In response to the stirring appeal of Robert H. Pierson for greater evangelism, the workers of Western Mindanao girded themselves for the most daring evangelistic thrust in our territory. All field workers, working by twos, were involved in tent efforts. For the first time, office workers were involved, leading out in a second series of meetings. These included L. D. Duriquez, Sabbath school and lay activities secretary; V. J. Secong, MV and educational secretary; T. R. Rojas, book and periodical agency manager; F. A. Peteros, auditor, and the writer.
C. A. Racoma, our mission school teacher in Jolo, conducted the first public meeting for the Moslems in their own Tausog dialect in Maluso, Basilan Island. Sabbath school and MV departments held public meetings with their own personnel and funds. All these efforts contributed greatly to the baptism of 1,035 in our mission from January to September, 1967. This is 313 higher when compared with the number baptized during the entire year of 1966.
One of the unforgettable experiences in evangelism was witnessed in Kumalarang, Zamboanga del Sur, a 70 per cent Moslem municipality. J. L. Balacuit, the district leader, led out in a series of meetings, assisted by a layman and a budget of about $250 in the current rate. This is a small amount in any place for a public meeting, but he was able to put up an inexpensive tabernacle and rent a public-address system. He preached for one month amid bitter opposition, not from the Roman Catholics or Protestant groups, but from followers of Felix Manalo, a former Adventist minister, known as the Iglesia ni Kristo. This church is one of the strongest in the Philippines, and in this town, which is their headquarters, they own the largestand most beautiful church building, the only hospital in town, and a logging company. To give a stronger impact for the message, I led out for a second series of meetings in this place. Assisting me were Pableo Pangan, a new ministerial intern, and Anita M. Leopoldo, a Bible instructor. J. L. Balacuit, the district leader, showed Hope for Today pictures to draw the crowd before I preached. With a $125 budget and bundles of Signs and These Times,we carried on our meetings amid a much stronger opposition systematically launched by the Iglesias.
Their nightly meetings, which lasted sometimes until eleven in the evening, included serving of supper to those attending their program. After my sermon on the food question they butchered pigs and invited the whole town to discover for themselves whether pork was unclean. The evening after I preached on the subject, "Christ, Who Is He? Good Man? Mad Man? God-Man?" (they do not believe in the divinity of Christ) they sent a delegation to present several questions on the subject. To the satisfaction of the listeners we answered each inquiry from the Scriptures. They resorted to threatening their members with dismissal from their jobs in the logging company if they attended our meetings. One evening I was almost pinned by "accident" against a logging truck by another speeding logging truck while on my way to the meeting. One Protestant group also held nightly meetings with "imported" preachers to lambaste us every night. In one instance a regular listener was beaten in front of our tabernacle. This resulted in a shooting fray that sent us flat to the ground for cover. However, in spite of physical threats and slanderous attacks, we went on with untiring patience.
The result was we were able to hold two baptisms, as shown in the accompanying pictures, acquire a church lot in the center of the town, donated by a revived church member, and start a church building. Still receiving studies are the three policemen who guarded our meetings, the town agriculturist, the municipal sanitary inspector, and several others. The acting mayor received a book award for faithful attendance to our meetings. We solicit your prayers for Kumalarang, a place just entered with the message, and for the souls still in the valley of decision.
