITE

We wish to express our appreciation to Mrs. Ralph Dornette for her valu able services rendered during the or ganization and launching of the South
India Church of Christ Mission.

Due to the resignation of Mrs. Ralph Dornette as forwarding agent Herschel Oberst, R. R. 3 Washington. Indiana,
secretary of the board of trustees of

Each day we are studying Tamil, the language spoken by South Indians.
Our teacher comes from 10 a. m. until 11:30, and again from 3:30 p.m. until

South India Church of Christ Mission, is acting as temporary forwarding agent A new forwarding agent will be
appointed by the trustees in the near future and will be announced in the

5 p. m., so we are trying to prepare

ourselves as quickly as possible so we will be better able to further this work.

next issue of the India Challenger.

Make checks payable to the South India Church of Christ Mission.

A number of people are English-speak

ing, so we can converse with the ma

jority of them, through an interpreter.