November 1931
T h e K i n g ' s
492
B u s I N E S S
CHINA CALLS FOR PRAISE By FORD L. CANFIELD,* Los Angeles, Calif.
ried to many sections where it had been preached very little, if ever, before. R evival A mong B elievers In widely separated parts of China, believers are being quickened, and gracious seasons of refreshing from the Lord are being experienced. What an evidence of the
I s for thanks- giving in connection with mission work in China ? A super ficial knowledge of conditions there at this time might lead one to say, “N o !” Some of the Lord’s people seem to have the impression that His work is at a standstill in that land. Certainly if one judged only by newspaper reports, he would be compelled to hold such a view. In the last
power of God and what a stimulus to faith it is to learn of the great revival in Nanchang, the capital of Kiangsi. This province has suffered more at the hands of Communists in the last two years than any other province of China. Of the eighty-one counties in Kiangsi, thirty-seven have fallen into the hands of Chinese Soviets. There has been a reign of terror, in which many cities, towns, and villages have been deso lated, and thousands upon thousands of inhabitants have been brutally mur dered. Yet in this province God has marvelously blessed His work. Early in the year, a young Chinese evangelist was called to Nanchang for meetings. The power of God was manifest in his messages. There was a deep conviction of sin. Many of the Christians who had not been bright witnesses for the Lord, or who had been positively ham pered by sin, were led to see themselves in the light of God’s holiness and grace. There followed confessions, the putting away of sin, and restitutiori where nec essary. Many who had been only nom inal Christians came out into the joy and assurance of salvation. Personal witnessing was revived, and the blessing spread thus to unbelievers. Although several months have passed, we hear that the blessing in Nanchang continues.
few years, there has been increased lawlessness, brigandage, Communism, internal strife between the government and the factions seeking to overthrow it, famine, and terrible floods. It would be folly to deny the effect of these upon the work of Christ. How ever, even if it were not possible for us to say with the Apostle Paul that these things “have fallen out rather unto the progress of the gospel,” we could still give thanks for the confident assurance that “God reigneth over the nations: God sitteth upon his holy throne.” No adversary—whether brigand who may take missionaries captive, or Commun ist who may persecute believers and seek to destroy the work of.:God, -or any evil host inspired of Satan—can go beyond the bounds that God allows. Tribulation, anguish, persecution, fam ine, nakedness, peril, sword—from whatever source they may come—are subject to the Lord’s permissive will. In spite of the conditions that seem so inimical to the progress of the gos pel of the grace of God in China, the missionary occupation of the field has, in large measure, continued. More over, from all parts of the field, word is received that hearts are open to the gospel. I think we may say that there is abroad a greater spirit of inquiry, a greater readiness to hear the Word of
BIOLA REPRESENTED AMONG c h in a ' s NEW RECRUITS.
With Rev. and Mrs. Ford L. Cd/nfield, ’18 (at extreme right), are five outgoing missionaries (left to right): A. H. Yet- ter, Marian Carleson, ’31, Mrs. Yetter, Lydia Evelyn Baker, and Theresa Bush, ’31. Marjorie Rattray, ’31, and John Fee, ’30, should have been included in this group.
Even from the area decimated by famine, encouraging news is received. While the toll of life was awful, several stations reported a record number of baptisms. This spring, when a harvest was assured, one Christian in the famine-stricken area—just :an ordinary farmer, not a wealthy man—expressed a desire to hold a conference in his home as a freewill offering to the Lord. When asked who would pay the expenses, he answered that he would. He was reminded that he and his people had had very little to eat for two or three years, but he replied, “The Lord has so blessed me that I wish to return thanks to Him.” About one hundred and fifty people attended the meetings. Most of them were unbelievers, to whom the gospel was faith fully preached. May God grant that there shall be a mighty harvest of souls, following the terrible floods of this sum mer. The districts affected have had considerable witness
life—that is, on the .part of the rank and file of China’s people—than there has been for years. This is especially encouraging in view of the determined anti-Christian propaganda carried on in China by Communists. It is a matter for thanksgiving that, in 1930, in connection with the work of the China Inland Mission alone, nearly five thousand publicly confessed the Lord Jesus Christ and were received into the fellowship of the Chinese churches. The thirty new C. I. M. stations opened in the last three years bespeak real advance into unoccupied territory and. constitute another cause for thanksgiving to God. These thirty new stations by no means represent all the advance that has been made in this mission. The message of salva tion, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, has been car- ♦Secretary for the Pacific Southwest District, China Inland Mission. V ■
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