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MORGANS' MISSION TO MEXICO

Bill & Dorothy Morgan

Volume 2

Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico

March 1962
.Number 1

Sponsored by First Christian Church, Booker, Texas

MEXICO! AT LA3TI
"HUNGERING AND" THIRSTING "

In
Dorothy, Dennis and Beverly arrived in Guadalajara, Mexico, January 1? by plane and Bill and David the follovdng day by car. The trip took only 3 hours from San Antonio by
air, but,24 hours driving
. ee-vices in

February,

Mariano,

Clinton and

Bill

went v/ith our new brother from' San Andres to visit his relatives back in the mountains a-

time, on the road.

villages as

Vfe found the Looneys already hard at work, not only with language study, but conducting
:bhe city and in two

. v-e'Il. Vi)e were amazed at the contacts they lv-c\ jrade within such a short time. (The Loonave been in Guadalajara since Septem-

bout 1^0 miles from Guadalajara. Our journey took us along the San Luis Potosi highway to Tepatitlan, across the Rio Verde River to the picturesque town of Yahualica, thence about forty miles on a gravel road, and finally about five miles f^n something which could hardly be called a road at all. Our destin ation ^vas a small ranee and a village called Guejotitlan, which seemed to us to be very
isolated from the rest of the world. Imagine

'f-r-s. a graduate of Colegio

^ Texas.

V)er 1961.

Working with tiiem was Mariano Far-

Biblico, Eagle

With our own language problems,

"it- 'las been a great help to have Brother Fari?--. to preach, do personal work, and inter pret for us. We immediately plunged into bot .i language study and evangelism. Although . tb'o progress has been slow, the Lord has

our surprise, then, when a nBn came up to us carrying a transistor radio and telling us that John Glenn had just completed his suc cessful orbits around the earth,, ^at irony! Here in a most remote spot were people who knew the latest world news before we did, but
who did not know the V/ord of God! fe were

lessed and we ' are able to report

chle results.
GUADALAJARA

some yis-

made to realize the tremendous power of radio and the possibilities of evangelizing a caun--

try by this means. We hope that we can one day broadcast the Gospel to all of Mexico.

We weje fbrtunate to secure a building for

services- in a very good location center of town, yet in a heavily near the populated

it, was late.at night

the people

when we arrived, but

short time,

welcomed us and in a

at least
of Christ.
about

50 were gathered to hear the message

Following
across

residential section. The building is locat ed on the corner of Escorza and Mexicaltzingo

this service we walked

the hills to another

a mile

Streets, t)etween two main arteries of

V/e have been conducting services

the

city and. one block from a m^in cross-street.

at 10:00 AM

and 5:00 each Lord^s Day, Attendance has' run up into the twenties, including our own families. From these efforts we have baptiz
ed three thus fartwo men and one woman. An

home, v/here the people were in bed, for it was then past mid-night. However, they rose up.TJid vient out to, bring in their neighbors, and we stayed teaching them until 2:00 a.m.
Such ^ experience we have never had before! Here were men and women who were truly hungry
for the Bread of Life. We left them a Bible

other young man has confessed faith in Christ

but as yet has not been baptized. However, because the owner of the building has refused to \make. some very necessary electrical re
pairs and has otherwise shown us that he can

and a number of tracts, and hope to return to spend several days and teach them His Vfay more perfectly.
MAILING LIST -

not be trusted to keep his word, we are press.7tly looking for another place to meet. We

bslieve something more

,in the same general

suitable can be found

location for less rent

Our mailing-list is constantly being ex panded,and we will gladly add the name of any interested person. Request, our Newsletter from First Christian, P. 0. Box 331^ Booker,
Texas.

.than' the $64.00 a month we are now paying.

'4'.

