Swatow Mission, China by W. F. Hills

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Jan 8, 1914

Swatow Mission, China

By W. F. Hills

W. F. HILLS

Our hearts are cheered as we see the evidences of God's power working in behalf of this dear people. Within the last two months we have opened two new stations, with a membership of over sixty persons. Among these are two evangelists. Both have had several years' experience in the ministry and give promise of being good, strong helpers in this work of giving the message to the people here.

We now have twelve outstations, besides the main work here in Swatow. At present we have eight evangelists and two teachers. We have strong hopes in the future of twelve boys whom we are now sending to Elder B. L. Anderson's school at Amoy. These boys are our best, and we expect them to come back to us equipped for good, faithful service.

Our hearts were made sad when we had to say good-by to our boys. We have no school here for them, so were thankful that Brother Anderson made room for them. They have to learn another dialect there, and we must get along without them this year, but we are hoping and praying to God that next year we may have them at home.

I have longed for the day to come when I could have a nice company of boys around me, such as Brother Anderson has at Amoy. I think that the most pleasant scene I have looked upon in China was Elder Anderson surrounded by his boys who have been in training for several years. These boys are now entering the ministry, and I know that our brother finds comfort and rest when he turns from the trying and hard work to look upon the boys who are now ready to help him in the work. While I desired greatly to keep our boys with us this year, yet I have nothing to complain of.

We hope, however, that we may soon be able to open a small school here.

In Swatow we have not been inconvenienced very much by the war. But the enemy has thought to wage war upon us in another way. Portions of D. M. Canright's book have been translated and scattered everywhere; but, as usual, it has only advertised the truth in new regions. So many letters were coming to us daily inquiring concerning these things, that Pastor Ang, our evangelist, could not answer them in detail. He therefore sent out an invitation for the interested ones to come to the chapel to study. As a result, our interest has more than doubled. Several have stepped out into full obedience.

These are from other missions, of course; for it is there that the opposition did its work. We have calls coming from all over our district, and cannot begin to answer them all.

MRS. W. F. HILLS AND THE GIRLS' DAY SCHOOL AT SWATOW, CHINA

The picture of our girls' school, which I am sending, with the one of our boys, which was taken the day before they left for school, will show you what was accomplished the first year the school was operated. Mrs. Hills had studied the language only a short time when she opened this school. We had to trust God fully in this undertaking, and the results were very gratifying. Her two assistants are excellent girls, and this is truly a case where God went before to prepare the way. These girls are loyal Seventh-day Adventists, and one of them we are preparing to send to Shanghai to attend our new school which is to be opened in December. We want her to have a year's training. We are sorry to let her go for so long, but we feel that it will pay.

At our last general meeting we baptized seventeen. Others who desired baptism were asked to study awhile before taking part in that ordinance. We have rented the largest room we could find for our chapel, and have had to turn away about two hundred for lack of room. These were not merely persons who were curious to attend, but were really seekers after truth, and some of them were our own people. We feel sure that when the brethren learn of our real need of a house of worship here, they will lose no time in supplying the necessary funds. As badly as we need a school building, we need the chapel first. At our committee meeting which is soon to convene at Hongkong I hope to see plans laid to supply at least a part of our needs in this particular. Pray for us that we may be faithful, and that God may continue to protect his work, which we are sure he will do if we trust him.