The demand for the word of God in China is now vastly greater than it has ever been. All our Missionaries as well as Brother Roberts now have free access to the insurgents. The destoyers of the idols begin to feel more secure and are more earnestly clamoring for the Holy Book. They desire the Scriptures that they may see and know what these new teachings are. They must have the Scriptures to show them the way of eternal life. They are not converted men except comparatively a few. They are not true believers in Jesus Christ, but they are ready to receive the Gospel. They are anxious to have an opportunity to study its sacred pages, and we cannot but hope, that as they receive and study the truth, God will bless his truth to the salvation of their souls. Formerly the difficulty was to get them to read the word; they were strongly prejudiced against it; they hated it and its teachings. It is probable that most of the copies which were given were destroyed. Now they praise it above all other books; they seek for it earnestly; they receive it with eager gratitude; they read it with attention and wondering interest; it is now the “Heavenly Treasure.”People far in the interior who have never seen a missionary send hundreds of miles for a copy of the “Holy word.” Not only the insurgents who have destroyed their idols and taken (formally at least) the Lord to be their God, but the other party also are sending to Canton and Shanghai for copies of the Scriptures. The demand is immense, but the supply is limited by the scantiness of our means. We desire to make large appropriations for this field. Will not the churches enable us to do it? Brethren let us hear from you. Don’t wait for the secretary or our agent to visit you, take the subject into your own hands, act four [sic] yourselves, act promptly, and may God give you a heart to act liberally. Any funds sent to me or Bro. Fuller, the Treasurer of the Board, will be most thankfully received.
A.C. Dayton.
Sou. Baptist B. B., Nashville, Tenn.=========== [The Tennessee Baptist, September 23, 1854. Taken from the CD edition of the m/f. Transcribed and formatted by Jim Duvall.]
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