I wish to tell you and our workers in America how much THE MINISTRY has meant to me, especially during the four years of Japanese occupation in these parts of the world when we were not able to get any help from our headquarters. When Japan declared war on the United States and Britain on December 8, 1941, all our foreign brethren were forced to leave Malaya. In this town of Penang the leaders of the Seventh-day Adventist English church—Pastor H. F. Benson and Dr. H. Hebard—were ordered to leave. Subsequently I was put in charge of the English church.
For this I felt most incompetent and unqualified. I was a schoolmaster and was not trained for the ministry. Being only twenty-five years old at the time, I was truly unprepared for such heavy responsibilities. In my helplessness I implored God to help me, always reminding Him that it was not my work but His. Then I set myself not merely to read the Bible but to know it, since the Word of God forms the basis of our denominational doctrines and teachings. Next I studied the writings of Mrs. E. G. White in order to strengthen myself spiritually and intellectually.
Then I devoured all the instructions contained THE MINISTRY. My latest copy was dated September, 1941. I learned, among other methods of labor evangelization, that the radio should be fully utilized to spread the good news of salvation and of the glorious appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. During the early period of their rule here, the Japanese Government was intensifying its political propaganda, and set up a new broadcasting station in Penang. There was an urge in me to approach the proper authorities to request permission to broadcast sermonets and to sing gospel solos. So one day I mustered enough courage to do so, and to my joy and surprise I was given periodic dates covering two and a half years.
We were allotted fifteen minutes for each broadcast. Ten minutes was given to the presentation of a doctrinal theme, while the remaining time was given to a solo, sometimes closing with a brief word of prayer. I became known to the radio public as the "singing evangelist." After the first few months of such solo broadcasts, our church also presented a group known as The Gospel Singers before the microphone. The Gospel Singers were usually given from thirty to forty-five minutes, during which time gospel songs and invitation calls were presented alternately. With the help of the Lord this effort was well received, and sometimes listeners would request that their favorite hymns be sung over the air.
In connection with the broadcast work of the Penang English Seventh-day Adventist church, I want to acknowledge the valued help I received from radio instruction in THE MINISTRY. Articles like "Better Radio Broadcasting," "Radio and the Divine Commission," and also tips and hints by H. M. S. Richards, Dallas Youngs, and others were carefully studied. I followed those instructions and applied them whenever possible in my work until I have become quite at home in front of the "mike." And please note that I had never faced a microphone before. There were many responses and interests aroused. The seeds of the gospel were sown in many homes, and only eternity will reveal the full results from the effort put forth by the humble members and friends of the Penang Seventh-day Adventist English church.
