I KNOW that those who have heard of the threatened prosecution of our brethren in South Carolina will be pleased to learn that the interest in the truth that has thus been awakened is greater than had ever been known here before. It has aroused our own people to more activity in the work, to more earnest lives, and has caused much inquiry concerning our people by the public. It has given opportunity for us to use the press as we never have had a chance to do before.
An article which appeared in a Spartanburg daily by one not of our faith, has probably done us more good than if written by one of our own people. We do not know this man, and have not been able to learn his address. It is certainly true that the Lord has agents whom he will use to defend the truth, and they will come forward at the right time to do more than we can do ourselves to defend it and create public sentiment in favor of it.
Liberty has been sent to all the judges of South Carolina, to the senators, and to many other prominent citizens, and no doubt this has had much to do in shaping the sentiment we see against this prosecution. We think this sentiment will do much to check further action now.
All branches of our work in South Carolina are taking strides forward, especially the canvassing work, which stands third in the world in value of books sold per membership. There is a large territory in this State that has never had a book or paper of ours sold in it, but which is ready to be worked. Any one who may be interested in this part of the work, and who wants to spend the cold winter months canvassing in a milder climate, should correspond with our State agent, C. F. Dart, Campobello, S. C.
Although we have but one laborer for the colored people in all this State, the work is onward, and recently a family in Idaho has undertaken the support of another laborer for a year. Such a spirit as this will soon carry this work to17completion. Several have recently accepted the Sabbath, and will soon be ready for organization into a church.
E. W. WEBSTER.
Religious Beliefs and Languages of India
THE four religious beliefs predominating in India are the Hindu, numbering 207,731,727, or more than two thirds of the whole population; the Mohammedan, numbering 57,321,164; the Animistic, 9,280,467; and the Buddhist, 7,131,361. The Hindus are found in all parts of India, and the Mohammedans as well, though more largely in the south central. The Buddhists are almost exclusively in Burma and Ceylon. There are said to be one hundred languages and dialects spoken in India, though the chief languages are the Hindi, Bengali, Telegu, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil, Guderati, Kanarese, Uriya, Burmese, Malayan, and Singalese.
Scotland
By Horace J. Williams
EDINBURGH.—Just two months ago to-day my wife and I set sail from America, for Great Britain, with the purpose of entering upon the necessary course of study to fit us for medical missionary work in British territory.
In a most marvelous way we have seen the guiding hand of our Master all along our pathway. The manner in which the way was opened for us to prepare for the work in South Africa, and the removal of a number of what seemed to be insurmountable obstacles, is assuring evidence to our minds that our God is able to accomplish that which will glorify his name in all things.
NEW UNIVERSITY BUILDINGS, EDINBURGH
We have wholly consecrated our lives and our all as medical missionaries in this great field, and our only ambition is that we may be used and directed by the great Medical Missionary in carrying the light of the third angel's message to those who are in darkness. By his grace we are determined always to be found faithful to that which has been committed to our hands, that we may say with David of old, “I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy loving-kindness and thy truth from the great congregation.” Ps. 40: 10. We earnestly ask that we may be remembered by God's people in prayer, especially that we may have strength and wisdom for the ordeal to which we must soon be subjected here.
We are enjoying our life as medical missionary students in Scotland very much, although my lectures at the Royal College and clinical work at the infirmary keep me busy from nine in the morning till eight in the evening. I have enjoyed the privilege of several Bible studies and talks with my fellow students. I find that the poor, disease-afflicted souls with whom we come in contact daily in the wards and clinics of the Royal Infirmary appreciate a kindly look or touch or word of Christian love.
We have also been glad after the toil of the week is over, for the privilege of meeting from Sabbath to Sabbath with the little band of believers here, who are nobly standing for this last great truth to the world.
We are looking forward with pleasure to the general meeting at Glasgow next month, when we shall have the opportunity of becoming acquainted with the other workers laboring in this part of the great harvest-field.
HORACE J. WILLIAMS, M. D.
Louisiana
By S. B. Horton
NEW ORLEANS.—This city has for several years been an important transfer point for our missionaries to Latin American countries. It is here that vessels arrive and leave for Cuba, Porto Rico, the States or independencies of Central America, as well as South America. It has been our privilege and pleasure to assist our brethren to embark and return via this port for several years.
