The Japanese are conceded to be among the very strongest people on the earth. They are strong mentally and physically, and yet practically they eat no meat at all. The diet which enables them to develop such hardy frames and such well-balanced and keen brains consists almost wholly of rice, steamed or boiled, while the better-to-do add to this Spartan fare fish, eggs, vegetables, and fruit. For beverages they use weak tea without sugar or milk, and pure water, alcoholic stimulants being but rarely indulged in. Water is imbibed in what we should consider prodigious quantities—to an Englishman, indeed, the drinking of so much water would be regarded as madness. The average Japanese individual swallows about a gallon daily in divided doses.
The Japanese recognize the beneficial effects of flushing the system through the medium of the kidneys, and they also cleanse the exterior of their bodies to an extent undreamed of in Europe or in America.
Another—and perhaps this is the usage on which the Japanese lay the greatest stress—is the deep, habitual, and forcible inhalation of fresh air as an essential for the acquisition of strength, and this method is sedulously practised until it really becomes a part of their nature.
The Japanese have proved that a frugal manner of living is consistent with great bodily strength—indeed, is perhaps more so than the meat diet of the white man. As to the water-drinking habit, which is so distinctive a custom with them, it is probably an aid to keeping the system free from blood impurities, and might be followed with advantage in European countries to a far greater extent than is at present the case. Hydropathy and exercise seem to be the sheet-anchors of the Japanese training regimen, and, judging from results, have been eminently satisfactory. — Medical Record.
Challenging Our Circumstances
WILLINGNESS to accept things as they are is a fatal stumbling-block in life. No man ever succeeded in business who let his business be regulated or limited by conditions as they were. No pastor ever built up a church by yielding to the conditions that confronted him. No mother ever blessed a home by inertly bowing before what may have looked like the inevitable. The president of a business corporation was looking for a man to fill a responsible position. One was named to him who had had some experience in the desired field. “No,” was the president’s comment; “I did not like his willingness to take things as they were when he was representing our interests at ——, instead of jumping in and making things different.” And so an opportunity passed that young man by, because he had supinely let circumstances pass him by unchallenged. Very different was the spirit of that railroad man’s keen comment that so influenced the life of young Henry Clay Trumbull: “Nothing but omnipotence can stand in the way of a determined man.” And circumstances are never omnipotent.—Sunday School Times.
A Prolific Dwarf Tomato
By WM. BEEBE
WM. BEEBE
MANY readers of the REVIEW would like to know the name of the dwarf tomato of which I raised six hundred and forty bushels to the acre. It is the New Dwarf Stone, originated and introduced by the Livingstone Seed Company, Columbus, Ohio. I have no seed to sell. Send your order to them, and they will send you a packet of the true blue seed, and Seed Annual if you wish.
This is the only dwarf I grow, and is an excellent tomato in every respect. It is large, free from rot, delicious in flavor, immensely prolific, and needs no trimming or stakes.
Norwalk, Ohio.
Always Be a Man
“WE can not always be a hero, but we can always be a man.”
The Chileans
By Mrs. Elva Ketring
MRS. ELVA KETRING
OUR illustration shows the typical Chileans, with manta. In this dress you will see the Chileans tripping to the Catholic church early Sunday morning. The manta is a large piece of black cloth, and may be of cotton or silk. It is used summer and winter, and is worn by some very gracefully. In this modest dress the churches present quite a different aspect from our churches in the United States, where the latest styles and heavily trimmed hats are worn.
NATIVE CHILEAN HEAD-DRESS
The manta also serves equally as well for a street costume, especially in the morning. And the poorer class use it at all times, or go bare-headed. With a well-powdered face, it is conveniently thrown over a dirty garment to hide it, and the lady is dressed for shopping.
As they are not allowed to enter the churches in any other dress, rich and poor bow alike together. The services are mostly attended by women. If the men go at all, it is to accompany them home after service, when they meet them at the door. For a young girl to walk on the street alone is considered improper. The moral condition of the country makes it necessary to be careful in this respect. Even when accompanied by a young gentleman friend, she must also have her father, mother, or some other friend with her.
