ochow on a passenger boat that was about to start. is craft was not quite as elegant as a Pullman palace , being somewhat crowded. However I concluded to dure the tobacco smoke and other discomforts one ht. The natives as usual began to ask questions: "What your name, age, nation, business?" "Where have you en?" Why did you go there?" "Where are you go"What are you going there for?" Sometimes e is almost tempted to say, "I am going there to mind own business, and I wish you would do the same," t it is best to turn this eager curiosity to good purse. Thus, when I told my fellow passengers I was here teach the Chinese about Jesus, a bright looking young in said: "Is Jesus an Englishman or an American?" This gave me an opportunity to explain at length, and v audience gave good attention, only interrupting me ce in a while to ask what my coat and hat were made or what my shoes and watch cost. In this way the ening hours were caused to move along quite pleasantand I hope some lasting impressions were made. Next morning the questioning began again, and I ad passages from the New Testament, about Jesus and mission in the world. Then I handed my Testament a young man, who read with a fine voice the fifteenth apter of Luke. When he read the second verse, I told no the Pharisees were, explaining that they were very oud and considered themselves better than other peoe, while in reality most of them had bad, false hearts. en our young friend asked if the Pharisees were not -ench. Since the warlike events of last year the Chinese have rd things to say of the French, and not without ason. I told the young man he could keep my Test ent, and invited him to come and see me. He promto do so, but it is not probable that I shall ever see n again. What a vast field is this! How white unto rvest ! We ought to have 10,000 missionaries in ina alone. Choh Lin at School and Seeking Christ. Rev. J. A. Davis writes the life of Choh Lin, a Chise boy who became a preacher. We make an extract om the story about his going to school and becoming Christian. Early on Monday morning Choh Lin was ready for hool. Indeed, long before the time he wanted to art, but was told by his mother to wait. When peritted to go he started securly for the school troduced the boy to the teach and then left. Choh Lin hardly knew wh when the teacher asked him in finding it before the teach answers. When the school was called him, a chapter from the Bi by the teacher, and the work was the same noisy study on t some had the same lessons th Tay Soa. But another book the Bible. Each one was tau to memory. Choh Lin was g Not only did he study; he th and many a passage was kept about afterward. Besides th nese schools and the Bible th thing of geography and ar taught a catechism of Bible t a school to fit the scholars fo primarily to teach them of t in the hope that they would Some of the boys studied while others were anxious to Lin set himself at once to to get the good of it in noticed his studious habits an do so well. "Some day," said he, "y and a preacher of the Gospel not wish to become a preache This was praise that Choh of it at all. Had the teach would become a graduate an man, Choh Lin would have b however, learned to like the er, and was ready to listen ar not understand how some bo er as they did. When the te began whispering or playin was on them they pretend studies. It was strange to school where they were ta from the Bible should do th not all boys who know abo fully. Choh Lin did not find which honad his country ways and made sport of many things he in the sun-because the did. City people in China think themselves brighter and better than those who live in the country. They speak of country people as green. Perhaps they are right, yet green things, unless painted, are live things. The country is the place where good things grow, and were it not for the country, city people would soon die. Country people can live without the city, but city people cannot live without the country. For a while Choh Lin took their ridicule kindly, yet could not see why he was the worse for having lived in the country. He knew that inside of him he was as real a boy, and just as able to study or to work, as any city boy. He was right. It is not so much the place in which he lives that makes the boy as it is that which is in him. A diamond is no less a diamond because found in the sand of the river-bed, nor is a boy the less worthy because he happens to have had his home where there is an abundance of grass, trees and ground. If Choh Lin did not know as much of the city, he knew far more of the country than the boys who ridiculed him; and he was really wiser than those who had lived all their lives where there was little to be seen except stone pavements and brick-and-mortar walls. 