Vol. 25 No. 6 November-December, 1975 THE MESSENGER Published bi-monthly as the official organ of the South- east Asia Union Mission of Seventh-day Adventist., 251 Upper Serangoon Road, Singapore, 13. GOD IS THE CENTRE Yearly Subscription Price $2.50 (U.S.) "If I banish Him from the centre of my life, I can't find Him around the edges." These are the words of the famous German preacher, Helmut Thielicke. They repeat a truth that should be in the mind and heart of every Seventh-thy Adventist. The only thing new about them is the words in which the thought is expressed. Jesus told men this same thing nearly two thousand years ago. A lawyer came to Him and asked, "Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment." Matt. 22:36, 37. Now, Jesus did not say these words because God is a selfish God, but because He knew that nothing else than complete, undivided devotion to the Lord will make a happy Christian. This is a type and quality of devotion which is not common. If you do not think this is so, look around your own church. Better still, look into your own heart. When you are asked to do something for the Lord in connection with service to the church, are you willing to do it, or do you try to think of excuses that will give you a way to avoid doing it? (If you have ever served on a church nominating committee, you may have heard some of this kind of excuses.) Do you accept service to your Lord and to your church joyfully, and then do it wholeheartedly; can the church and the Lord depend on you to do your very best? Thank God, there are church members like that. They have put God in the centre of their lives. They are always on the job. They can always be depended on to be where they are supposed to be when they are supposed to be there and doing the job they are supposed to do. Their fellow church officers love them and their pastor calls them blessed. They are the backbone of every church in the world. A church with no members like this can hardly exist, let alone do its appointed task in the church. But there ought to be ten times as many of these blessed people. The late comers, the forgetful, those who just plain do not do what they should do in the work of their office, cripple and hamper the church and its work. And these people are not really happy in the Lord. If there are complainers or objectors in the church they are likely to be found among this class of people. When tragedy or danger strike, we all turn to God. Where do we want to find Him in our lives; in the centre where He can give us instant courage and help, or around the edges where we have pushed Him? It will make a big difference in a crisis. Editor � Carrol Grady Asso. Editor � R. E. Finney Correspondents: News Notes � Maggie Tan S. A. U. College � Maggie Tan Sabah Mission � C. S. Gaban Sarawak Mission � Sim Chor Kiat Thailand Mission � Abel Pangan W. Malaysia-Singapore � Jonathan Ng Circulation Manager � Hermani Ng M.C. (P) No. 325/75 SOUTHEAST ASIA UNION MISSION OF SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS DIRECTORY W. L. Wilcox � President Daniel Tan � Secretary R. C. Thompson � Treasurer H. H. Kong � Auditor W. Y. Chen � Assistant Treasurer R. B. Grady � Lay Activities & S.S. Richard McKee � Publishing M. E. Thorman � Educational Roger Heald, M.D. � Health B. U. Donato � M.V. and P.R. SABAH MISSION Acting President � M. Gaban Secretary � C. S. Gaban Treasurer & Auditor � Peter Wong P. 0. Box 7, Tamparuli, Sabah, East Malaysia SARAWAK MISSION President � Bruce Johnston Sec-Treasurer & Auditor � Johnny Rueh P. 0. Box 41, Kuching, Sarawak, East Malaysia THAI LAND MISSION (INCLUDING LAOS) President � Sunti Sorajjakool Secretary � Sunti Sorajjakool Treasurer & Auditor � H. I. Lukman P. 0. Box 11/234, Bangkok, Thailand WEST-MALAYSIA — SINGAPORE MISSION President � T. K. Chong Sec-Treasurer & Auditor � C. 8. Lim 166-A Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur 06-26 Selangor, Peninsular Malaysia Our Cover: Students attending the Andrews University Extension School discuss points learned in class with their teachers, Dr. Arnold Kurtz, Dr. A. V. Wallenkampf, and Dr. Mervyn Hardinge, Printed