China by W. C. HANKINS

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Jan 18, 1906

China

By W. C. HANKINS

KULANGSU, AMOY.—We are all in good health, and of good courage, and we feel more thankful to the Lord every day for bringing us to this place. We have stood the heat of the summer very well, and at the present time our health is as good as it ever was, if not better.

A VIEW OF AMOY FROM THE MISSION BUILDING SITE

The work is onward. One intelligent young man from up-country, a graduate of one of the mission high schools here in Kulangsu, having heard a little of the Sabbath truth from Brother Timothy when he was here, came down a few weeks ago to inquire further. As Brother Keh was up-country at the time, I studied with him. Afterward he came down while Brother Anderson was here, and, after a further study with Brother Keh, announced his desire for baptism, and to go with Brother Keh to preach the gospel. There is also another young minister, a former pupil of Brother Keh, who is convinced of the truth, and whom we expect to see obey shortly.

While Elder Anderson was here, we went up-country with Brother Keh, for a three-days' trip. While on this trip, Elder Anderson and I were impressed with the immensity of the work before us: just a medium-sized city has two or three hundred thousand inhabitants, while one like Canton has millions; and then at distances of about half a mile through the country, are villages, each containing one or two thousand inhabitants. The question arose in our minds, How are we to warn all these people in the short space of time left to us, and with such a limited number of workers? We compare the work here with that in the States, and when we consider that while the United States has one hundred times as many workers, we have six times as many people, who are much more difficult to reach on account of their ignorance. We certainly should have more workers.

But even with all the laborers that will ever be sent to China, the work here will be of such a nature that every laborer will need to make haste in proclaiming God's last message of mercy.

As we talked over the situation as we saw it while among these millions of people, we could not help but feel that our work here must be something of the nature of that of John the Baptist and the Saviour,—going from city to city and from village to village, giving the message of warning, distributing literature containing the message, and trusting God for the increase, not expecting to stay, even in a large city, more than two or three weeks, and in the villages perhaps but a few hours. The message thus given would be sure, if given in the spirit and power of God, to awaken an interest in the hearts of the people, and so would spread from village to village and from city to city, so that in a comparatively short time all China could hear the gospel, and the honest in heart be gathered out for the kingdom of God.

I feared, when we came, that at least two years of comparative idleness, as far as aggressive gospel work was concerned, would be our fate, but I have been agreeably disappointed. Although giving a great deal of time to language study, there have been many opportunities for giving the gospel.

And now let me add just a few lines, as a plea for help. We need workers. We need them now, so that we may make a united effort, and carry this immense land by storm. Send us young men who can learn the language, and who love the Lord. This is a grand place to be—because God is here, and is with this work. W. C. HANKINS.