King's Business - 1914-06

THE KING’S BUSINESS

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is carrying on a strikingly successful rescue work. Mr, Sugiura is the pastor. A Re­ formed Union has been in existence since 1907, into which has been gathered a large number of thieves, drunkards, and jailbirds. Mr. Sugiura tells thrilling stories of men kept from suicide and murder, and saved body and soul. On the first and fifteenth of the month meetings are held in which the reformed men themselves preach. Mr. Kagawa, a Presbyterian, is carrying, on a similar work in the Shinkawa slum in Kobe, a quarter without parallel for pov­ erty, disease and dirt, for lepers, criminals, prostitutes, beggars, the blind and the de­ formed. The death rate here is nearly six times the average for Japan. Murders and brawls are common. Yet in this unpromis­ ing field a church of fifty Christians has been won, many of these being persons of unusual activity and spiritual power. The Sunday morning worship is held at five o’clock as the only really quiet time in the day! Mr. Kagaka and his converts preach on street corners on Sunday mornings and evenings, and hold evangelization services nearly every night in the week. There are also philanthropic features—free lodgings, a small hospital, help at funerals, a cheap eating place, a night school, a sewing school and a salvation band, but these things are not considered substitutes for the Gospel. “Jesus Christ crucified for our sins and raised for our justification,” says Mr. My­ ers, “as the only way of salvation is insist­ ently preached. This is transforming the lives of the worst men and women in the whole world. Think of a prayer meeting with fifty persons present and as many as forty voluntary prayers. Naturally there are lapses, but those who fall can never go back to their old life again. They repent and return.” Mr. Kagaka lives down in the heart of this Sodom, sharing his food, his clothes, his time, his all, with the vicious and dis­ tressed .—Record of Christian Work.

The repetition of the name of Allah hun­ dreds of times, as the monotonous chant of the Moslem Zikr comes to the ears of the missionaries, is a challenge to make known to them and to the negroes the true mean­ ing of worship and of the character of God. Pray for the Sudan United Mission, the United Presbyterians, and the Church Mis­ sionary Society, as their representatives hasten this important work .—Harlan P. Beach. A W oman ’ s Bible class of 467, which convened last March at Chai Ryong, Korea, serves as a sample of Korean classes. Pas­ tor Kim, the missionary ladies, and Koreans more advanced in their knowledge of the Word, had their heads and their hearts full, with such eager learners to satisfy. W o ­ men had walked fifty-three miles with ba­ bies on their backs in some cases; in others, three or more put their little savings to­ gether, and drew lots to see which one of their number should go and study—per­ haps it was the men who did this, however; not a few women were so poor that they were glad to eat only half a meal and study the Bible at the school, rather than to have a full meal at home and not enjoy the priv­ ilege of attending the class. But prayer and Bible study simply must go together in Korea; so Pastor Kim as­ sembled them each day for a sunrise prayer­ meeting ; every afternoon in each class-room some woman would be found earnestly pour­ ing out her soul before God; and the hill­ side back of the ladies’ house was the favor­ ite trysting-place with their heavenly Lover. “ Noon and night they went, and one time as early as four o’clock in the morning a group of women was seen coming down from the hilltop in the waning moonlight.” —H. P. B.

T here is an Episcopalian church in T o­ kyo, called “ The True Light Church,” which

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