Chinese Diamonds for the King of Kings — Sketch XII--Our First Woman Convert-A Mere Memory

*Our First Woman Convert* *Our First Woman Convert* *A Mere Memory.

* The following is but a brief memory of the long gone past.

Even the name of the woman is forgotten but not the look on her pale patient face as she lay for weeks in the Mission Hospital--our first woman in-patient.

Though almost thirty years have come and gone since those earliest days in North Honan the memory of this woman remains as one of the very few bright gleams in what was to us pioneer missionaries a time of darkness and peril.

The people were still bitter against us though a year had passed since a foothold had been gained in what we had so long looked forward to as our "Promised Land."

Stories of the vilest nature widely circulated and believed did much to hinder the progress of the Gospel, and make the people fear and hate us.

They believed we were capable of the very worst atrocities.

Were I to attempt the plain record of many of these stories British law would forbid the publication.

It is little wonder, therefore, that our good doctor, a man of exceptional ability who had left brilliant prospects behind to come to China, chafed under the petty cases which came to the Hospital, and had more than once openly expressed his wish for some "good cases" which would help to open the people's hearts towards us.

Before long his wish was abundantly gratified for three years later that hospital recorded _twenty-eight thousand_ treatments in one year, a goodly proportion being "good" cases.

The beginning of the breaking of the ice of prejudice came when one day a man wheeled into the hospital yard a barrow on which lay his sick wife.

He seemed very loath to come but his poor wife appeared past feeling.

It was most evident that only the hope of relief from otherwise certain death could have induced them to risk coming for help to the foreign doctor.

A little later the doctor announced a serious operation imperative.

To this the woman gave her consent but the man hesitated.

How impossible it is for those brought up in a Western land to form any conception of the struggle the man went through in face of such a sweeping away of life-long prejudices, but at last in face of that great enemy, Death, he yielded.

Oh, how we prayed for that case!

There we were, a mere handful of missionaries in the midst of a bitterly hostile people many of whom were only waiting and watching for an excuse to attack and murder us.

Should the operation prove fatal and the woman die under the doctor's knife it would have been quite sufficient to stir up a mob which would in all probability have destroyed us all.

But the operation passed safely and during the weeks of convalescence the doctor's wife told into willing ears the message of a Saviour who died to "open Heaven's door."

From the first the woman showed a wonderful keenness in learning the truth.

While still unable to sit upright and scarcely strong enough to hold her book she studied almost constantly the simple Christian Catechism.

One day to my great surprise as I responded to a timid tap at my door, I found this dear woman shrinking and uncertain as to whether she would be admitted, and almost fainting from weakness.

I led her gently in and as she lay on the sofa we talked together of the blessed Saviour.

After all these years the joy I felt, in speaking of the precious truths to this first Christian Woman of North Honan, still remains.

She seemed even then to have her thoughts turned toward Eternity for she loved to have me dwell on the Heavenly Home, and the hymn she loved best was: "My home is in Heaven, my home is not here."

Soon her visits became quite regular and as she lay on the lounge listening and asking questions she was not the only one who was learning for many were the lessons she unconsciously taught me of fortitude under suffering, and the simpleness of childlike trust.

It seemed at times as if every separate fruit of the Spirit in that glorious cluster could be seen in this very babe in Christ.

Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, faith, meekness, all just shone from her countenance.

One day shortly before her return home she asked a question concerning the Holy Spirit which showed what wonderful progress she had made in spiritual understanding.

Although she left us apparently cured, a few months saw her back again for treatment.

It was then she was received as our first Probationer for Baptism but long before the year of probation had ended she had passed away in certain hope of entering into the Presence of her Saviour.

*SKETCH XIII*

*Two "Rice" Christians* Part 1--THE "WOLF BOY."

Part 2--THE "WOLF BOY'S" MOTHER.

*Two "Rice" Christians*