The American Missionary — Volume 49, No. 05, May, 1895

by Various

STREET PREACHING IN CHINATOWN.

REV. W. C. POND, D.D.

Our brother Loo Quong writes from Fresno as follows: "I cannot help telling you about the interest we have taken in the street preaching here in Chinatown, and the interest of the Chinese who have attended our meetings from Sunday to Sunday. It was a beautiful sight to see the great big crowd of interesting faces, to hear us sing the songs of praise to the Almighty God, and to hear the preaching of the sweet gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who loves the Chinese as well as all mankind.

"I have taken more interest in my preaching on the streets in this city than anywhere else, because I could get more help to sing with us. Besides, our people here seem to be more interested in such meetings than anywhere else. We begin at 12.30 p.m. After a few hymns were sung a loud prayer was offered to our God and Master by Wong Gow. Then I mounted the chair and preached for half an hour. Then a hymn was sung, and Brother Wong Gow took the chair and preached another twenty minutes to the big and interested crowd. After this another hymn was sung. A young American boy who was a true Christian[pg 171] happened to pass along there, and made a stop to see what was going on. After he found out he too mounted the chair and gave the crowd a few cheerful words. Then we closed with the song: 'Are you Washed in the Blood,' (in Chinese I suppose: W. C. P.) following this with the Lord's Prayer in Chinese. During all this time there was not one ever did move away from the big crowd, but rather new-comers swelled it larger and larger. There were a great many Americans in it too, and they all seemed to be interested. I am sure that a great many of the Chinese hearts, at least, were touched by the preaching of the Gospel to-day. May the Lord, help them to understand it more clearly!

STREET PREACHING IN FRESNO.

"I believe that the street preaching has become the most important part of the missionary work in this State. For nowadays, with the Chinese, things are not like those of ten or fifteen years ago, when we could get a great many Chinese into our schools to be taught English, and so the Gospel times are getting harder for them in this country every day, and they are growing old, and therefore they have more[pg 172] cares in their hearts and so lose interest in study. I have tried this many times. When I succeeded to get them in for one, two, three, or four nights, they are not interested and do not come again, and when urged to do so, they offer some kind of excuse. So we must take the street meetings as the main point to fight sins, to sow the seeds, and use the schools as our reapers."

And so Loo Quong goes on to urge me to stir up the street preaching at all our missions, which thing I was and have been forward to do, even without urging. I believe he is right in saying that while we cannot dispense with the schools--indeed the whole work without these would be unorganized and fruitless--yet for "sowing the seed," for reaching those who are far off, we must depend on street preaching. The English primer has largely lost its power as a bait for the gospel hook. We must do our fishing for men on other lines.

Accordingly I am pressing our Chinese Christians into this work, and am providing them with cards printed in Chinese, on which they can sign their names to the simple statement: "I like the Jesus' doctrine. I would be glad to study it. The preacher may call to see me at ----."

The reverse side of the card contains the location of the mission house, names of teacher, helper, etc. The intent is that no one willing to listen to the word of life as uttered in private and personal conversation, should fail to be found and to be urged to take his stand with the followers of Christ. We wish to follow up the public service with effective private and personal preaching.

Two of our Chinese brethren at Fresno are to be baptized and welcomed to the Church to-morrow.

Let no one imagine that street-preaching is a new feature of our work. We have practiced it on all our fields, and ever since we had Chinese Christians capable of doing it. But it has not been attended to as regularly and with as careful preparation: it has not been made a constant and prominent element of our missionary service, as with God's help I mean to make it hereafter.

A friend writing from Santa Barbara says of Yong Kay: "For some time God has been laying the burden of Chinatown upon his mind and heart. He said that he ought to be like Paul--go to those who have not heard the Gospel. So, with some singers from the church, he has gone into their street on Sunday afternoons and held open-air services. A crowd has gathered, attracted by the singing, and Yong Kay has preached to them in Chinese. Those who were interested the first time came again yesterday, and one could tell by their earnest faces that they were taking in the thought of the speaker. It was a touching scene; and not less touching, perhaps, that little group at the mission house[pg 173] about to start for the preaching place, as Yong Kay gathered us about him and said: 'We will have a short prayer.' He went in the strength of the Lord, and he will doubtless come again, bringing his sheaves with him."

Mrs. Davis, our teacher at San Bernardino, writes likewise: "We had a song and preaching service in Chinatown last Sabbath, and the effort was most gratifying. About forty Chinese gathered and listened with the utmost interest, as you could see by their very earnest faces and close attention. We plan to have these services regularly if Gin Foo King can be continued with us. The longer I work with these people the more my heart goes out to them in their sad condition, out of Christ."