OCR Text |
Show Nov,25th. Sunday. This is Big Meeting day, wnich means that it is the day when as many of the 690 church members as can get away from home come to Lintsing for the day or two set apart twice each year for the reception of members, the observance of the Lord's Supper, and the giving of special lectures and sermons*! All those who "hope to join the church are here too. Up until we made the rule that all Vac' hoped to join must first study for 'two weeks in a preparatory class we were often swamped by the number of applicants. Sometimes the larger share of the men of some village would come, a few of them having heard enough of the Jesus way so as to be able to pass a fair examination, but the ' greater number often not being able even to repeat the Lord's prayer or tell who Jesus was. Now that we have the new rule the number .coming is smaller, but the actual spiritual results of the saecial days of meetings and of study are far more worth while than before. ' Soma six new members were baptized today, and about twenty joined on probation, Our great problem now is not how to win indifferent people to a desire to loin the church, but rather to teach those who already desire to be connected with v.s the fundamentals of the gospel-relate them to Jesus Christ as their personal friend am Savior, and send them out prepared to win others. Out of the tctal of two million and more people that surround us here 6£Q are now baptized church members and a thousand more have taken the first step. For work among this number f4 we have but six preachers, who must cover an area 01 mere uhan apou sq. miles. You can see that there is yet much land to be possessed, . I preached the morning sermon on the True Christian, showing what irmx-s of the Spirit he should bring forth, . , Nov. 26th. Our local church council met today in my study, vrwi a iu±x attendance of delegates from the outstations and of preacners ano^eacueib, I was elected Chairman and Mr. Wu, a graduate of the TnecicgicaL Seminary who now has charge of the local church work was chosen k.ce-kminnan, He is a son of the man who was so long Chinese pastor at P angcnuan0 c.na is a bright capable young oreacher. • v7e need more like him. «+*»*<** kov. 17th. First day of the Advanced Station Class, held au the old stre*. caaael aremises and to- last a month. Eighteen men present,. I will give a course in tae Teachings of Jesus, following the outline of a course oaken at Oberlin under Dr.. Bosworth. The evenings will be given over 00 lectures, and to the study of the next day's lessons*, „K«*a nf +KP Dec. tetk. 'Meld a teacher's meeting attended by all the teachers of the hoyz' one* k-.-aV schools, men and women together. Thus does China progress, .oaik, joint meeting would have been frowned down ten years ago as too close an association of the sexes i , tae. mil-, Tuesday. Great excitement in Lintsing] aae ooao m o m Tientsin aas ' arrived, bringing our $$Mi ^IANO, the steam heating apparatus ;3er the Hospital, and various other boxes and parcels long waited for* The piano given to us by kind home friends ana "personally selected in Cfctieago was shipped from there in June, By seven p.m. we had it unloaded and in the house. It came through in fine shape, and as some curiosity here, as it is the first piano Lintsing has ever seen. It will be a wonderful help to the children in their singing, such a comfort GO Florence, and a joy to all the station. 1 * : Dec. 14th* First big snow of the season last night* _ Dec, 23rd* Sunday*. The Sunday School had a special program giving stories and scenes of Jesus1 birth. My class gave The Shepherds seeking Jesus. ; One of the men was an angel, two were shepherds, and ooners were sneep,, Thus far the diary. And so it might go on till today did I gl noo fear of tiring you and running out of paper ! Christmas day was given over to the .'Chinese so that our foreign dinner, Christmas tree for tie girlies, etc*, came on the 25th,. Just as we were ready 00 sia aown to dinner Mr. Ellis announced that Congress had passedfthe prohibition amendment. Do you wonder that we sang the doxology |