,a frank discussion of the rights of missionaries ,have ,we ,no ,rights8 ,mabel ,williamson ,china ,inland ,mission ,overseas ,missionary ,fellowship ,moody ,press ,chicago ,copyright 1 #aieg1 by ,,the ,,moody ,,bible ,,institute ,,of ,,chicago ,reprinted1 #aigc ,printed in the ,united ,states of ,america ,contents ,,chapter ,,page #a4 ,rights #g #b4 ,the ,right to ,what ,i ,consider a ,normal ,standard of ,living #aa #c4 ,the ,right to the ,ordinary ,safeguards of ,good ,health #bc #d4 ,the ,right to ,regulate ,my ,private ,affairs ,as ,i ,wish #cc #e4 ,the ,right to ,privacy #ci #f4 ,the ,right to ,my ,own ,time #dg #g4 ,the ,right to a ,normal ,romance1 ,if ,any #ee #h4 ,the ,right to a ,normal ,home ,life #fg #i4 ,the ,right to ,live ,with the ,people of ,my ,choice #ha #aj4 ,the ,right to ,feel ,superior #ia #aa4 ,the ,right to ,run ,things #ajc #ab4 ,he ,had ,no ,rights #abe ,,note3 ,most of the ,scripture quotations have been taken from the ,american ,standard ,version4 ,,chapter #a ,rights ,well1 said mother1 setting down a cup she had just wiped1 and picking up another1 the older ,i get1 and the older my children get1 the more ,i realize how little right a person has even to her own children4 ,by the time they get--well--into high school they aren't yours any more4 ,but1 ,mother1 ,i protested1 dropping a dripping dishcloth into the dishpan and looking at her in amazement1 of course we are yours6 ,whose else would we be8 ,there was silence for a moment4 ,then1 ,you--you belong to yourselves1 she said quietly4 ,america--the land of freedom and opportunity6 ,the land where everyone's rights are respected6 ,the land where the son of a shiftless drunkard can grit his teeth and say1 ,i'm going to be rich and famous some day6 ,here in ,america we pride ourselves on the fact that everyone has the right to live his own life as he pleases--provided1 that is1 that he does not infringe upon the rights of someone else4 ,rights--your rights2 my rights4 ,just what are rights1 anyway8 99 99 99 99 99 ,a group of half a dozen missionaries were gathered for prayer in a simply furnished living room of a mission house in ,china4 ,for a few minutes one of the group spoke to us out of his heart1 and ,i shall never forget the gist of what he said4 ,you know1 he began1 there's a great deal of difference between eating bitterness ,chinese idiom for 'suffering hardship' and eating loss ,chinese idiom for 'suffering the infringement of one's rights'4 ',eating bitterness' is easy enough4 ,to go out with the preaching band1 walk twenty or thirty miles to the place where you are to work1 help set up the tent1 placard the town with posters1 and spend several weeks in a strenuous campaign of meetings and visitation--why1 that's a thrill6 ,your bed may be made of a couple of planks laid on sawhorses1 and you may have to eat boiled rice1 greens1 and beancurd three times a day4 ,but that's just the beauty of it6 ,why1 it's good for anyone to go back to the simple life6 ,a little healthy 'bitterness' is good for anybody6 ,when ,i came to ,china1 he continued1 ,i was all ready to 'eat bitterness' and like it4 ,that hasn't troubled me particularly4 ,it takes a little while to get your palate and your digestion used to ,chinese food1 of course1 but that was no harder than ,i had expected4 ,another thing1 however--and he paused significantly--another thing that ,i had never thought about came up to make trouble4 ,i had to 'eat loss'6 ,i found that ,i couldn't stand up for my rights--that ,i couldn't even have any rights4 ,i found that ,i had to give them up1 every one1 and that was the hardest thing of all4 99 99 99 99 99 ,that missionary was right4 ,on the mission field it is not the enduring of hardships1 the lack of comforts1 and the roughness of the life that make the missionary cringe and falter4 ,it is something far less romantic and far more real4 ,it is something that will hit you right down where you live4 ,the missionary has to give up having his own way4 ,he has to give up having any rights4 ,he has1 in the words of ,jesus1 to deny himself4 ,he just has to give up himself4 ,paul knew all about this4 ,if you do not believe it1 look at ,i ,corinthians #i4 ,have we no right to eat and to drink8 he asks4 ,have we not a right to forbear working8444 ,nevertheless1 he goes on1 we did not use this right4444 ,though ,i was free from all men1 ,i brought myself under bondage to all1 that ,i might gain the more 7vv4 #d1 #f1 #ab1 #ai74 ,paul1 as a missionary1 willingly gave up his rights for the sake of the ,gospel4 ,are we ready to do the same8 ,but1 someone will ask1 why should this be especially true for the missionary8 ,what rights must be given up on the mission field that a consecrated ,christian at home would not have to give up8 ,the following chapters picture some of them4 ,,chapter #b ,the ,right to ,what ,i ,consider a ,normal ,standard of ,living ,have we no right to eat and to drink8--,i ,corinthians #i3d ,the white-haired mission secretary looked at me quizzically4 ,well1 he said1 it's all in your point of view4 ,we find that these days in the tropics people may look upon the missionary's ,american refrigerator as a normal and necessary thing2 but the cheap print curtains hanging at his windows may be to them unjustifiable extravagance6 99 99 99 99 99 ,my mind goes back to a simple missionary home in ,china1 with a cheap rug on the painted boards of the living-room floor4 ,i can see country women carefully skirting that rug1 trying to get to the chairs indicated for them without stepping on it4 ,rugs1 to them1 belonged on beds1 not on floors1 and they would no more think of walking on my rug than you would on my best blanket6 ,i think of our dining table set for a meal1 and visitors examining with amazement the silver implements instead of bamboo chopsticks2 and white cloth instead of a bare table4 ,i think of having overheard our cook say proudly to a chance comer1 ,oh1 of course they have lots of money6 ,why1 they always eat white bread2 and they have meat every day1 nearly2 and as for sugar--why1 you just can't imagine the amount of sugar they use6 99 99 99 99 99 ,english service was over1 and we went home with a lady doctor and nurse of another mission4 ,they had invited us to ,sunday night supper4 ,the sermon1 delivered by a missionary of still another mission1 who was stationed in the city1 had been striking and thought-provoking4 ,the text had been ,luke #h3ad3 ,and that which fell among thorns are they1 which1 when they have heard1 go forth1 and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life1 and bring no fruit to perfection4 ,this verse must refer to missionaries1 the speaker had begun1 because it says that when they have heard1 they go forth4 ,he had gone on to describe a picture he would like to paint4 ,all around the border were to be the cares and riches and pleasures that hindered the real work of the missionary4 ,subjects that hit home were mentioned--there would be a big account book that tied the missionary down so that he had no time for a spiritual ministry2 a teacup1 symbolizing the round of entertaining that may develop in a city where there is a relatively large missionary community2 a house and its furnishings1 needing constant attention2 and so on4 ,the conclusion of the sermon had been very solemnizing1 because of all these cares and pleasures and things that are second to ,god's best1 it is tragically possible that the missionary may bring no fruit to perfection4 ,at the supper table we had an interesting discussion of the sermon and its implications4 ,then the lady doctor made a remark that ,i have never forgotten4 ,when ,frances and ,i set up this house1 she said1 we agreed that one principle must never be violated4 ,we would have nothing in our house--its furnishings its arrangement--nothing that would keep the ordinary poor people among whom we work from coming in1 or that would make them feel strange here4 99 99 99 99 99 ,a standard of living--what does it amount to8 ,how important is it8 ,does it matter whether we missionaries sleep on spring beds1 or those made of boards 7,i prefer the latter myself671 whether we eat with chopsticks1 or fingers1 or forks2 whether we wear silk or homespun2 whether we sit on chairs or on the floor8 ,does it matter whether we are poor or rich8 ,does it matter whether we eat rice or potatoes8 ,does it matter whether we live in the way to which we are accustomed1 or adopt the way of living of those to whom we go8 ,it may matter quite a lot to ourselves4 ,most of us like potatoes better than rice4 ,that is to say1 most of us like things the way we are used to having them rather than some other way4 ,what is to be our attitude on the mission field8 ,are we free to try to have things the way we would like them1 and to live1 as much as possible1 as we would at home8 ,or ought we to attempt1 as far as we can1 to conform to the way of life of the people among whom we live8 ,this1 of course1 brings us to other questions3 ,does it matter to the people to whom we go whether we conform or not8 ,and1 more important1 does it matter insofar as the progress of the ,gospel is concerned8 ,will our conforming help to win souls to ,christ8 ,the first thing to be said in answer to these questions is that the standards of missionary living necessarily must vary with local conditions4 ,in some places there is a mixture of races and peoples1 each in general keeping with its own customs and dress1 and yet mixing freely with the others4 ,in such places there may be many ,westerners1 and ,western ways may not only be familiar1 but even adopted to a certain extent by the local people4 ,in situations like this there may be little or no need for the missionary to change his ordinary way of life4 ,most missionaries go to places where the way of life is different from their own1 and to people to whom their way of life is strange and by whom it is not understood4 ,it is natural for us to like people who do things in the way in which we like them done4 ,we are attracted to those who seem the same as ourselves1 and turn 7perhaps unconsciously7 from those who seem queer and different4 ,people of other lands are the same4 ,when we see someone whose complexion1 features1 clothing1 language1 manners1 and customs are different from our own1 our natural reaction is to stare1 or laugh1 or both4 ,it is not natural to be attracted to those who are different from ourselves4 ,the missionary wants to attract people4 ,people must be attracted to him before they can be attracted to his message4 ,they must accept him before they will accept his message4 ,the more we can conform to their way of life1 the easier and more natural and more rapid their acceptance of us will be4 ,the report of a ,china ,inland ,mission conference of missionaries held in ,england a few years ago includes as one of the lessons learned from past experience of missionary work in ,china1 the will to conform as nearly as possible to the social and living conditions of the people to whom we went4 ,this means1 of course1 that different missionaries will live according to different standards4 ,for example1 my sister ,frances and ,i are both members of the ,china ,inland ,mission4 ,during the past few years ,i have been living in the modern and wealthy city of ,singapore4 ,i lived according to an ordinary middle-class standard--which meant running water1 electricity1 gas1 and modern plumbing4 ,i was conforming to the social standards and living conditions of the people to whom ,i went4 ,during the same time my sister was in the ,philippines1 living in a palm-leaf hut in a clearing in the jungle1 carrying her own water and sleeping on the floor4 ,she was conforming to the social standards and living conditions of the people to whom she went4 ,paul says3 ,i am become all things to all men1 that ,i may by all means save some 7,i ,cor4 #i3bb74 ,he found what the present-day missionary finds1 that to some extent he must adopt the way of life and the standard of living of the people to whom he was sent4 99 99 99 99 99 ,now1 in what measure will it be desirable to adopt the local way of life8 ,what principles will guide us8 ,well1 in the first place we will certainly want to become familiar enough with it so that we feel at home in their homes4 ,if we find their way of sitting uncomfortable1 and their food unpleasant1 they are not going to enjoy having us as guests4 ,i may think it disgusting to eat my rice off a banana leaf with my fingers1 but if ,i show that disgust1 ,i probably will not be invited again4 ,and my hostess may decide that ,i am merely an unmannerly foreigner1 and that there is no profit in pursuing my acquaintance1 or in listening to the strange stories of ,someone called ,jesus that ,i am so fond of telling4 ,it is also in their homes that we may become really acquainted with them1 and learn to know their needs4 ,when we have become familiar with how they eat1 how they sleep1 how they work1 how they play1 what they like1 what they dislike1 what they hope1 what they fear1 how they think1 how they feel--when we really understand them1 then1 and only then1 will we be able to present the ,gospel to them in an adequate way4 ,in the second place1 we will want to live in our own homes on the mission field in such a way as to make our neighbors feel at home when they come to call on us4 ,the fundamental attraction will not be externalities and material things4 ,even though ,i live in a little hut that is identical with their own1 if in my heart ,i just do not like to have them around1 they will know it1 and they will not be attracted to me4 ,but if not only the love and the welcome are there1 but also a way of life that corresponds to their own1 the approach will be made still easier4 ,this does not mean1 of course1 that ,i will unthinkingly accept all local standards4 ,if ,i go to ,central ,africa1 ,i probably will not decide that wearing clothes is an unjustifiable luxury4 ,there is no need for me to neglect to sweep the floor of my palm-leaf hut just because my neighbors do not sweep theirs4 ,the fact that everyone else chews betel nut1 or plays mah-jongg1 does not mean that ,i will take up these practices4 ,but ,i will want1 as far as possible1 to live the sort of life that it would be suitable for a native#a ,christian to imitate4 ,another point must also be considered here4 ,we missionaries might voice it like this3 ,i would love to live as the native peoples do1 if ,i only could2 but ,i just can't take it6 ,it is true that we may not be able to live entirely as they do and keep our health4 ,the man who was born and bred in the tropics finds the climate just what he likes4 ,the same climate takes all the energy out of the missionary who has come from the temperate zone4 ,foreigners are more susceptible to local diseases than natives4 ,if the missionary eats only what the local people do1 his health may break down4 ,if he himself does all the household chores in a land in which there are no modern conveniences1 he may find that he has very little time left in which to study the language or preach the ,gospel4 ,on most mission fields it is found that a certain amount of variation from the local mode of life is necessary if the missionaries are to continue in good physical and mental health4 ,we can1 however1 gradually get used to unfamiliar things4 ,i remember once1 after ,i had been in ,china a few years1 visiting a neighboring mission station4 ,new workers had arrived there1 a young couple fresh from language school4 ,i was eager to meet them1 but they did not appear4 ,in answer to my inquiry1 the reply was1 ,oh1 they were invited out to a feast last night1 and it's upset them both6 ,they are both in bed6 ,my heart sank4 ,whatever use will these young workers be1 ,i thought1 if they can't eat ,chinese food8 ,they won't be able to go to the country and minister in all the little country churches that are so much in need of help--they can't get ,western food there6 ,they had better have stayed at home6 ,after a few years had passed1 however1 the young man mentioned above did start to do country work1 and he did it very acceptably4 ,what is more1 he even came to prefer an ordinary country meal of local food to the best ,western dishes that his wife could give him at home6 ,seeing that1 ,i began to realize a thing that should be a comfort to all young workers who find the food or the living conditions difficult4 ,over a period of time familiarity not only turns difficulty to ease1 but often even removes the dis from dislike6 ,the young worker goes with an older one to make a call or two4 ,everything is new4 ,everything is strange4 ,everything is nerve-wearing4 ,if a seat is offered1 it is uncomfortable4 ,if food or drink is offered1 either may be unpleasant4 ,even if he understands more or less of what is being said1 the conversations are tiring4 ,and by the time he reaches home he is utterly worn out4 ,as far as he is concerned1 however1 that is not the worst4 ,he looks at the older worker who has taken him out--someone getting on in years1 perhaps a bit stooped1 and obviously not in the pink of health4 ,this missionary has done all the younger one did1 and more4 ,he also preached a few times to crowds that gathered1 and he carried on endless conversations1 but just listening made the younger worker tired4 ,yet this older man somehow has arrived home as fresh as a daisy6 ,the new worker1 in his first station1 often has to go through a stage in which he finds everything uncomfortable1 unattractive1 and difficult1 but there is no need for him to become discouraged4 ,even that older worker probably did too1 although he may have forgotten it6 ,the change comes slowly1 and the young missionary may not be able to see it for a long time1 but if he everlastingly keeps at it1 he will surely find that1 after a few years1 familiarity has made the difficult easy4 ,most people will find1 