Recently we had the privilege of greeting two young brethren who were on their way to the Bay Islands. Brother J. Garfield Smalley, who was returning to his field of labor from his home in Michigan, where he had gone to better prepare himself for the work, was one of these. Going with him on the same steamer, “Rosina,” was Brother Frank Cary, of California, who goes at the charges of the Southern California Conference to labor in self-supporting missionary work. His brother George Cary, is already on the ground. Brother Allen has just arrived from Ceiba, where he met these brethren, and witnessed their departure for the Bay Islands. Brother Allen will remain in New Orleans for a season to take instruction in a branch of work which will assist him further in his efforts when he shall return to his field of labor.
Brother M. Jones and his family came from Jamaica last week, and left for their new field of labor, Texas. We are glad to have Dr. and Mrs. Hetherington with us. They are here in the interest of special medical drill to assist in their work. We see in these incidents an earnest desire to enter the needy fields which are calling loudly for help.
This city is an important point, and is destined to become more notable as the Panama Canal enterprise is developed. Moreover, New Orleans is to the South in very many ways what New York is to the East. We are endeavoring with our meager facilities to do all we can to get the message before the people. We are in great need of a suitable meeting-house. One great privilege afforded us is the local press, which gives liberal space to public addresses and sermons on present truth. If all REVIEW readers could see our harbor and view the many vessels of many nations, I believe some one would get a burden to come to this city as a ship missionary. He would find sailors of all nations, some of whom would bless the coming of some one to them with the truth. My address is 6068 Annunciation St., or Box 415, New Orleans, La. I shall be glad to hear from any one having a burden for ship missionary endeavor, who can speak some of the foreign languages.
S. B. HORTON.
A Council of Young People’s Society Secretaries
By M. E. Ellis
FROM Thursday, November 29, until Monday, Dec. 3, 1906, the State secretaries of young people’s work in the Central Union Conference were in council at College View, Neb. There were present, besides M. E. Kern and C. L. Benson, secretary and assistant of the young people’s work in the Central Union, H. M. Hiatt, the Kansas secretary; Miss Nora Hough, of Missouri; M. A. Farnsworth, of Nebraska; T. J. Wilbur, of Iowa; and Meade MacGuire, of Colorado.
The program prepared was a broad one, and took into consideration almost every subject that vitally concerns this line of work. All subjects were fully and openly discussed, with the result that every one present received some new ideas that were worth putting into practice, and got rid of some others that were not so practical.
During the meeting a series of twenty-five recommendations was passed, from which we select a few as indicative of the character of all:—
“We recommend, That the Chair appoint a committee of five to prepare a prayer cycle to be used by our young people throughout the Central Union18Conference in observing the morning devotional period.
“That we be not satisfied with setting our young people to work, but that we endeavor, where there is no missionary society of the church, to revive through the Young People’s Society the missionary spirit in the whole church.
“That we suggest to the General Conference the advisability of including in the plans for the week of prayer for 1907, one day to be devoted to the consideration of the young people’s work and the part they are to act in this message.
“That we ask the Young People’s Department of the General Conference to provide a name for the organized young people of this denomination.
“That we urge upon our secretaries the duty of more faithfully reporting, and that we encourage them by definite suggestions as to how to gather reports from the members.
“That we at once gather the names of our young people who are attending the high schools of the world, and as union and State secretaries do what we can to interest these young people in Christian education.”
The papers read at this council, the gist of the discussions, the recommendations in full, and suggestions for camp-meeting work, etc., are to be published in a double number of the Educational Messenger, bearing date of Jan. 1, 1907. This will be a paper bristling with good ideas and helpful suggestions for missionary and young people’s workers, and will be sent for five cents a copy; twenty-five or more copies to one address, three cents each. Orders should be sent to the Educational Messenger, College View, Neb.
From this council the State secretaries returned to their fields with renewed courage, stronger determination to push the young people’s work, and a better understanding of how to do it. As a result of this council, which, I believe, has the distinction of being the first one of its kind ever held in the denomination, we expect to see more systematic efforts made, and therefore much more accomplished for and by the great army of Seventh-day Adventist young people in the central West. M. E. ELLIS.
