The Baptist Missionary Society
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THE BAPTIST MISSIONARY SOCIETY (Founded 1792) 145th ANNUAL REPORT For the year ending March 31st, 1937 LONDON PUBLISHED BY THE SOCIETY A T THE CAREY PRESS 19, Furnival Street, E.C. 4. Telegraphic Addrett; ** Asiatic, Fleet, london," Telephone ; Uolborn 5SSS (S lines) CONTENTS PAGE “ THE POWER OF HIS WORKS” ................................ ... 5 THE SOCIETY AND THE CHURCHES ................................... 6 REPORT FOR THE YEAR 1936 9 BIBLE TRANSLATION AND LITERATURE ........................ 32 WOMEN’S WORK, 1936 ... 33 MEDICAL WORK IN 1936 41 AT THE HOME BASE .................................................................... 48 THE MISSIONARY ROLL CALL, 1936-37 .................................... 51 MAPS ................................................................... 53 PART II. THE SOCIETY : COMMITTEE AND OFFICERS, 1937-38, &e. f,7 LIST OF MISSIONARIES ...................................... ... 73 STATIONS AND STAFF.............. 94 STATISTICS AND TABLES ......................................................... 101 SCHOOLS FOR MISSIONARIES5 CHILDREN ........................ 129 PART III. ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS AND DONATIONS - ... 133 LEGACIES (General) ... ... ... ... ... ... 137 WOMEN’S F U N D ............................................................................... 138 MEDICAL FUND ... ... 139 BIBLE TRANSLATION AND LITERATURE FUND .............. 141 GIFT AND SELF-DENIAL W E E K .............................................. 142 DEFICIT .......................................................................................... 142 LONDON BAPTIST MISSIONARY UNION ........................ 145 ENGLAND: COUNTY SUMMARIES— ................................. 153 WALES : COUNTY SUMMARIES .............................................. 186 SCOTLAND: COUNTY SUMMARIES ................................... 202 IRELAND, CHANNEL ISLANDS AND ISLE OF MAN ... 205 SPECIAL FUNDS ... ... 9»7 SUMMARY OF CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THREE YEARS ... 210 GENERAL SUMMARY OF CASH A C C O U N T ........................ 211 TREASURERS’ CASH ACCOUNT .............. ... 214 SPECIAL FUNDS ACCOUNTS ................. ... 21* AUDITORS’ CERTIFICATE ......................... 220 GIRLS’ AUXILIARY ..................................................................... 223 THE “ WANTS” DEPARTMENT .............. 224 TOTAL EXPENDITURE FOR THE YEAR AT HOME AND ABROAD ................................. ... ... 225 The Baptist Missionary Society 1 9 3 6 - 3 7 ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY-FIFTH YEAR ANNUAL REPORT “ THE POWER OF HIS WORKS” “ He hath showed His people the power of His works, that He may give them the heritage of the nations.”—Psalm cxi. 6. HE duty and joy of every Christian is to bear witness to the T saving power of God as he has felt it in his own life. The corporate task of the whole Church is to win the heritage of the nations through the power of God as it is expressed in His Gospel. This report of the Baptist Missionary Society in its 145th year aims at showing what the Gospel is doing among the nations to which missionaries have been sent. It is God Who is at work through them and through the converts who have been won. The secret of power for this service is not in the human agency, the organization, the financial resources, important and necessary as these are ; but it is in the Divine Grace that uses them. ***** HE present challenge of the world’s unrest, the defiance of the T new paganism, the failure of Western civilization to put away the barbarism of war—all these make only more evident the wonder of that Christian faith which survives and prevails. The conversion of an unbeliever into a true disciple is one of the mighty works of Christ which reveal His glory and attest His claim. In this Report are the records of thousands of such miracles among all sorts and conditions of men. To God belong the kingdom, and the power and the glory. ***** \A7E record with humble thanksgiving that 5.110 persons have ▼ V been led to make public confession of their faith in Christ through the ordinance of believers’ baptism in connection with the B.M.S. this year. This is a larger number than last year, probably a larger number than in any year since the ingatherings in the West Indies in the middle of last century. THE SOCIETY AND THE CHURCHES By Rev. B. GREY GRIFFITH, BJ>. HE Baptist Missionary Society has been called into existence by T the Churches, inspired by the Holy Spirit. Whatever the Society does, it does on behalf of the Churches. The General Com mittee is appointed to its task by the choice of the Churches, and when a Report is given it is rendered in the first instance to the delegates of the Churches. It is the privilege and the obligation of the Society to create, foster and increase, under God, the missionary spirit in the Churches, by which spirit the Churches live. This means that constantly the Churches have to be informed, the appeal hits to be unceasing and the vision kept clear. A. THE APPROACH TO THE CHURCHES (1) Deputation Visits. Once again the Churches