China by W. C. Hankins

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 19, 1906

China

By W. C. Hankins

KULANGSU, AMOY.—The year 1906 has opened very favorably. While I can not give a detailed account of all that is being done in the province, yet a few instances with which I have been personally acquainted will serve to illustrate the way in which the Holy Spirit has been working.

A few months ago, a young native preacher—a former pupil of Brother Keh—came in from the country, and spent several days with us, studying the different points of the truth. Since that time he has been carrying on a correspondence with Brother Keh, asking questions on points that were not quite clear to him.

Sunday evening, January 14, Brother Keh brought a letter from him, for me to read. In this he told how he had resigned his position with the other missions, and taken a public stand for the Sabbath. He is an intelligent young man, and if he remains true to the Lord, we hope to secure him as teacher of the boys' school, which we expect to start at To Kang (pronounced Do Gân’g). We have said nothing whatever to him about working for us; we are leaving that in God's hands.

Then on Monday evening, another young native preacher came in, and announced his intention of keeping the Sabbath and joining our mission, if we would receive him. He had been here and had studied with us a few times; but as he had been studying the matter for himself ever since he heard the truth from Brother Timothy last year, there was very little left for us to do. He is taking the step under very trying circumstances, and seems already to love the truth very much. His mother and grandmother were both Bible women for one of the missions here. His mother very strongly opposes the step he is taking, and that means a great deal in China. But it does not seem to shake his determination to obey God, although it makes him very sad.

When he first thought of keeping the Sabbath, he intended to start into business; but afterward he thought how ashamed he would be if the Lord should come and find him engaged in making money, instead of preaching the gospel, so he is hoping to be able to help in spreading the good news of the soon-coming Saviour. He has spent some time with us, studying the message, and last week spent his first Sabbath with us. We invited him to speak to our little company, and he gave a splendid sermon on the temptations of Christ in the wilderness. As he could get no boat going to his home on Monday, he spent part of the day with an old schoolmate and very dear friend, to whom he told the news of the Saviour's soon coming, and invited him over to see us. He came over in the afternoon, and stayed the remainder of the afternoon and evening with us, studying the Bible. He was here again to-day, and studied with me two hours, and expects to come again to-morrow.

Sunday and Monday evenings of last week we learned of the stand taken by these two young ministers, and then again on Tuesday evening came the glad news that a young man, who first heard the truth at To Kang, our country chapel, and who had gone with our workers to Canton to the convention held there, had finally decided to give up his tobacco, and obey the Lord in all things. This young man can speak some English, and may be of value to our work here later on.

Thus three young men in one week have taken their stand for the truth. They are all experienced in gospel work, and, if thoroughly consecrated, will be of great value to the work here, or perhaps in some of the other places where the Amoy language is spoken.

Surely, God has been with the work here, and to him belongs all the praise. We are seeking to let him work in his own way, and not interpose any of our own plans, and thus interfere with his work. But we seek to keep in that close relationship to him that will enable us to hear when he speaks, and to follow where he leads. We have not a word of discouragement to write. We have no desire to return to the States to labor, but are well content to labor here until the Lord comes, if our lives shall be spared till then.

Our hearts yearn to see more laborers in this vast field, that the work may be finished quickly. Let a few workers enter each province, gather a number of consecrated native helpers together, and by the Lord's help, we can carry this message to all China in a few years. China is ripe for the harvest. I am glad to see the reinforcements coming, but they are not nearly enough. But of course we know that in good time there will be plenty of workers for this field; and we can only pray the Lord to send them quickly.

We are very much interested in the reports in the REVIEW of the work throughout the fields, also in the other articles. We look for the paper almost as eagerly as for our letters from home. Our courage is good, and we are daily more thankful for the privilege of working in China. W. C. HANKINS.