After several long months of waiting, word has now been received from Brazil that the Ministry of Labor there has granted its approval for the immigration of the Edgar Potter Family on a permanent missionary visa. Backed by a copy of this document, I went to the Consulate, in Chicago, last week and picked up the various papers necessary for making an official application for their visas. It appears that the way is now clear for an early departure of the Potter's. The Consul assured me that there should now be no difficulty in completing the requirements necessary for their receiving these documents.
    We, at Landmark Church, deeply appreciate all those who have joined with us, in prayer and financial support, for this effort. We thank each of you, and give praise to God for the way in which He, once more, has manifested His ABILITY to open doors that seemed to have been shut against the admission of additional missionaries into that country that stands in such desperate need of the Gospel.
    No date, of course, can be set for this missionary's departure until the visas are actually granted. Nevertheless, I am confident that

    In the lament of Wisdom's deep disappointment (Proverbs 1:24-25) she is pictured as saying: "I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded". This suggests the disappointment of divine love because there has not been a proper regard for "the outstretched hand" of divine discipline.
    The significance of the "outstretched hand", in biblical usage, is clear and consistent. It is from the Hebrew "natah", and symbolizes the revealing of the great and glorious power of Jehovah. In its first biblical usage it pictures the Lord showing forth His mighty power to bless His people, Israel, (Ex. 6:6; comp. 15:11-13; Psa. 136:10-12). But some sort of judgment is almost inevitably associated with it --- either upon God's own people (Jer. 21:5); or upon their adversaries, (Ezek. 25:7, 12-17).
    God was pleased to work through human instruments in fulfilling His design against Pharaoh. In the working out of His Purpose, the hand of Moses or Aaron was as the hand of God upon the wicked King -- and upon all the land of Egypt. It was stretched out:
    1. Upon the waters of Egypt -- and they became bloody, (Ex. 7:19).
    2. Upon the waters, a second

    No one has really learned to LIVE until he has found something or someone to whom he can utterly GIVE of himself....something worth-while, something of lasting value.
    Several years ago Richard Barton, perhaps the most gifted caricaturist this continent has ever produced, took his own life. In his sphere he had no rival. His financial success was so great that he once said: "An artist ought to be prohibited from earning as much as I do". But, before he died, he left a letter for the world to read in which he told of a creeping despondency. Life had no real meaning to him. He wrote:

    "I have had few real difficulties. I have had on the contrary an exceptionally glamorous life, as life goes: and I have had my share of affection and appreciation. The most charming, intelligent people I know have liked me, and the list of my enemies is flattering to me. But in spite of this, the past three"

"years has made my work impossible to do at all. I have run from wife to wife, from house to house, and from country to country, in a ridiculous effort to escape from myself. In so doing I have brought a great deal of unhappiness upon those who love me. No one thing is responsible for this (suicide) and no one person, except myself. I did it because I am FED UP with inventing devices for getting through twenty-four hours a day."
    Without something worthwhile to live for, a person's existence will be nothing more than a "walking death". He will have no reason to live -- except his fear of death, and the unknown future.
    How vastly different is the lives of those who have learned the true blessedness of GIVING -- of themselves and such material blessings as God has entrusted to them! "The liberal soul shall be made fat.....He that giveth, let him do it with liberality".

time; it brought forth such an abundance of frogs as filled the houses, bedchambers, beds, ovens, and kneading - troughs of the Egyptians, (Ex. 8:5-6).
    3. Upon the dust of the land -- it became "lice" in man and beast, (Ex. 8:16-17).
    4. Toward heaven -- bringing a grievous storm of hail and fire which smote everything in the field (man and beast, tree and green herb) except in the land of Goshen, where Israel dwelt, (Ex. 9:22-28). This showed that God is well ABLE to KEEP His people "from the day of trouble" --- giving them calmness and peace while everything around them is going to pieces.
    5. Over the land of Egypt -- bringing such a plague of consuming locusts as darkened the land, (Ex. 10:12-13).
    6. Toward heaven again -- bringing three days of such thick darkness as could be "felt"; only the children of Israel had light in their dwellings, (Ex. 10:21-23).
    7. Over the Red Sea -- and it was divided so that the children of Israel went safely across on dry land, (Ex. 14:21-22).
    8. Over the Sea again -- and the waters returned; the Egyptians were drowned therein. So great and marvelous were the feats accomplished by the "outstretched hand" that the children of Israel -- having escaped the bondage of Egypt -- sang a joyful song of deliverance, (Ex. 15:11-13).
    The purpose of the "outstretched hand" toward God's people is always disciplinary; this idea always harmonizes with the context in which the figure is used. This is clear-

ly set forth in the prophets: ISAIAH, (5:24-25; 9:8-21; 10:l-4; 21:1-3; this throws light on 1:2-9); JEREMIAH, (6:10-15; 15:1-6); EZEKIEL, (6:11-14; 14:1-11, 13; 16:27). He also shows that there will be a better time for God's people in the future, (Ezek. 20:33-34).
    It is made perfectly clear that God's purpose will never be thwarted by the rebellion of men -- even by His own people, (Isa. 14:24-27). But whoever ignores, despises or rejects the lesson of the "out stretched hand" will do so to his own hurt and eternal loss.
    There is another figure in the Scriptures, which is sometimes difficult to distinguish from this one in our English Versions. It is the symbol of the Lord's "spread out" (Heb. "paras") hands. This word is often used in connection with prayer -- when God's people spread out their hands unto Him -- pleading for His great mercies. This figure is used of God, in Isaiah 65:2, and quoted by Paul in Romans 10:21: "I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walk in a way that is not good, after their own thoughts; A people that provoked me to anger continually to my face....."
    It should be an humbling, yet comforting, thought to know that our God -- with love, mercy, grace, kindness, and tender compassion -- PATIENTLY PLEADS with His wandering people to RETURN! The Father awaits the return of the prodigal son. The Good Shepherd seeks His sheep. And the Saviour pleads with perishing sinners to "LOOK AND LIVE!"
    HEED GOD'S CALL TO REPENTANCE; or face His chastening rod.

they will now be enabled to go on their way before Spring.
    At this writing approximately $975.00 has been contributed toward the Potter Travel Fund. If you have purposed to help in this project, NOW IS THE TIME to send your contribution to:
    Benjamin F. Ward, Treasurer
    Landmark Baptist Church
    2519 Lindberg Drive
    Rockford, Illinois 61109
And, I sincerely hope that you will continue to remember this missionary family with your prayers and regular support when ON THE FIELD.

    Too often men who have been promoted to positions beyond their maturity fall into Satan's snares. One such snare is the temptation to substitute CLEVERNESS for godliness. It is most startling what men of God will sometimes do in defense of their "position", their friends, or their students.
     To "handle the word of God deceitfully" is a serious violation of one's spiritual endowment. Yet, it is obvious that some will unhesitatingly resort to intellectual dishonesty, illogic, & interpretive "slight - of - hand" --- perverting the very "rules of interpretation" that they teach others to follow.
    The seed of such "neo-orthodoxy" encourages the "new morality" which some find it profitable to oppose in others. No wonder Paul urged that one desiring the office of a bishop must "have an unspotted reputation .... faithful TO ONE WIFE", (Bruce's Paraphrase). God's ORDER for the ministry IS IMPORTANT! Presumptuousness is risky business! EG