p. 14 | J. P. ANDERSON by J. P. Anderson

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 19, 1909

J. P. ANDERSON

By J. P. Anderson

China

J. P. ANDERSON

ON March 31 I moved from Canton to Wai Chow Fu, about one hundred miles up the East River. I was very glad to be released from the Canton work, and began in earnest with the Hakka dialect. I have a rather small house, but shall have to make it do for the present. The people of this town do not have any use for a foreigner. I had found a large house, and paid four months' rent; but when the people of the Mountain street learned I was a foreigner, they would not permit the landlord to allow me to move in. I tried hard for ten days to get another large house, but was unsuccessful.

I was up to Pok Loh about three weeks ago. The interest is good. While there, I organized a boys' school with fifteen students. I think this will help us in our effort at that place. The people have given us the use of quite a large house, which does service for both chapel and school. Our evangelist is doing very good work among them.

Last week I made a trip across country to Moi Lung. The first day we walked thirty miles. The country was nice and level, so walking was not very hard. When we arrived at Phin San, our destination for the day, we were rather tired. We tried hard to hire a boat up to Sam Teu Chuk, twenty miles farther, but were unsuccessful, so there was no other way but to walk, for chairs are too expensive. On the road we met two women carrying burdens, and guarded by three men with rifles. I learned that the women were carrying one thousand dollars' (Mexican) worth of opium to Sam Teu Chuk. On further inquiry, I learned that three fourths of the men of the place were opium smokers.

One of the coolies who carried our baggage asked me if I was a Catholic or a Jesus man. I replied that I was a Jesus man—that is, a Christian. Then he turned around, and asked who was the higher in authority, Jesus or I. I told him I was nothing more than Jesus' servant.

We were rather weary when Sam Teu Chuk was reached. The hard Chinese bed boards almost felt soft to me, for I slept soundly from 9 P. M. to 5 A. M. The next day we rode in chairs for twenty miles, and then walked about twenty miles more the same day. I was glad to reach Moi Lung, and to be welcomed so warmly by the dear people. I spent eleven days there. We had Bible studies every evening, and preaching service at 11 A. M. on Sabbath. I was much pleased to learn that six of the people have given up the use of tobacco and wine. This means much. I feel much pleased with the way in which our evangelist has taken hold of the work here. It did my own soul good to talk with these people, and to read the Bible with them. We organized a school for boys, with an enrolment of twenty. This is a good beginning, and I hope we can have fifty at the close of the year.

The plague has carried off about two hundred of the people of Moi Lung during the past month. The heathen did not know what to do, so they sent away thirty miles for a goddess to come and stay the curse. They had to give the priest one thousand dollars (Mexican) in order to obtain permission to take her to Moi Lung. She arrived at the time I did. All the literary men were there, about two thousand persons, and with about two hundred beating gongs, and one hundred flying banners, and two big paper dragons, went out to meet her. After burning much incense, and worshiping, they marched her through the streets. Before she came, nearly every one cleaned up his house, and put on his best clothes. The streets were also cleaned, and any place that did not present a neat appearance was carefully screened. One strange feature in the procession was the carrying of two buckets of clean mountain water, into which branches of some trees were dipped and then sprinkled on the houses as the procession passed on. As I beheld the great multitude marching after this goddess of wood, I could but long to see many of them following the true God. I was pleased to know that some of those who are studying the Bible with us did not take part in this idolatrous affair. For two days people were forbidden to eat chicken, fish, or pork.

I left that town with good hopes for our work, and with a deeper insight into the hold that idolatry has upon the heathen.

Wai Chow Fu.