Chapter. 20.
Many difficulties beset Hsi’s pathway during these busy years in which he was bearing the burden and heat of the day. But what are difficulties? Are they not, to the man who prays, simply occasions for proving afresh the faithfulness of God? “I never feel a burden,” said Hudson Taylor, when he was carrying the care of a Mission numbering hundreds of workers mainly dependent upon him, under God, for guidance and supplies. “Here I sit in my little room,” wrote John Evangelist Gossner, under similar circumstances: “I cannot go hither and thither to arrange and order everything; and if I could, who knows if it would be well done? But the Lord is there, who knows and can do everything; and I give it all over to Him, and beg Him to direct it all, and order it after His holy will. And then my heart is light and joyful, and I believe and trust that He will carry it all nobly out.”
This secret of childlike faith Hsi too was learning, amid all the perplexities that surrounded his way. Opening and sustaining forty-five Refuges in four different provinces, involved more of care and responsibility than can easily be told. Hundreds of patients at a time were under treatment in widely scattered places, any one of whom might at any moment become a source of grave anxiety. Scores of workers were now employed, and had to be kept happy and harmonious, far from his immediate influence, and under conditions peculiarly liable to excite friction and jealousy. The financial condition of all the Refuges needed constant watching, and the mere correspondence and account keeping for so large a business concern were a heavy burden. Four to five thousand dollars annually had to be provided, and a constant supply of helpers sought and prepared, if the Refuges were to be maintained. Friendly relations must be preserved, in the midst of communities often hostile; and suffering, persecuted Christians, succored and guided in many a complication, that unless wisely dealt with would lead to serious trouble. Then there were endless claims upon his time and sympathy as pastor of the Hung-tung church, as well as the spiritual responsibilities of his wider cure of souls. And last but not least were all the demands constantly surrounding him in his own busy home, with its manifold activities.
“Whose head would not be puzzled,” says Flemming Stevenson, writing of Gossner’s experiences, “if left to its own wit in such a tangle? What nicely balanced calculations would not be often rudely overturned? What peculiar doctrine of chances would cover with a uniform and calculable success the venture of twenty years? What known human power can determine that when a man receives twenty pounds he will be kept as comfortably as if he had a hundred? Yet push forward such questions and the world will set busily to answer them. It does not believe in our day that there is anything which it cannot do; it must account for all phenomena upon its own principles. It is a monstrously clever world. Steam, and telegraph, and photography, and planets discovered before they are seen, Great Easterns, and St. Lawrence Bridges are very fair credentials. But there is a kingdom into which none can enter but children, in which the children play with infinite forces, where the child’s little finger becomes stronger than the giant world; a wide kingdom, where the world exists only by sufferance; to which the world’s laws and developments are forever subjected; in which the world lies like a foolish willful dream in the solid truth of the day. Gossner had been brought into that kingdom. These questions were nothing to him; it was enough that he could kneel down and pray.”
In this spirit Hsi went steadfastly forward; laying each difficulty before the Lord, as it arose; seeking His guidance at every step, and then counting unwaveringly upon it; daily and hourly cast upon God by needs he had no power to meet, but always finding His grace, His power sufficient.
The steadfastness of conviction and conduct was one of Hsi’s strongest characteristics. He was cautious, unusually so. He made very sure of his ground to begin with. But when once he was satisfied as to the guidance of God, he was prompt in action and unfaltering in spirit. He moved carefully, but one may almost say he never went back.
Sometimes, in the Refuge work, the temptation to abandon an unsuccessful post was very great. The Refuges did not all flourish equally. Some were satisfactory from the first, financially and otherwise. Some could never be made to succeed. Few patients came, or the men in charge proved unsuitable. But trying as the circumstances might be, Hsi felt he had no right to go back upon steps taken in faith.
“As far as I know,” he would say, “I was led of God to open that Refuge. I am simply His servant. He is responsible. How dare I venture, without orders, to close my Master’s business?”
So he would go on, it might be for years, subsidizing the work considerably, rather than take matters into his own hands and make a way out of the difficulty. In this he was markedly in contrast with the impostors who from time to time continued to imitate his methods. Such men would borrow a little capital, go to a place where Hsi was known by reputation, and commence a Refuge under his name. For a time the fame of the medicine would enable them to make large profits, and before popularity died away they would clear out, leaving the patients to shift for themselves and the landlord to recover his property. Probably this very abuse of his system, and the dishonor it brought to the cause of Christ, did not a little to strengthen Hsi in the opposite attitude.