College View, Neb.
A Rarotongan Brother
By A. H. Piper
TONGA, one of our native brethren, placed in our hands the other day an envelope containing one pound sterling. It was his tithe. This brother has been greatly blessed on account of his faithfulness in the matter of paying an honest tithe. Everything he plants on his land seems to excel that planted by his neighbors.
First it was the flourishing condition of his plantation that drew attention, then it was the largeness of his bunches of bananas, now it is the size of his watermelons that causes the comment of all who see them. Many who are not aware of the truth taught in Mal. 3: 12 and context, say that our brother is a man blessed of God, and so verify the scripture mentioned. We wish that our brethren could see the joy that Tonga evinces when paying his tithe. He tells us that such times are his happiest moments. The simplicity of the religion of this simple man is sublime; and it is because so many of us get above the simplicity of the religion of Jesus Christ that we thereby lose much of the blessing that God intends we should receive.
A. H. PIPER.
British Central Africa
By Thomas H. Branch
PLAINFIELD MISSION, CHOLO.—Our days are full of work for the Master. There is, indeed, no place found for idlers here. The Lord has surely gone out before us, and we are doing all we can to follow in his leading.
For the past year we have had, and just now are having, some peculiar experiences with the missionaries of a certain denomination. There are several large villages within eight miles of Blantyre, the headquarters of this established church. The chiefs of two of these villages, having heard of the Word of God as it is taught here at our mission, desired us to send them teachers, saying they would build the schoolhouse.
I went to see these chiefs, and they and their people all said, “Yes; we want teachers from America” (for so this mission is known and called). But as we had no land there on which to carry forward the work, I had to go and get permission from the government. This I did gladly, and received a permit. The papers, however, could not be forwarded to me for a week. In the meantime the minister of the —— mission heard of our plans to open a school so near to his mission. He went to the government, had the permit revoked, and had word sent to the chiefs that if they wished a school, they must get their permission and their teachers from the —— mission.
Strange to say, both of these chiefs and their head men refused to receive their teachers from that mission, and a number of the men and their families have come here and built their houses, and say that they must hear for themselves what the Book of God says.
This denomination, with its schools and books, and a fine corps of teachers and workers, has been here thirty years, and of course they and the government work together. It is not because we are Americans, but on account of the stir the natives have made over the Sabbath and other kindred truths, that has brought on the difficulty. But the message, the work, the people, and the workers are all God’s, and this message, according to his word and his commission, is to go to all the world.
All the different missionaries in British Central Africa held a joint meeting, and agreed that if this Seventh-day Adventist mission did not come in and join with them, and work as they worked, we should not be allowed to use the government land for school purposes. I knew nothing of the time of this meeting. While they were gathered in session, a native sent me word that near a certain mission there was land for sale. I went immediately to see about it, and arrived at this mission station just as the missionary and his coworkers were coming from that meeting. He seemed out of sorts to see me, whereas before he had been very friendly when meeting me or any member of my family. I stated to him my business, and he said, “Yes; I have the land for sale, but can not sell it to you, unless you will agree to come in and work as we do.” And not waiting to hear what I had to say, he continued: “We have just come from a meeting of the missionaries from different missions, and all agreed to shut your mission out, unless you come our way.” He even refused to show me the land. I told the good brother that I had a definite and important mission to give a certain message, and would gladly appreciate it if all professed Christians would join in and help, but it was impossible for me to change and go their way.
Elder Hyatt has advised me to keep a sharp lookout for a good location, and to buy when such a place can be found. I know that the Lord will provide a place, that the work may go forward.
The work has never looked more promising since we came than now. We have a few boys who are staying by the work. There are two who before coming here had received respectively eighteen and twelve shillings a month as overseers. Over two years ago they came to us, and engaged to work at hoeing for one shilling and sixpence a month, that they might learn the Word of God. They have both been converted and baptized. They are good, trusty boys. I am working hard with them and others daily, that they may become workers for the Lord.
Our native preacher and worker, Brother Malinki, is doing excellent work, and is learning rapidly. He is of great service to the work, as he understands and speaks six different languages. He has a very good knowledge of English, and Mabel is giving him lessons, so that he can understand the English Bible correctly.
