General Conference Bulletin, vol. 7

TWENTY-FIRST MEETING

W. A. Spicer, C. P. Bollman, C. C. Crisler, T. E. Bowen, H. E. Rogers, J. N. Anderson

May 27, 2:30 P. M.

W. T. Knox in the chair. GCB May 28, 1913, page 168.7

Prayer by J. O. Corliss. GCB May 28, 1913, page 168.8

W. T. Knox: This meeting will be devoted to hearing reports from India. Brother J. L. Shaw will now present his report. GCB May 28, 1913, page 168.9

J. L. Shaw (reading):— GCB May 28, 1913, page 168.10

THE INDIA UNION MISSION

WASe

The India Union Mission field includes within its boundaries India, Burma, and Ceylon, which comprises a territory of 1,766,597 square miles, equal to that portion of the United States east of the Rocky Mountains. With the impassable Himalayas in the north, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal to the east and south, India is set apart as a world of its own. Though it comprises only one thirty-fifth of the world’s area, when we take the population into consideration India is a continent in itself. According to the very carefully tabulated census of 1911, British India has a population of 315,132,537. Adding to this the population of Ceylon, which is 3,600,000, we have the enormous total of 318,732,537. This is equal to the whole population of Europe, without Russia, and is nearly four times the population of the United States in a little over half the territory. One person out of every five in the world lives in the Indian Empire. GCB May 28, 1913, page 168.11

India is like Europe in the number of nationalities and languages, and for that reason, among others, the work has been compelled in its beginning to move slowly. There are said to be no less than 147 distinct languages in use, over 23 of which are spoken by over a million people. India is a difficult field, but we are glad that a beginning has been made in eight different tongues, not including English. To place workers in each of these languages, to keep them there until they become proficient in its use, to start small centers, to provide literature and circulate it as we are doing in these tongues, and to train workers for different lines of work, is a very great undertaking, and we must necessarily take these conditions into consideration in our survey of the field. GCB May 28, 1913, page 168.12

We must also recognize the fact that India is the very Gibraltar of heathenism. The caste system divides the people into thousands of castes. The zenana systems shuts up in prison 40,000,000 women, keeping them in ignorance and superstition, while the early child marriage stands at the very springs of the life of the Indian people, hindering the normal development of which they are capable. These are conditions met nowhere else in the world, which we, with you, must realize and face in our program of mission work in India. GCB May 28, 1913, page 169.1

The little force of foreign workers has been increased, until now, counting the wives of workers, there are seventy-two in the field. The health of our missionaries on the whole has been exceptionally good. Death, however, has entered our ranks, and claimed two workers, Elder G. K. Owen, the oldest minister, and Elder J. C. Little, who died of cholera. GCB May 28, 1913, page 169.2

At the biennial conference held at Lucknow in October, 1910, India, including Burma and Ceylon, was organized into what is known as the India Union Mission of Seventh-day Adventists. The field was divided into five local missions, as follows: Bengal, comprising the Bengali, Oriya, Santali, and Assamese language areas; North India, covering the Hindi, Bihari, Rajasthani, Punjabi, and Sindhi language areas; West India, comprising the language areas of Marathi and Gujerati; South India, including the island of Ceylon, and comprising the language areas of Tamil, Kanarese, Malaylam, and Singhalese; and Burma, including the country of Burma. GCB May 28, 1913, page 169.3

Mission Headquarters

Lucknow, a large city in North India, was chosen as the headquarters of the India Union Mission. It is located in one of the most beautiful provinces, has excellent postal, telegraph, and railway facilities, and is only one night’s ride from Delhi, the new capital of the Indian empire. It is in the very heart of the Hindustani world, which comprises fully a fourth of the population of the empire, and is in close proximity to the Himalaya Mountains. One night’s ride on the train in the hot season takes our workers from the fiery heat of the plains to the cooling breezes which blow from the snow-capped mountains. GCB May 28, 1913, page 169.4

The International Tract Society, with its printing department, is also located at Lucknow. A year ago land in the best part of the city, on Abbott Road, one of the principal streets, was purchased. The land had upon it a well-built building, to which has been added a substantial addition, and this now provides offices for the India Union Mission and the International Tract Society. Thanks to the $300,000 Fund. GCB May 28, 1913, page 169.5

Burma

We shall now give you a survey of our work in the different local mission fields, beginning with Burma. Burma has a population of 12,000,000. Brother H. H. Votaw, who is superintendent of the field, is located at Rangoon, the chief city, where a thriving little church has been raised up, most of the members being English-speaking people. Recently ten souls were baptized and united with the church. Of the members of this church, several have become active and successful workers in different lines of work. GCB May 28, 1913, page 169.6

Shortly after the last General Conference, Brother R. B. Thurber went to Burma for the purpose of opening up an industrial school at Meiktila, in upper Burma. Thirty acres of land have been acquired. A neat building, which serves as a dormitory, has been erected, and also a dwelling for Brother Thurber. A building for industrial work is now in process of construction. More than half of the funds for these buildings has been raised in Burma. The enrolment is 141. One or two thriving industries are affording instruction and work for Burmese youth. A letter from Brother Thurber reads as follows:— GCB May 28, 1913, page 169.7

“I send this to tell you the good news that I baptized nine persons in the lake, March 22. They are all of the earnest, hard-working, substantial class. Twelve more wanted baptism, but they were asked to wait. I believe we have reached the beginning of the harvest, and that a great work is just before us.” GCB May 28, 1913, page 169.8

