Coimbatore, South India
By G. G. Lowry
I am sure the readers of the REVIEW would be made happy if they could have the privilege of visiting the training school at Coimbatore, and of seeing the class of earnest boys and girls who are here preparing themselves for service in the Master's vineyard. Thirty-five students are enrolled this year. Most of these have been converted and baptized. A number of those who have not yet publicly taken their stand for the truth are planning to be baptized soon. One of the boys who has just come to us from the Malayalam field came to me a few days ago and said: “Sir, ever since I came to this school, I have felt that there is something in this mission that I have not seen anywhere else. Although I am a born Christian, yet I never felt the need of a Saviour until I came here. My sins seem like a great burden upon me, and I want to get rid of them in some way. I cannot sleep sometimes for thinking of my sins.” I gladly taught him how he could be freed from sin. He will be baptized next month. Our Sabbath school and young people's society are doing active work. Almost every day some of the boys are out with tracts and papers, visiting and talking with the people of the town. We also give them two or three days' leave each month for missionary work. On these days we usually go out in a group to the surrounding villages to preach and do colporteur work. We have good experiences with the people. There are always some who are interested in what we have to say, and with such we leave literature that will increase that interest. We feel that there is a bright future for the work in this part of India. At present we have workers in three of the six language areas of South India, and are publishing literature in four of these languages. The message is finding its way into the dark corners of the field through our literature. Much larger results would be seen if we had workers to follow up the interests thus created. It is to supply this great need that the training school at Coimbatore is maintained. As the students go out from this school into the work, their influence and effort will surely be seen in souls saved. Several persons in the homeland are supporting students in this school, and I wish to say for their benefit that I believe they could not make a better investment. The students whom they are supporting will soon be out in the field doing aggressive work for the Master. There is room for many more such students in the school, but because of the lack of means we have to turn down the many applications which come to us from time to time. It costs only about forty dollars to support a boy or a girl for a year in the school. Are there not others who would be glad to pay the expenses of one or more students in the school until they are ready to go out into the work?