THE Australasian Union Conference has held its biennial session, and the delegates from this field, with some new workers, have returned to their labors. It takes twenty-four days of continuous traveling to reach Sydney, our headquarters, where the conference meetings were held. In the same time we can journey from here to England or to Canada. The distance to Sydney is not so great, but the boats are slow, and they are also infrequent.
We are glad to have Brother G. F. Jones, the superintendent of the mission, and Sister Jones with us again, and both look so well after their five months' journeyings in the commonwealth. They brought with them a young man, K. Hungerford, to keep the books of the mission and the tract society, in the place of Brother Joseph Mills, who, with his wife, has been called to connect with the school in New Zealand. Two more workers are coming to the East in a few months.
Elder J. E. Fulton, who has been appointed to take charge of the East Indian Mission, and Sister Fulton also arrived from Java, where they have been spending a month planning for the extension of the work in that field. The mission there has been strengthened by the addition of Brother and Sister Thorpe, trained nurses from the Sydney Sanitarium; they are now connected with the Java Mountain Home, a property recently acquired for the benefit of our workers in that trying and unhealthful climate. It is situated about forty miles from the city of Sourabaya, on the mountainside, at an elevation of two thousand four hundred feet above sea-level.
BROTHER CHAN AND FAMILY
Brother Chan is our Chinese laborer at Singapore. His two eldest daughters, Teck Soon and Teck Sung, standing in the rear, are Bible workers
The workers there have decided to take Miss Jansz's mission for the Javanese, which she offered to us about two years ago. Sister Tunheim and a co-laborer are already there, learning the language and becoming acquainted with the workings of the colony and the ways of the people. Miss Jansz has been keeping the Sabbath for many years, and has also taught her converts the necessity of doing the same. About thirty-five are baptized and keep the Sabbath. They are still far from being Adventists, but they make a favorable showing when compared with those from whom they have come.
Heretofore it has been thought that it would be advantageous to have a large central educational institution in Singapore, to which might be brought the most promising natives from the different islands in the archipelago to give them a training for the work. This plan has been tried for about a year and a half, but it has not proved a success. The diversity of languages presents an insurmountable difficulty to such a plan. Every mission will have to conduct its own school and train its own workers. When the boys are moved from their own islands to more civilized places, they lose their original simplicity, and begin to pattern after the Europeans, whose habits are expensive, and not always beneficial to the natives. Upon returning home they consider themselves superior to the other natives, and conduct themselves in a patronizing manner toward them. The Singapore School and the mission have now been united in one institution, and will be conducted as one enterprise hereafter.
The proclamation of the message in this city has been much hindered through the lack of a building in which to hold meetings. Missionaries of other denominations have had sufficient influence to prevent us from renting a hall or other place of meeting. The government, after being approached several times, finally consented to let the mission have a small piece of land in a central position, at seventy-five cents (Singapore) a square foot, on which to build a church. Compared with the cost of other land in that locality, the price is said to be very low—about one half of its real value. The government insists on a good building being erected on the ground, so land and all will amount to about £1,250. This large sum could not have been obtained except through the liberality of our people in the United States and in Australia.
The major part of the inhabitants of Singapore being Chinese, it is necessary that workers understanding that language be connected with the mission. Brother Fletcher is earnestly endeavoring to master the Hokien dialect, so that he may be able to devote his talents to those people. Nearly all the Chinese who are born here can speak Malay. Brother and Sister Jones are able to teach and preach in that language. There are also several Chinese workers. Brother Chan Thiam Hee distributes tracts, and does general colporteur work. His daughters, Chan Teck Sung and Chan Teck Soon, are engaged in the Bible work. Besides knowing several dialects of Chinese, and Malay, they are also able to speak easily in English. Chan is the surname, and the given names follow. Teck is a name which is equivalent to the first half of compound names now so fashionable in civilized countries.
They are an exemplary Christian family, and loyal Adventists. The father receives twenty-five Singapore dollars a month, and the daughters twelve and a half each. The whole amounts to twenty-eight American dollars.
