Manila by L. V. Finster

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Jul 1, 1909

Manila

By L. V. Finster

WE arrived here Dec. 19, 1908, after working seven years in Australia. It is very encouraging to us as we look back over the time spent in the Australian field to see so many now rejoicing in the truth, and to know that a large number for whom we have labored are actively engaged in taking the truth to others.

On our arrival here, we found our faithful canvasser, Brother R. L. Caldwell, in the midst of a delivery of seven hundred fifty Spanish “Patriarchs and Prophets.” The Lord has surely blessed his efforts here, for he has placed nearly one thousand “Patriarchs and Prophets” in the city of Manila alone.

Nominally, there is but one Seventh-day Adventist family in the islands; and the missionary is confronted with eight million souls darkened by the terrible, blighting, superstitious teachings of Rome for the period of three hundred years. The cries of their great need touched our hearts, and made us feel welcome far more than if we had been met by many of our people who needed only our pastoral care. The thought that right around him are eight million souls who have never heard of the third angel’s message lays a heavy burden upon any man who believes that Jesus is soon coming. But what are two workers for so many people? And the task assumes much greater proportions when we find that there are a dozen or more very difficult languages to master before the warning work can be done.

Yet it is encouraging to know that the Lord has gone before us, and only calls us to follow on. He has placed these islands under the control of the United States, and thus liberty and freedom and the right to worship as they see fit is given to these down-trodden people who have been in the hands of Rome so long. The public school system is doing much to enlighten, and make it possible for the truth to reach these people. The rising educated class is largely leaving the superstitious teachings of the Church of Rome. Then, too, the Lord has gone before us in preparing a man for translating. Some years ago Professor Calderon was converted to the Protestant cause, and has given his life to the work of translating for the different missions. He was the main translator of the Bible into Tagalog. We were glad to secure the services of

this man to translate several tracts into Tagalog. One of the last ones I gave him was “Is Sunday the Sabbath?” On his returning the translation to me he said, “I was very much interested in that tract, and I believe you are right about the Sabbath.” I have held several studies with him, and he now rests on the Sabbath. Of course, he knows but little of the truth as yet, but we pray that he will walk in all the light as it is shown to him. We have seven tracts now translated into the Tagalog language. Two of these have already been printed. We also have two tracts translated into the Ilocano language. We expect to get translations done for all the different languages as fast as we can get competent translators.

There should be many more workers sent here at once to begin the study of these different languages on the different islands. It seems to me that as the Lord has used the American people to bring liberty and freedom to these people, he also holds the depositories of this last message doubly responsible to step into the providence that he has opened—to take the last message of truth to them. We need canvassers, and we need strong young men to come and learn the language and do evangelistic work.

If there ever was a time when the church should pray the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers into the already whitened harvest-field, it is now.

We need money to buy a mission house here in Manila, as rents are exorbitant. We are paying sixty dollars a month for the upper part of a house containing six rooms, and that is one mile from the city proper. Buildings may be bought reasonably cheap.

L. V. FINSTER.