China by Wm. A. WESTWORTH

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 7, 1910

China

By Wm. A. WESTWORTH

WM. A. WESTWORTH

Following the annual council at Shanghai, it was thought best that I go on a trip through the interior, as there were several matters awaiting decision. Accordingly, I began a journey which meant about twenty-five hundred miles of travel, under a great variety of conditions, and which lasted over six weeks. Elder R. F. Cottrell and Brother and Sister Fred Lee accompanied me.

By steamer, by rail, by house-boat with sail, by boat drawn along the river-banks by coolies (and sometimes by ourselves), by donkey riding, by mule-cart (without springs), by wheelbarrow, and by the ofttimes preferable, though not always practicable, way of going on foot, we pressed through territory representing over 131,000,000 souls. Everywhere we see the evidences of Satan’s rule,—temples of Buddhism and Taoism; wayside shrines filled with idols or used as the home of a family or company of beggars (one was held by a fair-sized company of hogs); and incense burning and firecrackers exploding in the villages at all times of day and night to propitiate the gods. Each night is made hideous by the continual hammering of brass gongs by wandering watchmen, who keep up the racket to scare away the demons, which are supposed to be everywhere present, corners and sharp points being placed on the roofs to catch the devils in their passage, and by making it hard for them to travel, causing them to stay away. Here, a poor woman is shrieking because of the abuse of husband or mother-in-law (for the lot of the young wife in China is far from pleasant); a little farther on, a child’s body floats past you in the canal; there, a beggar, covered with sores and perhaps with leprosy, asks an alms,—everything, everywhere, calling for the light and the truth and the love of the third angel’s message.

The first station visited was Yingshang Hsien. Here, about a year ago, Brother Han accepted present truth through reading. He had been for some time a Christian worker; and when he accepted the message, he went to work with that zeal which should mark each believer in this last message to a dying world. Four or five of his people came with him. Brother Han has not had the help and counsel of a foreign worker, a few days’ visit from a foreigner being all that could be spared in the past; but, acting as station superintendent, treasurer, evangelist, and general manager, he has gathered about him an earnest company, whose hearts and faces are warm and bright with the sunshine of God’s love.

A number of believers awaited us; and after a few days’ stay we had the privilege of organizing the first Chinese Seventh-day Adventist church in Anhwei. There are twenty-one members, wholly the result of Brother Han’s labors. Six of these had been baptized some time previously, during an eight days’ journey up the river to our Cheo Chia K’o station, but thirteen were at this time awaiting baptism.

On account of the large crowds that would gather, it was unsafe to conduct this ordinance in daylight; so about 6 P. M. we walked through mud and a driving rain to a suitable place two miles up the river. Here these dear souls, nine of whom came direct from paganism to the truth, were buried in baptism by Elder R. F. Cottrell. Two of the candidates were aged sisters, who had often knelt before the shrine of a pagan deity, and who, because of physical infirmities, had to be carried down into the water; others, who had been addicted to the horrible opium habit, were now free, and had a new purpose in life. As we saw these and others come forth from the watery grave, with faces aglow in the knowledge of acceptance with God, we could not but ask if more childlike faith and love for God could be found in the home land; or if greater risks would be run, or more severe privations borne, by those who boast the benefits of Christian school and sanctuary.

Brother Fred Lee was left at this station, of which he was chosen elder, with Brother Han as deacon. Sister Lee acts as church treasurer.

From this place we pressed on to Cheo Chia K’o. After a week’s varied experience, we reached this station, and rejoiced to see the leading of our Heavenly Father at this center. Here were gathered about forty persons, as bright a class of people as one could wish to see, men from five or six out-stations, assembled for a Biblical institute and preparing for service. Elder J. W. Westrup has charge of this station, and is assisted by Brother and Sister O. A. Hall, formerly of Nebraska, and by Sister Pauline Schilberg, of South Lancaster Academy and the Washington Seminary.

Sister Schilberg has been blessed in her study of the language, and acted as our interpreter as we spoke to the company assembled. In this important city, which is really two walled cities, one on either side of the river, is found a center for a rapidly spreading work. Already native chapels are being erected, and companies of believers who love the truth are gathered out.

Passing on to Hankow (four days’ travel), accompanied by Brother Westrup, we were made welcome by Brother Cush Sparks, formerly secretary of the Nebraska Tract Society. Hankow is the Chicago of China. In this district are one and one-half million people waiting for the message, with but one native helper, six hundred miles in the interior of China. Brother Sparks is trying to master the language and hold up the light. He should — he must — have help. Who will volunteer to go? Here is a city with modern European buildings, with gas, electricity, paved streets, banks, newspapers, telephone service, everything modern in the foreign concessions (for it is an open, or treaty, port); here abound elements of twentieth century progress; and here is only one foreigner who lives the message, with one Chinese canvasser. Is this as it should be?

We next passed on two hundred fifty miles farther inland to Chang-sha. For months Brother and Sister P. J. Laird have been alone in this great city, almost a thousand miles inland. Here they have labored and prayed, prayed and labored; and God has heard their prayers, and blessed their work. Here again we found a school in progress. From several out-stations men were hard at work searching for truth. Why? The answer was given by a man who rode some distance with me in a cart. He could not speak English, nor could I speak Chinese; but several times he said, slowly, “Jesu qui li di,” and I could understand it,—“Jesus is quickly coming! Jesus is quickly coming!” It was all he could say that I could comprehend, but still it was enough. Sick and tired of sin and sorrow, surfeited with paganism, and with hearts groaning for deliverance from the physical and spiritual bondage which prevails, these dear souls respond to the sound of the message, and work as best they can to get a preparation to carry the word of life to others.

Chang-sha is a severely anti-foreign town, and great care and wisdom will need to be exercised in securing a site for our work there. Prices are high; and as it is a provincial capital and a viceregal city, it will cost considerable to establish our work, yet God has given witness to his acceptance of the labors of his children there, and we look for good results. We anxiously await a response from the brethren and sisters at home, on the $300,000 Fund, that suitable quarters may be secured. Sister Laird, who was Dr. Emma Perrine, has established a good optical trade, and by this means both she and her husband have been able to reach many hearts.

From Chang-sha we returned home, and found there awaiting us the accumulated mail of some weeks. Attention to this, together with the forward steps that must be taken with reference to the new press buildings, etc., will occupy our attention for some time to come.

Brethren and sisters, China with its population of 425,000,000 is our largest missionary problem. We have as yet barely touched the great work of giving the message to this people, but God has shown us that he is waiting for us to step out by faith. Shall we not have a speedy response of men and means? One hundred dollars will pay a native evangelist, with all his traveling expenses, for a full year. Can you not support one? Must we wait longer for our printing-house, before we can get our literature into the hands of this people, who have proved that they will buy it when we can deliver it. Canvassers are waiting to carry the message to their own people.

May God grant that we may each realize the responsibility resting on us, and not be found wanting in the day when the Lord returneth, and reckoneth with his servants. Pray for China.

Shanghai.