p. 5 | En Route to the Orient by R. C. PORTER

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 2, 1916

En Route to the Orient

By R. C. PORTER

R. C. PORTER

AUGUST 1 our party of forty-two adults, and six children, composed of ordained ministers, teachers, doctors, nurses, Bible workers, stenographers, and musicians, set sail for the Asiatic Division.

Brother Loveland came aboard suffering from malaria, contracted while visiting relatives in Texas, and Sister Steinel was suffering from inflammatory rheumatism. After prayer was offered for their recovery, they made rapid improvement, and were soon enjoying the voyage in comparative comfort. The ship’s physicians and stewardess treated these sick ones more as if they were their own relatives than mere passing strangers. No service was withheld, night or day, that would contribute to their comfort and recovery. The first two days we encountered a heavy sea. This was too much for some of our company so early in their voyage, and they succumbed to seasickness. Even some of the more experienced seafaring ones found it convenient to retire early the first night. With the calming of the sea, this experience was soon over, and all became good sailors.

A Bible study each morning, on principles pertaining to successful mission work, was conducted by the writer. An afternoon Mandarin language class was organized by Elder R. F. Cottrell. These studies continued during the voyage, and the interest intensified as the work advanced. It was a pleasure to witness the eagerness with which our party sought first a preparation for their work, counting all else secondary.

Before reaching Honolulu a wireless informed us that preparations were being made for our entertainment there for one day, and true to the report of many who have visited this “Paradise of the Pacific,” our people there had an elaborate program prepared. A reserved tramcar, just large enough to hold the party, left the wharf with all on board shortly after our arrival. We visited Nuuanu Valley, Manoa Valley, Waikiki Beach, Kapiolani Park, and the world-famous aquarium. At the park a bountiful dinner was spread for us under the cool shade of the wide-spreading banyan tree. More than one hundred sat down to dinner, while the employees of Brother Jonah Kumalae’s ukulele factory furnished us with some beautiful selections of Hawaiian music, both vocal and instrumental. This was greatly appreciated.

RECEPTION AT HONOLULU, GIVEN TO THE MISSIONARIES EN ROUTE FOR THE ORIENT

Dinner over, an appropriate service was held, during which an exchange of greetings took place between the church and our party. Very touching expressions of consecration for the finishing of the work met a response in all hearts, and the Holy Spirit, with its refreshing presence, bound all a little closer to one another and to the throne of God, as we again turned our faces westward toward the Far East.

The voyage from Honolulu to Japan was very pleasant, except two days when we encountered the outer circle of a typhoon. Our party had by this time become so accustomed to the sea that most of them passed this test of their seamanship exceptionally well. All enjoyed the experience, as it afforded an opportunity to see the large swells with the spray breaking over the vessel.

In Yokohama our stay was prolonged to three days, to repair a broken engine. On our arrival we were met by Elder and Sister F. H. DeVinney, Professor and Sister H. F. Benson, Brother and Sister A. B. Cole, Brother and Sister Burden, Brother and Sister J. N. Herboltzheimer, Brother T. H. Okohira, and others.

We were first conducted to Tokio, where a very pleasant reception was given our party at the Japanese headquarters’ compound. All hearts were touched by the words of courage and cheer this large company of new recruits inspired, and all were impressed with the thought that we were entering the field as the last-hour reserves called into service for the final conflict and the speedy finishing of the work. Every hour of our stay in Japan was enjoyed by our party.

Thursday morning Elder DeVinney joined us and we started on the last stage of our voyage. The sea was quiet the remainder of the journey, and the closing days of our voyage bound us more closely to one another, as by our separation from Brother and Sister S. G. Jacques at Yokohama, we realized that our pleasant family associations were soon to cease, and we should be privileged to meet only at the throne of grace, where each will be remembered as the result of this brief and very pleasant period of association.

We cast anchor at Wusung, fourteen miles from Shanghai, at one o’clock, August 27. Here we were met by nearly all our workers in Shanghai, together with the local division superintendents who had been called to Shanghai for a committee meeting. They gave us, and the army of missionaries accompanying us, a warm welcome.