REPORTS FROM THE FIELD by Estella Houser

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 29, 1901

REPORTS FROM THE FIELD

By Estella Houser

ESTELLA HOUSER

BRAZIL

A general meeting of the laborers and representatives of the churches was held in Brusque, Brazil, last May. Since that time Elder H. F. Graf has had a large interest on his hands, going over the ground after the faithful canvasser. He has organized three churches of about fifty members each. All the laborers in this field are having success. The prospects are that the report for the year will show an increase of more than two hundred in the membership.

JAPAN

During December our little church in Tokio was favored with a visit from ten of the fourteen young men who began keeping the Sabbath last summer while on a British man-of-war in a South African port. They were later sent to China, where Brother La Rue had the privilege of further instructing them from the word of God, before they were transferred to the northern waters. Writing from Japan, one of our brethren says of them: “They certainly are a very earnest company of Sabbath-keepers, and although they can not properly observe the Sabbath while in the service, yet they do the best they can, and are anxious to be released as soon as possible, that they may better serve the Lord. We enjoyed their visit very much, and both we and they were encouraged.” The work in this field is prospering.

HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

Our laborers in the Chinese school at Honolulu are beginning to see fruit of their labors. Recently nine of the Chinese boys have taken a public stand for Christ. They are very earnest, and some of the older ones desire to fit themselves to become laborers in the Lord’s vineyard. The larger number have been more or less connected with our school since its beginning.

Some of these boys have promise of severe trial and bitter experiences, on account of the attitude of their fathers and the Chinese supreme respect for father and elder brothers. We believe every one who reads this will rejoice with our laborers that the Spirit of the Lord is making His way into the hearts of these youth who have been brought up in the midst of heathenism. God’s promise is being fulfilled, “My word . . . shall not return unto me void.” These laborers need our prayers. Theirs is a trying field.

BAY ISLANDS

Brother H. C. Goodrich recently visited Punta Gorda, British Honduras. This is a small place, of about five hundred inhabitants, the majority of whom are Carib Indians. He baptized a man and his wife, two grown-up daughters, a son of twelve years, and the mother of seventy. The old lady had used tobacco, but when the subject of health reform was presented, she laid it aside, and thanked God for the light.

One morning, just at daylight, Brother Goodrich went out to keep an appointment with a man whom he was to meet on his way to work. While waiting, he met another man who was interested in religion, sold him a copy of “Desire of Ages,” which he had with him, and made an appointment to meet the man again.

The Week of Prayer readings were sent to all the churches and companies in the Central American field, and excellent meetings are reported.

The school at Bonacca closed November 15. The people and the Spanish officers pronounce it the best school they have ever had. One of the students was to open a school in the west end of Ruatan about the first of January.

TONGA

The work in this field in the past has moved slowly, but recent reports show that the Lord has been working upon hearts. While not a large number have accepted the truth, those who have taken their stand are faithful. Three will probably be baptized soon. One of these is a young native woman. Another is a young man who was fast going to ruin from the liquor habit. His conversion is a wonderful demonstration of God’s power. Another young business man is fully convinced of the theory of the truth, and attends meetings, taking part in prayer and testimony, but has not yet identified himself with the church.

Brother Butz has lately received the first Tongan tract from the Avondale Press, and those who have read it say that it is a good translation. Several smaller tracts and Bible readings in the Tongan language are in the hands of the printers. Nearly all that has been accomplished in this group is due to reading-matter which our brethren have translated and distributed.

The brethren in Nukualofa are erecting a church building. The tithe for the last eleven months amounted to forty-two pounds, and the Sabbath-school offerings for the same time to nine pounds, eleven shillings.

“The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth laborers into His harvest.”