There is one way by which we judge many of our present boys to be quite different from some of those who were here long ago: those that are married have their wives here with them, and build their own houses, and all are busy making their gardens. I have told all the boys that if they wished to stay here and learn, those that had wives must bring them. This is having a good effect on them. They stay longer, and are more attentive to their work and their studies.
If all is well, I expect to go down to the meeting to be held in Cape Town in January. I hope to get the work in such condition that I can leave it with Brother Malinki and my family. But I can not tell how it will be, on account of the native uprising in Natal. This dreadful unrest is said to be due to the teaching of the Afro-American missionaries, under the name of the Ethiopian movement—“Africa for the African.”
We are of good courage, and are trying to do all that we can to give the message, and to present Jesus to the people. My wife’s health has failed, but she keeps on, trying to keep up her part of the work. Mabel and the boys are very well. I think that my health was never better since coming to Africa.
THOMAS H. BRANCH.
Experience Meeting
AFTER the first day’s campaign with the special Thanksgiving number of The Signs of the Times, an experience meeting was held in the church at Mountain View, Cal. It would have done your soul good to hear some of the reports given by those who had spent the previous day in meeting the people with the special Signs.
The territory, consisting of eight good-sized towns, had been assigned to a number of companies, and the united effort was made on Monday, November 26. Some of the companies took early morning trains to the towns they were to work. Others went in rigs and on wheels to near-by places.
The evening before, special prayer for the success of this work had been made. Surely these prayers were answered. Here is a partial report of papers sold:
In Redwood City six persons sold 100 papers; in Palo Alto six persons sold 255 papers; in Santa Clara the company sold 181 papers; in Sunnyvale, a small place, 25 papers were sold; in Mayfield one brother sold 25 papers; in Mountain View one young man sold 63 papers.
A number who took part in this campaign had never before sold a paper. In the experience meeting they told how glad they were that they had gone, and spoke of the blessings they had received.
One lady who has been in business a number of years said that she had no thought of going when it was first mentioned, but later decided she would, just to see if she could sell the Signs. She sold forty-three copies. She also said,19“I believe it is the Lord’s work, and I’m glad I took part in it.”
Another lady had thought she could not sell a paper; in fact, she knew she couldn’t, but was willing to try. She said she asked the Lord for strength, and fear was taken from her, and she enjoyed the work. She sold about twenty-five copies in Santa Clara, a place which is almost wholly Catholic.
One brother, a shoemaker, took twenty-five copies to Mayfield, a small town near by. He had to return early because he sold all his papers. He said he did not sell the papers; the Lord did it for him.
In Redwood City two young ladies, both workers in the Signs department, sold fifty-one copies in the business section in three-quarters of an hour. And so the efforts of those who engaged in this work were blessed. As a result of this meeting two companies went out on Wednesday, practically finishing the territory, and selling one hundred and sixty-eight copies more of this truth-filled paper. This effort has placed copies of this number in over seven hundred homes in this Valley.
It will be remembered that the Valley was thoroughly canvassed for the Earthquake Special Signs, and it is a striking fact that nearly all who purchased that number were glad to get another copy of the paper.
For the benefit of those who will continue to sell this number, the words “Thanksgiving Number” on the first-cover page have been changed to “Is the Lord Coming?”
With this change, in view of the important truths which this number contains, it ought to continue to sell readily all through the holidays.
Over fifty thousand copies have now been ordered.
During the last four weeks the regular subscription list of the Signs has increased 2,771 copies. We trust that this evidence that the Lord is leading will encourage others to take hold of the good work.
SIGNS OF THE TIMES.
India
ALMORA.—Mrs. Little and I have come to this place for a month's change. First of all we are enjoying a visit with Brother and Sister Burgess very much; and secondly, the climate is fine. The elevation is upward of six thousand feet here, and some of the breezes from the north seem to come from the snow caps in the distance, and are really bracing. Brother Burgess is rather thin, but he has a good, healthy look, and seems to be having no trouble with his health since he came to Almora. They are thinking strongly of making this their headquarters and a kind of center for Hindi work. It seems to me it would not be a bad plan.
