HONOLULU by B. L. Howe

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 6, 1900

HONOLULU

By B. L. Howe

THE week of prayer found me in one of the most blessed meetings it has ever been my privilege to enjoy. The Holy Spirit was present in a marked manner. The meetings were well attended, and the interest was good. Our offering was nearly five times as large as the offering was last year. Our last meeting was followed with baptismal services, two persons going forward in that ordinance.

During the year there has been a steady growth on the part of nearly all. Several have left us for other places, but others have come. We have been blessed with the presence and labors of Elder J. H. Evans, and have had short visits from Elders Irwin, Haskell, Lake, and many others. These have all been seasons of enjoyment and refreshing to us. Most of our members engage in personal missionary work as other duties permit.

Sister Laura Morse, from Battle Creek, is employed as government nurse by the board of health of the Hawaiian Islands. In her work she found an aged man who was cared for by a charitable society of Honolulu. This man had been confined to his bed for twenty-two months. His room was small and filthy, and his surroundings otherwise unpleasant. The society was willing to furnish money for his support, but no one wanted the unfortunate man in his home. My wife and I talked the matter over, and made it a subject of prayer. We decided to make a home for him at our house. Just at this point, Brother Burgess offered to take the man to his home. This turned the eyes of the associated charities to Brother Burgess, and at present he has four unfortunate men under his care. These are the poor who are cast out. The world’s charity is willing to provide the money for their support, but no one has a home to divide with them. These men often listen with interest to the reading of such books as “The Desire of Ages.” We have begun a Sunday afternoon song service at Brother Burgess’s house for them.

The breaking out of the plague in our city has given opportunity for some of our workers to step into the most responsible places. Brother and Sister Merrill, who have been connected with the sanitarium here almost from the first, are both nursing at the pest hospital. Brother Scott, who came here in the interest of the book work, is also at the hospital as a nurse. Previously to the appearance of the plague, he had been working with “The Desire of Ages.” He did well with the book, and became much interested in it. His experience fully demonstrates the fact that this book is the book for the wealthy, educated classes in our cities. It required much prayer, patience, and perseverance to get the work started, but the Lord opened the way. Under the present pressure, it is, of course, impossible to carry on the canvassing work, and we are thankful that Brother Scott had the required knowledge and experience to fit him for the emergency.

The people taken from the infected districts are held in different camps. Sister Morse is nursing at one of these camps. From one standpoint the outlook might be regarded gloomy, but our courage is good, and our faith is in the God of Israel. The schools and churches are all closed. Our own children, with some of the children of the church, are going on with their studies at our house. We hold no meetings in our chapel, but last Sabbath we held meetings in three different places, and had a good day.

We are having an interesting time teaching a class of four natives to read English. We have three lessons a week, and use only those lessons that will teach Bible truth.

We ask the readers of the REVIEW to remember the cause of God in Honolulu in their prayers.

B. L. HOWE.