July 1924
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
423
recently come to our notice: viz. that 75 per cent of the people of Mexico are pure blooded Indians and only 25 per cent are the mixed— that is,, Spanish, Indian and Negro. For the 25 per cent Mexicans who speak Spanish, there are about 200 missionaries, foreign and native. For the 75 per cent Indians there are no missionaries. We were greatly stirred when we received this information and we feel like preparing some of our young men and sending them out to the Indians to seek to win some of those who speak Spanish so that they, in turn, can go to their own tribes, and thus reach the Indians in their own dialect. Here is an oppor tunity for someone to invest some of their means to start a work among the many thousands of Indians in Mexico. Who will help? Who will pray? Who will give? Who will go? I am reminded of a story I heard recently. A father and son were in church and the preacher evidently preached on missions. When he had finished, the boy asked his father if the sermon was ended. The father replied saying, “No, my son. It has been spoken, but it will not be ended until you and I go out and do it.” May God by His Holy Spirit move many hearts to go and “ do it.” There has also come to my notice another cheering note, namely, that the Mexican Government ordered published a popular edition of the New Testament. This was im mediately exhausted and another edition is now being printed. This shows the attitude of the Mexican Govern ment toward missions and also the hunger of the people for the Living Word. May God enable us one and all to buy up these opportunities that are before us and send forth the workers. We would be glad to hear from anyone who is interested in the work among the Mexicans, either here or in Mexico. “ Finally, brethren, pray for us that the Word of God may have free course and be glorified.” § » Si» SEAMEN’S WORK San Pedro, holding Gospel Services and Distributing Literature. Claude Pearson, Supt.— Our W orkers board all vessels in the port of “ The entrance of thy words giveth light.” Psa. 119:130. g A ERY often on the vessels we meet men who are la'lllili trusting the finished work of Christ yet who are l l t k p e r p l e x e d by some supposed difficulties in the Bible. One officer spoke thus, “Now you take that story of Jonah and the whale; science has proved that a whale has too small a throat to swallow a man.” We answer by telling him that that very story was referred to by Jesus as a shadow, or type, of His own death, burial and resurrection, and as a climax we show him he had not studied the passage carefully for the Bible did not say “ a whale” but did say, “ Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah.” , (Jonah 1:17). He seemed surprised a* we read the passage to him but was glad to accept it* truth. We assured him that all of his difficulties would vanish if he would study the Bible itself and not read the misquotations of the infidel writers. It has been about thirteen years since Mr. Oscar Zimmer- mann started our work here in San Pedro and since1Mr. Zimmerman’s removal to San Francisco, he has been able to establish and assist in establishing the same kind of work in five harbors, consequently his time is very much occupied, but we were pleased to have him spend a few days with us. Suggestions on various phases of the work such as how to gain admittance to more of the vessels, a larger distribution of literature, eliminating duplication of work in different ports, and the best means of scheduling meet ings, were considered.
We visited a boat which had not been boarded for two years and naturally saw new faces and. liad fresh opportuni ties to tell the good news. A third officer stated, that there were so many mysteries in the Bible he could not understand it. “Now just what one mystery bothers you?” asked Mr. Zimmermann. "Oh well, I can’t tell them right off, there are so many,” but we insisted he show or tell us one in particular. He saw we were anxious to help him and before an hour had passed he had said “ yes” to Jesus and the mystery of the New Birth had taken place. Yes, there are mysteries in the Bible and the greatest of them all is how wicked hell-bound sinners may come into the presence of a Holy God and through an acceptance of His Son be saved. Once more we appeal for a portion Of your time in inter cession for us and the men whom we are seeking to reach, that you may have a share in the blessing on earth now and rewards in heaven. Sa» gfe BIOLA HALL WORK David Cant, Supt.— Our City Mission for Men in the center of Los Angeles. Meetings continuous from 10 a. m. to 10 p. m. N oon-day Prayer Meeting. A man sat on a bench in Pershing Square one afternoon over three years ago, who, like hundreds of others similarly engaged, looked out upon the world with smoke colored glasses with much indigo blue mixed in their composition. A gloomy dissatisfied speck of humanity! The whole world and all the people in it were “ agin” him and this man was certainly “ agin” the world like the old miller of Dee. He was “ agin” the government, “ agin” the church and very, very much “ agin” all Christians. While brood ing thus, a bright young man, fresh" from the inspiring message he had evidently heard in the lecture room of the Bible Institute, walked through the park. Our friend on the bench looked like a very needy subject. The young man reached for a tract and with a bright, sunny smile graciously presented it. With a snarl like an angry dog the man rejected it, cursed the giver and was told “ to hell with him and his message, he would have none of it.” Undaunted by this familiar reception to his loving mes sage from a resident of the angelic (? ) city of Los Angeles, he smilingly replied, “ Oh, no, I’m not headed that way, nor does this message smack of hell. It’s from heaven whither I am bound. Why not join me? Remember, ‘God is not mocked; whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap.’ ” Then, looking him straight between the eyes, he said, “ Prepare to meet thy God” and turned away. The man was stunned. It was like a stab to the heart; he tried to dodge the issue but those words burned into his soul. “ Is not my word like a fire, saith the Lord, and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces.” So, in order to forget it, he went down to a dance hall and plunged into the dizzy jazz, but all throughout the evening to the rythm of the music he could only hear “ prepare, prepare to meet thy God” and finally, disgusted, he sought his bed and tossed restlessly till morning. Several weeks passed but that still, small voice gave him no rest and that passage pierced to the dividing of soul and spirit. Finally, in desperation he threw up his hands, gripped his suitcase and literally ran from this city back East. But the fight continued, for “ Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit; or Whither shall I flee from Thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven Thou art there; If I make my bed in hell, behold Thou art there.” (Continued on page 460)
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