I must write a few lines to let you know God is taking care and blessing us here. I thank all the dear friends on the coast for their loyal support, and I rejoice in the blessings God has been bringing upon the work in the homeland. In this season of associations I pray for you all that these gatherings may be feasts of fellowship, courage, and love in the Spirit that will strengthen everyone for a new year of labor.

Here in China today we find many new hardships and things to make us sad, but through them all God is helping us to triumph. Bro. Randall is in Taian just now. He has been sick recently. Bro Ballou and I are going to Taian this week to relieve him, and if possible, I wish to stay ther till fall. Much of the city of Taian now lies in ruins, great heaps of stone that last spring were houses crowded with happy families. The railroad between here and there is simply lined with burned remnants of villages, the menfolks mostly left dead in the streets and the women perhaps worse off. Mr. Ballou recently visited our mission station at Tawenkow, where there is a foreign house he had fixed up last year intending to move there. He found everything had been destroyed by the Japanese who quartered in the place. His house had been used by the soldiers and the church for a horse stable, but he said the stable was the cleanest of the two. There was a Japanese garrison in the town, but the Chinese said there was not a single woman in the whole place. They had been sent to safty. The Japanese ordered him to leave town next day.

Of coarse the people all over this counrty are rising to fight the Japanese. The missionaries see the Chinese soldiers every day at various place within a few mile of here. They are always friendly to the foreigners, which makes the Japanese not like the missionaries. They say we help the Chinese. Well, that's exactly what were over here for. Until recently none of the missionaries had suffered violence at their hands, only two missionaries coming out of Tsingtao were taken off the train and tied up for two hours. But just a few days ago "Father" Fourre, a Franch Catholic Missionary on the Kiaotsi Railway that runs into Tsingtao here, was shot dead in the defense of three nuns, by a Chinese soldier in the pay of the Japanese. Their report was that the priest was hindering the soldier in the performance of his duty and "therefore fully deserved his punishment."

So you see, friends, we have some dangers over here to face today. I would not dare tell you as much as this if I did not intend to send this letter off by a U.S. Navy vessel stopped here, as our mail now is censored that goes through the regular post. Some may ask is it worth the danger to be here in China today, and I am glad that I can answer, through God's great grace it is. Brother Randall has been in the interior about a month now, and in his last letter he writes that he has recenty assisted in baptizing over fifty new converts. Many more are awaiting baptism, while never has been known a more opportune time for preaching the gospel. On account of the war we are unable to use our tents, because they would be conspicuous and suspicious targets for airplanes, however, the evangelistic work goes forward unabated. In most any village there are now homes that will open for the preaching of the gospel, and so often it is the leading family that believes.

I have been staying in Tsingtao recently to take care of the work at Tsankow. There the little chapel is always crowded, and my uncle will try to keep the work going on. I can now preach some in evangelistic work, and hope to be out preaching the gospel in the interior this coming month.

It is really marvelous the way God is blessing the work in China today. Every mission has the same reports. The Chinese arem finding their idols and material wealth untrustworthy, and are looking as never before for a savior. The work may be harder, but for those willing to dare the dangers and hardships, never was there a greater opportunity of reaping a bountiful harvest of souls. The door is not closed today, and its still possible for new missionaries to come out to China. Will you be one?

We thank you all for your loving prayers. Surely they have done much to stengthen us, and we are persuaded that He is able to keep that which we have committed unto Him. Our lives, and our all are in His hands, whom I lovingly serve as

The following is my report of receipts for the first quarter of 1938: Antioch Baptist Church, Portland, Oregon, $18.17; First Baptist Church, Klamath Falls, Oregon, $23.79; Ford City Missionary Baptist Church, Taft, Calf.,$12.55; First Baptist Church, St. Helens, Oregon, $5.00; First Baptist Church, Longview, Wash., $3.50;West Florida Missionay Baptist Association offering, $3.35; Emmanuel Baptist Church, Pensacola, Florida, $5.00; First Baptist Church, Fossil, Oregon, $1.00; Mrs. Thomas, Stayton, Oregon, $2.00; Cloverdale Baptist Church, Cloverdale, Oregon, $10.26; First Missionary Baptist Church, La Habra, Calf.,$7.40;Second Baptist Church, Fowler, Colorado, $11.64; Mountain View Baptist Church, Denver, Colorado, $10.00; Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, Caldwell, Idaho, $6.50; First Baptist Church, Mitchell, Oregon, $17.17. Total for the quarter, $137.33. John R Blalock