66 "Do you think we ci the country?" asked a "I only answered I Lin quietly. "If we are weak," enough to buy all the g benefit of the country p nothing but what they "I can tell why coun another boy: "they a ashamed to see them, su some almost black." "Perhaps that is the the sun is willing to loo ple. But because the ci and dishonesty he turn them to grow pale." "We are no more dis the country," said the I eggs to the city and sell for young chickens. T sand, so that we buy same price that we pay "I know that country answered Choh Lin, "bu near their city brothers. country people are falli losing sight of their fri learn such things as qui "I may be green," said he one day when the boys were ridiculing him, "but I would rather be that than dry. Dry things are dead things. Dry weather brings drought and famine and starvation and death." "You don't know anything," replied one of the boys, fire; it goes slowly am "and that is the reason we laugh." "That may be," answered Choh Lin, "but I mean to learn. I do know one thing, and that is that the great men of past ages say that we must not laugh at the mistakes of people, but help correct them." "What do you know about the men of past ages?" asked a boy. "They died long before you were born." everything that is dry." The first morning of s Choh Lin at once bowed fore his face. The next at the others before clos heads were not bowed who sat with faces cove looking around the roon "Men die, but their sayings live," replied Choh Lin; pering. He did not kno "so our teacher told us." Not once, but often did the others try to tease the country boy; usually he was too good-natured to become angry. One of them asked him one day, "Is it true that the people at Tay Soa are so green that before they are allowed to come to the city the village elders order them to be put out in the sun for three or four days to dry?" JOLLY in in ron! 66 that when cite boys to act, nor did he as boys should, and, th while, determined to wa to be the best he believ right way to pray. He with bowed heads and 1 were the safe ones to f He learned how to ac but at all times, and g But he did not Gradually he won the respect of his teacher and the The blow was so unexpected that Choh Lin, without Choh Lin saw that he had lost favor with the teacher, d feared that the missionaries, if they heard of the ouble, would send him away from school. He wanted explain to his teacher and beg him not to tell the issionaries, but dared not. He resolved, however that - would not strike any one again, no matter how great e provocation. Some time after this the teacher's pen and also some pers from his desk was missing; among the papers As a record of misbehavior of some of the scholars. hoh Lin happened to be absent from the school the y that the loss was discovered. All the other schols denied having been to the teacher's desk, and said the missionaries or to wait an boy. He waited until the ne Choh Lin a chance to explain aries. Choh Lin was at school ea teacher asked him about the told where they had been fo enemy has done this. I have papers. Why should I? T invite me to their school; sho ing from the teacher they s has himself been so kind to Lord in the Ten Commandm steal.' I am trying to obey a should I, then, prove myself The honest look of the boy most any one but a Chinama the truth. But the teacher ways of his people, and knew esty can be assumed by the vinced of the boy's innocenc "It is almost time to begin some other time." "Please do not tell the pa "they will drive me from back to my native village to then. There I cannot learn Christians with whom I may bath there, no Bible, no Go back; I want to be a Christia The kind-hearted teacher Choh Lin's honesty, and agi the matter to the missionari knowing where the pen an were ready to believe Choh insisted that his enemies had they were ready to say who A few days after this the o care of the schoolroom, over Choh Lin had stolen the tea and hid them in the desk. "What!" said he, "Choh That cannot be. He is an When told the whole story, great friend of Choh Lin, sai I found some pieces of paper night; the paper was by a mouse had carried the rest in up and put them by Choh Li scholars as his warm friends; and when they learned | mandarins would pronabij that his father had once been rich they were the more they could do it without ready to respect and honor him. Yet a few of the boys watched him closely, not so much to find fault in him as to keep him from seeing and telling of their faults. It has already been said that few vices are so common in China as gambling: boys as well as men are passionately fond of it. They are ready to try games of chance for almost anything. Some would probably even be willing to take a chance or two at a church fair if they lived in America. One day after school a boy appeared in the street with a quantity of preserved fruit. He had also a bamboo-cup, or tube made of bamboo-wood, open at one end, the other closed by the joint. In this cup were twenty or twenty-five splints of bamboo, projecting out of the cup. These were numbered on the ends which were hidden. He invited the school-boys to try their fortune for some of his fruit. By paying a single cash, he said, they might get the value of five cash in fruit if they drew a lucky number from the cup. When the boys saw how much fruit might be got for one cash, several were eager to try. The owner, after shaking the cups with the splints, reached it out to the boy who gave him one cash. The boy drew one of the splints, but the number was a wrong one, and the owner of the fruit said, "You will have to try again; that didn't draw anything." The next day at scho the boys about gambling heard this. At noon he asked, "Were any of you Choh Lin, unable to say caring to tell tales of the er saw this silence, and u the guilt of the other boy "So you have been ga not know it is against the it is a sin against the Chu are an inquirer and wish that you can be one and you cannot serve God an the worst kind of Mammo "I have not gambled," to be a