Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

thousand inmates. In it we visited one hundred different places, of which only twenty-four had any local Christian work. This work required over eleven hundred miles of wagon travel and probably four or five times as much on foot. Our work is quiet and unobtrusive, but is the most important which can be done for the people.

Wyoming

The Rev. Ira W. Kingsley, who has for a long time carried a small stock of our Bibles in Casper, Wyo., has recently changed his residence, having turned his stock over to his successor, the Rev. J. M. Dickey. We trust Mr. Dickey will be successful in the work, as we believe he will.

The following two pastors have expressed themselves willing, in connection with their pastoral work, to give us a part of their time for the distribution of the Word: the Rev. Charles Gray Miller, of Buffalo, Wyo., and the Rev. C. H. Witteman, of Lingle, Wyo.

In Rock Springs, Wyo., we find a great coal belt with many coal mines which employ a great number of foreigners of various nationalities. It has been the desire of many, and especially the two pastors located there, that these aliens might be reached with the Word of God, and we have therefore supplied the Rev. F. C. Lewis and the Rev. T. B. Lawrence with our Scriptures for this work. They find the field an extremely hard one, but because of its great need, are not only willing but glad to press on in this work. We are glad that Mr. Lawrence, whose health failed during the year and threatened to break down completely, has found the change from Wyoming to Florida to be all that could be hoped for, since word has just reached us that he has fully recovered.

PACIFIC AGENCY

This Agency was established in 1907, and includes the states of California, Nevada, Washington, and Oregon. The circulation for the year 1913 was 128,952 volumes, which brings the total distribution up to 354,452 copies. Twenty-three persons have been employed in the distribution. The Agency Secretary is the Rev. A. Wesley Mell, Y. M. C. A. Building, 200 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco, Cal.

HE completion of the Panama Canal and the approaching Panama-Pacific Exposition in California spur the activity of the representatives of the Society on the coast. A spirit of expectancy and hope is abroad there. Great results are looked for and no one can foresee what the next few years may bring forth. Under such circumstances Bible work becomes more than ever a joy and an inspiration, and the glow of Mr. Mell's report is a reflection of this spirit. The large increase in the circulation over that of last year, nearly 50,000 volumes, and all the other figures tabulated below are true statements of the spirit and plan with which the operations of the Society have been pushed during the year. These have been happily accompanied with generous gifts from earnest and devout souls who have the interest of the Society deeply on their hearts. Mr. Mell writes as follows:

[graphic]

The Year's Work

Persons employed in Bible distribution....

Days spent in this service......

Miles traveled......

Towns and villages visited....

Sunday schools supplied with Scriptures.

Jails, institutions, etc., supplied.......

Families found without Bibles and supplied..

Individuals without Bibles supplied.

Families visited......

Languages and dialects in which Scriptures were sold and distributed........

Volumes sold and distributed..

Total value of books sold and distributed.....

Secretarial Work

23

1,574

29,335

835

69

46

1,974

2,403

22,416

57

128,958

$15,587.40

Besides the regular secretarial work at the depository and the work of administration throughout the Agency, the Secretary has again visited various conferences, synods, councils, and other de

nominational and interdenominational gatherings, covering fully 20,000 miles throughout the Pacific Agency, giving Bible addresses at Sunday services and frequently speaking on week-day evenings.

Changes

During the year there were changes in our office force, brought about by the continued illness of our efficient and trustworthy office assistant, Miss May Whitehead, who was with us since our first year on the coast. The late Dr. Geo. A. Hough, one of San Francisco's most popular pastors, was a special friend of the American Bible Society, and on his tour around the world prepared addresses to be used in furthering this Bible work. Because of his interest, as well as her own, Mrs. Hough kindly gave us assistance in the office, rendering faithful and valuable service.

Our depository having outgrown our three rooms in the Pacific Building, we moved to the Y. M. C. A. Building and occupy the large store and corner room on Golden Gate Avenue and Leavenworth Street. Over twenty tons of Bibles were moved into these beautiful new quarters.

Property Interests

Throughout the year we have given special effort to the Civic Center property debt-raising fund. During the year, and largely as the result of this special effort, several notable gifts were received. The Rev. Geo. A. Blair gave to this debt-raising campaign unremitting service for nine months of the year. He thoroughly canvassed the coast with conscientious care, and through him a very large number of friends of the Bible cause made contributions. The receipts for this particular fund totalled $21,345.30. Of this amount $8,345.30 was in cash and $11,000 in pledges. Some of these contributions were from those who made real sacrifice that they might help in the work, and such gifts seem specially sacred and are deeply appreciated. Our hearts were specially touched, not only by gifts from the poor and the invalided, but from the children who sent help, as when a class of boys and their Sunday-school teacher in Astoria, Ore., saved and sent us $5.

