Earnestly Asking to Hear the Message — A Tour of Investigation — Encouraging Omens — More Out-Stations to Be Established
FRANCIS E. STAFFORD
PLEAS E, honorable pastor, can you not send us a teacher to tell us more about the warning message? We have seen a copy of your paper published at Shanghai, and are anxiously waiting to be instructed about Christ's coming and the end of the world.
BRIDGE AT SUCHOU, SHOWING CITY WALL THROUGH THE ARCH
Thus read one of the letters that we had received from time to time during the last year, and that led us to decide to make a trip to Suchou, to investigate openings there for the preaching of the third angel's message and the establishment of permanent evangelistic work.
A TRAIN OF BOATS
Leaving Shanghai at four o'clock in the afternoon, our little house-boat was attached to a train of boats pulled by a steam-launch, and the next morning by eight o'clock we were in sight of the city of Suchou, called by many "the Venice of the East."
The Chinese regard this as one of their richest and most beautiful cities. A common proverb says: "Above is heaven. Below are Suchou and Hangchau." Another saying is, that to be happy, one should be born in Suchou, live in Hangchau, and die in Canton; for in the first are the handsomest people, in the second the costliest luxuries, and in the third the best coffins.
The canal on which we traveled skirts the city wall for several miles; and as it was greatly congested by traffic, we were several hours in reaching our stopping-place. Our boat was drawn up and fastened to the shore near the launch company's office, just outside the west gate of the city.
NATIVE WORKERS IN ACTION
We immediately started out with our force of native workers to visit as much of the city as possible during our short stay. In the two days' time we were there, we were enabled to place several hundred copies of our Chinese Signs in the homes and shops of the city, besides giving away a large number of small tracts on the "Signs of the End," which we have prepared for free distribution. We also saw a considerable part of the city, making notes of prospective openings to be entered later for permanent work.
There are several fine gardens in and around Suchou, as well as a number of historical old pagodas. One pagoda, called Pozi-ta, in the center of the city, is nine stories high and in good repair. A circular stairway leads up to the top story, from which is afforded a beautiful view of the city and the surrounding country.
A BEAUTIFUL SCENE
Outside the city, the fields as far as could be seen were a blaze of yellow from the blossoms of a plant that resembles the mustard plant, and that is raised for the purpose of making oil from the seeds. Here and there among the fields were patches of bright green, which is the winter wheat just beginning to head out. Dotting the whole landscape could be seen little clumps of trees, from which the white country houses shine out; and the numerous canals running in every direction appear like tiny silver threads, binding the whole scene into one harmonious picture, which will be long treasured in memory.
However, the traveling public is not allowed this fine view without some adequate compensation to the old monks in charge of the pagoda. When we entered the doorway, a monk met us and asked an alm; and as is customary, we gave him a few coppers and passed on in.
He was not satisfied at this, though, and seeing we were foreigners, very indignantly demanded some silver. Thinking we had given him enough, we went on in, intending to go up-stairs; but try as we would, we could not locate the stairway.13Every passage we entered, after turning and twisting, finally led back to the main doorway again, where the old monk was still waiting for his dues. We therefore decided to give him what he wanted, and he then very solemnly lighted an oil taper, and escorted us through a pitch-dark passage that led abruptly to the stairway, and after some arduous climbing we emerged at the top.
Turning from the beautiful view of the country, back to the city below, we were forcibly reminded how far man has departed from God's original plan of living. There in the great city at our feet were close to a million men, women, and children, huddled together in dark, dirty houses, running to and fro on the narrow, congested streets, appearing from our elevated view as a great human ant-hill. The majority of these people are living in depths of degradation, misery, and disease, that can never be comprehended by our brethren and sisters brought up in Christian homes of the home land.
How to reach this great people with the third angel's message in this generation, and tell them the good news of deliverance from their misery and woes, and the prospect of a happy home in the new earth, is a problem that taxes the workers to the breaking point at times. Truly the harvest is great and the laborers are few. Who will come and help reap China's already overripe harvest?
THE "SWORD POOL"
About a mile north of the city is the little village of Huchou, nestled at the foot of a hill upon which stands a very old pagoda, crumbling in decay, and which leans to one side, like the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Just below the crest of the hill there is a rock cavern and a pool called the "Sword Pool." It is said that here, as far back as two thousand years ago, the famous Chinese warriors came to sharpen their swords by rubbing them upon the smooth stones by the pool, before going out to battle. The stones are still visible, with deep grooves worn in them by the rubbing.
Suchou was at one time the capital city of the ancient Wu kingdom, and is often mentioned in Chinese history. It is at present the capital of the Kiang-su province, one of the largest cities of the Yang-tse Valley, and a great educational center. It is famous for its silks and brocades, and has also some cotton manufacturers and a valuable trade in rice. The city is so large that in order to cover any ground we were obliged to ride donkeys, which are very plentiful, and can be hired almost any place along the street.
HUNGRILY DRANK IN THE WORDS
Not long after our arrival, our friends who wrote the letter hunted us up, and we asked them to come back at night for a Bible study. They were on hand promptly at the appointed time; and as we opened the word of God, and explained the prophecies showing the nearness of the Saviour's coming and the end of all things, they listened with rapt attention, drinking in the words of truth as hungry souls that could not be satisfied. They begged us to stay longer; but as other work was pressing, we were obliged to leave the following day. So we committed them to God's care, encouraging them to take a firm stand to keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. They besought us to return soon and open permanent work in Suchou.
On our return trip, we stopped at a place called Nanziang, about twelve miles from Shanghai; and after looking over the place, we were so impressed by the excellent opportunities, that we decided to open an out-station and hold a tent effort next month.
THE LORD HAD GONE BEFORE
It was plain to all that God had gone before and prepared the way; for although we were there only about eight hours, yet in that time we located a new store building on a good street in the center of town, an excellent location for a chapel, and were enabled to rent it for a year for about thirty dollars gold.
Not far from the chapel is a vacant lot that we thought would be an ideal place to pitch our tent; but the native evangelists feared that the landlord would not be willing to rent it for that purpose, or in case he was willing to rent, they felt sure he would ask an exorbitant price. We took the matter to God in prayer; and when we interviewed the landlord, and explained to him what we wanted to do, he told us to go ahead and use the land for one or two months or as long as we liked, and that he would charge us nothing for it.
MORE OUT-STATIONS
We returned to Shanghai just in time to attend the annual meeting of the Kiang-su Mission. The yearly report showed sixteen persons baptized. In the past, most of the work has been confined to Shanghai and the immediate vicinity; but plans were laid, at this meeting, for strengthening and enlarging the work, and we hope to be able to open several out-stations this year. This meeting was followed by a workers' institute, where careful study was made of methods of work, Elder Porter giving much valued assistance, and important instruction especially applicable to our needs at this time.
REMEMBER THIS WORK
We are now very busy preparing for our tent meeting, and we hope to be able to send in a good report of this meeting later. The workers here are all of good courage, and thank God for His manifold blessings to us the past year, and especially for the many remarkable providences in which we have seen His hand going before us, opening doors of opportunity, and working upon the hearts of men to move them to repentance, conversion, and salvation.
We request the Signs readers to remember this work in their prayers, that the warning of China's millions may be hastened, and thus the way be quickly prepared for the Saviour to come and gather His people home; and may He at that time find many souls from the Kiang-su province ready for the heavenly kingdom, is the most earnest prayer of the missionaries laboring here.
F. E. STAFFORD SELLING THE CHINESE "SIGNS OF THE TIMES" IN SUCHOU