The boys from Batakland who are attending the school in Singapore were much disappointed because no one was found at the late union conference who could go with them to their country. Their call is certainly one of the most urgent in the East Indies. Two of them returned home this week, after being here eleven months. They came for six. Probably the others will go soon. They do not like to stay away from their country long at a time, and they are anxious to return and tell their relatives and friends the things which they have seen and heard. It is a great pity that we have no one to send to that country immediately. A young man and his wife, or, better, two such, could do a good work among that people. The missionaries do not need to be very scholarly; an acquaintance with outdoor life, adaptability, a supply of ordinary common sense, a love for the truth and for the souls of these poor people, will insure17a good harvest in Batakland, if we can judge by present appearances.
A young man from Holland, Jacob van de Groep, has come to connect with the work in the Dutch possessions in the East. At present he is in Deli, a thriving town on the east coast of Sumatra, canvassing for our Dutch publications. He is accompanied by a young Chinese, the adopted son of Chan Thiam Hee, named Lee Chong Miou, who is canvassing for “Christ Our Saviour” in Malay. This is the first regular canvassing done in the Dutch Insulande, and we are waiting with interest to see what the results will be.
There is a great work to be done in this world of islands, with its millions of inhabitants, diverse in language, religion, habits, and social conditions. In some respects the problems presented here are more complex than in any other country. Comparatively few of the people can read, and to reach those who can will require literature in many languages, and in as many as nine different characters. It is estimated by some that the languages and dialects spoken in the archipelago number nearly fifty; more conservative estimates place it at about forty.
It is not for us to worry, however, about the difficulties. The Lord has them in hand, and we can well afford to let him dispose of them in his own way. When this denomination rises as one man, and gives itself without reserve to the great work to which it is dedicated, we shall not be left long to languish in these sweltering climates, but we shall see marvelous things accomplished in a short time. Not that the denomination can do them; but when we are doing all we can, then the Lord will manifest his power to fulfil his promises and take his people home. It cheers our hearts to hear of the interest in the home lands in the spread of the message in these corners of the earth.
GEORGE TEASDALE.
Washington, D. C.
By W. S. Connolly
HOWARD UNIVERSITY.—Notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather, the assembly hall of Howard University was almost packed on the evening of January 16, with as intelligent an audience as it has ever been the privilege of the writer to address.
The meeting, which was duly announced to the students at the devotional hour on the preceding day, was held under the auspices of the Christian Endeavor Society, and was addressed by me on the subject announced, “The Bible Concerning Disarmament.”
After preliminary remarks on the mission of prophecy, the writer immediately entered upon a consideration of the prophecy of Daniel 2. The audience was transported from Babylon to Medo-Persia, beholding first the grandeur and magnificence of those nations of antiquity, then the passing away of all that glory. Never in the writer’s short experience had he been so conscious of the irresistible power of the Holy Spirit.
It was pointed out to the hearers that, as prospective leaders of the race, they can be true leaders only so far as they are advocates of truth for the times. Great responsibility attaches to intellectual power, and for our encouragement the Lord has given us the promise, “They that be teachers [of truth] shall then shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever.”
When the statement was made, “The work of the world is done by few; God asks that a part be done by you,” each one seemed to get a new vision of life’s purpose.
Judging from what I observed, and from the expressions made by the hearers, the meeting was a positive success.
W. S. CONNOLLY.
Jottings From Manila
By R. A. Caldwell
It seems scarcely possible that it is almost a year since we arrived in this field. Good success has attended our efforts, on the whole. A cable was recently sent to the Pacific Press for seven hundred copies of “Patriarchs and Prophets,” in Spanish, all of which we hope to place in Manila and its vicinity. We placed three copies with some Spanish Protestants who can not read English. We understand this is the only family of such persons in Manila; so I was especially pleased to meet them, and supply them with such literature. Almost all the stock which was on hand when we arrived has been delivered. In a few weeks the territory in Manila will be completed.
Of late we have had unsettled weather. Two severe typhoons passed close by in the course of a few days. A later one struck us full force. Many houses of light material collapsed, but no lives were lost. It was much worse up north. About eight hundred lives were lost, and much damage to crops and buildings is reported. In the provinces, cholera has been troublesome for some months. Since January, 1908, fourteen hundred deaths occurred out of nineteen hundred cases. However, Manila has been entirely free until a few weeks ago, since then a few cases have been reported daily. Only a few of these were Americans. It has now almost disappeared.
