First Fruits From Manchuria by Bernhard Petersen

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 30, 1915

First Fruits From Manchuria

By Bernhard Petersen

BERNHARD PETERSEN

NINE months have passed since we left Shanghai to enter upon our work here in Manchuria. They have been busy months. We were still unfamiliar with the language and the people who came to investigate the truth, but we had to go ahead and do the best we could. As we look back over our work, our hearts are made glad because the Lord has been with us and blessed us, and our efforts have not been in vain. During the winter months we held three meetings a week, besides giving Bible readings to those who came for further instruction. For some time some of the inquirers have been looking forward to the time when they could follow their Master in baptism. Desiring to lay a good foundation for the beginning of our work here in this field, we held them back until they became more fully established in the truth. Finally, we decided to baptize five who we thought were ready, and let the others wait and continue studying a little longer.

On the twelfth of July we gathered with these candidates on the banks of the Hun-ho only a few miles from the city of Mukden. Though it is the rainy season, and we have rain almost every day, heaven seemed to favor us on this day. It was a little cloudy on the way out, but just at the time of the baptism the sun came forth, and it did not rain until the service was over and we had reached home. Brother Grundset spoke to the bystanders concerning the meaning of the ordinance, after which the writer buried the candidates in the watery grave. Their faces beamed with joy and gladness as they rose to walk in newness of life. Two days after, we organized our first church in Manchuria, of eleven members, and the following Sabbath celebrated the ordinances of the Lord's house. We pray that this church may grow and be the means of winning many precious souls to the truth.

Manchuria seems to be ripe for the message. Many calls are coming to us from different places, to come and instruct the people. A little over two weeks ago I left Mukden for a larger city farther south. A call has been coming to us from Liao-yang for some time. One of our canvassers went there some time ago to sell magazines, and as a result some became interested. An elderly man has begun to keep the Sabbath. He has a store, which he now closes every Sabbath day. Many others are very much interested, and desire to have us come and instruct them. One morning recently our Chinese teacher read a letter to me which he had just received from one of his friends living about one hundred and thirty miles west of Mukden. While we were attending the general meeting in Shanghai, this man came to Mukden, and hearing about us, sought us out. Our Chinese helper gave him some literature, which he took home with him. Since then our Chinese teacher has been sending other books to him, and now he and others in his town are anxious for us to come and instruct them. Today another letter came from the north, where for more than a year people have been anxiously waiting to hear the message; but we have not been able to answer the call. We are now planning to send them a Chinese evangelist who can instruct them in the truth.

Thus the work is continually going forward. But we feel our great need of more workers to answer the calls that come to us. There is a great work to be done here in this large field, and we rejoice when we see how the Spirit of God is working upon the hearts of the people, preparing them to receive the message. We are all of good courage, and are doing what we can to hasten the finishing of the work.