'

THIS

IS

MEXICO

LA1\IGUAGE

STUDY

are living in the lovely city of Guadalajara, capital of the state of Jalis

co and the second largest city of Mexico,

We are finding it to be a long hard roaa to becoming fluent in a foreign tongue. Cl '
inton and Bill have enrolled in the Mexican

life in Mexico such am interesting adven ture. There are modern office and apart
ment buildings, wide

with a population of 750,000. Here we find all of the striking contrasts that inake

North American Institute in Guadalajara for

intensive study. We practice conversation at every opportunity and ar^ finding our work

streets, and lovely

in the villages very helpful in this respect.

parks plus

the ancient

cathedrals, dusty

Hov/ever, progress
are much

is slow at best, and we

prayers for this

"roadsj and adobe dwellings. Buses and taxis rush through the city in all direct

in need of your

very necessary task.

The children are also

so far Melba

ions . but the horses and buggies move along the same as they did a hundred years
ago. Ladies wearing the latest Paris fash
ions and immaculately dressed business men

studying the language in the American School

where they are enrolled, but

and Dorothy have been unable to take any

class work. Nevertheless, they are trying to
day-to day contact

tnine-'le in the streets

s-iiTjn^r
F^rapes

with people clad'm '

others
their

learn all they can in

with the people.
TONALA

the ancient dress of their ancestors.lt is

not -iiUiusual for many to be wearing light

clothing while
wrapped around

have

wool

heads and

. cohering their

faces

as

if

in a bitter

snowstorm. A sarape-clad woman sells candy

from a little wooden cart and the latest world news on her
bicycle and pedals out to see

We v/ere introduced to an elderly couple who live in the nearby village of Tonala,
and they invited us to come to their home

listens to transistor
a client.

once
tical

a week to teach

them the

Scriptures.
the

radio. A well dressed salesman gets on his .'j?.ny languages are heard in Guadalajara . ""'rench, German, Hebrew, in addition to
01 the vendors, plus the usual sights and bounds found in any large city in ttie U.S. Life fran our apartment window is a passing parade. In one day's time one
might see going by

We had been told that this was a very fana

town, and we v/ere soon to learn

truth of this information. One afternoon, Clinton and Mariano were visiting in this,
home vhen a group of women gathered outside and began to cause a disturbance. Mariano
. tried to reason with them from the Scrir>. . tures, but one woman replied that she didn"'u

activity of the markets, the constant cry

Spanish and English. There is the bustling

dozens of vendors on

baskets on their heads, a herd of goats or cattle, horses, cars, buses, trucks, vragons, buggies, etc.
ground all day long.

bicycles or pushing carts or carrying huge

In some respects it is

believe the Bible because she didn't knovv-, anything about it^ she believes only in "t-h*;., Holy Virgin and in what the priest said " Some of the women picked up rocks and threj-

tened to. break out the car windows. Seeuig '

getting nowhere in

that they were

the.disv ....

cussion, the preachers decided to leave. Go-

like living in the middle of a great fair

ing toward them, and as the mob progressed

up the street others
ways on both sides.

ijig to the car, they saw a group of men com

joined them from door
They shouted their thr

, -The climate here is very temperate. Be

ing south of the Tropic of Cancer but at

an altitude of 5,200 feet makes for a very

agreeable situation. The average temper

eats and curses but allowed the car to pass

through their midst. We thank the Lord that

ature ranges from 58 in January to 72 in

our

brethren escaped

from this experience

to return to invitation their

%y.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are in

The climate, color, and contrasts of

aoundance and hence inexpensive.

Tonala to teach the one interested family

as they , have

unharmed,

'i/e have been unable withdravm

Southern Mexico bring many tourists here every year. However, there is a great need

fearing rer isals from their

They l^ad already told us the townspeople were

of

neighbors!

for more Christians to come to implant the Gospel of the Lord Jesus in the hearts of the iiiexican people. Our prayers are to
this end.

refusing to sell them groceries.because

country.

their association with us. This is an exam ple of "religious tolc-ance" in a Catholic
We pray that somehow the hearts of

these people may be opened to the

Cod's Word.

truth of

w Giii^ AMjRES

, -

'

-V' , C^'ontact was made with a family in the

suburban willage of San Andres, and. they opened their home for services. Attend
ance has run into the thirties, and a great anount of interest in the gospel has been manifested. . An outstanding man of the com munity, his daughter, and a young woman have accepted Christ and were baptized re

