August 1927
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husband, who beat her with a cane for her persistence. She simply thought of how much more Christ had endured on the cruel cross for her and kept on. Finally coming home one day and finding her out, he surmised that she had gone to the chapel, so taking his rod, he hastened thither and was about to give her a public beating when the bystanders interfered. Not only so, but they persuaded him to sit down and cool off. Before long, the speaker’s message began to penetrate his hitherto closed mind, he began to see things in a new light, and was much moved. From that time on he became a ‘ten parts’ earnest inquirer, reads the Bible, studies the Chris tian Catechism, sings, prays, brings the whole family to chapel worship, and is endeavoring to persuade his son, a small military official, to also become a Christian. Surely her ‘boldness has had great recompence of reward.’ ” A n E ncouraging L etter The following extract is taken from a letter from a faithful donor to our Chinese Department: “I have watched with much solicitude the course of events in China, having in mind only the affairs of the Bible Institute Mission in that benighted land. I thor oughly agree with you: ‘that this is no time to desert them by cutting off support!’ and am enclosing herewith my check No. 9905 for $100.00 for the support of your evangelist Mr. K ’ang Ch’u Ch’ing, . . . or towards the Hunan Bible Institute support that we can give them in this trying hour. Let us rest secure in H IS promise that: ‘All things work together for good.’ God is in the work, and it cannot fail. ‘My WORD shall not return unto ME void!’ We have so many beautiful promises in H IS Word, that we need have no fear that Satan will have his sway, although it may look that way at times.” Jfe ate Moving Mountains “Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, B e thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea ; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith’’ (Mk. 11 : 23 ). M ANY Christians would say these words embrace too much. The man of the world points to them as a sample of the “foolishness” (1 Cor. 2 :1 4 ) of Chris tian teaching. Those acquainted with Scripture teaching, however, know that true faith is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit causes one to ask according to God’s will— for those things which will promote both the glory of God and the eternal good of the suppliant. No obstacle is able to stand before the faith thus given of God. We misinterpret Christ’s words if we think He means that God is at the beck and call of every vain desire of men. It is impossible to pray with heart confidence that we shall receive the thing we ask unless we are Satisfied that we ask according to His will. Thus we always come back to the first essen tial of prayer—a full submission to the Spirit of God, whose work it is to teach us what to pray for as we ought (Rom. 8 :2 6 ). ate ate Sound But Shady Maclaren of Manchester tells that he once heard of a man of very shady character who was sound on the Atonement. “What,” he asks, “is the use of being sound on the Atonement if the Atonement does not make you sound ?”
Should the Chinese Church Assume Responsibility?
r P H E present wholesale evacuation of missionaries and suspension of normal missionary activities in China cannot be viewed without deep sorrow and concern says “China’s Millions.” The sinister hand of the great enemy of Christ and His cause is all too plainly to be seen. And yet God’s people must guard against anything like yielding to despair or thinking that all is lost, that the Devil has triumphed, that' missionary work in China is at an end. Even from the natural viewpoint there are not a few very comforting indications to the contrary, were this the pro per place to discuss them. But even if such natural grounds of assurance did not exist, there would still be ample reason from the supernatural standpoint—which, after all, is the Christian’s true standpoint— for the con viction that missionary work in China is not at an end. For the Great Commission still stands, and the fact re mains that despite all the efforts already put forth, a large part of China—conservative estimates put it at almost one-half of the entire population—is still unevangelized in any adequate sense. Fpr that reason alone, if for no other, missionary work must and will go on. Conditions will be different, of course. The status of foreigners in China, in their relation both to Chinese officialdom and law and also to the Chinese Christian church and its workers, will be altered. Readjustments of various kinds will be called for. But none of these things will alter one whit the fact that the Christian church of the West must continue to take an active and substantial part in the evangelization of China and the development of the , church of Christ within her borders. The same paper, which is the organ of the China Inland Mission, opposes the suggestion heard in some quarters that the present situation in China indicates that the time has arrived for the Chinese church to assume all further responsibility for the work of the Gospel, and for the Western missionaries all to be freed to turn their attention to other fields. This idea is born of a very erroneous understanding of the facts. Recognizing grate fully the fine quality and growing strength of the Chinese church and its leadership, we must face the fact that the co-operation of Wèstern missionaries will still be needed for a long time. The ablest among the Chinese leaders will be the first to recognize that fact. Let it be empha sized, therefore, that the present is no time for Christians in America to slacken their efforts in behalf of China. The work at its present development and crisis needs their increased rather than diminished sympathy, interest, and prayer. E vangelistic B ands K eep G oing Dr. Keller, superintendent of our Hunan work, con tinues to direct several of our evangelistic bands. From Dr. W. M. Hayes, of Tenghsien, who was obliged to evacuate his mission, came a letter telling of the receipt of an interesting message from the leader of one of our bands of native evangelists. He quotes one incident as follows : “Mrs. Hsu, wife of a well to do citizen, persisted in her earnest Christian life in spite of persecution from her
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