by Southeast Asia Publishing House R.E.F. November-December � THE � MESSENGER � 3 This crowded, dilapidated dormitory will be replaced because of the generous offering given this Thirteenth Sabbath. SOUTH PACIFIC ISLANDS RE- CEIVE CHRISTMAS GIFT While most people would enjoy a picnic lunch outdoors on a plea- sant sunny day, students at the Kauma Adventist School at Abe- mama, in the Gilbert Islands, must eat every meal outdoors, in all kinds of weather, for they have no dining hall. This is one of the projects in the Australasian Division that has benefited from the Fourth Quarter Thirteenth Sabbath Overflow Offer- ing. The Kauma and Aore schools will also replace the decaying and overcrowded dormitories and the thatched huts and make-shift houses built from war-salvage ma- terials, which have served as faculty housing for over 20 years. Patients often bypass better- equipped hospitals to enjoy the Christian kindness, good nursing and sound medical practice found at the Aore Adventist Hospital. The Thirteenth Sabbath offering will help provide a representative building to house the X-Ray and Pathology departments. Other pro- jects receiving help are an Evange- listic-Educational Centre at Koumac and a church school for New Caledonia. Sabbath School members in the Southeast Asia Union gave a gener- ous offering to help our brothers and sisters in the South Pacific this Thirteenth Sabbath. SMOKER'S FIFTH TRY BRINGS SUCCESS Mr. Wong Ah Siong, 70, a smoker for more than forty years, attended his fifth Five-Day Plan in two years. "This time I followed everything to the letter and was successful," he said. The ninth Stop Smoking Clinic held in Singapore, September 5 to 10, was the most successful one yet. Sponsored and organized by the Health Education Committee of Youngberg Memorial Adventist Hospital under the direction of Roger 0. Heald, M.D., M.P.H.; and M. E. Thorman, Union Education Director, the lectures were well reported by the leading local news- papers. The session, which filled the hospital auditorium to capacity every night, attracted 50 smokers who had been hooked by the to- bacco habit for five to 65 years. Thirty-three attended five nights and reported 100% success. Thirty who returned to a social hour two weeks later reported that they are still off cigarettes. Though this feat was achieved, it was not easy. "I had to drink glassfuls of water to overcome the sudden craving for a cigarette at 5:00 p.m. each day," said one individual. Another said that he had .an in- satiable urge to eat and was eating two breakfasts a day instead of one. "However, compared to my smok- ing days I feel reborn and a much healthier person," he said. Lim Boon Eng, a printer, asked his father, Lim Tian Seck, if he could use his car to attend the lectures. Mr. Lim agreed and de- cided to come along and find out what it was all about. His curiosity Lim Tian Seck � Wong Ah Siong was soon changed into a firm deci- sion to quit smoking. Every evening after the meeting he and his son went home and told his father, Lim Teck Ong, 78, all that they had learned and he also was impressed to give up the smoking habit which he had had for 65 years. Mr. Lim testified, "I have seen and heard so many anti-smoking posters and campaigns, but none have yet impressed me to give up smoking. The lectures, films and magazines of your organization were so unique, logical and well- illustrated, showing the frightening facts about lung cancer and the consequences of cigarette smoking. Above all, you people have intro- duced us to the Power which gives us the victory over smoking.' Peter Foo, PR Director Youngberg Memorial Adventist Hospital DEATH OF FORMER MISSIONARY Sutan Mangatas, born February 27, 1894, ;n Tapanuli, Sumatra, died November 8, 1975, at his home in Jakarta. He served the former Malayan Union Mission as teacher and preceptor at the Malay- an Union Seminary (now South- east Asia Union College), as pastor- evangelist of the Malay Church—in Singapore, and as eidtor of the Tjahaja, a monthly Malay magazine. He leaves behind his wife, two sons, Anwar Bey of Singapore and Edmir of Semarang; two daughters, Mrs. Jenny