Colportage Boat in Hunan, China Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2017 with funding from Columbia University Libraries https://archive.org/details/bibleinstituteofOObibl I Jf - . ^ ) Dr. Frank A. Keller Dragon steps at entrance to main temple of Nan Yoh. Pilgrims are rubbing brass coins on the dragon. They sew these coins on the hats of their children to ward off demons and disease. Our colporteurs are preach- ing Christ to them, and giving them Scriptures. TSa® Balbll® ®f Sa®s ^2a®si1l flu ©Mma A few years ago Dr. Frank A. Keller, for many years a member of the China Inland Mission, saw a trim and sprightly launch steam up the Siang River and anchor at Changsha, the capital of Hunan, China. With- out delay, a company of foreigners and Chinese came ashore and began distributing in the shops and houses attractive little boxes containing samples of cigarettes. Later in the day, when the farmers and country mer- chants were returning home, they stood on temporary platforms by the way and gave to each man as he passed, samples of their wares. The doctor says: “As we saw their strenuous work and heard of their far-reaching plans, and thought of the thousands and thousands of towns and villages whose millions of people had never heard of Christ, or even seen a copy of God’s Word, who would soon be smoking cigarettes, our hearts were filled with burning shame and at the same time throbbed with a great ambition, to be equally comprehensive in plan, wise in method, and prompt in action for the King.” Just at that time there came to his hand a gift from the Bible House of Los Angeles to be used for the dis- tribution of the Scriptures in the Province of Hunan. He proposed to an evangelist and a Christian teacher to furnish a boat, food and books if they would make up a party of evangelists, teachers and Christian business men, and undertake a tour of evangelism in the province. They received the proposition with sympathetic enthusiasm, and after a month of blessed free-will service, returned with “a thrilling and inspiring” report of their experi- ment. 4 BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES Dr. Keller says: “We reported this work to our friends at Los Angeles, and told them, too, of the launch and the work of the cigarette party, and how it had stirred us. We also called their attention to the remark- able opportunity offered by the great waterways of Hunan to reach nearly every part of the province by boat. The heads of the Bible House of Los Angeles saw the vision, they heard the cry of the twenty-two million peo- Rafts on River at Hunan pie of Hunan, and they accepted as a commission from God the task of visiting, so far as possible, every one of Hunan’s 4,268,000 homes, to tell the people of Jesus Christ, and to leave with them as a free gift copies of God’s Word, or portions of it. ’’ Dr. Keller himself was at once engaged by the Bible House of Los Angeles to inaugurate and superintend a work of evangelization among these millions of Hunan- ese. The doctor undertook the task and after six years AFLOAT IN HUNAN, CHINA 5 of service, under the auspices of the Bible House, con- tinues it as a department of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, which has now assumed the responsibility of its support and development. THE SITUATION IN HUNAN Hunan is one of the fourteen provinces now com- prised in the Chinese Republic. It embraces about 80,000 square miles of country and contains about 22,000,000 inhabitants. Its people have been among the most proud, arrogant and inhospitable, of the conservative population of China. It became known as “the sealed province,” “the hostile province,” etc., but is now freely open and willing, if not eager, to hear the message we have to bring them. The opportunity certainly is great, — first, as to the field, second, as to the conditions. We need to remind ourselves that Hunan alone has 22,000,000 people, and that close by is Kiangsi, connected with Hunan by mod- ern railroad, and close business and social relationships, with a population of over 26,000,000; the two provinces together having a population equal to half of the whole United States. What a field! The people of Hunan are a well educated people, and a people of exceptional energy and character. It is a great delight and satisfaction to work among and for them. Changsha was one of the four cities chosen by the Rockefeller Foundation for carrying on its extensive work along medical lines. This fact is suggestive. “I am twenty-one years old, and my home is twenty miles from Changsha. I never heard of Jesus until a few months ago, when I came to