Of course, at times, he had seriously to consider the question of abandoning work that was unsatisfactory; but he never seemed guided of the Lord to do so. In one case, where a Refuge had been “eating up money” for years, and there was little or nothing to show for it, he prayerfully considered, more than once, whether it ought not to be closed.
But on each occasion the Lord seemed distinctly to say to him, “No, let it alone. That door is not to be shut.” So he kept on, quietly, in spite of financial loss; and in time the place was made a blessing, but only to a limited extent. It was one of his trials of faith, and with other similar experiences no doubt tended to keep him humble.
Once he did close a Refuge; but only once. And it is significant that that was the only place he ever opened without special waiting upon God in prayer. It was a strange story, and might have had a much more painful ending.
Fifteen miles west of Hoh-chau lay the little city of Fen-si, charmingly situated among the hills.
Hsi’s Refuge there had been made a blessing, several patients being brightly converted; and a general readiness to hear the Gospel was the result.
After some years, one of the men in charge began to grow restless and show signs of mental weakness. He was a good man who had done excellent work, and at first no one realized that the matter was serious. While he was in this condition, Pastor Hsi had occasion to go up to the P’ing-yao plain to visit his stations; and not far from Fen-si they met on the main cart road.
“Ah, Pastor,” cried Wang, “this truly is admirable! I was just on my way to see you.”
“Is all well at Fen-si?” inquired the traveler, who knew that for some time there had been few patients in the Refuge.
“Yes, all is peaceful. But we have nothing to do. And, Pastor, such an interesting invitation has come from over the mountains. A number of men, twenty miles yonder, want to break off opium and learn the doctrine. But their homes are distant, and the mountain road is bad traveling. They are most anxious for one of us to go over and establish a Refuge in their own market town. And I want your permission to do so.”
Hsi thought a moment. The opening seemed promising. He knew that the work in Fen-si was not more than one man could manage. They did not propose to close the Refuge, but only to embrace a fresh opportunity in a district not far away. And there was the man waiting beside the cart.
“Very well,” he said slowly. “You may go over and see what can be done. The Lord prosper you, and bless the undertaking.”
Wang was more than delighted. But Hsi, as the cart drove on, felt a little uneasy. He prayed over the matter. But it was too late then to get the guidance that should have been sought before.
The new Refuge was opened, and favorable reports were received as to the success of the work. Hsi returned from the north, and all seemed to promise well. But gradually disquieting rumors began to reach him. Wang had been turned out of one set of premises, and was trying to obtain others. Patients were few and disreputable. No money was forthcoming; but Wang was going into debt for all he needed; giving it out that the “Jesus Religion” had any amount of silver, and would pay at the end of the year.
Mr. Hoste was about to take a journey in that direction, and Hsi thankfully accepted his offer to call in and find out on the spot the true condition of affairs. It was the depth of winter, Christmas 1893, and the little town looked chill and dreary as Mr. Hoste entered the muddy streets. With some anxiety he inquired for the stranger who had started an Opium Refuge, and found him only too well known in the business quarter. Followed by an interested crowd, he was soon escorted to the house in which Wang was living; a wretched place, tumbledown, filthy, and in the most hopeless disorder.
Knowing what the man had been, it did not take Mr. Hoste long to perceive that he had entirely lost his reason, and that the only course open to him was to close the so-called Refuge and get Wang away as quickly as possible. This, however, was difficult, if not dangerous. Wang had several patients on hand, supposed to be breaking off opium. They were in a miserable condition, sadly in keeping with the deplorableness of their surroundings. Further, it soon appeared that he had been running up bills to a considerable extent, and had given serious offense by his wild talk and conduct. Aware that his own presence would be the occasion of not a little excitement, and would give opportunity for exorbitant demands, Mr. Hoste decided to leave at daybreak the following morning and send a trustworthy native to go into the whole affair.