For a Chilean not to be a Catholic, is to be out of caste; and those who have been converted are made to suffer. The children are taunted as they pass, being told that one “can see the smoke rising from them;” that “the devil is just behind them,” etc. This may seem to us only a light matter; but when we consider the darkness and superstition in which they have been raised, we shall see why it means more to them than it would to us. Many, even of the grown people, yes, a large portion of them, are not able to read the Bible for themselves, and can not tell their own age.
A minister who was passing the house of an English family, being fond of children, took a little girl of twelve on his horse, and asked her if she loved Jesus. The innocent reply came that she did not know him. “Where does he live?” she asked.
It is among these that we have been holding a Sabbath-school; and the children eagerly listen to the Bible stories, and readily learn their lessons. We have all ages in the same class—from fifteen down to four years. Even the oldest are not able to read, so they must all be taught in the same way. But instead of becoming restless at the end of twenty minutes or half an hour, they beg for another lesson. It is rather amusing sometimes to see the larger ones singing “Little feet, be careful.”
The grown men among the poorer class of the natives are indeed only “boys grown tall.” But many of them are glad to learn of the One who loves them.
One of our poor neighbors asked, the other day, “How much would it cost to enter this religion?”
“Come over and help us”—the cry still comes.
Valparaiso, Chile.
Good Tidings From the German Union Conference
By Louis Richard Conradi
L. R. CONRADI
While thus far we have only a nine months' report for 1904, yet everything seems to indicate that this will be the best year we ever had. We see that already there have been 1,186 additions throughout the field, and our membership has risen from 5,156 at the beginning of the year, to 5,966 at the close of the third quarter. We are glad that the tithe has also increased during this time. In 1903 our German Union tithe was $35,640; thus far during 1904 it has been $31,699, within four thousand dollars of last year's tithe. As the tithe for last quarter was $11,409.76, we expect there will be an increase of six or seven thousand dollars in 1904 over 1903. The same kind of growth is even more true of the Sabbath-school and other offerings. Already the Sabbath-school donations have been $2,880 this year, against $3,007 in 1903; and the First-day offerings for the three quarters of 1904 are $1,137, whereas they amounted to but $1,075 during the four quarters of 1903. This shows the deep interest the brethren in the German Union take in our recently opened German East African Mission; for the First-day offerings have been dedicated to that purpose.
We had a most excellent union meeting at Friedensau last summer, in connection with the General European Conference. Our people went forth from that meeting with new courage in the Lord's work. Since that time we have had excellent general meetings in South and North Russia, Brethren Schuberth and Erzenberger attending them. The South Russian Conference has decided to pay a second tithe to the union for advancing the message in the union mission fields. Thus each of the seven conferences in the union, although they have within their combined territory about sixty millions of people, a membership of forty-five hundred, and a tithe of only thirty-six thousand dollars at their disposal, still assists in devoting the sum of seven thousand dollars out of the thirty-six thousand dollars, to the missionary purposes of the German Union, leaving them about twenty-nine thousand dollars for their own work, a sum which is spent annually by some of our larger State conferences in America, on perhaps not more than two millions of people. It is only through the noble liberality of our brethren in gifts and offerings, and their faithfulness in the payment of their tithes, that we were able to work a tremendous mission field containing two hundred millions of people (about half as many as there are in China) with only seventeen hundred dollars on appropriations from America last year; and we have been blessed of God in the results that have attended our efforts.
In Germany proper our membership is increasing, as we now have 3,235 members here. The net increase has been13two hundred and sixty-five during the nine months. We expect to see quite a number baptized during this quarter as the result of the fall campaign.
We have this year been able to dedicate a new chapel of our own at Vohwinkel, Rhenish Prussia, where present truth was first presented about forty years ago. We also have rented a good church building in the center of the city of Berlin. It will hold about four hundred, and it costs us one thousand dollars rent annually. Naturally, our brethren in the great capital city of the German empire are beginning to think that the day must come when they will have their own chapel there, instead of paying so much money for rent. There are now two hundred and fifty Sabbath-keepers in Berlin.