the city to take a posi- tion. Yes, indeed, now that I have heard about Jesus I do believe in Him, and I pray every morning and even- ing, and also give thanks before my meals,” — -so said a 6 BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES young Hunanese in response to an inquiry, and he is but one of millions in Hunan, — strong, handsome, attractive young fellows who have never heard of Christ and live in homes with fathers, mothers and sisters who have never heard of Him. Dr. Keller relates the following similiar incident: “Recently 1 met a finely dressed and very intelligent young man on the city wall, and as we were walking in the same direction 1 had a nice talk with him. He lives right here in Changsha, but had never been in a chapel and had never heard the Gospel. Many, many are truly afraid to go to the chapels, but if the Gospel could be explained to them in their own homes, then they might be induced to come to the chapels of the various missions to learn more.” Plowing TTiese people are living in cities and villages, whole counties of them, like those described in the following extract from a letter recently received by one of our Hunan missionaries: AFLOAT IN HUNAN. CHINA 7 “May I bring to your notice the populous county of Kiyang in the Yungchow prefecture? There is a large hsien city (a county seat) and many large country vil- lages, without any missionary. I am responsible for that whole area, together with a large part of two other coun- ties. We should all be glad to give the fullest co-opera- tion to a band of your workers, and I much hope that you can arrange to come to the aid of a district which is ready for the Gospel, but has as yet been very little evan- gelised.” It is to meet these conditions that the Bible Insti- tute of Los Angeles has taken up the unique work thus inaugurated by Dr. Keller, in the hope that, by the grace of God, they may reach in some worthy degree the mil- lions of unevangelized souls for whom the Son of God shed His blood, with the precious Gospel of His salva- tion. This involves the careful training of a large force of Chinese evangelists, a wide-spread preaching of the Gospel, with distribution of the Scriptures and a careful conservation of results. THREE MAIN FEATURES OF OUR WORK There are three main features of our work, as follows: ( 1 ) The Floating Bible Schools. (2) The Hunan Autumn Bible School and Con- ference. (3) Intensive and Extensive Evangelism. (1) THE FLOATING BIBLE SCHOOLS Our student and working force live in large house boats. The plan of having a number of men living together on a boat, with definite, daily, united Bible 8 BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES study and prayer, makes provision for their steady, spirit- ual growth. The dangers attending the old methods of colportage, when one man was sent out alone for a month or two, separated from all Christian influences, are thus largely eliminated, and our hearts are gladdened by frequent testimonies from various sources regarding the earnestness, diligence and real spirituality of the men. In successful colportage it is absolutely necessary for the maintenance of the spiritual life of the colporteurs that they be men who are growing in grace and in the knowl- edge of God and of His Word daily and in whose hearts there is an increasing passion for souls. We aim, there- fore, to make our boats not merely colportage boats, but floating Bible Schools. THE BOATS Our boats are well adapted to our purposes, having a kitchen, several sleeping rooms, and a good-sized Forward deck of one of the boats, with family of boatman AFLOAT IN HUNAN, CHINA 9 saloon, which serves at once for a dining room, study, class room and also as a chapel for small evenmg evan- gelistic services. We now have a fleet of thj^e of these boats in commission, which we expect to increase to twelve in the immediate future. The boats are widely separated and move from point to point as the work demands. On each boat is a leader and his assistant, and ten students. If vacancies occur they are replaced by young men who give clear evidence of conversion and of a call to Christian work, on the recommendation of any evangelical mission. LIFE ON THE BOATS When on the boats, the men rise promptly at 5:30, and spend the time till 8:00 o’clock in private devotions and the preparation of their lessons. At eight they assemble for the class work. This continues till 9:30, their breakfast hour. At 10:00 o’clock they are off for a day of evangelism, and are expected back at 5:00 o’clock to spend the evening in report and prayer meetings, classes, evangelistic services and