..IN

MEMORIAK

HffiNE CAMPBKLL

Since the pu^'dishing of our last "Christ

ian Messenger" our
in Christ who set

dear friend

and sister
issue

the type for that

has passed from our midst.

the beloved wife of Brother

Sister Irene was

Bill Campbell,

cently. A son of this same man has made the good confession and is to be baptized soon.
We are now also" conducting services in this

Elder of the Booker Church and member of our

home. In all we are meeting at San Andres twice on the Lord's Day; at 12:00 noon and

7:30 p.m.,

and

on Tuesday and

Thursday

evenings. This has phase of our work, strong congregation ed among the people

been a most encouraging and ' we believe thct a can evsntually be form of this village.

Evangelistic Committee, who prints our miss ionary paper. Irene died froia a heart attack in her sleep the night of Jan. 20. We extend our deepest sy.npathy to Brother Campbell and to their daughter Alice, a student at South ern Christian College in San Antonio, Texas.

vv'. MSHSEr3:iI?-^PII)GS CARDS-

'"

"

ADDRESSES

Personal letters may be sent directly to

the Morgans at Apt. 2, 810 CircunvalacionProvidencia; Sector Hidalgo, Colonia Italia; CTiis.dalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, All funds and
_o+her correspondence should be sent to the

' We have an adequate supply of cards with a picture, of the'Horgan f^.'ijnily and space to" keep a record of contributions. Churches or individuals desiring these may obtain them

on request to Box 331^ Booker, Texas.

SLIDES Am' TAPE RECORDINGS We ar',3 still in the process of setting .up a slide library from which interested groups may keep up v/ith the progress of the work. This is yet incomplete, but sets wi3-l be
available soon. Please write i f interested.

::olrwarding agent, Mrs. F. A, Kerns, P. 0. "Box 422, Booker, Texas. Please do not send
packages to Mexico, as the import duties prr^iiibit us from receiving them. Pers'onal i&xl for the Looneys may also be sent to the C-ua-dalajara address. Send it air mail.
\ FmNClAL

SU]#IARY

January and February 1962 Cz hand January 1, 1962

Incomes January and February ' 259.13 . 1,279.26

1,^3^9

I' 4.-;. .
'

'

..
-Expenditures s

1961).

'
kOO.OO^' 52.50:

,Specia;l Christmas ^Offering

: \^alary (January) ^
0*. .1* I ; .' y '

Travel ^pense to Mexico

Stamps

Salary (Part of February) (sending funds to .Mexico)

'

hoo:oo 136.10; 300.00

'mm-u V

1,305.5^

5.00

.1110544
232. \7o5

-On Hand February 28, I962

hf

'

, V rV .

JUL 16 1962
SOUTHERN MEXICO CHRISTIAN MISSION

Consisting Of
BILL MORGAN MISSION TO MEXICO S. CLINTON LOONEY MISSION TO MEXICO

Apartado Postal 1572

Apartado Postal 1183

Guadalajara, Jalisco
Forwarding Agent:
Mrs. F, A, Kerns P. 0, Box 422

Guadalajara, Jalisco
Forwarding Agent:
Mrs. Stanford Cook P. 0. Box 278

Booker, Texas

Vansant, Virginia

While teaching in Grundy, Va., Bible Institute, Clinton Looney

and Bill Morgan decided to band together to open a new work in Mexico.
The Looneys were the first to arrive on the field, settling in Guadalajara,

capital of the state of Jalisco, in September of 1961.

The Morgans joined

them there in January, 1962.

Working with them since November, 1961, is

Mariano Farias, a Mexican evangelist.

A building was rented in downtown Guadalajara and services begun.

Attendance at these services has run up as high as 30 and several conver

sions have been made.

However, for several reasons the building proved

unstaisfactory and its use has been discontinued.

Those who attended

there are now attending other services the missionaries are conducting.

A study group was begun in the suburban village of San Andres

in the home of an interested family. Services are now held in San Andres

on each Lord*s Day, Tuesday, and Thursday.