Russia
By far our best increase has been in Russia, where, during the nine months, the membership has grown from 1,497 to 1,920, a gain of four hundred and twenty-three. Of this number, two hundred and seventeen have been brought in among the native Russians, while the others have been added mostly in the German-speaking fields. Just now there is quite a forward move among the Esthonians and Lettonians in the Baltic provinces. We are thankful to God that we enjoy more liberty in this great empire than formerly. The other day we received the welcome news that “Steps to Christ” in the Russian language had passed the Russian censorship; and as the plates for this book are already on the press, it will not be long before we shall have this good book for the millions of Russian-speaking people throughout the world. Thus far, we have had only one other book in this language, “Christian Temperance.”
To be sure, the financial condition of the Russian field is such that it still must receive financial help from without, and much needs to be done in order to develop this vast field, which includes both European and Asiatic Russia. We now have several German nurses working in Russia, and they are doing reasonably well. The Pampaian brethren, who went to Tiflis, have as yet not been able to do much as medical missionaries; but they are learning the Russian language, and we feel hopeful that such arrangements may soon be made as will enable them to render more active service in the work for which they have prepared themselves.
Austria-Hungaria
We are also thankful that the cause of God in Austria-Hungaria is onward. At the beginning of the year Hungaria had one hundred and seventy-one members, but it now has two hundred and twenty-two, a net increase of fifty-one. We had a good general meeting in Hungaria, at Budapest, the capital city, December 1-4. This place has a population of about seventy thousand. Brother Erzenberger was with me. We are glad that a good church is being developed in Budapest. At the meeting, Brother K. Reifschneider was ordained to the ministry. We also secured an additional native worker in the Hungarian language. One Slavonian sister has gone to Friedensau to attend the school. We have quite a promising company among this nationality now, and also quite a number of Servians have recently accepted the truth. Thus the work to-day is going forward among five nationalities in this field. We have some difficulty with our canvassing work. As soon as a canvasser engages in preaching or Bible-reading work, he forfeits his government permission to canvass. To secure this permission is quite a complicated affair.
German-Switzerland
The German-Swiss Conference is also growing constantly. They had a good camp-meeting at Sissach last summer. The reports show that their membership has increased from three hundred and sixteen to three hundred and seventy-four. Brother Boettcher has lately had well-attended meetings at Bern, the capital.
NEVSKE PROSPECT, THE WIDEST STREET IN ST. PETERSBURG
Holland Mission
As to the work in Holland and Flemish Belgium, there is also some growth; for their membership has increased from seventy to ninety-nine. We hope by the end of the year that this membership will be considerably increased.
German East Africa
The work in our recently established German East African Mission is doing well. The buildings at Friedenstal, the head mission station, will soon be finished. We have about twelve young people there under instruction, and the attendance at our Sabbath meetings varies from two hundred to three hundred. The leader, Brother J. Ehlers, has suffered more or less from fever contracted during his visits to the plains below. About twelve miles from Friedenstal, we have put up a school building, in Kihuiro, on the main caravan route to the Kilimanjard Mountains, and we expect to open a school there in the near future. The two young men who are attending the Oriental seminary in Berlin are doing well, and they expect to make such good headway in learning the Suaheli—the language most commonly spoken in German East Africa—that they can leave for their field of labor by next spring.
Friedensau
Our colony in Friedensau is continually advancing. Our new chapel there was dedicated November 20. A large number not of our faith attended. The seating capacity of the chapel is about four hundred, but five hundred can easily be seated in it, if necessary. Beneath the chapel are four schoolrooms. The ladies' new dormitory is now also being occupied. We can accommodate about one hundred and sixty students. The food factory and sanitarium have done fairly well the past three quarters. At present we are putting up a good steam laundry for the school and sanitarium, and a power plant to furnish electricity. The school building, equipped, will cost us about thirty-five thousand dollars. We have received five thousand dollars from the sale of German “Object Lessons” in America, and in this country we have sold about eight thousand dollars' worth of the book, giving us an income of thirteen thousand dollars from this source. We have still about seven thousand copies of the book on hand, so that we hope to realize at least twenty thousand dollars14from the sale of this work. By the time the books can be sold, we hope the school may be out of debt.