Our work at Karmatar is prospering. Three of the boys work after school hours in the press. Another takes a great interest in the farm and garden work, and has been a great help to us. We have forty biggāhs of rice land across the railroad from the bungalow, and it is all in rice this year. Last year we put in a little over half the land, and were able to furnish nearly enough rice for this year's use in the training-school.
The press has been doing some good work in the vernaculars, and will continue to have all it can do for some time to come. We have put out sixty thousand Hindi tracts this fall. Besides this, Brother Burgess is having us print a twenty-four page pamphlet about the size of “Eastern Tidings,” ten thousand copies. We are also running off Santali song-books in Bengali characters for Brother Barlow. We have ordered a supply of types so that we can do regular Santali work in Roman characters hereafter.
J. C. LITTLE.
CALCUTTA.—Brother Owen is holding the fort at Colombo as best he can, without any support from the mission. He reports six keeping the Sabbath, and others interested. One man is canvassing, and doing quite well for a beginner. I visited him while in Colombo, and spoke to a number of persons whom he had invited to his home. He has a nice family, and held a very responsible post, but has given it up to keep the Sabbath.
Brother H. B. Meyers, of Bangalore, is having some interesting meetings there. One of our church-members gave one hundred rupees to purchase’ an organ for their meeting hall. Brother Barlow has nine Santals under instruction for baptism.
The work at Gopalgunj is meeting with much opposition, yet the people are hearing the truth.
W. W. MILLER.
Portugal
By C. E. Rentfro
LISBON.—We are in Lisbon now. This change has been made on account of the inconvenience in coming here every Sabbath for Sabbath-school, as well as for the purpose of being in a more central location for the work. We have a good-sized house, one room being especially for the public. We have Sabbath-school at our home now.
Sunday, September 9, we met Brethren Carscallen, Sander, and Peter Nyambo, who were on their way to East Africa. We had a good meeting at 4 P. M. in our house, singing in English, German, Portuguese, and in Brother Nyambo's language. We were very much interested in the latter's talk on Africa. With help from Brother Schwantes I translated English into Portuguese. Brother Nyambo said that when he was getting ready to go to Europe, his people told him that the whites would kill him and eat him, and now he has learned that the people here believe that the blacks kill and eat people. His tribe was first under the Portuguese, but now it is divided—half for the English, and half for the Portuguese. This made our Portuguese hearts leap for joy; for it meant a possibility of the truth's escaping from the English side over the border, or that an interest might be aroused, so that a person who knew one of these two languages could, by help of this brother or any other from the same tribe, study the language, and enter the other side. He told us that about four years ago one thousand persons were keeping the Sabbath in Central Africa. Who knows but some are in our territory? We are sure our Sabbath-school money will slip into the donation boxes easier since we have met the workers who are going to Africa.
We have colporteurs, but we have not a thing for them to sell. To print an edition of The Family Bible Teacher, with one thousand books, will cost nearly two hundred dollars. Part of this is already donated. Why can not a call be made to supply what is still lacking? May the good work advance all along the line, is our prayer.
C. E. RENTFRO.
In Southern California
By John Norton Loughborough
At the time of my last report I was anticipating a visit to some of our institutions and churches in the Southern California Conference. This labor began November 24 at Fernando Academy, where I remained one week. During this time I held six meetings with the school and members of the Fernando church, speaking of the Lord’s special dealings with his people in the rise of the third angel’s message. I was glad to see so full an attendance at the school, and a class of students who have as their aim preparation for use in the Lord’s work.
From November 29 to December 12 my time was spent at Los Angeles and with the workers at the Glendale Sanitarium, which is located about eleven miles from the city. During this time fifteen discourses were given—eight of these at Los Angeles, and seven at Glendale. All seemed deeply interested in the “calling to remembrance of former days,” with the evident tokens of the Lord’s guiding hand in the rise and progress of this great second advent movement. At the services in Los Angeles, on the two Sabbaths spent there, the meeting-house was filled with hearers to its utmost capacity. That church is contemplating securing a larger meeting place, that they may better accommodate the congregation at general gatherings. At the quiet country sanitarium at Glendale I found a fair patronage of the institution, and the work in a prosperous condition. During the20time of my stay there one of the discourses was given to the patients in the parlor. It is expected that my labors in the Southern California Conference will cover the entire month of December.
