Should one question the effectiveness of the promotion of the Reading Course plan in our ranks through the years, let him be convinced by the following letter written by a native teacher, Moses Kalunga, and appearing in the Malarnulo Tidings, a mission sheet issued by our Southeast African Mission, Malamulo, Nyasaland. This spontaneous reflection revealed by a personal letter from one worker to another means much more than some officially solicited appeal for the campaign.
"Dear Friend,
"Speak and preach with certainty, as one who knows what he is talking about. Do not be afraid. The prophets of old were brave men, men of great faith and of great courage. They fought sin, they denounced it, and they told people about God. They said, 'Thus saith the Lord.' They were sure of God and of Him they taught. There was no shifting sand beneath their feet; they stood on the rock of their faith in God.
"Be sincere, frank, bold, and above all know Him, and be quite sure that you speak with conviction and with certainty. This arises from knowing Him and from having fellowship with Him.
"Read all kinds of good, healthy, helpful, thoughtful books. Read them with a purpose. Store your mind with things from them, just as you put away mealies and grain, and later crush them, cooking them for food. So put away in your mind that which is the food grain for your work, crush it in your mind, think it over, and clearly, too. Do not think in patches, think clearly—think, think, think! Then when the meal is cooked and the table spread, go to your people and give them this food from God.
"Make the Bible your textbook. Learn its great truths. Store your mind and enrich your spirit with the pure gold that you dig from the deep ground.
"Remember this: avoid books that do not leave a good impression. Buy what you can, but be wise when you buy them. Ask the pastors to advise you, because some books are not good at all.
"Best greetings to you all."
We believe that when our ministry generally becomes as fully appreciative of the value of reading "good, healthy, helpful, thoughtful books," the circulation of our Ministerial Reading Course books will be greatly widened and the ministry strengthened proportionately.