as well1 that it has even made the distasteful pleasant6 99 99 99 99 99 ,a mother was coaxing her little daughter to eat her vegetable4 ,but ,i don't like it6 the child objected4 ,but you will1 encouraged the mother4 ,just eat it a few times and you will get used to it4 ,it won't be long before you really like it6 ,the child sat stock-still for a moment1 considering4 ,then she burst out1 ,but ,i don't want to like the horrid stuff6 ,other people's ways1 other people's customs1 other people's standards--do we want to like them8 ,or do we cling tenaciously to our own1 insisting that they are the only good and right ones8 ,it is the attitude of mind and heart that matters4 ,if we are willing to give up our own standard of living1 willing to live as far as possible according to someone else's standards1 then surely it is the business of our ,master to make that possible in such degree as ,he sees is needed and best4 ,before we go to the field then1 let us give up all right to our own standard of living1 and be ready contentedly to embrace1 as far as ,he makes possible1 that of the people to whom ,he sends us4 ,,chapter #c ,the ,right to the ,ordinary ,safeguards of ,good ,health ,they must count the cost1 and be prepared to live lives of privation1 of toil1 and perhaps of loneliness and danger4 ,they will need to trust ,god to meet their need in sickness as well as in health1 since it may sometimes be impossible to secure expert medical aid4 ,but1 if they are faithful servants1 they will find in ,christ and in ,his ,word a fulness1 a meetness1 a preciousness1 a joy and strength1 that will far outweigh any sacrifice they may be called upon to make for ,him4 --,the ,overseas ,manual of the ,china ,inland ,mission ,overseas ,missionary ,fellowship 7#aiee71 p4 #d4 ,i carefully spread a large handkerchief on the desk to keep my arm from sticking1 took up my pen1 and began painstakingly to practice writing the intricate ,chinese characters before me4 ,every few minutes ,i stopped to wipe the perspiration from my face4 ,how about going out to ,uncle ,wong's with me8 ,my sister had come into the room4 ,the pastor's wife intended to go with me1 but now she has company and can't go4 ,it will give you a good chance to practice talking ,chinese1 so the time won't be wasted--as far as your study goes1 ,i mean4 ,we got our umbrellas1 palm-leaf fans1 and tract bags1 and started off4 ,the sun was beating down1 and the temperature certainly was higher outdoors1 but the breeze gave an illusion of coolness1 and the pleasant country road upon which we soon entered was enough to make up for a little extra heat4 ,the two miles were quickly covered1 and we found ourselves greeted effusively by ,mrs4 ,wong and her daughter4 ,imagine you two teachers coming out here today1 when it's so hot6 ,we are entirely unworthy of such consideration6 ,why1 you might make yourselves ill1 not being used to such heat in your honorable country6 ,do sit down and rest6 ,this bamboo bed here in the shade of the house is a cool spot4 ,daughter1 get the teachers fans4 ,oh1 you have brought them with you6 ,yes1 fans are indispensable in this weather6 ,quickly start the fire1 daughter1 and heat water for tea6 ,oh-- a sudden thought struck her1 we have no tea leaves in the house6 ,daughter1 you run to the neighbors and borrow some4 ,don't go to any of these folk nearby4 ,they are all poor and probably wouldn't have any4 ,go to ,fourth ,aunt's1 over in the other end of the village4 ,at home we always kept a crock of cooled boiled water on hand1 but here there was nothing like that2 and drinking unboiled water was as unthinkable to her as it was to us4 ,we protested vigorously that we would just as soon have white tea 7boiling water7 as tea made with leaves1 but ,mrs4 ,wong would not hear of such a thing4 ,suddenly an idea struck her4 ,oh1 she said1 ,i know something much better6 ,daughter1 just run to the garden and pick some cucumbers6 ,they'll be better than hot tea anyway1 and quench one's thirst just as effectively4 ,the daughter ran off4 ,after a few minutes the big son came along with two brimming buckets of cold well water and poured it into the stone water butt1 which had been almost empty4 ,do you prefer to wash your faces in cold water or hot8 ,mrs4 ,wong asked4 ,oh1 cold1 please6 we both replied1 already feeling in anticipation that cold water on our hot faces2 but ,mrs4 ,wong1 conscience-smitten1 was already lighting the fire4 ,oh1 ,i shouldn't have asked such a foolish question6 she rattled on4 ,of course cold water won't remove perspiration4 ,no1 no1 it's no trouble4 ,it will be warm enough in just a minute4 ,the hot water was ladled into the basin1 and ,mrs4 ,wong looked inquiringly around the room4 ,i poked my sister4 ,she's looking for a washcloth1 ,i whispered in ,english4 ,quick1 tell her we have one1 or she'll be putting their already used one in6 ,fortunately the family washcloth hadn't been discovered by the time ours was produced2 and we proceeded to wash4 ,i1 being the younger1 dutifully allowed my sister to use the water first4 ,don't wash too close around your eyes1 said my sister in an aside to me4 ,someone in the family might have sore eyes1 and there might be germs on the basin4 ,after we had finished with the basin of hot water1 ,mrs4 ,wong took advantage of it1 having found her own washcloth in the meantime4 ,just at that moment the daughter returned with her apron full of cucumbers1 and politely offered a large one to my sister4 ,her mother quickly snatched it away4 ,as big a girl as that1 and you don't know anything about hygiene6 she reproved1 sternly4 ,you haven't even washed them6 ,as the cucumbers were being washed with the cold well water1 ,i thought to myself that they were probably no more germ-free after the bath than before4 ,unboiled water from shallow wells is not necessarily free from germs4 ,i said nothing1 however4 ,after the daughter had finished scrubbing the cucumbers1 the mother got a knife and carefully peeled two big ones4 ,then she handed them to us4 ,her own she did not bother to peel4 ,we ,chinese are very unhygienic1 she apologized4 ,of course you wouldn't eat cucumbers without peeling them6 ,what would she have thought if she knew that to our minds neither the washing in cold water nor the peeling made them safe to eat8 ,i glanced at my sister1 who was usually very particular about seeing that all raw fruits and vegetables were scalded before eating1 and was astonished to find that she was placidly and unconcernedly munching her cucumber4 ,she and ,mrs4 ,wong were already striking up a lively conversation about something else4 ,i followed her example1 and found the cucumber very refreshing4 ,how can you be so particular about scalding things at home1 and then go out to the country and eat unscalded cucumbers8 ,i asked1 as we were wending our way home4 ,oh1 we couldn't possibly offend ,mrs4 ,wong by refusing to eat what she had to offer us6 was my sister's reply4 ,we certainly ought to be as particular as we can when we are in our own home2 but when we are guests1 and it's a question of offending someone--well1 ,i think the ,lord looks after those cases6 99 99 99 99 99 ,teacups6 ,beautiful ,kingtechen china of the thousand-flower pattern1 thin and exquisite2 or perhaps just a rough earthenware cup1 with the handle missing4 ,everywhere we went in ,china we found teacups4 ,everywhere we went the first thing we were offered was a cup of tea4 ,fragrant tea1 bitter tea1 hot tea1 cold tea2 tea served in hand-painted china1 tea in an earthenware bowl--whatever the cup was1 we lifted it to our lips and drank4 ,what was the first thing we thought of as we tasted the tea8 ,whether it was pleasant or otherwise8 ,the kindness of the one who offered it to us8 ,or the dangers that might lurk on the edge of that cup8 ,for tea1 even very hot tea1 cannot be expected to sterilize the rim of the cup2 and who knows who used it previously1 or what dangerous disease he might have had8 ,it had been washed1 of course1 or at least rinsed out1 but-- ,don't the ,chinese scald their dishes when they wash them8 you ask4 ,well1 do you8 ,m-m-m1 not always1 but the danger is much less in ,america1 you say4 ,that may be true2 but it is hard to realize the danger of infection in one's own home1 wherever it may be2 and even those who live under what we might call unhygienic conditions are no more conscious of the danger in their own homes than you are in yours4 ,i used to think1 sometimes1 that the most dangerous thing we met with in ,china was just an ordinary teacup1 and that the germs that lurked on its rim were more menacing than tigers or bandits4 7,let me hastily add that in all my fifteen years in that country1 and having partaken of tea from ten thousand teacups1 more or less1 in many places and in many homes1 ,i am still quite alive1 and in good health and spirits67 ,now1 that wouldn't worry me6 you think cheerfully4 ,i'm just not particular6 ,i am sorry1 but that is not at all the conclusion ,i want you to draw from the above remarks4 ,i am giving no one license for not being careful4 ,no child of ,god should feel at liberty to disregard what he knows to be the rules of good health1 just because he feels like it1 much less the man or woman on the mission field4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the cook comes in with a basket of foodstuffs fresh from the market4 ,the young missionary spots a particularly luscious plum1 picks it up1 and takes a bite4 ,mary6 a scandalized senior gasps4 ,whatever are you thinking of8 ,eating that plum without scalding it first6 ,you'll likely get cholera or typhoid and die6 ,yes1 in most mission stations the rules of hygiene are adhered to very strictly1 and it would be a hardy junior worker who could come through alive without observing them4 ,perhaps several years have gone by4 ,you are in charge of the home yourself1 and the discipline relaxes a bit4 ,perhaps you even resort to washing your fruit in cold boiled water instead of scalding it1 because scalding does spoil it so6 ,then the younger workers are sent to you1 and you become the head of a new family4 ,one day1 suddenly1 one of them gets a violently upset stomach4 ,is it cholera8 ,the nearest hospital is two days' journey away4 ,you catch your breath1 and go ahead caring for her the best you can with your limited medical knowledge1 a constant cry going up from your heart to the only ,one who can help1 to ,him who is the only all-sufficient ,one6 ,if you are fortunate your junior recovers4 ,from that time on1 all the fruit that appears on your table will be thoroughly scalded4 99 99 99 99 99 ,this is not a chapter on missionary health4 ,it does not purpose to instruct you in the rules of hygiene4 ,rather it inquires into attitudes4 ,is the missionary to be as particular as he can about everything 7fussy1 some may call it71 or should his faith be great enough so that he overlooks the rules of the doctors8 ,or perhaps1 are there times when the one attitude is desirable1 and times for the other8 ,the ,lord of the harvest has sent us forth4 ,a dead laborer1 or even a sick one1 is not much use4 ,it is surely our duty to take all sensible precautions1 and whenever possible to use the safeguards to health with which modern science has provided us4 ,we have no right at all to disobey the rules of hygiene just because we happen to feel like it4 ,but on the other hand1 when those among whom we are ministering1 people whose training is different from ours1 who have no conception of modern hygiene1 out of the love in their hearts provide us with things to eat and drink1 surely then is the time to say with ,paul1 asking no questions for conscience' sake 7,i ,cor4 #aj3bg74 ,surely in cases where adhering strictly to the rules of hygiene would hinder the fulfilling of our commission1 we can trust the ,one who sent us forth to look after us4 ,,chapter #d ,the ,right to ,regulate ,my ,private ,affairs ,as ,i ,wish ,wherefore1 if meat causeth my brother to stumble1 ,i will eat no flesh for evermore1 that ,i cause not my brother to stumble4--,i ,corinthians #h3ac ,please1 teacher1 said a voice at my elbow1 wouldn't you like to wash your face8 ,we were having a week in the country4 ,for the fifth time that day1 our first full day out1 there stood the pastor's wife1 holding out to me a basin of steaming water4 ,she had just the right combination of humility and pride in her manner4 ,i quickly stifled the desire to say1 ,i don't want to wash6 ,what in the world do ,i want to wash my face five times a day for8 ,then ,i mumbled thanks1 and reached wearily for my washcloth4 ,but a little later ,i tackled her about it4 ,do you always wash your face as often as this8 ,why1 of course6 was the quick reply4 ,all clean people do6 ,and ,i was brought up in a very clean family4 ,i let the matter drop1 and washed my face 7and my feet7 as often as she thought best for the rest of the trip4 99 99 99 99 99 ,grandmother ,bay's little granddaughter had just come back from ,shanghai4 ,grandmother ,bay proudly appeared at church accompanied by a prettily dressed1 well-behaved child of about nine4 ,after the service several of us sat chatting4 ,one old lady looked at the child's pretty frock1 and then gave a quick glance at her grandmother4 ,i suppose that's the ,shanghai style1 was all that she said1 but ,grandmother ,bay divined her meaning4 ,just what ,i thought myself6 ,she quickly caught up the remark4 ,it's pretty material1 and nicely made--cut a bit closely1 but ,i suppose those ,shanghai tailors do it that way4 ,but the sleeves6 ,practically no sleeves at all6 ,it's almost indecent6 ,but you know1 she has hardly a scrap of the material1 and ,i haven't been able to match it4 ,otherwise ,i should have lengthened them immediately4 ,it's too good a garment to throw away4 ,i don't know what in the world to do about it6 ,i sat listening with my mouth open4 ,the child was little enough so that ,i would hardly have been surprised to see her running around the yard with nothing on but a pair of trousers1 as many smaller girls did4 7,the boys needed still less67 ,the objectionable sleeves were just long enough to cover her shoulders4 ,what was wrong with that for a child of her size8 ,i looked at the two women1 trying my best to understand their point of view4 ,what ,i saw made me gasp4 ,in that area the older women all wore thigh-length loose jackets1 and loose trousers1 as their regulation attire4 ,it was warm1 and one of the two women had just pulled up her trouser legs4 ,her short stockings reached about eight inches above her ankles1 and were held in place by tight round garters4 ,she vigorously fanned her bare knees as the two1 with serious1 troubled faces1 continued the conversation about the indecent dress4 99 99 99 99 99 ,what is decency anyway8 ,in certain groups in ,india it is not decent for a woman to show her face1 but her bare feet peep from beneath her long robes4 ,things that look perfectly all right to us look indecent to someone else2 and things that look indecent to us may look perfectly all right to someone else6 ,a young missionary goes inland to her first station4 ,i'm not going to look frumpy6 she declares1 and takes all her prettiest dresses4 ,when she comes out in gay colors that are not worn in that backward area1 or in short sleeves when everyone else has elbows duly covered1 her senior missionary attempts to suggest a bit of alteration in her wardrobe4 ,all suggestions1 however1 are indignantly rejected4 ,she plunges enthusiastically into work with the children1 using pictures very effectively to supplement her limited vocabulary4 ,one day her two favorite scholars do not appear1 and she asks her helper1 a bright high school girl1 the reason4 ,the embarrassed and evasive answer does not satisfy1 and she keeps after the poor girl until finally she is told the truth4 ,an hour later her senior missionary finds her weeping in her room4 ,she said1 she chokes1 she said----that their mother won't let them come any more because ,i----because ,i can't be a good woman2 ,i dress like a--a prostitute6 ,what is wrong8 ,why does the eager young missionary have to go through all this heartache8 ,just because she is not willing to see with someone else's eyes4 ,her own standards are the only right ones4 ,she learns by hard experience the fact that other people do see things differently from us1 and that it does make a difference4 ,after all1 this is their country1 and these are their customs4 ,we cannot expect them to adjust to ours4 ,it is the foreigner in the strange land who has to adjust to the ways of that land4 ,to learn a new language1 the ear must be alert to hear just that little turn with which a sound is pronounced that makes all the difference between a foreign and a native accent4 ,to become adjusted to a new people1 the eye and the heart must be alert to perceive clearly1 to understand and take in their feelings and their reactions4 ,may ,god grant us the seeing eye and the hearing ear6 99 99 99 99 99 ,oh1 they're terribly strict at that ,bible school6 someone remarks4 ,there are rules about how long your dresses must be1 and how you must wear your hair4 ,i wouldn't stand for it6 ,why1 it's things like that that give ,christianity a bad name6 ,perhaps4 ,at the same time1 one who has shown that he is willing to give up his own standards and conform to someone else's1 even though he may not see the reason for those standards1 has shown an attitude that will take him a long way on the mission field4 ,the how ,i do my hair and what kind of clothes ,i wear is my own business6 attitude so frequently met with1 both at home and on the field1 is not a promising one4 ,if we have fully given ourselves to ,christ1 nothing is our own business--it is all ,his4 ,,chapter #e ,the ,right to ,privacy ,there were many coming and going1 and they had no leisure so much as to eat4--,mark #f3ca ,but when he