iiuiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiininii-tiiiniiiniiiiiiiniiiiii OUR BIBLE INSTITUTE ijH IN HUNAN PROVINCE, CHINA "llllll DR. FRANK A. KELLER, Superintendent in iiiiiniiaiin iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiinim min 1111,1 iiiiiiiiiui?
(W e a r e g la d to g iv e o u r re a d e r s th is m o n th so m e th in g fro m th e p e n o f R ev , W a lte r T . S tev en , w h o is n o w a s so c ia te d w ith D r, K e lle r in th e w o rk a t C h a n g sh a. M r. S tev en w a s b o rn in C h in a, h is f a th e r h a v in g b een fo r m a n y y e a r s c o n n ected w ith th e C h in a In la n d M ission.) The Conversion of an Opium Slave 0 form of testimony can be more valuable th a n the un sought expression of one who has nothing to gain by speaking, but who is so overflowing w ith a new fqund joy in the Lord th a t he can bu t bubble over. We are con stan tly hearing such testimony con cerning the work of th e Biola Evan gelistic Bands, and hasten to share w ith the readers of th e K ing’s Business th e story of Mr. Huang Uin Kai which has only come to our atten tion indi rectly through an article w ritten by him and printed in th e columns of the Christian Intelligencer. This paper is the most widely circulated Chinese re ligious periodical. Besides th e fact th a t Mr. H uang’s article appears in such a reliable journal, th e earnest ness of his style and th e eagerness w ith which he piles incident on inci dent are in themselves altogether con vincing. But perhaps we had b etter use a free tran slatio n and let Mr. Huang speak for himself. “My home town is T’ong Muh Shi amongst the mountains of K iangsi and on th e main road from Hunan to Kiangsi. Our district is not a rich one bu t the people generally have a repu tation for simplicity of life and reli ability. >My fath e r was a Master of A rts and held -in honor as a scholar in the district. I myself am a Bachelor of A rts according to th e old Chinese style of scholarship and have been em ployed a t our town hall. “ In Ja n u ary 1922 Biola Evangelistic Band No. 9 arrived a t T ’ong Muh Shi and sta rted vigorously th e ir plan of house to house evangelism and also Bible classes and singing classes for the children and for any others who were w illing to come. They were very much talk ed about in th e town and in the whole district. Many people were favorably impressed and th e learners
were daily increased. Being a scholar and associated w ith th e official class, I of course did not go near th e meet-l ings and indeed was not much in ter ested in all th e stir th a t was made about th e matter. “When th e band arrived they hired the inn, which belongs to a' relative of mine by the same name, and also the house of my prodigal nephew An Ts’uen. They were thu s brought into close touch w ith my family, several members of which soon became deeply interested. “But th e h eart of my story lies in th e fact th a t for many years I have been enslaved by th e awful curse of opium. Year aftbr year I have made good resolves to break t h e . hgbit but always in vain. I used Chinese medi cines to help me to gain the victory but afte r a .day or . two of apparent success I would always lapse again. I was a defeated man. My body was wasted w ith th e drug and my purse was almost empty. “One day the leader of th e band came to see me at my office" and spoke to me a t some length about spiritual m atters. I listened to him but felt no real in terest in th e things th a t he was telling me about th e power and love of God. A day or so la ter my nephew’s daughter brought me a copy of Genesis and I glanced through it bu t w ith no very g reat intèrest. But on the very next day I chanced to have some busi ness w ith my relative who owns the inn in which some of the evangelists were staying. While I was there my nephew’s m other suggested th a t I should have a talk w ith th e band leader and I gladly did so. Then one of the o th er members of th e band began to tell how he himself had been a slave to the same m aster and how he had been entirely relieved by th e power of God from the awful craving. And now I was interested indeed. This news exactly suited my need and before long I asked the evangelists to pray for me. Through thè help of the Spirit, in answer to prayer I have been happily delivered. It is now several months since th a t day and I have tru ly gained th e victory and tu rned to the Lord.
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FRIEND—YOURSELF. (See Page 458)
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