A number of converts have been

made, and this has proved to be the most successful and encouraging phase
of the work so far.

Another study group was begun in a home in the village of Tonala.

^h3 group met with so much opposition from the Roman Catholic neighbors
that the man who had extended the invitation for the meetings withdrew

his invitation.

No further work has been started as yet in this village.

Through one of the Christian men at San Andres an opportunity was

afforded to carry the gospel to the village of Guejotitlan, about 150

miles northeast of Guadalajara. Several trips have been made to this

isolated place, resulting in four confessions of faith and one baptism.

- ^ '^-SOUTHERN MEXICO CHRISTIAN MISSION

of fear of their Catholic neighbors.

-2-

The other three who made confessions have put off their baptisms because

Another grand opportunity which took a disappointing turn was at

the lovely lakeside village of Chapala,

was held in one of the homes.

Here, by invitation, anservice

About 6Q people were in attendance the

first night.

They were hungry for the gospel and their eagerness showed

in their faces and in the way they sang the quickly-learned Bible choruses.
However, the next week, when the missionaries went for a second scheduled

meeting, not one person was in attendance.

the threats of the local priest.

They were frightened away by

It may readily be seen that the work for Christ in Mexico is both

thrilling and at times disappointing.

superstition and sin.

It is a land of beauty, excitement,

We are constantly aware of tremendous needs, oppor

tunities, difficulties, and dangers.

It is in meeting these circumstances

It supplies our needs,

whatever they be the THE BIBLE ALWAYS HELPS,

develops our opportunities, overcomes the difficulties, and comforts in

danger. We are constantly built up and encouraged by the promise of God:

**Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we
faint not." Gal. 6:9,

SPECIFIC NEEDS:

Prayers, more workers, Spanish tracts and liter

ature and filmstrips, an accordian, or portable organ.

GOALS FDR THE FUTURE:

Expanded activity in other villages through

out Jalisco as well as development of several congregations within Guada

lajara itself.

Our goal is an indigenous Church which will help to evan

gelize the rest of Latin Ameriea,

SOUTHERN MEXICO CHRISTIAN MISSION

-3-

FOR

THE

CHILDREN:

Pedro and Marfa Oominguez live in the little village of San

Andres, on the edge of Guadalajara, Jalisco, in Mexico.

children of Juan And Beoigna Oominguez.

They are the

They also have two older brothers,

Jesus and Jose, and an older sister, Evangelina.

Their father and

They sell their

brothers make brooms from palm leaves and cane poles.

brooms in the market and the little stores in the city.

Pedro and Maria go to school in the village.

Of course, they

speak Spanish,

^hey were very glad when the missionaries came to their

house to teach them about *^esus.

Pedro, who is older than Marxa, has

already become a Christian along with his other sister, his brothers,
and their father. Marza will soon be a Christian, too.

They are learning the books of the Bible, many verses of

Scripture by heart, and many Bible songs and choruses.

They would like

Their

to receive letters from boys and girls in the United States.

address is Calle Arquimides 120; Villa Mariano Escobedo; Colonia Augustine

Yafle; Guadalajara, Jalisco; Mexico.

li m

If - li If f
September 16, 196Z

From Guadalajara, Mexico

Tlrraepenaence issue'

"Y CONOCERES LA VERDAD, Y LA VERDAD OS HARA LIB RES" --Juan 8:322 "AND YE SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH, AND THE TRUTH SHALL MAKE YOU FREE"
--John 8:32

THE ABE LINCOLN OF MEXICO

by Clinton Looney

jj^
L '

IPy

'

Mexican Independence. Led by the government

iijMjf not merely on one day but for an entire week.
In this daywlien patriotism is so sadly lacking and even by some condemned in the U.S., I be

September 16 marks the anniversary of

itself, Mexicans celebrate their Independence

lieve that Mexico offers us a lesson. I wish

that you could share with us this experience.

