helpers to labour in the province of
CHEH-KIANG.

The way in which it pleased the LORD to answer these earnest and
believing prayers, and the "exceeding abundantly" with which He crowned
them, we shall now sketch in brief outline.

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XVIII

A NEW AGENCY NEEDED

"My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith
the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways
higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts."[3] How true
are these words! When the LORD is bringing in great blessing in the best
possible way, how oftentimes our unbelieving hearts are feeling, if not
saying, like Jacob of old, "All these things are against me." Or we are
filled with fear, as were the disciples when the LORD, walking on the
waters, drew near to quiet the troubled sea, and to bring them quickly
to their desired haven. And yet mere common-sense ought to tell us that
He, whose way is perfect, _can_ make no mistakes; that He who has
promised to "perfect that which concerneth" us, and whose minute care
counts the very hairs of our heads, and forms for us our circumstances,
_must_ know better than we the way to forward our truest interests and
to glorify His own Name.

"Blind unbelief is _sure_ to err
And scan His work in vain;
GOD is His own Interpreter,
And He will make it plain."

To me it seemed a great calamity that failure of health compelled my
relinquishing work for GOD in China, just when it was more fruitful than
ever before; and to leave the little band of Christians in Ningpo,
needing much care and teaching, was a great sorrow. Nor was the sorrow
lessened when, on reaching England, medical testimony assured me that
return to China, at least for years to come, was impossible. Little did
I then realise that the long separation from China was a necessary step
towards the formation of a work which GOD would bless as He has blessed
the CHINA INLAND MISSION. While in the field, the pressure of claims
immediately around me was so great that I could not think much of the
still greater needs of the regions farther inland; and, if they were
thought of, could do nothing for them. But while detained for some years
in England, daily viewing the whole country on the large map on the wall
of my study, I was as near to the vast regions of Inland China as to the
smaller districts in which I had laboured personally