May 1924
286
T H E
K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
Our Bible Institute in Hunan Province, China Dr. Frank A. Keller Superintendent
The Hunan Bible Institute (the China Department of the Bible Institute of Dos Angeles) is organized along sim ilar lines to the home In stitu te,strain in g native Chinese young men and women for Christian work, and at the same time carrying on an active evangelistic work among the unsaved. The work (which is recognized by the different evangelical missions as one of the best in China) has three departments. (1) A Bible Institute at Changsha (the capital city of Hunan Province.) (2) Twelve Colportage Boats (floating Bible Schools) w ith 13 men on each boat, devoting the mornings to Bible Study, and the afternoons to giving the Gospel in the native homes. (3) The Autumn Bible School and Conference at Nanyoh (one o f China’s three sacred m ou n tains).. Hundreds of conversions have resulted from the work done among the thousands of pilgrims.
happiness. Oh, the darkness on their faces! It is truly pathetic and heart-rending. The doors are usually open and we see just opposite, the table upon which incense is burning, and on the wall above, paper gods are pasted or the wooden idols placed mutely bearing testimony to the false, empty religion which holds this nation in a powerful grip of superstition. The people are very hospitable and courteous. Even in the very poorest homes, they serve us tea, always imme diately upon our arrival. We talk about their family and they are especially pleased when we admire their babies, which are gayly decorated with bracelets, bells and most elaborately trimmed hats. Then, the Gospel is preached, the students taking turns; while one preaches, the other silently prays. The devil is just as real here as at home, hardening their hearts and causing them to make excuses. One very old woman tells us she is too old to believe, she cannot remember the Gospel. We tell her that she needs only to trust in the Lord and He will do the rest. This woman does not seem to have much trouble remembering all the rites and customs necessary to appease the wrath of her false gods. Finding True Happiness We now enter a Christian home and oh, such a vast diff erence. The husband and wife cordially greet us with the True Light shining upon their faces coming from a gen uine experience of a personal knowledge of our dear Lord and Saviour. Here, we find no idols but colored pictures illustrating Bible stories pasted up on the walls. Cleanli ness and tidiness pervade the atmosphere., Everywhere are evidences of Christianity. We plan with her to hold a women’s meeting during the coming week, in her court yard. Then she goes out with us to call on her neighbors and invite them to come. Now we are ushered up a stair way, or rather an apology for one. We begin the ascent, but it is almost impossible, very steep and narrow. Upon reaching the top, we are introduced to a nice old man who was baptized three weeks ago, but his wife is still in heathenism. Such a face! We can never forget it. Sfie is very rough, coarse, careless and untidy in the extreme. She treats us as cordially as possible, then as the subject of the Gospel is broached, she begins to ridicule and is bitter and sarcastic. “ How can I go to church?” she pleads. “ What will my family have to eat if I do not go out to work for it?” We give her one of the beautifully illus trated Milton Stewart tracts,.the subject of which is the “ Rich man and Lazarus.” Subsequently, after persuasive pleading and exhorting, but not without a terrific struggle, this cold, hardened creature breaks down. Now the crisis has come when in walks a guest to see her husband and thereupon, the company breaks up and thus a wonderful opportunity for definite decision is intercepted. Poverty and Riches A large group of buildings across the way attracts our attention and we are told it is a place where very poor people are taken in, many of them from a life of begging. On further investigation, we find it is a huge plant and houses over 1000 people, a small city in itself. The men live in one section in tiny hovels surrounding a large work room where they are occupied during the day. We see
“ llo w shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? H ow shall they believe in Him o f whom they have not heard? H ow shall they hear w ithout a preacher?”—Rom . 10:14. H OULD you like to go out visiting with us this af ternoon as we call in the various Chinese homes? Two by two, the women students go three times a week. We make the trip with two of the girls as our guides. Classes are not dismissed until 3 P. M. but we will be ready to start soon after. Now we see the girls coming in groups, and in their arms, they are carrying tracts and Scripture portions for dis tribution. As we pass out through the large front gate of the Institute, many dirty, ragged, ill-fed children crowd around us and call to us, holding out their hands for picture cards. In the doorways of the homes, we see women gossiping with their neighbors, sewing, making soles for shoes, rocking a crude sort of cradle, washing their clothes, or preparing vegetables for the evening meal. As far as possible, everything is done out in the open. Seeking Happiness Over every door is the character “ fu” which means “ Hap piness,” and impresses us with the fact that happiness is the one thing for which people the world over are seeking. Oh, the pity of it!. They know not from whence cometh true
MRS. MARTHA G. KELLER (aged 87 years) MOTHER OF DR. KELLER; AND MRS. FRANK A. KELLER
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker