His ministry at Tengchow was fruitful of great good in many ways. One of these was the growth of the church by the conversion of the natives. Just before he removed to Wei Hsien, he recorded the fact that during all his pastorate there had not been one of the quarterly communions at which there were no additions. The beginning of his pastorate was signalized by the accession of eighteen,—eight being from the college and six from the girls’ school. Its close was marked by an accession of twenty-six, of whom twenty-one were baptized, the largest number up to that date ever receiving that sacrament, at the same time, in the Tengchow church. Only one was from the college, all the rest having come in through the labors of two associates in the station, Miss Snodgrass and Dr. Seymour. Just as soon as by evangelistic itineration and other means converts were made in the neighboring region, outside of Tengchow, it became necessary for the missionaries to look after these scattered sheep in the wilderness; and for a good while a large share of that work fell to Dr. Mateer and his wife. In fact, it had been partly through their labors, direct or indirect, that these converts had been won, and therefore they felt it especially a duty to care for their nurture. That, of course, involved a large variety of efforts. In the earlier years these frequently consisted in part of interposition, so far as it was wise and practicable to shield native Christians from gross wrongs to which they were exposed. The hatred of the rulers and of most of the people for foreigners and the foreign religion was bitter. Even at Tengchow the very tombstones in the little cemetery where the missionaries buried their dead were repeatedly broken,—an act regarded by the Chinese as the most gross and cowardly insult that can be offered to a living man; yet it was slow work to secure from the officials protection, or justice as to the criminals. The case of Miao, of Chow Yuen, a district capital situated fifty miles to the southwest of Tengchow, is specially notable. Early in 1869 the Mateers and Margaret Brown, with a Chinese assistant, went to itinerate, and on the way they visited him. When converted out in his native district of Tsi Hea, he immediately began to endeavor to win others to Christ. So he sent word to his clansmen and friends that he had important business with them, and invited them to come to his house. This occurred while the missionaries were there, and they witnessed what took place at the gathering. Miao made a reception speech, in which he said: “I have sent for you, and you have come. I said nothing in my letter, but for you to come, and that I had an important matter to tell you. It is this: I have led you in serving the Devil. There was nothing I would not dare to do, and nothing that you would not care to follow me in doing. I have now found something better. We have often engaged in doubtful enterprises.