p. 14 | Review and Herald, Vol. 92, No. 31. (6/24/1915)

Earlier text: Established in the Present Truth

“It Is More Blessed to Give Than to Receive”

By L. R. CONRADI

In the words, “It is more blessed to give than to receive,” the apostle Paul adds an additional and precious gem to the glorious treasures of heavenly wisdom with which the Teacher sent of God, enriched mankind. Acts 20:35. This saying of Christ’s was not reported by the four evangelists, but the life and deeds of the Saviour expressed it in the fullest manner.

The grace of God reveals its inexhaustible fullness in this, that his Son, who had been immeasurably rich from the days of eternity, condescended to become as one of the poorest, that we through his poverty might be made rich. 2 Cor. 8:9. The human mind is unable to comprehend the fullness of the riches which the Son of God possessed before he came into this world, and which he readily sacrificed in our behalf. The apostle Paul gives us a glimpse of these riches in testifying of the Father, that it pleased him to have all fullness dwell in his Son. Col. 1:19. Through Christ, the image of the invisible God, were “all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: and he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” Verses 16, 17. Our Heavenly Father has appointed his Son “heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds.” He is the effulgence of his glory, and the very image of his substance, and upholds all things by the word of his power. Heb. 1:2, 3.

In order to understand the magnitude of the sacrifice of Christ in all its bearings, we must be fully persuaded that before he became man, in him dwelt “all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” Col. 2:9. As all the fullness of the Godhead dwelt in him before he came to this world, he asked of his Father, after finishing his work on earth, not for a glory which he had never possessed before, nor for an increase of his previous glory, but his prayer was, “O Father, glorify

thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.” John 17:5. Being possessed of this fullness of the divine glory from eternity by the good pleasure of his Father, he counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped.

Impelled by a love that man cannot fathom, the Son of God of his own free will emptied himself of all this fullness. He took upon him the “form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross.” Phil. 2:6-8.

How much is included in this emptying himself of all the divine fullness! In this present time of trouble many make gold their hope, and say to the fine gold, “Thou art my confidence.” Job 31:24. The Son of man, before the incarnation, could say, “The silver is mine, and the gold is mine.” Haggai 2:8. Being the Creator of the world and all its treasures, all the riches of the universe and all its wealth rightfully belong to him. He who made the innumerable streets of the heavenly Jerusalem out of pure gold, and its foundations and walls and dwellings from most precious gems, and its gates of the most priceless pearls, became so poor on our account that he could say to the scribe, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the heaven have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.” Matt. 8:20.

And yet from the days of eternity he possessed something still more valuable to him. His body was most glorious, spiritual, and immortal, and knew no pain or suffering. Yet for our sakes, he partook of our flesh and blood, “that through death he might bring to naught him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and might deliver all them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” Heb. 2:14, 15. Filled with infinite love to fallen man, he risked all to save man. The Creator of the world came to this earth, “and the world knew him not.” The heir of the world “came unto his own, and they that were his own received him not.” John 1:10, 11. Before he became man, all the angels of God had worshiped him, but now “he was despised, and rejected of men.” He whose glorious body had never known pain became “a man of sorrows, and acquainted with sickness.” Isa. 53:3. R. V., margin. Cradled in a manger, compelled to flee into Egypt, reared in despised Nazareth, he toiled as the son of a poor carpenter until he was thirty years of age. He worked, hungered, thirsted, wept, suffered, bore, and was constantly persecuted on account of the hatred of the Pharisees, during the entire period of his ministry. He drank the most bitter cup, however, at the time of his passion. In his great agony “his sweat became as it were great drops of blood, falling down upon the ground.” He was mocked, beaten, spit upon, struck, and crowned with thorns. Barabbas, the robber, was preferred to the innocent Lamb of God, and he was hung between two criminals on the accursed tree. He whom all the angels hitherto served became the servant of all. He to whom as Creator of the world all things belonged, as a man had to ask all things of his Father. The Prince of life had to taste of the most bitter death. In view of all this, how much personal experience is expressed in these simple words uttered by our Saviour, “It is more blessed to give than to receive”!

Saul was by birth “a Hebrew of the Hebrews.” He had belonged to the Pharisees, “the most straitest sect” of Israel. He had been educated in the celebrated school of Gamaliel. By birth he was a free Roman citizen. And he had advanced beyond many of his own age among his countrymen, so that without doubt the highest positions of honor in Israel were open to him. Phil. 3:5; Acts 23:6; 22:28; Gal. 1:14.