and Auxiliaries have been visited by missionaries, members of Committee, the staff of the Mission House and other friends. What this means can be estimated by the fact that in busy months like October. November, February, March, speakers are appointed for over 1.000 meetings in each month, while in months like April and May forty Churches are visited on each Sunday. In what at one time were regarded as quiet months there has been in recent years a great increase in the number of meetings held. All departments of the work have had their place. Men, women, doctors, nurses, teachers and translators have told the Churches something of what is being accomplished, and how much more might have been done had there been greater resources in personnel and money. (2) Literature. From the very first days literature has played a large part in the advocacy at home. The R ev. E. A. Payne has entered upon his duties as Editorial Secretary, and has been in charge of T he H e r a l d and T h e Q uest. Many new pamphlets have been issued, including in these last days The B.M .S. and its Tasks and the pictorial booklet called I wonder Who He is ? Letters from mission aries and stations have been sent out to those linked up to the scheme of Prayer Helpers, and to those who contribute to the upkeep of beds, and who help to maintain some specific support, such as Infirmiers, boys and girls at schools, etc. The missionary officers in the Churches have been supplied with a Quarterly giving reports of what is being done in Auxiliaries and Churches all over the country, and containing suggestions for deepening the interest at home. Box-holders have received a Bulletin, and registered Sunday Schools have been furnished with news suitable for their teachers and scholars. Leaders of young people and children have been provided with a Quarterly entitled Our Marching Orders. Periodical letters have beep sent to the 0 1 9 3 7 .] THE SOCIETY AND THE CHURCHES. 7 ministers, generally giving some striking story of our work or of conspicuous blessing. (3) Exhibitions. The Exhibitions Department has had a busy year, with an increased call for lantern slides and lectures, and many applications for costumes for demonstrations. The possession of projectors in our Churches has led to a new demand for films. The Congo Film and the Indian Medical Film have been in constant use, while already there is a heavy booking for the new Indian Film. (4) Summer Schools. This productive contact has again been most encouraging. Schools were held at Bexhill, Felixstowe and, in con junction with the Foreign Missionary Committee of the Baptist Union of Scotland, at Ayr. Altogether more than 1,000 weekly places were filled, and so there has been created amongst our young people a mind full of missionary knowledge and zeal. In addition conferences have been held for missionaries, and also with the League of Ropeholders, which has passed its twenty-fifth birthday, the Girls’ Auxiliary, the Baptist Women’s League and Welsh Women Officers. Reference will be found on another page to the work of the Home Preparation Union, the Girls’ Auxiliary and the “ Wants ” Depart ment, but here we would like to place on record a special appreciation of the services of the Honorary Secretaries of the “ Wants ” Depart ment, Mrs. Lush and Miss Mabel Angus. They have decided that this shall be their last year. What their service has meant to many stations, and especially the hospitals, none can estimate. The work has never been easy, but it has always been done with a contagious cheerfulness. B. THE RESPONSE OF THE CHURCHES \ A7HAT has been the response of the Churches ? V V ( l) The Gift of Life. A glance at the Missionary Roll Call on another page will reveal how the Churches have responded in the candidates who have been accepted. Others offered who could not be accepted, in almost every case for health reasons. From all parts of the country, and indeed from many parts of the world, they have come : men and women, teachers, doctors, nurses, a printer, one from business, theological students; they are the fruit of the missionary spirit in the Churches. (2) The Volume of prayer has grown. For example, the number linked in the Prayer Partners’ scheme of the women’s work now totals 22,800. We have heard of revivals of missionary prayer meetings, and sometimes the visit of the missionary deputation has been turned into a prayer meeting. The sale of the Missionary Calendar has advanced. Nothing is more encouraging than this increase of those engaged in prayer. 8 ONE HUNDRED AND i'O&t'Y-Fli'TH ANNUAL REPORT. (3) Church and Missionary Officers. We have been continually aware of the encouragement being given by the ministers and officers of our Churches. Addresses and sermons on the missionary work of the Church and in particular, of that of our own Society have widened knowledge and roused enthusiasm in many quarters: 600 ministers responded to the call for a special reference to Medical Missions on St. Luke’s Day, which last year fell on a Sunday. In particular, we would like to mention the services of the missionary officers in our Churches and Auxiliaries, and also of the Councils that have supported them.