King's Business - 1913-06

THE KING’S BUSINESS

301

logical, convincing evangelistic appeals, showing the terrible ravages of sin and Jesus Christ as the only hope of man. Moreover, it is most reassuring for the ultimate result that, as careful as have been the preparations for the meetings, very much more thought and time is being given to following them up. Strong committees of about 100 to ISO Christian workers have been appointed in the different cities. The name and address of every inquirer has been secured and they are being enrolled in Bible classes. In Canton over 450 men are now attending regular weekly Bible classes. In Tientsin SI new Bible classes have been organized. Special literature has been printed, and is being distributed among the inquirers. In some cases Chris­ tian workers have been brought from other cities into the student centers to give their entire time for the next few months to this special effort. In all cities a regular program, covering the time between now and summer, has been outlined for religious and social work among the students. Dr. W. E. Taylor, through whose masterly planning the meetings were made such a success, has been released entirely from his other work to co-operate with these special committees throughout the country. As Dr. Taylor says, “From the very beginning of the campaign the policy has been adopt­ ed that the real work began when the cam­ paign was finished.” There can be no doubt that the marvel­ ous results which have been accomplished are due in no small measure to the great volume of prayer which has arisen for months in Behalf of these meetings. It is most important that those who have helped up to the present time in prayer should realize that their blessed ministry of inter­ cession is still demanded. Upon reading over this letter I am pain­ fully aware of how inadequately I have de­ scribed these never-to-be-forgotten occa­ sions—the crowded halls, the seas of in­ tense and eager faces. I have failed to make vivid and real the contrast between the past and the present, and to point out adequately the profound significance of the

Mr. Mott, and some eighteen or twenty leading officials sat on the platform. In Peking the Commissioner of Education sent word to the students and professors advis­ ing them to attend the meetings. In Tsin- anfu the success of the meetings, humanly speaking, was due to the efforts of Gover­ nor Chow, formerly Secretary of the Amer­ ican Legation at Washington; Mr. Tsai of the Foreign Department, and Mr. Hwang, President of the Provincial College. Through their influence the extraordinary courtesy was extended Mr. Mott of plac­ ing the Provincial Parliament building at his disposal for the meetings. In like man­ ner the largest, and most attractive audi­ torium in Tientsin was secured through the co-operation of the authorities. Vice-Presi­ dent Li Yuan Hung gave the Government Exposition Hall for Mr. Eddy's meetings in Wuchang. In Mukden, the Governor voluntarily assumed the entire cost for erecting a special building, and the Com­ missioner of Education presided at the meetings and emphasized the call for in­ quirers. At Paotingfu, where Mr. Eddy had only one day and could give the Mili­ tary Academy a meeting only after nine o’clock at night, the general and his staff brought out 1600 cadets and stood with them out of doors in the bitter cold during Mr. Eddy’s address. In Foochow the Pro­ vincial Commissioner of Education and the Presidents of the different Government schools of the city voted to change the dates of the school examinations so as not to interfere with Mr. Eddy’s meetings. We are truly in a new China, sympathetic with the Christian propaganda, and instead of the old official opposition, manifest at every point there is a most cordial, intelli­ gent and thoroughgoing co-operation. The meetings .have been characterized from the beginning by a thoroughness in the preparation of the Christian message beyond anything that I have heretofore known in evangelistic meetings. As a rule the meetings, including the after-meetings with inquirers, were three hours in length. No undue appeal was made to the emo­ tions, The addresses were straightforward,

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