Pane and Mrs. Giring Simorangkir of Jakarta; and ten grandchildren. NEWS FROM THE MISSIONS HISTORIC BAPTISM CLIMAXES YOUTH CONGRESS More than 300 young people and youth leaders from all over Thailand attended the Mission-wide Youth Congress held October 21-26 at Bangsaen. Following a colorful parade by the various Pathfinder Clubs Pastor Sunti Sorajjakool, Mission President, set forth the theme of the congress, "Chosen for a Chosen Task." On Friday night the young people were challenged to commit their lives to God by Elder R. B. Grady, Union Sabbath School and Lay Activities Leader. Each person received a bookmark on which he wrote the name of a person for whom he promised to pray until that person gives his heart to God. Following the service the audience assembled outside the chapel in a large circle for a candle-lighting ceremony and the prayer of com- mitment. Elder W. L. Wilcox, Union Pre- sident, gave the stirring sermon on These girls from the Karen tribe of the Mae Seriang district attended the youth congress. Sabbath morning, as well as the daily midday devotional. A number of workshops were conducted to train the young people for better service. Elder B. U. Donato, Union Youth Director, conducted a work- shop in MV Society Leadership; Pastors A. F. Bell, R. E. Bartolome, and Mr. Somsak Songput presented Pathfinder Leadership; Temperance and Youth Evangelism was led by Pastor Jonathan Ng, West Malaysia- Singapore Mission Youth Director; Child Evangelism was conducted by Mrs. Doreen Ng, Mrs. Athayasia, Mrs. Viola Bell, Mr. Jesse Lim, and Elder Grady; Miss Rebecca Acot presented Music and Song Direct- ing; Mr. Ramon Ulangca and Pastor Sunti were in charge of Choosing a Career or Profession; and Pastors Paul Chonmintra and Richard McKee, Mission and Union Publish- ing Secretaries, conducted the Lit- erature � Evangelism � Workshop, which led 18 young people to decide to become literature evange- lists. The highlight of the youth con- gress was the largest baptism in the history of the Thailand Mission, when 79 young people were bap- tized in the sea by ten ministers on Sabbath afternoon. Abel V. Pangan, Youth Director Thailand Mission Seventy-nine Congress. - '-imL•-• young people were baptized at the close of Thailand's Youth A colorful mission pagaent was pre- sented during the Sabbath School. MINISTERS ATTEND SEMINAR Elder J. R. Spangler, Ministerial Secretary of the General Confer- ence, spoke on the "new birth ex- perience" at a seminar for Mission November-December � THE � MESSENGER � 5 ministerial workers held October 16-20 at the Bangkok Adventist Hospital. The need for spiritual revival and reformation was empha- sized by Elder W. L. Wilcox, Union President. Elder R. C. Williams, Division Ministerial Secretary, pre- sented the importance of our lay- men becoming involved in evange- lism. "Unless we share the blessings we have with others, we will lose them," he said. In the workers' meeting which followed the seminar Pastor Sunti, Mission President, challenged the workers to set goals for the coming year. Abel V. Pangan, Sabbath School and Youth Director Thailand Mission Thailand workers who attended the Ministerial Institute held recently. Front row, left to right: W. L. Wilcox, R. C. Williams, S. Soraijakool, and J. R. Spangler. MEMORIAL CHAPEL OPENED On September 16, the Venden Memorial Chapel, built in an at- tractive location on the grounds of the Chiengmai Adventist Aca- demy, was formally opened. It was a beautiful day when a number of representatives arrived from the Southeast Asia Union Mission to participate in the official ceremo- nies. The school campus was well kept. The buildings were clean and neat, a real credit to God's work in that part of His vinyard. The The new Venden Memorial farm was producing crops abun- dantly, and the students were ac- tively engaged in all the school functions. "There is more work here than there are students to do it," Elder Fisher, who is both farm manager and treasurer of the school, declared. As we looked over the many acres of rice fields, banana trees, vegetable gardens and other plants, we could well agree with