NOTE.—Will our kind friends who have sent us help for the lepers, and other work, be so good in all cases as to forward us their names and addresses? We have received some sums of money enclosed in an envelope, but without name or address, and we desire to acknowledge what we receive in a business manner.
The following incidents are culled from "China's Millions."
A CHRISTIAN man, rather well-to-do, had a dear young Christian son, who died at the age of twenty-two; he was his only son, and he did love him. They say that when dying his last words were, ' I wish I had done more for Jesus;" and the old father of seventy could not forget his dear boy's last words, and so by and by, he, along with his good wife, who is also an earnest Christian, decided that they would do what their son had not been able to do. The country house was his own; the church here gave five dollars towards fitting it up, the remainder he made up himself; and in the spring of this year the chapel was opened, with "Jesus' Hall" in large characters over the door.
At Fu-kia the work is going forward; there are some more enquirers there. There are likewise a good number of enquirers here at Kwei-k'i some very old women are coming. One day when the pastor's wife and I were out visiting we came across a poor old woman, to whom with others in the house we told the gospel. Next Sunday, while I was taking my class, who should appear, carried or her son's back, but this dear old woman, just a bundle of rags! After the meeting one of the Christians gave her some clothes, and she has come constantly ever since. She seems already to have taken in a little of what Jesus has done for her. She cannot come here alone, as she is so very frail, and so he son brings her every Sunday, and comes for her after the afternoon class.
It is five years today since I left home, and it has been goodness and mercy all the way. How much of the Lord's love I can testify to have known during these five years! Trials there have been sufficient to keep me close to Him; some of them deep enough at times, but out of them all He has brought me. I have not needed to leave Kiang-si once; I have been so happy in the work that I have not wanted to go, and so well in health that I have not needed to go. I have enjoyed the best of health ever since coming to China; I feel more and more grateful for this precious gift, as year by year I hear of others being laid aside. I can only render it back to the Lord in glad, willing service.—
By the Lord's goodness we saved the fourth son of the commander-in-chief (T'i-t'ai) from death by opium-poisoning. It would seem that after calling a native doctor, and using all the means they could think of, his excellency sent his card inviting me to come and save his son, a young man of twenty-five years of age. At once I went, and after half a night's hard work was able to pronounce him out of danger. During the night the grandee himself gave assistance; he seemed much concerned, and was very much afraid it was all over with his son.
Six days after the T'i-t'is again sent for me. After seeing his son, he sat with me while I preached Christ and Him crucified to him, notwithstanding he was about to go outside the city to review the troops,, previous to the Fu-t'ai's (Governor's) arrival a day or so after. How surprised he was to hear of the resurrection!
Such a grand spell of gospel work we have had, both before and during the Fu-t'ai's visit. As most of the soldiers lodged in our part of the city, very many of them and other visitors came to our preaching shop, and our evening meetings were crowded out.
The attention and respect paid to the gospel message was most encouraging. Still, very many more heard the glad news in the streets. Quite a good number of officers visited us; and one, a captain from Tsen-feng Cheo sent us a present of P'u-rh tea and pastry by way of thanks for some medicine given him.
We have sown the good seed, and now it is being carried and scattered far and near, and no doubt much of this precious seed has fallen into good ground. Numbers of our tracts and books are on their way to many out-of-the-way places that in all probability will not be visited by us for some time to come.
On our arrival at a village we were met by one of the men whom we had gone to see. His work in the fields being over earlier than usual, he was just returning home. He led us, before introducing to his own home, to the house of the other man, who has two little motherless girls. This man has taken down all his idols. He got us something to drink, and much wished to prepare food for us, which we declined, though pressed very hard. I had taken some bread with us in the cart, that we might not be a burden to those we had gone to visit.
After we had had a little rest and something to drink, the other man then led us to his home. As we were going along, and others following, he suddenly turned down a rather steep bank into a tiny courtyard, in which stood a solitary cave. I wondered where they were leading us. Was he ashamed to take us to his own house, because of his idols not being yet destroyed, and so was taking us in here instead? As we got to the door they stepped back for me to enter, and what did I see but a little miniature meeting-house! It was here they met to sing and pray. Though ' small, it was beautifully clean; new mats on the tiny kang, and a number of small booklets hanging from the wall, each being honored with a separate nail and piece of string—rather an encroachment on the lines of Chinese frugality! Here we had prayer with them, a crowd looking on. As soon as we had risen from our knees one in the crowd said he had made up his mind to take down his idols. Would we go and be witnesses? We were only too glad to consent to his request, but went first to the house of the man whom we were following, where we found food all ready waiting for us. It was a surprise. We had a nice time here among the crowds; and after having food, went to the house of the man who had decided to take down his idols. We had prayer, and then down they came—only pieces of paper—the god of riches, the god of the kitchen, and the god of skill the last belonging to the girls of the family, and supposed to make them clever in the use of the needle. Oh, it was good to see them torn down from their time-honored thrones. May he not only turn from, but turn to! I tried to point out to him how useless it was to turn from the false gods if he did not learn to know the true God, and by what he said he seemed to see it.
One Sunday evening we went to visit old Mr. Chao, who was, I think, the first Christian in Sih-Chau. The poor old man is now quite blind, and was very ill, apparently dying. I was very sorry to see his poverty. I am afraid that his wife, who is not a Christian, wished him to die, and was nearly starving him. He was overjoyed at meeting us again, and we were glad to find that he was eagerly awaiting death, not with fear, but joy, and was simply trusting in Jesus, and looking forward to seeing Him. Although he was quite a skeleton, and must have suffered much, not a murmur escaped his lips, but he was very thankful for any little help we gave him.
Soon after Koh first believed he was much persecuted, and he has also had much trial in his home. Only about two weeks ago, at the time of the drought, his villagers beat him very badly, because he would not pray to the idols, accusing him of being the cause of the drought. They first beat and kicked him, and then tied his hands together, and carried him to a village three ti distant, where he became insensible, and they had to drench him with water to restore him; but it was not until evening that, bruised and stiff, they let him go free. They also made him pay a thousand cash to give a feast to the men who had beaten and carried him.
Yet he does not seem to bear them the least and it was good to hear the poor fellow relating how, when they were carrying him, he remembered that Stephen, while being stoned, prayed for his enemies; and he began to pray for his, asking the Lord to forgive them. But this made them all the more angry, and they beat him worse, saying, “He will still pray, pray to his God, will he?"
The news of foreigners having arrived soon spread, as only in China such news can spread, and before we had been long in the hall it was filled to overflowing with men, women, and children, who discussed us in their usual candid fashion. Dear people! they all gave us such a kindly welcome; every face beamed approval of us, despite the small drawbacks of fair hair, light eyes, etc.! In a little while the men returned to their work, some of the children went off, and we were able to talk to the women, Who soon became quite at home with us.
Soon Mrs. Li came and pointed out first one then another of those who had given up their idols, and who said they wanted to worship God. Two of the Christian men from Kwei-k'i had come out at the invitation of Mr. Liu, who has opened this hall.
In the evening a great many men came, and we found that Mr. Li had service every evening.
On Saturday morning wheelbarrows arrived to take us out to a village five ti away, the home of Mr. Liu's daughter, who is married. Her father-in-law is really on the Lord's side, and his bright face does one's heart good; but his wife is a vegetarian still. Not many months ago she would have nothing whatever to do with foreigners, or with the gospel of Jesus. Now she is much softened; she spent the whole morning we were there in preparing us a grand dinner, for which we were sorry, for it gave us no opportunity of speaking to her. Yet we were glad too—" The Lord's beginnings involve endings," and it is only the Holy Spirit who has so changed her feelings towards us.
On Monday morning again, wheelbarrows arrived to take us to another village, to breakfast with an old man of eighty, and his wife of seventy. We found this whole household, consisting of the old man and his wife, their son and his wife, their grandson and his wife, and also a daughter, rejoicing in the Lord.
Four or five years ago this old man, who is still able to walk the five long li between his home and Liu-kia on Sunday, was in Kwei-k'i, and heard the gospel from our pastor. He went home, and, though he heard no more, left off worshipping the idols, and, as far as he knew how, worshipped the true God he had heard of, and taught his family to do the same. When he heard that someone was preaching of God in Liu-kia, he at once went off to hear more; and he soon invited Mr. Li to go out and burn up all the false things which until then had remained in his house, although he had ceased to worship them.
We spent several days in visiting the homes of those who are enquiring the way of life, and learned to know them better. There are about forty people who regularly attend the Sunday services, most of them are just like children, knowing nothing beyond the barest facts of there being a true God, whose Son, Jesus Christ, died for their sins.
But they know this, and are following on to know more.
One man we were specially interested in, and drawn to pray for—a Taoist priest, quite young.
He has, as far as we know, given up all his old false ways, thereby, of course, giving up his means of obtaining a living, and is coming to the city to seek lawful employment. He is a man of some education and ability, and one whom we trust the Lord will use by and by to bring others to the light.
After a fortnight's visiting in the villages we returned, with hearts full of praise to God for what He has done. “The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad."