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ed Immediately: not for almost ten years, in fact. ' Fulfillment It is no little thing to think of starting a school in the congestackwar time capital of China, where build ing materials are at a premium'jn a country that knows inflation, and with no funds in hand. But it was none -of these things that troubled Ernest Yin. He had' been much touch ed by the prayerful life o f George Muller and what he had accomplished for God through, faith. Ernest Yin was ready to look to God for supplies, workers, teachers, students, and serv ants; But one thing troubled him. In his desire for such a School, he feared that he might go forward in his oyn zeal. Others felt there was ah urgent need for the school, but in order to know the Lord’s will, he resolved to drop the matter and even asked God to take the idea out of his mind en tirely, if it should not be of Him. But the burden increased.'. It was with a sense of fresh dedica tion to God’s service, that Ernest and Faith Yin, with a fellow Christian and his wife, put a small amount of money in the bank in April, 1940. Almost immediately, gifts began to come in. A sum of Chinese National Currency amounting to $16,000 was contributed by a Chinese brother in October, 1940. A small check came f r o m America in April, 1941. In November, 1943,, the China Inland Mission handed over a sum of Chinese N.C. $205,000 from the sale of property in Kansu to the Chinese government, this amount being an original gift by local Chinese to the C.I.M. for educa tional purposes. Dr. Kung and others of the Ministry of Finance felt this was sacred money, and could not be used for secular purposes. It was given to Ernest Yin, then Head of the Department 'of Loans in the Ministry of Finance, to be used as he con sidered best. This transaction was taken by Mr. Yin as a sign, from the Lord that he should go ahead with a Christian school for officials’ children.
A further gift of Chinese N.C, $200,000 came from four national banks. What rejoiced Mr. Yin’s heart more was the evidence o f the sympathetic atti tude of the Chinese government to ward Christianity and C h r i s t i a n schools. Thus, January 27, 1942, the pro moters of the Holy Light School met in Chungking and laid down the basic principles for the school: . 1. The Hofy Light School is founded primarily for the education •of chil dren coming from Christian homes in China. 2. The principal aim of this school is to lead children to know Christ as Saviour, and to teach them to loye and serve Him. . 3. The basis of. faith for the school is 1 Corinthians 15:3, 4. 4. The school claims the right to preach the gospel to the students. 5. The principal, teachers, and other workers must be Christians of sound faith. 6. The Holy Light School shall have a Board of Directors, consisting of nine persons, six of whom shall be Chinese and the others from friendly nations. 7. The school welcomes voluntary contributions from anyone who be lieves in what the school stands for. Donors of funds shall not interfere with the administration of the school, A Board of Directors whiqh in cluded Bishop Frank Houghton of the China Inland Mission, and the Superintendent of the Hunan Bible Institute (Charles A. Roberts) was elected. Mr. Yin was put in#charge of the School, and work on the buildings was begun. At the formal opening in February, 1943, buildings, students, and teachers had all been provided of the Lord. The buildings are as well-equipped and modern as is possible in a land that has been at war almost seven years. They are a solid testimony to the power and goodness of God. The staff also has been’ God-given. Those who are to have .charge of the spiritual welfare of children must
show every evidence of knowing the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour—of having been born again. God’s hand was clear in the choice of a large group of Chinese,- all graduates of colleges and universities in China and America, who answered the call to serve. Three missionaries are also giving full time to the work. The school opened with 132 chil dren in attendance; of whom twenty- six were boarders. At the beginning of the second term, there were 164 students, with fifty boarders. Some had to be turned away because of lack of room. There was no thought of favdfing the rich or influential, or urging them to send their children to the school. But Mr. Yin 'rejoiced when Dr. Wang Shih-chieh, fortner Minister of Educa tion, and General Feng Yu-hsiang, Vice-chairman of the Military Council, and Mr. James Yen, of the Mass Edu cation Movement, along with other high officials, all sent their children to Holy Light School. The Call to Advance I have been frequently asked why I am so interested in the Holy Light School when my first allegjence is to Biola in China. My friend, Ernest Yin, is a Huna- nese whose ancestral home is but a few miles from Changsha. During his tenure of office as the Provincial Treasurer of Hunan, he lived in our home, and we worked together in fellowship meetings that had far-* reaching influence, even to the ac ceptance of Christ by our then Governor. Many an evening, Mr. Yin and I talked long into the night of a project whereby some day the pro posed Hbly Light School and the Hunan Bible Institute would work together, giving to China’s children and young people a progressive train ing in the Word of God. . That ultimate purpose has not yet been attained, because J a p a n e s e soldiers still occupy part of Hunan.. But we still look forward to the time when it will be possible for the two schools to supplement each others-’ work. .« , Post-war China will see definite Chinese leadership. The era of missionary effort based on the’ endeavors of missionaries alone, and apart from Chinese initia tive, has passed 'its zenith. The old order of organized missionary pro paganda is rapidly passing into a wiser and fuller life to be developed and maintained by'born-again mem bers of the Chinese church. The Holy Light School and Ernest R. Yin are examples and slyning lights in this present moment of transition China.
The Hunan Bible Institute, pictured above, is located in Changsha, Hunan, China. The^staff of American workers includes Charles A. Roberts (writer of the accompanying article), J. Russell Davis, and Edwin Cory, and their wives. These men have seen te-.'Vies in China and are anticipating returning to that land in the Jail, if ti e way is open. In the meantime, they are available for speaking engagements end are able to give up-to-date information. Inquiries should be addressed to Charles A. Roberts, 553 South Hope Street, Los Angeles 13, Calif,
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