The Kwang-tung General Meeting by W. C. Hankins

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 6, 1910

The Kwang-tung General Meeting

By W. C. Hankins

W. C. HANKINS

THE Kwang-tung general meeting (the Canton district) opened the evening of October 1 with a good attendance. The first Sabbath there were one hundred eleven present at the Sabbath-school services, and on the last Sabbath of the meeting there were about one hundred fifty who attended the preaching service.

Four meetings were held each day. A regular program had been previously made out, and those who were to take part were notified some time before the meeting; thus everything was done decently and in order, with no confusion or uncertainty as to what was to be done. The program was written in large characters, and posted in a conspicuous place.

The meeting was full of interest from first to last, and the Holy Spirit was present to add his blessing.

On the last day of the meeting thirteen were baptized and received into the church, and one was received by profession of faith, who had previously been baptized by the Baptist mission. Nearly

half of those received were young people from the two schools. All the women and girls who were baptized, were pupils of Bethel School (Canton), who had entered the school at the beginning of this school year. The woman who was received on profession of faith was the teacher of the East Gate Girls’ School.

One young girl, who had been a day scholar at the East Gate School, but had entered Bethel School this year, came to Sister Amanda Vanscoy and asked if she too might be baptized. She had waited for some one to speak to her about it, but no one had done so, as it was thought best to allow each one to take the step without any persuasion; so she had finally mustered courage to speak of it herself. Her parents are heathen, but did not oppose her in taking this step.

Among the men was an old man who had been a robber chieftain, but who had given his heart to God, and was one of the most earnest of those at this meeting. Another was an old man who had spent many years in America, where he had made and lost a large fortune. He heard the gospel from Brother E. H. Wilbur while in Kongmoon. When he was being examined as a candidate for baptism, he said that he was happier now in his knowledge of the gospel than he had ever been when in possession of his fortune.

Two of those baptized were students in the Canton Boys’ School. Nearly all the thirteen who were baptized at this time had never been members of any other church, and you may be sure that it rejoiced our hearts to see these dear souls come out of heathenism into the light of the gospel of Christ.

After the baptism the girls were inquiring of Sister Vanscoy as to when we expected to hold another meeting like this one, and when told that it would probably be about a year from that time, one of the girls said it would be nice to have the meeting, but she didn’t think that she could ever be quite so happy again, as she could be baptized only once.

At one of the morning meetings one of the canvassers related his experience. The theme of the meeting was, “Rejoice in the Lord always,” and this brother was telling how much he had to rejoice for. He said that one day he met a preacher of one of the other missions who began to pity him. This minister compared the canvasser’s hard lot with his own easy time. He pitied our brother because he must work hard every day, and move from place to place, and tramp over so much territory, while all the minister had to do was to stay in his chapel and preach once or twice a week and have a good time. But the canvasser told him that he was the one to be pitied, because he must always stay in the same place and see the same people all the time, while the canvasser could move from place to place and see new faces every day.

It was in the same morning meeting that Brother Hung, of Chow Chow Fu, told how the Lord protects those who trust him and rejoice in him. His story was concerning the time before the Western nations had made treaties with China. At that time a young man from Hongkong went up into the Chow Chow district to preach the gospel. He had quite a hard time, but he was enthusiastic and zealous, and persevered in spite of hardships. He finally went to Hongkong and tried to persuade other young men to go back with him, but they refused, saying that there was no treaty made yet, and that they would have no protection. But this young man said that he had a treaty,—the Bible,—and that God was his protection.

He finally persuaded two young men to go with him, and they started for the Chow Chow district, trusting in God for protection. When they reached there, they were immediately arrested by one of the local officials and thrown into prison. “See,” said the young man, “how foolish were your doubts! You feared that no one would receive you, and here the mandarin and his soldiers have come to meet you; you feared that you would have no place to stay, but here the official has provided a place for you; you feared that no one would listen to your preaching, and now look at the crowds that have assembled to stare at us!”

The case of these young foreigners was soon brought to the notice of one of the higher officials, who commanded that they be released and sent back to Hongkong. He told the mandarin that his business was to catch evil-doers, but that these were good men. So they were released and sent back to Hongkong in safety. Just three days later the British attacked Canton, and if those young men had been in the hands of the Chinese at that time, they would surely have been murdered. Thus we see how God protects those who trust him.

After the meeting we went up to Fat Shan, where Dr. Law Keem is stationed. While there, we saw a Congregational minister who has recently become interested in the truth. We were much interested to learn how he came to be studying the truths of the third angel’s message. The story is, as nearly as we can remember it, like this:—

One day a former member of this man’s church came to him and asked him why he didn’t preach from the Bible, as they did over at the Sabbath mission? He also told him he thought that was much the best way to preach. The result was that the minister went over to hear Dr. Law preach; and then he began to study his Bible and prepare his sermons the same way. Some time after this there was a large union meeting in that city, and this man was asked to preach. After the sermon an old acquaintance came to him and said, “The Lord has been blessing you lately, and you have been studying your Bible more than usual, have you not? Your sermon was more spiritual than it ever was before.”

This minister has accepted many points of the truth, and is still studying. We are in hopes he may soon come into full harmony with us. Pray for him.

God is impressing many hearts and opening many doors, but the laborers are so few and the means so limited that it is impossible to follow up all the interests. “Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers into his harvest.”

Kulangsu, Amoy, China.