study. In addi- tion to a brief season of united prayer each morning, they have also a weekly prayer meeting and a second evening for reports and testimonies, which has proved of great value. THE COURSE OF STUDY The full course of study requires two years, and includes Biblical Introduction; Chapter and Topical Bible Study; Bible Doctrine; Outlines of Church History; Music; the Preparation of Gospel Addresses, with indi- vidual training in chapel and street preaching, and in per- sonal work. 10 BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES (2) THE HUNAN AUTUMN BIBLE SCHOOL South of the center of Hunan is Nan Yoh, one of the so-called “sacred mountains” of China. Many temples and hundreds of priests are there, one temple being at the very summit of the mountain. Dr. Keller says: “Several years ago the Rev. G. G. Warren, of the Eng- lish Wesleyan Mission, visited Nan Yoh, and saw the Hunan Autumn Bible School Building in which the sessions of the school have been held for six years. wonderful opportunity there, a field ‘ripe unto the har- vest.’ There he saw thousands, aye, tens of thousands of young, earnest, worshipping pilgrims bowing down to false gods. He came back to Changsha and with heart aflame told a story that stirred our souls, and that some of us will never forget. One of the results of that visit AFLOAT IN HUNAN, CHINA I I and of that address is the Hunan Autumn Bible School. Mr. Warren has been one of the most enthusiastic sup- porters of the School and one of the most acceptable teachers during its entire history. Each autumn since that address was given, we have had the privilege of inviting the Chinese pastors and evangelists of Hunan to come to Nan Yoh as our guests, and join us in three weeks of Bible study, conference and prayer, and in personal work among the pilgrims. We have fitted up a large house in which we can entertain about seventy men, and we secure lodgings in neighboring houses for any others who come, all dining together at the main building. Usually about eighty men from ten or twelve different missions Hunan Autumn Bible School, Teachers and Students, 1913 have accepted our invitation and have come to the moun- tain to enjoy the bracing air, the good food, the happy fellowship and the blessed work. 12 BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES These men have been converted, then trained and finally set at work in one center where they have only met a half dozen missionaries, often less, and no Chinese Christians or workers outside of their own city. Think what it must mean to them to come to a place where they are free from all care, no family or work to look after, and where they can meet, confer and pray with Chinese workers from all over the province, and be led in the study of God’s Word by missionaries of various churches, and join in three weeks of intense, fruitful, heart to heart labor among thousands of earnest, religiously inclined young men. In the early fall our boat companies adjourn for this month of Bible study, conference and special work among the pilgrims to the famous shrines. THE DAILY PROGRAM OF THE AUTUMN BIBLE SCHOOL The program of work is as follows: Forenoon: Three lecture and quiz periods, 45 minutes each. Afternoon: Practical work and Scripture distribu- tion among the pilgrims. Evening: Evangelistic services, writing up lecture notes and study. AFLOAT IN HUNAN, CHINA 13 HOW WE REACH THE PILGRIMS TO THE “SACRED MOUNTAIN’’ “To systematize the work we divide the men into twelve groups, and assign certain groups to work on The Pilgrims’ Ten Mile Flight The road up the mountain is ten miles long, and about half of it con- sists of steps. 14 BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES each of the four main roads leading into the temple vil- lage at the foot of the mountain. On these roads, about a half mile from the village, we have booths with tables, stools and supplies of the indispensable tea. We never approach the pilgrims when they are going toward the mountain, but after they have performed their vows and are returning home, we invite them into the booths and offer them a cup of tea. Then, as they sip the tea, we tell them as much as possible of the Gospel and present each one with either a New Testament or a copy of one of our other books, together with one or two tracts. If the pilgrims are in too great a hurry to tarry, one of our party walks along with them preaching the gospel by the way, and then after giving a Testament or book to each pilgrim in the group, returns to the booth to join another party. The colporteurs learned that many pilgrims started for their homes very