Puslapio vaizdai
PDF
„ePub“

the face, and they were crying in anguish to God for mercy. Nothing in my mind can more fitly describe the scene than to compare it to the suddenness and violence of a thunderstorm. It starts with the patter of a few drops, then comes the downpour, lasting half an hour or so. But while it lasts how terrible it is. So it was here with this storm of prayer; it started with the one or two, and then came the burst from many hearts, all the pent up emotions so long held in check. There was no restraining it and no attempt to do so. Think of the Chinese, so afraid of "losing face," of showing his real feelings, of betraying his secret thoughts. there was no thought of "face" or of who saw or criticised. The one thought was, "God be merciful to me a sinner." Each man and woman was face to face with God, a righteous God, and what mattered what friends or neighbours thought or said?

But now

The afternoon meeting was much quieter, but one felt that the Spirit was now having His way. After the address there followed prayer and individual confessions. On Wednesday evening, after the opening services, an opportunity having been given for prayer, again came an outburst similar to that in the morning, but perhaps but perhaps not so prolonged and intense. Wednesday and Thursday were the days of greatest storm, when the volume of prayer was most demonstrative. Afterwards there was intensity, there was sobbing, but there was more quietness. As the days passed there was added confidence in tone, due to the increasing knowledge of the power of prayer. As men and women came under the power of the Spirit, confessed their sins

and received a new sense of pardon, peace and power, their desire to see others receive a similar blessing was especially manifested in their recourse to prayer and their entire reliance on the Holy Spirit to confer that blessing. Sometimes one who had wandered far away from God, and now came back to Him publicly, confessing his sin, would ask for the prayers of the people. At once, as with one heart and voice, all would respond. Again, the cry of a son or daughter for a father's or a mother's salvation, the appeal of an anxious one for prayer for relatives, the yearnings of a helper for the people of the district over which he had been placed as shepherd, each brought its response in a volume of prayer from the congregation. Never did we realise the power of prayer as we did at that time. The whole atmosphere of those days was one of prayer; especially do we think with wonder and gratitude to God of those afternoon and evening prayer meetings amongst ourselves. We would first spend a little time in talking over the situation, the subject and persons for which special prayer should be offered, and the answers already received, and then we would spend the rest of the time in prayer. Looking back on that time now, and recalling the great number of definite petitions presented, and definite answers received almost immediately, one cannot but "praise God for all His goodness and His wonderful works to the children of men." We would go direct to the general meeting from our knees, and oh the gladness and the glory of it, as we saw one after another of those for whom we had been praying, going forward to tell

or

how God had met with them and brought conviction of sin to their hearts. We, however, were not the only ones who learned to pray in those days; our Chinese Christians not only learned their lesson, but how to work as well. They had their prayer circles as well as we, and kept us informed of all that they were doing to bring in those who had grown cold or were special hindrances to the work. Many a case was reported of their sending out letters special messengers to friends, relatives or neighbours who had not thought it worth while to come to the meetings. In special cases they sent out deputations of three or four men and persuaded some who were nursing grievances against the church, or had fallen into sin, to come to the place of meeting. Then they took them apart, prayed with them, asked us to pray for them, followed them with their prayers into the meetings until the Spirit had brought them back to God. Talk of the enthusiasm and hard work done to bring in voters on an election day; just as great zeal did these Chinese Christians display in the endeavour to bring as many as possible into right relationship with God.

Our readers will be interested in the progress made by the Kiangsu Christian Federation Council and reported by Rev. Frank Garrett.

In harmony with the action of the Shanghai Centenary Conference the Committee on Federation called a representative meeting of the Missions of the province, which met in Soochow, December 15th and 16th.

Ten Missions and two Bible Societies were represented as fol

lows: China Inland Mission, Foreign Christian Mission, Presbyterian Mission (North), Presbyterian Mission (South), Methodist Mission (North), Methodist Mission (South), Baptist Mission (South), London Mission, Seventh Day Baptist, Woman's Union, American Bible Society, and the National Bible Society of Scotland.

