The Work of the Missionary in a World at War
By W. H. Spicer
NOTE.— Except where otherwise implied, the following items are from incomplete reports dated between May 1 and August 15, 1915. A worker in India writes: “The Spirit of the Lord is moving on the minds of the masses as it never has in the past. Inquiry seems to be in the atmosphere everywhere. On the trains, in the crowded city streets, in the bazaars, and even in the homes of those living in remote villages, there seems to be a marked anxiety concerning the future. They are perplexed about the very things our message of truth makes clear.” Reports of this kind come from all over the world, and from workers of all denominations. The war has led men to think with seriousness about eternal things. They who have the Bread of life to dispense to the people, now have more anxious audiences because of the deep feeling which the war has brought to all lands, regarding the uncertainty of this present world. Each people seeks to its god. And many, seeking, are in a better position than ever to be led to the one God who is their Father. BETTER ORGANIZATION IN ASIA
The reorganization of the colporteur work of eastern Asia along Western lines was one of the things determined upon in the Shanghai general meeting in May. Foreign superintendents and native assistants are to be assigned, to give their entire time to the work. Inexpensive publications, suited to the buying powers and tastes of the people, will be prepared, and an effort will be made to adapt for the Orient the methods which in this country result in distributing over a million dollars worth of religious and health and temperance literature annually. It is believed that this will be helpful in many ways. First is the good done to the readers. “Almost every advance which is made into unoccupied territory is pioneered through the printed page.” Then there is the opportunity for self-supporting missionary work which may be afforded to church members, and possible gains to the publishing house, in case the work becomes entirely self-sustaining, which can be applied to the expenses of the mission in general. The Chinese Signs of the Times continues to be popular, a monthly issue of 100,000 having been attained at times. A large number of copies of this paper, together with other literature, were recently sent from our mission in Szechuan into Tibet, by the hands of returning travelers; and hopes of some good results from this are entertained. Twenty-four candidates were baptized at the Shanghai meeting, including four children of missionaries. Following a tent meeting near Seoul, Korea, twenty were baptized, and Pastor Riley Russell baptized twenty-four during a tour he made through the country. Not only the colporteur work, but the medical and educational work in the East, is to be specialized as far as possible. Pioneers have to do a little of all, but division of labor is more economical when it can be secured. In China, it is hoped to establish a mission school of six grades wherever there are six children of believers to form a nucleus. Two intermediate schools are in operation, and land and buildings for another have been secured in Hankau, central China. The providing of textbooks for these schools will give further employment to our presses, and the sale of literature will doubtless be the means whereby many young persons will be able to pay at least a part of their tuition. EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS AT SINGAPORE
The school at Singapore, Straits Settlements, reports the attendance increased by half, and a most encouraging outlook for the future, since government recognition has been secured. In the eleven Sabbath schools of the Straits Settlements, the lessons are taught in the English, Teo-chiu, Hakka, and Malay languages. The second quarter of this year was the best for the number of baptisms in our work in India, exceeding every previous record. The accessions for the first six months—sixty-one—nearly equalled those of any preceding year. Nineteen baptized and many others in preparation were reported in the early part of July. The war extra of the Oriental Watchman reached a circulation of some 40,000. In Burma, after some difficulty, land was secured recently for a station among the Karens, and the work of building was begun. Five acres of improved land that had been bought were increased, by a government grant of unimproved land adjoining, to thirteen acres. Previous to this, the work of preparing literature in the Karen language had been begun. Two persons of that nationality had already been baptized near Rangoon, and many others in the vicinity of the prospective station are now interested. The work for the Burmese proper is going forward meanwhile. A worker writes, “There seems to be a reaching out among the Burmans for this truth, as never before.” The industrial school at Meikilla is flourishing, and the more so for having now received government registration. Here, as elsewhere in this field, there has been some interference on account of sickness. A hill retreat among the pines at Kalaw, for workers needing a respite from the enervating low-land climate, is contemplated. (Continued on page 14)606 THE LATIN COUNTRIES OF EUROPE