saw the multitudes1 he was moved with compassion for them4--,matthew #i3cf ,i had just come back from a strenuous month in the country4 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,sprightly1 the young married couple who were in charge of the mission station1 and ,i were relaxing around the tea table4 ,i told about the work ,i had been doing1 and answered interested questions4 ,finally the talk drifted into lighter channels1 and ,mrs4 ,sprightly told a funny incident she had witnessed the previous day in a courtyard down the street when she had been out for a walk with her little boy4 ,i always like to have ,sonny with me when ,i go out1 she concluded1 philosophically4 ,when he's along ,i can stick my nose in anywhere ,i like4 ,all ,i have to do is to say1 ',my little boy wants to see what that is1' and ,i can wander into their courtyards1 or even into their houses1 and nobody thinks anything about it6 ,curiosity is a common trait1 and especially so among those who are uneducated and unsophisticated4 ,missionaries often find those to whom they go frankly curious4 ,but1 strangely enough1 there is something in many of us that rebels against having one's private life a matter of common knowledge6 ,the one who has grown up without becoming acquainted with the meaning of the word privacy1 on the other hand1 may find it impossible to understand why the missionary desires to be alone once in awhile6 99 99 99 99 99 ,the young missionary hears the sound of ,chinese music from somewhere up the street4 ,to her ears it is weird and unintelligible1 but the children at their play instantly recognize the tune1 and raise their voices in a shout4 ,the new daughter-in-law#b is coming6 ,the new daughter-in-law is coming6 ,a friendly youngster pokes his head in at the missionary's door4 ,wouldn't you like to come and see the new daughter-in-law8 he asks politely4 ,the sedan chair is just arriving4 ,hurry6 ,but--dear me6 protests the missionary4 ,whose home is this new daughter-in-law coming to8 ,is it a family we are acquainted with8 ,oh1 that doesn't matter6 the boy assures her4 ,why1 everybody goes to see a new daughter-in-law6 ,the missionary1 reluctantly allowing herself to be pulled along by the hand1 finds it even as the child has said4 ,crowds of children1 and older people too1 are swarming in at the open gateway through which has just passed the gaily decorated sedan chair4 ,though the courtyard is fairly commodious1 it is packed with people1 talking1 gesticulating1 pushing to get a better vantage point from which to view the bride when she alights4 ,the groom and his parents are graciously welcoming invited guests1 entirely unconcerned about all the hubbub4 ,the bridal chair is set down to a great popping of firecrackers1 the appointed welcome committee of several girls and one older woman draws the curtain and assists the bride to her place in the yard1 and the ceremony proceeds4 ,after it is completed1 the bride is escorted with much formality into the house1 and to the bedroom prepared for her1 where she is seated upon a bed resplendent with red satin quilts4 ,then the guests1 invited and uninvited1 pour into the room4 ,they subject the bride and her clothes to an interested and careful scrutiny1 commenting upon everything1 with much joking and laughter4 ,as soon as one group gets tired and takes its leave1 another is ready to push in and view the new daughter-in-law4 ,the poor girl6 says the missionary4 ,she looks ready to drop6 ,when will they ever leave her to herself8 ,not until late that night--and the same performance will start again early the next morning4 ,why1 if there were not a continuous stream of visitors for three days1 the wedding would be thought rather a flop6 99 99 99 99 99 ,the day had been a busy one4 ,the first visitor had appeared before breakfast1 a precursor of a seemingly never-ending stream4 ,there were uneducated country women1 whose curiosity could only be satisfied by going through every room in the missionary's house and minutely examining each article that met their eyes4 ,there were those who were educated and formally polite1 and dexterously steered the conversation into other channels every time we endeavored to present the claims of ,christ to them4 ,there were ,christians1 some coming with their troubles1 others with plans for forwarding the work of the church1 and still others with requests for us to set a time when we could go with them to call upon their unsaved friends or relatives4 ,finally at four-thirty1 after we had ushered out a couple of callers1 we returned1 for the first time that day1 to an empty room4 ,come1 quickly6 ,i said to my sister4 ,let's go out for a walk before someone else comes6 ,i felt as though ,i would go crazy if ,i did not get away--away anywhere1 just so it was a place where we could be alone4 ,we hurriedly slipped out the back gate1 around the pond1 through the back streets1 and out the city gate4 ,which way do you want to go8 my sister asked4 ,oh1 just anywhere into the country1 ,i said immediately1 where there aren't any people6 ,my sister stood stock-still1 looking at me in amazement4 ,aren't any people6 she repeated4 ,aren't any people6 ,where in ,china do you think you'll find a place where there aren't any people8 ,i stood still and looked around me4 ,the flat countryside was dotted with villages1 and crisscrossed with paths4 ,farmers were busy plowing their tiny fields4 ,coolies in groups of two and three were returning home from the city1 scattering in all directions along the many footpaths4 ,people1 people everywhere1 even out there in the country6 ,these were the people whom ,i had come to ,china to seek2 yet if ,i could only get away from them for a few hours6 ,if there were only some wooded gully or mountain thicket where ,i could be out of sight of everyone6 ,but there were no mountains2 the country was as flat as a tabletop4 ,i mentally searched the familiar countryside for a place of refuge4 ,good1 fertile land1 cut up into tiny fields2 well-kept crops1 with not a weed anywhere2 here and there a little grove of trees--surely in among the trees we could be out of sight6 ,but no6 ,there was no undergrowth1 no weeds1 not even any fallen leaves4 ,all had been gathered1 carefully dried1 and put in the fuel pile4 ,why1 if a strong wind came up in the night1 the owner of the trees would rise from bed and hurry out to sweep up the precious leaves as soon as they fell1 just so no unscrupulous neighbor could come and steal them before daylight6 ,and all the lower branches of the trees had long since been trimmed off for fuel4 ,a grove of trees would hide me from the sight of no one1 and there was no better place4 ,the full force of an unpleasant fact suddenly hit me1 a fact that ,i had never before completely realized4 ,there was absolutely no place that ,i could go to be alone6 ,the best that ,i could do was to go home to the mission station1 into the house1 up to my room1 and close the door4 ,even then1 who knew how soon someone would call me8 ,then1 in a flash1 a little story ,i had read in a magazine long before came to my mind4 ,a friend dropped in to visit a busy mother4 ,the family was large and poor1 and they lived in only one room4 ,it seemed to the visitor that the one room was swarming with children4 ,the mother met her with a beaming face4 ,but how can you be so happy1 asked the visitor1 when you can never get a minute to be alone8 ,how can you find quiet even to pray8 ,it used to trouble me1 was the quick reply1 until ,i found out the secret4 ,when things get too much for me1 ,i just throw my apron up over my head1 and ,i am all alone with the ,lord4 ,dear ,lord1 forgive me6 ,i thought4 ,what about that poor mother8 ,and what about the ,lord ,jesus8 ,he wanted solitude just as we do1 and ,he went with ,his disciples across the lake to an out-of-the-way spot to be quiet4 ,the multitudes heard where ,he was going and followed by land4 ,when ,he stepped from the boat1 there were thousands upon thousands waiting for ,him4 ,how did ,he react8 ,was there anger in ,his heart1 or resentment1 at never being allowed to be alone8 ,no2 for it says that when ,he saw the multitudes1 ,he welcomed them 7,luke #i3aa74 ,dear ,lord1 give me that same heart of love for the multitudes6 99 99 99 99 99 ,privacy and solitude are good things1 no doubt--in moderation4 ,most missionaries get less of them than they would desire4 ,there are probably few missionaries who have not been irritated at one time or another when their houses and their persons were subjected to amazed1 or delighted1 or even half-contemptuous scrutiny by the curious4 ,can't they have the decency to keep out of what is my own private business8 the missionary thinks4 ,yet if we belong to the day1 if we are children of light1 why should any act of ours1 or anything belonging to us1 need to be hidden in the dark8 ,this is not to recommend a needless parading of things that normal people prefer to be reserved about4 ,let us remember1 however1 that people must come to know us before they can accept our message1 or before our testimony has any value to them4 ,why should ,i desire to keep hidden anything that has to do with myself--if the sharing of that thing might help to draw someone to the ,saviour8 ,,for ,,ye ,,were ,,once ,,darkness1 ,,but ,,are ,,now ,,light ,,in ,,the ,,lord2 ,,walk ,,as ,,children ,,of ,,light4--,ephesians #e3h ,,chapter #f ,the ,right to ,my ,own ,time ,come now1 ye that say1 ,today or tomorrow we will go into this city1 and spend a year there1 and trade1 and get gain3 whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow4444 ,for that ye ought to say1 ,if the ,lord will1 we shall both live1 and do this or that4--,james #d3ac-ae ,mrs4 ,ning and ,i are going out to see ,grandma ,woo1 who has been sick4 ,wouldn't you like to come too8 ,i was sitting at my desk1 with all the paraphernalia of ,chinese study spread out before me4 ,i looked at my desk1 looked at the clock1 looked at my sister1 and then asked1 ,how soon will you be back8 ,oh1 we shouldn't be too long6 ,of course ,mrs4 ,ning walks slowly1 with her small#c feet2 but it's only a mile1 and we don't need to stay very long4 ,you never know1 but we ought to be home in plenty of time for dinner4 ,well1 ,i thought to myself1 ,i suppose ,i ought to go2 but ,i wanted to finish translating this chapter1 and ,i'll be doing well to get it done in three hours4 ,and ,i had thought that ,i'd get it finished this morning1 and be able to write letters this afternoon4 ,still-- ,unfortunately for my peace of mind1 ,i knew two things4 ,one was that my sister thought that ,i ought to go1 and the other was that she was right4 ,well1 ,i said finally1 ,i'll go2 but let's not stay long4 ,we got our sun hats1 joined ,mrs4 ,ning1 and started off4 ,her feet were not more than six inches long1 and she did take such tiny steps6 ,try as ,i would to walk slowly1 ,i continually found myself going ahead of the other two4 ,my sister by nature is in more of a hurry to get things done than ,i4 ,still1 here she was1 wandering along beside ,mrs4 ,ning as if she had all the time in the world1 listening intently to a tale about ,mrs4 ,ning's third aunt's cousin1 and putting in sympathetic interjections and questions now and then4 ,i could not seem to get interested in the story1 even though ,mrs4 ,ning was telling how she had tried to get this third aunt's cousin to bring his troubles to the ,saviour4 ,i could not understand all of what she said1 and was unable to keep up with all the ins and outs of the poor cousin's troubles1 so finally ,i gave up trying4 ,it was a beautiful day4 ,the sky was blue1 and the wheat1 high and greenish-gold1 rippled in the wind4 ,we turned off the road and followed a little path running through the wheat fields4 ,my sister almost unconsciously began slipping the full heads of grain through her fingers1 one after the other1 as she passed4 ,she always loved the wheat1 and so did ,i1 but somehow today ,i did not want to touch it4 ,i only wished that we would hurry4 ,at last we arrived at the village1 and made our way to the home of old ,mrs4 ,woo4 ,as usual1 a crowd of dirty1 staring youngsters followed us into the house4 ,we sat on benches that were about eight inches wide1 and sipped tea that could be called so only by courtesy2 since1 having no tea leaves1 they had instead just put a few slices of raw sweet potato into the kettle when it went on the fire4 ,old ,mrs4 ,woo was up and around again1 and feeling lively4 ,i'm so glad you've come6 ,i've been telling my neighbors all about the ,lord ,jesus1 and how they ought to believe in ,him1 but ,i'm afraid ,i don't do it quite right4 ,now that you've come you can tell them6 ,here1 you1 ,kitten1 speaking to one of the crowd of children that had followed us into the house1 you run home and get your grandma to come4 ,and you1 ,girlie1 your second great-aunt said that she wanted to believe4 ,run fast and tell her that the teachers have come4 ,all of you youngsters1 you scoot home as fast as you can and get your mothers and grandmothers to come and listen to the doctrine6 ,it took quite a lot of persuasion to get the children to go2 and perhaps the mothers and grandmothers were busy4 ,we waited in vain for quite awhile1 but finally in came three or four women1 one with a cloth shoe sole she was quilting1 and another carrying a baby4 ,after quite a bustle1 they were all seated and given bowls of tea4 ,then out came the poster that my sister always carried1 and the ,gospel was explained to them in very simple words4 ,with great effort ,i managed to keep my mind on the message1 and understood most of it4 ,i congratulated myself internally4 ,at last ,i had successfully wrested my mind from the absorbing but uncomfortable subject of all the things that ,i had wanted to get done that day6 ,the preaching was finished4 ,the women got up to go1 assuring us that they would come with ,mrs4 ,woo to church the next ,sunday4 ,we got up too1 and started to say good-by4 ,what6 ,go home6 said ,mrs4 ,woo4 ,who could think of such a thing6 ,of course you'll stay for dinner with me6 ,why1 it's almost ready6 7,we knew perfectly well that the only womenfolk in the family were herself and her daughter-in-law1 and that neither had left the room since the tea had been brought in47 ,my sister and ,mrs4 ,ning protested1 and even ,i managed to add a few polite words4 ,but my thoughts were not so courteous4 ,stay for dinner6 ,what an idea6 ,why1 that would mean that we would not be home before the middle of the afternoon at the earliest6 ,and besides1 the meal would probably be some miserable stuff that ,i could hardly force down6 ,oh1 well1 likely she was only asking us in order to be polite1 and did not really mean it6 ,with great difficulty we made our way toward the door4 ,mrs4 ,woo and her daughter-in-law hung on us until we could hardly move1 protesting loudly that they would not think of letting us leave4 ,my blood began to boil4 ,i guess we had the right to go home when we wanted to6 ,they were actually trying to force us to stay6 ,well1 ,i would not stay in any case now6 ,this was just too much6 ,we had reached the open door1 and just then caught sight of an old woman hobbling rapidly across the yard toward us4 ,oh1 ,girlie's second great-aunt6 called ,mrs4 ,woo4 ,here you are at last6 ,why didn't you come sooner8 ,well1 ,i had company1 and ,i just couldn't get away4 ,but finally my daughter-in-law came back1 and ,i left them with her and came as quickly as ,i could4 ,i was so afraid that the teachers would be gone4 ,but1 oh1 surely you're not leaving8 ,oh1 no1 of course they're not leaving6 ,you don't think that ,i would let them come under my roof and not keep them to a meal6 ,it will be nothing like they're used to1 of course2 but still a meal is a meal6 ,now1 just sit down1 teachers1 please1 and ,mrs4 ,ning4 ,girlie's second great-aunt has wanted to believe for some time1 but her son is very mean to her1 and he won't let her go to church4 ,do you think that she could believe at home8 ,i could not believe my eyes4 ,my sister and ,mrs4 ,ning sat down obediently and began to talk very sympathetically with the old woman who had just come4 ,what6 ,were they actually going to stay to dinner8 ,and not a word to me1 just as if what ,i wanted did not matter at all6 ,they could talk to this old lady1 and tell her about the ,lord1 but all ,i could do was just sit6 ,of course ,i was supposed to listen2 but one could not put her brain to listening to this queer ,chinese all day long6 ,and what about all those things that ,i had wanted to get done8 ,the dinner was no better than ,i expected4 ,in fact1 it was worse4 ,girlie's second great-aunt stayed too1 upon urging1 and they all talked on and on4 ,they were trying to teach her a little prayer1 and she was so stupid6 ,over and over and over1 and still she could not say it by herself4 ,finally1 when ,i had given up all hope--,i had sat in stony silence all the afternoon--we got up1 made our farewells1 and started home4 ,the sun was setting as we entered our front gate4 ,i was tired 7why1 ,i did not know2 ,i had not done a thing all day71 hungry 7,i had not been able to eat much of the dinner1 no matter how it had been urged upon me71 and disgusted4 ,and the worst of it was that it did not seem to bother my sister a particle4 ,she took it all as a matter of course4 ,was this what ,i was going to have to go through2 what ,i had come to ,china for8 ,for ,i began slowly to realize that today's experience was not just one isolated incident2 it was likely to happen any day in the year4 ,something was wrong somewhere4 ,what8 ,suddenly it came over me4 ,it was only that ,i had had my day all planned out1 and did not want my plans interfered with4 ,because they had been interfered with1 ,i had done nothing but sulk4 ,all the things ,i might have enjoyed ,i had not enjoyed at all4 ,i had made myself