In the Far Orient

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Apr 29, 1913

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 40, No. 17.

In the Far Orient

PASTOR I. H. EVANS writes of a general meeting held in Soemberwekas, Java, the last few days of 1912, at which that field was organized, and a worker placed in charge of each division. Java was divided into two mission fields, and will probably later be divided into three. A definite call for three new families was made to the Mission Board, and it is hoped that these recruits may soon join the workers already in the field. In Borneo, where a missionary and his wife have just been sent, over twenty new believers are calling for a teacher.

Batavia

Sister P. Tunheim tells of the work being done in Batavia, where three evening services a week—two in Malay and one in Dutch—are conducted. She says: 'We have had a good attendance, and an excellent interest. One Dutch lady told me that she had been praying for many years that some one would come and teach her the Bible, "and now," she said, "the Lord has heard my prayer." She takes a special interest in the word of God, and rejoices that the Lord is revealing these precious truths to her. Among the Ambonese and Menadonese there is also a good interest, and we hope a number will come out soon on the Lord's side. A large number of Chinese also attend the services. One Chinese family have taken a firm stand for the truth, and are now ready for baptism. All the members of this family have started, and are also living up to the light of health reform.'

Korea

Writing to the Asiatic News Letter, Brother C. L. Butterfield, of Seoul, Korea, says:

'We are holding evening meetings here in our new chapel, and have from one hundred to two hundred each evening. Some are coming every night, and seem quite interested, but we can not say yet what the outcome will be. We have no local worker here who can give his full time to the evangelistic work, so we are handicapped to a certain extent.'

'Last Sabbath I spent with Brother Wangerin. He is getting along nicely with his work. He has gathered out a nice little company. . . .'

'The past month Brother Oberg has been working hard with the paper, and the results have been gratifying. He has cleaned out almost all of the back numbers, for about six months back, and there were no extras before that time. Orders are coming in well for this month's paper, too. He has also been out with the canvassers who are starting out with our book on Daniel. I do not know yet how it is going to sell, but hope it will go well.'

He says sixty-two new believers are reported for the past three months, and about seventy are awaiting baptism.

En Route to General Conference

We note that Elder and Mrs. F. H. DeVinney and Elder and Mrs. H. F. Benson were to sail from Yokohama by the North German Lloyd steamship Bremen, on February 8, on their way to attend the General Conference. They were to go via the East, and spend some time in Egypt and the Holy Land, Naples, Rome, Persia, London, and other points of interest on the way. They expected also to make a short call upon friends in Shanghai on their way.

Manila, Philippine Islands

Speaking of the work in Manila, Philippine Islands, Brother E. M. Adams says:

'Another quarterly meeting is in the past. This meeting was well attended, and a good spirit prevailed. Eleven were received into the church. There was a woman present who had been keeping the Sabbath for some time, but had not asked baptism and membership. At this meeting she requested admittance. In the social meeting that followed, she said, in substance: "When I first heard this truth, I thought that it was not worth listening to; but as

I have been attending the Sabbath-school, and comparing this church with others, I have concluded that this is the true church." She said, also, that the good meeting we had had that day had especially impressed her, and now she had fully decided to become a member.

'A minister of the — church attended our quarterly meeting. In conversation with him I learned that he has been acquainted with our work for some time, and had been deputed to oppose Elder Finster in the first tent meeting held in Manila by our people. He said that when Brother Finster turned and looked upon him and read some scriptures, he could not say anything; his mouth was shut. When asked by his followers about his experience, he said, "That is the Bible." The result of this incident was some of the best members that we have here. Some of the brethren who stood by testified to the veracity of what this minister said. That was all interesting to me, but the current part of it interested me more. A Protestant body here recently began opposition meetings immediately across the street from our present tent meetings. This man said that they had come to him to champion their cause. He asked them: "What is the matter? Are they saying bad things there?" They answered, "No." "Are they saying things from the Bible?" They answered, "Yes." "Well," he said, "then we can't help it."'

'It is reported to me that one of our girls is being persecuted by her mother. This girl refused to take food for one day, because the mother was trying to force her to eat unclean meats. Then the girl was beaten by her mother. This girl attended meeting last Sabbath. When the meeting was about half over, the mother came and took her home.'

'While I was visiting some of our interested ones to-day, a woman said that her husband got a Bible about four years ago, and became very much interested in reading it. He was so absorbed in it that he did little but read. Altho he was formerly a great gambler and frequented the cockpit, he had no time to go there any more for reading the Bible. I have hope that this family will accept the third angel's message.'

