Sumatra by R. W. Munson

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Nov 16, 1905

Sumatra

By R. W. Munson

PADANG.—There are no less than sixty thousand baptized converts to Christianity among the Battaks, of north Sumatra. In June last, the son of the senior Battak preacher came down to Padang to assist in the publication of a Batta newspaper.

He longed for Christian fellowship, and so called to make our acquaintance. Knowing Malay well, I had no difficulty in conversing with him. Learning that we were Sabbath-keepers, he came with the intention of convincing me that Sunday is the Christian sabbath. But when I had read the fourth commandment and Matt. 5: 1-19, he was silent. Without knowing it, I had 'spiked his guns.'

Subsequently I went over the whole ground of Sabbath truth, and he seemed to be thoroughly convinced. But in order to be quite sure, he sent for his Batta Bible, so that he could read the proof texts in his mother tongue. He is a graduate of the Royal School, is about twenty-five, and is a fine young man.

He seemed very sorry when we left for Australia. He used to come, like one of the family, and play sacred music on our organ for hours at a time. He said to me, 'Why do you go away? Why can't you stay and instruct me in these new truths?' At another time he said, 'If I become a Sabbath-keeper, I shall go back to my people and teach them the truth.' This is a fulfilment of what has been told us by the spirit of prophecy as to the manner in which the message is to go to new peoples. He knows some Dutch, so I gave him 'Bible Readings' in that language. Pray, for Immanuel, for it is only through such as he that the truth can reach the Battaks.

R. W. MUNSON.