In view of the striking example of his Lord and Master, animated by the same spirit, constrained by the same love, and filled with the same grace, he could also testify: “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, . . . that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.” Phil. 3:7, 8, 10. Permeated by such a spirit, he ceased not for the space of three years to admonish every one in Ephesus “night and day with tears.” He coveted “no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel.” His own hands ministered unto his necessities, and to them that were with him. In all things he gave an example, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, “that he himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:31-35.

To the church at Corinth, Paul could bear this testimony of his service as well as of that of his colaborers: “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that one died for all, therefore all died; and he died for all, that they that live should no longer live unto themselves, but unto him who for their sakes died and rose again.” 2 Cor. 5:14, 15. The apostle Paul was ever ready to present his body a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, and to be fully spent in his service. Not all his coworkers were like-minded, for of some of them he said, “They all seek their own, not the things of Jesus Christ.” Phil. 2:21. Demas even forsook him, having loved this present world.

Such shining examples of divine grace as Paul, Timothy, Titus, Silas, and others, were bound to exert a lasting effect upon the hearts of the converts won by them. In a night vision the Lord called Paul to go to Macedonia in order there to preach the gospel. Imprisonment and persecution awaited him and his coworkers while founding churches in Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea. But the grace of God worked so mightily in these churches that Paul could leave us the following testimony of their willingness to give and sacrifice: “Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; how that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift, . . . not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.” 2 Cor. 8:1-5.

Our Lord and Master, his faithful apostles, and the churches founded by them are for us today a glorious example of the application of the principle, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” The same grace awaits our reception today which at that time constrained workers and people to give such liberal gifts. The words of James 4:6 (margin), “But he giveth a greater grace,” are a sure promise today. The treasures of divine grace have not diminished during the past centuries; and we, as children of God, still enjoy the precious privilege of saying, from experience, “For of his fullness we all received, and grace for grace.” John 1:16. Whoever lets this fullness of God’s grace work in him in such a time of need, will abound even in deep poverty unto the riches of his liberality. We who are bought of God with the precious blood of Christ do not belong to ourselves. We are “an elect race,” “a people for God’s own possession,” “unto the praise of his glory.” All we are and all we have we owe to the Lord. We have everything from him, and to him we must give a final account of our stewardship. Our property, our talents, our means, have been intrusted to us only as temporal possessors; we are not the real owners of them. It depends upon our faithful stewardship as to whether we shall receive an eternal inheritance of untold value with the Lord.

The world lies in darkness. Everywhere reapers for the heavenly harvest

are needed. All about us souls are perishing. All those to whom the Lord has given the fullness of his grace in Christ are, as Paul, “debtors” to the whole world, “to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.” Rom. 1:14. We are living in the time of the end; and as God has intrusted us with special light for this time, we are debtors to our Lord and to the world to proclaim this gospel of the kingdom to every nation and tribe and kindred in all the world. Everywhere reapers are necessary to garner in the rich harvest of souls. But in order to assure their support, means must flow freely to complete the work of God on earth. The Lord, however, loves only the cheerful giver, never the unwilling, reluctant giver. Knowing that his coming is right at hand, we should be of the same mind as Jesus, constrained by the same love of God as was Paul, filled with the same grace as were the churches in Macedonia; and then in our own souls we shall experience the full truth of the saying of Christ. Then we shall gladly sacrifice for the salvation of sinners, and for the spread of the gospel in the dark corners of the world. To the poor we shall give liberally, because we have known the grace of Jesus Christ, who became poor that we might be enriched by his gospel. We shall not need to be urged to give, because we ourselves have tasted the blessedness of the words of Christ, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

L. R. CONRADI.

The Work of Seventh-Day Adventists Reviewed

By Editor

It is not always that the denominational work of Seventh-day Adventists is reviewed in so kindly a spirit as is done by the editor of the Presbyterian Standard in the issue of that paper for Nov. 11, 1914. The editor compares the work of this denomination with the work of the Southern Presbyterians in a manner highly complimentary to Seventh-day Adventists. While we thank the editor for this kind appreciation, we feel that it should by no means minister to personal or denominational pride.

