p. 18 | Singapore by G. F. Jones

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 27, 1907

Singapore

By G. F. Jones

WHATEVER kind of trials are permitted to come upon us in these days, we are more than compensated in seeing the message pressing itself among the people and the heathen everywhere. Perhaps one of our greatest trials is the inability to answer the calls and provide missionary teachers for the needy ones. One of these came from Java the other day—the result of sending a few Malay tracts,—saying that about forty people, all heathen, wanted to meet and learn the truth. I have not yet been able to attend to this, through pressure of work here in Singapore, but I hope soon to be able to go and help these poor people.

The Australasian Union Conference having sent two new workers here,—Brethren Mills and Fletcher, who are already a great help to our field and are quickly acquiring the language,—I am enabled to attend more freely to some outside calls. Brother Teasdale, from Soerabaya, Java, writes still more interesting news, telling of openings in another part of Java. The message is advancing because the Lord is going before.

Through the printed page sold here in Singapore several young men have renounced the Catholic faith, and are getting ready to unite with us. These young men, while at present retaining their positions under the government, are every day agitating the present truth among their fellow clerks, at the same time giving them some of our pointed tracts on the third angel's message.

One feature which is very encouraging to us is that the interested ones are quickly doing all they can to get others to have studies from us. “Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favor her, yea, the set time, is come.”

Although Singapore has been canvassed over and over by the other missionaries with blasphemous pamphlets against Seventh-day Adventist doctrines, yet they have been the means of opening many doors to us, and an interest has been aroused in the truth we proclaim; almost daily we are entering new homes to give studies, through the opposition of the enemy. The good news is spreading fast, and from every direction calls are coming for more workers.

A very ordinary-looking laboring man landed here from a steamer from Australia about a month ago. He managed to earn his fare from New Zealand to Singapore. Some one on the wharf here directed him to us. He told us he was going to Borneo to live among the wild Dyaks, a cannibal tribe of the hills. He had no money except a little he earned coming along, and he had no missionary society behind him, only the Lord. His mission, he says, is to tell the Dyaks of Jesus, and he believed the Lord had led him thus far on his journey. I saw he was familiar with his Bible, and sincere. Since then he has had studies every day, and has accepted the truth. He is now better fitted for the work he believes he is called to do, and with the third angel's message a people from among the cannibal Dyaks will be made ready for the Lord. But has the Lord been obliged to pass by our better-qualified young people and choose a less-qualified person without the training and experience necessary? There are yet nations and many tribes waiting for our talented young people to be the Lord's messengers to them. When they are willing to exercise faith to go anywhere, trusting in the Lord, then it will be but a short time before they are on their journey to the needy field. “Have faith in God.”

Brother Gates has recently come from Australia by way of Manila and China, and we are truly thankful to have his counsel and experience in organizing and instructing us better for the work before us.

We are trying to secure a piece of suitable land upon which to erect a church building and school, and another in the country for a training-school. Our cramped condition in this mission house, where we have church-school, printing-press, orphanage, and the home of seven or eight workers, is strongly saying to us, “Enlarge the place of thy tent.”

Yesterday Professor Prescott arrived from China on his way to India and Switzerland, and as he was continuing his voyage in the same steamer, we hastily gathered our friends, who were deeply interested as they listened to Brother Prescott's stirring talk. I could see that the Spirit of God was present, impressing them with the solemnity of the time as they listened eagerly so as not to lose a single word. At the close, a young man came to me, desiring baptism, and saying, “What if I should be too late?” He intends giving up his government position to connect with the work.

G. F. JONES.