September 1928
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
525
Mr. Jaffray is giving us a series o f four articles ( this being the second ) setting forth his vision o f the needs of missionary fields recently visited and carefully studied. Our readers will find it most illuminating to follow this series o f articles.
The Call of the Dyacks B y R. A. J affray
JR ELY the Lord led me to “ the uttermost parts of the earth,’’.¡to places “ where Christ was not named,” where there is none who can name TJis Name. In these'parts-Buddha is named, Mohammed is named, but Christ is not named. He is almost unknown. Wherever I went, I asked in English and Chinese, “ Is there anyone here who knows Jesus? Do you know anyone who believes on the Lord Jesus Christ?” Often they did not know what I meant; they did not know that there was a Lord Tesus Christ. For some years I have felt a burning desire to visit the islands of the South Seas, to reconnoiter, as it were, for Him. I felt convinced that there was a great need, and that especially in the interior o f these islands, no Gospel witness had yet been given. The pressure of circum stances in the work in South China has; held me, but at last the time seemed ripe for me to go. I left South China late in January.- The trip occupied all o f February and most o f March, but L did not stay anywhere for more than three days. I always took “ the next boat,” and it seemed as though the" steamship-Sched ules were all arranged" d'f the Lord for me to suit my trip. The route of travel was from Wu-chow to Hongkong, from Hongkong to Sandakan, on the northeast coast of British North Borneo, to Balik-papan, on the east coast o f Dutch Borneo, to Samarinda, a little north o f Balik- papan; from Samarinda across the Straits o f Makassar to Donggala; south again down the coast o f the Celebes to Pare-pare; and then to Makassar, the capital o f the Celebes; frorn Makassar to Siagaradja, a port o f the Island o f Bali; to Surabaya on the northern coast of Java, the largest commercial center o f the Dutch Indies; to Banffdong in Java by rail, and to Batavia, the capital of the Dutch Indies; from Batavia to Singapore (Brit ish) ; to Saigon (French Indo-China); to Tourane (An - nam ); by rail to Hanoi and Haiphong (Tonk in ); by steamer to Pak-hoi on the southern coast of China, and Hoi-hau on the Island of Hainan; to Hongkong
three days at Sandakan and had enjoyable fellowship with Archdeacon and Mrs. Mercer, and also with Chinese workers o f the BasiJ,,(Mission. Time did not permit^ me. td visit other p tif# '6 f“Bfitish North Borneo. Work has' been commenced among the aboriginal tribes o f the inte rior, called the Dyacks. The Chinese residents of this part of Borneo are largely of the Hakka race and many o f them have found Christ. Three-quarters o f the Chi nese inhabitants of Kudat are church members. I soon saw that there was no desperate need for another, mission entering this part o f the field. I wished to hasten on to my goal further south and reach the .ports of Dutch Borneo. For a while it looked as though it was going to be difficult for me to find passage from British North Borneo to Dutch Borneo, as there is no regular line o f steamers running between these ports. I faced a possibility of having to travel by native Chinese junk from Tawaoy the most southerly port of British Borneo, to Taracan, the most northerly ¡port of Dutch Borneo, which might be a journey of two days or two weeks, according to the will o f the winds- When the time came that the Lord would have me leave Sandakan, how ever, he had a steamer all ready. A Dutch oil-tanker came into port early Sunday morning, February 5, bound for Balik-papan. I at once applied for a passage. “ She does not carry passengers, and there is no spare cabin,” said the agent. .jaCamyoungive me standing room?” I asked. ’ -¡ “ You will have to go aboard and ask the captain,” he said. As soon as I had finished-preaching at the. Basil Mis sion, I went out to S. S. Sanbodja, and met Captain Ouwerkerk. I found him a -goqd-natured Dutchman who spoke English. “ Sorry,” he said, “ but we are not allowed to take pas sengers, and we have no cabin anyway.” “ But,” I protested, “ I must go to Balik-papan. Can you not give me standing room on your boat?” He laughed at that and said, “ Oh, we can do better
and on up to Wuchow. T he C onditions F ound May I now briefly com ment oti the various places visited. In the present A r ticle we will deal with Borneo. BR IT ISH N O R T H B O R N E 0 — T h e three main ports o f British North Borneo are Sandakan, Ku- dat, and Jesselton. The So ciety for the Propagation of the Gospel (S .P .G .) are laboring here. Also the Basil Mission have inde p e n d e n t self-supporting Chinese churches. The Ro man Catholics also have work in this part. I was
than that. We can fix up a canvas cot on deck, but you will have to sign on as Fourth Officer o f the ship to escape the technicality of the law.” You may be sure I was ready for anything. I was appointed as Fourth Officer of t h e . S. S. Sanbodja. My wages were to be one shilling. Two days and a half brought us to Balik- papan. —% (Tt£1W D U T C H BORNEO . There is no missionary work being carried on on the east coast of Dutch Borneo. According to my map, there are a score of
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