China by B. L. ANDERSON

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 5, 1908

China

By B. L. ANDERSON

CHOA CHOW FU.—Present truth has gained another foothold in China. In this city of several hundred thousand inhabitants, a company of over twenty meet in a private house from Sabbath to Sabbath to worship their Creator and soon-returning Lord. Their pastor, Brother Ang, is a man of long experience and winning influence. He was educated in the Baptist schools, and for years served as an ordained pastor; but recently he and his flock have been more or less independent of the denomination. When the Sabbath truth was presented to Mr. Ang last winter, he with his family took his stand, and gradually since then they and those to whom he ministers have advanced step by step into the fuller light of the gospel.

In November Brethren Keh and Hoksin, and the writer spent three weeks in Choa Chow Fu and the surrounding district, visiting from house to house and preaching the word. During one third of this time Elder J. N. Anderson, of Canton, was with us. This being the season of rice harvesting, it was very difficult to assemble the believers on the week-days, so we went to them in the evenings; and after their day's work was done, met in a bamboo house decorated with plows, harrows, and rice, and there, around a table, studied the “words of eternal life.” The believers were much encouraged, and showed their interest by asking many questions about the gospel.

Sabbath, November 23, after a sermon by Elder J. N. Anderson, the whole congregation repaired to the riverside, where four souls, including Brother Ang's two oldest daughters, were baptized. This scene was witnessed by hundreds of people, many of whom jeered; but the gospel must be preached to these also. The following Sabbath these souls were received into Christian fellowship, after which twenty-eight persons partook of the Lord's supper. Visitors were much interested. One man from a distant city stepped forward and said, “Although I am a member of another church, yet may I not unite with you in the observance of this ordinance?” The Sabbath truth found a lodgment in his heart, and tobacco was cast out into the street.

Eighteen miles from Choa Chow Fu an earnest young man is keeping the Sabbath, and at the same time working zealously to give the message to others. This man first heard the truth in Swatow. Thus the truth of the Sabbath is going inland to mission stations.

While these people have received new light, they have yet much to learn. But who will teach them? It is not meet that south Kwang Tung or Fukien provinces should share its few workers with Choa Chow Fu, people of a different language. And yet they continually ask, “When will a Seventh-day Adventist missionary come to teach us?” Their request is not only reasonable, but it is urgent, and this call is first of all other calls in China, and must be answered at once lest an opportunity be lost. The door to six million Hok-lo speaking people is now open. Who will go and bring to these people the whole gospel of salvation? B. L. ANDERSON.