I myself have heard very many such which I have wished I could reproduce in the hearing of those whose gifts sustain our work, but that I may not seem to have gleaned the remarkable ones from the whole field, I will take only those recently reported to me from our Los Angeles Mission by its faithful and efficient teacher, Mrs. Rice. It must be noted that these were all made under the embarrassments attendant upon speaking in English, to them a strange and but half-learned tongue.
1. "I enjoy C. E. very much. When you in trouble, your friend let you have money; when you get money you pay him back. So friends and teachers help us. Now they want us to give few words. They like to know how much I know Christ. Another thing: China never show us the way to Heaven. This country help us. God gave his only Son. We ought to thank Him and give him our words."
2. "If you in strange place and look for hotel, may-be get in bad one; some friend show you good one, be very thankful. Christ show way to Heaven. We be very thankful."
3. "Ten days ago I read in paper—C. E. Society started in China. I felt very glad. When I visited China few years ago, did not know about it. I tell few friends words about great Creator of world. He made everything. He made good and evil. Some people ask me why God make evil. I tell him so people choose. I used to choose evil things, worship idols, and such things. Then I come Mission school, learn to sing; best of all, read Bible, and I read Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, and I choose good. I am glad I know Jesus is the way."
4. An Exposition, Matt. 16:19. "I will give thee the keys," etc. "Don't lose your key. If you lose your key you can't get home. Not take care [i. e. carelessly] I lost my key for P. O. box. Had to ask for another. Have great trouble for lose your key, but if you do, ask your Father in heaven. He give you another."
5. "I will explain how to go to heaven. Remember how I found the way to cook. First I make some cake. I not know how much eggs and how much sugar. Sometimes good and sometimes bad. After while I ask friend all about make cake. He good cook. He tell me how much eggs, how much flour, and how long bake. Then I have no trouble. So ask Jesus how to go to heaven. He tell me and I have no trouble."
6. "We, brethren, go out all day, working hard. When it come night, we all come here to our home [i. e. the Mission House]. It like fader and moder to us."
7. One of our brethren was greatly moved one night over a letter just received from his father acknowledging the receipt of $20, which he had sent in accordance with his custom of remitting regularly toward the support of his parents. His father asked him to send more in order that he might "buy him a new son who would worship ancestors." He said: "I am his only child. My father rather I smoke opium, gamble and drink, only so I give up Jesus and serve ancestors. I am not that way. I never give up my religion so long as I live. I did explain to them to be a Christian very much, but they not want to change. I wish I never got that letter. I do pray much for them. I pray for them every night."
Teachers in any of our missions who succeed in persuading their pupils to speak at the Endeavor meetings in English will all recognize in the above testimonies counterparts of such as they have often heard. I am not surprised to have one of them, who has recently entered into this service, write: "The longer I teach the better I like the work and realize the grand possibilities in it. Oh! if only I can bring my scholars to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ!" She is doing this, and so are all the others in our noble band.