ight be
seen studying his catechism when unemployed, and speaking for
Christianity to all who asked what book that was.

'He is a leading spirit, though a poor scholar, and was the deacon
or head of the branch of the sect in Ta Cheng Tz[)u], called Tsai
li ti. There are some twelve or sixteen members. Most of them
joined the sect through his endeavours, and he is eager to rear up
Christianity in the same way. You will partly understand now how
anxious I am about him. If he goes on all right, we may soon have a
little company of believers there. If he falls away--well, all
things work together for my good.

'One thing that moved these restaurant men towards Christianity was
an incident which happened in their establishment last winter. A
half-drunk Chinaman reviled me badly one evening at dinner. He laid
to my charge many bad and grievous things. Though they were utterly
false as regards me, they might be quite true of some other
foreigner whom he may have met. It was useless to reason with a
drunken man over a case of mistaken identity, so I said nothing,
ate my dinner, paid my bill, and went to my inn. The restaurant men
were very wroth with the man, they told me afterwards, and felt
like "going for" him themselves, and never forgot what they were
pleased to call my patience. In God's providence this little
incident seems to have been an important factor in impressing them
with favourable ideas of Christianity.

'Another thing which seems to have impressed them was their seeing
me this August, day by day at my post in my tent, carrying on the
work, when they knew I was ill, and, according to their ideas,
should have been in bed. I was not really so ill as all that, but
that was their idea. I would be very glad to have another reviling
and another attack of dysentery if the same results would follow.

'The profession of the other adherent at Ta Cheng Tz[)u], and the
moving of the hearts, seemingly at least, of other two men who
live at a distance, and had to leave for home suddenly before
receiving full instruction, but of whom I try to have hope, have
all moved my heart and seem answers to a great longing I had been
crying to God about, namely, that He would give me power to move
these heathen. Oh that He would do it!

'I have felt