We are looking forward to the time when trained workers from the Meiktila school will help to finish the work in Burma. GCB May 28, 1913, page 169.9

A year ago a Burmese quarterly magazine was started. It has met with even a better circulation than we expected. It now has a subscription list of over three thousand, and six thousand copies of the last issue were published. Brother Robert Beckner, is at this meeting, and will tell you of his work. GCB May 28, 1913, page 169.10

The call for opening up work among the Karens has been answered. Miss Mary Gibbs began the study of Karen two years ago, and Brother G. A. Hamilton and wife, lately of California, are now giving as much time as possible to the study of the language, with a view to opening up mission work among the Karen people. GCB May 28, 1913, page 169.11

Dr. Oberholtzer-Tornblad, who was previously at Moulmein, in southern Burma, has opened up our first mission station in the Shan states. Brother and Sister Tornblad are supporting and operating this station. The church membership of the Burma mission is eighty-five. MAP-TERRITROY AND POPULATION, INDIA UNION MISSION GCB May 28, 1913, page 169.12

A few of the 147 Languages

x Hindi	71,270,000
x Bengali	44,624,000
Bihari	33,077,000
Telugu	20,697,000
x Marathi	18,238,000
x Punjabi	17,071,000
x Tamil	16,525,000
Kanarese	10,365,000
Gujerati	10,000,000
Oriya	9,700,000
x Burmese	7,500,000
Malayalam	6,029,000
Sindhi	3,006,000
Assamese	1,351,000
x Santhali	2,000,000
Karenni	750,000

Brother H. H. Votaw, the superintendent, sends the following statement of the needs of the field:— GCB May 28, 1913, page 169.13

“There is a splendid opening in the city of Rangoon for treatment-rooms. A consecrated man and wife could be of great help to our work. They could find a large field for their ministry in visiting in the homes, in distributing literature, in assisting in the services of the local church; and I feel sure that they would be able to make their work entirely self-supporting in a short time. GCB May 28, 1913, page 169.14

“We ought to have a young school man to connect with Brother Thurber. At present he is carrying very heavy duties, and if he should suddenly become ill, our work would suffer almost irreparable loss. At the present we are before the public more conspicuously in our work in Meiktila than in any other branch of our missionary effort in Burma. Ours is the first industrial school to be successfully operated in this province.” GCB May 28, 1913, page 169.15

Bengal

Bengal is one of our largest mission fields, having a population of 78,000,000. It was in Calcutta, the capital of Bengal, the largest city, and for over a hundred years the capital of India, that the message began to take root in Hindustan. GCB May 28, 1913, page 170.1

In Bengal there are four mission stations, Calcutta, Karmartar, Gopalgunje, and Babulmohal. Pastor W. R. French is local superintendent of the field. The church membership of this division is 153. GCB May 28, 1913, page 170.2

Calcutta has an English church and a Bengali church. For several years the English work has languished because of a lack of suitable evangelistic help to carry it forward. But the call for help for English work in the cities of India has not been in vain. Brethren J. M. Comer and W. R. French, assisted by Brother Baasch and Sister Rachel Jones, are now carrying forward a growing work. Souls are accepting the truth. At a recent service the Sabbath question was presented, and in response to the call of the Holy Spirit, thirty-five arose one after the other, signifying their intention to obey the commandments of God. Some of these are very substantial people, and should be a strength to the cause. Twelve have recently been baptized. GCB May 28, 1913, page 170.3

PHOTO-BIENNIAL WORKERS’ CONFERENCE, CALCUTTA, INDIA, 1912

A monthly magazine in the Bengali language has been circulating in Bengal the past four years, with a varying circulation of from two to six thousand. Brother L. G. Mookerji, who has acted as pastor of the Bengali Calcutta church until recently, is the editor, and Brother A. G. Watson acts as agent in circulating the paper. He has associated with him a number of Bengali canvassers, some of whom have become quite proficient in selling papers. The outlook for an increased circulation of the Bengali Signs, which has recently been changed to a quarterly, is encouraging. GCB May 28, 1913, page 170.4

There is also located in Calcutta a well-equipped set of treatment rooms, and a small health food factory. The treatment-rooms have been continued since the sanitarium was closed five years ago. Since then they have liquidated a small indebtedness, added to their equipment, and paid their running expenses, including rent, which in Calcutta is quite excessive. Brother J. H. Reagan is in charge of the treatment-rooms, and Brother J. W. Asprey manages the health food business. GCB May 28, 1913, page 170.5

Gopalgunje and the many surrounding villages present a large and needy field. Many are favorable to Christianity. A strong, intelligent, well-trained couple of missionaries are urgently required to connect with the work. We have but one lone worker, who is bravely holding the fort until help arrives. We must either strengthen the work at this strategic point, or abandon the station. GCB May 28, 1913, page 170.6

Our work at Karmartar, which grew slowly for several years, has been making more rapid growth the past two years. A mission bungalow has been built. Sister Burroway will tell you of the work at this station. GCB May 28, 1913, page 170.7

We have one more mission station in the Bengal section, located at Babumohal, among the Santals, forty miles from Karmartar. Brother W. A. Barlow, who speaks both Santali and Hindi, is in charge of this station. A boarding-school of about twenty boys has been conducted the past two years. One or two village schools are also attached to the station. Brother and Sister Leech, who have been studying Santhali, are now looking for a suitable location for another mission station among the Santali. GCB May 28, 1913, page 170.8