We have just heard that Brother and Sister Finster have been appointed to this field of eight million people. This gladdens our hearts. May the good work go on.
R. A. CALDWELL.
Cheering Experiences in the Canvassing Work
By Walter Harper
I FINISHED a successful canvass at Globe, Ariz., three days ago, and am now at Morenci, as busy as I can be, on a new canvass. The Lord does open a wide door. His good angels go ahead of the King’s messengers, and prepare the way faster than we can follow. To-day I have seen things that would cheer and encourage the most downcast. There is so much to do—more by far than I can handle. Where are the workers when such openings are found?
I left Loma Linda for Globe a little over two months ago. In less than sixty days the Lord enabled me to fill over eight hundred dollars’ worth of orders for books, helps, etc., and over one hundred more for “Christ’s Object Lessons,” “Ministry of Healing,” and smaller books.
I have often stated that to connect these two relief books with the regular canvassing work, seems to open floodgates of blessing on the other part of the work. To-day the Master gave me four orders for “Christ’s Object Lessons,” and about fifty dollars’ worth of other orders. One man who happened to spy my canvassing books in my room one evening, wanted to know what I had. As a result, I received eleven dollars’ worth of orders, including one large family Bible. Recently I met a man to whom I sold “Patriarchs and Prophets” about three years ago. He was so well pleased that he ordered “Great Controversy,” simply on description, as I had no prospectus to show him. At Globe a woman who was searching for Bible knowledge, ordered “Patriarchs and Prophets.” When I told her about “Great Controversy,” she also ordered it, without even seeing a prospectus. I receive many wonderful answers to prayer.18
Up to about 4 P. M. to-day I had failed of getting my desired number of orders for “Christ’s Object Lessons,” for the day. I felt that I must bestir myself and receive them. Soon it was done. Then I went into a few more houses, and in about an hour I had twenty-five dollars’ worth of orders for books, helps, etc. At one house two men gave me thirteen dollars’ worth of orders. Among these were orders for two copies of “Patriarchs and Prophets.” At another house, two miners, just home from work, each ordered a copy of “Patriarchs and Prophets.” At the next house, the home of a Mexican family, I received an order for “Patriarchs and Prophets” in Spanish. For a long time I have held the position that good, and only good, comes to our canvassers and King’s messengers by giving the two relief books a place in their work. To-day I am blessed with orders amounting to fifty or fifty-five dollars. These relief books seem to open the flood-tide of blessings. WALTER HARPER.
The Canvassing Work in Chile
By THOS. H. DAVIS.
SINCE our canvassing class closed at Pua the last of October, I have been having some interesting times with the canvassers. Several new ones are to start out soon. It would do your heart good to see the zeal these young men have for the work. One young man who has had no training is making more than at his trade selling small books and the Señales. Brother Farios and his wife, who located in Concepcion, the third city of Chile, are having some good experiences. He sold one hundred ninety-six copies of the Señales in one day, and she sold one hundred, besides selling some books. It was a treat to spend last Sabbath with them. Brother Farios sacrificed a good trade to be a self-supporting canvasser.
The canvassing work will be one of the main features at our conference in February. Here, as all over the world, the canvassing work is not taking a back seat. The president of the conference and the ministers are taking a great interest in it. So many new ones are getting out to work, that the secretary of the conference thinks it will be necessary to increase the number of papers. We are anxiously waiting for the new books in Spanish, which are being translated in California.
THOS. H. DAVIS.
Canada
By Emil Fawer
MONTREAL.—The missionary work among the French goes quite slowly here. I have not been able to get a hall in which to hold meetings. I am doing house-to-house work. The French Protestant ministers have warned their people against our teachings since my arrival. Nevertheless, God blesses my efforts. One woman is now firm in the truth. I still have hopes for her husband. Some Catholic families are also quite interested.
I have visited my fellow countrymen in the near-by districts. They were glad to see a French worker. They are of good courage, wishing to make advancement in the spiritual life.
I have had an attack of malaria, but am well now. I praise God as I read of souls everywhere accepting the third angel's message, and preparing to receive the latter rain by putting away their sins.
EMIL FAWER.
California a Storm-Center Just Now
By W. A. C.
