Overseas evangelism, with its peculiar problems, is always of great interest to the readers of THE MINISTRY. The Farthing Evangelistic Group have recently completed an evangelistic campaign in Secunderabad, India, and at this writing, are in the midst of a successful series of meetings at Guntur. A capacity crowd heard A. H. Farthing discuss the question, "Why God Will Not Permit World Destruction by the Hydrogen Bomb," on the opening night of the present campaign, April 14 of this year. An average of six hundred people a night have been attending the meetings. Each session consists of two identical programs, in English and in Telugu. The Bible Hour at the start had to compete with the "greatest circus on earth," which set up its attractions two or three hundred yards away from the meeting tent. This proved, however, to be a great means of free advertising, since the crowds going to and from the circus could see the big advertisements of the meeting.
The readers of THE MINISTRY will be interested in the procedure of this evangelistic team in combining the two sermons in both English and the vernacular in each meeting. Elder Farthing writes, "Our plan for the last year or so, with certain modifications as the circumstances demanded, is to have an English song service with an English opening hymn or special music, followed by a translated prayer and announcements with the offering. All literature is either distributed before or at the close of the meeting as the audience enters or leaves the auditorium.
"The English sermon comes next and is followed immediately by a period of vernacular singing or specials, and then the vernacular sermon, with the amen prayer. In this way we are able to get the whole program into one and a half hours, and not more than two hours at the most. Neither sermon takes more than thirty or thirty-five minutes, and perfect timing is of paramount importance in all features of the meeting."
One of the interesting factors in Pastor Farthing's evangelistic approach is the way he definitely plans for the baptismal services before the meetings begin. "It has always been our practice," he says, "to plan our baptisms ahead and trust God to supply the souls." Here we see faith and works united. At Guntur he had a baptismal service on the first night. Four persons who had been previously prepared for this important step were immersed in the baptistry that had been built inside the tent, beneath the platform. Such public witnessing preaches an effective sermon on the subject of baptism by immersion.
K. Israel, the local pastor, leads out in the vernacular part of the service, and Leonard Clemonds, a graduate from Spicer Memorial College, assists in the meetings. A powerful team of lay workers, including the veteran lay leaders Dr. and Mrs. P. Samuel, render valuable assistance with their personal work.
An evangelist needs to be more than an impressive preacher, a tireless worker, and a good organizer. He must excel in the field of public relations. Like our Lord Himself, the great apostle to the Gentiles sets a noble example in this respect. The secret of becoming all things to all men in order to win men for the kingdom could be called the highest qualification for successful evangelism, and no country in the world puts a heavier tax on relationships than does the great land of India.—EDITORS.