In the German field we have had some very interesting experiences with our young people who had to enter the German military service. At first it seemed impossible for any one to get the Sabbath free; but as the faith of our young men has increased, we find that, one after another, they gain the victory.
Publishing Work
The publishing work of the Hamburg house is growing. In the autumn of 1903 we added one new press, but we find that we still do not have enough press capacity to print all our periodicals and smaller publications. We therefore plan to replace an old press with a new one, soon. Our German paper has a regular edition of thirty thousand bimonthly. We lately got out a special Advent issue, printing fifty thousand; but before the paper had been off the press ten days, we had orders for seven thousand more than we had printed, and could have delivered seventy thousand had we printed that many. The German Good Health has a circulation of nine thousand five hundred monthly. It is our only health publication in this language. Our German Little Friend is also to be enlarged, and its subscription list is growing rapidly. It is the only child's paper we have in the German language. We are increasing our stock of foreign publications, and of course this calls for more workmen in the publishing house. We have sold through our canvassers nearly thirty-seven thousand dollars' worth of books the past three quarters. We hope our sales will be considerably above fifty thousand dollars for 1904. We have added to the list of our periodicals a Hungarian quarterly, which contains the Sabbath-school lessons, and good general articles on present truth. We expect to begin a Russian quarterly early in 1905. We publish literature in fifteen languages, and are continually adding to the list.
The ship mission work is prospering. Formerly, Brethren Christiansen and Fintel both worked in the Hamburg harbor. Now, Brother Christiansen is working in Stettin, on the Baltic, while Brother Fintel remains here. Both are doing well, selling hundreds of dollars' worth of our literature to the seamen. Already some fruits have been seen. Last summer a very promising mate on a ship accepted the message.
While the enemy is not asleep, and we have many difficulties to meet, yet we are thankful to God, who giveth us the victory through faith in his name, and we praise him for the bright prospects we see before us in this large field. May the brethren and sisters remember the work and the workers in the German Union Conference, with its large mission territory, and its constantly extending sphere of influence in Asia and Africa.
Hamburg, Germany.
Let the Bible Master You
“MANY seek to master the Bible, and do not regard the necessity of allowing the Bible to master them.”
Chile
By E. W. Thomann
PIRAQUA.—Besides my ministerial work, I have been taking subscriptions for our missionary paper here, and the Lord has given me success. Several times I obtained over eighty subscriptions in one week, and once I obtained one hundred, and at another time I secured sixty in two days. I have also sold several hundred single copies, and some books and Bibles. I should be glad to see a large company of volunteer canvassers here. I am sure they would do much good, and be richly blessed. Many an active colporteur could not only give his time to the Lord, but also be able to sustain himself in this field. It is a great school in which to gain an experience in caring for souls, and in reaching them and presenting the truth to them, and in teaching them, that they may help other souls who need the light of the last message of the Lord to this world. I should be very glad, indeed, if soon our people of the States would be so filled with the missionary spirit that hundreds, yes, thousands, would go all over the earth, proclaiming the truth. E. W. THOMANN.
Japan
By F. W. Field
As we review the year now past, we can see many evidences of God's blessing upon our work in this field. The year has brought the most decided advancement that we have yet seen. Our increase in numbers has been very encouraging; forty-four have been baptized, and our net gain was thirty-three, after allowing for losses by death and apostasy. We are thankful for this steady growth; and yet we know that the Lord can do still much more for us during this present year, if we are only more fully consecrated to him.
The medical missionary work in Kobe still continues to prosper. As intimated in a previous report, it was found necessary to build an addition to the sanitarium quarters in order to provide room for the increasing number of patients. This addition contains four rooms for patients, and two for the accommodation of helpers. The patronage is steadily increasing, and the prospect for the present year is very encouraging.