Shanghai, China

Brother F. E. Stafford tells of the work in Shanghai, China, as follows:

'The new chapel on Haining Road was opened on January 5, with an overflowing house, and the attendance has continued to tax the capacity of the room every night since, in spite of rain and stormy weather. Meetings are held every evening, and Bible readings for inquirers are given both forenoon and afternoon. A six weeks' program has been planned for. The majority of the people in this district are heathen, and we have been greatly encouraged by the orderly way in which they attend the meetings, most of them staying throughout the service, and giving close attention to the sermon. An after-meeting is held every night, where special instruction is given to interested ones and inquirers. Over thirty have handed in their names, and bought Bibles and tracts. At the testimony meeting on Friday four men witnessed to the benefits they had received from the gospel. Two weeks before, these men were heathen, and one of them refused to give in his name the first time he came, as he was afraid of us. Now, with tears, he confesses himself a sinner in God's sight, and earnestly asks our prayers that he may become a faithful Christian. These scenes are very cheering to our hearts, and we long to see many of these souls come out of darkness and prepare to meet the soon-coming Saviour.'

Chang-Sha, China

The following, taken from the Asiatic News Letter, shows how the message is advancing in Chang-Sha:

'Elder Cottrell and the writer [Brother C. P. Lillie] returned yesterday from a visit to the out-station at Ning Shang. Some of the readers of the News Letter may remember that at the general meeting in Shanghai last winter Brother Cottrell reported an interest at this place, and that he had received a petition from many of the townspeople requesting that the mission open work in that place, and also offering the use of a large temple. No evangelist was permanently located there until spring. . . . As the people become convinced of the truth of the gospel, they bring their idols to the chapel. Li has quite a big collection, and it is sure to increase.'

'On the day following our arrival, nine men followed their Saviour in the ordinance of baptism. None of these had been members of any other church, and most of them were straight from heathenism. On the day following (Sabbath), Elder Cottrell organized a church of fourteen members. Sunday we spent in visiting the homes of church-members and inquirers. We had a splendid meeting in the evening. It was good to be there. Brother Cottrell preached, followed by Li Yu Gen, and then an appeal was made for those who wished to give themselves to Christ to come forward. Our hearts rejoiced to see man after man push his way through the crowded chapel to the front. The tearful eyes of many showed that these people were indeed in earnest. Seventeen men and eight women made a public profession of their faith in Jesus by coming from their places. Many of these had never before acknowledged their Saviour.'

Brother W. F. Hills writes from Swatow of a minister who, with thirty-five of his congregation, is standing firm for the truth. He says: 'This seems to be a genuine movement, and we expect to take every one of them into the church soon. We have added the minister to our pay-roll this month, and believe that he will develop into a good worker. . . .'

'Another minister of broad experience has just united with us. His influence seems to be far-reaching, and we believe that this will prove to be a great strength to our work here. He has put his children into our school. We are kept busy following the openings for work. My wife's teacher (Brother C. M. Lee's sister) has been keeping the Sabbath for some time, and her husband, who is also a minister, says that it is getting harder and harder for him to keep Sunday, and break God's holy Sabbath. We hope that he will soon yield to his convictions, and unite with us. Our work has more than doubled since we moved into our new chapel and started our school. We have forty-six children in our school, and have had to turn some away for lack of room.'

Siao Gan, China

Brother Frederick Lee writes from Hankow of the work at Siao Gan as follows:

'As reported before, we had our fall meeting at this place. At the same time we also held a series of meetings for outsiders, where many names were handed in for study of the Bible. I am pleased to report that ten have come out strong, and are very earnest in their study of the truth. Our evangelist there has held studies with these every evening since. He had planned to have them only twice a week; but as all came every night and expressed an earnest wish to study, he formed a class, and has been taking up the book "Christ Our Saviour" with them. It is surprising to see the advancement these poor heathen have made in the past two months. Most of them decided to keep the Sabbath wholly. Altho they are all very poor, able to earn barely enough for their food from day to day, they have surrendered this day to God, believing that He will supply the extra day's need from the six working-days. My heart is touched as I think of the poverty of these poor souls. One man, who spins silk from early morning till late at night for a living, asked his employer for Sabbath off. It was kindly granted, but this means one day's money less to supply a wife and two children with food and clothing; yet they

are all of good cheer. Two others are chair coolies, who earn only the bare necessities of life, or existence, perhaps; yet on the Sabbath they stop all work. . . . These people show evidence of conviction, and in many ways put us to shame.'

