King's Business - 1913-04

THE KING’S BUSINESS

198

Stewart. Ten portions of the Word have been prepared, printed clearly on good pa­ per, with exposition and a colored frontis­ piece. These are supplied free and freight paid to any missionary applying for them. In two years’ time this distribution fund has put about 20,000,000 issues into circu­ lation—an amount exceeding, in all prob­ ability, the combined output of all Chris­ tian publishing houses in China. This lit­ erature is for free distribution, but only for judicious free distribution. The Religious Tract Society provided, two years ago, sev­ eral thousand pastors’ libraries at a nom­ inal cost of $10 to Chinese preachers. It was pathetic to see the rush of men eager to get the books they needed for their work. A small distribution fund for en­ abling Chinese evangelists and pastors to get hold of Christian literature in the ver­ nacular would strengthen the Christian ministry very materially T h e G ospel in E cuador . Miss Easley, formerly associated with Mr. L, H. Jamison in our work for the Mexicans of Los Angeles, writes: To T he K ing ’ s B usiness : Ecuador, “The Land of the Equator”— one of our small sister republics in South America, presents a rich field for mis­ sionary labor. Since the days of the Spanish conquest the church of Rome has ruled supreme, and the result of her teaching and influ­ ence is clearly seen. Here, as in all countries where the Romish church has held undisputed sway, ignorance, super­ stition and immorality are the dominant characteristics. The Bible is a prohibited and almost unknown book. The priests are very bitter in their opposition to Evangelical missions, inciting the people to deeds of violence, and opposing the preaching of the Gospel and the distri­ bution of the Scriptures in every way possible. “The heretics should be killed like dogs!” and similar sentiments often greet the missionary’s ears.

he often tramps two hundred miles in a month, carrying his load of books himself to sell and explain the Gospel. A few days ago when he was about to start out, I went to see him off. I found him in his room committing himself and his work to the Lord. I caught some sentences: “Pre­ pare men’s hearts to receive the Word. Help me to give my testimony. Don’t let conceited men argue with me. Don’t let the books get wet. Show me how I am to get over the swollen rivers. Don’t let the dogs bite me. Take care of my wife.” When he had finished I said, “It is very wet; you had better wait a day.” “No,” he said, “on wet days I can often sell books at the inn to weather-bound peo­ ple,” and off he went The following striking figures of the girl wives and girl widows in India, taken from the tables of the census of last year, are quoted from the Church Missionary Gleaner for December: “Of girls in India who have not completed their fifth year, 302,425 are wives and 17,703 widows, while 2,500,000 girls in the second lustrum are wives and 112,000 are widows. In March, 1911, there were 9,412,642 girls 15 years of age and under who had entered the marital state. The influence of Christianity on the lot of women in India is shown by the facts that while one in a thousand Hindu girls under five years is a widow, and one in 54 under five years is married, among Christians of the same age only one in 286 is married and only one in 4700 is a widow. In Travancore and Cochin, where Christianity has had fullest play, among 336,201 girls under five only 74 are mar­ ried, and only five are widows; and among Christians, out of 85,481 girls under five only three are married and not one is a widow.” Besides the usual activities, a new en­ terprise has been set on foot. The Rev. W. E. Blackstone is in China administer­ ing a fund for the distribution of Scripture which has been established by Mr. Milton

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