There is one standard of comparison by which we may profitably measure our zeal and our spirit of liberality, and that is the standard manifested in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ. We may exceed in zeal and liberality the standard of some of our brethren in other churches, but we are still far below the standard set by the blessed Master. When we make that comparison, we are forced to admit to our shame and humiliation that we have not done one-hundredth part of what we should have done. We reproduce the article, as its comparisons may be of interest:—

You have heard of these people, but you probably have no idea what a busy, persistent, aggressive people they are. Among all the warring sects, there is none which proves more conclusively its faith by its works.

There are six different branches of Adventists. The most numerous and most influential of the six is the branch whose crowning characteristic is the observance of the seventh day instead of the first day of the week as the Christian sabbath. This church is about the same age as the Southern Presbyterian. It began its existence, however, under very different circumstances. Our church was formed by a secession, and entered on its separate existence with about 70,000 members. Moreover, in the course of a few years, this good beginning was augmented by some 30,000 additional members from outside sources. Thus we have had about 100,000 members as original capital on which to do business. Very different was the beginning of the Seventh-day Adventists. This church started on its career in Washington, N. H., with only one congregation, and has had to build from the ground up.

Bear this in mind, and then consider some evidences of its progress and prosperity. At the close of the year 1913, according to a recent report, this church had 122,386 communicants, and it added in the preceding twelve months 12,794, making a net gain of 8,180. This net gain was very nearly equal to that made by our church; namely, 9,831. In the number of churches, the Adventists gained 715 to our 21. But the most remarkable showing is in the sphere of finances and missionary work. “The total amount of funds for evangelistic work contributed by the members of the organization during 1913 was $2,866,727.40, or $23.42 for each member. Of this amount, 62 per cent was raised in tithes, which is the main source of revenue of our denomination. A further expenditure of $411,050 was made during 1913 in maintaining seventy advanced schools, and $52,643 in charity work in connection with our sanitariums, thus making total contributions and expenditures for all purposes within the denomination for the year 1913 the sum of $4,002,141, or an average contribution for each communicant of $32.70 during the past year.”

Are these a wealthy people? On the contrary. Are they a highly educated people? On the contrary. We have not a very extensive personal acquaintance among them, but feel justified in saying that they would not measure up to the Southern Presbyterian Church either in wealth or education. Yet 122,000 of them gave for evangelistic work $2,866,727, whereas 310,000 of us gave $1,451,733 for the support of all our evangelistic, missionary, and various benevolent causes. Probably they include in evangelistic what they pay their pastors. Suppose we add the sum which we pay our pastors. Then the total is $2,900,801, only $34,000 in excess of their sum.

Look at their report on school work: “The total number of schools conducted by the denomination is 786, employing 1,511 teachers, and having an enrollment of 27,379. From these schools came 828 persons that entered the denominational work last year.”

Look at their publishing business: “At the close of last year there were thirty-seven publishing houses and branches having assets amounting to $1,900,000, employing 734 persons. The total denominational literature sold during the year amounted to $1,870,000. This literature is issued in 360 books, 325 pamphlets, 1,200 tracts, and 128 periodicals in eighty different languages. This literature is distributed by 2,060 colporteurs.” Put this over against our publishing business—total sales from both houses, at Richmond and Texarkana, $227,475. This is a mere bagatelle in comparison, and yet this includes the returns from the sales of all novels, good, bad, and indifferent, which were handled by our committee, and which probably constituted no insignificant part of its business. Take time to let it soak in that the Seventh-day Adventists, a church not much over one third the size of ours, sold nearly two million dollars’ worth of denominational literature, not miscellaneous literature, mostly fiction, not even religious literature, but literature created by that church and distributed as a means of propagandism. Yet our church can’t publish even a volume of sermons by one of its most distinguished ministers without passing around the hat and taking a collection for the purpose.

Look at this: “The denomination maintains 1,608 missionaries stationed in sixty-seven different countries. To support this work in foreign lands there was expended $911,769 in the year 1913.” This means for foreign missions $7.45 per capita. We have set $5 per member as the amount needed to usher in the millennium in this generation. So far we have furnished very little evidence on which to base a hope that the millennium will arrive on schedule time.

It would be interesting to notice some of the peculiar doctrines of these Seventh-day Adventists. Doctrines that produce such looseness of purse strings are worth looking into.