At the biennial conference held in Calcutta last November, it was voted to ask for two families for mission work in Bengal, one family for Gopalgunje, and the other to open a training-school for Bengali workers. This call for workers for Bengal seemed to take precedence of every other need in the field. A training-school for Bengal is an urgent necessity. The work will never go in Bengal as it should until a place of training is provided. Our Bengali young men will never be prepared to work for their own people until such a school is provided for them. We have bright, keen, intelligent young Bengalis, whom we wish to place in such a school, and if a school can be provided with a capable consecrated teacher in charge, it will mean progress for the work in that great field. Concerning this need, and the work in Bengal, Brother W. R. French sends the following message to this Conference:— GCB May 28, 1913, page 170.9

“The third angel’s message has made progress in Bengal; in fact, the proclamation of the message in the India Union Mission had its beginning in Bengal, and today the work in Bengal forms no insignificant part of the India Union Mission. But the established work in this section of the field is suffering at present for the lack of men to bear responsibility in the operation of two of our main stations. It is not money or equipment that is most needed, but men to use the equipment which we have, and to bring into action the resources available at these stations. GCB May 28, 1913, page 170.10

“Our most imperative need is two men and their wives to provide for our established work, and then, just as soon as men and means are provided, we would like to open up work in these two above-mentioned fields, and thus remove them as hindrances to the second coming of our Saviour. GCB May 28, 1913, page 170.11

“Our great need is for Spirit-filled men, and the outpouring of the Spirit.” GCB May 28, 1913, page 170.12

North India

Brother and Sister L. J. Burgess, who have been pioneering the way among the Hindustani people in North India for the past seven and one-half years, are at this Conference. GCB May 28, 1913, page 170.13

North India comprises the largest mission field in India, having a population of 130,000,000. Considerable work has been done in preparing and circulating literature in Hindustani. The tenets of our faith have been made plain to many Hindustani Christians through the printed page. GCB May 28, 1913, page 170.14

Nearly three years ago an industrial school was started by Brother and Sister Burgess in the mountains of Garhwal. A beautiful location was obtained among the lofty Himalaya Mountains. A schoolhouse, mission house, two dormitories, and other small buildings, have been erected. The funds for these buildings, have come through the earnest efforts of Elder and Mrs. S. N. Haskell. The enrolment of the school last year was about one hundred. The boys bring their food from their villages, and work for their tuition. GCB May 28, 1913, page 170.15

Mission work was begun at Najibabad, at the foot of the mountains, about forty miles from the Garhwal station, about three years ago. Sisters Kurts and Shyrock began dispensary work for women, and Sister O’Connor opened up a school for girls. The dispensary has met with a growing patronage from the first. As many as ninety patients a day have been treated. Many homes have been thrown open for Bible study, and the workers have more of this kind of work than they can do. One great drawback to the work at Najibabad has been the unsuitable place for workers to live. GCB May 28, 1913, page 171.1

But better days are ahead for the work at Najibabad. Land has been purchased out of the city. When we passed through Najibabad on the way to this Conference, the brick walls of a mission house were above the tops of the windows. Dr. V. L. Mann expects soon to open up at this station a training class for dispensary workers, and there will be carried on with this a dispensary for men. GCB May 28, 1913, page 171.2

Nearly seven years ago property was purchased in Mussoorie to serve as a rest home for workers, and a training-school. The whole of the estate is now used for school purposes, as it affords a very suitable place for carrying on an English school for the children of missionaries and English-speaking believers. Having an elevation of nearly seven thousand feet, Mussoorie affords a very agreeable climate even in the hottest season. It is a great blessing to our missionaries to have a school for their children in a good climate. Plans are now on foot to erect a dormitory for boys and a school building. We are very thankful indeed to be able to say to missionaries coming to India that we have a school in a bracing climate where they can send their children. The teachers now consist of Mrs. Bruce, Brother and Sister M. M. Mattison, and Sister Wilson. GCB May 28, 1913, page 171.3

Since the sanitarium closed in Musoorie, nearly three years ago, treatment-room work has been continued. Each year the patronage has increased. Last year about eleven hundred dollars was cleared, above all operating expenses. With improved equipment installed this year, the outlook for the Mussoorie treatment-rooms is very encouraging. Brother William Lake and Sister Nellie Wagner are carrying on the work in the Mussoorie treatment-rooms. GCB May 28, 1913, page 171.4

At Lucknow, outside of office work, Sister Bera Chilton is working for purdah women. As is well known, women of the higher classes live in most cases lives of seclusion. They do not appear on the streets or in places of public resort, but remain in their own homes behind the curtain, seen only by women and their own husbands. The only way they can be reached is through the efforts of lady missionaries who can visit their homes, and tell them in their own tongue the gospel of Christ. GCB May 28, 1913, page 171.5

West India

Elder G. F. Enoch, the superintendent of the work in West India, began work in that section of the field a little more than five years ago. The first two years were spent mostly in language study. GCB May 28, 1913, page 171.6

Nearly three years ago mission work was opened up at Lanovla and Panvel. Lanovla is a semi-hill station in the Western Ghats, a few hours’ ride by train from Bombay. As the result of work done by Brother Enoch, several English-speaking people have accepted the truth. Our last Sabbath prior to coming to this Conference was spent at Lanovla, and we had the privilege of seeing seventeen souls sign the covenant to keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Brother A.G. Kelsay has recently been stationed at Panvel, a Marathi village of ten thousand people, in a densely populated district close to the city of Bombay. Two schools have been started, and some of the people seem favorable to Christianity. GCB May 28, 1913, page 171.7

