BY REV. W. C. POND.
Our brother Lou Quong, for several years the Chinese Helper in our West School in this city, has recently returned from a visit to his native land. I was so greatly interested in his account of his experience as a Christian, thrown back into the heathen associations of his childhood, that I asked him to write it out for me, and I give it to the readers of The Missionary with only a few corrections of his English,—respecting which, during his absence, he has lost some ground:
"I came to California in 1876, and lived in the city of San Francisco. In the day-time I worked in a family, but in the evenings I attended the Mission school. In 1877, I became a poor Christian among our countrymen here. The schools were cared for by all the good Christian friends that are in this free country, and even by some from England and other nations. They were looked after by Rev. W. C. Pond, pastor of Bethany Church—the same church that all our Chinese brethren go to, to take the Lord's Supper, once in two months.
Last September I paid a visit to my home—the home that I had left for so long a time. But before I go I make up my mind to stand up for Jesus, who has kindly given His life for my soul. At first my heart was some troubled about going back to my heathen country, but I pray, and kept praying that Jesus would go with me. So He heard my humble prayers. He was going before me, and made everything smooth for me. I got home Oct. 9th, at noon. In a few moments there came all the people of my village, both young and old, women and men, asking me about California. I answered them the best I could. Some of them try to get a look on my head at first, to see if my hair is all right, for they believed Christian Chinese have their queue cut off, and belong to California. He is no more Chinaman. For this cause they trouble me many days.
I met Rev. C. R. Hager at Hong Kong, when first I got there. We fell to talking of the Mission work among our people.
When I was at home, as soon as my father worshiped the ancestors or the idols, he sent one of my little sisters to call me to join the worship; but my mother, who has a better spirit, told my father that I would not worship them any more, "for (as she said) he have told me that he did thank God in his heart, and that he love us the same." Thus, my mother stopped the calling for the worshiping of the ancestors ever since. I thank God for this first.
During the time I was at home there were seven or eight brethren called at my house and did shake hands with me. Some of them I knew in California, but the rest I knew not and never saw them before; yet they could find their fellow-brethren in Christ, and came from far to do so. Some of them are Bible-sellers; some are preachers. They show their brotherly love and Christian faith by bringing candy and oranges for my sisters. And my father was also glad to see them, each time they call. Some of them did take dinner with us in our family. Rev. Mr. Jones also call, and he preached to the people in my village. He can use the chop-sticks, and did eat our food. In the evening, with the moon shining, and in the day-time he asked me to take him to the market-place, to tell the people the same thing in Chinese as we preached here in California. He was astonished that the people treated him so well, and did not say a bad word to him about it.
Now comes the hardest thing for a Chinese Christian to bear; that is, the marriage day. I was married on March 28, 1884. I had been engaged by my parents when I was fourteen years old to a girl who was only nine, and lived four miles away. When she come to our house to live with us, then she begin to ask me why I did not worship the ancestors with her on the marriage day; and I begin with my lesson to her in simple things, telling her why I don't worship those things any more. When I make a prayer to God before I go to bed she laugh at me because I pray to nothing—no God that I can see. But I told her that she must bow her head too when I pray, and must keep still. So, after this, she pay more attention to what I tell her about this great God that I have found in California.
Once she ask me why I don't take Mr. Ying's example, and do just like he do to please all men. For Mr. Ying was living in the same house with us, and had come back from California at the same time with me; and though he had been in our Mission schools for two or three years, yet he will not take Jesus as his Lord. So when he got back to China, he do things just as free as any heathen. So I ask her: "Well, suppose a man who served his ancestors, and all the dead and all the idols with all his heart; yet he would not take care of himself and go about smoking opium, gambling, throwing away his money in foolishness, and leaving his whole family uncared for. Now, how do you like that?" Then she said, without delay, "I will not like such a man. I rather take a man that is called a Christian, and have him do good, than to have him serve ancestors and gods and do bad things." Though she was a heathen, yet I think she see a little light now. I left home to come here again, Oct. 29, but I still pray God to keep her on the right way; and may she become a Christian woman by the Lord's power alone! Thus the Lord blessed me. May He bless all the workers in His vineyard."
