Related Letters - 1906.01.25 Mr. Muller + Fukien Prayer Union

Church Missionary Society Foo-chow China Jan 25th 06

Dear Mr. Baring Gould,

I am enclosing a letter just issued by our United Prayer Union, which will give you some idea of how God is gracious by answering our prayers. Yet, while we have much to praise Him for, and we do praise Him and take courage, we have not received the fulness of blessing which we have been praying for. This of course in India, we do long for a mighty out-pouring which shall overflow though all of us Christians, Missionaries & Natives, to the heathen all around. We do indeed need it, we feel that as missionaries we are not all that [the] Lord would have us to be, and many of our catechists and Christians are cold and lifeless, tho’ these are most earnest and spiritual[sic].

I trust you will remember to the us much in prayer.

Of course you are at liberty to hand the enclosed over to the additional Secretary if you wish to do so.

With very kind regards,

Yours very truly,

William Muller

I am sending a copy of the enclosed to the editors of “The Christian” and “The Life of Faith”

Foochow, Jan. 1st, 1906

To the Members of the Fuh-kien Prayer Union: —

All are asked to unite in sincere praise and profound thanksgiving for what God has wrote in answer to prayer during the last 3 months.

(1) For the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit in the recent conferences—(a) Annual meeting of the different mission. (b) First Y. M. C. A. training conference in Fuh-kien. (c) The different gatherings of missionaries and pastors for the quickening of the spiritual life and for the arrangement of an evangelistic campaign. (d) The organization and aggressive work of the Native Christian Revival Society (history of same given in another place).

(2) For the remarkable and sustained spiritual awakening in the northern part of the province. (Reports are herewith appended). Many fragmentary reports reach us of evangelistic work in other sections of the province. We will be glad to have full particulars for publication, also the dates of special campaigns planned for the future. Please notify the secretary so he can enlist the members of the Union in this important service of intercession.

The different plans and interesting manner in which the Christian forces are shaping themselves seem to suggest that we are on the eve of a mighty conflict—a conflict, in which “The Son of God goes forth to war A kingly crown to gain His blood-red banner streams afar Who follows in His train?”

May we all be found faithful remembering Jesus’ words in Mark, 9:29.

Yours in His Name L. E. McLachlin Cor. Sec. F. P. U.

P. S. We are now revising the roll. All missionaries who do not want to be members this year please notify the secretary.

Enclosed articles–

American 1 ANGLO-CHINESE COLLEGE

For many months, in face every since the organization of the Fukien Prayer Union toward the close of the summer of 1903, both missionaries and Chinese Christians have been praying for a special out-pouring of God’s Holy Spirit on the Chinese church in this province. And these prayers have been answered to a certain extent all through the months from time to time. Revivals have been held here and there and much deep heart-searching and quickening of the spiritual life has been the result. Last winter our Amoy brethren had several months of blessed meetings in South Fukien with good results under the leadership of Rev. C. Cambell-Brown. In Kien-ning, Hok-chiang, Ku-cheng and other places in our own North Fukien, including the Anglo-Chinese College, and other Foo-chow schools much good was accomplished through revival meetings. In some of these places Diong Eu Seng of the Church of England Mission, was greatly used of God in bringing Christians to a realization of their short-comings and to a longing to be more Christ-like and to tell the good news of salvation to others. In other places the pastors or missionaries themselves were the leaders.

About this time the news of the Welsh revival was coming with all its freshness and inspiration and two tracts were translated and circulated telling our Chinese preachers and Christians of the great work going on in Wales and urging them to continue still more earnestly in prayer that the same blessing might come to Fukien.

In Sept. of this year just before time for the schools to reassemble came the Summer Conference, planned by our new Y.M.C.A. secretaries, Messrs. Beard and McLachlin. Mr. Diong was at this meeting, which was conducted along the lines of the student Summer Conferences at Northfield and elsewhere at home. It was very greatly successful in the inspiration which it brought to the picked men of the various Colleges represented, and its influence was felt from the very beginning of the term in the renews consecration of the leaders and for the increased desire for Bible Study for personal devotion and the greater eagerness to do personal work.

Mr. Diong, above mentioned, was one the leaders and made a powerful impression, not only by his addresses, but by his private intercourse with the boys and his habits of personal devotion.