Christian; I ar God." "Who of the boys wer 66 er, for I see that there 1 Questioned closely, Ch gambling, and he would if he had steadily refus chances. That afterncon the tea One of the other boys handed a cash, drew a stick, the crime and sin of gam and the number proved to be the right one. "Here are your fruits," said the owner, giving him five times as much as one cash could buy elsewhere. The lucky purchaser, munching his fruit and looking disdainfully on the others who had not dared to venture, said, "See what I got for a single cash! You boys might have fruit in plenty if you were not afraid to try your luck," His success induced others to try, and many cash slipped quickly into the pocket of the fruit-seller. While a few drew prizes, the most of the cash were given for nothing. "Why don't you try it?" said Kok to Choh Lin. "Don't you like fruit ?" questioned the boys as to He asked the guilty ones nied and others confessed of the guilty ones were, a Lin had told. The gam blamed Choh Lin for it. popular, but the feeling not despised in China as were told how the teache Choh Lin why he did others said that he had d ended. When in his native vil a Christian. He had gi "Yes," replied he, "but I don't want to get it in that the spirits of the dead, p way." 66 Why not?" was asked. "Because it is gambling," answered Choh Lin. "It isn't gambling," said one; "it is only buying fruit and taking the chances of getting it." eigners and kept the Sab self as good a Christian tried to teach him that h since the Chinese langua Bible idea of sin and s "It is gambling," spoke another, "and just the kind notion of sin. He supp iven was like the lantern light, and that of the chapel vas as moonlight. Choh Lin was beginning to see nuch, but dimly. His mother had told him that there vas only one God, and yet that there was a Father and Son and a Holy Spirit. How there could be only one, nd yet three, he did not understand. He had learned rom her that God would not have any to worship him vho served other gods. Yet he did not understand that God wanted not outward but heart worship. Mrs. Lee ad told him that he must trust in Jesus, the Son of od, but Choh Lin could not understand this. His great eed was to know himself-to know what a sinner he was and how helpless without an almighty Saviour. Not less did he need to know God, and that he is so ure and holy that he cannot accept the service of a inner who does not approach him through Christ. Choh Lin learned rapidly that first day iu the chapel, ut still more did he learn at the inquiry-meeting. He vas beginning to see the darkness in which he had lived. Now the light came more and more brightly, and Choh in felt more and more thankful that he was allowed to ee, and he was anxious to see more. His prayer that The Holy Spirit would show him his sins was answered, nd what the language of his country failed to tell the Spirit made known to his heart. He began to see what in is-how it blinds the eyes of the soul and hardens he heart and unfits it to enjoy good. He saw, too, how t stains the soul, so that it is unfit for God's company nd service, and unfit to enjoy and unable to receive the -lessings that God offers. He saw that the sinful soul not only bad, but a place in which bad things grow hat evil is constantly springing up there as weeds in a arden. He saw, too, what sin had done for him and nade him do against God. When he thought of the many times he had offended God and done the things hat even his own heart told him he ought not to do, he egan to understand what a sinner he had been. He did not long need to pray to be shown his sins. They arose all around him; quietly as fog appears, so hey appeared. From fog they changed to cloudslack clouds, loaded with rain and wind and thunder. Vhat if they should burst? In a moment they would verwhelm him. What should he do? where could he -o? Helpless, he was almost hopeless. In fear and istress he prayed for mercy. He felt the need of a aviour now, and an almighty one. Earnestly he prayd the prayer given by the missionary, to be shown Christ as his Saviour. while the gray rocks of the b be set in green and gold. same that he had often see so beautiful. He could now them. Now they were God God's rocks; the clouds and God was his heavenly Fathe so loved him that he gave hi that he might live. How d the great God loved him More than that, God would t after a while take him to liv Happy Choh Lin! He ha was full of joy. He had from the first time his mothe but not until now did he und of men in China who had so they might get money to sup heard of great men, too, whe the good of the people; but God in Christ. Those men who loved them, but Jesus d were only men; Jesus was G did no more; Jesus died, bu ning of what he did. He men. He seemed never to g trying to save. It was a ne ful story, and never grew ol Choh Lin wondered that o to it, nor could he understan it again and again and not c did not think that the Holy need, and then had led hi making him see so much to 1 who see nothing in Jesus Christians think so much of Christians are blinded, but people never see anything in others fail to know and lov blind and their hearts are cl cannot see beauties, no matt if he does not see them, that ties does not exist; it only p by strangers every day with when we become acquainted we may love them with all blind to Christ's beauty beca When the Holy Spirit opens Christ |
