Our Work in Sumatra by R. W. Munson

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · May 5, 1904

Our Work in Sumatra

By R. W. Munson

R. W. MUNSON

(Concluded)

The more intimately the missionary can associate with the people he is seeking to reach, the more quickly and effectually he will accomplish his object; for by familiarity with their sorrows and trials he comes to sympathize with them in all their vicissitudes; and nothing so quickly or so surely draws the hearts of men to Christ as intelligent sympathy.

Timothy and I used often to go out upon the street in the Chinese quarter, and sell tracts and Scripture portions, and preach the gospel. It was most humiliating to his family to have one of their members preaching on the street, and so they tried to influence him and stop his work. They also learned that a widowed relative was becoming interested in the gospel, and they felt that to have another member of the family turn Christian (the name Christian carries with it just as much reproach as it did in the days of the early Christians) would be additional disgrace; so there was also that motive for silencing our preacher. But the Lord gave him the victory.

Sometimes Mrs. Munson accompanies us with the Bilhorn organ, and we soon gather a motley crowd of Singke Chinamen, babas, and Malays, with a sprinkling of Hindus. Once in a while the face of a Eurasian (half-caste) is seen. We sing some of our gospel songs in Malay, and then we preach to them the message of salvation. Now and then some Mohammedan or baba offers a word of opposition, but as a rule we get a very respectful hearing. You would be interested if you could be present at one of these meetings, and could understand Timothy as he reasons with the crowd about the plain, simple truths of the Word, and hear the quaint illustrations and parables he uses,—nothing appeals to the Oriental mind so strongly as this manner of address,—and the replies he makes to objectors. It is so evident that the Spirit of God is speaking through him, that we are not surprised when men acknowledge that what he says is true, and turn away silenced.

Street preaching, however, is not the most desirable form of missionary effort and is useful chiefly in the earlier stages of the work, in order to get the attention of the people turned to the great theme. In British India in the early days of missionary work what was called “bazaar” preaching was simply street preaching in the native quarter where all the small shops were found. These open directly on to the street, so everybody inside can see and hear everybody outside. There the missionary, assisted by a native helper, would address the motley crowds that would gather around, and that would listen from the shop doors, upon the great theme of redemption. He was often interrupted by hard questions from the Mohammedan or Hindu casuist who was seeking not information, but confusion to the missionary. That some good was done by this means is not to be doubted; for in this way some, though not many, of the first converts were interested in the gospel.

After a time, however, this sort of effort was abandoned for another form of endeavor. Along the main streets may be seen small courts on either hand, in which, arranged in a square or parallelogram, are from twelve to twenty houses occupied by the poorer classes, usually all of one caste, and frequently of one family or clan. In one of these courts the missionary might stand unobserved from the main thoroughfare, and speak undisturbed by Mohammedan controversialists. The people were more disposed to listen and more readily influenced than they would be in so public a place as the bazaar or market. It very often happened also that when one man accepted the Christian faith, the whole crowd would soon follow him. The next step was to go out into the country and labor in the small villages of the cultivators of the soil.

Among these Chinese people every institution of any pretensions at all is represented by some tangible monument of its power or sign of its stability. We have a score or more of Chinamen, some of them with families, who attend our services, and consider themselves as Christians, although not yet baptized. There are many others who are interested, but who are delaying because they are doubtful about the permanence or stability of our mission, simply because they see no building or church of any sort that stands for our organization. Therefore it is that we are planning to build a modest wooden structure with corrugated iron roof, which will serve the purpose of church, school, and dwelling for the Chinese pastor. Such a building will cost from four hundred to five hundred dollars.

We have already about forty dollars in hand, and we are taking up a weekly offering to help swell this amount, but it is certain that we can not raise the entire sum here in Padang. Therefore we are praying earnestly that the Lord will open the hearts of some of his dear children to contribute toward the erection of the first Seventh-day Adventist church in the East Indies. If any readers of this article feel that the Lord would have them contribute something toward the enterprise, let them send the money to the treasurer of the General Conference, and he will see that it is forwarded.

Since the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese war we feel more than ever the urgency of haste in pressing the work of the third angel’s message. We are as yet the only laborers in the entire archipelago. We have been praying and hoping for help for four years, but we are no stronger than when we first came, as far as a force of missionaries is concerned. I do not forget that there are other lands in as great, or it may be even greater, need of the gospel, yet there must be workers and money for the prosecution of the work here.

O that our brethren who own property would be as wise in their generation as the children of light should be, heed the warnings God has given, and dedicate their property to the spread of the gospel message for this age!

If they were in the needy fields and

could see how much could be accomplished with their consecrated wealth, there would be no delay in surrendering the money which God has entrusted to them as his stewards to the great need of the hour. May the Lord open their eyes to see that they can invest their money to the highest possible advantage now. Here is an opportunity that will never come to them again. Let them not lose it by clinging to what they must soon see perish in the flames of the last day if they do not give it to God in this time of need and shortage in funds for the extension of the work.

We are in good health on the whole, and crave an interest in all your prayers, that we may be spared to remain on the field, and that the Spirit of God may move hearts to bring or send the gospel to Malaysia and its fifty million people, few of whom have any knowledge of God and his truth.

We are of good courage; for the word has been spoken that the isles shall yet hear his gospel, and we live in hope and by faith.