The work among the Koreans continues to produce interesting developments. The brethren report that, on the whole, the little churches are in good condition, and working for souls; and one by one new members are being added. The Sondol brethren have finished their church building, are holding meetings, and have opened a school for the children.
Sometime ago Brother Kuniya heard from Brother Ryu Un Hyun, who went from Kobe to Hawaii. He was firm in the faith, and was hoping soon to return to his native country, where he desires to labor to spread the truth.
One more interesting development is worthy of notice. At the time we left Korea, Brother Lim Ki Pan wrote to several of his friends in San Francisco, telling them his experience in learning and accepting present truth. We have been much interested in the outcome of this correspondence, and have prayed that the Lord would incline the hearts of these young men to consider and accept the truth; for we hoped that among them there might be at least one whom the Lord could use as a worker among this people. And just recently Brother Kuniya received a letter from one of these young men saying that he and his brother have accepted the truth, and are keeping the Sabbath. We rejoice to learn this, and trust that they may yet become faithful messengers to their countrymen.
F. W. FIELD.
Scotland
By W. A. Westworth
Good news comes to us from Brother Miller at Perth. Several have taken their stand for the message, and the clouds that have made the work there difficult are breaking away. Others are interested, and we believe that erelong a substantial company will be formed at this town.
Last Sabbath at Glasgow there were three who kept their first Sabbath. Thus we have evidence of the presence of our Leader in this large center; and there the work, though difficult, is steadily gaining ground, and we trust that the fruit may continually abound to the praise of the glory of his grace.
Brother Leadingham, who received the truth in Hongkong, writing from Paisley, tells of the way in which the Lord is blessing his efforts to spread the gospel as it is in Jesus. One evening each week is spent with the tracts in regular work, and many of the people are ready and anxious for a change of tracts, and are desirous of knowing the truth. Brother Leadingham also sends us the name of a sister who has accepted the message and is keeping the Sabbath. Another canvasser sends the glad news of one more soul whom, under God, he has been the means of leading to see the true day of rest. Again we ask, Does canvassing pay? Eternity will tell.
Good reports of strong courage come to us from Brother Ness at Inverness. Combining Bible work with his book work, he finds many who can be helped; and as they come in contact with the man, and then with the book, they want to know more. So additional orders are being given, and souls are being led nearer to their Maker.
An indirect report from the workers near Stirling tells of opposition and awakened interest. A sister has been found there who for some time has been keeping the Sabbath of the Lord as the result of Bible study.
We recently called at the Life Boat Mission, run by Brother Black in Glasgow. We were pleased to see the renewed faith and confidence of Brother15Black, and to hear him express his confidence in the message. At the dinner hour we were privileged to see about fifty hungry little urchins get a farthing dinner—no, not that, but a dinner worth several pennies for a farthing.
Monday, November 21, the paper workers in Glasgow met in the church vestry, and talked over the work in that city. Glasgow was divided into regular divisions, and each one was allotted territory in which to work.
The work in Edinburgh still shows evidences of interest, and we can not but believe that there will be more added to the number who rejoice in the truth. So far, we can report that there are, as the result of the work of the past few weeks since the latter part of the tent season, seven adults and five children who have decided to obey, and there are a number deeply exercised over the matter.
Brother Taylor has begun the work of canvassing the shops in Edinburgh for “Patriarchs and Prophets,” and reports some interesting visits. Report from Kirkcaldy of another accession to the faith cheers our hearts.
As a field, we have much to be thankful for. May we continually realize the responsibilities that rest upon us, and press on to ultimate triumph.
W. A. WESTWORTH.
A Testimony From Honan
By E. Pilquist
WE have great reason to be thankful to God for what he has done for us. He has opened a wide door, which no one can shut. Thus the whole country lies open before us. The Spirit of God urges us to go. The believers also urge us. The poor heathen, plunged in darkness, lies bleeding in his pitiful condition, reaching out his blood-stained hands, asking for healing balm for his wounds. Happy is he who realizes the shortness of time, and really feels that it is high time for us to do the bidding of our King. The earth, with its sinful inhabitants, is whirling forward to destruction. We must hasten to save some here and some there.
