Palestine Church

(Pine Grove)

(1904-1909?)

The Gospel Messenger July 30, 1904 page 491 Vol. 43 No. 31

THE ARKANSAS COLORED MISSION.

The work at this place is moving on slowly but steadily. We are doing what we can, and God is giving victory. The devil is busily engaged seeking whom he may devour. We have a number of applicants for church membership, but opposition is strong against us.

   Eld. J. H. May, of Ohio, arrived here to-day. He expects to remain with us for a while to help in the fight. His intentions ate to conduct a series of meetings, to baptize all who may be persuaded to go with us and to organize us into a body. Some here are doing all in their power to make the work a failure. We are thankful that while the devil is mighty, God is almighty. If God be for us, who can be against us? These words comfort us, for we are sure that it is God's work and that he is with it.

   We ask an interest in your prayers that much good may be done in Jesus' name: that true gospel principles may be implanted into the minds and hearts of the people of this place, and that they may be lifted to a higher plane of living. The promises are ours. Let us lay hold of them and claim victory through Jesus our Savior.

Mattie Cunningham, Palestine, Ark., July 8.

The Gospel Messenger Sept. 24, 1904 page 619 Vol. 43 No. 39

Arkansas Colored Mission

 In my last letter to the Gospel Messenger we were beginning a series of meetings.  During Eld. May’s stay of three weeks four precious souls accepted the whole Gospel and put on Christ by Christian baptism.  We then seven in number were organized into a body, with Bro. D. C. Clark as our minister.  The work is moving on slowly bus surely.  The truth is taking deeper hold on the people, and though our number is small we can see that the true gospel teaching is having a moulding influence on this community.  It is noticeable in various respects.  Our services are quite well attended and people seem deeply interested.

  Our Sunday school is holding its own, but the homes in which we hold our services is so very poorly built that we cannot hold services in it during the winter months.  We cannot afford to let the interest weaken in any way, so have arranged for a church lot and want to put a house thereon before bad weather sets in.  we want to build a neat, plain house, which will cost (in all) about $450, and take this opportunity to solicit your assistance.

  The people here, as a rule, are in poor circumstance. Very few of them own their own homes.  Their crops have been greatly cut off by the drought, and on doubt many of them will be in want before the spring.  So we earnestly appeal to you who are interested in the Lord’s work and in the salvation of lost souls to assist us with our money. “Give as the Lord has prospered you” and as the Sprit may direct.  All will be thankfully received.  Send all contributions to the General Missionary and Tract Committee, Elgin, Ill., and if you want you donation used for building purpose, please so designate it.

Mattie Cunningham.  Palestine, Ark., Sept. 13.