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Progress in Manchuria

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 30, 1916

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 93, No. 59.

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Progress in Manchuria

By Bernhard Peterson

BERNHARD PETERSON
The Lord is very good to us here in this northern country, and we are grateful to him for the manifold manifestations of his love. The message is spreading to far-distant places in this great field, and many are the calls that come to us from those who desire to know more about the coming of the Lord.
BELIEVERS AND INQUIRERS IN MUKDEN, INCLUDING THOSE RECENTLY BAPTIZED
BELIEVERS AND INQUIRERS IN MUKDEN, INCLUDING THOSE RECENTLY BAPTIZED
A year and a half has passed since we began public effort in the city of Mukden. We have had three baptisms. About two weeks ago six precious souls were buried with their Lord in the watery grave. Others expressed their desire for baptism then, but we thought it best for them to wait a while longer. We have, therefore, planned for another baptism in about two months. We are also beginning to reap some fruit in the places where we established chapels last year. The Lord has blessed in the efforts made to present the message, and several have begun keeping the Sabbath, some of whom have asked for baptism.
About two weeks ago Brother O. J. Grundset and his family moved to Chang Chwen, a city about two hundred miles north of Mukden. We rejoice that we are thus able to establish another mission station here in Manchuria.
Our colporteur work is entering upon a new era. It was indeed difficult to convince the canvassers in this field that the colporteur work could be put upon an entirely self-supporting basis. We were therefore made glad when two native brethren arrived from the south to take up this work. These brethren soon discovered that they had reached a field that was as good as any in which they had been, and agreed with us that the magazine could be sold for a higher price. Subscriptions are now being taken at fifty cents a year, and single copies are selling for five cents each. Some of the canvassers have taken as many as twenty subscriptions in one day.
I have just returned from a trip about one hundred miles west of Mukden. I had a very interesting time while there, and held two meetings daily, besides studying and talking with the people. Some of these people had been members of other churches for years, but when they heard this message and saw how we as a people study the Bible, they were greatly surprised and stirred, and reasoned that if they had studied their Bibles faithfully, they would have found the truth before this. They are now very anxious to have us come there and establish a chapel. One of them has a large shoe store, and as he has known the Sabbath truth for some time, I spoke very earnestly to him about keeping the Sabbath right. He had not been working on the Sabbath for a long time, but the men under him had. He said, “I see it must come to where I must close up everything on the Sabbath; and though it seems difficult for me now, I am willing to follow the Lord.” I thank God for this testimony, knowing what it means in his case.
In our Sabbath school work we are making steady progress, not only in attendance, but also in offerings. During the last quarter, our Sabbath schools gave nearly $40 to missions. We were much encouraged to see this, considering the membership.
We are of good courage, seeing nothing but victory ahead of us, and we look forward to the time when this message shall have reached the remotest bounds of Manchuria. When you pray, remember Manchuria.
Mukden.