miserable for a whole day1 just because my time had been disposed of by someone else1 and not by me4 ,dear ,lord1 ,i said1 ,i'm not going to go through this again6 ,i know it was really ,you who disposed of my day when ,i wanted to do something else with it6 ,give me an open mind1 ,lord1 so that whenever ,i go to the country1 whenever ,i start a new day1 ,i'll be able to accept whatever comes1 and rejoice in it6 ,it is amazing how much difference a little thing like one's mental attitude can make4 ,after that1 when ,i went to the country1 ,i never took with me any preconceived notions of what time ,i would return4 ,i might get back home for my noon meal1 or ,i might get back by sunset1 or ,i might even stay overnight--what difference did it make8 ,my time belonged to the ,lord1 and it was up to ,him to dispose of it4 ,i found that with this attitude of mind ,i could go anywhere1 take advantage of any opportunities offered1 stay more time or less time than ,i had expected1 and still enjoy every moment1 because ,god had planned it1 and had worked it out in the best possible way4#d ,,chapter #g ,the ,right to a ,normal ,romance1 ,if ,any ,i was in the ,,cim ,mission ,home in ,vancouver1 ,b4 ,c41 an accepted candidate4 ,in two more weeks ,i was to sail for ,china1 the land where three of my sisters were already laboring as missionaries4 ,one had been out for six years1 had been married while on the field1 and was almost ready for furlough4 ,the other two sisters had been out a shorter period4 ,they were both single1 and stationed together4 ,that day ,i had received a letter from them written from a little hill resort operated by our ,mission1 where they and others had gone to escape the worst of the summer heat4 ,now1 for missionaries1 a summer resort is the most common place for a romance to develop6 ,the letter was a gay description of their life there1 and ended with the following sentence3 ,there are thirty-three of us here now3 seven married couples with nine children1 nine single ladies1 and one single man6 ,there is one more single man expected1 we hear1 but even at that1 ,i'm afraid there isn't much hope for us6 ,the dinner bell rang1 and ,i hurried down4 ,but who was that elderly couple in the old-fashioned clothes8 ,perhaps ,i had been told that they were to arrive that day1 but if so ,i had not remembered it4 ,they were introduced all around the circle--missionaries who had just come from ,china6 ,we sat down1 and ,i found myself beside the lady4 ,what did they say your name was8 she asked1 apologetically4 ,i have such a time remembering names4 ,i told her1 and she immediately pricked up her ears4 ,williamson6 she said4 ,don't you have a sister in ,china8 ,yes1 ,i have three there1 ,i replied4 ,well1 isn't that a coincidence6 ,when ,i was in ,shanghai ,i heard--no1 you couldn't have heard it yet1 for the news was just out--,i'm sure it must have been your sister6 ,anyway1 just before we left ,shanghai there was a great hubbub about the news of a new engagement1 and ,i'm almost certain--,dear1 turning to her husband1 who was it that we heard was engaged1 just before we left ,shanghai8 ,her husband did not remember4 ,well1 ,i'm almost sure it was your sister1 anyway6 she declared4 ,my sister6 ,but it couldn't be6 ,i replied rather dazedly1 thinking of the letter ,i had just received4 ,which one8 ,what was her first name8 ,unfortunately she could not remember that1 nor did she know that there were two ,miss ,williamsons in ,china4 ,and as for the name of the man--she had no idea about that1 either4 ,the whole thing seemed extremely vague1 and altogether unlikely1 and ,i dismissed it from my mind4 ,a week later ,i received another letter from my two sisters4 ,to my amazement ,i read the news that the younger of them had just become engaged to the single man who had arrived at the hill resort the day after the previous letter was written6 ,after ,i had partly recovered from the shock1 my mind went back to what ,i had heard of the courtship of my married sister1 also in ,china4 ,the man who later became her husband was stationed at a place a thousand miles from where she was4 ,they had been very slightly acquainted when they were in ,bible institute in ,america1 six or seven years before4 ,suddenly he started writing to her1 and after two or three letters1 asked her to marry him4 ,when she went down to ,shanghai for the wedding1 practically all she knew of him was from his letters4 ,the other sister1 who went with her at that time1 told me later that when they went to the railway station in ,shanghai to meet the expected groom1 who did not arrive until the day after they did1 she almost had heart failure4 ,after they went to bed that night she could not go to sleep for thinking1 ,what if she shouldn't want to marry him1 now that she's seen him6 ,i'm sure ,i wouldn't6 ,succeeding days set her mind at rest1 however1 for it was quite evident that the promised bride did want to marry him--and so it turned out all right after all6 99 99 99 99 99 ,what a strange family you come from6 you say4 ,your sisters rush into marriage in such a precipitous way6 ,no1 not at all4 ,such courtships are fairly common among missionaries4 ,the reason for this is obvious4 ,there is very little opportunity on the mission field for becoming acquainted with eligible persons of the opposite sex4 ,unless the missionary is prepared to give up his calling in order to marry1 his range of choice is necessarily limited to other missionaries2 and missionaries1 when at work1 are usually widely scattered4 ,most of our mission stations had only one household1 with only two1 three1 or four missionaries4 ,obviously1 it would not be very likely that two single workers of opposite sex would be included in the group2 to say nothing of the fact that such an allocation of workers would normally be considered highly unconventional6 ,usually single women workers were sent to one station1 and a man 7or men1 if there were that many7 to another4 ,missionary travel1 except for going to a summer resort1 was usually confined to one's own district1 and missionaries working outside that district met very infrequently4 ,another factor that must be taken into consideration is the restriction which local custom puts upon social mingling of the sexes in heathen lands4 ,most missionaries live in near contact with the people1 and it is only right that they should do so4 ,the missionary who prefers to withdraw from the people is not likely to make many converts4 ,local people1 both ,christian and heathen1 are encouraged to come freely into the missionary's home1 and much of his work may be done by just such quiet contacts4 ,the missionaries come in as strangers4 ,they present a new way of life4 ,is it any wonder that1 as much as is possible1 everything that they do is watched8 ,sometimes the watching is in order to criticize2 sometimes it is in order to imitate2 but always they are watched4 ,if what the watchers see seems good to them1 they may give themselves to the ,one about whom the missionaries preach4 ,if they see things that offend them1 they may stumble and turn away4 ,because of this1 local conventions must be taken into consideration2 and in many heathen lands what we would call only ordinary friendliness between two persons of opposite sex would be looked upon not only with disapproval1 but even with suspicion4 ,mission rules in regard to such matters are usually very strict1 as the following quotation from ,the ,overseas ,manual of the ,china ,inland ,mission ,overseas ,missionary ,fellowship 7#aiee7 will show6 ,it is important that the missionary in his daily life among ,eastern peoples should maintain a standard of dignity and courtesy which is essentially ,christian and not merely ,western4 ,it must be remembered that a careless disregard of local conventions will give offense to nationals whose good opinion is of value1 and may prove a serious hindrance to the progress of the ,gospel4 ,great care should be taken particularly by lady workers when extending hospitality to missionary brethren or vice versa1 lest any action lead to misunderstanding and injury to the work4 ,engaged couples should also be especially careful of their deportment1 remembering that they will be setting a standard of behavior for young ,christians no longer bound by old conventions and looking1 perhaps1 for guidance to their missionary friends4444 ,engaged couples will not be designated to work in the same center 7pp4 #ba1 #bb74 ,so1 between the limitation that a narrow circle of eligible acquaintances sets1 and the restriction entailed in conforming to local custom1 young missionaries may often feel that the chance for any normal kind of romance is snatched from them4 ,small wonder that the summer resort and the post office1 the two avenues of courtship left open to them1 are speedily utilized1 and that engagements are often made on what would seem at home to be too short acquaintance6 ,if you knew that you had only a few weeks in which to become better acquainted and do your courting1 and that when those few weeks had passed each would return to his own station1 with no opportunity of meeting again for at least another year1 perhaps you would speed things up too6 ,if the choice of a life partner were a matter to be decided purely on one's own1 then this sort of situation on the mission field might lead to many a tragedy4 ,thank ,god1 that is not the case6 ,after all1 ,he is the ,one whom we want to make the choice for us1 and ,he can be depended upon4 ,certainly any young missionary should make this a matter of definite prayer4 ,if ,god has chosen the two for each other1 ,he will see to it that they meet2 and ,he will bear witness in their hearts as to ,his leading1 so that they need not hesitate or fear4 ,if we set our hearts on some certain thing1 irrespective of whether or not it is ,his will1 disaster will result4 ,if we commit the matter entirely to ,him1 and trust ,him to work out ,his own perfect will1 we can go ahead1 with confidence1 knowing that the union 7if ,he indicates it7 will be as the path of the just1 that shineth more and more unto the perfect day4 ,if anyone doubts this1 let him look at any missionary couple4 ,in spite of all the difficulties and dangers1 the percentage of happily married couples must be greater among missionaries than it is anywhere else6 ,to any thinking young person1 another problem1 not yet discussed1 must be evident4 ,if there are twice as many single women as single men on the mission field 7and there are71 some of the women must either marry men who are not missionaries1 and so leave the field1 or else remain single4 ,the shortage of men on the mission field is often deplored1 and it is true that in many cases the work would be better off with a larger proportion of men4 ,i shall always remember1 however1 hearing one of my sisters say3 ,before ,i came to the mission field ,i thought that the reason there were more women than men on the field was that more of the women were wholly consecrated to the cause of ,christ2 but after ,i had been out for some time ,i changed my mind4 ,now ,i believe that ,god calls more women than men because more women are needed4 ,the army of unmarried women missionaries on the field is there1 not because there happen to be more women than men on the field1 and1 since we do not believe in polygamy1 some were left over2 but because there is a work that they can do that no one else can4 ,most men need wives1 and the fact that a man has a wife and family is more of a help than a hindrance in most types of missionary work4 ,a man missionary can leave his family for weeks or months1 and even though married1 he can engage in the arduous itineration that is often necessary4 ,but a married woman missionary1 as soon as she becomes a mother1 is bound to her children1 and that usually means that she bound to her home4 ,she can engage in missionary work in the place where she lives1 but she cannot travel easily4 ,she cannot go out for weeks or months with a women's evangelistic band4 ,she cannot go from church to church1 holding ,bible classes for the women4 ,in many places1 when teams of men workers go about1 the women are left almost untouched4 ,there must be women workers to reach the women4 ,there is plenty of work for the married woman missionary to engage in2 but there are certain types of work which her responsibilities will not allow her to undertake4 ,that's the type of work ,i want to do6 declares one young woman4 ,to spend weeks and months in the country villages1 living in the people's homes and really becoming one with them--that's the only work that counts6 ,i shall never be married4 ,oh1 says another1 ,i'm sure there is much work a married woman can do that would be impossible to the single woman4 ,anyway1 ,i wasn't cut out for a spinster6 ,it doesn't matter if there are only half as many men as women2 some of the women get married1 and ,i'll be one of the 'some4' ,well1 friends1 both of you are wrong4 ,it's not up to you to say what sort of work you want to do1 and it's not up to you to say whether you will be married1 or one of the single crowd4 ,since most girls want to be married1 it is a good thing for each to face the possibility that ,god might1 for a reason1 want her to remain single2 but that does not mean that ,i am encouraging anyone to take a vow of celibacy6 ,i know of one young woman missionary who told various fellow workers1 and even some of the local ,christians1 that she was never going to get married4 ,the ,lord began to deal with her--at the same time that a young man was laying siege to her heart6 ,she finally surrendered to the ,lord1 and gave up her cherished dreams of the kind of missionary career she had mapped out for herself4 ,a few years later she was a happy missionary wife and mother6 ,most of the above is particularly directed to young women1 but it may apply to young men as well4 ,in a limited number of cases it may be necessary for men to remain single1 particularly those who engage in pioneer work of a sort that would be impossible for women4 ,this probably means giving up anything that could rightly be called a home4 ,even where two single men are together1 batching it is usually a sorry business2 but when the call of the ,lord comes1 ,he will give grace4 ,in that respect it is much easier for women4 ,two unmarried women can live together and make a home that seems like a home2 most men do not seem to have that gift6 ,the advantages and disadvantages of the single woman missionary1 as over and against those of the married woman 7or vice versa7 are often debated4 ,the single woman certainly has the advantage in being able to give all her time and energy to the work1 though the married woman can give help to married women in a way that an unmarried woman cannot4 ,it is not a matter for anyone to decide arbitrarily4 ,remember that each man hath his own gift from ,god1 one after this manner1 and another after that 7,i ,cor4 #g3g74 ,whatever ,god has called us to do1 we can do4 ,each state has its own blessings4 ,when one sees the trouble in the flesh 7,i ,cor4 #g3bh1 ,k4,j4,v47 that bringing up children on the mission field entails1#e it is almost enough to make one feel that the single state is the easier4 ,it is easier in some ways1 of course4 ,yet remaining single is not easy either4 ,every human heart longs for someone to belong to1 and perhaps the hardest thing that the single missionary has to face is that she can never1 never say to anyone1 ,i'm going to stay with you4 ,,chapter #h ,the ,right to a ,normal ,home ,life ,after marriage a lady worker continues to be a missionary in active service and her changed status will afford new opportunities for service4 ,she will need rightly to apportion time to language study1 home duties and her calling as a missionary4 ,this will require changes in outlook and habits1 but if the responsibilities of married life have been prayerfully accepted the varying claims on time and strength will not result in a permanent conflict of loyalties4 ,the establishing of a ,christian home should be for the glory of ,god and the spread of the ,gospel4 ,one danger to be avoided is that of missionaries becoming so absorbed in their home as to neglect an active ministry amongst the people to whom they have been called4 ,it is the mutual responsibility of both husband and wife to see that each does not hinder the other from fulfilling his or her ministry4 ,where there are children1 it is recognized that new responsibilities are involved1 but care should be taken that family claims do not monopolize the time and energies of either parent4 ,children who grow up in an atmosphere of loving yet firm discipline are not only a joy to their parents but an asset to the work of the ,gospel4 ,but when children are over-indulged or uncontrolled1 whether on the field or at home1 serious harm to ,god's cause as well as to the reputation of the ,mission may result4 --,the ,overseas ,manual of the ,china ,inland ,mission ,overseas ,missionary ,fellowship 7#aiee71 p4 #bb4 ,what a wonderful thing is a ,christian home6 ,what a privilege to be able to establish1 among thousands of darkened1 pagan homes1 one that is truly ,christian2 and to be able to live out the love of ,christ in actual family relationships before people who know nothing of it6 ,this privilege has not been given to me4 ,the ,lord has not led me in that path4 ,and yet1 as ,i have observed many young couples on the mission field1 and older ones too1 ,i have been able to see a little of the price they have had to pay4 ,the outsider1 looking on1 saw only the love and blessing that radiated from these homes4 ,but as ,i lived in some of them1 ,i found that these young couples were faced with constant problems1 and even frustrations1 and ,i wondered whether or not ,i could have overcome all obstacles in the gallant way in which they did4 ,shall we