DURING the last two or three months it has been my privilege to spend some time with our workers in the Fukien province. In company with the brethren there, I visited all the stations, except one, where our work is being carried on. The one omitted was the smallest, and the work there has not developed as fully as at the other places.
The first station to be visited was the one at Dogang, some twenty or twenty-five miles southwest of the city of Amoy. It is very accessible, as there is steam communication to within a short distance of the station. Altogether, the trip one way requires only about five or six hours, and the expense is trifling.
Dogang is a village, or rather a market-place, situated in a fertile valley surrounded by large mountains. In this valley are scores of villages, representing thousands of people whose work it is to till the soil, which yields abundantly of rice and a variety of vegetables. Our brethren opened work in this valley some four years ago, and while one other mission has some work in this same valley, our people are practically in the field alone. Thus far they have only a chapel, though two years ago they also carried on a boys’ school. It was found better to conduct school work only where a more direct supervision can be maintained, and for this reason it was decided to carry on the work by means of a chapel only. It was my privilege to be there over the Sabbath, and I was much pleased to see seven or eight of the more intelligent class gather in from different parts of that valley to attend the Sabbath meeting. One man came across the mountains, a distance of about three or four miles. I was singularly impressed with the fact that these men are the first-fruits of that valley, representing widely separated parts of it, and in this way the light of truth is well distributed. These men have all been baptized, and seem to be fully enlisted in the truth. Two young men (one a married man) are located there, and by means of preaching and the distribution of literature carry on the work.
While there, we spent some time looking for a site on which to build a school, as it was thought well to plan for a school in that vicinity, which could receive all the children of believing parents in that province. Later this plan was indorsed by the general committee at a special session held in Shanghai in September. It is felt by all that to look after the children and young people of those parents who have taken their stand for the truth is of the very highest importance. This is one of the best means of solidifying our work, and of course it is the one way of securing trained and trustworthy native helpers for a larger and more aggressive work. Such a step is an absolute necessity, and the general committee has voted to allow the Fukien local committee to draw five hundred dollars with which to buy a site and begin building. No definite steps have been taken, and we may find it impossible to carry out our plans in just the way they have been formulated. But this is the end toward which we are working for that province for the immediate future. It is impossible to say just how much money will be required to buy land and erect buildings for such a work; but of course we must take one step at a time, and advance as far as we are able. This step of preparing for school work is but the logical result of the first step, the gathering of converts.
SIX OUT OF THE FOUR HUNDRED MILLIONS IN CHINA WHO ARE WAITING FOR THE MESSAGE
The visit to the other station, Tsuan Chiu, a fu city about seventy miles up the coast from Amoy, was equally interesting and profitable. This is a large city, representing quite a large district of country. In this city the English Presbyterians have quite large mission interests, and most of our converts came from that mission. They were convinced of the Sabbath truth, and so took their stand with us. A neat little chapel has been rented, and furnishes adequate convenience for all their meetings. It is situated within the walls of the city, and so stands as a light to the entire place. Here, too, there are some eight or ten baptized men. One evangelist is located there, and has charge of the work.
We all felt that both here and at Dogang a church could be organized almost any time, and accordingly it was decided that this step be taken sometime this fall. A small boys’ school is also being carried on at this fu city, largely the results of the efforts of the brethren living there who have children. I was much impressed with the work in this place, and I feel assured that it will spread out into the country and the adjoining villages and towns.
Kulangsu, the island just opposite the city of Amoy, which is the foreign concession, and where our foreign brethren and Elder Keh, with their families, reside, is really the center of our work. Here a church was organized some time ago, and until new churches are formed at the other two stations already mentioned, all the baptized members have their membership here. Regular Sabbath services are held, together with prayer-meetings, in a rented chapel.
Altogether, the work in that province is very promising. A good corps of native helpers has been enlisted in the work. These, from time to time, are called together, for institute work or workers’ meetings. And thus the work is forging on, under the blessing of the Lord, and to his glory.