“I Was There”

By G. B. Thompson

It is recorded that Napoleon, after a famous battle, gave his soldiers a silver medal, inscribed with the sentence “I was there,” and the name of the bloody conflict. This medal was highly appreciated by the veterans.

So when the great conflict of the ages shall have been finished, through eternity those who have “been there,” who have passed through the terrible conflict, will have an experience that will mark them as a distinct company through all time. The redeemed will sing the song of their deliverance through the blood of Christ. The one hundred and forty-four thousand will sing a song which no man can learn, and which can never be sung by angels or the inhabitants of unfallen worlds, for they have not “been there.” They have not passed through contest with the powers of darkness, and won by faith the prize of eternal life.

Through the eternal ages it will be our joy that we have “been there,” and through the redemption which Jesus has purchased for us we have been overcomers, and more than conquerors through him who loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.

G. B. THOMPSON.

Sad News From German East Africa

By L. R. CONRADI

L. R. CONRADI

AFTER the war began, no news whatever from German East Africa passed the censor until the month of March, and the few short postals we received at that time were mailed in the month of October. What a story these postals might have told of their four months’ transit, had they only been able to speak! These cards contained short notices from both the Victoria Nyanza and the Pare Mission. Brother E. Kotz wrote that they had been able to provide themselves with foodstuff at Tanga after the outbreak of the war, and that up to that time everything was in fairly good condition, and the workers in good health. Brother B. Ohme, from the Nyanza field, wrote that he had been ill for some time, but was better, and that otherwise everything was well, and that they were not specially suffering. The same was told us on several other postal cards, all of them, however, being very short.

A letter from Brother A. A. Carscallen, dated in December, notified us that Brother and Sister F. Bornath were taken as prisoners to Kisumu, where they met Brother Carscallen, and from there they were brought to Nairobi, the capital of British East Africa.

A letter written from there, January 30, contains the following sad news concerning our German missions:—

“NAIROBI, JAN. 30, 1915.

“DEAR DIRECTOR: With this I send you some information as to how our mission work is advancing. In most of the places of the Victoria Nyanza field the work is onward. In some places everything is stopped. Until the end of November, the latest date of my receiving news from our missionaries, they were all well, with the exception of Brother H. Palm, who was shot November 28, at his station. He rests from his labors until we shall meet on the resurrection day.

“Mrs. Bornath and I were taken prisoners on our station December 6, and have been here in the prisoners’ camp at Nairobi since December 14. We shall soon be transported to India. Health-wise, we can be thankful to God for his mercies. Yesterday we were informed that the wives of missionaries would, if desired, be transported to Europe; but we prefer that Mrs. Bornath remain with me. We had to leave the station empty-handed. We therefore commend ourselves to God’s providence, and we are willing to bear joy and suffering together.

“We have met Brother Carscallen, Brother and Sister Alfred Matter are already in India. During all this time we have received no papers whatever.

“F. BORNATH.”

As to Brother Palm, he was born March 27, 1883, at Boblingen, Wurtemberg. He was baptized July 1, 1905, then attended school at Friedensau for two years, after which he spent about five years in gospel work in Germany, sailing for German East Africa, Aug. 29, 1912, where he took charge of the station at Nyabangi. Had it not been for the war, Brother Palm would have been ordained before this. He leaves a mother and a sister in Germany, to mourn their loss. But we have the bright hope that he will have part in the first resurrection.

Brother Bornath was born in eastern Prussia, at Marggrabowa, Nov. 22, 1885. After embracing the truth, at Essen, where he was employed in the steel works, he visited our school at Friedensau, and with his wife, March 15, 1913, went to East Africa. He was sent to Utimbaru, where they established a station, and on the twenty-third of April, 1914, they had their first baptism, ten being won from heathenism, and baptized by Elder J. Persson. They had about one hundred pupils in their school; and while the first fruits were baptized, others had already offered themselves as candidates for baptism.

Brother Matter and his wife went to British East Africa, sailing from Hamburg, April 14, 1914. As Brother Matter had been in Australia and England quite awhile, though a German by birth, he was temporarily assigned to help in British East Africa. We had hoped that Brother Toppenberg and wife, being Norwegians, could come over from German East Africa to British East Africa, and relieve Brother and Sister Matter for German East Africa. But evidently the change did not take place in time. We hope and pray that our faithful brethren will be preserved, and that our promising work begun in the very heart of Africa will not suffer too severely. Let us remember our faithful missionaries in our prayers.

