Missions
“This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world.”—Jesus
Activities of Our Workers in Various Lands and Climes
By Editor
Brief Notes of Progress in Spreading the World-Wide Message—What Devoted Hearts and Hands Have Done During Recent Weeks
GONE TO THE FRONT FROM EUROPEAN DIVISION
WORD comes from Elder Guy Dail, secretary of the European Division, of the following new workers who have recently left Europe for mission fields: In August, Paul Bridde, of the Hamburg publishing house, to Constantinople, Turkey, to act as manager of the Levant Union publishing office; in September, L. Abèrlé, of Germany, to the Victoria Nyanza Mission, Central Africa; D. E. Delhove, of Belgium, to British East Africa; Elder H. and Mrs. Erzberger, of Switzerland, to Beirut, Syria; and Elder Otto and Mrs. Stanbert, for Persia. On December 16, Elder D. N. Wall and family sailed from San Francisco for Australia, to engage in evangelistic work among the Germans of South Australia.
MISSION RECRUITS FROM THE HOME LAND
BROTHER D. P. BOERSMA, of New Jersey, sailed early in November for Rotterdam, to engage in work in Holland. Brother R. P. Robinson, of southern California, sailed the first of December for South Africa, where he will probably join Elder W. H. Anderson in the Barotseland mission field; also Brother J. I. and Mrs. Robison, of southern California, for South Africa, in answer to an urgent call for teachers to assist in the Claremont Union College, near Cape Town. Brother W. F. Mayers, of Texas, sailed the latter part of December from New Orleans, for Porto Rico, West Indies, to engage in the Spanish colporteur work.
VARIED ITEMS OF PROGRESS
AT the last meeting of the Levant Union Mission, held at Ovajuk, Turkey, seven received baptism. This is undoubtedly one of the most difficult fields of the world to work, on account of the large Mohammedan population, and because of the lack of unity between the nominally Christian nationalities themselves.
A NEW conference has been organized in Europe, in the Rumanian field, comprising thirteen churches, with a membership of 415. At one of the Sabbath services of the conference session, thirty-six individuals took their stand for the Lord and the message of His soon coming.
A REPORT from Brother Russell Hall, Jamaica, tells of the conversion of fourteen persons, who are now preparing for baptism.
A NEW periodical has been started by our workers in Russia, called the Blagaja Veste, or Message of Mercy. We trust that it may indeed come as a message of mercy to many darkened souls in that land of religious oppression and tyranny.
BROTHER F. A. DETAMORE tells of the hungering of heathen hearts in Battakland, in Sumatra, for the message of salvation. He says that some fifteen or more in this region are already obeying the message, and when he visited them, nearly the whole village went out to see him, asking eager questions about the truth.
BROTHER A. G. STUART sends an account of the annual meeting at Colo, in the Fiji Islands, at the close of which seven candidates presented themselves for baptism, which was administered to five of them at that time.
IN Nassau, Bahamas, four have avowed their purpose to obey the truth.
ON account of the way the work has been advancing in the Russian field, this territory was divided, at the recent council held at Budapest, into two unions, to be called the East Russian Union and the West Russian Union. As the work is fast developing on the Pacific coast, it was decided that the Amur and coast provinces be separated from the East Siberian Mission, as a separate organization. It was at this meeting, also, that the Rumanian Conference organization was effected. The first three quarters of 1913 showed the number of additions in this union to be 4,000.
ANOTHER baptismal service has been held at Cosmopolis, Brazil, at which four persons participated in this ordinance.
EIGHT Chinese were recently baptized at Singapore, Straits Settlements.
ELDER JEAN VUILLEUMIER, who is working among the French people of Montreal, Quebec, recently baptized two young men who had formerly been Catholics. A French church has also been organized in that city.
ELDER W. L. SIMS gives an interesting account of an effort which has been carried on at Safford, Arizona. He says that in June, when they commenced their meetings, there was not a believer in the town, but they now have a company of about forty who are obeying the truth, and a number of others who are interested.
ELDER G. E. LANGDON, of Chicago, writes that five tent efforts have been conducted in that city during the past season, and about one hundred in all have embraced the faith.
IN November, Elder O. K. Butler baptized twelve young persons at Bonnievale, South Africa. At Grahamstown three more received this rite, and three others have embraced the message. Five souls at Johannesburg, and thirty-one on the Gold Coast, West Africa, have also taken their stand to keep the commandments of God.
ELDER R. C. PORTER reports that at a general meeting held at Chang-Sha, Hunan, China, baptism was administered to sixteen, making a total of 232 that were baptized during the year in the Central China field. At the last general meeting of the Swatow Mission seventeen were baptized. Brother W. F. Hills writes of a trip that he recently made into inland China. He says they have opened three new stations during the year, and there are over one hundred persons now preparing for baptism. The missionaries are unable to answer half the calls for help. At the Anhui general meeting, which was held at Ying Shang Hsien, East China, thirty were baptized, one of whom had formerly been a Taoist priest. In South China one new station has been opened. At Hankow, Hupeh, a new chapel has recently been completed.
AT Napier, New Zealand, four souls recently followed their Master in baptism.
ON November 23, seven souls were baptized at Melbourne, Australia; and the following Sabbath, two others in the North Fitzroy church. Thirteen candidates recently went forward in this ordinance in the Stanmore church.
SEVENTEEN persons at Broken Hill, New South Wales, have received baptism.
H. E. CARR and his wife have lately commenced work on the island of Atchin, in the New Hebrides.
ON a Sabbath late in October eleven new converts were baptized at Aitutaki, in the Cook Islands, and a church was organized.
DURING the year, 250 members were added to the churches in Ohio by baptism.
FOUR persons were recently baptized at Rangun, Burma, and two others will be baptized soon.
BESIDES these items from foreign fields, what we have been able to glean from reports in our exchanges shows the following increases in this country during the past six or eight weeks: baptisms, 474; conversions (not reported as baptized, but doubtless most of them have already received baptism), 389; additions to church-membership, aside from baptism, 56. We note the organization of five churches and eight Sabbath-schools, the erection of three church buildings, and the dedication of nine others which were lately erected.