J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.
Florida
By M. M. Butler; J. W. Mann
LAKELAND.—The camp-meeting held at this place November 1–11, for the colored people, was a successful one. The attendance of our people was greater than in former years. There were sixty campers on the ground. There was a good interest shown by those not of our faith. We continued meetings two weeks after the close of the camp-meeting. As a result, fifteen souls took a stand for the truth. These were not children of Seventh-day Adventist families.
At the close of the camp-meeting Elder Sydney Scott baptized eight in the lake of Bulah. A Sabbath-school of fifteen adults was organized with assistant officers from among the new ones.
The tithes from the colored members amounted to a little less than five hundred dollars this year. We are sorry that it was not greater; but we have a bright future before us in this conference. At the present time we have but two workers among the colored people in this State. We hope our corps of laborers will not always be so small, but that the Lord of the harvest will send other workers into the field to labor for the colored people of Florida. May God bless the work in this field.
M. M. BUTLER,
J. W. MANN.
Cuba
By E. W. Snyder
MARIANAO.— While getting acquainted with the Cubans and native pastors of other churches, I have improved the time by canvassing some for “Coming King.” The Cuban pastors were quite friendly, inviting me to speak to their congregations, which I did. One Cuban who heard me asked the privilege of calling on me. As the law chart in Spanish was hanging on the wall, he began to read. Coming to the fourth commandment, he asked me why “Domingo” was observed instead of the “Sábado” according to the commandment. This gave me a good opportunity to present the Sabbath question, with the result that he is now keeping it faithfully. In addition to this case a Spanish brother is also keeping the Sabbath.
The Cuban brother is very zealous to find openings for us to present the truth. It was difficult for us to find a place for meetings in reach of the people, but at last the way opened, and we have secured a large front room at a rental of $9.70 a month. We are now in the midst of a series of meetings, and although the Cubans are slow to move, the interest is steadily growing. One family came from a neighboring town, and were so much interested that they desired meetings in their house, and last week when we went there, we found fourteen present, all of whom gave good attention.
The way is open in all directions to extend our work, and the people need this message more than anything else.
E. W. SNYDER.
Up to Dec. 24, 1906
By I. H. EVANS
Received on the $150,000 Fund
Up to Dec. 24, 1906
Atlantic Union Conference
Central New England Conf. ........ $36.70
Chesapeake Conference .......... 1.00
Eastern Pennsylvania Conf. .. 45.78
Greater New York Conference 76.50
Maine Conference ............ 26.22
New Jersey Conference ....... 154.50
New York Conference ......... 308.25
Southern New England Conf. . 18.33
Vermont Conference .......... 114.68
Virginia Conference ......... 51.00
Western Pennsylvania Conf. .. 28.59
West Virginia Conference .... 4.25
Western New York Conference 5.00
Total ....................... $ 870.80
Canadian Union Conference
Quebec Conference ............$ 3.00
Ontario Conference ........... 3.00
Total ....................... $ 6.00
Central Union Conference
Conference not specified ....$ 219.80
Colorado Conference ........ 28.00
Iowa Conference ............ 12.50
Kansas Conference .......... 34.28
Missouri Conference ......... 9.25
Nebraska Conference ........ 577.80
Wyoming Conference .......... 3.50
Total ....................... $ 885.13
District of Columbia
Washington churches ........$ 417.82
Lake Union Conference
East Michigan Conference ...$ 108.21
Indiana Conference ........ 475.28
Northern Illinois Conference.. 1.00
Ohio Conference ........... 272.62
Southern Illinois Conference . 182.15
West Michigan Conference ... 422.25
Wisconsin Conference ....... 95.50
Total .......................$1,557.01
North Pacific Union Conference
Conference not specified ....$ 202.25
British Columbia Conference... 10.00
Montana Conference .......... 6.00
Upper Columbia Conference .. 8.75
Western Washington Conf.... 73.00
Idaho Conference ........... 23.00
Total .......................$ 323.00
Northern Union Conference
Manitoba Conference ........$ 10.00
Minnesota Conference ....... 874.41
South Dakota Conference .... 12.00
North Dakota Conference .... 433.12
Total .......................$1,329.53
Pacific Union Conference