early in the morning, and so they began rising at two and three o’clock to go out and work until breakfast time among these faithful but deluded worshippers. They keep up this strenuous service for the entire month. In 1912, during the four weeks on the mountain, there were presented to the pil- grims, after personal conversations with them, 4,150 New Testaments; 33,000 copies of the ‘Synopsis of the Gospel’; and 6,798 smaller collections of Scripture pas- sages. Gospel posters were pasted up for miles along the roads leading to the temples. One incident from a recent report will demonstrate the far-reaching influence of this department of our work. One of our leaders, Mr. Cheng, writes: ‘Last year the five sons of a prominent resident of Tui-Kuang-Chow, a man 76 years of age, went to the Sacred Mountain to worship and each received a copy of the New Testament. On their return, the father devoted most of his time to reading these new books. Very soon he became convinced of the truth of the gospel and then embraced every opportunity to talk to his neighbors AFLOAT IN HUNAN. CHINA 15 about it, until they said he had become crazy. He took one of the Testaments and sent it to a very dear friend in Kweiyang, the capital of the province of Kweichow. Mr, Hsiao telling pilgrim (on his 22nd annual pilgrimage) how the camera worked. 16 BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES When we reached the village, and the old man learned that we were preachers of the gospel, he welcomed us to his home as though we were near of kin. He asked many questions about the gospel, to which we replied by showing his passages of Scripture bearing on the points raised. At the close of our conversation the old man said: “If only 1 were younger I would like to go out with you and proclaim this wonderful story of the saving grace of the Lord. As it is, I shall do my best to lead my family and my neighbors to repent and believe.” THE PRINTED PAGE IN OUR EVANGELISM (1) Our Posters: We have large lithographed posters, 30x40 inches, written by expert Chinese pen- men, and printed in brilliant colors on strong paper, like the reduced copy on page 1 7. This poster reads, as follows: “BELIEVERS OBTAIN SALVATION’’ “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life,” John 3:16. The smaller characters at the left read: “These words have been taken from the Holy Scriptures of the Christian religion. All who read are invited to visit a gospel hall and investigate. If you will purchase a copy of the complete New Testament and read it, you will be able to understand more perfectly this important teach- ing.” Other titles and texts are: “There is Hope,” 1 Pet. 2:24; “The Free Gift of Eternal Life,” Rom. 6:23, etc. Altogether we have published eighteen different texts, and to each one there is added the statement and invita- tion as above. 0 L ^ ^ Jpt t # -I- S ^ .€ ^ t %t a {fc f ^ - ^ ^ /L 4t m m 4^ jH:- t f ^ ^o -?f f-] ■^o ^ 4;. f& fl$ -fife. +S ^ "fiS* ■ * jS. ffl, i 5 ^ <’*{• - 5 ’ ■c:,/L^ 3p V^ ^ Vr ^ No. 8 < S ife >& q 3 > Illustrated Portionette “The Good Samaritan” IS ii ^ pg - JL * ifi} ill Wx To 4>. la. S IS4> fa; a X ra 11^ fa J!f! fS fife m ii fS fife a fa*. liX t jA. 5f0 m 6^ llB A, )» m. fUJ 'iit * ffi — 0 P5J fit f® i i-i 6^- m ftfeo ftfeo m. M To p] f@ H. ?? fa*. JS 7^: x'i — Jit m m m m 31 — * A ftij ^ 5a P f@ ‘^'1- a 5§ ^ f® fife !$ *1 m. }U ifl Pi IK it?) Ss m A 7. ifc * efj 15 fa; ill PfSo 4 n 1 fife m n T 0 f® fl. Kf m id. 31 fife ¥ ^ 3 B S W fife T 1S fill US m. 0 m W ;3a 1^ ■ m ^1 a ae m 17, m 6f) -h M J:; ^ ^ « ± <£.\ — - A. fife T Sfc fa*. la. fife ¥ S JM 0 m e ± f® I® ar 15 « fa*. m. m- Si S: ia a III m ill T f@ f'l 11J iw m’ T>l m m a ?K. '1515 71C •a- A Jk ' ^il 1 J m -31 tt m m ilfe # ?E. * ^.o iP jL'. _t. T, « « Bio f5? jl #& p. m 3& yj\ 1!. "iSo 15 0 m a IS m. f^^o ;s A m fife. IE 15 A g m n It i? ^ "H rl fife ± ill m ft E m T 11^ -S a. ® M 1? gi, ;s « fife. l^£ fife 0 15 :*. W ® ?? E-t" 52 fa-. S fife »ii 0 m. m. AFLOAT IN HUNAN, CHINA 19 (2) Our Books: We have also several specially prepared books of Scripture passages, so combined as to form a connected narrative and give a simple statement of the way of salvation. Each has a brief introduction stating that the extracts are from the Holy Scriptures of the Christian religion. There is also a cordial invitation to the reader to visit a Gospel hall when he goes to the city, to talk with the attending evangelist about the Gos- pel, and to purchase a New Testament and study it dili- gently to get more light upon the truth. One of these books, the ‘*Fu-Yin-Tso-Yao” or “Synopsis of the Gospel” is a brief connected statement