CALIFORNIA, as well as Washington, the capital of the nation, is a storm-center just now in the matter of Sunday legislation. A big battle is now on in that State over this question. The friends of Sunday legislation are unwilling that California should longer remain outside the fold. They are therefore putting forth tremendous efforts to wheel it into line, and hope for better success than they had two years ago. Referring to the campaign now on in this State, Elder J. O. Corliss, writing from Sacramento, the capital, says:—
“The fight this time will be the strongest and the hardest that we have ever had to meet, and unless the Lord gives wisdom and sustaining grace, the battle will be lost. A mighty effort is to be made. The W. C. T. U. is sending two of their brightest women to buttonhole legislators in behalf of their pet scheme. They said it was necessary, because ‘the Seventh-day Adventists are hard fighters; they have some good talkers, and their arguments appeal to the legislative mind.’”
Since the legislature convened January 4, three Sunday bills, and a proposed amendment to the State constitution making such legislation constitutional, have been introduced in the legislature. The promoters of this longed-for legislation knew that such a law as they desire would be useless without first securing a constitutional amendment, as such laws had been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of the State, and the last State Sunday law was repealed by the legislature in 1883. So the amendment has been introduced along with the proposed law.
Elder Corliss adds: “Strenuous efforts are being made here to pass these bills into law, because the friends of the movement are determined that California shall no longer be counted an alien in the matter of Sunday laws. When California swings into line, as they hope to have it do in this session of the legislature, there is no doubt that the national affair will come to the front, headed by the Sabbath Alliance, to have the general Sunday law for every State. Then the other States will be constantly amending their Sunday laws to make them more ‘ideal.’”
January 12 a bundle of petitions against Sunday legislation, which had been circulated by our people, bearing over 35,000 signatures, was presented in both the Assembly and the Senate. The Sacramento Bee, of January 12, under the heading, “Monster Petition Against Blue Laws,” referred to this matter as follows:—
“Names aggregating 35,535 were submitted to the Assembly this morning attached to a petition protesting against the passage of the Sunday Rest bill. The big petition was presented by Nat Coghlan, of San Francisco. This is the greatest number of names ever attached to any petition filed with the clerks of the House. The tens of thousands of names were attached to nearly as many petitions, and packed in a carton nearly two feet deep and long. The stupendous array of cognomens will not be published, but will be placed in the archives of the Assembly, to represent the work of the opponents of the Sunday Rest law. The names come from every county in the State.”
Exemptions for our people are made in both the principal Sunday bills introduced,—the one framed by Rev. G. L. Tufts, the Pacific Coast representative of Mr. Crafts’ International Reform Bureau,—and the proposed constitutional amendment; but we well know the value of such exemptions and why they are offered, and can not compromise ourselves and the truth by keeping silent upon the great issues involved in this conflict over the Sabbath question and the right to worship God according to the dictates of conscience, because of these apparent kindnesses and considerations shown us. In a letter addressed to Elder Corliss not long ago, Mr. Tufts said: “You need have no fear from this bill. I have framed it carefully. There is not an ecclesiastical or religious word in the bill. It is drawn for better citizenship only. We wish to secure the passage of the Sunday Rest law; and if you will agree not to circulate petitions, we will not do so. I am sorry we can not see the same regarding this law. I wish you could be convinced that the law would be an advantage to your church. This bill has been drafted with great care.”
But our people did not see matters as Mr. Tufts saw them, nor cease their opposition to the proposed Sunday legislation; so, in a sermon delivered in the United Brethren church in Sacramento, Sunday evening, January 10, he spoke of them as follows:—19“A year ago a pastor, mounted on his bicycle, was seen going from saloon to saloon getting signatures to a petition containing a protest against a Sunday rest law. The ministers of a certain sect are more active than the saloon men, I am sorry to say, in their opposition to this law. They are fighting more vigorously than the saloon men themselves.
“It was this comparatively insignificant body of religionists that successfully blocked Rest Day legislation at the legislature two years ago. It is not fair that this small body should control this great State. Of course, its people have their rights as well as we, and they will be protected fully by the law we propose. They have set up a man of straw. The evil they see is only imaginary. Their argument is wholly without foundation.
