King's Business - 1922-01

THE K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S paid their own travelling expenses, this is certainly a remarkable record. The character of the delegates is note­ worthy. All evangelical denomina­ tions, Episcopal, Church of England, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist Epis­ copal, English Wesleyan, United Evan­ gelical, and others sent delegates. The whole body of students of the Union Theological Seminary at Changsha were required to be present as a part of their theological course. The entire student body and many graduates of the Bible Institute in Changsha were present. All the leaders and members of the B.I.O.L.A. Gospel Boats were present. Many pastors, many evangelists, and many teachers were there. Some re­ markable lay workers were present. And there were quite a number present who came to Nan Yoh in years past as pil­ grims and worshippers at the heathen shrines, but v/ho had been dealt with by our workers and had had literature put into their hands that had resulted in their conversion, and regeneration and the transformation of their lives, and in some instances the transforma­ tion of whole families, and the conver­ sion of scores in the communities from which they came. The Chief, or Prince, of one of the aboriginal tribes was a very eager delegate. His tribe was driven into a lofty plateau about a hun­ dred miles from Nan Yoh centuries ago. He was of the eighth generation of hereditary princes of the tribe. He was led to Cnrist by one of our Biola Gospel bands six months before. There were 1500 in the tribe. Fifty-eight he believed to be now trmy converted and tfiey meet together daiiy for prayer. There was family prayer each day a- mong 1000 of the 1500, but he was not sure of their conversion. He is a Chinese Bachelor of Arts, which signifies little or nothing. He was a most humble and most eager student. He desires to give up ruling and to become an evan­ gelist. Pray for him. He had walked

29 80 miles or more to get to the Confer­ ence. At 9 o’clock and 2 o'clock each day, the writer spoke on the Divine Origin and Authority and Inerrancy of the Bible and upon its Power to convict of sin, Produce Faith, Regenerate, cleanse the Heart and Life, Safeguard against Error. Equip for Effective Ser­ vice, etc., etc. At ten and three each day, Dr. Jonathan Goforth spoke, large­ ly on the Acts of the Apostles and work of the Holy Spirit. At eleven and four each day, Mr. F. C. H. Dreyer spoke, or rather taught. He had gone to Nan Yoh to interpret for me, but his notes on the Bible in Chinese and his homi- letical suggestions and other sugges­ tions for soul winners are read in every part of China, and the delegates insist­ ed on his speaking twice every day, as well as interpreting twice for me. It was a hard schedule, but Mr. Dreyer is a master at speaking and writing Chi­ nese, and is very full of truth. He speaks Chinese more fluently and elo­ quently than he does English. He is now putting through the press a Com­ mentary in Chinese on tne whole Bible. He is himself an illustration of what a Bible Institute can do to effectively pre­ pare a man for foreign missionary work in China; for he left my hands for China after having completed the course at the Bible Institute in Chicago at the age of twenty-one. He has had twenty-six remarkable years in China. The night sessions were given up to report meetings from our Gospel Bands, practical talks by Mr. Tsiao, the very gifted Chinese principal of our Bible Institute in Changsha. Mr. Tsiao is certainly a choice gift of God to us. He is a many sided man with various gifts rarely united in one person, a most, lovable man withal. There were var­ ious other . meetings, especially for prayer and many private conversations. There were deep heart searchings and confessions of sin and failure. After

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