take a look at the sort of thing a young married couple on the mission field has to face8 ,we will call them ,john and ,mary1 and make them just ordinary folk who meet the kind of situations most young missionaries meet4 99 99 99 99 99 ,a home of her own--that was what ,mary longed for4 ,she and ,john had been married a few months before leaving for the field1 had studied for a term in language school1 and now were living with an older married couple until their acquaintance with the language and the customs of the people was enough to warrant their being sent to a station of their own4 ,mary found the language easy1 but ,john found it hard2 and they had been on the field for more than two years before their desire for a home of their own was realized4 ,it was just as well for ,mary that she was quick with the language4 ,little ,david was born when they had been out only a year1 and looking after ,david meant that she had several hours less each day for study than ,john had4 ,when they finally got to their new station1 they were surprised to find that long1 uninterrupted hours for language study1 which they still needed1 were almost impossible4 ,there was a little church in the place to which they had been sent1 and of course they wanted to do what they could1 with their limited language1 to help4 ,they found a language teacher1 but he was not as good as their previous one4 ,mary had a girl to help her in the house1 but she was untrained1 and for the first few months ,mary thought that it was more work training her than it would have been to do the work herself4 ,they had many visitors1 both ,christians and others4 ,john loved to sit and talk with the men who came1 and although his facility in the use of the spoken language developed1 the progress he made in the book work required by the course of study was extremely slow4 ,mary often longed to shoo the men visitors out the door1 lead ,john into his study1 set him down at his desk1 and shut him in with his books6 ,with the care of the baby and the responsibility for the home devolving upon her1 it was a good thing that ,mary did enjoy study4 ,she often said that she thought the ,lord gave her1 as a young mother1 special help with the language1 because ,he knew how much she had to do6 ,because she was so busy1 however1 she often sat up later at night over her books than was good for her health1 and she became tired and worn out4 ,the flu came along1 and she was an easy victim4 ,poor ,john6 ,he had to be nurse1 housekeeper1 and baby-tender1 all at the same time4 ,the thing that worried ,mary the most about being ill was that she was keeping ,john from his studies4 ,mary was not entirely back to normal health when ,david's little sister was born4 ,what a darling she was6 ,before her illness1 ,mary had been giving a short ,bible talk at the women's meeting every other week2 but now it seemed impossible to find time for the hours of preparation such a talk entailed4 ,because of her slow recovery it was finally decided that she and the children must go to a hill resort earlier than usual that summer4 ,when she returned1 she was horrified to realize that it had been six months since she had given a message in the native language4 ,she was feeling much better in every way1 however1 and settled down to get back into the work4 ,the girl who helped her had developed nicely1 and now the two children could be entrusted to her care4 ,in spite of ,john's slowness at the language1 he had always been able to make himself understood1 and the little church was growing4 ,with his encouragement1 they had started a preaching band1 and went to nearby towns and villages with the ,gospel4 ,sometimes they stayed away for several weeks at a time4 ,they insisted that ,john accompany them2 and indeed1 he would not have been happy anywhere else4 ,but more and more ,mary found herself left alone at home with the children4 ,where was the happy home that she had wanted to establish for ,john8 ,he was as dear and as kind as ever when she saw him--but he was away so much6 ,and during the times he was at home1 there were often visitors to see him4 ,on evenings when there were no visitors she always longed to say1 ,come and sit in the easy chair1 ,john1 and we'll have a cozy time together1 but her ,puritan conscience usually overcame the promptings of her heart1 and instead she would look at the clock and say brightly1 ,oh1 there's still time for you to get in an hour or two of study6 ,isn't that nice6 ,the time passed rapidly4 ,john did persevere with his language study1 and very slowly got off the required examinations4 ,mary never had as much time as he did for study1 but she usually kept ahead of him in the book work4 ,she did not dream of trying to rival him in his knowledge of the spoken colloquial6 ,at first she used to save up her problems for him to deal with1 but she found that when he returned from a country trip he was always so tired that she did not like to burden him1 and soon she was struggling alone with most of them4 ,the children grew rapidly1 and usually kept in health1 although there were several occasions when they had serious illnesses4 ,at such times she would realize afresh that1 although the nearest fully qualified doctor was several days' journey away1 the ,great ,physician was always near6 ,when ,david was four1 two new missionaries1 fresh from their term at language school1 were sent to be with them--two bright1 happy girls1 whom ,mary welcomed with all her heart4 ,the care of the larger household took more time1 but she did not grudge it4 ,one was quick at the language1 and one was slow4 ,when the discouraged one would come with her troubles1 ,mary would comfort her by telling her that ,john had been slow too6 ,the two girls became very fond of the children4 ,mary was almost overscrupulous about not allowing them to disturb the two1 who were supposed to be giving all their time and effort to language study4 ,the quick one1 ,alice1 raced through two language exams1 and then had a week in the country with the women's evangelistic team 7organized a year previously1 ,mary being one of the chief promoters74 ,it was what ,mary had longed to do herself ever since the band was started1 but--well1 she had her babies6 ,after all1 they were the most precious children in the world6 ,but when ,alice returned1 bubbling over with the novelties and thrills of a week in the country 7fortunately she was not afflicted with a delicate digestion1 and could eat anything with relish--and comfort671 poor ,mary1 had all she could do to rejoice with them that do rejoice4 ,afterward1 in the privacy of her own room 7,john was not at home1 and the children were asleep71 she finally let go1 and the sobs came--stifled by the bedclothes1 so that the children would not be awakened4 ,and then it was time for furlough6 ,the homeland seemed strange at first1 but they soon got used to things4 ,everyone was extremely kind1 and showered them with gifts4 ,the meeting with loved ones and friends was all that they had expected2 but the strain of living with their children in other people's homes 7even though they were the homes of their own dear ones7 made things difficult4 ,the relatives constantly petted the children1 and discipline became a problem4 ,finally they were able to get an apartment of their own for a few months1 and ,david started kindergarten4 ,john was constantly in demand as a deputation speaker1 and he traveled back and forth1 speaking in many places4 ,sometimes ,mary thought1 with a sigh1 that she saw less of him on furlough than she had on the field6 ,certainly they were having a wonderful time at home1 but still it would be nice to get back to the field again6 ,then1 with the thought1 came a stab of pain--for she knew that when that time arrived it would mean sending little ,david off to school4 ,the school for missionaries' children was a long way from their part of the field1 and the most they could hope for after that was to have ,david during the summers1 and on their furloughs4 ,her little ,david6 ,going so far from home1 among strangers6 ,perhaps she could keep him awhile1 and teach him at home4 ,if only the leaders of the ,mission were not so strict about insisting that all children of school age be sent to the school for missionaries' children6 ,what did they know of a mother's love for her little boy8 ,but before this thought was fully formed1 her heart was reproving her4 ,of course they knew4 ,most of them had children of their own4 ,it was all for the children's good4 ,she had no training for teaching1 and look how busy she had always been6 ,wherever did she think she would get time to teach ,david8 ,besides1 her mind ran on1 ,david needed to be with other children of his own age and race1 and to get the give-and-take that school life provides4 ,kindergarten had already been a help4 ,and on the field there were so many other difficulties6 ,while they were still there1 she had tried her best not to let ,david feel that he was different from1 or superior to1 the children he played with2 but she just couldn't let him do all the things that they did4 ,and he had always wanted to know1 why--why couldn't he wipe his nose on the back of his hand1 as all the other children did8 ,why did he have to go to bed at a certain hour1 when all the other children stayed up as long as they wished8 ,she certainly had never said1 ,it's because you are an ,american1 and we are different1 but somehow ,david had seemed to acquire that sort of attitude1 and to feel that he was superior to the local children4 ,she still remembered how helpless she had felt in trying to deal with the situation6 ,well1 it did seem that sending him away to school would be necessary if he were not to grow up proud and overbearing4 ,then too1 she remembered the day she had to spank him because he had become angry and shouted at one of his little playmates in very filthy language4 ,where had he learned those words8 7,he had picked up the language1 good and bad alike1 without even trying67 ,she wouldn't even have known what the words meant1 but she had overheard the ,bible woman scolding him1 and had gone out to see what was wrong4 ,the ,bible woman hadn't wanted to tell her1 but she would not be satisfied until she did4 ,no1 if her boy was going to learn filth like that by being inland with her1 there was no help for it--he must go to school4 ,dear ,lord1 she prayed1 ,you know what's best1 and ,i suppose he's got to go2 but1 oh1 ,father1 it's like tearing my heart out to send him6 ,the time came4 ,john and ,mary went back to the field4 ,david went off to school1 bravely choking down the sobs1 but with a pathetic1 lost look in his eyes that stabbed his parents' hearts4 ,they tried to forget it1 and to rejoice in the thought of soon meeting again the dear group of ,christians in their old station4 ,but1 no6 ,a sudden call came1 an urgent call to a hard place1 in an entirely different part of the field4 ,after much discussion and prayer1 it was settled4 ,there was no chance to go to their old station1 even for a visit4 ,soon they were far away1 among strangers1 living in two rented rooms1 and trying to straighten out a very difficult church situation1 the like of which they had never before experienced4 99 99 99 99 99 ,stories end1 but life goes on and on4 ,and the human mind always seems to magnify the present difficulties1 and glamorize the possible future4 ,john and ,mary thought that they had it rather hard their first term1 and that the second would be easier2 but when the second term actually began1 and they looked back on the first1 they thought it had been nothing but child's play6 ,looking at that first term objectively1 we can see that ,john and ,mary really did have a relatively easy time4 ,for one thing1 they lived in only two places all that time4 ,for one reason or another missionaries often have to move time and again4 ,someone who is doing an absolutely indispensable job breaks down and must go home on furlough1 and you are the only one who can take over4 ,or the work is being expanded1 and the older workers are scattered farther afield as new ones come in4 ,perhaps there is a war1 and your station is in the fighting area1 and you have to evacuate4 ,whatever the reason is1 suddenly you find yourself in the midst of breaking up your home1 packing and moving1 and then settling in a new place1 finding new people and problems with which to get acquainted1 and perhaps a new dialect to learn4 ,other things had been comparatively easy for ,john and ,mary too1 that first term4 ,they did not have any fellow workers who were difficult4 ,it was not their lot to start work in virgin territory1 or where the people were unfriendly4 ,they did not get into any difficult church situations4 ,the church people were eager to co-operate with them1 and quick to profit by their teaching and example4 ,even in the matter of health1 they did not have a more than average amount of illness4 ,and the story of their accomplishments during that first term could truly be used as a model for the young missionary's emulation6 ,this is not to say that ,john and ,mary had no difficulties4 ,difficulties are the normal thing on the mission field1 and they had their share4 ,but they met their difficulties1 and they made good4 ,how8 ,chiefly by giving up some of their rights1 and foremost among the rights they gave up was their chance for a normal home life4 ,there was rarely an evening when ,john was at home and without a visitor2 and if such an evening came1 he spent it at his books4 ,later he was away from home for days and weeks1 so that the home had to function without the father much of the time4 ,john had to give up his right to spend a normal amount of time with his wife and children4 ,even ,mary could not spend as much time with the children as she would have liked1 nor arrange things for them as she might have wished4 ,and then1 after the first few years1 their home was not theirs alone4 ,most of the time they had other people living with them4 ,all the way through they had to put the ,lord's work first1 and their home second4 ,yet was not this attitude of self-sacrifice the thing that made their home a real ,christian home8 ,if they had put their home first1 not the work--if that home had become a self-centered thing1 a thing enjoyed for its own sake--would it not have failed to be what they wanted it to be8 ,a home that is absorbed in itself is not a truly ,christian home4 ,john was willing to be away so much1 and to sacrifice so much1 because his love for his ,master was the all-consuming passion of his life4 ,it was for exactly that reason that his presence--and even the consciousness of his absence1 and the reason for it--did bless that home4 ,john and ,mary gladly took others into their home1 really wanting them1 not because they did not appreciate having their own home to themselves1 but because their concern for the work was greater than their natural desires4 ,they counted the cost1 and sent their child away from them1 away to school1 because they knew that it was best for the child and best for the work4 ,love for ,christ was greater than love for home1 or for children1 and greater even than love for each other4 ,if they had held on to their right to home1 and given it first place1 that would have meant losing it--losing the ,christ-centered home that they wanted4 ,but in giving it up they found it--found a home that truly showed forth the love of ,christ1 because that love was the compelling force of their individual lives4 ,,chapter #i ,the ,right to ,live ,with the ,people of ,my ,choice ,the six months of language school were almost over4 ,exams had been the order of the day4 ,in spite of the fact that the results of their labors were not yet known1 half a dozen young women gathered in the dormitory to celebrate with a cocoa party4 ,some were sprawled on the beds1 one was seated on the floor1 and another two were presiding over the concoction simmering on a tiny1 smoky kerosene stove4 ,you know1 ,i couldn't sleep a wink last night6 declared one4 ,i was thinking about ,mr4 ,gibb#f coming to appoint us to stations1 and wondering what my senior worker will be like1 and ,i got so worried ,i stayed awake all night6 ,you know the ,lord is working it all out6 ,we've been praying about it for so long6 ,you shouldn't worry about it6 reproved another gently4 ,well1 ,i tried1 but the more ,i tried1 the wider awake ,i got4 ,you are foolish6 put in another4 ,mr4 ,gibb isn't even coming until tomorrow1 and then who knows how soon you will have your interview with him4 ,it will take him several days they say1 and your name begins with ,t4 ,it's all right for you to talk6 retorted the first girl4 ,you have a sister out here1 and you're taking it for granted that you'll be sent to her4 ,of course you're all right6 ,but what about the rest of us who have to be separated1 and sent off to live with entire strangers8 ,how do ,i know whether my senior worker will like me or not8 ,you don't need to worry1 put in the quiet voice of a girl who had not spoken before4 ,you are gay and lively1 and everybody likes you4 ,i'm quiet and awkward1 and never know what to say4 ,i'm sure my senior worker will be disappointed when she gets me6 ,just listen to me a minute6 another voice spoke up4 ,i'll tell you the one way out of this difficulty4 ,everybody wants a congenial fellow worker4 ,well1 there's only one way to be sure1 and that is--pick your own6 ,that's what ,i'm going to do6 ,don't be stupid6 clamored three or four voices at once4 ,pick your own6 ,just as if we'd be allowed to pick our own senior workers6 ,what are you talking about8 ,just what ,i said4 ,i'm picking my own senior worker6 ,of course ,i may not be able to do it right away--,i may have to live with one that ,mr4 ,gibb picks for me for a year or two--but ,i'm getting the one ,i've picked for myself in the end6 ,at that juncture two girls