W. C. HANKINS by W. C. Hankins

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Mar 15, 1906

W. C. HANKINS

By W. C. Hankins

China

KULANGSU, AMOY.—The language is a difficulty, but the Lord is helping us to master it, and even now I can talk and preach a little. Since my arrival I have preached six times in the Chinese language. I have read “Pilgrim’s Progress,” “Jessica’s First Prayer,” and the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and eleven chapters of Luke. I will probably have finished the Gospels, and perhaps Acts and Romans, before this reaches you.

Brother Keh and I have completed a book on our faith. I presented the main points of the message to him, beginning with the creation, and giving the fall of man, God’s plan of redemption, sacrificial and sanctuary questions, the prophecies, etc. We took it up in a connected way, and I proved each point to him before he wrote it down, and when he understood it thoroughly, he wrote it in Chinese characters. So we now have a book of twenty chapters, setting forth the main points of our faith.

Next week Brother Keh will go to Canton, to attend a convention which Brother Anderson is intending to hold for the native workers. While there he will go through the book with Elder Anderson, and try to get it ready for publication, if Elder Anderson thinks it worth publishing. When he was here about two months ago, he suggested that we write the book in this way. We very much need a work of this kind, as we are entirely destitute of this sort of literature, and of course this could be read anywhere in China. I hope and pray that it may be the means of bringing many souls to a knowledge of the truth.

In this province, in about another year, Brother Anderson thought I might go into a city, preaching there at night, and in the daytime have each worker sell some book, such as ours, for a few cash, going from house to house. Even a large city of several hundred thousand could easily be canvassed in two or three weeks. Thus we would go from city to city, and from village to village, spending more time at the large places, sowing the seeds of truth broadcast through the land. As we behold the countless numbers of these people, it seems to us the only way.

We enjoy our work here to the utmost, and are very thankful that the Lord led us here. Pray for us, that we may have his Spirit abiding with us, that we may be able to carry on his work in an acceptable manner.