THEY are singing that good old Sabbath hymn away in the heart of China,—
“The God that made the earth,
And all the worlds on high,
Who gave all creatures birth,
In earth and sea, and sky,
After six days in work employed,
Upon the seventh a rest enjoyed.”
Father Cottrell’s pen, which gave us some of the choicest hymns of Zion, writes no more. He sleeps, with others of the fathers in Israel, who were laid away in the blessed hope. But his voice still sings among us; and now, from the heart of China, from dark Honan, which so long was the very citadel of heathen opposition to the light of truth, comes the word that from Sabbath to Sabbath the Chinese believers will raise their voices in this hymn of praise to the God that made the earth.
NUMBER 252, “HYMNS AND TUNES,”
TRANSLATED INTO THE CHINESE
LANGUAGE
Here is a letter from Brother Pilquist to the Mission Board:—
I am working with great delight on the preparation of a hymn book for our use. I take from an old hymn book such hymns as speak truth, and also translate from our English hymn book some very good hymns bearing upon subjects of present truth. Herewith I send you a good hymn translated from our book. I am also translating “Bible Readings for the Home Circle.”
I had a cablegram from London the other day, stating that I am free at the end of December this year. I have made up my mind to do all I can to hasten the Lord’s soon coming. The world is corrupt. I long to be with Jesus. I hope Brother Anderson, from Hongkong, will come here this winter.
Bible studies are held at my station every day. I have a teacher here who fully believes the Word of God, and calls the Sabbath his delight. Several others also rejoice in the Bible truth. One young, good-hearted man who is out selling Scriptures for me, said, the other day: “Pastor, this is the best time I have ever had in my life. Now I see the word of God shineth brighter than the sun. The Bible class is a small heaven. I am unwilling to go out from here; but I will go, and let all I meet on the road know what I have seen and heard.”
God is our salvation. His work will prosper if we faithfully do our part. From the first of January, 1903, and until Jesus comes, I am, according to his and your calling, a worker under the direction of the Seventh-day Adventist Mission Board. I am in full harmony with the truth, and love my brethren.
We are all well. My wife sends her best wishes to you. I write the Chinese hymn on the other side of this sheet, in order to save paper and postage. I should be very glad to hear from you soon. I have much to do now at the end of the year, as all the Bible Society’s accounts here in this field lie in my hands, and they must be clear, and ready to pass in to the city of London.
What does it mean that so suddenly God gives us witnesses in the very heart of this long-neglected empire of four hundred millions?—It means that the time has come for a quick work. Just as we have really begun to enter China, and have sent a few workers forth to its people, the Lord shows how easily he can open work away beyond our efforts. He says to us: “Spare not: lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes. For thou shalt spread abroad on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall possess the nations.”
