p. 12 | An Appeal From China by W. C. HANKINS

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 15, 1909

An Appeal From China

By W. C. HANKINS

W. C. HANKINS

The China Mission of Seventh-day Adventists has just held its second biennial workers’ meeting. One action taken at that meeting is of special interest to all our young workers and young people in the home land, and that was a call for forty families to enter China during the years 1909 and 1910. It is planned to locate at least two families in each province during the next two or three years, and we hope, by the grace of God, to give the third angel’s message to China by the time it has gone to the rest of the world. To one who has but a vague idea of the vast extent of territory in this field and of its almost countless population, and knows but little of the difficulties that face the worker here at every step, this may seem a comparatively easy task; but it is very apparent to the workers on the ground that it will require complete consecration on the part of all the workers,—both foreign and Chinese,—the whole-hearted co-operation of all our people in the home land, and a mighty outpouring of the Spirit of God before this work will be accomplished.

There are several ways by which every one can have a part in this undertaking. Perhaps the most important and the most effective way of all would be to make this field the special subject of daily prayer. O that our people would realize the power of prayer, and exercise that power to the uttermost! We are told that ‘Elias . . . prayed earnestly that it might not rain;’ ‘and he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain.’ James 5:17, 18. Let us pray as did Elias, and we shall see great results in the mission fields. Don’t forget, brethren, that China, with its four hundred millions of perishing souls, needs your earnest prayers in its behalf.

It will take thousands of dollars to carry this work to its completion. But if every one prays earnestly for this field, there is no doubt but that the money will be forthcoming. People can not very well withhold their fifties and refuse to give liberally of their means when they are uttering whole-hearted petitions to God for the success of his work. And what better use can we make of our money than to use it for the salvation of souls? It will be a grand thing to know, by and by, that there are souls saved who heard the gospel because we gave the money to carry it to them.

And then, too, how much better it will be to have all our money invested in the bank of heaven when this old earth shall have gone into bankruptcy. How glad we shall be, then, that we did not allow Satan to beguile us into investing our means in the things of this world. See Matt. 6:19-21.

Parents, tell your children that, although you would love to keep them with you for the rest of your life, yet you are willing to give them to God’s service, and so bid them Godspeed, and send them on to the front of the battle. Dear young people, God is calling you to leave those you love, and come to these needy fields. He is calling you to take your place on the firing line, where the fight is the hottest, and the dangers are most numerous. It means that you will have to face hardship, danger, sickness, and death; but our Leader is here with us, and he will be with you, and you will learn to know him better and love and trust him more than you ever did before.

No one should think of coming to a field like China who is not in good health. It is hard on the worker, hard on the Mission Board, and bad for the work, to have a man invalided home after only a few years’ sojourn in the field. Then, too, it is very necessary that the foreign missionary should have a good all-round education. Know something of hygiene, nursing, and hygienic cooking. The wives, especially, should be good cooks, good housekeepers, and know how to sew. These seem little things, but they become vital things in a foreign land.

It is fatal to the interest of the work to think that less education and less preparation in Bible study, history, etc., is needed by those who come to China than by those who work in the home land. If anything, the opposite is true. Many of the Chinese are very bright people, and are likely to ask unheard-of questions. And besides this, we must meet the foreign missionaries of other denominations, who are, as a rule, a very well-educated and well-informed class of people.

Yes, our mission fields demand the very best material — consecration, youth, health, education, experience, adaptability, perseverance, and a love for souls such as the Saviour had. May God send many such to help finish the work in China.

Kulangsu, Amoy.