“There is every reason in the world for a Sunday rest law. It is indispensable to the building up of a great Christian kingdom. We must have a day of universal rest. It is only through Sunday observation that we can develop the spiritual side of our natures.”—Sacramento Bee, Jan. 12, 1909.
And yet Mr. Tufts would have us believe that the proposed law is not religious because “there is not an ecclesiastical or religious word in the bill.” This is only another demonstration of the fact that however Sunday laws may be worded, and however careful those who frame them may be to weed out from them all religious expressions, the advocates of such laws can not talk five minutes in favor of them without revealing that they are religious. And the spirit they manifest toward those who oppose the passage of these laws, and the false charges they make against them, show also their persecuting nature.
In conclusion Elder Corliss says: “We are getting the credit for destroying the sacredness of Sunday in California. We are to be cordially hated, I know, for our zeal in opposing Sunday laws. But let the worst come. We have gone too far now to back out. The Lord of glory is still at the helm of his church on earth.” And in view of the severe conflict in which they are engaged, and the great issues at stake, he requests our earnest prayers in their behalf.
W. A. C.
Field Notes
A CHURCH of nineteen members was organized on Sabbath, December 12, at Ravenna, Ohio.
A REPORT from Cumberland, Md., states that a twelve weeks' tent effort brought eleven into the truth.
A SABBATH-SCHOOL of about twenty-five members has been organized at the Hoag schoolhouse, near Cedar Springs, Mich.
Two more have taken their stand for the truth at Adrian, Mich., and have indicated their desire to unite with the church.
As a further result of the summer's tent effort, three were added to the church at Bridgeport, Conn., on Sabbath, December 26.
Two converts have been taken into the church at Springfield, Mo., recently, and it is expected that others will unite with that church soon.
BROTHER JOHN F. ANDERSON, reporting from Duluth, Minn., says: “Fourteen persons have begun to keep the Sabbath since we began our work here, July 6, and five have been baptized. One of the latter is now at Maplewood Academy. Four others are about ready for baptism. There are others who are studying with us.”
As a result of a series of meetings at Wolcott, Vt., seven persons were added to the church.
DURING the past quarter three persons have been baptized, and added to Church No. 1, New York City.
ELDER D. F. STURGEON reports several Sabbath-keepers at Lone Wolf, Okla., and a Sabbath-school of about seventeen.
THE following report comes from Brother Sydney Scott, Greenville, S. C. “Our work is prospering. Our tent effort brought twenty-five persons to the light of the message. We have begun a mission school here, with considerable interest thus far.”
THE following report comes from the church at Keokuk, Iowa: “Sabbath, January 2, four adults presented themselves for membership. After close questioning on the different points of our faith, three who have begun keeping the Sabbath recently, were admitted subject to baptism. The other one was advised to wait until more fully established. After meeting, one young woman who has been keeping the Sabbath for several weeks, requested that she be given opportunity to unite with us next Sabbath. Several others are weighing these matters.”
South Africa
By J. V. Willson
BEACONSFIELD.—On Sabbath, December 5, six persons were baptized at this place, and united with the church. Three of these were young persons. We have long hoped for a revival among the young in our church, and we hope that others will also soon go forward in the ordinance of baptism.
The Lord has greatly blessed the labors of Elder E. R. Williams and his wife here at Beaconsfield, and we hope they will return to us after conference.
WE are pleased to report that the Lord has been greatly blessing in this department of his cause during the past year. Our work is now becoming quite thoroughly organized. In the ten union conferences, we have seven religious liberty union conference secretaries, and in the fifty-five local conferences, we have forty-seven religious liberty local secretaries. We trust it will not be long before all the union and local conferences will be supplied with secretaries. With the field thus thoroughly organized, we shall be able to accomplish our work with far greater dispatch than otherwise.
The Religious Liberty Department of the General Conference is supplying Congress regularly with Liberty, some five hundred copies, besides sending the magazine to four hundred thirty-seven colleges and universities in the United States. During the past year thirty-six States supplied their legislators with this magazine. It is to be hoped that during the year 1909 our conferences will see that every State legislator is furnished with Liberty.
The magazine Liberty has a large and unparalleled circulation for one that has so recently entered the field of journalism, and the outlook for the future of this periodical is encouraging, in view of the two new departments which have been added since it was first launched. Certainly the Lord has directed in broadening the scope of our religious liberty work by incorporating in it these important departments.
