[1] From the years 1882 to 1903 missionaries were sent out to establish stations in India, Japan, China, Africa, Cuba, Honolulu, the Philippines, and Tibet.
From 1903 to 1918 the Society focused on missionary expansion in the following regions: England, Scandinavia, Paris, Turkey, India, Japan, China, Africa, Cuba, the Philippines, and Tibet.
The mission made a special effort to recruit native teachers and evangelists, since they already had extensive knowledge of the language and people, and thus knew how best to respond to opposition.
Zenana work was especially important to the mission because it was in the homes of the local Indian people where the opposing faiths (i.e. Islam and Hinduism) dwelled.
[12], [13] The missionaries proved to be of great assistance to the community by rescuing hundreds of people and placing homeless children in orphanages.
[14], [15] Hira Lal, the highly trained Indian medical assistant, was of invaluable help to Dr. George E. Miller and the mission.
Both farming and gardening were taught at the boys’ orphanage, since most of the Indian population makes a living from agriculture.
The mission's second main challenge was the Indian Muslims who made special efforts to counteract the missionary progress.
It was commonly felt among the missionaries that superstition and fear dominated the people of India, and that illiteracy prevented them from discovering the truth of Christianity for themselves.