MISSION WORK IN CHINA

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 115, 12 April 1933, Page 2

MISSION WORK IN CHINA

BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY. ADDRESS BY REV. C. N. LACK. Rev. C. N. Lack, superintendent in Australia for the Baptist Church China Inland Mission, gave to a large and interested audience yesterday afternoon some intimate glimpses into the work of the British and Foreign Bible Society in China. Many years of residence in China, during which time he was often in real peril of death from bandits, twice being sentenced to death during the Boxer Rising, well qualified Mr Lack to discourse upon the subject he had chosen. As an instance of tho great work the Bible Society was doing in China, Mr Lack mentioned that more Bibles were sold there last year than in any othor country in the world. “And they were needed,” he added. In that great country there were many zealous missionaries, but perhaps none more so than Mr Lee, a Chinaman. Mr Lack gave a short account of Mr Lee’s conversion from idolatry to Christianity. One day, Mr Lee found his way into the church where Mr Lack was to preach, and curled himself up in preparation for a sleep. Suddenly a voice resounded in his ears, “Where art thou”; it was God’s word to Adam, taken as the text for the day. Mr Leo took the question to heart and decided to pay attention for the remainder of the sermon. Some time later the same gentleman called on the pastor on business. As he was about to leave, Mr Lack halted him by asking had he eternal life. A few explanatory remarks were here interpolated by the speaker in reference to the question he had put. “Eternal life” was a phrase familiar to every Chinaman, and there were millions in China who ardently sought it. They had found no answer to thenquest except in Christianity. Pagan philosophers, such as the great Confucius, had given to the people excellent systems of ethics, but none had offered them “eternal life.” The answer of Confucius to those who interrogated him on the subject was “we don’t understand our present life.” His teaching contained much sage advice and moral counsel, but of forgiveness there was no 'mention. His reply to those who asked him was there any hope for the transgressor was, “We have no intercessor; there is no hope.” Confucius lived some 600 years before ChristReturning to his interview with Mr Lee, Mr Lack described how Christ’s promise of eternal life in the Bible had solved the riddle. From that 'time onward the young convert had spent himself in furthering the work of the society in his native country. Several other reminiscences were recounted by the speaker, bringing an interesting address to a close.

Rev. H. S. Conway, organising secretary in New Zealand for the China Inland Mission, also spoke in connection with the Church’s work in China along the same lines as the former speaker, describing particularly the conversion of the Chinese business men.

On the motion of Air A. Wylie a hearty vote of thanks was passed to the two lecturers, to the president (Rev. C. S. Matthews) and to the ladies who supplied the afternoon tea. During an interlude between the lectures a song entitled “Holy Bible, Book Divine” was feelingly sung by Mrs Matthews.

An apology for absence was received from Rev. C. G. H. Bycroft. Rev. C. S. Matthews presided at the meeting and introduced the visitors. At tho conclusion of the meeting a collection was taken up to augment the funds of the Bible Society. MISSION MEETING. The meeting of the China Inland Mission, held in the Baptist Church, last night, was well attended, and the speeches were enthusiastically received. Rev. C. N. Lack gave a very lucid statement of the work of the mission and its victories of faith. Rev. H. S. Conway spoke of the wonderful achievement of the plan to send forth 200 new missionaries in two years. This number was sent forth be- 1 fore tho time allotted had ended. The meeting was presided over by Rev. C. S. Matthews.