After the Conference he was used in various schools in Foo-chow city and suburbs, and every where there was “the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees” and the Spirit’s power was felt in the hearts and lives of those who attended. The leaders of Christian work in the Anglo-Chinese College, especially the Presdient of the Y. M. C. A. was much impressed that we ought to have Mr. Diong at the College but when he was interviewed it appeared that his time practically for the rest of the year was promised. However he thought he might be able to come to us in the eleventh moon. The following which is a literal translation of a Chinese letter sent from the Y. M. C. A. in our school to one in Amoy, tells the rest of the story. It was written by a Junior student, who plans to become a preacher.

“We have had revivals in the Anglo-Chinese College before but this revival has been very different and yet it is hard to tell just what that difference is. We have all been greatly moved by the Holy Spirit. Now I will tell you a little of how the revival started. The foreign teachers and the Chinese teachers of English, together with the earnest-hearted Christian students,, planned to invite Mr. Diong Eu Seng to hold a series of meetings in the College sometime in the Chinese eleventh moon but the date was not exactly fixed. On the 17th of the tenth moon, (Nov. 13th) over sixty students met to pray for God’s blessing on these meetings and that He would make it possible for Mr. Diong to come. The next night one room would not hold those who wished to attending this meeting and two rooms were used and finally three. While we were praying the Holy Spirit came down in great power and mightily moved upon the hearts of those present. Many of those who were praying realized that that they were sinners and that there was no use praying if they were not at peace with their fellows. So those who had any quarrel or who had not been friendly with their fellow-students first rose and confessed their sins and wrong-doings and asked for pardon. When the one who had been offended was present he would rise and grant the forgiveness asked for.

Friday (the 21st) was the evening for our regular Y. M. C. A. meeting. More than 200 attended this meeting which was led by Mr. Ding Miang Ing (one of the teachers). He spoke on the duty of being at peace with all men. Then he asked all present to pray earnestly and examine their own hearts. While we were praying many were weeping and it seemed as if the foundations of the house shook with the sound. Those who had sins, whether great or small, confessed, not covering up anything. Those who did not fully understand the meaning of this, thought that the others were crazy. That evening about forty found forgiveness, salvation and peace. The next a. m. at six o’clock many gathered again for prayer and the depth and earnestness of their prayers can only be compared to the deepest sea or the hottest fire.

That evening many of the more earnest Christians went to urge the non-Christians to attend the meeting. Although as a rule many students get permission to return home on Sat. evening vert few went at this time for they wished to attending the meeting. If you ask, “Who led this meeting?” we can only answer, “All were leaders,” for each spoke or prayed as the Spirit led and sometimes many were praying at once. There were many at the meeting who were not members of our M. E. church but all were earnest in their confession of sin and prayers for pardon. The heat of the confessions may only be compared to the burning sun of summer. Men were attracted by the words of testimony as a magnet attracts iron.[”]

That the Christians were moved by these things was not so remarkable as that students who had formerly been enemies of Christ and had been very bitter in their opposition also came to the meeting and confessed their sins and asked forgiveness. They were like Paul on the road to Damascus when he saw the vision of the one whom he had persecuted. All were specially earnest in their prayers for the unconverted Chinese teachers (teachers of the Chinese classics) and for those students who had not yet accepted Christ. Many were much concerned and prayed with weeping for their people at home who had never heard the Gospel or who had not accepted it. From six o’clock until eight the whole room was filled with the sound of weeping as though the parents of all those present were dead.

Although the time for revival meetings had not been fixed and no speakers engaged or other preparations made the Holy Spirit had come in great power and the leaders felt that the meetings must go on. Mr. Diong was free on Monday and Tuesday and was asked to come and speak, but after he had been there for a few minutes Monday evening he said, “This is the Holy Spirit’s work. There is nothing for me to do.” On Tuesday morning he spoke at chapel on Naaman’s leprosy as a type of sin and his address was very powerful. Tuesday evening he was ill and could not be present but the meetings continued for the remainder of the week. More than eighty students who had never made a start in the Christian life confessed their sins and gave their names as inquirers. Seventeen of the Christians promised that they would enter the Christian ministry.

