Preparing for a Quick Work by C. M. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 22, 1914

Preparing for a Quick Work

By C. M. S.

There are unmistakable indications in all the nations of earth that the chief Reaper in the soul harvest of the world is preparing to do a quick work; we might even say, to apply the finishing strokes to the quick work which he is now doing.

A spirit of awakening is manifest in all parts of the world. Lands that have been held in mental and spiritual darkness for centuries, to whose people the Word of God has been forbidden and has been maligned as a most deadly poison, are bursting the shackles that have held them, and are opening the way for the spread of evangelical truth and the circulation of the Bible among the people. In lands that for centuries have been cursed by devil worship and by ancestor worship, the Word of God is hunting out jewels of whose worth there is no possible computation.

At the same time, at home as well as abroad, we are seeing indisputable evidence of the mighty workings of our God. While he searches the heights and depths of this world to find honest souls who have never heard his message, he does not leave uncared for those who have long owned their fealty to him and have sought to extend the borders of his kingdom. Real victories of faith are being won in the homeland, and this is putting new courage into the hearts of the workers abroad, and stimulating them to greater endeavors.

Within the last few months there have come to our attention most striking evidences of this awakening in other lands, which can be accounted for only upon the basis that God is in very deed putting his hand into the affairs of this world to ripen them off for the last great harvest.

Japanese educators and officials, dissatisfied with what their system of education is doing for the youth of that country in the way of producing the highest elements of character, have been earnestly investigating Christian Sunday schools. It is even proposed to take action against those who have been actively opposing such schools in Japan, so that the Sunday school may have a fair chance. An official invitation has been extended to the World's Sunday School Association to hold its next meeting in Tokio. There is also a growing interest manifested in Bible study on the part of public officials and students in the higher schools. Mr. Frank L. Brown says:—

Christianity is being tested and weighed and watched by a large number who are dissatisfied with the old religions and are feeling the need for a spiritual tonic to the nation.

Rev. James H. Franklin, secretary of the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society, who has recently made a tour of Asia, has an interesting article in the January number of the Missionary Review of the World concerning conditions in the nations of that continent. He finds that ninety-five per cent of the children of Japan of school age are in school. High schools, colleges, and real universities are being developed. One of the latter has 5,000 students, another in the same city has 8,000, and still another 9,000. And these students and their professors are earnestly looking into the Christian religion to ascertain if it is what Japan has been looking for. An educated Japanese made the declaration to Dr. Franklin:—

Japan may not accept Western ecclesiastical forms; we may not accept the theological systems of the West; but the principles of Christianity are sure to triumph, they are sure of ultimate acceptance in Japan.

Another declared to him that "the leaven of Christianity has already accomplished much in the empire." Dr. Franklin declares that "every missionary might be recalled from Japan, and leading men and numerous students would go on studying Christianity," because, "as surely as we are here, Christianity has been planted there."

Speaking of China, the same writer says: "China can never get back to the old ways." Lord William Gascoyne-Cecil, of England, writing of China, says:—

Now they are breaking up the old idol temples, the old heathen festivals of the seasons are dying quickly, and China will soon be without a religion, unless she becomes Christian. She is becoming Christian, but she still needs our help. . . . Nine tenths of the men who are leading this revolution have had their inspiration from American mission schools, with the result that America has a great moral position in China. . . . All the leading young men went to the American missions and not to the English. Now we are doing a little, but still we are far behind America, and the real future of China depends on the American-trained Chinese.

At the conclusion of a series of meetings conducted by Dr. John R. Mott in the city of Canton, "800 students of the Canton schools became inquirers, and signed cards on which they promised to read the New Testament and to pray every day and to follow the teachings of Christ as far as reason and conscience commended his teachings as true." Dr. Franklin remarks: "The mission school occupies a large place in the present day in China. Every mission academy or college that I visited is turning away students." They have not room for all who apply.

An important development in both China and Japan is that native Christians, educated in the mission schools, are now occupying responsible positions as leaders in the evangelization of their own countrymen.

The writer above quoted, in speaking of the idea of denominational federation in these mission fields, says:—

There is no widespread demand for a union which means a surrender of conviction. It is understood that each denomination must sound forth what it believes to be its God-given message.

Many of these people who have accepted Christ have had their baptism of fire, and have proved themselves as truly martyrs to the cause of Christ as any who went to the stake in the days of the Inquisition. Thirteen years ago one native who is now a pastor lost wife and children, father and mother, brothers and sisters, these all choosing death rather than denial of the Lord who bought them. Two hundred members of that native Christian congregation sealed their faith with their blood, and now sleep, martyrs to the cause of Christ. Thirty thousand such martyrs closed their life history during that antiforeign upheaval in China thirteen years ago, because Christ was dearer to them than life. And now what do we see?—The most wonderful national transformation in the history of the world; and China is open as never before to the gospel of the kingdom.

In Korea also the wonderful leaven of the gospel is at work leavening the lump; and Korea, in her turn, has begun to take part in the work of sending abroad the gospel. She is now supporting a missionary in a neglected portion of China.

In South America one striking development follows close upon the heels of another. During the past year there have been formidable strikes of student bodies in Santiago and Valparaiso, Chile, as a protest against the presence in Chile of the papal nuncio. They hoped by this action to induce the government to send the Pope's special representative out of the country. In addition to this, a vast body of the populace, estimated at 50,000, met in the capital and petitioned the president of Chile to expel the nuncio. There seems to be an increasing feeling of revolt against the ecclesiastical system that has held them in mental and spiritual slavery for so many generations. But as it was in France, so it is becoming now in Chile; when they turn away from Romanism, they are quite likely to turn away from religion, because of what they have seen in the only religion they have known.

A missionary from Chile writes:—

The students are in revolt again, and they are having nightly celebrations and meetings of protest against the government, which has bowed submissively to Rome and exculpated the internuncio. This time their slogan is "La separación de la iglesia del estado" [The separation of the church from the state]. . . . The young men and young women of tomorrow have begun a crusade in favor of liberty.

With that separation will come greater liberty for the promulgation of the gospel and the circulation and study of the Bible.

The legislature of Peru has struck a blow against the Roman Church, and therefore in favor of liberty, in voting to amend the constitution so that evangelical Christianity shall not be debarred from that country.

In other countries of South America steps have been taken debarring the Roman Church from some of the exclusive privileges she has held so long to the disadvantage of the gospel and the detriment of the people. These developments all look one way: they indicate greater liberty in the promulgation of the gospel in those countries so long held in the chains of spiritual darkness.

The Missionary Review of the World, in an editorial item concerning Portugal, says that missionaries report an unusual willingness to hear the gospel on the part of the people. Evangelistic meetings conducted in the theaters are drawing large and attentive audiences. Theater managers refuse remuneration for the use of the buildings, and at the close of the meetings Bibles and New Testaments are eagerly bought, and religious tracts gratefully received.

We might continue this, but space forbids. But what does this world-wide awakening mean? It is the hand of God at work. The power from above is stirring up the world to set its house in order to receive the messengers of the gospel. God himself is opening the way, and it is time for his people to be pressing in. We must not call a halt now. The devil would like to see us so weighted down and burdened with debts that we could not enter the doors that God has fairly wrenched off their hinges for us. Let us to the work now,—every member a soul winner,—every member pledged to win at least one soul before the year goes out. C. M. S.