p. 15 | India by W. W. MILLER

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Jul 6, 1905

India

By W. W. MILLER

CALCUTTA.—We arrived in Calcutta Christmas day, full of courage and hope. We were met by kind friends, who took us to their home and made us comfortable after our long journey. We were glad to greet Elder Votaw and wife. Aside from him, all were strangers to me. But I soon became acquainted, as we are all brethren wherever we meet. We were glad to find Elder Shaw better than we expected. He continued to improve, and gained several pounds before leaving to attend the General Conference. Our prayers followed him that he and his wife and Sister Della Coats might have a safe journey, and that he might have strength and wisdom to present India's needs, for they are many.

I am glad to tell you that there is much beauty here in the way of trees, plants, and flowers, which are so fragrant, and bloom almost all the year round. Of course the customs of the people are very different from what we see were accustomed to in the States; and as they are not changed very much by Europeans who come here, we have just settled down to be content with whatsoever state we are in. The weather has been quite cool ever since we came, so at this writing we are not able to say much about either heat or rain. However, we already know how hard it can rain and thunder. I never had heard such thunder in all my life.

It made my heart glad to receive a letter from a sister in Cincinnati, Ohio, saying that the children had raised over six dollars for India. One week later a letter came from Massachusetts, telling how the children there had sent over ten dollars to this field. Two more donations came from Illinois. And besides these, a preaching tent, free of charge, was sent from the Healdsburg College to Elder H. Armstrong, of Ceylon. At our general meeting over five hundred rupees was raised for the tent, and this will be applied toward fitting it up, so we shall be able to start our work free from encumbrance.

For all this we feel very grateful to the Lord, and to those who have manifested such an interest in the work here. Elder Armstrong will be assisted in the tent effort by Elder G. K. Owen and Brother H. B. Meyers. They are all on the ground, and the work of getting the tent ready has begun. We can hardly wait to hear of their first meeting, as it is a new experience in this field. I am confident that the Lord will use this effort to his glory and the good of the people.

The Lord is waking up the people in this country in regard to the true Sabbath. Two Bengali delegates who have recently heard of the Sabbath, came to see me about going to East Bengal to plant the standard of truth in thirty-five villages, which have a population of over eight thousand. These two men teach in mission schools. The church to which they belong is going over toward Rome, having already introduced many Catholic rites, among which are prayers for the dead, the confessional box, and prayers to the Virgin Mary. They were so much in earnest that they asked me to call a meeting of the Board, and see what could be done. Many in these villages have refused to accept the new doctrines, and now is the time to work for them. These men told me they were sure if they came out and took their stand for the Sabbath, many would follow their example. They also said that they knew some of them would be beaten for so doing, but comforted themselves that they would win in the end. And so they will.

Now what are we to do? There was not a soul to go back with these men to instruct them in the truth. All we could do was to give them some of our books and tracts, and let them go with the promise that we would do all we could for them in the future. You can readily see that the calls are coming from every quarter. But where are the laborers to send? One almost feels like hiding, and not listening to these urgent calls, for it is so embarrassing to confess that we are unable to answer them.

For several days these men visited me every day. I knew from the beginning we were unable to do much for them, as calls of a similar nature come every few days, and we are unable to supply them. Before they left, I knew they would ask the vital question which would call for a definite answer. It came in these words: “We must return to our village, and what shall we tell those who sent us here? What will you do for us, and how soon can you send us help?” Would you have liked to be in my position—a man claiming to have the last warning that is to go to the world, a warning to be given in this generation to every nation, and have to answer, “I will see later what I can do”? What else could I say? They left, asking us to pray for them. This is a sample of what we have to meet in these fields.

May God raise up faithful workers both here and at home, to fill these places, for the calls will increase as the end draws near. I pray that these few lines may move some to think seriously over these things, and decide sooner or later to respond.

W. W. MILLER.