Report from Amoy, China.
By W. C. Hankins
THAT the “Gospel . . . is the power of God unto salvation” when preached in its purity and kept free from the traditions of men is as true in China as in the more enlightened portions of the earth. This truth we are daily seeing demonstrated in this part of the Fukien Province, which speaks what is known as the Amoy colloquial. With no other inducements than those held out to them by the Gospel itself,—which, after all, are the strongest in the world,—men and women are taking a decided stand for the truth, altho opposed and often bitterly persecuted by friends and relatives. There have been eight adults baptized from this province since we arrived here a little over a year ago, while there are quite a number who are observing the commandments, but who are not yet ready for baptism. These we are instructing as fast as possible in the truth of the Bible, and we hope to be able to baptize them soon. Most of the men who have received baptism were formerly users of wine and tobacco, but, thru the power of God, they gave them up when shown how contrary was their use to the principles of the Gospel. The work here has shown the guiding hand of the Lord from the start. None have been requested to join us, but one by one, as the Spirit of God has impressed their hearts to obey the truths they have heard, they have come and asked to unite with us. An incident as to how the Spirit of the Lord is working: Last year a young man in Tsoan Chiu, about seventy miles north of Amoy, read the Sabbath tract by Elder Keh. After carefully studying the matter, he decided to obey, and altho bitterly persecuted by his father and a younger brother, he remained faithful until his death, which occurred a few months later. This man told the truth to a friend who was so impressed by what he had heard and by the faithfulness of his friend, that, later on, he came to Amoy to inquire further concerning these things. Returning to his home he told what he had learned to neighbors and friends, and so interested them that in March of this year we received a letter from ten men who desired us to come at once and teach them more concerning these truths. Accordingly, Elders B. L. Anderson and Keh, and myself went to see them, with the result that there are between ten and twenty who have decided to keep all the commandments of God, among whom is the younger brother who so bitterly persecuted the first Sabbath-keeper in that city. Thus we can see how “this Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations,” in this generation. Even here in China, with her hundreds of millions of people, the good news will spread from neighbor to neighbor, from village to village, and from city to city, “and then shall the end come.” “Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.” “Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth laborers into His harvest.” For “the harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few.” W. C. HANKINS.