Pastor Fisher's observations. This is a rather unique school, for there are two campuses located on the same property. These schools are the Chiengmai Adventist Aca- demy and the Hilltribe Training Center. Presently there are 80 stu- dents enrolled in the adult school program and the academy. Another building for the 12- grade school had just been com- pleted and the official opening was to take place. The chapel and library building was constructed largely from donations given by Mrs. D. E. Venden in memory of her husband, the late well-known and greatly beloved evangelist, Pastor D. E. Venden. The chapel occupies the 2nd floor, while the first floor will house the academy library. At approximately 1:00 p.m. the visitors were asked to gather in the open area below the chapel as the students lined up on both sides of chapel-library complex. the walk leading up to the new structure. At a given signal the visitors and teachers walked up to the chapel between the students and gathered at the foot of the stairs. Here a ribbon-cutting cere- mony took place with Mrs. Chalaw, wife of the Principal of the aca- demy and adult school program, cutting the ribbon. Following the ribbon-cutting everyone filed into the new audi- torium and those who were to take part in the program took their places on the rostrum. Brother Roger Kopitzke, Director of both school programs, welcomed all who had come to attend the opening. Others who took part in the pro- gram were Pastor Sunti Sorajjakool, President of the Thailand Mission; Pastor Chalaw, Academy Principal; Pastor Milton Thorman, Union Edu- cational Director; Pastor Arthur Bell, Mission Educational Director and � Principal• of • Ekamai School; Mr. Komol Santimalapong, Trea- surer of the Thai and English Eka- mai Schools; Pastor Helton Fisher, Treasurer and Advisor of the Aca- demy; and Pastor W. L. Wilcox, President of the Southeast Asia Union Mission. A number of special songs were rendered by the school choir under the direction of Miss Pat Gustin, Dean of girls. Also, different groups A gospel beacon in the country of Laos, is this new church in the capital city of Vientiane. Pastor Sunti Sorajjakool, Thailand Mission President, and Pastor Sopon conducted a dedication service on September 28. 6 � THE � MESSENGER � November-December of tribal students sang in the Meo and Karen dialects. After the service the visitors were taken on a tour of the school plant. We were well impressed by the neatness of the students in both the girls' and boys' dormi- tories and were happy to see the progress being made in the school building program. Already two dormitories, the administration building, cafeteria and classroom block and the new chapel and library have been completed. Not long ago a new tractor was made available for the Academy and Tribal Center. This had been a great blessing to the farm and build- ing program. No one knows just how much longer the great land of Thailand will be open for the preaching of the gospel. We do know that time is short and that which is to be done, must be done quickly. W. L. Wilcox, President Southeast Asia Union Mission This beautiful jungle chapel was recently built in Fang, northern Thailand. MOST BEAUTIFUL JUNGLE CHAPEL Members of the Fang Church at Long 0, in northern Thailand, do- nated over 100 hours labor each to build their beautiful jungle chapel during a four-week period. It is constructed of hollow blocks, with asbestos sheets for roofing. The cost of the materials, US$1,015.00, was donated by Elder and Mrs. LaVerne Tucker of the Quiet Hour radio program in the United States. Over 60 attended the dedication service on October 11, and five precious souls were baptized. A lay evangelistic effort was conduct- ed in the chapel in November and members plan another effort early next year. Abel V. Pangan, Sabbath School Director Thailand Mission CHURCH MEMBERS WITNESS TO BIBLICAL VIEW OF DEATH Southeast Asia Union College Church members distributed 4,000 tracts in the Bidadari Christian Cemetary on All Souls' Day and All Saints' Day, November 1 and 2. Every year many Christians come to the cemetary opposite the col- lege