Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 3
April 17, 1952
NUMBER 49, PAGE 15b

--News--

John G. Bills, 4133 Middlesex Drive, San Diego 16, Calif., April 9: "I preached yesterday for the newly established congregation meeting in Imperial Beach, across the bay south of San Diego. Linda Vista congregation sponsored the work at Imperial Beach, and released several who placed membership there to help build a strong work for the Lord in that locality. We are getting along fine at Linda Vista. Send names of any whom we should contact. We have baptized eight since last report."

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John L. Nosker, 241 Virginia Ave. (Colonial Heights), Petersburg, Virgins, March 31: "A brother confessed unfaithfulness at Central church here yesterday. This is the second restoration since the coming of brother Mark Hicks last August to serve as minister. Brother Hicks is an able preacher, a talented personal worker; attendance and interest continue to increase. Pray for the cause of the Lord in this mission field and if you are looking for work in which to invest funds for the furtherance of the gospel a contribution to our building fund will be most acceptable."

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George Welsh Tyler, 3811 Pershing Ave., San Diego 4, California, April 12: "About ten months ago the Linda Vista congregation of San Diego, California, became sponsor of a mission congregation at Imperial Beach, California. The work has made excellent progress during this time and about twenty-two have been baptized into Christ and the Bible school has grown till it is imperative that additional classrooms be obtained. The Tuesday evening and Friday morning Women's Bible classes continue to grow and be well attended. We are having some stiff opposition but much of it seems to come from sister congregations that think the people of this area should continue to travel several miles to attend services at their places of worship. This new congregation was started on the theory that it is easier to take the church to the people than it is to take the people long distances to the churches. On March 31st brother John G. Bills, minister of the Linda Vista congregation, visited Imperial Beach and preached. That day we had the largest crowd ever assembled in the building for religious services of any kind. The following Lord's Day, April 6th, every seat in the building was again filled. Brother Joseph Baker, Jr., is minister and is assisted by the writer and brother Carl Smith who alternate in preaching at the evening services and teaching the adult Bible class. When brother Smith retires from the U. S. Navy he hopes to be able to devote full time to preaching for congregations that cannot afford to hire full time men because of smallness of numbers or other good reasons and build them up to become self-supporting. We are planning a meeting for some self-supporting. We are planning a meeting for sometime this fall — either two or four weeks depending upon the time the evangelist has available."

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G. B. Womack, Chatham, Louisiana, April 10: "On March 26th brother J. C. Foster of Mt. Enterprise, Texas, began a gospel meeting here with the church of Christ. This meeting was a gospel effort to reach the few unfaithful members and to reach the people of the town. We few faithful ones were greatly strengthened and encouraged by the gospel preached and kind Christian association and encouragement given us by brother Foster. First and last, there were about sixteen grown people who are not members of the church of Christ attended the meeting. About six faithful members are all that can be counted on here at this time. One brother and his family living at Delhi, Louisiana, the only leader and teacher we have, brother Jack Womack, drives about one hundred and fifty or sixty miles every Lord's day, the round trip. Chatham is a difficult place to build the cause of Christ — much opposition and deep prejudice against the church. We do hope much good will result from this meeting. The people were taught the truth of the gospel in great earnest of soul and much power in the truth. This congregation is in direct need of a preacher to locate in Chatham and work with the few faithful members and among the people of our town. Some strong congregation that is missionary minded should come to our rescue and help us here where it is greatly needed. This is a destitute field around Chatham so far as the true faith of Jesus Christ. Denominationalism is strong and very bold. Will you come to our rescue and help further the cause of Christ in this much-needed field? With much struggling and help, we have a place of worship that is good enough and it has recently been paid for."