Elder M. D. Wood and wife, who have recently joined the work in West India, are located at Kalyan, a junction station between Lanovla and Bombay. Work was started in Kalyan about a year ago. Nine acres of land very suitable for a mission station were purchased in January of this year, and our first mission bungalow in West India is now being built. Some of Brother Wood’s former converts have come to him, and are learning the truth. Preliminary steps are being taken to the organization of a church at Kalyan. Two village schools are being conducted. Sister Wood has opened up a neat and well-arranged dispensary, and has associated with her two Indian assistants. The patronage is growing, and from thirty to forty patients are treated daily. GCB May 28, 1913, page 171.8

PHOTO-S. D. A. MISSION GIRLS’ SCHOOL, NAJIBABAD, NORTH INDIA

At the biennial conference last November, it was decided to open up English evangelistic work in the city of Bombay, and Brother G. W. Pettit has located in that great city. Some souls are already becoming interested in the truth, and preparations are now being made to begin a public effort at the close of the present hot season. GCB May 28, 1913, page 171.9

The work in West India appears more encouraging than at any time previous. Pastor G. F. Enoch, the superintendent, sends this word to the Conference:— GCB May 28, 1913, page 171.10

“Our needs as we lay them before our brethren in conference assembled are:— GCB May 28, 1913, page 171.11

“1. The baptism of the Holy Spirit. GCB May 28, 1913, page 171.12

“2. The beginning made in the Marathi work must be strengthened, as follows: (a) By opening a strong evangelistic center in the great city of Bombay; (b) by opening a training-school for native workers; (c) by the establishment of a boarding-school for our native children; (d) by planning for a strong mission center in the Deccan, the high table-land beyond the mountains, where lies a good portion of the Marathi area wholly out of touch with our present stations in the Komkan, that strip of land between the mountains and the sea. GCB May 28, 1913, page 171.13

“3. The opening of a strong evangelistic campaign in the city of Bombay This city has about five hundred thousand Hindus, two hundred thousand Mohammedans, seventy thousand Parsees, twenty thousand English-speaking people, and Jews and Jains. This is one of the great seaports of the Orient, people from many lands meeting in its busy marts. With such a population as we face in Bombay, we should have the medical arm of the work properly represented. We repeat this appeal, brethren, because we do not want to see the finishing of the work delayed in this corner of the vineyard. GCB May 28, 1913, page 171.14

South India

In South India work is being carried on at Nazareth and Trichinopoly. In addition to the mission house at Nazareth, which was in course of construction at the time of the last General Conference, a neat church and school building has been added, and two more acres of land have been purchased. Brother J. S. James, who has been connected with the work in South India from its beginning, will give a report of this field. GCB May 28, 1913, page 171.15

The International Tract Society, which represents the publishing work in India, has made some progress. Brother S. A. Wellman, Brother W. R. Perrin, Mrs. M. M. Quantock, and Sister Marion Belchambers, together with about fifteen Indians as assistants, are connected with the publishing work at Lucknow. Brother C. E. Weaks has charge of the field work, having associated with him in the sale of English literature, Brethren Raymond and Poley, Brother and Sister P. A. Rick, and Brother W. Carrott. In the distribution of vernacular literature there are about twenty Indian canvassers. Two English monthly journals, and five quarterly magazines, each in a different language, are published. These magazines vary in circulation from three to six thousand an issue. For some time it was thought that vernacular literature could not be sold, but Indian canvassers are being developed who are having good success in selling our literature among their own people. The Oriental Watchman and the Herald of Health have increased their size and about trebled their circulation the past two years. GCB May 28, 1913, page 171.16

Six mission homes, several school buildings, a mission headquarters, and printing-office have been provided through funds sent to India from the $300,000 Fund. These have brought encouragement to the workers, provided comfortable homes in more healthful location, and necessary facilities with which to work. They have given us prestige among the people even more than we expected, for which we are profoundly thankful. GCB May 28, 1913, page 172.1

PHOTO-GOPALGUNJE MISSION HOUSE, EAST BENGAL

Your loyal support, and that of the General Conference Committee and its two representatives, Professor Prescott and Professor Salisbury, who have visited the India mission field during the past quadrennium, has been a great inspiration to the missionaries in the field. They feel that you are whole-heartedly supporting them in their work, and that you are becoming more intelligent concerning the conditions in which they labor, the stupendous problems facing them in that land, and the great needs and opportunities of the present hour. With this assurance and faith in God, your missionaries in India are going courageously forward, and God is blessing their efforts. During the first four months of the present year, fifty-one were baptized. Some of these are Europeans, while others are men reclaimed from the clutches of heathenism. The work in the India mission field as a whole shows a larger measure of prosperity than ever before. GCB May 28, 1913, page 172.2

The biennial conference of last November asked for nineteen new missionaries, including wives of missionaries. While requesting that provision be made for strengthening the work already undertaken the afore-mentioned help will allow us to place two families among the Telegues and two families among the Punjabiis. There are great nations perhaps more favorable to Christianity than any among whom we have labored, yet among whom our message is as yet silent. GCB May 28, 1913, page 172.3

Our workers in India are eagerly looking toward this Conference for help. Shall these new workers be sent? Some of those already in the field are bearing two or three men’s burdens. What word shall be sent on to them is an important question for this Conference to answer. GCB May 28, 1913, page 172.4