Hawaiian Islands

By Mabel Marvin Mc Keague

MABEL MARVIN MC KEAGUE

I HAVE read in the columns of the REVIEW of missionary launches and boats of various descriptions, of ox teams and burros, but I have failed to see an account of a missionary motorcycle. So I will tell you something of the work which ours helps us to accomplish.

In Honolulu the motorcycle did good duty in carrying the message from place to place, for more than a year; and in coming to Hawaii, the largest island of the group, where the population is scattered over a large area of cane field and forest, we found it even more necessary. When we arrived, last September, we found families out in the Olaa district ready for Bible readings, and had to plan how we could best meet these scattered appointments and also carry on our city work. A short railroad runs from Hilo to some of these plantations, but we find it very impracticable for our use, as it runs but one train a day, and the rates are high. So every Sunday (unless it should be raining fourteen inches in so many hours, as it is doing while I write) my husband goes to the country, and with the aid of the motorcycle three or four readings can be held, from nine to sixteen miles out, in one day.

Yesterday I made the trip with him, which I do whenever it is possible. We load ourselves with books and papers, and perhaps some food or clothing for the poor families which we visit. A few miles from town the road takes us through a beautiful tropical forest, and then out into the wide expanse of sugar-cane fields.

Our first stop is at a humble home in Keaau, where we are sure of a hearty welcome. Mrs. Henry and six children have been studying the truth for several months, and are keeping the Sabbath. While Mr. Henry finds it a greater struggle to surrender all, still he is convinced, and eager to study with us. While my husband holds a Bible reading with the parents and neighbors whom they call in, I teach the children and their little friends many new songs, verses, and the doctrinal truths in a simple way. Every head is bowed, eyes are closed, hands folded, and it is perfectly quiet while we pray, and all join in the Lord’s Prayer. They can repeat the ten commandments, the quarter’s memory verses, and several songs very readily, and drink in the truth, as well as the older ones.

But the best part of it is that this is a family of real missionaries. The children gather in a half dozen of their little playmates for their Sabbath school, which is conducted by their mother each week. Mrs. Henry keeps our good papers in circulation all the time, and many are becoming interested. She talks the message to her neighbors, and quite recently when her brother tried to convince her of the truth of Mormonism, she “reasoned with him from the Scriptures” all night. One other encouraging feature is that she calls all the family together for morning and evening worship. She has the new “Bible Readings” and the Signs, and is letting her light shine.

And how, you ask, did you gain an entrance into this home? Martin and Nicholas Nielsen, who for years have been the only representatives of this message on this island, live in that district, and walk for many miles selling literature in the languages of the plantation laborers, as well as selling English reading matter. One day they sold a Signs to the Keaau storekeeper, and as he did not care for it he gave it to Mrs.

Henry. The seed fell on good ground, and she has accepted the light for which she had been searching.

Four miles farther up this volcano road we enter the home of one of our Norwegian sisters, who recently married a Hawaiian. Their house is a poor one, and their food is very simple. She readily responded to encouragement, and now she and her husband are keeping the Sabbath. Some of the neighbors come in to the studies, and we are trying to lift them from the life they now lead to walk in the light of the third angel’s message.

Sixteen miles farther on we are sure of a hearty welcome in the neat little home of an aged couple from the New England States, who became interested through reading the literature which their daughter-in-law, Mrs. Henry, lent them. They also call in their friends, and we expect the station agent and the postmistress of that town to become regular readers with us.

We have just begun Bible readings with the school-teachers. Judging from the flowers, bananas, and good wishes which we carry home with us, we consider the day well spent; and although the road is often rough, and we get caught in the rain, and are lame for several days, it pays, and the Lord has blessed and protected us.

More calls are coming in, but other days are filled with our city work. There are Bible readings to give, prayer meeting and Sabbath meetings, the jail meeting, treatments, and from one hundred and seventy-five to two hundred papers to sell each month. There are only six members in our Hilo Sabbath school, but our donations for the quarter ending March 27 were $22.90, and the tithe for the same period was $70. A church collection is also taken. We have just organized four home departments, with a membership of twelve.

Our treatment room has never failed to keep up with its running expenses and the buying of new supplies, and for several months we have been able to turn a surplus into the mission treasury. Every patient receives and reads our truth-filled literature. We believe the treatment room is a mighty factor in carrying the message for these last days.

