Everlasting Pearl: One of China's Women — John Shaqi
Everlasting Pearl: One of China's WomenJohannsen, Anna Magdalena
History
Everlasting Pearl: One of China's Women
Johannsen, Anna Magdalena
Missions -- China; Women -- China -- Biography
Mrs. Lue was faithful in using her opportunities for service, and not a
few precious souls have found Christ through her. Some had been coming
to the meetings before she had given up her vegetarian vow, and were
still halting between two opinions. Mrs. Lue helped such to break
through and fully decide for Christ. She did not believe in half
measures. Others first heard the Gospel message from her lips, and
were not able to resist the power with which she spoke. Amongst the
latter was an old woman, called Mrs. Hsiao.
The first Sunday Mrs. Lue brought her to the meetings the writer
happened to be at Kucheng. A collection was being taken for the Bible
Society, and this old woman wanted to give thirty cash. We did not
wish to receive it, fearing that she did not know what she was giving
it for. But she pressed us to take it, and Mrs. Lue said, "Please, do
take it. She understands quite well. Although she is at the services
for the first time to-day she knows the Gospel already, for I have
spoken to her several times, and she has quite made up her mind to
serve the Lord. If you do not take it, she will be disappointed." And
when Mrs. Hsiao herself was asked, she said she wanted to give the
money so that others might hear the "Good News" Mrs. Lue had been
telling her.
Mrs. Lue went on teaching her about Christ, and helped her to learn some
hymns and to read a little. This latter work seemed a hopeless task,
as Mrs. Hsiao was not young; moreover, she was half blind. When the
writer saw her next time she had, however, mastered quite a few hymns.
Patiently she was plodding on, using every spare minute, determined to
learn as much as possible, but lamenting her own stupidity. Mrs. Lue
showed herself a patient teacher, and it was touching to see how
persevering they both were, never losing heart, even when the hymns
were specially difficult, and one sentence had to be repeated over and
over again before it had any meaning at all to the student. The
catechism did not prove easier, but little by little some real progress
was visible.
When Mrs. Hsiao had learned several hymns she longed to possess a
hymn-book of her own. She asked if she might buy one and pay for it in
instalments, as she could not afford to pay for it all at once. We
gladly assented, and gave her the book. She made Mrs. Lue her
treasurer, and whenever she had been able to save ten cash she brought
them to her. About a month or two later she had paid the whole amount,
and Mrs. Lue handed the money over to us. Gladly would we have given
the book freely, but felt that Mrs. Hsiao would prize it more if it
cost her a little, and at the same time it would afford us a better
chance of seeing how far she was in earnest.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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