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THE KING’S BUSINESS
I come quickly.” May the Holy Spirit revive the saints of God until the glad cry shall ascend to the Throne, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”
week goes by but we hear of some-dear friend who has gone. How much ate we doing for Him ? We seem to have so little time for the' real things of God. We hear His voice speaking from Heaven, “Behold,
WORK IN PACIFIC COAST HARBORS Oscar Zimmermann, Supt.
O NE vessel passed in or out of the Golden Gate about every forty-five minutes during 1916, according to a ship ping summary issued by the Marine Depart ment of the Chamber of Commerce. >The record shows that 5570 vessels arrived at this port in 1916, and 5631 departed, a total of 11,201. The tonnage was 6,393,720 for steamers and 836,790 for sailing vessels. This report for San Francesco Harbor gives a good idea of the big field and the splendid, opportunities offered here for definite service for Christ. Eliminating those' vessels which arrive several times and those reached in Los Angeles Harbor (San Pedro), every vessel can be reached with the help of the launch soon to be ready. Alongside two piers in San Francisco, on a recent day, we found a large transpacific liner, flying the American flag, with a crew of about 150 men, all English-speaking; a former English-owned vessel, from Chile, now of the Maple Leaf Line (American registry), thé crew composed of English men, Spaniards and Portugese; a Danish steamer, with Danish officers and crew, arriving from Japan; a Dutch steamer, carrying Dutch officers, Java men as stewards and Chinese sailors and stokers, all from Javanese ports; an American sail ing vessel, from the South Seas; a large French sailing ship, with French officers and men, coming from French ports; and a Norwegian steamer, with a Norwegian crew, coming from the West Coast of South America! Does this not offer a wonderful opportunity to preach the Gos pel? We need not travel far to reach these
men; they were all grouped close together alongside the two docks. Every one of those vessels was visited and each man given the Gospel in his own language in various ways—at least in the printed page. A few days afterward not one of these ships was there, having left to make room for other?, where the work is continued, and they, in turn, leaving to make room for still others. Is there another agency known whereby so many men can be reached with so little' effort? Praising God for it all, we pray and ask yofl to pray, that He may water the seed and give the increase. Among other good things which the Lord has given us, is the continued interest taken by the men of the Marshall Island Bible class, where every man on the vessel is present at each meeting. Much prayer is needed for this class, where much blessing has been experienced. On the U. S. S. “Oregon,” at San Pedro, two meetings were held with good results. Two men accepted Christ at the first meet ing and four or five at the second meeting, one backslider being reclaimed also. The attendance was doubled at the second meet ing, which tends to show that a manly message from the old Gospel, direct to the heart, is a power, and is the need among men. The Moody Colportage books and portions of the Bible are gladly taken, and often more asked for. God is blessing the work among the men of the Navy in a gracious way. On the “Seijo Maru,” a Japanese passen ger vessel, another splendid meeting was held in the quarters below the main deck among the steerage passengers, numbering
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