The work in the Latin countries of Europe is naturally somewhat crippled on account of the war; yet some progress has been made. Incomplete reports mention eleven baptized in Spain, five in Italy, over eight in Portugal, about forty in Switzerland, and twenty-three in France, since the beginning of the war. Meetings in tents or in halls are in progress in nearly all these countries, and the interest on the part of the public in many cases seems increased rather than diminished by the presence of the war in all minds. Ability to contribute to the cause has naturally been diminished greatly by war conditions; but notwithstanding this, 1,475 members in these countries gave about $4,200 for gospel work, during the first quarter of 1915. The Jamaica headquarters of the West Indian work report nineteen baptized on that island this summer. Twelve have recently begun keeping the Sabbath on Eleuthera, of the Bahamas. In Villa Riva, republic of Santo Domingo, two women have had to face considerable opposition in accepting the message, but have stood firm. An edition of over 100,000 tracts issued by the Watchman press of Jamaica early in the year is already exhausted. Recent reports note five baptisms in Taquari, Brazil, with others about ready; and eleven among the Indians of Peru, with forty more in preparation to go forward. Our first workers for Colombia left the Canal Zone for the field early in June; and three new recruits for the work in the Andean highland sailed from New Orleans July 10. LARGE GATHERING IN SOUTH AFRICA
The largest gathering of Seventh-day Adventists ever held in South Africa was the meeting of the South African Union Conference held as a camp meeting, in Durban, Natal, last April. 56,000 copies of a special edition of the South African Sentinel, as well as 15,000 copies of a Dutch translation of the same, were distributed lately; and the subscription list was increased from 275 to over 4,000, largely as a result of the increased interest awakened in the study of prophecy by the occurrence of the war. The work in the interior is, however, greatly hindered by the war, and some points have had to be abandoned temporarily. IN THE ISLANDS OF THE PACIFIC
The Fijian monthly, Rarama, now has a circulation of 2,000 copies. A number of books and tracts also published in Fijian are having wide circulation in the islands. These islands, as is well known, are civilized, and with the exception of Hindu immigrants, nominally Christian. Seven baptisms are reported in the Cakaudrove district of this island, including that of a local chief. These are among the natives. Work is also carried on for the heathen Indians, but is found much more difficult. Speaking of some of the native believers who can still recall the “devil days” of the Fiji of a half century ago, a worker writes: “Their faith in the Son of God is fixed for eternity, and they stand in this message freed by its power from those defilements which are fast making civilized Fiji something worse and more unimpressionable than a heathen mission field. No better testimony can be found, and certainly no greater is needed, of the power of the truth to free men, and keep them free from every defiling thing.” “The Buresala school is accomplishing a good work in saving young men and women from the uselessness of village life, and training them for service in the cause of God. The school farm comprises 270 acres.” School on the island of Haapai, in the Tonga group, opened with an attendance of nearly forty, and many had to be turned away for lack of seating capacity. Eleven persons were recently baptized into the church of Adelaide, South Australia; others are in preparation; and in addition to these, sixteen in the vicinity are newly keeping the Sabbath. In Brisbane, twenty-four, including seven young persons, were baptized the last of May. From other points in this province, thirty baptisms are reported. Our first German church in Australia was organized recently, with seven charter members. Attendance at Sabbath school was the means of winning three young Welshmen of Victoria. In a little town of West Australia, a business man was so interested in a lecture on Daniel 2, by one of our workers, that he begged a repetition, and filled the hall the next Sunday night, by personal solicitation among his acquaintances. About a dozen new Sabbath keepers are reported from different points in this province. Eighty-four of the church young people of Australia accepted baptism during the first quarter of the year. In Tasmania, six persons have lately accepted the message. From Napier, New Zealand, comes the report of the winning of thirteen adults and a number of intelligent children.