From the above account it will be seen that the reason why the Holy Spirit came in such great power was because were all ready to confess our sins to our fellows and to God. May we all realize the truth of Christ’s words in Matt. 5:23, 24. “Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. “

While the events related above are going on in the College the showers were falling in other places. On Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of that same week Mr. Diong was at Tai Maiu, afternoon and evening, where the girls from the Girls’ School and Seminary, the women from Women’s and Romanized Schools and the older children of the Orphanage met together. The Spirit was also there and there were the same scenes of weeping and confession of sin and anxiety for personal salvation and for loved ones in danger. And in answer to the prayers peace and joy came and testimony after testimony gave evidence of a deep work of grace in these hearts.

To show that this has not been an outward manifestation only one little incident shall close the account for the present. The Saturday after the meetings closed two of the boys from heathen homes went home with a burning desires to tell their own conversion and to persuade them to accept Christ. The message in both cases found ready listeners and the boys’ hopes are strong that before long the idols will be destroyed and Christian teaching introduced. The two families are not related but are neighbors and the boys’ hope that they may open a chapel in one home or the other as the nearest place of worship is more than a mile away. Pray that these beginnings may grow into great things for the Kingdom of Christ and that many more of the heathen boys may become converted and be the means of leading those in their homes to Christ. ___

AMERICAN BOARD COLLEGE

It is not often that we have been able to report such definite blessing in the work as this fall. Many elements have contributed to this result. the presence of the Seminary students and teachers in the College community has been a notable spiritual help, and among the Chinese teachers in the College there are several whose deep earnest piety has had a great effect upon the students. The morning chapel, with the earnest talks by the teachers, and by the pastor and other preachers invited to speak to the students, the active spirit in the Y.M.C.A., following on the summer conference which some of the members had attended, and the vigorous evangelistic spirit of the pastor, were preparations for a most remarkable work of God’s Spirit in the school under the preaching of a native evangelist, Mr. Diong, a Spirit-filled man mighty in the Word and in prayer. His influence over the boys in the college, as in many other places where he has held meetings, was most profound, and it was not a mere temporary influence, for the other steady determination of many of the students not to let the revival spirit die out is manifesting itself continuously since the close of the short period Mr. Diong could be with us. We cannot but rejoice with especial joy that not only did God’s Spirit work mightily among us, but that the long cherished hopes of us all had been realized, in that He was using a Chinese evangelist to accomplish His wonderful work.

Dr. Arthur Smith of our North China Mission, who was a visitor at the time and assisted in some of the meetings regarded as one of the most memorable things he had seen in Foochow this proof that God could use a Chinese Christian as completely and powerfully as He had used a Finney or a Moody in America. The meetings of the revival were carefully planned, and besides special meetings for different classes of the students and for the teachers there was a systematic development of the truth presented, leading from the awful guilt and punishment of sin to the terrible suffering and wonderful love of Christ for us. The leadership of the meetings was not in any sense in the hands of the missionaries. The Chinese teachers and older students and the preachers in the city churches, especially the pastor of Peace Street, labored faithfully and earnestly, but the whole series of meetings was distinctly led by the Holy Spirit.

The first meeting was a story of Mr. Diong’s conversion told very simply and earnestly on Saturday evening; the next day there were three general meetings, and the same on Monday, but on Tuesday classes were suspended and the morning had given up to special meetings for the different classes; by Tuesday night seventy-two of the students had handed in their names as desiring to be Christians, and on that evening many of them stood up and for the first time openly professed Christ before men. When we hear of students whose parents threaten to disinherit them if they join the church, as in the case of at least one of those who stood up at that time, we realize the mighty power of God, which is using this Chinese evangelist to bring his own people to Christ.

Mr. Diong’s meetings closed the next day, but abundant proof of the real power of his work has followed. Over forty of those who handed in their names applied for admission to the church, and though comparatively few were received, because the large majority were from heathen families and quite without religious training, yet classes for these and for those who had not applied for entrance to the church were held for their instruction by the Christian teachers and older students and a daily pray-meeting has been maintained by the students ever since. We feel sure, from the deepened earnestness of the Christians in school, that we shall continue to reap the blessed fruits of this revival as time goes on. ___

C.M.S. GIRLS’ SCHOOL

Since the visit of Mr. Franson to this school in Nov. 1904, when we had what certainly was a true revival following the prayers of months of expectant waiting upon God, our girls have gone steadily on, and we looked forward to much blessing in the mission Mr. Diong promised to hold for three days this autumn.

