THE WORK AT HILO, HAWAII.
By H. H. Brand
IT has been a year and three months since we arrived here from Honolulu. During this time we have been laboring principally for the Chinese, as that is the wish of the Foreign Mission Board; yet there has been, and is at the present time, much that ought to be done for the people here of different nationalities. The little that we have been able to do aside from the Chinese work, has been done for the Hawaiians. These are a noble people, and appreciate any kindness that is shown them. Some are much interested in the study of the Bible, and a few are keeping the Sabbath. But as the Chinese work has taken up the most of our time, the work for others has been limited. The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few. Our hearts are made glad when we see the different peoples desirous of learning the truth of God, but sad when there is not one to instruct them. And we pray the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers into His harvest. God has been calling long to His people, and has waited patiently to hear them say: "Here am I, Lord. What wilt Thou have me to do?" God has a place for all that have a desire to work. Of the Chinese alone there are over four hundred million to be enlightened; and how few there are to enter that field! God is opening the way, and inviting us to enter it; can there be a better time than the present? We have much to praise God for, as we see the willingness of the Chinese people to study His Word, when they are able to understand what they read. There are many precious souls here in Hilo, who are anxious to understand the Bible, and a few of them are studying it with a view to going back to China to work for their people. The Chinese are appreciative, and always ready and willing to assist in carrying on the work; and here they have more than met all our running expenses. The work is steadily growing, and for this we praise God. There have been fifty different persons in our mission. Some have attended steadily, and some only a short time, until they could get into business or go back to China. As a rule they are constantly changing; but we always instruct them the best we can, believing if we can get them to learn a few of God's words, they will not return unto Him void.