THE TWO MISSIONARY HOMES AT YEN-CHENG, HONAN. J. J. WESTRUP ON VERANDA
MAY the dear Lord help me to write a few words to his glory and for the encouragement of my brethren in the homeland. The power of the Word and the joy of the Holy Ghost are wonderfully sustaining and uplifting. Peace and joy fill our hearts all day long, though the outward conditions here naturally would cause just the opposite. To rest in the Lord under all circumstances is the most valuable lesson we can learn in this life, and, thank God, we are learning it.
The erection of the two foreign buildings passed off very smoothly, under God's blessing, as everything does as soon as one learns to really rest in the Lord. We have also built two schoolhouses (each seating about 170), and other buildings, aggregating seventeen houses. We manage to have mostly copper cash on hand, which the terrible robbers do not want, as they desire only silver.
The robbers are making sad havoc in this province. Sometimes they have been too near for real comfort, and the city, one third of a mile from us, has had its gates closed all day many times as well as at night. The merchants were filled with fear and trembling because the 'scourge' was near. A missionary stated that there were 30,000 robbers in the southwest. And to the north and east of us the country is filled with them. The soldiers killed about one thousand west of us some time ago, and last week thirteen villages a few miles east of us, infested by robbers, were burned, and the robbers either killed or sent to trial.
The robbers make it a point to rob the rich and help the poor. The fifth chapter of James has literally been fulfilled here. The cold-blooded, grasping, and merciless have reaped what they have sown for many years. They shut themselves in with their own comfort and throw a counterfeit cash to the starving and dying, and then imagine that they have fulfilled all righteousness. The poor are having their revenge now, but it brings on a terrible condition. Whole counties are devastated and burned, and the frightened farmers do not dare to cultivate their land. Add to this two years of almost continual drought, and it can easily be understood why we are now unable to sell many papers here. The robbers disguise themselves in every imaginable way, as priests, and rich merchants, and beggars, etc. Hence our brethren trying to sell the paper are invariably suspected of being disguised robbers, and none want to deal with them. Yet we have never before sold so many tracts and small books, such as "Bible Readings" and "Thoughts on Revelation." A great many are buying them and studying the truth; and we are seeing good results.
While we have been principally confined to supervising our building operations, the Spirit of the Lord has been working, mostly through our literature. As a result, we have now in our school nine evangelists and Bible women and quite a few others. A number of the common people have taken their stand.
We have sixty-three in the schools, and I am truly thankful for the harmonious spirit that really prevails. The devil tried to play havoc; but now it is inspiring to see how earnestly the people study and lay hold on this saving truth. Every Sabbath afternoon our native teachers go to the neighboring villages and preach. Many earnestly pray for relatives, that they, too, may hear and believe this saving message. I just had10two letters stating that one ordained minister with his family, and one evangelist, are soon coming to study the truth for some months. We praise the dear Lord for thus encouraging us greatly in these trying times. We have prayed earnestly all the year that the Lord would raise up workers, and he is doing it far above our expectation. We long to see every province entered, as they are ripe for the message. It inspires us to see the earnest effort made by our dear brethren in the homeland to advance this message as quickly as possible both at home and in every mission field. We have this year baptized sixty-eight believers. How blessed to be coworkers with God; it is the greatest work and greatest honor possible. Let us lift up our heads and be happy, for our redemption is very near.