Mr. Diong began his mission here on a Monday and that day and the next were days of conflict and strife. On the third day Mr. Diong said that in the early morning hour with God He [sic] pleaded for victory and finally said,—”O God, You can’t deny the victory to the Lord Jesus and I claim it in His Name, and I come to Thee by the blood marked way.” Was it any wonder that that day victory was given, and hearts were melted, and souls were saved?

We believe a real deep work has begun in the hearts of all our girls and would ask God’s praying servants to beseech Him for this school, for we long to see our girls not only owning Jesus as Saviour, but rejoicing in Him as Master of all that they are and have, and as the Redeemer from “all” iniquities. ___

PONASANG GIRLS COLLEGE

The Girls’ College and Preparatory School of the American Board have shared in the awakening which has been so widespread in the Foochow Missions.

When Mr. Franson was with us in the Autumn of 1904, the special services which he held with the girls were greatly blessed, and though in some cases the change was not as lasting as we hoped, yet it was a preparation for the deeper work of this year.

Mr. Diong spent nearly a week with us shortly before our Annual Meeting in November last, and his searching words stirred many hearts, the assistant teachers, especially, feeling keenly their responsibility for the salvation of the younger girls. The Annual Meeting which followed was most spiritual in tone, and it strengthened good purposes already made, but which had not yet been thoroughly tested. As the weeks passed by, the older girls in the College began to wonder why they were slipping away and their hearts growing cold again. rom this came deep heart searchings which revealed things in their lives that were hindering spiritual growth. They became oppressed with a sense of sin, which led to many public and private confessions. One day the feeling was so deep that the girls asked to be excused from their lessons, as they were anxious to go to the bottom of things and put away every hinderance. It was a day long to be remembered, and one over which the angels rejoiced, as peace and joy took the place of tears and self-condemnation. Not one was left without a blessing.

In the Preparatory School the work was no less deep and real. One evening in a meeting of the older girls, the Spirit’s presence was wonderfully manifested, and many confessions of sin were made. The next day the younger ones began to notice the change, feeling that something had happened from which they had been left out, so another meeting was held and they were guided into a deeper experience. Since then, prayer meetings can not be kept within the allotted time, and there are many proofs that the change was real.

In the College, the daily morning prayer meeting has never been omitted since Mr. Diong was with us, and its influence is very helpful. Now the girls are working out the practical application of all this in their daily lives. Some have fallen under the power of temptation, but, so far as we know, they have risen up stronger than before, and are pressing on more humbly because they realise more keenly their own weakness. They still need watchful care and constant help, but we feel they have come nearer to Christ than ever before, and are learning to recognize and obey His voice. ___

AMERICAN BOARD CHURCHES FOOCHOW DISTRICT

Regarding the revival of our churches we have had meetings for five weeks. During the first three weeks Mr. Beard was leader. There were special meetings each day for three days in each of our six city churches. In the evening a prayer meeting was held. Preceding each meeting led by Mr. Beard there was a half an hour prayer meeting. These prayer meetings including the preachers and members of our other Congregational churches. Mr. Blundy of the C.M.S. kindly helped us at one of the churches at which there was a good deal of heart searching and confession of sin. Pastor Guoh of Peace Street Church, Mr. Cio Lik Daik and Mr. Diong Min Siu of Foochow College also had charge of early meetings.

It is too early to tabulate the results, but even at this early date some things are evident. There has been a revival of prayer among our members, simple, earnest, definite prayer for themselves, for the church, for their unsaved friends and relatives. Fathers asked prayers that their sons might be saved. The church members became interested in the unsaved about then. At one of the member’s homes we held a meeting attended by over a hundred people and several of these decided to become enrolled as learners. Our meetings had some influence in the formation of the evangelistic band of members from all churches in Foochow City. This band of men has gone out Sunday afternoon and held evangelistic services for outsiders before the Viceroy’s yamen, the Buo Si’s yamen, the Emperor’s temple and other places. At these meetings hundreds of men heard the Gospel who before had not had the opportunity of hearing it.

The last two weeks of our revival services we spent in the three country churches at Cieng-bang, Iong-bang and Buong-ka. Mr Diong Ming Uong led the meetings assisted by four Theological students and another teacher of the Theol. Seminary. There were seven workers in all. In the morning and in one evening, special services were held for this church members. [sic] In the afternoon the workers held services in the surrounding villages and preach to those who do not come to church. At two of the churches these bands have begun to work.

Footnotes

1 - Handwritten in margins of scanned magazine image