Notable Women of Modern ChinaBurton, Margaret E. (Margaret Ernestine)
History
Notable Women of Modern China
Burton, Margaret E. (Margaret Ernestine)
China -- Biography; Women -- Biography
Both Mrs. Ahok and her husband had intense opposition to meet, for it was
not to be expected that members of families of such high rank should
forsake the religion of their fathers without encountering bitter protest
from their kindred. The opposition of mother and mother-in-law, both of
whom lived in the home with them, was especially hard to bear. Mrs. Ahok's
mother was intensely hostile to Christianity, and did everything possible
to make things so unpleasant for her daughter that she would renounce her
new faith. Mr. Ahok's mother was no less opposed at first; but gradually
she became more willing to learn about Christianity, and for some time
alternated between her idol worship and the Sunday and mid-week services
and family prayers which Mr. Ahok held in his home. At length, after having
thus compared the two religions for some time, she announced: "You may take
my idol away. Hereafter your God shall be my God." From that time on she
was a radiant Christian, and it was not long until Mrs. Ahok's mother
followed her example.
At the time of the death of Mr. Ahok's mother, there occurred an
interesting example of the way in which a Chinese can become an earnest
Christian without becoming less Chinese thereby. In that part of China the
wealthy families, and many of those of the middle classes, begin on the
seventh day after a death a series of "meritorious" ceremonies for the
repose and general benefit of the soul of the departed. In one form or
another the ceremonies are repeated every seventh day thereafter until the
forty-ninth day. Buddhist or Taoist priests are hired to conduct the
ceremonies. Mr. Ahok, probably partly that he might not antagonize his
relatives and friends by a disregard of their funeral customs, partly
because of the opportunity for spreading the knowledge of Christianity
thus afforded, followed the custom of having such a gathering every seventh
day. But instead of non-Christian ceremonies being held, the truths of
Christianity were preached.
Mrs. Ahok proved to be as active a worker as was her husband. When she had
been a Christian only a very short time, the leader for the Friday night
meeting held in their home failed to arrive. Evidently her husband was away
on one of his business trips, for there was no one else there who could
take charge of the service. So Mrs. Ahok said, "I will lead it, though I am
not very well instructed in the doctrines of Christianity." In telling of
it afterward she said: "I read about the woman who lost the piece of money
and took a candle and searched for it; and about the sheep that was lost
and found; and then there was singing and prayer; and I spoke to them, and
I was able to speak a great deal for them to hear. God helped me and
blessed me greatly in the service."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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