With the literature that our members here mail and sell, together with the work already mentioned, we feel sure the Lord will prepare a people from this island to meet him in his soon-coming kingdom. How we wish we had literature for the Hawaiians, for we do see gratifying results in proclaiming the truth to them in their own language. We believe that a large company would be obeying God’s commandments where now there are so few, had our missionaries studied the language and worked for the native as well as for the white man in these islands. May the Lord give us strength to warn those who remain.

Pray for the workers on this island and for more laborers to carry the message here.

Hilo. Hawaii.

A Seeker for Truth

By FRED LEE

FRED LEE

FROM his appearance one would not think he was a seeker for truth. But such is the case. This man is a member of a large and wealthy family. He and several of his brothers hold literary degrees. This is only one of many surprises one meets in China. There is much gold which does not glitter, and many diamonds in the rough. I believe this man is one.

He came to us a few months ago, having walked several hundred miles that he might hear more of the truth about which he had heard one of our evangelists speak. He had started to come to us some time before, but when only half-way here he met a beggar along the roadside. His heart was so touched that he gave all he had to the poor fellow, and had to plod back a hundred miles to get more money with which to come to our place.

For many years he had been seeking for light, and God did not disappoint him. For years he sought peace of heart by chanting many prayers alone on the mountain top, by fasting in a dark, cold cell, or perhaps by doing good deeds among the villagers. However, his mind and soul became darker and darker, and his hope of salvation more dim. Despair had settled down upon his heart when he came to hear this truth.

It was hard for the truth to pierce the darkness of his soul. Many and strange were the questions he would ask of the way of salvation by faith. But gradually he understood its meaning. He had been touched once by the healing hand of Christ. He saw, but not clearly.

Often despondency would settle upon him, and I would see him sitting alone in a most dejected way, thinking of what he might do to overcome, and to merit the grace of Christ. But he is growing, and is learning that it is not by works that we are saved. In many ways he only sees “men as trees walking,” but he is waiting by faith to receive the second touch of the Master’s hand, and he believes he will be made whole.

There are many such men and women in China at this hour. They know the merits of the gospel, they have felt a portion of its power. And now they are anxiously waiting to feel the second touch of the Healer’s hand, and to receive the power to go in peace, and sin no more.

Korea

THE following letter is from Li Seung Ill, our first Korean Bible worker:—

“Having no hope, and without God in the world: but now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.”

“In 1904 for the first time I was privileged to hear this blessed truth and find God and the right way. At first we had no church building, and we would go up in the mountains and sometimes into a wayside inn to hold our meetings. It was our earnest desire to see others saved; and before very long my husband was converted, and then my parents. This was for us the first happy experience; and although we had many trials afterwards, yet God always made a way of escape for us.

“Later, when we printed our paper, the Sei Chyensa eui Keunpyel, it was my privilege to go with others to Weju to sell it. There we had no believers, but we gained a very interesting experience; for many seemed anxious to read what we had, and we would sometimes sell as many as seventy papers a day. Soon after, some began to keep the Sabbath as the result of that work.

“Now I have been in the southern part of Korea for a few years. There is a great difference in the language from that of the north, and the southern people are exceedingly poor, so at first I thought it very hard to work here; but now I have learned the language, and the work is very interesting. We have between sixty and seventy church members here at Keizan; and although they are very poor, their donations are the second highest in Korea. I thank God for what he has done, but I know we are not able to give to God the praises due to him.”

Field Notes

Elder J. S. Rouse reports the baptism of ten persons at Joplin, Mo., and five at Springfield. Twelve new members were recently received into the church at Peden Chapel.

During the last few months sixteen have received baptism in Seattle, Wash. At Bellevue six adults have decided to obey the commands of God, and a Sabbath school of twenty-five members has been organized. Elder Lewis Johnson reports a new church of nineteen members at Hillman City.

Conducted by Mrs. I. H. Evans, Takoma Park, Washington D. C

By Mrs. I. H. Evans; Miss Lora E. Clement

Assisted by Miss Lora E. Clement

Through the columns of this department, hints will be given on all matters pertaining to the home life. Short articles and letters are solicited from home makers, telling of their everyday experiences,— their joys and sorrows, their failures and successes.

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