'From Siao Gan I went to Chang Djang Pu. There we opened a little street chapel, in the home of the "devil possessed" who was healed at the time of our general meeting at this place. This is quite a good place for advertising our truth, as every one in the city knows this man, who went about cursing everybody, and broke up all his household goods until he had nothing left. Now he goes about at peace with every one, and, like the demon-possessed man in the time of Christ, can not keep from telling what God has done for him. He was not contented until we consented to use his home as a place for preaching to others of the One who has done so much for him. The room is small, yet thirty or more come and stay an hour or so, to listen to the gospel.'

Hankow, Fa-tshan, and Hui-An, China

Of the work in Hankow, he says that several heathen have taken their stand for the gospel.

A report from Fa-tshan states that eleven persons were added by baptism to the Fa-tshan church the past year, making the present membership twenty-four. Among those who have recently taken their stand is a Taoist priest, whose fathers before him for nine generations have been priests. He has undergone considerable persecution, especially from his own family, but he is firm for the truth.

About fourteen at Hui-An, a new station which has been opened in the interior of China, have requested baptism and admittance into the church.

The Foreign Field

FOUR additions to the church are reported in Bruni Island.

THE conversion of twelve souls is reported at Bay Roberts, Newfoundland.

BROTHER Gobel writes from Siberia of the baptism of ten souls in Iman.

AT the close of the New Zealand camp-meeting, baptism was administered to twenty-four.

CHURCHES have been organized at Wire Hill and Gendia, British East Africa, and there are sixteen candidates for baptism at these places.

IN Las Minas, Cuba, a church of eighteen members has recently been organized, four have been baptized, and two others have requested baptism.

A RECENT report from the East German Union states that 1,728 members have been added to the church by baptism and vote in that union during the year 1912.

A REPORT from Brother A. F. Prieger tells of the baptism of four persons at Port au Prince, Haiti, twenty at Cape Haitien, nine at Port de Paix, and six others to be baptized about April 1, and a church of twenty-one members organized at the latter place.

A SABBATH-SCHOOL of eleven members has been organized at Quirindi, New South Wales, and at Ourimbah the company has been organized into a church and Sabbath-school, and plans are being made to erect a church building. Seven at this place have recently been won to the truth. At the New South Wales camp-meeting eighty-two were baptized.

BROTHER C. E. Weeks tells of the baptism of eighteen souls in South India at the close of a workers' institute held there. He also tells of the conversion of two strong young men who have been added to the teaching force. We are glad to learn that two new quarterly magazines have been started in that field, one in Hindi and the other in Urdu.

AT Port Pirie, South Australia, nine have decided to keep the commandments of God. Fourteen new members at Bendigo, Victoria, have received baptism, and three others have decided in favor of the truth. At the Tasmanian camp-meeting, baptism was administered to twenty-one, and five others expected to be baptized at their home churches. In Auckland, New Zealand, six have lately embraced the message.

SINCE the camp-meeting in Argentina, South America, in October, forty-four have been baptized. To the Indian church at Puno, Peru, eighteen have been added, making a church of sixty-two. In Paraguay, during the past year, twenty have been baptized in Missiones Territory and the northern part of the province of Corrientes, and the baptism of five others is reported at Villa Rica. We learn also of the conversion of several others at Iguacu.

WE note that the Cape Colony Conference, South Africa, has been divided, and a new conference organized, so that it now consists of two conferences. At Mantandane, Nyasaland, twenty-four adults have received baptism. In the Nyasaland Mission 280 candidates for baptism are reported. In Barberton five have received baptism, and others are hoping to receive this rite shortly. Nine at Wynberg, Cape, have been baptized, joining the "Rustica" church; and fifteen at Claremont have received this ordinance.

A COMPANY consisting of Elder J. H. Boehm and wife, under appointment to the Brazilian Union; Brother A. R. Dennis, under appointment to Uruguay; and Brother John Schmidt, to Brazil, left New York on the steamship Celtic for South America in February. Early in March, Elder John Shultz and family, of Ohio, sailed from New York for Jamaica, West Indies, under appointment of the Mission Board. Elder C. H. Keslake and family, of Ontario, Canada, sailed from New York the last week in March for Jamaica, West Indies, Brother Keslake to act as editor of the West Indian Union paper, and engage in evangelistic work in that field.