to pay their respects to the dead by bringing flowers to deco- rate the graves. In the evening the cemetary is lighted by hundreds of candles. This year teams of young people stood at the main gates of the cemetary distributing an English tract entitled, "What Happens When You Die?'' and a Chinese Hope for Today tract. Though it was raining slightly on Sabbath afternoon, some boys went around the cemetary giving out tracts to those who were visiting the tombs of loved ones. On Sunday, when more people came, one team passed out 400 tracts in half an hour. The Investors, a musical group, sang religious songs while giving out tracts. When the November-December � THE � MESSENGER � 7 Roman Catholic Archbishop came, he got a tract too. Many college students are enthu- siastic about witnessing for God. They pray that many who received the tracts will be saved when Jesus comes. Andy Ng, Lay Activities Leader SAUC Church COLLEGE CHURCH INVESTS IN JUBILEE YEAR This year marks the fiftieth an- niversary of the first Investment offering, when a Sabbath School teacher gave each of the children in her class a penny to invest for Jesus. Members of the College Church have marked this special year by turning in over $5,000.00 for Investment by the first Sabbath in December. This is more than double the amount raised last year, reports Investment leader Lawrence Randig, a junior theology student. Over $1,000.00 has been raised by Mrs. Ho, SAUC matron, from the sale of her delicious baked goods. The H. H. Kong family turned in over $100.00 from sell- ing the fruit of their rambutan tree. The children in the primary department have brought in over $500.00 through a variety of pro- jects ranging from running errands to the sale of oranges, mangoes, snow cones, popcorn, and felt bookmarks. One little boy earned nearly $50.00 from making flower leis and selling them at a Hawaiian- style party. Probably the most unique In- vestment method has been that of The Investors, a singing group of eight college students, modeled after the Heritage Singers, who are available to give Friday and Sabbath evening family -worship services of song and personal testi- mony. Offerings received from this project total over $200.00 so far. The Investors have also produced a tape of their music for sale. Truly, the Lord blesses our ef- forts when we invest our time, money, and talents for Him. 1,000 NEW VOP STUDENTS On Singapore's Tenth National Day, August 9, 1975, six Singapore churches distributed 20,000 VOP cards, which resulted in over 1,000 new enrollments in the English and Chinese Bible Correspondence Courses. Southeast Asia Union College Church, having a burden for the millions of Singaporeans who have not discovered the everlasting gos- pel, initiated this project. Seventy church members passed out the cards in two housing estates and one of the ten parade centers. Chuan Hoe, a branch church of the College Church, circulated the tracts with invitations to their Voice of Youth meetings. About 40 Balestier Road Church young people covered another housing estate. The Thomson Road Chinese Church and the Youngberg Memo- rial Adventist Hospital Church also participated. As Queenstown Church was having a baptism that day they passed out their cards a week later. Andy Ng, Lay Activities Leader SAUC Church FIRST MV INVESTITURE IN MUAR A group of 20 Pathfinders, dress- ed in their new uniforms, marched into church on September 6, 1975, to take part in the first MV In- vestiture in the history of Muar S.D.A. Church. A total of 48 honor tokens was presented by Pastor Jonathan Ng, Mission Youth Direc- tor. During the service Steven Liew, Tee Seng Wee, and Lim Suan Po took their stand for Christ and were baptized by Pastor Ng. The Ad- ventist Pathfinders are working hard to help their fellow club mem- bers decide for Christ and join hands with the church. The formation of the Pathfinder Club in Muar was the fulfillment of the dream of a number of young people, including Mr. Danny Wi, who is now Director of the group. Muar has been chosen as the campsite for the coming South Malaya Pathfinder Rally and Week- ehd Campout, December 25-28, in which Pathfinder Clubs from Kuala Lumpur, Malacca, Pontian, and Johore Bahru will participate. 