We sowed the word of God as best we could by preaching, by Bible readings, by private conversation, and by distributing Bibles. The field is the world. It lies open before us. The seed is the word of God. I am the sower. When I sow the seed, I know not which will prosper best. I do not worry concerning this, but what I am anxious about is that I shall be eager to do what my hands find to do.
The friends in America have remembered us in a very practical way, in the form of donations of money to support our school work, and to buy Bibles for distribution among those that are interested in reading the Word of God. We are very thankful for these donations. We shall use them as judiciously as possible. We have already bought a large number of Bibles, which we have distributed during our journeys. We shall continue this Bible distribution as long as we are in this work. O, how precious is the Bible! No human pen, no human voice, has yet approached its perfection. The way that God expresses himself in his Word is the most simple and effective we yet have found. It would require a Bible interpreter that is greater than the One who has given us the Bible, to furnish us with something better. We believe unreservedly in the simple doctrines of the Bible. These are the power of God unto salvation for every one that believes. Nothing else is to be depended on in this wicked and corrupt world.
All the friends who have received Bibles join with me in their sincere thanks for these gifts. May God bless you, my dear brethren and sisters.
E. PILQUIST.
South Carolina
By E. W. Webster
The sickness of some of the workers has hindered the work in Columbia for several weeks, but has not entirely stopped it. House-to-house work has been done, books and papers have been sold, and meetings held in a church furnished us free at Edgewood, a suburb of this city. Sunday morning and evening the Sabbath question was presented, and some interest was manifested. Some are deeply convicted, being convinced that we have the truth. While but few, so far, have begun to keep the Sabbath, we hope that others will do so soon.
Sister McHugh, our Bible worker whom the West Michigan Conference is supporting here, is gaining access to some of the best homes, with The Family Bible Teacher, and is holding Bible readings with some. A few with whom we are holding readings are much interested. The people are very cautious, and are generally much afraid of anything new in religion. But we find honest souls who are inquiring after truth, and though the work moves slowly, we expect to see it go with power at no distant day.
Several brethren and sisters in the North and West have answered our call for help, and have been sending reading matter to, and corresponding with, those whose names we have furnished; but we have many more names we wish could be used in this way. We can not furnish papers and tracts sufficient for the work here, and eternity alone will reveal the good our people can do in this way. We wish that scores of our people would write us for names. If any have clubs of our papers, or even single copies, that they are not now using, here is an opportunity to do much good with them, and if such have not the time to send the papers, and correspond with those whose names we could send, let them give the papers to some one who can and will do it. Let us not delay the great harvest, but let us hasten it by earnest work. Many a tear have we shed over the destitution of this field, and many prayers have ascended to God for help. Here is an opportunity that almost any one can improve with little effort, and while otherwise engaged at home.
Some have inquired about the openings for canvassers here. We now have but four canvassers actively engaged, and one other doing a little. We greatly rejoice at this little beginning, but our hearts are sad as we look upon the unentered fields already white to the harvest. All these canvassers are in two counties (and just a small portion of them is yet worked), while there are thirty-nine counties, with just as good territory as can be found in any Southern State, where there is not a worker. Here is room for scores of faithful canvassers. We are praying the Lord to place a burden for this work upon some of our young men and women. Please remember that in all South Carolina we have only two that I can now think of whom we can depend upon as recruits, and that not at present. Who will be impressed with this destitution, and write me to learn more about the openings for this work?
I have received inquiries concerning the climate, soil, and prospects for a farmer’s making a living here. I will answer but briefly here, inviting questions from any. The climate is delightful in winter, and is not, as many suppose, unendurable in summer, especially in the northern part of the State. There is some malaria in summer near the coast and in the marshes, but, though it may be a surprise to many, it is nevertheless a fact that South Carolina has one of the best and most even climates to be found in the United States. It is a health resort for many invalids, including consumptives. Its climate is recommended for such.