In conclusion, let me state that a greater question than that of men or means is ever before us in the mission field. We are in the midst of multitudes in the dense darkness of heathenism. They are dying more rapidly than converts are being added to Christianity by means of every missionary agency. Upon a superhuman force, a power greater in its measure and more mighty in its operation than this movement has yet experienced, depends the possibility of our program in India. We are facing a mountain greater than Zerubbabel. Our hope in heathen lands cannot be met by mere men. It is “not by an army, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.” For the finishing of God’s work in India, we ask your continued support, and sacrifice and earnest prayers. GCB May 28, 1913, page 172.5

W. T. Knox: We will now call upon Brother J. S. James. GCB May 28, 1913, page 172.6

J. S. James (reading):— GCB May 28, 1913, page 172.7

THE SOUTH INDIA MISSION

WASe

The members of the South India Mission of Seventh-day Adventists send their Christian greetings to the General Conference assembled. GCB May 28, 1913, page 172.8

The South India Mission includes that portion of British India and Ceylon in which the following languages are spoken: Telugu, Tamil, Kanarese, Malayalam, and Sinhalese. It has a population of about sixty million people, which is more than half that of the United States of America, and an area greater than that of the Atlantic Union Conference plus the States of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. GCB May 28, 1913, page 172.9

Within this area we have forty-five million Hindus, four million Mohammedans, two million Christians, and the remaining nine million comprise minor other religions. The people of this field speak five cultivated languages, besides numerous uncultivated tongues and dialects. The main languages and the number of people speaking each are as follows: Telugu, 20,700,000; Tamil, 16,500,000; Kanarese, 10,300,000; Malayalam, 6,000,000; and Sinhalese, 2,000,000. GCB May 28, 1913, page 172.10

Thus far we have begun work in but one of these languages,—the Tamil, a race who have shown themselves more susceptible to Christian influence than any other people of the empire. In the Tinnevelly District, a small division of our field corresponding to a large county in this country, are to be found more Christians than there are in all the rest of India put together. They have a constituency which maintains their own bishop and clergy, and trains their own men to send to other parts of the country. The tenets of the Christian religion have been preached and known within the borders of our field by scores of Protestant societies since the days of the Dutch East India Company, in 1652, more than two hundred sixty years ago. Viewing our territory in the light of the commonly accepted rules of present-day mission comity, we have no unoccupied fields within our boundaries. GCB May 28, 1913, page 172.11

In 1908 we began work in the Tinnevelly District among a semi-heathen community known to us as the Tamil Sabbath-keepers. The fact that this sect of people had been taught certain ideas concerning the Sabbath, created a common ground of meeting between us, and opened the way for the final establishment of our work in those parts. GCB May 28, 1913, page 172.12

They came forward with a generous offer of two acres of land adjoining their village on the north, where we could erect buildings for carrying on our work. In March, 1908, I located with my family in the midst of the chief village occupied by these people, and began the task of establishing our work among them. This was not the easy task that it might have seemed from a distance, considering the fact that the religious ideas of this sect consisted of a grotesque mixture of Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, and Christianity. GCB May 28, 1913, page 172.13

Finding it impossible to carry forward work in our chosen locality without a proper house, which would remove our residence from the midst of great danger of disease in congested, unsanitary, and plague-infected quarters, we built a mission bungalow in the summer of 1909, at a cost of about thirteen hundred dollars, for which we owe our deepest gratitude to the loyal believers in the home land, who furnished us with the means to build. We now own three acres of land, on which has been constructed a brick building 50 x 36 feet, so arranged as to give us the equivalent of four large rooms and two verandas. With this house we have about an acre of land which can be used for garden purposes, in which is a good well of fresh water. GCB May 28, 1913, page 172.14

During our five years’ labor in this field we have held five baptisms, four in the Tinnevelly District, and one in Trichinopoly, an important center two hundred miles farther north. The total number who have united with us by baptism is sixty-eight. In addition to these we have as many, or more, who come regularly to our church, pay their offerings to us, send their children to our school, and take pride in calling themselves Seventh-day Adventists. We have not seen our way clear to baptize them, because they have not come into proper harmony with the teachings of God’s Word. GCB May 28, 1913, page 172.15

We have carried on medical work in connection with our mission from the very first. Our first dispensary was on the back stoop of the building we were occupying in the midst of the native village, and our only equipment was a few basins, bottles, and pans donated from Mrs. James’s culinary department, and that highly useful piece of furniture so much prized by missionaries, a good box, which I managed to donate. To these we added a few simple medicines for treating sores and wounds, diseases of the skin, eyes, ears, mouth, etc. GCB May 28, 1913, page 173.1

Our first patient was a man whom we persuaded to come in from the street and and let us try to heal an ugly ulcer on his leg. We had no difficulty in finding patients to treat when he went away fully healed in a few weeks. We were so thronged with the sick and suffering that it became necessary for us to rent a building, employ more help, and equip ourselves for more thorough work. We are now treating an average of one thousand cases every month, besides doing considerable work in the near-by villages. Through the kind and sympathetic treatment of all classes, this work has figured largely in minimizing opposition and establishing our work in the confidences of the people. [Replying to questions, Elder James said that the cost of this dispensary outfit was about forty dollars.] GCB May 28, 1913, page 173.2

Our school work was started one year after the medical work, and has had a similar growth. We began by selecting seven children at our station in Tinnevelly, and placing them under the instruction of an Indian widow in her own house, paying her salary and the expenses of the children from our personal money. But the school rapidly grew beyond our personal care, until today we have in attendance over one hundred children, taught by six trained teachers, in a commodious building erected on our mission property. This is a further evidence that the Lord’s people stand ready to supply the needs of a growing work. GCB May 28, 1913, page 173.3