jumped upon the speaker1 and rolled her from the bed to the floor4 ,just because you are engaged you don't need to think you are better than we are6 and the serious discussion broke up with a laugh4 99 99 99 99 99 ,with whom am ,i going to live and work for the next six months8 ,for the next six years8 ,for the rest of my life8 ,who will be the one ,i will see the first thing in the morning1 and the last thing at night1 and all the time in between8 ,with whom will ,i sit down at the table three times a day8 ,who will be my fellow worker1 my companion in recreation1 the one who spends time with me at the ,throne of ,grace1 pleading for souls1 and for the upbuilding of ,god's ,church8 ,yes1 it's quite a question4 ,for somehow1 mission boards usually seem to recognize only one legitimate reason for allowing a missionary to choose his or her own fellow worker1 and that one reason is marriage4 ,even married couples will probably be asked to take one or more younger workers into their homes2 and if you are one who remains single1 why1 you will just have to let the superintendent1 or committee1 pick your companion and fellow worker for you4 ,when ,i was in high school it was one of my ambitions to learn to be at home in any environment4 ,whether a wealthy home or a poverty-stricken one1 whether an ,american culture or the culture of some other group1 ,i wanted to be able to live in that environment as though ,i had grown up in it4 ,this ambition was no doubt laudable and its attainment is very useful to the missionary4 ,i found later1 however1 that it does not quite go to the heart of the problem4 ,my ambition at present is not so much to be able to live happily in any environment as to be able to live happily with any other missionary4 ,this statement may horrify some of my readers4 ,if ,i had said ,i make it my ambition to be able to live happily with anyone1 you would have had no bone to pick with me4 ,but no1 ,i must say1 with any other missionary6 ,am ,i trying to imply that some missionaries are hard to live with8 ,that class of ,god's devoted servants who have given up all to go for ,him to the far corners of the earth8 ,let anyone else be hard to get along with1 but surely not missionaries6 ,well1 missionaries 7excepting some feeble folk like me7 are the salt of the earth4 ,at the same time1 my experience on the foreign field leads me to the conclusion that it takes a good deal more grace to live happily with one's fellow workers on the foreign field than it does at home4 ,why8 ,the reasons are varied4 ,i think ,i can safely say that most missionaries are rather strong-minded4 ,if they were not1 perhaps they would never have gotten to the foreign field6 ,they know what they want to do1 and they know how they want to do it4 ,most missionaries will agree on the task to be accomplished2 but what are the best means to accomplish it--that is not always so easy to agree upon6 ,the older worker may think the younger worker's plans wild and impracticable4 ,the younger worker may think the older worker stodgy and in a rut4 ,perhaps both may be right4 ,happy the fellow workers who can learn to discuss their pet ideas without heat6 ,happy the fellow workers who can develop just the right combination of initiative and co-operation6 ,it is hard to realize how closely one is shut up to a fellow worker on the mission field4 ,probably there are no others of your own race in the place where you live4 ,at home one can live with one group1 work with another1 and have special friends that are entirely apart from either group4 ,on the field there is no one else--no one who speaks your native tongue1 understands your background1 or has the same pattern of thought as yourself4 ,perhaps you are stationed with one other worker4 ,every human heart longs for some special friend2 but this fellow worker may not be one you would have chosen for a special friend4 ,perhaps she has some mannerisms that are irritating to you4 ,perhaps you like dogs and she hates them4 ,perhaps she believes in being extremely economical and you like to spend money more freely4 ,in some ways1 as two single missionaries live and work together1 the relation is as close as that between husband and wife2 but in this case the two have not chosen one another4 ,of course the relationship is not established for life2 and the missionary who finds herself paired off with an uncongenial fellow worker may console herself by hoping that a change will come soon4 ,that frame of mind1 however1 is not exactly conducive to the sort of adjustment that would make for the most effective carrying on of the work4 ,even married couples will feel this to a certain extent4 ,a young married couple will probably have to live with an older couple for the first two or three years on the field4 ,owing perhaps to the shortage of men1 and perhaps to other reasons1 it even happens that sometimes a young married couple is sent to live for their breaking-in period with one or two older single lady missionaries6 ,the initial period passes1 and they are given a home and a work of their own4 ,but they are not likely to be left alone long4 ,younger workers will be coming along1 and most married couples are rarely without other workers living in their homes4 ,besides this1 it is likely that the husband will need to be away from home for weeks and even months at a time1 leaving the wife at home with the little ones and the junior workers4 ,the single worker feels the force of this even more strongly4 ,two good friends may be placed in a station together2 or what is more likely1 two who have been placed together may become especially good friends4 ,the fact that they are good friends1 however1 cannot be a reason for placing them together1 nor for leaving them together4 ,any of us would realize that4 ,the placing of workers is determined by the best interests of the work4 ,if1 when the best interests of the work are considered1 it seems right to place two special friends together1 or to leave them together1 well and good4 ,if not1 why1 that's the end of it6 ,not being able to choose my own fellow worker will present two possible difficulties for me4 ,one is that ,i may be placed with someone who does not appeal to me4 ,the other is that ,i may be separated from someone with whom ,i strongly desire to remain4 ,the first difficulty is one that comes along now and then4 ,probably most missionaries1 at one time or another1 have had a period of living with someone with whom they did not seem to hit it off4 ,the second difficulty is1 for the unmarried worker at least1 of much more common occurrence4 ,over and over again it happens4 ,just when you and someone else have lived together long enough to rub off the rough corners1 and come to a place where you really fit1 along comes an upheaval1 and you are separated4 ,we like to put down roots4 ,we like to make friends and stay with them1 but on the mission field frequent change of location and of fellow workers is the normal thing4 ,new personnel is constantly being added1 and older workers are constantly retiring4 ,new stations are constantly being opened4 ,and the single worker1 time and time again1 finds herself being separated from a fellow worker with whom she would prefer to remain permanently6 ,some will notice that ,i have been using pronouns in the feminine gender4 ,this is not without reason1 since by far the majority of single workers on the field are women4 ,and1 as has been said1 one of the hardest things the single woman worker must face is that she can never say to anyone1 ,i'm going to stay with you4 99 99 99 99 99 ,what a negative sort of outlook6 exclaims someone2 and we must thank that one for reminding us that there is a positive side4 ,there is ,one whom we may choose for our ,companion4 7,how amazing that ,i should be allowed to choose ,him67 ,and it is just because we have already chosen the one ,companion who will not leave us that we may not choose anyone else--not even a husband or wife--without reference to ,him4 ,as soon as we choose ,him1 then ,he does all our choosing for us4 ,according to old ,oriental custom1 marriages were arranged by parents with the aid of a middleman4 ,sometimes when things went wrong after marriage one of the couple1 or both1 would blame the middleman4 ,when marriages are made after the ,western pattern1 there is no one to blame but oneself4 ,before ,i left ,america ,i used to think that marriages arranged by parents1 through middlemen1 must necessarily be unhappy4 ,but after ,i had been on the field for a time ,i decided that in ,china the proportion of happy marriages among those outside of ,christ was greater than marriages of those of the same group in ,america1 even though almost all the marriages in ,china were made after the old traditional style6 ,people who choose partners for themselves do not always choose wisely4 ,older people1 with more experience1 may make a wiser choice than the young people themselves would have done4 ,it may be better to have a trustworthy middleman than to try to do the choosing oneself6 ,if this is true of an earthly middleman1 how much more it is true of the ,one who chooses for us6 ,the earthly middleman may do very well in many cases1 but certainly he makes some mistakes4 ,the ,one who chooses for us makes no mistakes4 ,so whether it be a matter of accepting a fellow worker you would rather not have1 or of letting go one whom you would like to keep--remember the ,one who does the choosing for us makes no mistakes4 ,,chapter #aj ,the ,right to ,feel ,superior ,the meeting of the ,missionary ,union had closed4 ,the ,bible ,institute students were leaving the room in groups1 and many of them were discussing the message which they had just heard4 ,what did you think of his last point8 asked one4 ,that about race prejudice1 you mean8 ,about not thinking that because our skin is white1 we're better than anyone else8 ,to tell the truth1 it seemed a bit superfluous to me4 ,i suppose race prejudice and race pride still do exist1 but not in a group like this4 ,why1 we're practically all missionary candidates6 ,just what ,i thought myself6 rejoined the first4 ,you'd think he'd gotten his audience mixed4 ,but he knew he was talking to missionary candidates1 all right4 ,that's the strange part4 ,the rest of his talk--it was the real stuff4 ,but that one point--,i just couldn't make it out4 ,oh1 he's just fifty years out of date1 that's all1 commented another4 ,that's the way it was when he went to the field--the imperialistic white man and the downtrodden native--but times have changed4 ,people wouldn't act like that now4 ,each race has its own culture1 and its own contribution to make to enrich the culture of the world4 ,we realize all this now4 ,the ,christian world has come a long way since he was in training4 ,pride of race6 ,we're more likely to be ashamed of our race1 if he only knew it4 ,look at the state the world's in--all trouble stirred up by the white race6 ,some of those old missionaries were imperialistic1 all right6 ,a slight1 blond youth joined the conversation4 ,you should hear some of the tales my father tells6 ,ordering the native people around as if they were slaves6 ,such cases were few and far between1 of course4 ,but1 you know1 ,i don't think that's the sort of thing he was driving at4 ,times may change1 but not the human heart4 ,pride is just as easy a sin to fall into as it ever was4 ,thinking that we're better than someone else--it may not be because of our race1 but merely because the other fellow is poor or uneducated--we can't just dismiss it and say1 ',i'm in no danger of that4' ,well1 perhaps there's something-- ,aw1 just because you grew up on a mission field-- ,you know1 ,i think-- ,several began to talk at once4 ,suddenly a gong rang1 and the group scattered in all directions4 ,oh1 ,ann1 ,i've been wanting to find you6 ,a bunch of us are planning to go to ,tong's for a ,chinese meal4 ,do you want to come along8 ,chinese meal8 ,dear me1 ,i've never had one4 ,do you have to eat with chopsticks8 ,don't they serve you rats and mice and all sorts of horrible things8 ,of course not1 you silly6 ,there are the most delicious things6 ,and you don't have to eat with chopsticks unless you want to4 ,in fact1 they always give us knives and forks unless we especially ask for chopsticks4 ,but ,i adore strange ways6 ,this will be my third time for ,chinese food4 ,we always ask for chopsticks--it's the most fun trying to use them6 ,though ,i must admit that we usually give up halfway--the food is so delicious and we're so hungry we have to4 ,then you'll come8 ,well--to tell the truth1 ,i'm afraid it will be some awful stuff ,i can't eat4 ,i'm surprised at you1 ,ann6 ,you're a missionary candidate1 aren't you8 ,you'll have to get used to strange-- ,no1 but it seems so sort of uncivilized to eat with sticks1 or fingers--and all out of one dish1 isn't it8 ,ugh6 ,now don't be fussy6 ,didn't you hear that missionary talk last night8 ,you've got to appreciate other people's ways on the mission field--can't go around thinking your ways are best6 ,i know4 ,ann was suddenly very serious4 ,but there's only one thing about it that bothers me4 ,what if your own ways really are best8 99 99 99 99 99 ,chopsticks1 or knives and forks--which are best8 ,not which are the most intriguing1 or cause the most hilarity1 but which really and truly are the most useful for their purpose--that of conveying food to one's mouth in a convenient and graceful manner4 ,don't condemn ,ann offhand4 ,if ,i were to ask you this question1 what answer would you give8 ,well--really-- you say4 ,after all-- ,yes4 ,that's just it4 ,you1 and ,ann1 and millions more can't help realizing 7or is it feeling87 that your way is best4 ,but what about the millions in ,china and ,japan8 ,how would they answer the question8 ,did you ever stop to think that their reaction would be just as immediate1 and their answer just as sure8 ,and ,i think ,i am safe in saying that a larger proportion of them have actually tried using the other person's implements than we have4 ,when a group of ex-,china missionaries get together at home and go to a ,chinese restaurant for a meal1 the first thing they do after ordering is to request that the food be served in bowls1 and they be supplied with chopsticks instead of knives and forks4 ,why8 ,ask any of them4 ,the reply you will probably get is1 ,oh1 it doesn't taste the same when eaten with knives and forks6 ,and the strange part about it is that it is really true4 ,but1 you say1 chopsticks are so difficult to use6 ,not at all6 ,you just need a little practice4 ,even knives and forks are difficult for beginners to manage4 ,you would know that if you had watched as many beginners 7adults7 try to use them as ,i have4 ,no1 but you can't cut anything with them6 ,of course you can't4 ,the kitchen is the place for cutting up food4 ,to serve a slab of meat on a plate1 and expect the eater to saw off pieces with a dull knife--it's utterly barbarous6 ,chinese food is properly prepared1 bite-size1 in the kitchen4 ,oh8 ,but what about soup or gravy8 ,you can't eat them with chopsticks6 ,quite true2 neither can you eat them with knife and fork4 ,chinese eat soup with a spoon1 or drink it from a bowl4 ,well1 chopsticks are awkward1 in any case6 ,awkward8 ,what are you talking about8 ,they are just like pincers--you nip a bite and pick it up daintily1 instead of spearing1 or shoveling1 as you do with a fork4 ,it's amazing how hard it is for an ,american 7,i won't speak for other nationalities67 to come to the place where he will appreciate the fact that the ways of people in other lands are in many cases better for them than our ways would be4 ,if you are going to the foreign field in order to teach the ,american way of life1 you had better stay at home4 ,in saying this ,i do not mean that ,americans do not have some skills that it might be advantageous for the people on some foreign mission fields to learn4 ,but any missionary who has the feeling that his ways of doing things are better just because they are civilized ways1 or ,american ways1 or just his own ways1 is heading for trouble4 ,when ,i first went to ,china ,i thought ,i had no feeling of race superiority4 ,then an incident occurred that showed me ,i was not as humble as ,i had thought4 ,it was at the ,chinese ,new ,year season4 ,chinese ,new ,year is the time of preparing all sorts of special foods1 and frequently at that time some of the ,christian women would send us a bowl of this1 or a plate of that4 ,there was a neighborly feeling about it all that warmed my heart4 ,then one year a fairly wealthy ,christian woman1 who had just recently moved to our city1 sent her servant over with a gift of a different kind4 ,it was not food this time1 but money4 ,in purchasing value the amount would have been equivalent to an ,american dollar or two4 ,it was the first money gift that had ever been presented to me by a ,chinese4 ,i had always been pleased with the gifts of food1 but somehow1 when ,i saw what this gift was1 ,i reacted strongly against it4 ,there was something in me that rebelled4 ,i don't need your money6 was my instinctive reaction4 ,fortunately ,i had enough politeness left to realize that ,i could not refuse it without offending the giver1 and so ,i did take it1 mumbling my thanks1 which ,i did not feel1 and watched the servant depart4 ,then ,i sat down to think it out4 ,why did it make me so uncomfortable to accept that gift8 ,when ,i finally got to the bottom of it1 ,i decided that the real reason was that ,i unconsciously felt that it put me in an inferior position4 ,accepting a gift of food was different--that was just neighborliness4 ,but a small gift of money6 ,that is normally given by a superior to an inferior--a father to his child1 a mistress to her servant1 one who has sufficient for his needs to one who has not4 ,in this case the giver did not look at it like that1 