The temperance feature of this department, touching the question of legislation, has given a decided impetus not only to our religious liberty work, but to our work in general, as has been demonstrated by the little that has already been done by our people in placing ourselves in a proper light before the world upon this great question. Certainly this is one of the important ways by which we can disarm prejudice; for all fair-minded persons can not but see that even though we are opposed to Sunday legislation, and do not champion the cause of Sunday closing of the saloon, we are vigorously opposed to the open saloon upon every day of the week. It must be evident to all that if the saloon is closed on seven days of the week, it will certainly be closed on Sunday. We shall expect, during the coming year, that our conferences will be able to do more in the way of conducting temperance rallies and distributing temperance literature than they have during the past year.
During the year 1908 the officers of this department have attended fifteen camp-meetings, and conducted a number of special religious liberty campaigns in Pittsburg; Philadelphia; Albany, N. Y.; Trenton, N. J.; Winnipeg, Manitoba; and St. John’s, Newfoundland.
So far, the Lord has helped us in preventing the passage of a Sunday bill by Congress. Of course, we can not say how long we may succeed in staying such legislation, for we know, according to prophecy, that a law will sometime be enacted. We have been gratified in receiving recently a number of strong statements from congressmen who are opposed to Sunday legislation. One says: “I am against the proposed Sunday legislation, and you can depend upon my opposition to it.” Another says: “I believe Congress should leave matters of that kind alone.” One expressed himself freely on the question, as being utterly opposed to Sunday legislation of any kind. Another says that he is decidedly against Sunday legislation, and does not think such a law will ever be passed. Still another states that he stands against any and all Sunday legislation, on the ground that it is religious legislation, and, therefore, not within the sphere of civil government. He has invited correspondence with regard to further developments of the movement. We quote from another, who says: “In accordance with your suggestion, I shall watch the legislation to which you call my attention. I have had a large number of letters from grocers in favor of the bill.”
Still another writes: “I agree with you that there is nothing more important than the absolute separation of church and state, and if, upon a careful perusal of this bill, I find it fraught with the evils which you anticipate, and which it more than probably contains, I shall certainly oppose its passage.”
Another writes: “I am just in receipt of yours of July 13, and shall be pleased to read the leaflets when they arrive. As a member of the Committee on the District of Columbia, I am opposed to the legislation to which you refer. So far as my voice and my vote will go, I propose to maintain the noble attitude of our government thus far in regard to the separation of church and state, and the elimination from public acts of all religious legislation.”
We are planning to do more work during the coming year than we have heretofore. We intend to get out a revised and enlarged edition of the valuable work, “American State Papers;” also some new religious liberty tracts, such as, “Sunday Legislation and the Laboring Man,” “The Lord’s Day Alliance,” and “Prohibition and the Liquor Traffic.” The latter can be used to good advantage when we are holding temperance rallies.
Among other lines of work, we are contemplating a vigorous campaign by placing our literature in the hands of many ministers of the leading denominations, and sending it to the prominent magazines in the country. This work, of course, will be done in addition to our regular work with Congress, and in the field.
Only a little time remains in which to accomplish this great work that has been committed to our people. Now is our opportune time to labor, while the winds of strife are being held, and people are still susceptible to the influence of the truth. The forces of evil are rapidly increasing, which will result in closing the work. What we need in this great battle for freedom just now is plenty of volunteers and an abundance of means to carry on the work. To this end we pray that the Lord will impress our people to make a liberal offering for this work on our Religious Liberty day, Sabbath, February 6, when the annual offering for this department is to be received, and also to continue to pray that God will lead those in charge of this branch of his work in effectively warning the people against the worship of the beast and its image, and the reception of its mark.
K. C. B.
Religious Liberty Notes
SABBATH, February 6, is the day appointed for the annual offering for the general religious liberty work.
A Denver paper recently stated that five hundred retail grocers were fighting the Sunday-closing law of Colorado, and asking the courts to restrain its enforcement, upon the ground that it is unconstitutional.
The action of the Church Federation Council at Philadelphia, on Dec. 7, 1908, respecting the Seventh-day Baptists, shows that they intend to tolerate the keeping of the seventh-day Sabbath neither inside nor outside their organization.
