Circulation of Literature—Comfortable Homes Provided the Workers—Great Openings and Urgent Calls
By ROSS C. PORTER
President Asiatic Division Conference
The reports from all parts of the Asiatic Division are very encouraging. Six new provinces have been entered during the past year, and the increase in membership is excellent.
Our literature sales in all divisions have been unusually good. The average circulation of the Chinese paper has been between 56,000 and 70,000. The publication sales, although in their infancy, have been steadily increasing. Three supervising colporteurs, contributed by Australia, have taken up the study of the languages in the fields where they are located.
Comfortable Homes
Delegates Attending Our Calcutta, India, Conference, December, 1914
The native work has become better organized, and schools for the training of evangelists are developing a good class of workers for the field. When we think of two families going to Manchuria to open work with eleven millions of people, and two families just entering Szechuan province to open work in the great West China field, with eighty-eight millions, we realize the need of more trained workers to meet the calls from these great sections.
The Mission Board has allowed our entire budget for 1915, except a small amount for buildings. We consider their appropriation very liberal during these times of financial stress; and all our workers will plan to use the means placed in their hands as a sacred trust, which is to be invested in the best possible way to bring a harvest of souls in return.
The liberal manner in which our people have contributed to the support of the work during the crisis caused by the European war, is very encouraging to the missionaries depending on them for support, and many times have we felt to thank God for such loyal friends and brethren and sisters in the home land.
We are thankful for the good number of young people who have been sent out to us as missionaries, who have entered our division as workers recently. With the exception of three couples arriving near the close of the year, all have acquired the language sufficiently to take responsibilities in field work. But the need is still great. In view of the signs that indicate the approaching end, hundreds are calling for light.
All things declare that the coming of Christ is at hand. Time is short, and the outlook for the speedy finishing of the gospel grows more and more promising.
