23 - Chapter 23
Chapter 23 - Work South of the Capital ------------------------------
FROM MR. ORR EWING.
“P’-ing-yao Hien.—I am glad to say that the work here is beginning to be felt; we are just now having a few willing to suffer for Jesus, praise His Name. At Ch’i-hien last Sunday I had between thirty and forty to worship, and a glorious time of almost continuous preaching from early till late; one man was simply drinking in the truth. I had a most happy visit to a man forty li from the city, who broke off opium in our Ch’i-hein Refuge about six months ago; he had taught them at home to sing hymns and pray, and even his little boy of five could say Amen at the end of a prayer. I was greatly encouraged by what I saw at Ch’i-hien; there are eight or nine families who have put away idols. I long to see foreign brethren and sisters in all these cities of the plain, each of which governs its hundred and more villages. FROM MR. HOSTE.
“Hung-t’ung, May 25th, 1889.—What solemn work really being engaged in God’s service is! It does bring one into close contact with tremendous powers of darkness. But all the kingdom of devils are, after all, under the power of our Father, and only afford means through which the perfect will and counsel of God can be unfolded.
“Through the mercy of God we are well and happy; the Refuges have closed once more for the summer months. Over four hundred men and women have been cured on these premises alone during the past autumn and winter. Of these over twenty families have put away idols and are hearing the truth, and over one hundred individuals, men and women, whose families object to the putting away of the household gods, have given up worshipping them themselves and attend our worship beside praying in private. We are having no baptisms this spring; the need of baptizing on the ground of nothing short of a turning from sin to God, and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is increasingly impressed on Mr. Hsi and myself. I feel sure that the policy of waiting is of the Lord just now even though there are not a few ready for baptism, and large numbers desiring it. Do you not think that we shall in due time be having out here, and in Africa, a Church far ahead in life and purity of that in England and elsewhere? May the Lord help me to be faithful to Him so that I may do my share in bringing it about.” FROM MISS WHITCHURCH.
“Hiao-i, April 22nd.—Had the joy of smashing and burning idols in two homes.
“April 24th.—Went to the east suburb to take down idols.”
“April 26th.—Went to Wang-tung, fifteen li away, with a man from the Refuge, to see him take down his idols (my fourth visit to that place for the same glorious purpose). As we entered the village, a man met us, who asked, ‘Have you come to smash idols?’ I had quite a hearty welcome, and the yard was fairly filled while Mr. Lo and I talked to the people. Mr. Wang afterwards brought out his idols and burnt them.
“RESULT OF HEARING THE GOSPEL ONCE.
“Sunday, May 5th.—Congregation very good; registered eighty-three names, besides those outsiders who did not remain all the time. In the evening I was telling our people about a man in the south of this province, who had heard the Gospel once at Ta-ning, and returned home, taking some books with him. He had a son who smoked opium. He told him that Jesus could save him from his opium; the man believed, and the Lord did it. When Mr. Lutley, who told us the story, called there, he found a household of believers. The son worked with his father in the fields by day, and told Mr. Lutley that when the craving came on he prayed, which, he said, always ‘settled the matter.’ His father was teaching him to read, and he could then read thirty hymns. A little adopted daughter had also been taught to pray, and at meal times she repeated such a long grace that she had to count on her fingers to know when she had finished!
“A VILLAGER’S TESTIMONY.
“When I had related this beautiful story one of the villagers looked up and said, quietly, ‘I, too, have broken off opium without medicine.’ I asked, ‘did you pray when the distress came on?’ ‘No,’ he said, ‘I could not pray, I only sang,’ He had only been coming about the place for two or three weeks; Mr. Wang well remembers the first time he came into the chapel. A theatre was going on not far away, and Wang imagined that the man had come to Hiao-i to see it; but he sat down and took up one of our books to read, and remained the whole of the afternoon thus occupied, and bought some before leaving.
“May 11th.—Lao-li came, bringing a number of valuable idols from a village, the property of a man who had only heard the Gospel from him and another native. We had a grand smash in the yard that night. (The same day, a woman allowed her idol to be torn down that prayer to the true God might be offered for her sick husband.)
“May 20th.—Had the joy of going to a village, eight li away, to take down idols; there were fifteen in all! The son was then breaking off opium in the Refuge, but went with us and helped to smash them, which was not easy, as six were made of iron. Many of the neighbors came to see and hear, and were very friendly; none seemed distressed at seeing the idols destroyed.
“Tuesday, 28th.—Thirteen candidates were examined, of whom nine were accepted and four were desired to wait a few months longer that they might have a clearer knowledge of the truth.” At Lu-chi’eng Hien there has been much trial by false brethren recently, who seem to have enacted very outrageously; it was therefore a cause of thankfulness to receive the following:― FROM MR. STANLEY SMITH.
“Lu-ch’eng, November 15th.—Thank God the clouds seem to have dispersed, and the sunshine has come. Already some ninety and more men and women have been through the Refuges here. I believe, too, a real spiritual work is going on; in fact, I am full of hope. I have been going about to market towns, and villages, and festivals. At one festival last week with a native we sold some hundreds of books. Our Refuge is rapidly getting known far and wide; to day two men came in from over one hundred and twenty li away. I hope the Lord will greatly magnify His Name here. We have been through fire and through water, and He will assuredly bring us out into a wealthy place.”