At first our teachers were not believers in this message, but we diligently taught them and prayed for their conversion, with the result that all are now baptized, and the fruit which has already appeared in their work proves that this message has taken a deep hold in their lives. Fifteen of the boys and girls in the school have been baptized, and are looking forward to an active part in the work as soon as they are prepared. A high spiritual tone pervades all the school work. Were you to step into this school today, you would see the same order, system, and thoroughness that characterizes our best church-schools in this country. GCB May 28, 1913, page 173.4

Nearly three years ago, work was begun at Trichinopoly, a city of 150,000 inhabitants, the chief center of Roman Catholicism and Hinduism in South India. The work began in this place through a Tamil brother, who first heard of the truth in Singapore. Brother G. G. Lowry and wife were stationed there to develop the work, and as a result several intelligent Indians became very much interested in the truth. Unfortunately, owing to illness, Brother and Sister Lowry were obliged to return to America just as their knowledge of the language and the people made them of increased value. But the interest has continued, and Brother and Sister Peugh, recently of the Foreign Mission Seminary, have located there and are now studying Tamil. GCB May 28, 1913, page 173.5

At about the same time we opened up work in Trichinopoly, an out-station was established near our work in the Tinnevelly District, manned by two of our Indian workers who had been in training some time previously. this was scarcely launched before the leader was taken with cholera and died, thus making it necessary for us to abandon the enterprise for the time being. But our evangelist, while being cut down suddenly at the beginning of his work, left an influence which later resulted in bringing three splendid men to the knowledge of this truth, who have recently been baptized and are in training now as evangelista and colporteurs. GCB May 28, 1913, page 173.6

It has been said that our literature has figured largely in pioneering the work of this message in all lands. Our field is no exception to this rule. Almost the first work attempted after reaching the field was to have four of our tracts translated into Tamil. These were “Heralds of His Coming,” “New Testament Sabbath,” “Is the End Near?” and Which Day Do You Keep, and Why?” But it was not until January of 1912 that we were able to give the circulation of literature the attention that it should have. At that time we had two colporteurs devoting their entire time to the sale of our tracts. In July we felt that the time had come for us to enlarge the scope of our literature in Tamil, and our working force. A colporteurs’ institute of three weeks’ duration was arranged for in the city of Trichinopoly, to which we summoned every available man in our field. We were able to count nine men in our class who were ready for service. GCB May 28, 1913, page 173.7

PHOTO-NAZARETH SCHOOL AND CHURCH, TINNEVELLY, SOUTH INDIA

While this institute was in progress, a Hindu printer, with the religious marks of his god, Krishna, painted on his forehead, was engaged in getting out the first issue of our Tamil quarterly, The Present Truth, which was finished and delivered to us the last day of the institute. After the men had been assigned their territory, we knelt around this pile of papers, three thousand in all, and asked God to bless those who were to carry them to the people, and those who should read them. Since the first issue of our paper, nine months ago, our workers have gathered over twelve hundred fifty subscriptions among a most excellent class of Indian readers, altogether disposing of 9,525 copies. Since the appearance of our paper, we have had many calls from various quarters asking us to come or send some one who would teach them the Word of God. We are confident that the time is near when we may look for a large gathering of souls from among the millions of South India. We now have “Steps to Christ” in the hands of our colporteurs, which is meeting with a ready sale. “Bible Readings” is now in the hands of the printer, as is also the tract “Fundamental Principles of Seventh-day Adventists,” and a series of Sabbath-school lessons covering an entire year. A health booklet is now being prepared in manuscript, and will soon be ready for printing. GCB May 28, 1913, page 173.8

At the present time we have employed in our mission the following Indian workers: Two evangelists, six teachers, nine colporteurs, two medical workers, one assistant editor and translator, and one tract society worker. These have all been baptized, and are a body of earnest, consecrated workers. In addition, there are in training under our Indian evangelist, Brother E. D. Thomas, in Tinnevelly, a fine class of young men, who will soon be ready to place in the field. Our workers all pay a faithful tithe, and also give liberally in offerings. In 1910, tithes and offerings for our mission amounted to four hundred rupees; in 1911, six hundred rupees; and in 1912, one thousand rupees. GCB May 28, 1913, page 173.9

We are grateful for the protecting hand of God, which has been over us, and for the degree of success that has attended our labors the past five years. For all our vast and needy field we have but two European families, one of which is now on furlough in this country. We should have workers at once to commence the study of other important languages in our territory, prepare literature, and train a working force to carry this message to the people. It means two and sometimes three years of hard study and work before new workers can qualify to use the languages of South India readily, and do much effective work. We heartily thank our dear brethren in the home lands for their loyal support in the past, and we shall continue to press the battle forward in the strength of our divine Leader, praying that you who stand at the base of supplies may be blessed with largeness of heart, and the means to meet the growing demands of a victorious work in the uttermost parts of the earth. GCB May 28, 1913, page 173.10

JUDSON S. JAMES.

