18
T h e K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
January 1930
Gospel, and 608 of this number really gave their hearts to the Lord. The idols and all the accompaniments of idolatry were banished from many homes and a number o f new preaching halls were opened by the converts in the villages where the Bands had been working. On our return to Changsha in March, 1928, we found over two hundred soldiers living in our school buildings. We spent over two weeks in earnest prayer and effort and finally succeeded in securing the evacuation of these sol diers. Then we went at the work o f cleaning and repair ing the buildings with all our energy. Mr. Hsiao, our efficient dean, pressed upon us the great importance of fully occupying our school dormitories at once. He said that if we did not do so the soldiers would certainly re turn and demand the privilege of occupying the dor mitories again' until the time came for opening the Bible School. We therefore advertised a Bible conference to begin the latter part of April and continue on into May, three weeks in all. God was manifestly leading in this matter and the conference was one of the most blessed and precious of any in the history of our work in China. Chinese pastors, evangelists and other Christian workers came to us from near and distant parts of Hunan and from adjoining prov inces. Some of them had suffered bitter persecutions; the chapels of some of them had been destroyed; some had lost their homes and all their earthly possessions; the parents or children or other intimate relatives of some of them had been killed; and it was an inexpressible sat isfaction and comfort to them to talk with others who had passed through similar experiences, and to unite together in little groups, as well as in the larger gatherings, in prayer to God. Many of them had not been able to join in a public service for months, and the mingled joy and sorrow on their faces is unforgetable. In September we had the joy of welcoming back a number of our former students and also a number of new students, and with grateful hearts we once more took up the work of training these young lives for the service of the Master. When we reopened the Bible School we did so with the utmost uncertainty, for we did not know whether or not we would be able to continue through the school year. But God was with us, protecting us, and in June* 1929, it was our happy privilege to graduate twelve fine students, two of whom were women, and all of whom are now out in active work for Christ. Several Bible conferences have been held at which there has been much blessing, and several “ Short Term Bible Courses” have been conducted. We have added a “ Bible Study by Correspondence” department to our former work and already we have stu dents in every one of the provinces of China, and some even in the United States and in other lands where Chi nese are living. In addition to the lines of work mentioned above, we are now publishing a magazine the name of which is Evangelism. The circulation has grown rapidly and from all over China we are receiving letters expressing hearty and grateful appreciation of the help received from the magazine. I will quote just one of these testimonials. A Christian worker living in the city of Saratsi, outside of the Great Wall of China, writes: “ Since I have read your magazine I have received much blessing; it is rich in mate rial, sound in faith, and is a great help to us evangelists; therefore I am introducing the magazine to my fellow workers.”
Be Wise in Time* B y R ev . J. T. B oddy A t the streams o f pleasure drinking, Pausing not, nor ever thinking O f the darkness coming on, Thousands to their doom are tending, Heeding not the bitter ending They should learn in life to shun.
For how can we be good or wise While we close our careless eyes To the light o f Wisdom’s star, Crushing back the thoughts that rise To upward look on fairer skies, Where the purest visions are?
Oh, that some sweet power would wake us, Ere the solemn truth o’ertake us, With a force so deep and strong, That our precious lives are wasted, With the little sweets we’ve tasted, Rendered bitter by our wrong!
For the coming years may find us, With life’s pleasures all behind us — Griefs unnumbered yet to come; Write we now on life’s bright pages, Something sweet to read in ages, Ere the beating heart be dumb.
Learn the lesson time is bringing, While the heart goes lightly singing Through the sunny days of. youth, That the only pure enjoyment, In the eager heart’s employment, Is its striving after truth. What avails to us the knowing, From our sad experience showing, When there is no time to act?
When our days are almost ended, And too late we’ve comprehended That this life’s an earnest fact?
1 hen be up and wisely doing, Righteousness and peace pursuing, Giving God the first ana best; Walking in His precepts ever, Till we cross the silent river To the land of perfect rest!
*The above .lines w^re written by Mr. Boddy, now an aged man, at a very late hour one night in his youth, after spending the evening in folly and hilarity with worldly associates. Soon afterward, he followed the advice he gives in this poem and turned to Christ.
four men, for whom they had no hope of getting large ransom money, and shot them, our five evangelists being among the number. In spite of this terrible tragedy I do not know of a single man who left the work because of fear. The evangelists all came up to the Autumn Bible Conference in September with bright, earnest faces, rejoicing at the privilege of suffering, if need be, for the sake of their Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. We had a blessed time with them .during the three weeks of the conference, studying God’s Word together, and planning for the work of the new year, after which they bravely went forth with the precious message of life. During the year, from October 1, 1928, to July 15, 1929, the evangelists of our eight Bands visited 59,28 7 homes, large numbers became definitely interested in the
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker