Heinrich Dirks report

Annual Report (1872-1873)

Of the Missionary work in Pakantan, Sumatra (Indonesia)

“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seed, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches” (Matthew 13:31-32).

I am reminded of this parable as I start to write a brief overview of what we have experienced and learned in the work of proclaiming the Gospel here in Pakantan during this past year. After all, this kingdom of God, which the afore-mentioned parable talks about, is the one whose extension we missionaries in heathen lands are working for. That which we proclaim to the heathen is the Gospel of the kingdom. Here in Pakantan, it has already been proclaimed for two years. The seed has been sown on the field, which has long lain uncultivated. With joy, we can observe that the first sowing has begun to sprout and promises to become a tree.

Last year, I could report that the good seed sown right at our arrival is sprouting and growing and that I have baptized, in August of last year, three persons, and, afterwards, in December, five who had confessed to having chosen the King of the kingdom of heaven as their Lord and Savior.

If I understand correctly, I have been reproached with having baptized converts too soon. Now I do not want to say that this couldn't happen. A young missionary, especially if he, like myself, possess a predominantly sanguine temperament is probably somewhat inclined to do that, since he does not have much experience in his work and is not yet made wise by all kinds of disappointments; he baptizes the first believers whom the Lord gives him in order to have a little congregation around him quite soon, from whom he hopes in a way to gain some support and help.

But the Lord, whose concern the missionary task is, keeps His eyes open and, where the young missionary makes mistakes because of inexperience and too great enthusiasm, He is always ready to make good again what we have done badly. So I hope that in this case too, He will correct my mistakes, and that with a mighty hand God will keep from falling the first three believers: David, Johannes and Bondahoro. For six months, they had received special baptismal instruction and I trust that no one will have reason to say that they were baptized too soon.

Until now, I can only report good things about the first three. They are not ashamed of their faith before their brothers according to the flesh. They diligently attend the Sunday worship services and the daily evening devotions, and all three have already learned to read and are practicing writing.

We are more anxious about some of the younger Christians, who were baptized at Christmas and who received baptismal instruction for quite a while. At first, it was Petrus who started to do wrong things, that is, he let himself be led astray in playing cards a few times, for which there are many opportunities here in Pakantan. When I heard about it, I admonished him lovingly to turn from his sinful ways and he promised me he would not gamble anymore. For the past half year, he has held his promise and also in other respects he does not give us any cause for concern. May the Lord protect him from further misdeeds.

More serious is Nathanael’s situation. He had been a Muslim dukun (doctor) before he became a Christian. When we arrived in Pakantan, he was critically ill. With the Lord’s help, I was able to cure him. When I told him it was really the Lord Jesus and not me to whom he owed his health, he expressed the desire to become a Christian. I then gave him, together with some other people who had expressed a similar desire, special instruction to prepare them for baptism. In August, when the first three believers were baptized, he could not be baptized with them, because his knowledge of the Christian truths of salvation was not enough. But towards Christmas, he asked me if I would not baptize him after all. At that time, he had advanced in his knowledge of salvation and freely confessed his faith in Christ and I could not refuse his request. He was then baptized together with Petrus and several women. For about three quarters of a year he stood firm, although he had to endure quite a bit of ridicule from the Muslims and heathen.

Then one day, I went to the village to preach God’s Word and, to my surprise, I saw my Nathanael in a sago (rice granary) busy administering medicine to a sick man the same way he used to do when he was a Muslim medicine man. As he did so, he muttered prayers in the Malay language, in which the names of Mohammed, Begieda, Allah, Ismael, etc. appeared often. But the name of Isa (Jesus) was also inserted, probably because he had noticed me among the bystanders. Finally, he cast lots in order to ascertain if the sick man would recover. I held this improper behavior before him then and there. But he seems to have resented it, for from that day, he stayed away from the worship services. Shortly after that, the Lord cast him on a sickbed again from which he had previously been healed. I visited him often, gave him medicine and spoke kindly to him. Now, as I am writing this, he is well again and has attended the worship services a couple of times. But I see that he is still under a spell. I hope he will realize this and return as a repentant sinner into the arms of Him who never stops holding out His hands to him.

I have also experienced disappointments with one of the women who was baptized together with Nathanael. Not that she fell into some sin, but that she again had been afflicted with the same sickness from which I had hoped to have cured her. Four months ago, the infectious skin rash reappeared on her body and a new loathsome ulcer formed on her thigh. Although , at present, she is able to do her work, I cannot, as yet, let her participate in the worship services. Thus she is like an outcast and I think she is quite sad that she cannot come to the worship services. I often visit her in her home, speak to her about our Savior and His power to help and I pray with her. She often cries when I do that. (I herewith ask the congregation at home to pray for her).

The two other women who were baptized with her are doing well. Johanna has to support a sick husband and three children and Sara, is a widow, who doesn’t have an easy time of it. Both women receive some material assistance from us to help ease their lot.

Though I have reported some distressing news about a couple of the people whom I have baptized during the first year of my work here, I hope no one will be led to deny the growth of the Word of God sown. The reason for the above-mentioned sad manifestation is not because there is no growth, but that the devil is busy trying to stop and destroy the growth of the sprouting plant or little tree.

If, at the end of the first year of my working here, a little plant or tree has sprouted from the first seed sown, so in this last year new branches have been added to it, or, so as not to speak in a parable, ten persons have been added to the little church through baptism: two of them on May 19th, seven on November 3rd and one on November 24th of last year. 

The first two persons baptized received the names Paulus and Martha. Paulus is the first one from Hota Padang. Since he had attended the school in Maeare Sigoaga, he had some education. What first sparked his interest in Christianity is as follows: while on a preaching tour in his area, I was asked whether marriages took place in heaven.The questioner added that Mohammed had taught that, in heaven, the believer would be attended and cared for by the most beautiful young women. I responded ironically that Mohammed and his followers simply cannot imagine heavenly bliss without beautiful women and therefore they think of heaven as being populated with them. But this is a mistake. Our Lord and Savior has said that in that world, people would be like the angels of God, who neither marry nor are given in marriage. This word made an impact on Paulus. When I started for home, he followed me and expressed his desire to be instructed in the teachings of Christianity. So, I was pleased to instruct him in the Christian truths and, because he learned quickly, soon joyfully confessed Christ as his Savior and Redeemer. I baptized him on May 19th with a happy heart. Both Paulus and Martha have, until now, not brought any discredit on their Christian name. Of Paulus, I may say that, daily in word and deed, he shows himself to be a sincere follower of Jesus.

On November 3rd, seven people who had all expressed a sincere desire to belong to the Lord were baptized. The baptismal service took place in the new house, which at that time already had a roof but no walls. Many heathen and Muslims witnessed it. Even the Lady Sultan of Hoto Dolok came and sat beside my wife during the festivities. When I spoke, there was utter silence and also during the baptismal rites. We Christians felt the presence of the Lord and His fellowship and we noticed that the heathen too received good impressions.

Three weeks later, a young lady was baptized and received the name Magdalena. She was the bride of a Christian of Ankola, who works for us and is called Jonathan. Since she wanted to be married to her bridegroom in a Christian ceremony, I baptized the bride, admittedly after only a short period of instruction. But she too confesses that she believed in Christ and wanted to be saved through Jesus. Her baptismal day was also her wedding day. She probably should not be considered an integral part of that plant or little tree, which has grown from the sown seed here. She probably belongs to the category of the birds that come and live in the branches. Thus, in all parts, the above-mentioned  parable is fulfilled as the kingdom of God spreads: even the word about the birds is fulfilled.

As soon as the little tree has grown up from the good seed sown and has a few branches, immediately the birds come wanting to live in its branches. These are the people who, like the above-mentioned Magdalena, want to marry a Christian or are moved to become a Christian because of some other outward circumstances. The importunity of such birds is often so great that one cannot hold them back and their singing often sounds so sweet that one believes it is more than a vain song. It is possible that, among those whom I still consider to be genuine branches of the tree, there are some who will later prove to be birds and will fly away again. One has to be prepared for this: older missionaries have had such sad experiences often.

Thus there are 18 adults who have been baptized so far. I certainly hope that among these, most are branches of the tree and only a few are birds who live in the branches. Standing close around the tree are new little plants from among whom, God willing, the largest part will one day be grafted in. These are the children who have been dedicated: at present they number 18. Six of them, boys between eight and twelve years of age, receive four hours of instruction daily, except on Sunday, on Biblical history, reading, writing, arithmetic and geography.

Most of them are quite diligent and are making good progress. But the hardest worker and the most gifted boy is little Johannes, the son of David. I hope that he will one day become a qualified teacher and evangelist. Their teacher is Samuel, a young man from Prau-Sorat and pupil of Missionary Schreiber. He is a devout and faithful young man and does all he can to advance his pupils. I also send him out to preach the Gospel here and there and every Sunday he has to conduct the evening devotions for the young church. He is very gifted and able.

And now I want to conclude my annual report by expressing my hope that the little tree that grew from the good seed will grow tall and broad under the care of the Lord. May He, whose name is “Zemach”, i.e. “He will cause it to grow”, bestow on the little church here at Hota Borgot in Patantan extraordinary growth and let His kingdom come, as in Heaven, so also on earth! Amen!