But this was easier said than done. Creditors began to clamor for a settlement of their accounts; the landlord wanted rent; friends of the patients came demanding reparation for the fraud practiced upon them; and the owner of another house insisted that Wang had taken his premises, and must hold to the bargain. Mr. Hoste had only one small piece of silver with him, and a couple of thousand cash worth five or six shillings. It was impossible to meet all these claims, even had it been desirable to do so. And for a time it seemed as though he would be seized and held to ransom, rather than allowed to leave in the morning.
But worst of all was poor Wang’s utter unconsciousness of danger. He was jubilant over the whole affair; and as a proof of the success of his mission, produced an aged man in his dotage, whom he introduced as a convert. This poor old fellow had certainly got hold of one idea: that he had only to seek the Kingdom of God, and everything else would be added to him. This meant of course that if he followed the new teaching he would be comfortably supported. And the only remark he vouchsafed upon being presented to the missionary was: “I am going to follow him.” Which he proceeded to do in the most literal manner, by clinging to Mr. Hoste like a limpet.
Happily, in connection with the other house, as the stormy altercation went on Mr. Hoste discovered that the agreement had not actually been signed. But the would-be landlord had the paper with him, and was doing his best to terrorize Wang into signing it at once. This, however, Mr. Hoste managed to prevent, keeping both parties well in sight as he disclaimed all responsibility in the matter.
No privacy of course was obtainable: everything had to be said right out before the crowd: which made it doubly difficult to bring Wang to understand that he must wind up his affairs at once and go down to see Pastor Hsi.
“What?” he exclaimed in excitement; “shut up the Refuge? Turn out the patients? Why, they are not half cured. It cannot be done.”
To convince him, before so many onlookers, was a slow and painful task, interrupted by indignant cries of “Pay my bill.” “Refund the money you borrowed.” “Settle my claim for damages, or you shall not go.”
In the midst of the disturbance, Mr. Hoste explained to the patients that they had better leave at once, as Wang was no longer responsible for his actions. He gave what little money he had toward settling up accounts, promising that Pastor Hsi would send a representative without delay. And most of the remainder of that troubled night he spent in prayer.
Early next morning the excitement began all over again. But there was nothing more to be done, and calling Wang to follow him, Mr. Hoste walked quietly and quickly away. It was a dangerous moment. But taken by surprise, the people let them go. And very conscious of the protecting care of God, they passed unhindered out of the little town and made their way down to Fen-si.
A few days later Elder Si went up to explain the situation. The visit was far from pleasant.
After paying eight or ten thousand cash, he was able to pacify the people and bring affairs to a peaceful termination. But to Hsi it was a sad lesson.
“I well remember his talking it all over with me,” writes Mr. Hoste. “We were sitting on the heated k’ang in his own little room at home. He was deeply concerned, not so much over the loss of face’ involved, or the waste of money, as over the dishonor cast upon the Name he loved, and the victory won by the enemy. Together we committed it all to the Lord in prayer; and recognizing his mistake, but without undue anxiety, he learned the lesson. It was the only time I ever knew him to close a Refuge.”
Not the least of Hsi’s opportunities for proving the faithfulness of God arose from the practical question of ways and means. Far from growing rich, as some of his critics supposed, he was often hard put to it to supply the needs of his own household. And yet the Refuges multiplied, and his home at the Western Chang village was never empty. Whenever he had money to spare, he waited on the Lord to know how to use it. This generally led to advance in some needed direction. Then times of pressure came; shortness of crops thinned the paying patients in the Refuges, and there was great scarcity all round. But a way was always opened for him. And he never went into debt.
The yearly expenditure in the Refuges had now reached about five thousand Mexican dollars. And in addition, the medicines he gave away gratuitously amounted to a large sum. For his fame as a doctor was considerable; many of his patients were poor; and besides native drugs, he used quinine, castor oil, and other comparatively costly foreign remedies. Then his expenses at home continued heavy; for the missionary training department increased from year to year, and other activities were diligently kept up.
With the most careful management and economy, it was not easy to make ends meet; and as in earlier years, Hsi had now and then to part with personal possessions to provide for some pressing need. His own habits were of the simplest. The silks and furs of former days had long since disappeared. He now wore plain, blue cotton garments; cotton, instead of satin shoes; and wadding did duty for comfortable fur linings in winter.
“The money I receive for medicine,” he wrote, “when reckoned up at the end of the year, is often not nearly enough to meet requirements, and during the last two years I have had to part with some of my clothing and other articles to supply the deficiency. If it were not that I trust in the precious promises of Jesus and in the Holy Spirit’s leading, I should on no account dare to carry on this work. I beseech all of you, honored missionaries, to pray for me and for the Refuges, that the Lord may bestow all needed supplies, material and spiritual, that there may be no lack.”
At times when funds were low and faith was tried, he was wonderfully sustained; and the fact that the Lord allowed him to have such experiences, and did not always send immediate deliverance, made him far more help and comfort than he could otherwise have been to poorer Christians. On one occasion Mr. Hoste had to learn this lesson; and, at no little cost to himself, to leave his friend in the midst of difficulties the Lord did not see fit to remove.
It was a time of semi-famine. There had been failure of the crops, and provisions were unusually high. This meant added expense at all the Refuges, as well as fewer patients who could afford to pay for treatment. Hsi, of course, suffered with the rest; and in some way it came to Mr. Hoste’s knowledge that he and his household were living upon limited supplies of coarse bread and millet gruel. Mr. Hoste’s first impulse, of course, was to help; and having fifteen ounces of silver that he could spare, he slipped the package up his long Chinese sleeve and set out for the Western Chang village. It was a long day’s walk, and on the way he was much in prayer for the friends to whom he was going. As he prayed, the Lord seemed to lay it upon his heart that he was making a mistake, and ought not to give Hsi that money.
“But he is in need, Lord. They are really suffering. I have come down on purpose to help and comfort him.”
“You can do so by loving sympathy,” came the answer. “But leave it to me to care for his needs. I have a purpose in the trial. It is meant for blessing.”
Toward evening Mr. Hoste reached the familiar homestead, and was welcomed to the frugal entertainment that was all his host could afford. Hsi was full of joy at seeing him; and together they talked of the loving faithfulness of God, and committed all needs to Him in prayer. No complaint was made, and no help sought or offered. But Mr. Hoste had all he could do to keep that silver up his sleeve.
During the night he prayed still more earnestly about it, longing to be permitted to assist the friends he loved so well. But the conviction only deepened that he must stand aside, and not attempt to steady with his hand the ark of God’s providence. He saw that the Lord was wanting Hsi to set an example of faith and patience that might encourage weaker believers. All around him were other Christians suffering just as he was. Mr. Hoste could not relieve them all. But the Lord could and would strengthen them to endure, and provide some way of escape that they might be able to bear it. Hsi as their pastor and leader had to ring true at such a time. All that he could say about the Father’s unfailing care would have been valueless if they could answer: “Exactly. It is easy enough for you to talk. But we happen to know that after the missionary visited your place there was a sudden influx of cash. We could trust too, under those circumstances.”
Still it was very hard for Mr. Hoste to say farewell next morning, and return to Hung-tung, leaving matters just as he had found them. Hsi accompanied him some distance along the road, and was never dearer to the heart of his friend than when he had to let him go back, alone, into the trial.
Long after, when it was all over and they were talking one day of the way in which God had provided, Mr. Hoste told Hsi of the real purpose of that visit, and of how nearly at the last moment he had handed him the silver that would have removed all difficulty. Hsi was deeply touched; and to Mr. Hoste’s surprise, thanked him earnestly for having followed the guidance of God and refrained. He said that the many little ways in which help had come to him, as to others, had brought them all so much nearer to God; and that they had learned precious lessons in the trial that would all have been lost if by Mr. Hoste’s gift deliverance had come immediately, and their eyes had been turned to him rather than fixed on the Lord.
One of Hsi’s most helpful hymns was written at a time when funds were low and there was a good deal of persecution and distress, as well as the prospect of famine. It was written in perfect peace of heart, and is still sung by Shansi Christians when amid fiery trials they are enabled to rejoice in God.
1.Through the faith,
Grown so poor!
How can I but be sad?
Think of Christ
Born so low!
And then my heart is glad.
Jesus gives me peace,
Jesus gives me peace.
The peace that Jesus gives
Unlike the joys of this world,
None can take away:
It is the peace of Heaven.