The Dutch East Indies by R. W. Munson

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 26, 1910

The Dutch East Indies

By R. W. Munson

SOEKABOEMI, JAVA.—The Lord has gone before us, and we have made a good start in this charming mountain station. We are two thousand feet above sea-level, in a cool, salubrious climate. It is a very pretty place, where one can live almost indefinitely without needing a change to a colder climate.

We have found several old acquaintances here, whom we knew in Sumatra ten years ago. Several Baba Chinamen, who were my pupils in the Anglo-Chinese school in Singapore fifteen years ago, have a large printing establishment here. They were glad to see us, and to know that we were here to live. Already my daughter is visiting the sisters of these young men, and teaching them the gospel.

We found here also a retired government servant, whose wife and four children are Adventists, having accepted the truth in Holland, through the labors of Elder R. G. Klingbeil. The two sons are now at Friedensau, preparing for missionary work here in the Indies, and the two daughters are at Watford, England, taking Bible studies, and expecting to engage in the work somewhere in Java.

We are trying the plan of getting out a series of tracts, seven in number, beginning with the story of creation and closing with Christ's second advent. These are to be printed in five or six languages spoken here in the Indies, including the Chinese. The great problem is how to circulate them. The original plan was to get them all ready before beginning to sell, and then send out companies of youth under the direction of one European worker, and sell the tracts at a price that would yield a profit. The difficulty that presents itself is that we have no Christian youth, and we do not think it wise to send out any others to do such work. God must give them converted hearts before we can use them as colporteurs. The literature problem is a very difficult one. However, no difficulty can hinder the onward progress of the message. We are of good courage in the Lord, and feel, as did Caleb at Kadesh-Barnea, that “we are well able” to go up and possess the land, not in our strength or wisdom, but in the name of Israel's God.

It is evident that we must expect strenuous opposition on the part of the Dutch missionaries. One of them called on us, to find out what we proposed to do. We treated him courteously and kindly, but also at the same time let him understand that we have a work to do in Java. They seem to think that they own this land, and that no other missionaries, particularly no English or American missionaries, have any business here. They have no idea that people can be converted by hearing the gospel, but think the natives must be taken in childhood, and educated into Christianity.

R. W. MUNSON.