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T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
By Charles A. Roberts
Dr. Roberts is Superintendent of the Hunan Bible Institute, which is the China division of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. He left the United States several months ago in order to be on hand for the possible opening of our school in China, immediately upon the evacuation of the Japanese. With war ended and peace declared, the Japanese are leaving, and it may be that within a month or so the work of repairing the buildings may begin. The actual extent of the damage is unknown and those interested are asked to pray mightily for that work. S IXTEEN thousand f e e t in the clouds at the beginning of the monsoons, with a Chinese pilot whose record is second to none for fly-
Even the mendicant sitting on the sidewalk gloats over five and ten dol lar bills. Only the missionaries are poor; with their servants gone and their assistants reduced in number, they think twice before they go into shops to purchase needed articles. It is not that they are receiving less from home; on the contrary, their in come may be doubled. But the mis sionaries suffer from the governments’ wartime measures to keep afloat an already sinking currency. Yesterday I did a small thing in a big way! I gave a friend of mine one thousand dollars in Chinese currency with which to purchase for me some of the luscious oranges for which this region is famous. He secured ten oranges for this amount, which in United States money, with exchange rate at 20-1, would have cost exactly fifty dollars in gold! Missionaries may trade on the "grey market,” now about $4000-1; this would make the net cost of these ten oranges about $2.50 in gold. Black market? We don’t investigate; we do not want to be tempted and to injure our testimony for God. There are happier prospects in this ancient city of Cathay. We turn from the display of greed and power to the marks of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is good to be here and to have a last chance for witnessing before the end of the war in Asia, after which the refugee residents, of which there are thousands, will scatter to all parts of the land. The Lutheran missionaries (evac uees) have done very well by both Chinese and Americans. They have opened in the heart of Chungking a Christian Service Center for American and Allied servicemen. Many other Christian groups are taking advan
tage of this unique opportunity to preach Christ; an emergency commit tee for Christian cooperation has newly come into being. This organ ization has grown out of a need in connection with property rights and religious freedom. One is impressed with the fine gathering for the monthly missionary prayer meeting; missionaries of the Allied countries, and missionaries from the now oc cupied countries meet in one body to thank God for the end of war, and to pray for His work to go forward in all lands. Chinese churches are filled and there was never a time when Bible study was so popular! For the sum mer, conferences are planned; young people are responsive. One Chinese leader expressed the feelings of all when he stated that never again would there be an opportunity like this, with so many needy people crowded into such a small space. For several Sundays, I have con ducted morning and evening services in the Holy Light School. A Chinese pastor is soon to be called, A con ference for the deepening of the Chris tian life and special services for the young people are planned. Speakers from all parts of Free China will parti cipate. China’s picture is growing brighter! Christ works in Chungking! We thank God for safe arrival in Chungking. We thank Him for the evidences that He has been working in hearts and institutions. To re new fellowship with those who have borne the brunt of the battle and have carried on, is a great inspiration to our faith. Much of Hunan is still oc cupied by the Japanese, but we see signs that there may be freedom again. Pray for us and for, our be loved China . . . “without, ceasing!”
ing over “the Hump,” and in the brief period of seven hours, we have left the steaming heat of Calcutta and are gliding gently down onto the high plateau of Kunming, China. Two and a half hours more, and we circle an other mountain range and see the Yangtze winding like a yellow ribbon below ■us. Chungking, the wartime capital of China, rises precipitously from the river bank. The city is ancient with little change in its appearance since its beginning. We begin to climb the moment we get off the landing field and this we continue to do as long as we remain there, for it is the city of a thousand stone steps and innumer able winding streets. Few modern roads have been built. Jeeps, powered by a vile-smelling fuel, bump along uneven streets. The Chinese people are weary of war after eight years of bitter resis tance to the enemy. Their clothes are shabby; their lives have been filled with uncertainty. But now there is a change for the better. The European war is over and there is new hope. Without any ostentation, Chungking celebrated the end of the European conflict for three days by hanging national flags in its main streets and giving official tea parties. But while other nations indicated their elation with a salvo of guns, the President of China called for a day of prayer and thanksgiving. China is still at war. There are grave problems within and without. The rich are getting richer; inflation has produced wartime millionaires.
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