of course4 ,money gifts were a common thing in her circle1 and to her the amount was not too small4 ,but my unconscious reaction was that ,i was being put in an inferior position1 and this was the thing at which ,i rebelled4 ,how could ,i1 who was this woman's superior 7this was my unconscious feeling71 take this money1 and so accept the place of being her inferior8 ,the position of a missionary is something like that of a teacher4 ,he comes to tell people something that they do not know2 to introduce a ,friend of whom they have not heard4 ,he certainly knows more about ,christianity1 academically and experimentally1 than the people to whom he goes--otherwise there would be no point in his going4 ,he probably knows more about the world in general than the people to whom he goes4 ,he may know better ways of living and working1 even for their environment1 than they do4 ,how can a person be conscious of how much more he knows than someone else1 and still not feel superior8 ,those among whom he works may realize that he knows much that they should learn1 and may look up to him as a superior being4 ,this makes it even harder4 ,how can he overcome the superiority complex that comes from race1 or from looking on oneself as civilized1 or even just from recognizing that one has more education and experience than those among whom he works8 ,the first step in conquering this superiority complex is to realize that it is there4 ,most of us have it without realizing it4 ,if we realize that this thing probably exists somewhere in our make-up1 it will be easier to recognize it when it suddenly rears its head1 as it did with me4 ,seeing it for what it is is the first step in conquering it4 ,the second step1 ,i think1 is to become thoroughly acquainted with those to whom we go4 ,perhaps if we know more about them we will not find them so inferior4 ,go and live their life with them1 twenty-four hours of the day4 ,don't just put yourself in the position of an observer1 but try to do the things that they do4 ,you will probably find that you are not as proficient in doing most of the things that they do as are their ten-year-old children6 ,if your people are uncivilized1 go into the jungle with them and try to wrest your living from the jungle--try to find or make everything that you need4 ,if they are civilized1 but poor and backward1 go into their homes1 and live their lives with them4 ,see how they grow their own food1 and that without the use of modern machinery2 how they grind their own grain into flour1 salt or dry their own vegetables1 butcher their own meat--if they have any2 how they raise cotton1 pick it1 card it1 spin it1 dye it1 weave it into cloth1 and make the clothes for the family without the aid of a sewing machine4 ,and then watch them 7as ,i often have7 make beautiful embroidery for relaxation6 ,by the time you have become really familiar with 7,i won't say proficient in7 their way of life1 ,i think you will have lost most of your feeling of superiority4 ,you will no more think of them as ignorant savages1 or those from lower cultural groups4 ,instead1 they will just be ,john1 and ,mary1 and ,peter1 and ,paul--or whatever their names happen to be--real people1 like you and me2 real people1 who are amazingly skillful in some ways1 and amazingly stupid in others1 just like the rest of us4 ,there is one more thing we need to do in conquering that superiority complex4 ,we need to realize what a difference having ,christ makes4 ,those to whom we minister may live in the midst of filth and disease4 ,their minds may be dull1 and their hearts dark and full of fears4 7,were our ancestors any different when ,christ found them87 ,but see them come to the ,one who is the ,light of the world1 and watch the transformation that takes place4 ,then realize more deeply than ever all that you owe to ,christ1 and the greatness of ,his power in making the one who comes to ,him literally a new creation4 ,what these people need is not a training that will educate them out of their environment4 ,what they need is not to learn to use knives and forks instead of chopsticks or fingers4 ,what they need is a ,,life that will transform them1 and enable them to live a life of victory over sin and the ,devil within their environment4 ,this imparted life may gradually transform that environment too--probably it will2 but that is a secondary thing4 ,there is one thing that is essential1 and one alone--the impartation of the life of ,christ4 ,it does not matter how low1 how ignorant1 how degraded the person is1 ,christ is able to transform him into someone far superior to me2 and it may be that that is just what ,he is going to do4 ,who am ,i1 a poor redeemed sinner1 to look down upon anyone else8 ,who am ,i to challenge ,christ's power1 and refuse to believe that anyone can be made new8 99 99 99 99 99 ,dear ,lord1 forgive me for feeling that ,i am superior to anyone6 ,open my eyes to see how deep was the pit from which ,i was digged6 ,grant that ,i may make myself one with the people to whom ,thou art sending me1 and that by faith ,i can see them transformed by ,thy power1 even before that transformation has taken place6 ,,chapter #aa ,the ,right to ,run ,things ,a new mission station opened6 ,another conquest of the ,gospel6 ,have you ever wondered how it was done8 ,suppose you are a missionary1 and have already passed successfully through the language-learning stage4 ,suppose you are assigned an area where the ,gospel has never been preached1 an area teeming with people1 very few of whom have ever even heard the precious name of ,jesus4 ,you probably have a fellow worker4 ,you have good health1 a reasonable knowledge of the language and local customs1 and a heart on fire for ,god4 ,you have a certain amount of financial resources4 ,what do you do8 ,how do you start in8 ,let's see what ,mr4 ,beaver did4 ,when assigned to this new1 untouched field1 his heart and the heart of his wife were deeply moved4 ,ten thousand souls and more1 and probably not one of them a ,christian6 ,ten thousand souls and more1 and it might well be that none of them had ever heard the ,gospel preached in any adequate way6 ,ten thousand souls and more1 and the large majority of them had never even heard the name of ,jesus6 ,what an opportunity6 ,what a challenge6 ,such a challenge calls for action1 ruminated ,mr4 ,beaver4 ,it calls for immediate action1 and yet action that is well planned1 and will be as effective as possible4 ,how can we reach the largest number of souls for ,christ in the shortest time8 ,but what can two people do1 anyway8 ,we must have helpers4 ,we must have a church building1 and a native evangelist or two4 ,we must have a street chapel4 ,we must have a ,christian school1 for through it we can reach countless numbers of young people4 ,our church and school will be established in the central city of the area1 of course4 ,but then1 think of all the smaller towns and villages6 ,as soon as things get going in the city1 we must start outstations in strategic market towns as well4 ,we must organize tent campaigns1 making use of modern equipment--public address system1 recordings1 films1 and all the rest4 ,we must also start a social welfare program that will help us to get in touch with the poorer classes--and aren't the bulk of the people always poor8 ,a certain amount of relief funds1 administered carefully to the deserving1 will make the love of ,christ known in a practical way1 and surely will attract folk to our church4 ,so ran the thoughts of ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,beaver1 and1 because they were go-getters1 their plans were soon put into effect4 ,a fine piece of property was purchased4 ,buildings were erected3 a residence for themselves1 a preaching hall opening directly on the main street1 fine school buildings1 and a beautiful church building4 ,crowds of people came to listen to the singing1 to see ,christian films1 and to hear the ,gospel preached in simplicity and power4 ,it was not long before people were giving their names as inquirers4 ,the missionaries' servants were among the first to respond1 and their friends and relatives followed4 ,other helpers around the place were needed3 a gardener1 a gatekeeper1 and so on1 and naturally these were chosen from among the first converts4 ,soon the busy compound was like one happy family--all gathering the first thing in the morning for prayer1 and joining their voices in song1 praising the ,one of whom they had never heard three months ago1 but who now was their acknowledged ,saviour4 ,callers came from morning till night4 ,mr4 ,beaver was never too busy to see them1 to hear their tales of woe1 to point them to the ,saviour1 and to give them a little judicious help4 ,it's not too wise1 he thought1 to give out a lot of money for nothing4 ,i don't want to make paupers of these people4 ,what they need is jobs1 and someone who will encourage them to work1 training them if necessary4 ,let's see--,i've got quite a bit of relief funds in hand2 and there's plenty of work that needs to be done to improve this property4 ,so-and-so one of the new inquirers is a builder2 ,i'll put him in charge of operations1 and we'll take on all these poor people who need help--much better than giving them help outright--and we'll really put this place into shape4 ,not only will our property benefit1 but it will also give these people a chance to hear the ,gospel again and again1 until they really understand it4 ,i'm sure that many of them will accept the ,lord if this plan goes through6 ,and so things went4 ,such large numbers gave their names as inquirers1 and they studied and attended services so faithfully that within six months the first baptismal service was held4 ,what joy it brought to the hearts of ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,beaver6 ,two other such services were held before the first year was up1 and by that time ,mr4 ,beaver felt it right to appoint deacons1 and to get the church on an organized basis4 ,he chose several of the most promising young people1 including one who had served in his home1 and sent them off to a ,bible institute1 looking forward with great joy to the time when they would graduate and come back to help him in the work4 ,then he would be able to let his original evangelists go 7they were getting a bit too bossy anyway1 and thought they knew how the ,lord's work should be carried on better than he did671 and have only his own spiritual children associated with him in the work4 ,they would all work happily under his direction1 and surely the ,lord could bless more where the workers were all one in heart4 ,well1 he wouldn't say that these evangelists were not one in heart with him1 but still--sometimes he felt that there was just a little something lacking4 ,sometimes they didn't support his plans with all the enthusiasm that they might4 ,by the time three more years had passed1 ,mr4 ,beaver had put up church buildings in six market towns1 and was just waiting until his first young people graduated from the ,bible institute and came back before starting regular weekly services in the last three of the six towns4 ,he traveled constantly1 and wherever he went the people flocked to him for help and advice4 ,true1 there were one or two that turned against him1 but one couldn't expect the ,lord's work always to be easy2 and the large majority looked to him as children to a father4 ,there were elders as well as deacons in the church now1 and when he presided at their meetings and looked over the group1 his own spiritual children now taking their places as leaders in the church1 his heart just melted4 ,true1 they were a bit hesitant about going ahead1 and always consulted him before making plans1 but that was only natural and right4 ,after all1 they had only a few years' experience in the church and couldn't be expected to know how best to govern the ,house of ,god4 ,indeed1 several times he had found it necessary to put his foot down when one of them1 a little less experienced and more reckless than the others1 had advanced his own ideas of how church affairs should be managed4 ,but he had soon subsided and realized his mistake4 ,what a happy family the church was1 indeed1 with everything working out just as he had planned it6 ,truly ,god was good6 99 99 99 99 99 ,at the time when ,mr4 ,beaver went to his new station and began putting his magnificent plans into effect1 another worker was sent1 in the same way1 to a new area4 ,mr4 ,trainer was perhaps not so dynamic an individual1 but he knew just as clearly what his plans were for the church that was as yet unborn4 ,the church1 which is his body--the ,body of ,christ6 ,the ,church which is1 through the indwelling ,christ1 the light of the world6 ,the ,church1 where each member is in vital contact with the ,head1 and so1 necessarily1 is in vital contact with every other member6 ,the ,church1 each member of which is indwelt by the ,holy ,spirit1 and each member of which feels his responsibility to live and witness for the ,one who means all in all to him6 ,the church ,mr4 ,trainer wanted to plant was a church which was all this--a church which was a living plant1 with its roots going down into ,god2 a church which did not look to the missionary1 or any other man1 for its needs1 but which was centered upon ,christ2 a church which would be given gifts by the ,holy ,spirit1 and would be able to use those gifts to the edifying of itself1 and the bringing of souls into the kingdom4 ,mr4 ,trainer1 like ,mr4 ,beaver1 went to the central city of his area and located on a main street4 ,his compound was a tiny rented house1 with a pocket-handkerchief-size courtyard4 ,he did no building at all1 and his few rooms were sparsely furnished4 ,books were the only things he seemed to own4 ,there were books everywhere1 said his callers1 but not much else--some perfectly ordinary furniture1 and that was all4 ,he had no street chapel1 and no paid workers brought in from the outside2 but day by day he set a table and a few stools in his gateway1 covered the table with attractive ,gospel literature printed in the language of the people1 and there he sat and read4 ,passersby stopped to examine his books4 ,one and all received an attractive ,gospel tract1 and had the message explained in simple language as long as they cared to listen4 ,some bought ,gospels and other booklets4 ,a few got into the habit of dropping by every evening1 when work was done2 and ,mr4 ,trainer taught them to sing ,gospel songs and choruses1 and read the ,word with them4 ,at other times he went from shop to shop1 giving out tracts1 and inviting people to call when they had time4 ,the compound of ,mr4 ,trainer was tiny1 compared with that of ,mr4 ,beaver4 ,he had no school1 and no church building4 ,he did not even hold church services at first--who was there to come8 ,not another ,christian in all that area4 ,he did not attract huge crowds4 ,he did not spend large sums of money1 nor employ large numbers of people4 ,people did not come to him for financial assistance--what would be the use1 when he did not seem to have any more money than anyone else8 ,but he attracted a few1 a few whose heart the ,lord opened1 and day by day he taught them more about the ,saviour4 ,it was a full year before he had a baptismal service4 ,the numbers baptized were far smaller than those baptized by ,mr4 ,beaver1 but the joy in his heart was just as real4 ,even before these converts were baptized1 ,mr4 ,trainer started teaching them about the ,church4 ,he taught them that they were indwelt by the ,holy ,spirit4 ,he led them daily to the ,throne of ,grace1 and from the beginning they learned to pray4 ,he encouraged in them the desire to win others of their own households and their friends4 ,he encouraged them to witness1 both in their own group1 and to those who did not know ,christ4 ,he encouraged them to bring others to the little evening gathering1 and then to testify in front of these whom they had brought4 ,he did not make too many concrete suggestions1 but prayed1 and waited for the ,holy ,spirit to suggest ways and means of witnessing to them4 ,soon he was invited to their homes to talk to others in their families about the ,lord4 ,he always made such occasions an opportunity for the one who invited him there to speak1 asking for that one's personal testimony1 as well as speaking himself4 ,sometimes others of the group went along1 and they too had a chance to testify4 ,then it came about quite naturally that the little informal evening meeting was held in the different homes1 rather than always in that of ,mr4 ,trainer4 ,soon different ones were taking turns leading1 with spontaneous testimonies1 or sharing of wonderful thoughts from the ,word that came to them in their own private devotions4 ,they would tell about opportunities they had to witness for the ,lord1 and there would be prayer all around for the requests brought before the group4 ,soon other souls were coming to the ,saviour1 not because of the direct efforts of the missionary1 but rather through the instrumentality of these young ,christians4 ,that1 felt ,mr4 ,trainer1 was the greatest triumph of all6 ,although he was eager to start street meetings1 ,mr4 ,trainer did not want this to be his own personal effort1 but rather a church effort4 ,so he restrained himself and said nothing1 but prayed constantly about the matter4 ,what was his joy when one day one of them asked1 ,couldn't we have a meeting somewhere where more people would come1 and we could preach the ,gospel to them8 ,when no one seemed to be able to think of a building both suitable and available1 he permitted himself to make a suggestion about open-air meetings he had attended4 ,never having heard of such a thing1 some were doubtful1 others amazed4 ,he answered questions about how such meetings were run1 but made no recommendation4 ,he heard no more about the subject for a week or two1 