Mission Notes

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park, Washington, D. C. · Feb 3, 1916

ACCORDING to the latest report of Cato Sells, Commissioner of Indian Affairs, 245,948 of the 331,250 Indians in the United States (exclusive of Alaska) have never professed the Christian faith under any denomination. A very large percentage of those who have professed Christianity are pagans still, as even Catholic priests admit. It is also stated that some of the Indians reported as “provided for” have no local missionary, but are visited once or twice each year by a Catholic priest. Here is a missionary field of many thousands of Indians at our very doors, who need the last gospel message now going to all the world.

OUR first church building in Fukien, China, was dedicated to the worship of God a few months ago.

NEAR the close of the year Brother E. L. Maxwell, writing of the work in Peru, said that during the past month and a little more he had baptized sixty-three believers into the message, and all these were outside the Puno mission up in the Lake Titicaca region. This is certainly a very encouraging growth in the northwest Inca mission field of South America.

As a result of the first pitching of the gospel tent in Durban, South Africa, Brother Geo. R. E. McNay, who went out from Iowa early last summer to labor as an English evangelist, is able to report eight new Sabbath keepers. The offerings met the expenses of the effort, and one shilling over. The tent has now been removed to another section of the city for a second effort.

“IN OUR WORSHIP MORNING AND EVENING, and at every meeting,” writes Brother D. C. Babcock, from Nigeria, West Africa, “we use only the Yoruba language. At the beginning and close of the Sabbath from fifty to seventy-five are present, and Adventist melodies are sung by many of them.” Brother and Sister Babcock are located several miles from white people, alone in the midst of Mohammedans.

It’ll be of interest to our brethren and sisters to know that fruit is appearing of the visit made by Brother Davis back into the interior of British Guiana. A Brother Duncan gives the following experience of how he and his wife came to know the message of truth for this time:—

“We were Anglicans. One day, after reading about the Sabbath, we both became troubled, and went to our pastor, showing him what was said about the Sabbath. He said that since the resurrection, one can take any day and keep it holy unto the Lord. I was then satisfied to know I had nothing more to do. Then this pastor was removed, and another came.

“When we asked him about the Sabbath, he replied that he would preach about it. He said he had to go to another district just then, but on his return he would explain about it.

“He returned, but did not preach. As he took the cup to administer the Lord’s Supper, and started to say, ‘All ye who truly repent of your sins,’ etc., he fainted and fell into the altar. He was taken home, but died the next Sunday.

“We still remained Anglicans until Brother Davis came and lectured. After hearing him, we searched the Scriptures he referred to upon the subjects of the Sabbath and baptism. We are now happy to know Jesus has called us from darkness to light. We are doing all we can to enlighten others. Pray for us.”