p. 14 | The Last from China by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Jul 30, 1912

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 39, No. 29.

The Last from China

By Editor

FOR the encouragement of our friends who have been donating to the Chinese field, and praying for Chinese missions, we take the following from a letter sent to the manager of this office under date of June 4.

The superintendent of the field, Pastor I. H. Evans, writes of the general meetings which have been held during March and April, one each in Swatow, Amoy, and Fatshan. At one meeting held in the interior from Shanghai, revival services were held in the evening for those outside, the unconverted. At one place more than one hundred persons came forward expressing their desire to seek the Saviour, at another more than one hundred twenty-five, and at still another meeting quite a large number sought the Lord and found salvation. As the result of these meetings between seventy and eighty were baptized. The Lord's Supper was celebrated at each place, and the Chinese entered into the celebration of these ordinances with the same interest as did the missionaries. These Chinese are not what are called "rice Christians;" they do not yield themselves with any ulterior purpose of heart. They confess their sins, they seek God with all their hearts. "They make wrongs right with each other; and in fact in every way that we live the gospel at home, the Chinese try to live it here."

Pastor Evans appeals for more workers. He says: "There are so many calls for help, so many openings for service which give promise of rich rewards, and so many interests already started which demand attention, the half of which we are unable to answer and supply with help, that some of our men are almost discouraged. Just the other day I received a letter from one of our workers in the south of China stating that at one of his out-stations there were one hundred persons actually keeping the commandments of God, and seven hundred seeking for light and help. It is no trouble to get an interest aroused in China. The only trouble we have is in taking care of the interests that are continually springing up in different places. These interests are not the results of long, protracted efforts to arouse the people, but in many cases are caused by some one in a village reading a tract, or by merely hearing of the truth from others.

"Dr. Selmon returned last Friday from the meeting in Anhwei. He said he believed with all his heart that if it were possible for us to send a good evangelist to that district, we could have a thousand converts within one year's time. He said he had never seen such an interest or opening for labor in his life. There are interests everywhere so beyond the ability of our limited number of workers to handle that we are deeply distressed to know what to do. O for a hundred good, strong, earnest men to set to work in China! What a mighty work could be accomplished! We ought to have at least a score of young men here now studying the language preparatory to carrying the message to these millions."

The letter also tells of several very promising, educated young Chinese who have given themselves to the Lord, identified themselves with us, and are prepared to teach in our schools. We rejoice with our workers in China. May God abundantly bless them.