W. T. Knox: We will now call upon Miss Burroway to render her report, regarding the Karmartar mission. GCB May 28, 1913, page 174.1

Miss Della Burroway: Four years ago Elder Shaw characterized our station an experimental station, for the reason that we have carried on so many kinds of work there. Started first as an orphan home, we have continued with school work, as well as other kinds of work. The last four or five years we work. The last four or five years we have given our time wholly to work for the Bengali people. Within one mile of our station there are five languages spoken. In our home Sabbath-school we have classes in four different languages, the Hindi, Bengali, Santali, and English. I do not have any trouble, however, with the language I have learned, because if some one speaks in another language, I tell them I cannot understand, and to speak in Bengali, and I find they can generally do this. GCB May 28, 1913, page 174.2

PHOTO-NEW PUBLISHING AND MISSION HEADQUARTERS, LUCKNOW, INDIA

During the past year we have opened the sixth school in Karmartar. Five are located in villages, and the sixth is located in the mission compound. This school corresponds to our grammar schools here in the United States. GCB May 28, 1913, page 174.3

When there is a call for a village school, we state the terms to the villagers: They must give the house to the teacher, and buy the supplies, and we furnish the teachers. There are many of these calls we cannot fill. One has been standing four years. In these schools we begin in a very simple way. The house donated is always a little mud house. There are many holes in the walls to let in the light. The children learn their letters by writing on the mud floors. I try to visit the schools every week, with my Bible worker. GCB May 28, 1913, page 174.4

A little while ago I overhead a conversation between one of the students and his father. The father wanted his son to take part in a Hindu festival. The boy replied: “I cannot do it. There is no good in killing goats.” But the father said, “We and our fathers and their fathers have always done it.” “Yes,” the child said, “There was a time when God commanded us to kill the goats, but not since his Son came. He was the lamb himself.” The father came to me and reproved me for teaching the child thus. One little boy came to me and wanted to go into the mission home, to leave his home. I went to his father and asked if we might have the child. The father wanted to know what we would do with the boy. I told him we would make a teacher out of him. After a time he decided that he would give us the boy, and would make out the papers the next day. But during the twenty-four hours, the mother, who had not been consulted in regard to the matter, went to the head man of the village, and told him the circumstances, and they took the boy out of the school. This boy and we prayed together, and he was again placed as a day student. GCB May 28, 1913, page 174.5

Every Sabbath morning, with our horse and cart and three teachers, I visit each one of these schools. We hold Sabbath-school in every one of our village schools. We leave the house in the morning at six o’clock, go four and one-half miles to our first school, where the school children and the villagers are gathered together. By a picture and a chart hung up before them, we teach the children to pray, and to sing songs. We go on two and one-half miles farther to the next school. We go from there to the bungalow, where I rest, and then again we go to another village school. Coming in from that we have our own Sabbath-school at four o’clock. In our home school we have four different languages taught. We have teachers and a Bible worker working with me in Karmartar. GCB May 28, 1913, page 174.6

PHOTO-AT THE NAJIBABAD DISPENSARY, NORTH INDIA

I want you to know that India workers love their Lord. I took these teachers for two weeks etinerating in the jungle. We left our carts at six o’clock in the morning and went through the rice fields, expecting to go back at nine o’clock to get our breakfast. At nine o’clock I suggested that we go back, and one of the teachers said, “This is our last day; why cannot we work on?” At eleven o’clock I suggested that we go again. He said, “Let us do without eating today, and work.” We stayed until three o’clock, when our Bible worker became so weak that for her sake we gave up and went back. This Bible worker is from the second caste in Bengal. There are three native castes, some authorities say, in India, and she comes from the second highest caste. She stands with the teachers, and gives her testimony, in the villages. She can sell literature as well or better than I can. When we stop to realize that her Hindu sisters are in purdah, we see how God has worked for our Christians. GCB May 28, 1913, page 174.7

Very few people realize what a stronghold Bengal is in caste. A Hindu had consumption for three years. He had sacrificed to devils—he was a devil worshiper—to be healed of this disease. When we found him he was wholly discouraged. He said if there was nothing better in the Hindu religion, he did not want it. We told him there was a God who could help him, and we knew that he would find rest in the Christian religion. We taught him regularly for eight or nine months. At the end of this time he asked for baptism. In the meantime we had studied with his wife. She was not converted, but she thought she would take her stand. The day he was to be baptized his wife, for fear of her caste, backed down. He did not want to take the stand alone, so he said, “Let us put it off.” I invited her to a little dinner, given in the home of one of our teachers. She and her husband attended, did not eat the food. Their caste people did not know but that they GCB May 28, 1913, page 174.8

eaten the food, and the entire village was put out of caste because of this. A village is usually composed of a family—the father, grandfather, grandmother, nieces, nephews, uncles, aunties etc. This entire relationship was GCB May 28, 1913, page 174.9

out of caste. They could get back GCB May 28, 1913, page 174.10

caste by giving a feast, which cost them quite a little. They gave the feast, and told our missionary that if he entered the village again, they would stone him to death. For six months we could not go there. At the end of six months this man sent for our worker and told him that before he died he wanted to be baptized. This was on Tuesday. We set the time for Sabbath, as we had to send for Elder French. On Thursday the worker was called again, and there, with our Christian worker, the man passed away. We believe he was saved. GCB May 28, 1913, page 174.11

We have been doing very little work for Christians in Karmartar. All our work has been for Hindus and Mohammedans. However, just before our conference a delegation of Christians came from about seven miles away. Just then I had not much time to study with them. I gave them three subjects, “The Sabbath,” “The First Day of the Week,” and “The Two Laws.” I went to the conference; they went home. When I returned, these men came back and told me the entire village was keeping the Sabbath,—a large family. GCB May 28, 1913, page 175.1