of the life of Christ, wholly in words of Scripture, and makes very plain God’s plan of salvation. Another book, the “Sheng-King-Tseh-Luh” or “Selected Portions of the Holy Scriptures” is the fruit of three years of prayerful labor on the part of two well known Christian workers. The Bible House of Los Angeles has printed over 800,000 copies in Spanish, under the title “Porciones Escogidas de la Palabra de Decs” and has circulated them in 24 Spanish-speaking countries. The portions of Scripture are so selected and com- bined that one passage of Scripture is used to illustrate, explain or emphasize another, no other note or comment being added. For example: The book begins with “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made.” John 1 :l-3, 14. Then follows the story of the creation as given in Genesis 1 :l-5, 24-31, closing with “(Jesus) Who is the image of the invisible God, the first born of every creature; for by him were all things created, that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisble, whether they be thrones or dominions, or principalities or powers; all things were created by him, and for him; 20 BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES and He is before all thiners, and by him all things consist. Col. 1:15, 16. Then comes a description of Adam in Eden, fol- lowed by the first Psalm and the story of the fall. God’s judgment of sin and His plan of mercy for the sinner, are shown by passages from Old and New Testaments. The story of the brazen serpent is preceded by Rom. 6:23 “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord” and is followed by John 3:14, 15, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up ; that whosoever believeth in Him may have eternal Life. ” And so right on through the book of 200 pages, by “comparing Scripture with Scripture ” God’s revela- tion is set forth and explained in its own words. A Country Theater OUR METHODS OF WORKING Some years ago at a conference of Hunan mission- aries, a plan was proposed for dividing up the seventy- AFLOAT IN HUNAN, CHINA 1 three counties of this province among the missions work- ing within its borders. The plan was generally approved, and while not formally adopted in detail, the several mis- sions have practically accepted the responsibility for the evangelization of the counties in which their work is located, and adjacent counties not occupied by other mis- sions. In most cases the missions are responsible for much larger districts than they can possibly reach in many years, therefore they gladly welcome our colporteurs to help them in a widespread proclamation of the message of life. In this way, the missionaries themselves are more free for the very important work of caring for young con- verts and newly formed churches. This definite co- operation with the regularly established missions pro- vides for the conservation of results, and saves the work from being in any sense a mere passing effort. THE DAILY PROGRAM Our daily program of evangelism comprises house to house visitation, street preaching, guest room work on the boat and evening evangelistic services. We go into a county only on the invitation of the mission responsible for that county, and remain there, moving our boat from point to point, until we have visited practically every home. Daily (except Sunday) at 10:00 a. m. ten men from each boat go out two by two to visit people in their homes. If possible a trained worker and a first year student go together, the latter preferably from the dis- trict being worked. With this in mind when we are invited to work in a county, we ask the missionary in charge if he has four or six promising young Christians who would like to take our course of training in Bible study and methods of work. If this arrangement is made we have the benefit of the local dialect of these men dur- ing our period of work in their county, a thing of very 22 BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES great advantage in house to house visitation, and at the end of the campaign we can give back to the mission a number of trained men who will be of permanent value to the local work. Colporteurs about to leave boat for their day’s work. Rev. C. S. Champness, of the English Wesleyan Mission, standing with them. On entering a home, the men tell the Gospel story briefly, but as simply and clearly as possible, and with a definite appeal for decision. They are often able to have prayer in the home, and before leaving they present the people with one of our specially prepared books of top ically arranged portions of Scripture, or with a Gospel, or in some cases even with