View source for J.J. Rouse LOI 1934-11

J.J. Rouse, Calgary, [[Alberta]]:

"Yours with enclosed fellowship from the Pioneer Fund of Letters of Interest received yesterday.  I surely appreciate the gift you have forwarded and I am sure the Lord will reward all of you concerned in sending it. For a month I have been away from home and had the opportunity of coming in auto to [[Oregon#Portland|Portland]], Oregon where I am now. 

For forty years I have labored in the northern districts of [[Canada]] where winters are often so very cold. Have been in it 65 below zero and have wakened up in mornings more than once with icicles on my moustache. Have slept in shacks with only one room, stove in one corner, father and mother in another corner, two children in another corner and I in another corner in a shake down. In order to secure privacy all had to go to bed in the dark and get up in the dark.

In pioneer work often paying board in a new place I have been as long as five weeks without a cent in my pocket thus faith was tried but God never failed me and the need was supplied and I was able to plod on and pay my way. The modern 
idea of getting booked up ahead and running on a schedule from one assembly to another in the days of my early labor for the Lord 30 to 40 years ago was unknown and I cannot adjust myself to this practice yet and don’t think I ever can. The way we worked was stay in a place a year or more until we saw a number of souls saved and an assembly planted.

On many occasions I have been without money in a new place and God would save a sinner and then He would supply the need through that one saved. When first I went west many years ago there were no assemblies. I preached away and was 
without money. In the middle of a meeting one night a big 300 pound scotch half breed (or native) came and sat in the 
back of the tent, lie sat there after all others had gone. He was a fur trader from 400 miles north. God saved him and 
he left me $50.00. It surely was like straight from Heaven.

For over 40 years I have had severe attacks of lumbago. Four weeks ago I had a very serious attack and have not been able to get rid of it. We had in September zero weather and a foot of snow in Alberta. I am seeking a change in hope it may help me, can scarcely walk without a cane. Hope to soon be better and be able to be back in Alberta.

Last winter I handled tons of clothes for relief. This year conditions are worse than ever on account of drought and grasshoppers So I am again receiving and distributing relief among the needy Christians. With such severe weather and no food, fuel or clothes many are in great distress. Remember them in prayer."

=Also See=
* [[Letters of Interest#Archives|Letters of Interest Archives]] & [[LOI 1930's]] & [[LOI 1934]] & [[LOI 1934-11]]