ENCOURAGING PROGRESS—A FEW THINGS HERE AND THERE TO TELL OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE MESSAGE
SOLUSI MISSION, MATABELELAND, SOUTH AFRICA
In some places, under the blessing of the Lord, the message seems to find its way almost spontaneously. News comes frequently of how a little quotation from the Word, or a little tract, has guided some earnest soul in coming a step nearer to the kingdom.
Providence is opening the way among the vast islands of Malaysia. Brother R. P. Montgomery, who was recently sent to Borneo in response to the call of an interest there, reports the baptism of seven Chinese at Sandakan. These brethren have to make great business sacrifices in order to keep the Sabbath, yet several others are desirous of taking their stand as soon as they possibly can.
A series of open-air meetings in the market-place at Batavia, Java, has been conducted by Miss P. Tunheim. She writes that several persons are ready for baptism. Four baptisms and six candidates are reported from Surabaya, Java.
In the great Dutch island of Celebes, an enthusiastic colporteur is now preparing the way of the message. He was himself converted by reading our literature. Last year’s tent meetings in Singapore have so far resulted in bringing in fifteen converts.
Down in Brazil, interests are springing up faster than the workers can attend to them.
A tract, bought from one of our colporteurs, convinced a woman of the obligations of the Sabbath, so she observed it for two years before hearing of us.
A candidate for baptism called the attention of a man from another town to the fourth commandment. This man and his family found ground sufficient, in that, to begin observing the Sabbath; and now many of his neighbors are interested, and wait in hopes of receiving further instruction.
When the attention of a Protestant minister in that country had been called to the Sabbath, he said, “You have taken from my heart a burden that rested there for three years.” He is now with us.
At the close of a series of meetings recently held by Elder Lipke in Amaro, Brazil, thirty persons signified their decision to keep the Bible Sabbath.
Our Chinese namesake, the Signs of the Times, is doing good work. Two men came thirty-five miles to attend the week of prayer meetings at one of our central China missions, and stated that twenty-five in their home village had decided on the truth of the message they found in its pages. The paper sells at two cents, and now has a monthly circulation of fifty-five thousand copies.
An intermediate training-school for native workers, in Honan province, has been opened free from debt, and with a full attendance. New missionary residences have been completed in Hankow, Yencheng, and Canton; and near the latter city, a girls’ school has just been completed.
Near Swatow, a heathen temple has been offered us for use in holding meetings.
Two baptisms are reported from Pakhoi. “A sound of going” is heard in the Dark Continent. Brother H. Steiner, of the mission in Asmara, Eritrea, on the borders of Abyssinia, tells of their first baptisms. Three Abyssinians were the participants in the rite.
About two score students in an out-school of the Maranatha Mission, South Africa, recently professed conversion. Four baptisms of Europeans are reported from Cape Colony, and three from the Transvaal. Several candidates are preparing for the step. Twenty-five members were added to the church at Kickham, on the Gold Coast, last year. Appropriations have been made for establishing new stations in the hinterland of the Gold Coast and Sierra Leone.
The work among English residents of India is prospering. As a result of a five months’ series of semi-weekly meetings in Bombay, Elder George F. Enoch, just before departing on furlough, had the privilege of baptizing five. Ten others are preparing for the ordinance. Seven residents of Simla, the summer capital, have recently been baptized, while others are about to be. The government has granted the Sabbath free to those of the brethren employed in its offices. Our school at Mussoorie, another Himalaya resort, has doubled in attendance, and a number of the children have received baptism, as also three adults in the town.
The churches in south India and Ceylon have a harvest-home service each spring. Brother V. E. Peugh writes from Nazareth, “When the meeting opened, the front veranda was almost covered with paddy (unhulled rice), chickens, eggs, green coconuts, garments, fruits, bread, buttons, pins, and numerous other things, as well as the earthen pots in which each family had dropped its daily offerings during the year.” After the service, the produce is auctioned off. The offering for this year amounted to $130, which, considering the poverty of the people in that part of the world, shows a Christian spirit of liberality.
In Gueron, an isolated town in Armenia, a passing visit by Brother Tousdjian awakened an interest, which was later stimulated by the work of the colporteur. Two have stepped out from the Armenian section of the traditional church, to walk in the light of the Word, and others are interested in hearing the message. Persecution by their former coreligionists has to be endured by these brethren, and would be a serious menace but for the restraint of the government.
Cheering news comes from the Philippines. At Malolos the first of our church buildings in the islands has been dedicated. The headquarters residence at Manila is nearly finished. Tracts in Ilocano and Tagalog are in preparation for the press. More than twenty new Sabbath-keepers, at last report, are the result of a series of tent meetings in Santa Rosa, conducted by Philippine brethren. The meetings in Manila continue to be well attended.
The first Protestant evangelical mission in the island of Guadeloupe, French West Indies, has been started by our Brother Philip Giddings, who, with his family, has located in the capital. A population of 210,000 in that island awaits the message.
A new twenty-six foot launch, designed for the use of the New Hebrides Mission, has been completed, and paid for by the Sabbath-school contributions in the Australian churches. It is built for hard weather, has a five horse-power engine, and will fill a real need in the field.
A new mission station has been opened at the interior village of Myaingalay, Burma. Brother A. H. Williams reports the outlook encouraging on his arrival.
Reports received during the last seven weeks, give 606 as the number of accessions to the ranks of Adventist Sabbath-keepers in the United States and Canada. Of these, 454 were baptized.
In the decade 1903-1913, the aggregate of believers in the advent message increased 54%. In the same time, the contributions for the support of the work increased more than 220%.
Over thirty in Mexico are waiting for the time when our workers can safely return and baptize them.
In the European Division, 1,092 persons were baptized during the last quarter of 1913.
Baptism was administered recently to eight persons at Jagadishpur, in the Santal Mission, Bengal.
Fourteen Portuguese in Massachusetts are keeping the Sabbath.
