p. 15 | Experiences in Honan by F. A. Allum; Eva Allum

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 4, 1909

Experiences in Honan

By F. A. Allum; Eva Allum

We have just returned from a trip in the country, and as we had many interesting experiences by the way, we thought they might be of interest to others.

We left our station the evening after the Sabbath, taking our little Wallace with us. Many missionaries in China think it is impossible to take their children with them on these itinerating trips, but the experience of one good missionary woman proved to us that the children could be taken, and be a great blessing in the work. Our little one was dedicated to the Lord at his birth, and we have always felt confident that he would be a blessing to us in our active missionary work. So he went too, and the results more than proved that he helped to open hearts and homes to the truth.

The first seventy li of our trip was taken on a small covered boat. There was not room inside to stand upright, but we made up our bed on the floor, and had a refreshing night’s rest. The boatmen poled away all night, and early next morning we found ourselves at the end of the first stage of the trip. The boatmen had poled for eleven hours, and for this they asked two thousand cash, equaling one dollar. There was a family of five adults on the boat, who were wholly dependent on their boat, which was their only home, for support.

We found our Chinese evangelist awaiting us with a cart, and we were soon ready for a seventy-li ride to the first company of Sabbath-keepers, where we arrived at dusk. The villagers soon gathered to give us a hearty welcome. As we have no chapel in this place, we held our meetings in the home of one of the Christians. The farm animals—two oxen and a donkey—were in one end of our meeting-room, while in one corner was a pile of sweet potatoes, which had just been brought in from the field. But although our surroundings were not the most inviting, the people were warm-hearted, and we had a good time studying together about the Lord’s second coming. After meeting we talked individually with those present, and found a good interest in the message in this village.

That night we were given the best accommodation they had,—a good clean bed, clean for a Chinese bed in these villages. There was also a rather ancient table, and the rest of the room was nearly filled with bins, each five or six feet high, and three or four feet in diameter. There were five of these in all, filled with beans, wheat, and sesame seed. We would have been comfortable, however, if it had not been for the rats, which took advantage of the darkness to scamper in and out of the bins, and then across our bed and up the wall.

Next morning at daybreak the villagers began to assemble for meetings, and all day we were busy talking personally with those who came, and holding meetings for all. When asked if they could help in the erection of a chapel in their village, they gladly promised to do all they could to get one built as soon as possible. There are eight Sabbath-keepers bearing witness for the truth in this place, and we were greatly encouraged to see their zeal. These have all been brought into the truth through the faithful efforts of one Chinese canvasser, Brother Lin. Formerly his father was angry with him because he was anxious to study the truth, and was not willing for him to come to our meetings. But as he has seen his son’s faithful example, he has become more and more interested, and now he is just as earnest as his son in the message. Brother Lin’s wife, his younger brother with his wife, and his father and mother are all keeping the Sabbath. Some of them have not yet learned the truth fully, but they are faithful in living up to the light as it comes to them, and are anxious to learn more. There is also another family of four who are interested in the truth as the result of this canvasser’s work. The mother is blind, but she memorizes texts and hymns, and is eager to learn. The father is studying the truth, and obeying as he understands. The son and daughter are very bright, and with proper training should make good workers. The girl has read the Old and New Testaments, and has unbound her feet, in spite of opposition from her mother-in-law’s family. She was married some six months ago, and is now bearing witness for the truth in her mother-in-law’s family. Our cook, who is an honest Christian, also comes from this village. He was formerly severely beaten several times by his father for listening to the gospel, but now his father is much interested in the truth, and is anxious to send his younger boy here to school after New-year’s. Others interested also wish to send their boys to school here as soon as the school work is started, which we expect will be on our return from the general meeting in January. The Lord has used Brother Lin to break down prejudice in this village, and to awaken an interest in the gospel; and the responsibility now rests with us to follow up this interest, and lead those inquirers into the full truth.

After spending two days with this company, we went to the next village, where there were Sabbath-keepers. Here there are six keeping the commandments of God, and several nominal Sabbath-keepers who have been keeping the Sabbath as they previously kept Sunday. They say they have to make a greater sacrifice when they keep the Sabbath than when they kept Sunday; for then they could go to meeting, and afterward work as usual. But they find it a little more difficult to keep the Sabbath properly. We endeavored to show them that there is a great blessing in Sabbath-keeping, that the Sabbath is the mark of God, and that the Lord requires us to keep his commandments. Most of our time here was spent in personal work, strengthening the believers in the faith, and encouraging them to press forward. Here there is quite a neat little room which has been set aside for a meeting-house by one of the Christian families.

After spending a day in this village, we pressed on to the next place, Siang Cheng. Here we received a most hearty welcome from a company of sisters. When we left Siang Cheng some six months ago, we did not know of any results of the work in that place, with the exception of the girls’ school-teacher. But this teacher is very zealous in the truth, and she gets the little company together, and is teaching them to read the Bible and hymns, and is helping them all she can in their Christian experience.

We found that some of them had not yet learned to pray, but they have given up worshiping their idols, and are seeking God. One woman is from a family in which Sister Selmon had an obstetrical case, and another is a midwife who became interested through Sister Selmon’s obstetrical work. One is the mother of one of the girls who attend the girls’ school. After spending two days with these sisters, instructing them in the first principles of the gospel, we started on our way home. On the way back we visited two other places where there is an interest in the truth. In one of these places there are two Sabbath-keepers, and they tell of quite a number who come together to hear the gospel.

We stayed at a Chinese inn overnight on our way home, and here we had the most unpleasant experience of our trip. The place was largely made up of Mohammedans, and they crowded us so that our evangelist, who had been planning to leave us here and visit his home, said he did not dare to leave until the morning. The room we had for the night had no window or means of ventilation, except the cracks. We closed our door and locked it, but we did not have a very refreshing night’s rest. Next morning we left before daybreak for home, and as the frost was on the ground, and a bitter north wind blowing, we were glad to reach home a little after noon.

The Lord is surely opening up the work in Honan; for we find interests springing up here and there all over this province. It is rather early yet to speak of some of these places, but we expect to report a little later some more of our encouraging experiences. At present there are twenty-four Sabbath-keepers in this district, and a number of these are interested in this truth. It takes much time to visit among these companies, for they are so scattered, but we realize that the Lord’s blessing is with this work. We are anxious to start a girls’ school and a boys’ school, right after New-year’s, for the children of Chinese believers and inquirers. These, with our Bible schools which are held twice a year, keep us busy between our itinerating trips. We trust you will remember the work here in Honan in your prayers; for we need grace and strength to be ready to meet every call that comes to us for the truth at this time.

F. A. ALLUM, EVA ALLUM.