1975 has indeed been Pathfinder Year in the Malaya Mission. Jonathan Ng, Youth Director West Malaysia-Singapore Mission ANDREWS UNIVERSITY EXTEN- SION SCHOOL Southeast Asia Union College was privileged to host the Andrews University Extension School for a five-week session, November 13 to December 19. Five courses, equalling 12 units of graduate credit, were offered to workers throughout the Far Eastern Division. A total of 135 students enrolled in classes in Philosophy of Health, Doctrine of the Holy Spirit, Biblical Preaching, Seminar in Church Growth, and Individual Re- search, taught by Dr. Arnold Kurtz, Director of the SDA Theological Seminary, Andrews University; Dr. Arnold Wallenkampf, Director of the SDA Theological Seminary, Far East; and Dr. Mervyn G. Hardinge, Dean of the School of Health, Loma Linda University. "This is the best-organized ex- tension school I have yet seen," commented Dr. Kurtz. The students, too, expressed apprecia- tion for the inspiring and enlighten- ing classes. Maggie Tan, Registrar SAUC rbMIMId 4 404 OW" SOUTHEAST ASIA UNION COLLEGE SENIORS RECEIVE DIPLOMAS Twenty-four college seniors graduated from South- east Asia Union College in exercises held November 7 and 8. Included in this group were the first four- year graduates of the Department of Secretarial Science: Varinee Vorachakreyanun, Molly Gaban, and Pornsree Chuenchob; and the Department of Consumer Science: Poomaree Plodprong and Wong Chwee Lin. Four of these girls—Varinee, Molly, Poomaree, and Chwee Lin—also received the Bachelor of Science in Education degree. This graduation was unique in the fact that the 13 four-year graduates outnumbered the 11 who received a two-year diploma. Graduating with honors were Quah Ai Hoon, laude; Tan Yoke Foh, cum laude; and Varinee Vorachakreyanun, cum laude. Pastor S. F. Chu, senior teacher in the SDA School, was the speaker for the Consecration service Friday night. Dr. Arnold Wallenkampf, Director of the SDA Theological Seminary, Far East, spoke for the Baccalaureate service Sabbath morning, and the Commencement speaker Saturday night was Elder M. E. Thorman, Union Education Director. Following is a list of the graduates: Diploma/Degree � Name 2-Yr Science & Math � Stanley Chong (Sabah) 2-Yr Liberal Arts � Chung Eun Joo (Korea) 2-Yr Business � Pairoet Panichkul (Thai) Zainar Tarmizi (Indonesia) Yeo Kah Joo (Singapore) Bachelor of Science � Law Jee Siew (Singapore) in Commerce � David Pang (Sabah) Bachelor of Consumer � Poomaree Plodprong (Thai) Science � Wong Chwee Lin (Johore) Plans Student, Philippine Union College Student, Newbold College Student, USA Business Assistant, Indonesia National Service Computer firm or Youngberg Hospital Graduate studies Teacher, Ubon, Thailand Teacher, Thailand or Taiwan Bachelor of Science in Education Pornsri Chuenchob (Thai) Molly Gaban (Sabah) Varinee Vorachakreyanun (Thai) Chitree Bamnamart (Thai) Rosemary Chan (Singapore) Lorinda Kong (Sarawak) Lee Lee Hwa (lpoh) Quah Ai Hoon (Singapore) Jennifer Sim (Sarawak) Chai Teck Sin (Johore) Molly Gaban (Sabah) Lim Yeow Kheng (Singapore) Poomaree Plodprong (Thai) Maggie Sapok (Sarawak) Varinee Vorachakreyanun (Thai) Wichitra Sinitkoonchai (Thai) Wong Chwee Lin (Johore) Secretary, Ekamai, Thailand Secretary, Sabah Mission Teacher, Ekamai, Thailand Secretary, Thailand Secretary, Youngberg Hospital Student, SAUC Secretary, Canada Secretary, Far Eastern Division Student, Loma Linda University Graduate studies, PUC Secretary, Sabah Mission Teacher, SDA School Teacher, Ubon, Thailand Teacher, Ayer Manis, Sarawak Teacher, Ekamai, Thailand Teacher, Ekamai, Thailand Teacher, Thailand or Taiwan Bachelor of Secretarial Science 2-Yr Secretarial Science Bachelor of Theology � Lew Chin Hin (Johore) Tan Yoke Foh (Perak) Varinee Vorachakreyanun, Pornsri Chuenchob, and Molly Gabon were first to receive Bachelor of Secretarial Science degree. Pastor, Miri, Sarawak Bible Worker, Malaysia Poomaree Plodprong and Wong Chwee Lin were the first four-year graduates from the Consumer Science department.