California-Nevada Conference $ 29.50
Southern California Conf. ... 36.05
Utah Conference ............. 10.00
Total .......................$ 75.55
Southern Union Conference
Alabama Conference ..........$ 5.00
Tennessee River Conference... 24.60
Florida Conference .......... 21.75
North Carolina Conference... 12.25
Kentucky Conference .......... 2.35
Cumberland Conference ....... 12.84
Total .......................$ 78.79
Southwestern Union Conference
Arkansas Conference ........$ 77.50
Oklahoma Conference ........ 136.01
Texas Conference ............ 3.00
Total .......................$ 216.51
Unknown
Unknown ....................$ 137.00
Foreign
Australia ..................$ 122.45
China ....................... 3.00
South Africa ............... 128.16
Jamaica ..................... 3.17
Yukon Territory ............. 10.00
England .................... 245.51
Gold Coast, W. Africa ...... 10.00
Mexico ...................... 1.50
Costa Rica .................. 1.00
India ....................... 9.60
South America .............. 23.35
Total .......................$ 557.74
Grand Total ................$6,454.88
I. H. EVANS, Treasurer.
From Amoy, China
STILL the workers in Amoy are having stirring experiences. Elder W. C. Hankins writes:—
“You say that the progress of the work in this field reads like a romance, but if you were here to see the way God is working on the hearts of these people, it would appear more wonderful yet, for I have not been able to tell you half of what we have seen and heard.”
“We just returned the first of this week from another visit to Tsoan Chin. There are now about twenty there who have taken their stand for the Sabbath. Sunday afternoon there were about thirty who came to inquire concerning the truth. Each one who accepts the truths we teach immediately begins working for others. Thus, with almost no effort on our part, the Spirit of the Lord is causing this work to spread much after the manner of a prairie fire. No one can say of the work in this province, ‘This is my work, I have done this.’ It is God’s work, and he is allowing us a small part in it, that we may be partakers of the blessing and the joy. Day by day we are led to see more clearly than ever that God is able and willing to make a short work on the earth, and that this is the beginning of the end.”
“If you chance to meet some one who has a good typewriter he would like to give to a needy field, we could make good use of it here at Amoy.”
“When some one becomes interested in our work here, and gives money to help it along, he, naturally, likes an occasional report, and so in the course of a year we write a great many letters. Then we are still keeping in touch with interested friends in the States, which, with our letters to the home folk, reports to the Mission Board and to the Iowa Conference, etc., make quite a bit of letter-writing. So if some one can give us a typewriter, we shall be very glad.”
France
By H. H. Dexter
NIMES.—We introduced our work in this city by placing in each home a little four-page tract, containing a solemn appeal to the people to repent of their sins in view of the coming of the great day of God, also inviting them to our meeting. One of the leading newspapers in southern France reproduced the entire tract, making a few favorable remarks concerning the work being done by a strange sect of American Christians. “To read these beautiful and simple words,” commented the editor, “one would think himself transported to the times of primitive Christianity.” The Lord's hand was surely in this, for not only Nimes has been warned by the five thousand here distributed, but thousands of other people have read the same appeal in the columns of this popular newspaper.
After our camp-meeting here we rented a good hall, centrally located, where four times each week we give studies on present truth. Our average attendance is about thirty adults, who give respectful attention to our explanation of the prophecies. We meet a number of people who attended Elder D. T. Bourdeau's tent-meetings held in this city twenty years ago.
H. H. DEXTER.
Field Notes
ON the first Sabbath of the week of prayer eight students of South Lancaster Academy were buried with their Lord by baptism.
Seven Accessions at Pomona
SEVEN accessions to the truth are reported from Pomona, Cal., where Brethren Hare and Whitehead are holding meetings.
A Church Organized in Berkeley
BROTHER ANDREW BROERSEN reports the organization of a church of fourteen members of our colored brethren in Berkeley, Cal. Brother and Sister A. R. Jones are spending most of their time doing missionary work among the colored people settled about the Bay.
