"How I shall think of you, father, and the Hong-Kong Mission on Intercession Day, when it comes round, shan't I?"
"Yes, Sybil; and not only on Intercession Day, but always in your prayers, you must remember to pray very fervently, both for Chinese and other unbelievers, and not only for me, but for all who are seeking their conversion."
"It seems a more real thing now to pray for," Sybil said.
"And to give thanks for too. Here in Hong-Kong we have great cause to be thankful."
"What a dear old lady that was who was baptized on Sunday! but what was the Christian name she chose? I could not hear it."
"Mong-Oi, which means 'desiring the love' (of Jesus)."
"That was a beautiful name, wasn't it? And there were a number of communicants for here too. How many native communicants are there in Hong-Kong?"
"Between sixty and seventy; and what is so comforting is that the communicants seem to be really devout, and to realise what being a communicant means for, and requires of, them, and it is no easy matter at all for natives of China to embrace Christianity. Sometimes they have to leave all their relations, and suffer much persecution in consequence."
"When was the Hong-Kong mission begun?" Sybil asked.
"In 1862."