There was a snow and sleet this winter of two or three inches in the northern part near the mountains, “the worst storm for eleven years.” Droughts are almost unknown. On Christmas day doors and windows were open, and children were playing barefooted in the yards and streets; and for two weeks since the storm we have seen those unmistakable evidences of spring—barefoot boys and singing frogs.
Some of the soil is very poor, having been partly washed away through neglect, or worn out by improper cultivation. Planting cotton and corn, corn and cotton, year after year for generations on the same ground has drained it. At the same time it has been injured, burned out, by excessive use of chemical fertilizers. But there are good farms to be had at reasonable prices, which, with proper cultivation, would make good homes. What is needed is a little Northern thrift and experience. The people here recognize and welcome this. I will gladly furnish any information I can. Consecrated farmers can not help the work in any better way than by locating in South Carolina. Pray for the work here. Address me at 2117 Gervais St., Columbia, S. C.
E. W. WEBSTER.
A Revival in the Kansas City Church
By Jas. Cochran
ELDER R. D. QUINN has just closed a four weeks' meeting in the Kansas City church. This church numbers nearly three hundred members, and, like many of our large churches, had settled down in the past few years into a state of indifference. Doubts as to the authenticity of the Testimonies and other cardinal truths of the Bible had entered the minds of many, causing great discouragement. The church was apparently on the eve of a wholesale apostasy. A number had given up, declaring they would walk no more with us.
The change that has come the last four weeks is most remarkable. Never before in my experience have I seen the power of God so wonderfully displayed. The desire to get right with God permeated16the entire church. Discouragement has been banished, and doubts removed. There was nothing in the preaching to cause excitement. It was simply a setting forth of the message with the old-time spirit. God stamped his approval on the work, and set his hand to deliver the people. Men and women, many of whom had not attended the church for years, came to the meeting, and testified how the Lord had been working with them. God pointed out their sins, and delivered them out of bondage. Twenty-five or thirty of those who had been much in the background, and some who had been disfellowshipped for Sabbath-breaking and other reasons, were reclaimed. Eight began to observe all of God's commandments for the first time. A spirit of consecration and a burning desire to help close this work speedily has come into the church. God has set his hand to work for the people. May a work similar to this done in Kansas City be accomplished in all our churches. JAS. COCHRAN.
Self-Supporting Missionary Work in Louisiana
By C. A. Watkins
BATON ROUGE.—When I first came to Louisiana, it was by appointment of the Ohio Conference. Having had several years’ experience in the South, I knew something of the work before me, and with the financial support of the Ohio brethren, I was in a position to prosecute my work without much embarrassment. At the close of the year, however, the brethren felt that they could not longer carry the financial burden. Being unwilling to give up the good work begun, I decided to seek some means of self-support, and remain in this place.
Soon after this I accepted a position as Bible teacher and assistant instructor in one of the oldest and largest mission schools in the South. This school was established by the Methodists about eighteen years ago. I have full charge of the Bible teaching in the chapel every morning, and also of a course of Bible lectures on Sunday afternoon, to which the public is invited. There are in attendance about three hundred students from different parts of the State, seventy of whom are in the intermediate grade, to which I also give instruction.
Through my connection with this school, I have received invitations to preach in several churches in the city. Educational meetings are now being held each month in the different churches. I have been invited to take part in these meetings, and have spoken freely three times on Christian education.
The school also has a well-equipped printing-office, to which I am given free access for the publication of any literature I desire. I am taking instruction in printing, and am preparing special works for the people for whom I labor.
The clothing and provisions sent us last winter did much good. We are now in a position to use many times as much with even greater results. If any can send us, prepaid, clothing, bedding, dried fruits, or even potatoes or beans, we will use them in our personal work among destitute families. This is the coldest winter we have had for several years, and there is much suffering. We also need money to buy paper and other material for publishing small leaflets, Bible studies, etc. My salary is small, but every dollar that can be spared is put into this work. I ask the prayers of the brethren for divine guidance. During my twenty years in the ministry, this is my first experience in self-supporting work, but I am of good courage.
