THE KING’S BUSINESS
131
■ Mr. A. W . Bailey, a.missionary o f the South A frica General Mission, laboring in Portugese West Africa, writes: “ Have just had a call from my neighbor. He located another river, between here and the Ninda, which has a heavy population, and is only an hour and a half from the center o f population that he found on the Lwanginga. God is not merely calling, He is shouting, thundering to us to come and preach the Gospel there.” Dr. Kusman, who has just come from the Soudan, tells o f Pagans who come together Sunday after Sunday, who kneel in silence with hands outstretched to God, and remain for hours waiting. When a visitor asked what they were doing they said, “W e are praying, White Man.” “ To whom are you praying?” “ To the God o f the White Man?” “ But you say nothing.” “W e do not know what to say, White Man: we want a teacher to come and teach us to pray.” “And how long have you been doing this?” “ For months, White Man. W e come together every Sabbath day, and reach out our hands to the God o f the White Man.” One o f the Presbyterian missionaries in Alaska, on arriving at a town was surprised to be confronted by the notice that he would hold a Gospel and song service that evening. The rumor that he was coming had gotten some o f the citizens “busy.” The bandstand was used. Five saloons were within easy reach o f his voice. An organ was carried from a distance o f a quarter o f a mile. The band leader played the clarinet, while the most ardent Roman Catholic lady in town played the organ. All the chairs were taken out o f the saloons and placed abound the bandstand, while whiskey barrels and lumber trucks made up the rest o f the seats. “W e had splendid singing, and I tried to give them a good Gospel talk. W e have a wonderful oppor tunity in Alaska. W e ask the prayers o f the church that the men in Alaska-'may have the right word to speak at this time when so many o f the people want the Gos pel o f Jesus Christ .”—Assembly Herald.
Mission Items The Inland South America Missionary Union, o f which John' Hay is the general director, has four missionaries among the Indians, in Brazil, six missionaries and one native worker in Paraguay, and two mis sionaries in Argentina. In addition to the usual evangelistic work, there is a medi cal work, colportage work and day school work carried on. Do you know that some 600 Jews are preaching the Gospel from Christian pul pits, and that at least 1,000 Jews turn from Judaism year by year? It means persecution, but it is a triumph for the Cross. The Jew is coming to his own. The New Testament is being read by them more than ever, and there is an increased number o f inquirers. The missionary out look amongst them is most encouraging. The annual gathering for prayer on behalf o f Foreign Missions in the Baptist House, London, was more crowded than any previous year. Mr. Spurr presided, and said: “ I f is our business to teach the world this truth that it is a grievous thing to turn from the Lord Christ, and we must say to the heathen world, ‘See, here is a civilized man without Christ who has become a tiger because he would not be a Christian. Neither his culture nor his science has saved him.’ And so the war may yet be, in a strange way, a helper o f the Gospel.” Two years ago in a mountain village in the Island o f Hainan, China, where the missionary visited, there was not a Chris tian ; now everyone in the village is a believer. They built their, church with their own hands out o f the material found on the mountainside. The sides o f the church are made o f bamboo poles covered with red clay. The roof is made o f bam boo poles covered with fan palms. The inside walls are covered with Bible pic tures and Scripture texts. The chapel is filled each night with faithful followers of Christ .—-Assembly Herald.
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker