Standing for Christ in the Orient by H. Kuniya

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 30, 1913

Standing for Christ in the Orient

By H. Kuniya

H. KUNIYA

IN one of my recent reports I mentioned a young man who began canvassing in the vicinity of his home. One day his uncle wrote to him, inviting him to come to his house. He went, and the uncle asked him to work in his bank, promising to pay him fifteen dollars a month. This is a pretty good wage for a young man, but he did not accept the position. “I do not want money, neither do I want position, but eternal life,” was his reply when his uncle tried to convince him that money is the only thing to help one in this day.

The next morning, which was Sabbath, the boy’s mother came, bringing money with her, and tried to persuade him to leave us. She said: “Come home, or buy new clothes with this money and go to your uncle’s bank. Did he not say he would pay you fifteen dollars a month? Are you not happy, my son, to get such a position?” The boy listened to his mother, but said: “This is not the place to come to talk about such things. This is the Sabbath, and soon the service will begin.”

In about a week the boy’s brother-in-law took him to his home, and tried to persuade him to work in the bank. Failing in his purpose, he asked the boy why he refused to see his father, and urged him to go home. The young man said he would go home if his parents would allow him to follow his convictions in religious matters and believe in Jesus Christ, and would throw all the idols that were in the house into the fire and burn them, and attend the meetings with him every Sabbath. At this the brother-in-law and other members of his family became angry, but the boy was not at all frightened. He told them that the gods which the Japanese worship are all false gods, and that they have no power to save from sin. “I love Christ more than money,” he said. “He is the true, eternal God, but gods of wood and stone will perish.” The young man came back to us, and is doing well in selling our literature.

One of our sisters, who became discouraged about two months ago because her husband gave up the truth and began to oppose her, went back home with her family; but when she realized what it would mean to stay where idol-worship was carried on, and also other things which she does not believe in, she left home and came to the city, where she could attend our meetings. Many of our believers are being tested, to see if they are worthy of heaven. Pray for them, that they may be able to stand.