A Day in Honolulu by I. H. Evans

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 28, 1910

A Day in Honolulu

By I. H. Evans

IN company with Elder F. H. DeVinney and wife, Dr. Kawasaka, and Brother Miyaka, we reached the beautiful city of Honolulu five days and nineteen hours after leaving San Francisco for the Orient. The trip was a pleasant one; while some of the party suffered much from seasickness, one could hardly expect a calmer sea than we had all the way.

Elder DeVinney is to take the supervision of the work in Japan, thus relieving Brother F. W. Field, who has been superintendent for eight years, so he can give his time to the educational work. Brother Field is much beloved in Japan by all the workers, both foreign and native. He has labored untiringly to establish the work in the “land of the rising sun.” Now the necessity for a training-school has become imperative, and none can be found better adapted to conduct such a school for the Japanese than Brother Field. He desires to take up this work, and the workers in Japan wish him to have charge of the training-school.

Dr. Kawasaka is a regularly graduated physician from Japan. The Japanese Mission Committee as well as the home Mission Board recommended that he spend a year in one of our sanitariums in the States, studying hydrotherapy, hygiene, and other rational remedies used by our people in their sanitarium work. The doctor is now returning to his native land, having been in the States since the time of the last General Conference. Brother Miyaka is a fully qualified nurse, having been graduated from Loma Linda. He expects to connect with our sanitarium work under the direction of the Japanese Mission Committee.

We were more than glad when we sighted Honolulu; for we knew it meant a day of rest and quiet at the pleasant home of Elder C. D. M. Williams and wife, who have charge of the work in the Hawaiian Islands. We were received with a hearty welcome, which these workers always give to our missionaries passing to and from the Orient. We found them in fairly good health, and with an excellent interest in the city of Honolulu. The day before we arrived, five persons were received into the church by baptism. A few weeks before, three others had joined the church, while there are five more who will soon be baptized.

Brother and Sister Williams say they now have the best interest in the city that they have had since they began work in this island field some five years ago. Their hearts are full of praise to God for what he is doing for them. They report the church as united, with a larger membership and more Sabbath-keepers than ever before.

With nine islands, and with nine different languages these two workers certainly need the prayers of the believers in the home land, that the Lord will preserve them in health, and make them a rich blessing to the work in that field.

In company with Elder Williams I called on several of the believers. Among others was Sister Healy, now in her eighty-fourth year. She has long been one of the faithful believers in Honolulu. Her first inquiry, after the usual greeting, was: “Well, how is the work going? Do you not think we are near the end? Do you not see the signs fulfilling that point to the coming of the Lord? I am daily praying my Saviour will come quickly.” After a season of prayer, we parted, and her last words were: “When we meet again, it will be up yonder, where there will be no more partings.” As I departed, I thought of the worn and aged pilgrims among us, who have long been journeying homeward to the promised Canaan, and who have given all their earthly possessions for the advancement of the message. I saw them watching, praying for the soon coming of Him for whom they have waited these many years. Their eyes are upon the signs of his coming, and they hail with joy of heart every indication that his coming is near. They certainly are “pilgrims and strangers” here below. They have no earthly entanglements; long years ago they set their house in order to meet the Lord when he should come. This hope has cheered them all these years, and now they are truly waiting, looking for his appearing in glory.

While our stay was short, our hearts were cheered to meet these faithful workers who are giving their lives for the advancement of the message. We felt we had been in the home of those who truly love the Lord and his work, and our spirits were refreshed.

At 5 P. M. anchor was lifted, and we bade one another good-by, and were soon again far out on the great deep. Our next stop will be beautiful Japan.

I. H. EVANS.