Special Gifts

The treasury of the Society has been enriched during the year by some unusual special gifts from the territory of the Agency-one from a generous Life Member, Mr. W. R. Harris, lately of Oregon and now residing in Florida, who has turned over to the Society a large portion of his property, reserving for himself and wife a life interest, and from Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Norton, of Seattle, who had been deeply interested in the Society's work both at home and abroad. Mr. Norton, who died during the year, made the Society his residuary legatee. This in time should bring the Society a large Mrs. Norton, since his decease, has turned over to the Society as an annuity gift valuable real estate in the suburbs of Seattle.

sum.

Such generous contributions are highly appreciated by the Board of Managers, and when made known must greatly encourage all the friends of the Society.

An Anonymous Gift

Among the special gifts not counted above in the gifts to the Civic Center property, was one income bringing property valued at $10,000. This was deeded to the Society for special work, but the donor holds a life interest.

A Publicity Tour

Among the outstanding features of the year's work was the publicity tour the Secretary made on the coast with the Rev. J. L. McLaughlin, on furlough from the Philippines. The Rev. Mr. McLaughlin and family wintered in California, and Mr. McLaughlin gave us splendid service in lecturing on our American Bible Society's work in the Philippines. He had a magnificent set of colored slides illustrating his lecture, and the pictures and his addresses were immensely popular. With him we toured the coast states, speaking in the largest churches, before preachers' meetings, and various institutes and assemblies.

Hindu Colporteur

Another special work was the sending out of Mr. Paul Chovey by the churches and the American Bible Society for a summer's work among the Hindus.

Mr. Chovey is a native Christian from Bombay, India, the son of Bishop William Taylor's first Hindu convert.

There are some five thousand Hindus in the United States and nearly all of them are in California. There is a strong prejudice against them, especially in the cities. Mr. Chovey visited the Hindu camps from the southern border of California to Portland in the north. His Scripture work was in the following languages: Urdu, Bengali, Panjabi, Roman Bengali, and Hindi; he also did some work in the Japanese, Chinese, and English languages. He writes:

66

While among the laborers I made no attempt to argue on religion. I simply would start by talking with them on the condition of affairs in India, and then drift to the social side of it, and then on to the practical teachings of Christ. My work was entirely personal work, though I would sometimes gather them in small groups of five and six. To those who were willing to buy Gospels I sold. To some who would not buy, but were willing to read, I gave the Scriptures. There were among the laborers a few who could not read or write their own language, and such people naturally find pleasure in undesirable houses and saloons. Some said to me: Listen, sir. We are outcasts in this country, and if we become Christians we will be outcast by our own people; then what will we do?' All I could tell them was to give themselves to Christ and read the Gospel of St. John, and they would be guided. I distributed Urdu Gospels among

the Mohammedans. Among the students I found moderates and extremists. The moderates are quiet and attend to their studies. All of them are very susceptible to kindness and some of them are real, earnest inquirers after the truth. When I see my countrymen on the coast going about like friendless people in the streets, my heart goes out to them."

Quite a number of Christians and missionary workers have also taken an interest in Bible distribution among the Hindus, and with these the Society has co-operated. Sporadic efforts have been made by the churches here and there to help these men, but on the whole, these Hindu laborers are to-day the most lonely and outcast class in America.

An Encouraging Convert

Among the number of Hindus that have visited in the Secretary's home, there was one who gave evidence of being an earnest seeker. For over a year we followed this young Hindu with love and prayer. One day, to our joy, he came with beaming face into the San Francisco depository and said: "Oh, Mr. Mell, I have been truly converted. Christ is my Saviour. I am so happy I feel I must go back to India to tell the good news to my people." He has since returned to India to be a missionary to his own people. We have received a number of testimonials of the good work which the special tour among the Hindus did. The following letter reached us addressed to Mr. Chovey:

SIR: We read the book you gave us some days ago. We find it very inspiring and full of truths. We find great pleasure while reading it. We hope that you will kindly come here again and preach us some truths and principles of your faith. We have an earnest desire to hear you and hope that you will not disappoint us. Yours sincerely,

SUBA KHAN,
SHEE MUHAMMED.

Gratitude

The following is one of the letters received after a Christmas reception at the Secretary's home to some of the Berkeley Hindus:

MY DEAR MRS. MELL: Hearty thanks for your noble Christmas present of Holy Bible. I am very much pleased to have the Bible with me. I am thankful for your kindness. I was very busy yesterday writing letters to my mother, my brothers, and friends. Separation from all those nearest and dearest makes me feel loneliness, and sometimes I become absorbed in sorrow. I am glad to have access to your family. I will attend church on Sunday. My B. C. to Mr. Mell. Wishing you health and happiness, peace and prosperity, I remain with kind regards

Very sincerely yours,

AMBALAL.

« AnteriorContinuar »