Another village of the shoemaker caste came over to know why we kept the Sabbath. I said to them, “Why do you want to know?” They told me that one from their mission had joined our mission, and they wanted to know why he had changed, and was keeping the Sabbath. I taught these men, and sent them back to their village. Every Sabbath regularly these people came twenty-two miles to worship with us. I said to the men: “Why do you not go to your own mission? Your own mission is only half a mile from you.” They said, “Do you suppose we would walk twenty-two miles when we could go half a mile, if we did not believe this truth?” We have four of their children in the school now. When I wrote to the missionary, I asked him for transfers, and told him why we wanted to take the children. He wrote back and said he would not give certificates. I wrote back and told him that their parents wanted to keep the Sabbath, and I must take their children without the certificates. GCB May 28, 1913, page 175.2

Every Hindu owns his own little home in Karmartar. It may be only a little mud building, but it is his own little home. When we were living in rented property in Karmartar, they hardly knew whether we were going to stay, or not. The only renters are the wealthy people, who come up and rent a house, and then go back again. When the Mission Board sent over the money for a mission home, the people saw we had come to stay, and it has given altogether a different character to our work in Karmartar. GCB May 28, 1913, page 175.3

I want to speak a little about the dispensary, of how it was given to us. We went out and solicited funds for it. This took a long time. We went into the poorer homes, and the better homes. Many gave us only four cents. It only amounted to fifty dollars, when we had finished. Some of you may say it did not pay to collect the few cents that we were able to get. It did pay, because the dispensary now belongs to the people, and they believe it is theirs. They come there expecting to get help, because it is “our dispensary,” and “our doctor.” And in this way they have greater faith in us. They will call our doctors first, because of the help they have given. GCB May 28, 1913, page 175.4

H. R. Salisbury: Tell about the Mohammedan that gave his house to the school. GCB May 28, 1913, page 175.5

Miss Burroway: At one of our oldest schools there is a cripple who owns a house, which he gives us for a school, and he sits there all the time in our school. We believe this is good for him, because he hears the Bible every day. He has a Bible of his own, and he reads it and studies it and believes much that is written there. He has not yet taken his stand, but we hope that in time he will. One day the pastor of another mission came to him, and said, “You people are wrong; you ought to be keeping the first day of the week.” This cripple replied: “Miss Sahib, you do not know your own Bible. You ought not to be keeping the first day. Your Bible teaches you to keep the seventh day. These people are keeping the right day, but you are not.” GCB May 28, 1913, page 175.6

PHOTO-A GROUP OF CANVASSERS IN INDIA

When we canvass, we try not to let the people think that this is a Christian book or a “Christ” book. If we do, and the priests hear of it, they will tear the book to pieces before our eyes. We sell the book from the standpoint of the signs of the times. We canvass it from the standpoint of events that are transpiring in the world today. We do not tell them that this is a Christian paper. If they happen to see the name Christ on the first page, they will not have it at all. It makes no difference as far as different castes are concerned; all castes are against Christianity. But if you simply tell them of the events that are transpiring in the world today as signs of the end of the world, not as signs of Christ’s coming, the paper is bought and oftentimes read. GCB May 28, 1913, page 175.7

One caste can never eat with another; it would break caste. Even if the little children come to our bungalow in famine time, they will not accept cooked rice; they will die first. GCB May 28, 1913, page 175.8

Voice: What will the canvasser do then? How will he eat? GCB May 28, 1913, page 175.9

Miss Burroway: The canvasser must buy his food from the native bazaar always. We can go into their homes and ask them to cook us rice. They will not eat with us, but will cook for the Christian. We have been invited into Hindu homes, and the food we eat is placed on banana leaves, but these banana leaves we must ourselves carry out; they will not touch them at all. GCB May 28, 1913, page 175.10

Following Miss Burroway’s talk, Conference adjourned. GCB May 28, 1913, page 175.11

W. T. KNOX, Chairman;
W. A. SPICER, Secretary.

THE EVENING SERVICE

WASe

May 26 7:30 P. M.

F. M. Wilcox preached from Matthew 23:23. He referred to the very encouraging features of the present great meeting—the many reports and evidences of progress in the cause in all parts of the world—and warned against the danger of spiritual declension because of a consciousness of success and prosperity. This he said is illustrated in the case of the church of the Reformation and the church raised up by the Wesleys. First there was spirituality, but soon there came worldliness and a spiritual fall. Their danger is our danger. We have great institutions, a great system of organization, great denominational activity and achievement, yet this, good as it all is, will not save us. Let us beware lest we trust to these for our salvation. GCB May 28, 1913, page 175.12

He said that his faith is unwavering in the ultimate triumph of this church and this message, but he called attention to the fact that only a personal faith in Christ, made real and vital by the Spirit of God, can save us as individuals. “The ground for this warning,” said Elder Wilcox, “is the presence of subtle tendencies among us. There is in our midst grave turning to the world. There is a serious departure from the Sabbath in the matter of laxity among us.” GCB May 28, 1913, page 175.13

He referred to a recent issue of the Sabbath Recorder in which one of the leading ministers of that denomination calls his people to task for increasing laxity in Sabbath observance throughout that body. Elder Wilcox still further warned against our danger of drifting away into the world in the matter of neglect to study the Testimonies. “Let us return,” he said, “to the old-time faithfulness in all our daily experiences.” GCB May 28, 1913, page 175.14

At this point he pointed out very forcibly that we can be saved only by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. All our doing, all our giving, is vain, as a means of salvation. But once linked to Christ by living faith, we will do and give, not by compulsion, but spontaneously. This is the will of God concerning us. Let us then attend to the weightier matters of the law—love, faith, and judgment. May God make it so. GCB May 28, 1913, page 176.1