T H E
K I N G ’ S
B U S I N E S S
December 1924
771
W ith China’s Christian A rmÿ By George X. B. Davis A Big Christian School Where the Soldiers are given Industrial, Military and Spiritual Training—Giving them the Word of God
dred or more men standing o u t s i d e a mess-room before a meal singing a gospel hymn. Then all heads were bowed w h i l e someone led in prayer; not a few f o r m a l phrases, but an earn est petition, often of some length. And im agine my s u r p,r i s e when calmly informed that this was the cus tom throughout the entire a r m y before each of the two meals of the day! Later I witnessed a still m o r e striking scene ,that occurs at
(I H S T in IAmerica, and later in Aus-
■■• a n d New Zealand, I had heard reports of Gen. Feng and his Christian A r m y . Recently I traveled nearly half way round the world to work in the army, and to give the men the Word of God. And now, after four months in Peking; after study ing the army at first hand, from the private soldier to the com manding officer; I can say— like one who long ago traveled far to see a famous man and his work in another Eastern land i half was not told me.” The more I study the army the more I am amazed by the sheer marvel of it. Think of it! A dozen years ago a man was converted in Peking. He was an army officer, a major, in command of 500 men. He was not allowed to openly preach Christ to his men in the military quarters. He had to send them out of the barracks to the churches of Peking to hear the gospel proclaimed. Today that convert of a dozen years ago is the Defender of Peking; and his army— of whom probably two thirds have openly avowed their faith in Christ— is not only the most'inspiring native force for righteousness in China, but' it is the strongest military influ ence for stability in distraught China. It is the most remarkable army morally and spiritually (with the possible exception of Cromwell’s Ironsides) in modern times. “ This is the Lord’s doing: it is marvelous in our eyes.” After an American military man had spent two weeks studying the Christian Army he said: “ They are the best soldiers in China.” But the army is not merely a military organization. It is a big Christian school for the common people, where the young' men—-for it is an army of young men-lfjare given physical, industrial, mental, spiritual, and military training. The soldier-students, as th'ey may be termed, enlist for at least three years, which is the equiva lent in time of a four years’ college course, for they have no vacation periods. ' A striking feature of the army-school is its industrial branch. This was started by Gen. Feng in order that many of the men might learn a trade while in the army, and have a means of support on their return home. As you pass through one room after another you see the young men busily engaged in making shoes and clothes, knitting stock ings, weaving rugs, boiling soap, and making chairs and other articles of furniture. When one set of men have learned a trade, another lot take their places. But the most interesting and striking phase of the army life is its spiritual side. In my early visits to the camp the thing that most impressed me was the sight of a hun- - .ü ■ tralia
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A GLIMPSE OF THE ARMY AT NOON gun is fired at 12:00 o’clock, the soldiers gather by companies or in smaller- groups for thirty minutes of Bible reading and prayer “ The
noon each day. At twelve o’clock a gun is fired. At ten minutes past twelve the men gather by companies outside their various quarters for half an hour of Bible reading and prayer. Sometimes the meeting is conducted by the captain; sometimes the companies are divided into smaller groups in charge of a corporal. First a hymn is sung; then a chapter in the New Testament is read verse about, often with brief explanations, followed by a number of earnest petitions from the men as well as the officers. It is really Family Worship for the day. Just as a father gathers his family about him for Bible reading and prayer, so the cap tains and corporals of the army conduct the service for those committed to their care. Before leaving Australia more than 20,000 letters were sent out to Christian people, in those lands and throughout the world, asking them to pray earnestly for revival in China, for Gen Feng and his army, and for ourselves; and to send for prayer cards to give to others, to enlist them to do the same. The response to the appeal for prayer was most encour aging. As we journeyed' to China, and as we have been working in the army, we have been borne up by a great and ever increasing volume of prayer. It is little wonder that the Lord has given blessed and glorious victory!- He is still the prayer-answering God. “ Blessed be Thy glorious Name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.” Never will I forget one memorable service when we ad dressed nearly 4,000 men in the open air. It was a beauti ful day. We stood on a mud platform five or six feet high, with the men standing on three sides of us. The interpreter that day was Rev. Martin Ekvall, who had kindly come to Peking to help in the work, and who providentially was the one that first told me of the army three years ago' in New York City. From the opening hymn by the soldier-choir until the last Testament had been distributed, everything went forward harmoniously. How eagerly the men listened, (Continued on page 823)
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