CHINA INLAND MISSION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 55, 6 March 1900, Page 2

CHINA INLAND MISSION.

Dr. and Mrs Howard Taylor, of the China inland Mission, spoke at the Devonport Presbyterian Church last evening to a crowded congregation. Rev. E. Ferguson presided. Dr. Taylor read the Lessons from the Old and New Testaments, and briefly expounded them, calling attention to the-pro-mises and commands of God re the evangelisation of the world. Thereafter Mrs Howard Taylor (nee Miss Grattan Guinness) spoke from Romans i. 16: "For I am not ashamed oi' the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth." She said men naturally worship power of any kind—the power of wealth, intellect, social position, etc. Here is the Power Paul preached in cultured Corinth, busy Ephesus, philosophical Athens —the power of God unto salvation. Nowadays many people, even many churches, had lost faith in this power and sought other means of attracting publicity and popularity. But the Gospel of Jesus and His love was as quick and powerful to-day as nineteen centuries ago. Illustrations were drawn from Mission work in China, showing the Gospel was, and still is, mighty to the pulling down of strongholds. The China Inland Mission is at wor.k in over 300 stations, and employs 800 missionaries. Thirty-five years ago the Rev. Hudson Taylor founded this Mission, and since then 35,000 converts have been received (after considerable tests) into the church. About 1300 converts every year are won for Christ. Over all China the number of Christians is increasing annually at the rate of 12£ per cent. Many of the incidents dwelt upon were touching in the extreme, and all exhibited the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit. Dr. Howard Taylor spoke on Sunday morning at Devonport Congregational Church, and Mrs Taylor addressed the afternoon Presbyterian service at Lake Takapuna. Dr. and Mrs Taylor left for Rotorua this morning, and return to Auckland for a series of meetings ; beginning on 11th March.