a New Testament. One or two tracts are usually given also. We find the “Illus- trated Portionettes” and other publications of the “Dis- AFLOAT IN HUNAN, CHINA 23 tribution Fund” of great value in this work. They can be obtained free of all expense by any missionary in China on application to the Rev. W. E. Blackstone, 1 8 Peking Road, Shanghai. An incident in a late report shows the tactfulness and persistency of the men in their work. As they approached one home the people quickly closed and barred the doors and windows. However, these win- dows, as is frequently the case in China, consisted of a lattice work over which was pasted tissue paper through which the voice could be heard as well as if the windows were wide open, so in spite of closed windows and the ridicule of some children, the two colporteurs stood out- side and gave their message of love and joy and peace. Soon the doors were opened and they were invited in. The people explained their action by telling of some rough men who had passed that way recently and had both robbed them and demanded supplies of food. “But” said they “men with a message like yours, are welcome.” The people visited during the day are invited to attend the evening evangelistic service and the morning Bible study; many accept these invitations. Others fol- low the colporteurs from house to house and so hear the message over and over again. Still others begin at once to study the books and later go down to the boat to talk with the leader about the new and wonderful things they have read. The leader spends the greater part of the day on the boat, glad to receive and help all who come. Every book that we give contains an invitation to go to the nearest chapel to learn more of the Gospel and to purchase copies of the Scriptures. We also put in each book a little printed slip giving the exact location of any chapels that may be in the county where we are working. Two men in each party devote their time to pasting up our large lithographed Gospel posters, and in preach- 24 BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES ing to the people who gather to read them. The work in each section of a county usually closes with one or two general evangelistic services held in some central place which can be reached by most of the people of that sec- tion. It is sometimes necessary for a party to leave their boat for a few weeks, or even months, and take up resi- dence in a rented house, or in an inn if no house can be secured, in order to reach villages far inland. The work is conducted in the same way as from the boats, and when all the villages about one center have been reached, the party moves on to another center. It is therefore evident that this plan of work is perfectly prac- ticable even in provinces that do not have the splendid water-ways with which Hunan is so well supplied. SUPERVISION The method of supervision is one of the most impor- tant features of the work. The missionary responsible for the district is cordially invited to co-operate with the men, and some missionaries have spent several weeks with the party, — a fellowship that has been inspiring both to the men and to the missionaries. The superintendent keeps in touch with the parties by personal visits, semi- monthly reports (see next page) and monthly diaries. Copies of the reports are sent both to the missionary of the county and to the superintendent; they give in tabulated form a full record of each day’s work, the number of homes visited, and the titles and number of books dis- tributed. Cases of special interest are described in detail. Although we keep thus closely in touch with the work, the actual conduct of each party is entrusted abso- lutely to its trained Chinese leader, and we cannot empha- size too strongly our convictions as to the value of this detail of the plan. We seek to make the men feel they are serving the Lord Christ and Him only. This develops I- a. 0 0 . u IT >- J 1 H Z 0 z i iij (/) ' V 4 - ■'"a r^i 04 a t* j S* » tt o t-t -J Wan. O E 0 s. S ^ 'a ? 9 6 z it s O J\tr) J' r-i ro -#- oo ro Ml to ''0 fO i Q-' m xtt »s oc Jr J- j- 0 il$ ^ SI ^ si If v< *Tj '' «S (JO Z' Q r' 11 Q oo <>Q ^ O <»0 -1“ to *0 (S' > CO Cl 4. 4 - “O to O' il Q ^ h CO Q ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ So 00 ^ r*^ '*^ Q t<0 "sfi Cj J- Ml c 9 O' O' ffl W® ^J< il if Ci O- '-i OO OQ OC' OO «r? (T'J OQ Ml Q (I' ^ T-j (T-< fO " ^ 1} S-«i ta oo J- O' «'< -S' 4 — ■ }'- r^ fO n to — (i- Ml 5 ~i V, 4 - i- O' w 4 - - m$k 11 «£ O'- OO -t- < 5 ^ i'- " fO n n n sH J- O' ‘o '0 Z' ao ro J- O' ro — MD 00 -4 isifliiii mm ^1 aO 1^ < 3 ^ OQ ■*0 Oo V<-'^ Oq oo ^ i-f) V) 0-