May 1925
TH E K I N G ’S B U S I N E S S
209
I Our Bible Institute in Hunan Province, China
I
T h e H u n a n B ib le Institute, (th e C h in a D e p a rtm e n t of th e B ib le i n s t i t u t e 'o f L o s A n g e le s) is o rg a n iz e d a lo n g s im ila r lin e s to th e hom e In s titu te , tr a in in g n a tiv e C h in ese y o u n g m en a n d w om en fo r C h ris tia n w o rk , a n d a t th e sam e tim e c a r r y in g on an a c tiv e e v a n g e lis tic w o rk a m o n g th e u n sa v ed . T h e w o rk (w h ich is re c o g n iz e d b y th e d iffe re n t e v a n g e lic a l m issio n s a s o n e o f th e b e s t in C h in a) h a s th r e e d e p a rtm e n ts : (1) A B ible I n s t it u t e a t C h a n g s h a (th e c a p ita l c ity of H u n a n P rovince.,) (3 ) Tw el ve E v a n g e li s t ic B a n d s w ith 13 m en in ea c h B and, d e v o tin g th e m o rn in g s to B ib le S tu d y , a n d th e a fte rn o o n s to g iv in g th e G o sp el in th e n a tiv e h om es. " (8 ) T h e A u tu m n B ib le S c h o o l a n d C o n fe r e n c e a t N an y h (one of C h in a 's th re e sa c re d m o u n ta in s). H u n d re d s of c o n v ersio n s h a v e re s u lte d fro m th e w o rk d o n e am o n g th e th o u sa n d s of p ilg rim s . ' ' STUDENT EVANGELISTIC BANDS
tute staff for several years, is now in charge of this station. Of course, as this is a Women’s Band, they were holding a Women’s Meeting. Two students stood at the gate to keep out men and boys, who seemed very, anxious to enter. Two others were right out on the street, greeting women and girls as they came, and inviting them to come into the church to hear the “Good News.” One was sp’eaking, and the sixth, with the help of the Bible woman, would meet the women at the door as the others brought them in from the street, urging them forward to the best seats available, using their odd moments in keeping the children quiet, giving out hymn books and, in general, making themselves useful. Later the girls came in from the street and sang a very pretty quartette. After that they had a chorus which they tried to teach the women and children. Then
. “O u r F a m ily ” w ill w elcom e a n o th e r o f M rs. S te v e n ’s in te r e s t in g le tte r s a b o u t th e w o rk of th e w om en in th a lH u n a n B ible I n s titu te . R ev. W a lte r T. S tev en , th e v e ry efficient h e lp e r of D r. K e lle r, sa y s in h is le tte r e n c lo sin g th is a r tic le : “W e a re h a v in g a p r e tty b u sy tim e in D r. K e lle r’s ab sen ce, b u t a re find in g o u r God m o re a n d m o re su fficien t fo r e v e ry n eed a s th e d a y s g o b y .” D r. a n d M rs. K e lle r a n d . “M o th e r” K e lle r (88 y e a r s “y o u n g ” ) a r e n ow in th e H o m elan d fo r a v e ry m u ch n eed ed fu rlo u g h , b u t w ill be r e tu r n in g to C h a n g sh a th is sum m er. T h e ir v is it h a s b een a g r e a t b le s sin g to th e frie n d s of th e H u n a n w o rk . WISH you could see us, all tucked away in a | tiny cabin on a Chinese launch. We are just returning from a thirty mile trip up th e ' Siang River to o u t neighboring city of Siangtan where we have been visiting a band of our women students. We only went yesterday and are almost home already, a flying trip indeed. R e a d e r s of “T h e ______ King’s Business” know, I am sure, that during the winter and summer vacations our Hunan Bible Institute students, both men and women, go, out in groups or bands to do a work along lines very similar to that of the Biola Evangelistic B a n d s . This year we have four bands of women stu dents and eight from the men’s department. These bands were asked for by different mission stations, in most cases long before the time to start work, and already we have almost as many requests for the summer of 1925 as we can undertake to fill. We wanted to visit this Siangtan band, as it was the far thest women’s band from the home base, so we, Mr. Steven, our little four year old girlie Barbara, and I, went up by launch. It is hard to know when a boat or train will really start in China, so w:e had to be up early, and boarded the launch in good time. Two ladies from the Presbyterian Mission joined us in our snug cabin and we had' a very pleasant journey reading aloud and chatting together. I must not weary you with further details about our selves and our trip, but give you a little idea Of the band. We arrived about 3 o’clock and found the girls just starting their meeting in the China Inland Mission Church. Mips E. Schroder, who was a great help on 'the Hunan Bible Insti-
they told them some more about the way of salvation and thè way to find true peace. My heart just burned as I sat and listened and watched. What a dif ference! To look at those six lovely, bright, happy young women, and that cheerful little Bible woman, and then look into the faces of t h o s e listening! Oh, what the knowledge of and love for Jesus can do for heart and face! As the meeting drew to a close those who
TH E BAND OF H. B. I. WOMEN STUDENTS WHO VISITED SIANGTAN. (In center— to p to bo ttom — M rs, Steven, the Bible W om an, an d little B arb ara S teven).
wanted to hear more were asked to stay on, and then it was that the workers got busy. Not one woman, girl or child got out of that building without a smile, and a sincere “ Come again tomorrow.” One of the girls brought a dear old woman up to me. “She wants to sign her name,” she explained. That meant that she believed the Gospel story and wanted to be enrolled as an inquirer. The old lady bowed low, and said, “I want to hear more about happiness in the heart and true peace.” I did not ask her age, though it is quite the polite thing. I suppose I was too busy looking at her. She was very old, had just three teeth left, her eyes were sunken and her face withered like an autumn leaf. Poor . old soul,— and at last she was to have “Heart happiness” and “True peace!” (Continued on page 234)
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