Of all men who labored to bring freedom to Mexico, no man manifested more patience, more determination, more endurance than Benito Juarez. A full-blooded Zapotee Indian,
he was born in 1806. He was left an orphan at

the age of eight. Trained to be a priest, he

turned from this to the study of law. He was

elected to the Legislature of the State of Oaxaca. He became governor of his state, chief of the Supreme Court of Mexico and then President of the country. His years

were filled with poverty, hunger, imprisonments, exile and sufferings. He was one
of the men most hated in Mexico by the Catholic Church for his dream was to give

religious freedom to all Mexicans.Due largely to his labor, Mexico today has Cons titutional government with an article granting religious freedom to all. Sad to say, millions of Mexicans today bow to the authority of the Pope of Rome and the priests and trample this article and their own constitution beneath their feet. But all are not blind and memory is not dead. The main street of Guadalajara and of most large
Mexican Cities is Avenida (Avenue) Juarez. We pay tribute then to a great man, a

true patriot, a giant among men.I would urge the boys and girls of the U.S. to study the life of this man. To those of you who would like to have a genuine understanding of Mexico, read the two volume history by Elalph Roeder of Viking Press, New York
--"Juarez and His Mexico". Juarez once said; "I should like Protestantism to Mex-

icanize itself and win the Indians; they need a religion that obliges them to read and that does not force them to spend their savings in tapers (candles) for the saints". We too are trying to teach Mexicans to read--to read the precious word of God that they might be set free from sin. This is our hope for Mexico.

by Bill Morgan about 30 miles south of Guadalajara the picturesque fishing village of Chapala, basking in the sun along the shores of the largest

lake in Mexico, which bears the same name. To ||^Pl6S!flHI^M^ftaKy^BBBBg3^^^

this quiet town the tourists come for relaxation,

the artists and writers for inspiration. Your missionaries recentlyvistied Chapala forquite a dif~
ferent reason. We had an invitation to a man's

IgigjjjfeaEiaS^^fc^^HI^SBBBtafe^

home to teach him and his family about Christ and

His Church.

Arriving at a stucco dwelling, we were made very welcome byour host, an elderly
man who rents horses to the tourists.He showed us around his patio and introduced us to the other members of his family.When we sat down to discuss theBible and to show some Biblical filmstrips, he sent for the neighboring families to join us. We we re thrilled as we looked around and counted about 80 face s, all smiling and waiting for the message we were about to bring. If you have seen the face of a hungry child, you have seen the expression we beheld that evening--the eager gaze of one hungry
for the Bread of Life--on each brown countenance.

Before the evening was over, we taught the group several Bible choruses, which

they sang with great zest and feeling. As we made preparations to leave they began
to urge us to come again. This we gladly promised to do, and with their cheerful "Hasta la vista" ringing in our ears, we drove away, thankful and optimistic about the beginning of the Lord's work in Chapala. But alas, our great hopes were doomed to disappointment. For on the appointed

date we returned to the stucco house to find not one of the group who had so hungrily
devoured our message the week before.In answer to our knock wewere told that the man of the house had gone to a fiesta, and when we asked when we should return,

the reply was "not at all". Brokenhearted we returned to the car wondering what could have changed the at titude of so many so quickly.Ayoung lad came toward us and asked if we would like to know why the people had not come. When told that we would, he said the local priest had told the people that we were Communists, and that if they dared to come to such a service again he was going to have their names published in the paper as
Communists, too.

And so goes the papal line in Mexico - - all who oppose Catholicism are Communists: there is no other ground. And for the fear of one man. 80 souls dare not return to hear that which they long to hear so very much. Freedom of religion is granted by the Mexican constitution, but for the vast ma jority of the Mexican people, there is no such freedom. For they are bound by ignor ance. superstition, and fear--a bondage that is hard to break indeed. Nonetheless, we are confident that the Gospel is still "the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth." Pray with us for these millions that they might know the Truth, and
"the Truth shall make them free".
MORGAN FAMILY REPORT