The following constitution was adopted

Ist. NAME.-The name of this organization shall be the Kiangsu Christian Federation Council.

2nd. PURPOSE.-Its purpose shall be to promote the unity and sympathetic cooperation of believers, looking to the realization of Christ's desire for the unity of His church, for, as this spirit grows and our work spreads, there is hope that all denominations will carry out the plans for union adopted by the Federation Council. There shall be no interference, however, in the freedom of action of each society.

3rd. Each Mission having work in Kiangsu province may appoint two representatives, one Chinese and one foreign, as its delegates to the Council. It may appoint one additional foreign delegate for the first 25 missionaries and one more for each succeeding 25 or major fraction thereof. It may appoint one additional Chinese delegate for the first 500 Chinese members of the church and one more for each succeeding 500 or major fraction

thereof.

4th. OFFICERS.-The Council shall elect a president, vice-president, a Chinese and an English secretary to hold office until the next meeting.

5th. MEETINGS.-The Council shall meet once a year at such time and place as the delegates shall decide; two-thirds of the delegates-elect shall constitute a quorum.

6th. BUSINESS.-Whatever may promote the growth of believers in love and aid in drawing together of the different denominations may be the subject of such consultation and action as shall make their unity manifest to all.

7th. A two-thirds majority of those present shall be necessary for the adoption of any proposal,

8th. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.There shall be an Executive Committee composed of the five officers and two others elected by the Council for the transaction of any extraordinary or unforeseen business. Five members shall constitute a quorum of the Executive Committee. This committee shall have power to call an extra session of the Council on one month's notice, and to change the time and place of the meeting of the Council if necessary.

9th. AMENDMENTS.-This constitution may be amended by a twothirds vote of those present at any meeting.

The next meeting of the Council will occur in Nanking, November 24th, 1909. Rev. Li, of the Soochow University, was elected president. A Committee on Bible Study and Bible Institute Work was appointed, of which Rev. H. L. Rowe, of Nanking, is chairman.

Let us have a full representation at the next meeting. Please send all suggestions as to how this Council can best accomplish the work for which it is formed, or regarding the programme of the next meeting, to the president or to Rev. J. R. Graham, Tsingkiangpu, or Rev. J. W. Crofoot, Shanghai, members of the Executive Committee, or to Frank Garrett, secretary, Nanking.

The following account, by Dr. Mary Fulton, of women's medical work, will be read with interest.

There is in Canton a college known as the E. A. K. Hackett Medical College for Women.

During the nine years of its existence we have graduated twenty-two doctors. All, with possibly two exceptions, are doing good, honest work in cities, towns and villages. All, save two, are Christians. Should each see but one hundred patients a

week, many thousands in a year would have been relieved of suffering and have heard the Gospel through this purely native

agency.

Some are in private practice, some in hospitals, some medical instructors. All are acceptable to their own people, and a few have wide reputations.

My chief assistant is a skilful operator. Several able surgeons from America, who witnessed her doing major operations, were delighted and greatly surprised to see a young Chinese woman so thoroughly competent.

Through one of these visiting doctors who, impressed with our fine surgical opportunities and meagre outfit, Mr. Louis H. Severance has just presented us with nineteen hundred dollars worth of new instruments.

The medical students greatly appreciate the beautiful new microscope in their lectures on microscopy.

The college and hospital are so intimately associated that at the end of the four years' course the young women go forth with large practical experience, gained in clinics, drug-room, wards, and in homes through out-calls.

Over forty are now studying. Not only are they from Canton, Hongkong, Macao, and vicinity, but from Hainan, Honolulu, Amoy, Foochow, and Hankow.

It is surprising how soon those from other provinces understand and speak Cantonese.

The college year begins with each Chinese new year. As this is the only medical college in the empire exclusively for women, we receive applicants from all denominations.

For those coming from a distance, a reduction is given in tuition.

[graphic][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small]
« AnkstesnisTęsti »