During the past two weeks, Elder K. C. Russell, chairman of the Religious Liberty Department, has been attending the two conferences at Lebanon, Pa., and Jersey City, N. J., at which stirring temperance and religious liberty meetings were held, with good outside attendance.
Book Selling in the Siang Valley, Hunan, China
By Percival J. Laird
WHEN last we wrote, Brother Chang Kangheo had just left for the sacred Nanyo Mountain, about four days south of Chang-sha, to work among the pilgrims who visit the temples there annually. He took a load of tracts with him for distribution. He found that the number of pilgrims was considerably less than it was a few years ago. There were several workers from other stations there on a like errand. The course taken by some of the professed Christians of this place (natives) made tract sales among the people very difficult at first.
When the time came for our brother to leave the place, he found himself quite a little short of the amount he needed to settle with his landlord, and yet he was desirous of leaving that morning so as to arrive home before Sabbath. Committing his case to God, he went out, and soon sold enough books to more than meet the deficit.
Considering the adverse circumstances under which Brother Chang labored, it was with thankfulness to God that he was able to report the total of 2,277 tracts sold. It is the privilege of our readers to ask God's blessing upon these little silent messengers, that they may bring the light of truth to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.
October 5, Brethren Chang Kangheo, Lu Weilin, and Huany Hanyong, together with my wife and myself, left Chang-sha on a book-selling trip to Yochow. It was fortunate that we were able to secure a fairly comfortable house-boat, as we were destined to make it our home for three weeks. Strong head winds kept us from making the journey quickly. However, it may be that if we had traveled more rapidly, we would have missed some precious opportunities of witnessing for the Master.
Our first venture ashore with books was in a small hamlet. Comparing notes on the way back, Brother Chang and I found that we had been praying for the same thing—either for success with books, or that we might be given opportunities for speaking to the people about the truth. The first man canvassed bought two tracts, and we must have made sales at about every third house in the village.
On our arrival at Sin-kang rain was falling, and the road was quite treacherous. Although considerably larger than the former hamlet, our sales were not so large in comparison. The Lutherans have a mission at that place.
Tsing-kiang, our third stopping-place, was reached in the morning. After invoking God's blessing, we each took an armful of books, and went ashore. The answer to our prayers came so speedily that we each had to make two or three trips to the boat to replenish our supplies. As a proof that the health literature is an entering wedge, it may be stated that a package of four small tracts, including one on tobacco, found ready purchasers. The package was valued at less than one-half cent United States money.
Having thoroughly worked the business section, we crossed the river, to the place where the pottery factories and kilns are situated. From our efforts, more than a thousand tracts must have been sold that day. Personally, I think it was my record day for sales since coming to China. Praise God!
Dropping down-stream before Sabbath, we anchored in a little creek. We visited the temple just above us Sabbath afternoon, and there found several elderly men under a vow to abstain from eating meat. At first they were inclined to argue, but when I told them how sorry I was to see men whose sun was almost sinking below the hills, still vainly seeking rest, they became most attentive. The blessed Spirit of God was surely present in that temple as we spoke of Jesus, who said, “Come unto me, . . . and I will give you rest;” “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” They readily accepted the few tracts given them to follow up the verbal message.
One more stop, and then we arrived at Sianyin, a country town. It has a Wesleyan hall, and Romanists are also in occupation. Many were the forbidding and unfriendly replies we met while canvassing. But we continued our work until almost every house was visited. Our efforts were rewarded with sales amounting to 2,552 cash (about $1.25).
We next visited Yochow. The people here seemed exceedingly friendly. On the whole, our sales were good, being 4,251 cash (about $2.15) during our three days' stay. We also visited Chênlingohi, about five miles north of Yochow, and had fair success with our books.
On the third day of our homeward trip, the breeze increased almost to a gale. We scudded through the water with great speed. It was quite exciting, and altogether a new experience to me. Fortunately, we were not troubled with seasickness, or the experience would not have been so enjoyable.
We reached Chang-sha the following day at about nine in the evening. We enjoyed being in larger and more comfortable quarters once more. Our total sales were 4,791 tracts. To God be the praise. PERCIVAL J. LAIRD.