After a brief whirlwind speaking tour among some of our supporting churches in the eastern U.S., we are back in Guadalajara and plunged into the work of establish ing churches here in Mexico. In our recent travels we visited 19 congregations in 5 different states. We regret thatwe were not able to visit every church that expressed a willingness to have us, but we felt itunadvisable to be awayfrom the field too long at this time. We do appreciate so very much the Christian hospitality that was ex tended us everywhere we went, the offerings presented to us, and the interest and concern shown in Latin American evangelism. Our fellowship with the brethren on the Stateside of the borderwas truly refresh ing. Nevertheless, we are happy to be back in the work of evangelism here south of

HE LIVES

Sometime ago in one of our services, a lady who

attends but is still a Catholic said, "I like to come

here, but 1 still like to go over to the Temple (Cath olic Cathedral) to worship where the saints are (the statues in the building). She was answered by Sister Margarita Casteneda, our oldest member who is now past 82. "You are free to go over there but remember that there is a big difference. Those gods in the temple have ears but they can't hearyour prayers. They have eyes but they can't see your needs. They have lips but they can't speak. Jesus Christ has ear s and he hear s; he has amouth and can speak; he has eyes and can see everything. Those gods of the temple are dead but Christ is alive and he alone can save your soul. Ac cept Him, Obey Him, Live for Him that you might be saved for eternity. "
Herein lies the difference between Christ and the

gods of this world. They are dead but HE LIVES.

Our Oldest Member

MOTHER AND SON

BAPTIZED

Since our return from the States, two have obeyed Christ in Christian
baptism. The mother and son shown here had faithfully attended the ser-

'

'i 9

jfej

vicesforsome time and showngreat

interest. Jose is a fine s t u d e n t in

school and of the Bible and may some

day be one of our young Mexican

preachers taking the word of God to

his own people. Pray for them.

iCLs.:!:,--

THANKS TO OUR TARHEEL BRETHREN

About two weeks ago, we wrote our good friend and fellow minister, Larry Wigal of Jeffer'Bon Church of Christ, Rural Hall, N.C. asking him to be on the lookout for
a good used mimeograph machine.

Already we have received a reply.A good Gestener has been located, purchased, and will be paid for by the congregation. All of us here send thanks to these good folk, not only for the machine but also for the spirit of fellowship that goes with it. Jefferson Church faithfully supports both the Morgan and Looney families. With the development of their missionary program, they have grown spiritually and nu merically, and will soon enter into an extensive building program. We salute Larry,
his dedicated wife, Phyllis, and all of the wonderful friends of Christ back in the
Tarheel State.

the Rio Grande. Our return was made even more joyous by the fact that we had two
baptisms on the very first Lord's Day.

The children are settled again in school, and Dorothy, along with Melba Looney,

is back in her Spanish class. Clinton and Bill will return to language school Sept. 17.
After the heat of the summer in the States, the mild climate of Guadalajara is

very refreshing and provides us with new vigor for the work that lies ahead. We ask
for your continued prayers as we move forward in Mexico for Christ.

MEET THE COOKS

Whoever wrote, "Too many cooks spoil the

broth", certainly didn't imean this family. Stan

ford and Mary Cook, pictured here with their sons, Billy and Jimmy, are a vital part of the life of the Vansant, Virginia Church of Christ and of
our missionary effort.

The Looney family has just completed the first year of missionary work in Mexico and Mary has completed the first year as our forwarding agent.
We are quick to say that she has done a better

job than we have. Many of you have come to know her through her acknowledgement of your offerings.
Stanford serves as a faithful elder of the con

gregation.It has been ourgreat joyto have known

these friends of Christ since we were children

together at Vansant, to have labored with them in the new congregation there, and now to continue
with them in fellowship through Mexican evan gelism.

May God bless these, and the Vansant church

which has been one of our most faithful supporters from the beginning.

Cook Family

NEW AlAILING ADDRESS FOR THE LOONEY FAMILY

Apartado Postal
Mexico"

1183
-

Guadalajara, Jalisco
SEND ALL OFFERINGS TO:
Mrs. W.S.Cook Box 278

Vansant, Virginia
i.

Clinton Looney
Mission to Mexico
Box 278

K
s.

Vansant, Virginia

Mail to:

W. S. McG-ilyrey Box 968