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T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
July 1926
n - 1 1 T • Dr. Frank A. Keller I Our bible Institute in Hunan rrovince, Vanina superintendent • • I T D •
BIOLA EVANGELISTS A M O N G THE MOUNTA INEERS HE message that touches hearts, that banishes fear, that Inspires with hope, and that fills believing hearers
divergence is very marked. In Hunan, in most large cities and along the coast, there is a freedom approximat ing in varying degrees to the freedom and naturalness of western lands; while in the north of China and in many country districts all over China there is a marked, and in some local ities, a very rigid 'conservatism. Biola Evangelistic Band No. 1 is working in one of these conservative sections, and although the people among whom they are working are poor mountain folk fEeir social customs are very strict. If the man of the house is away the housewife may not invite a chance male caller to enter the house, and she is open to criticism if found talking with a strange man under any condi tions, except in the presence of her husband. This rigid conservatism is a serious hindrance to house-to-house evangelism. We who are living and working here in China can understand why the disciples marveled when they found Christ speaking with a woman, and we are often very glad that our Lord and Master, our great and per fect example, did sit and talk with that woman on that eventful day. On one occasion the Biola preach ers came to a humble and isolated mountain home, only to learn that the man of the house was away and was not expected back very soon. It was so disappointing! They had walked a long distance to get to this house; what should they do? First of all they did the very best thing, they stood there in that large courtyard, bowed their heads and lifted up their hearts in silent prayer seeking guidance and help from God. Oh, how many prob lems would be solved, how many dif ficulties would vanish if we would only stop and pray. Just as they finished their {»rayer, the good housewife brought some chairs out into the courtyard and asked the visitors to sit down and rest. They lost no time in telling her their errand. As they told her of God, the Creator of all things, and at the same time our loving heavenly Father, they could see that she was in great uneasl- \
T k c Hunan Bible Institute (the China Department of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles) is organized along similar lines to the home Institute,— training native Chinese young men and women for Christian Work, and at the same time carrying on an a c t i v e , evangelistic work among the unsaved. The work (which is recog nized by the different evangel ical missions a^ one of the best in China) has three depart ments: (1) A Bible I n s t i t u t e at Changsha (the capital city of Hunan Province). (2) T h i r t e e n Evangelistic Bands with thirteen men in each band, devoting the morn ings to Bible study, and the afternoons to giving the Gospel in the native homes. (S) The Autumn Bible School and Conference at Nanyoh (one of China's five sacred moun tains). Hundreds of conver sions have resulted from the work done among the thou sands of pilgrims.
with Joy and peace, is still the old story of “ Jesus Christ and Him cruci fied.” Our Biola Evangelistic Band No. 1 has been working during the past few months In our most difficult field, among the poor mountain folk of northwestern Hupeh. Both physically and spiritually it has been hard work, very hard work, but God has given strength and Joy and rich rewards. When the disciples of John the Bap tist came to Jesus to inquire whether or not He was really the hoped for Messiah, one of the proofs sent back to John was this: "The poor have the Gospel preached unto them.” This, In a special way, is what the men of Band No. 1 have been doing, and many a heart away back there in the moun tains is now rejoicing in the knowl edge of a Saviour of whom they had not even heard Just six short months ago. A few extracts from the last report of Band No. 1 will stir your hearts as they have stirred mine, and will dem onstrate afresh the all sufficiency of the old, old story of the Cross, and reveal to the thoughtful reader the great advantages of the methods of work used by the Biola Evangelistic Bands. Comfort for the Sorrowing Our evangelists went to the home of a Mrs. Sih, a woman about fifty years of age. She met them at the door with the words: “ Oh, you preachers of the foreign religion have come to my house! I do not propose to eat your foreign religion.” The evangelists stood for a moment in silent prayer and then began to tell her quietly but very earnestly of the last great day of Judgment, and of the free salvation provided by Jesus Christ. When they came to the story of how, by His death on the cross, Jesus had provided free and full salvation fpr all who would receive Him, the poor woman
burst into tears and said: “ Sirs, my eldest son died Just a few days ago. I do not want to have anything more to do with idols, but from this day I Will put my trust in Jesus Christ and will worship the true God.” “Why Talkeet Thou W ith Her?” In different parts of China, customs vary widely. F o r .example, in North China bread is the staple article of food and rice is fairly rare; while in South China rice is the staple food and bread is considered a luxury. In the relations between the sexes also this
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