and then suddenly the whole group 7who had been consulting together1 it seemed7 came to him1 eager to have an open-air meeting1 with his assistance4 ,careful preparations were made1 musical instruments some of them had were requisitioned1 and the first street meeting was held4 ,although no actual decisions for ,christ were made1 a good crowd listened1 and the ,christians were so pleased that from that day the open-air meeting became a regular thing4 ,trying to witness or bring a short ,gospel message in these meetings brought home to the young ,christians their need for more ,bible study1 so a regular ,bible study class was instituted two nights a week1 instead of the usual meeting for testimony and prayer4 ,at first they concentrated on helping the speakers prepare their messages for the next street meeting4 ,later they chose a ,book of the ,bible1 or a certain topic1 and asked ,mr4 ,trainer to lead them in their study4 ,notebooks were filled1 and practical methods of ,bible study became familiar processes1 but most of all they learned to look to the ,holy ,spirit to take the ,word given by ,his own inspiration and interpret it to their hearts4 ,when the very first ones came to the ,lord1 ,mr4 ,trainer had suggested that they meet on the ,lord's ,day4 ,he had usually taken charge of that service himself4 ,by the time there were a dozen or so baptized ,christians1 he encouraged them to feel that they1 like the ,jerusalem church in ,acts #f1 should choose deacons4 ,the group spent much time in prayer1 looking to the ,lord for ,his guidance1 and when the deacons were actually chosen1 all felt that they were not just their own choice1 but men chosen by the ,holy ,spirit4 ,after they were chosen1 he turned over all the services to them1 and suggested that they take turns in leading the ,sunday morning service1 and also speaking at that service4 ,he would be glad to take his turn with the others4 ,and so it was carried out4 ,all this time they had been meeting in the various homes4 ,the inconvenience of unsuitable rooms and never having enough benches had been felt for some time1 so when the deacons took over they decided that something must be done about it4 ,didn't other places have church buildings8 ,why couldn't they8 ,some of the group had the idea that there was some kind of a mission or church somewhere that provided money for such things1 so off they went to inquire of the missionary4 ,he explained to them clearly that there were mission boards that provided funds1 in whole or part1 for church buildings in many places2 but that this did not seem to be the ,new ,testament way1 nor was it the way to build a strong local church4 ,it would be far better1 he said1 to meet in a shanty put up by yourselves1 than in a beautiful building that cost you nothing4 ,they had several long talks on the subject1 and soon all the ,christians were deeply concerned4 ,it seemed impossible to out-argue ,mr4 ,trainer4 ,at the same time it seemed even more impossible to do what he thought they ought to do--contribute enough money to build their own church building6 ,only twelve or fifteen baptized ,christians1 and several of them women or young people from homes where the head of the house did not believe--what could they do8 ,mr4 ,trainer would only counsel them to pray4 ,and pray they did--there seemed to be nothing else they could do4 ,finally the deacons made a special offering box for gifts for the new church building1 and the money began to come in4 ,the gifts were more than they expected2 and yet they were but a drop in the bucket compared with what was needed4 ,time passed1 and the fund slowly grew4 ,suggestions of church bazaars and fun fairs were made several times 7wherever had they heard of such things874 ,mr4 ,trainer counseled against them1 but did not feel that he had the authority to forbid4 ,after all1 the church was standing on its own feet1 and it stood or fell to ,christ alone6 ,but he spent much time in prayer1 and none of these suggestions was put into effect4 ,one ,sunday an electrifying announcement was made4 ,a wealthy businessman in the city was offering them a suitable piece of property for their building as an outright gift6 ,the ,christians redoubled their efforts in giving1 and that month they received ten times as much as they had received in any one month before4 ,a church in a city not too far away heard of their efforts1 and sent a contribution4 ,church membership was growing1 and all the new believers became interested in giving4 ,then two of the deacons made a proposal3 ,why can't we do most of the work on the building ourselves8 ,that will make it much less expensive6 ,the plans needed careful working out1 but assistance was given by someone's neighbor1 who was a builder1 and finally the work started4 ,many of them put in long hours of back-breaking labor after their regular work for the day had been completed4 ,difficulties appeared1 but prayer and perseverance prevailed4 ,after the building was started1 many more gifts came in2 and great was the rejoicing when the simple little chapel was at last finished1 and used for its first ,sunday morning service6 ,throngs of interested neighbors and friends turned up for the meeting1 and several of the deacons took turns at preaching4 ,a guest speaker had also been invited1 the pastor of the church that had sent an unsolicited offering to help with the building4 ,the meeting went on for more than two hours1 but everyone was happy1 and again and again praises ascended to ,god for their own church building6 99 99 99 99 99 ,a couple of years passed4 ,the work of ,mr4 ,beaver and ,mr4 ,trainer continued as begun4 ,then suddenly the country was threatened by war4 ,worse still1 the missionaries were labeled as enemy nationals4 ,a general evacuation took place4 ,both ,mr4 ,beaver and ,mr4 ,trainer were due for furloughs2 and even if they had not been1 remaining on the field could only bring harm to the ,christians4 ,both of them gathered up a few things and departed1 escaping from the country just in time4 ,if they had remained a few days longer1 they would have found themselves in concentration camps4 ,when they arrived at home1 each had a thrilling tale to tell of how ,god had worked in saving souls and building up ,his ,church1 and also of personal deliverance in time of danger4 ,at the end of every message they gave came these words3 ,pray for the ,christians there4 ,because of the war1 there is no way of getting news from them1 and we have heard nothing since we left4 ,pray that they may be kept true1 and that in spite of war and distress1 the churches may grow and expand1 and that many more souls may be brought to ,christ4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the war was over4 ,friendly relations between countries were again established4 ,both missionaries had had profitable furloughs3 time for rest and spiritual refreshment1 and many opportunities to make known the needs1 the difficulties1 and the triumphs of the mission field4 ,then--something happened4 ,both men fully expected to get back to their original fields of work1 to see again those dear ,christians1 their sons and daughters in the ,lord--but neither did4 ,another call came to each1 and neither could return to his former field4 ,others went instead--others who knew little about the history of the stations1 or what work had been done there4 ,what did these men find in these two fields8 ,i think you can guess6 ,mr4 ,beaver's station had always been supplied with plenty of money from abroad4 ,by becoming a ,christian a man could obtain a certain amount of relief money1 perhaps a job1 or free schooling for his children4 ,many had learned the language of ,zion and had been taken into the church who had never had a change of heart4 ,when war broke out and the missionary left1 the jobs were finished1 and the school closed down4 ,there was no one to pay the evangelists1 and they gradually drifted away to other places or into secular jobs4 ,the deacons and elders had been accustomed to taking orders from ,mr4 ,beaver and had had no real experience in looking after things themselves4 ,even some of those leaders were of the group that had joined the church1 not because they had really repented and turned to ,christ1 but for the material benefits they could get4 ,as soon as ,mr4 ,beaver left1 they quarreled among themselves as to which one would take his place and be the big chief4 ,there was no one capable of taking services1 because such things had always been in the hands of ,mr4 ,beaver and his paid workers1 who now were gone4 ,none of the elders or deacons had ever preached a sermon in his life4 ,some tried1 but their efforts did not draw the crowds1 and attendance soon dwindled to almost nothing4 ,then quarrels about the property began4 ,true1 it belonged not to them1 but to the mission board2 but surely it was up to the church to look after it while the missionary was gone6 ,several so-called ,christian families moved into the empty buildings1 with or without the agreement of the deacons and elders2 but then1 thought they1 the buildings should be occupied1 and of course these people will pay us rent6 7,they never did47 ,church services gradually ceased4 ,a few faithful ,christians remained true to the ,lord1 and met in a home for occasional services2 but since none had been trained to lead meetings1 all they could do was sing1 read the ,bible1 and pray4 ,but what had happened at the other station8 ,there the case was far different4 ,they had gone through the sorrows of war1 but they had done so with the ,lord at their side4 ,continuing the work of the church was no problem--they had been doing it themselves all along4 ,money was hard to get1 and many young men had to go to war2 but the hearts of the people were open as never before1 and they had baptisms once and again4 ,they missed ,mr4 ,trainer very much2 but they were driven more than ever to the ,lord1 and found ,him sufficient for their every need4 99 99 99 99 99 ,it is easy to say that one man was right and the other was wrong4 ,but how many of us would not have followed in the footsteps of ,mr4 ,beaver if we had not been warned8 ,and how many of us missionaries today1 even though warned1 are not still in danger of making ourselves the little center around which the mission station revolves8 ,it's all very well to say that the ,christians should take the responsibility from the very beginning1 we think2 but here it is impossible4 ,these people are too poor6 ,and they are too ignorant6 ,no1 they certainly would do everything wrong if ,i let them take the lead6 ,and so we go on telling everyone what he ought to do1 and seeing that he does it2 and in the eyes of the young believers the ,christian life becomes simply a matter of doing what the missionary says4 ,that is not the way that ,paul built churches4 ,great and dynamic character that he was1 he so taught and led his groups of young ,christians that when after a few months or a year or two he left them they were able to carry on by themselves1 and even to grow4 ,he did not put up church buildings for them1 nor schools1 nor give them grants4 ,he brought them to the place where they could function as living churches1 in direct union with the ,head1 and not centered upon himself4 ,his efforts were directed to building up churches that would be able to stand alone1 because they stood in the strength of the ,one who upheld ,paul4 ,why is it so easy for us missionaries to think that we know how to do the work of the ,lord better than any mission field convert1 especially if that one has been led to the ,lord by us8 ,doing the ,lord's work is not fundamentally a matter of knowledge1 training1 or even experience4 ,it may be true that ,i have had years of ,bible training1 and the little old woman with whom ,i am going out visiting has never been to any sort of school a day in her life2 that ,i have traveled around the world1 and she has never been thirty miles from the place where she was born2 that ,i have heard the ,gospel and studied the ,bible all my life1 and she has known it for only a few short years4 ,i was born again twenty-five or thirty years ago2 she has been the ,lord's own for three or four years4 ,suppose we go to call on someone who is ill or in trouble4 ,i get out a poster1 and carefully explain the ,gospel4 ,the woman we are visiting listens to me with her mouth open2 and after twenty minutes of as clear and simple preaching as ,i am capable of1 when ,i am just getting to my climax1 she lays her hand on my sleeve and asks earnestly1 ,did you make this dress yourself8 ,my heart sinks to my boots4 ,is that what she has been thinking about all this time8 ,is that why she fixed her eyes on me so intently8 ,what's the use anyway8 ,then the old lady who is with me starts in4 ,she can't even tell clearly the bare outlines of the life of our ,saviour2 but she turns to the woman1 one whose life and thoughts she knows 7wasn't she just like her before she was saved871 and says1 ,look at me6 ,i used to have this trouble and that trouble and the other trouble1 and then ,i came to ,jesus1 and asked ,him to forgive my sins4 ,he did it and took all my troubles away1 and gave me peace and joy in my heart as ,i never dreamed of4 ,come to ,him and you can have it too6 ,when the one on whom we are calling says suddenly1 ,i'm going to believe too1 it is far more likely to be the result of my companion's testimony than of my fine ,gospel message6 ,are you a missionary volunteer8 ,when you get to the mission field1 remember that a simple1 earnest testimony from one who is just like we are will usually bring far more in the way of results than your own best efforts4 ,don't think that the missionary is the only one who can bring souls to the ,lord4 ,the one who has just been saved may easily become a more effective witness than you yourself4 ,no matter how uneducated and degraded the group1 there are always in it one or more who are leaders4 ,no matter how poor and ignorant he is1 the one who has been truly saved1 and knows that he is saved1 is always capable of witnessing to others of his own group4 ,no matter how poor a little group of ,christians is1 if they continue in prayer and patient effort they will surely be able to provide for themselves a meeting house that is as good as their own homes1 or a little better4 ,the ,church of ,god is not dependent upon ,gothic arches and stained glass windows1 upon ministers in ,geneva gowns and upon robed choirs4 ,it is not dependent upon material resources1 or this world's learning4 ,none of these things are essentials4 ,the only things that are essentials to the ,church of ,christ are found in ,christ and in the penitent and forgiven soul1 no matter what his race or culture or economic status4 ,the ,church of ,christ can function on any level at which men for whom ,christ died are living4 ,it is very easy for the missionary to become a little pope4 ,god forbid that we should do this6 ,god forbid that we should consider ourselves the exclusive channels for bringing ,god's grace to needy souls1 or the only ones capable of hearing ,god's voice6 ,god forbid that we should forget that every believer1 as soon as he is born again1 is indwelt by the ,holy ,spirit6 ,and may ,god open our eyes to ways and means of doing what is perhaps the greatest task of the missionary1 the task of bringing the young church to the place where it can get along without us1 the task of working ourselves out of a job6 ,,chapter #ab ,he ,had ,no ,rights ,he had no rights3 ,no right to a soft bed1 and a well-laid table2 ,no right to a home of ,his own1 a place where ,his own pleasure might be sought2 ,no right to choose pleasant1 congenial companions1 those who could understand ,him and sympathize with ,him2 ,no right to shrink away from filth and sin1 to pull ,his garments closer around ,him and turn aside to walk in cleaner paths2 ,no right to be understood and appreciated2 no1 not by those upon whom ,he had poured out a double portion of ,his love2 ,no right even never to be forsaken by ,his ,father1 the ,one who meant more than all to ,him4 ,his only right was silently to endure shame1 spitting1 blows2 to take ,his place as a sinner at the dock2 to bear my sins in anguish on the cross4 ,he had no rights4 ,and ,i8 ,a right to the comforts of life8 ,no1 but a right to the love of ,god for my pillow4 ,a right to physical safety8 ,no1 but a right to the security of being in ,his will4 ,a right to love and sympathy from those around me8 ,no1 but a right to the friendship of the ,one who understands me better than ,i do myself4 ,a right to be a leader among men8 ,no1 but the right to be led by the ,one to whom ,i have given my all1 led as is a little child1 with its hand in the hand of its father4 ,a right to a home1 and dear ones8 ,no1 not necessarily2 but a right to dwell in the heart of ,god4 ,a right to myself8 ,no1 but1 oh1 ,i have a right to ,christ4 ,all that ,he takes ,i will give2 ,all that ,he gives will ,i take2 ,he1 my only right6 ,he1 the one right before which all other rights fade into nothingness4 ,i have full right to ,him2 ,oh1 may ,he have full right to me6 ,,footnotes3 ,footnote #a3 ,this word is not used in any disparaging sense1 but simply meaning originating in a given place4 ,footnote #b3 ,colloquial ,chinese term for a bride4 ,footnote #c3 ,bound small in childhood4 ,footnote #d3 ,adapted from ,the ,lord ,stood by ,me 7,philadelphia3 ,china ,inland ,mission1 n4d471 pp4 #fg-ge 7out of print74 ,footnote #e3 ,cf4 ch4 #h4 ,footnote #f3 ,general ,director of the ,china ,inland ,mission at that time4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,transcriber',s ,,notes ,title ,page3 ,the title and author have been changed from lower case to title case4 ,page #de3 ,typo corrected3 vistior to visitor4 ,page #aje3 ,typo corrected3 gardner to gardener4 ,page #aai3 ,typo corrected3 happend to happened4