p. 24 | The Answer to China by W. A. Spicer

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Feb 4, 1904

The Answer to China

By W. A. Spicer

It is a stirring appeal that comes to us from China in this week's issue. Brother Pilquist states the case, and letters from Brother Anderson, the superintendent of the China Mission, and from the medical workers, second every word urging the need. Dr. Miller writes that so far as he knows, they are the only physicians in a province of twenty-two millions. The workers find their hands full day by day, but feel the pressure of need of some place for teaching and caring for those who throng them. They feel that the facilities asked for are essential, and one thousand dollars secures them for all time, as that is what a ninety-nine year lease means to us. Surely the request is a reasonable one. The General Conference Committee has returned answer that definite assurance can not be given until the reports from the week-of-prayer offerings come in, and the estimates for all the fields are made up. When the definite answer goes, a draft for one thousand dollars must go with it. In justice to all the fields, we must wait a little—unless some one or two individuals, hearing the call, should find that God had enabled them to send the answer without delay. We make no general appeal for small gifts in such cases; for the needs in all the fields are such that a hundred places might readily open calls for subscriptions. But sometimes when reports of special needs come from newly opened fields, such as this from China, some one or two individuals feel it a privilege to make special provision to supply the need. The facilities are desired only as a base of operations for hastening the third angel's message, with its warning of the coming of the Lord, among all China's millions. As people come long distances with hopeless cases, as of blindness, incurable so far as human skill is concerned, our workers can point them to the coming One, and they suggest that it will be a glad experience when, if to the glory of God, even the blind may receive sight, in the closing work. We are all surely remembering to thank God that still his hand holds in check the winds of strife in the far East, giving us still further opportunity to sow the seeds of truth in time of peace.

W. A. SPICER, Secretary.