it my duty to become a vegetarian on trial. I don't
know whether I can carry it out. The Chinese look up so much to
this supposed asceticism that I am eager to acquire the influence a
successful vegetarianism would give me, and I am trying it in true
Chinese style, which forbids eggs, leeks and carrots, &c. As far as
I have gone all is well. I am a little afraid that the great
appetite it gives may drive me to eat till I become fat. We'll see.

'The mothers bringing their babies moves me much. It reminds me of
scenes in Peking when another and more skilful hand ministered to
their diseases; then the picture of the family surroundings fills
itself up, and I have to seek a place where to weep.

'Altogether it is a sowing in tears. The district is not an easy
one, the life which the work entails is a hard one. There is no
hardship or self-denial I am not ready to "go in for," but I want
you to understand me and let me have your sympathy.'

This long extract, not too long we venture to think, as enabling us to
see into the heart of the man, raises several points of great moment.
Nothing could illustrate better his eagerness to get into close touch
and perfect sympathy with the people. He had long before adopted the
native dress of an ordinary shopkeeper or respectable workman. He now
adapted himself, as far as possible, to the native food. He lived on
such as the poor eat. Often he would take his bowl of porridge, native
fashion, in the street, sitting down upon a low stool by the boiler of
the itinerant restaurant keeper. The vegetarianism referred to was, as
he indicates, very thoroughgoing and in accord with Chinese ideas.

The great poverty of the people also pressed upon his attention the
enormous waste induced by whisky drinking, and by the smoking of tobacco
and opium. The sect Tsai li ti referred to was a small organisation
among the Chinese for endeavouring to secure entire abstinence from all
three. It did not seem tolerable to him that the level of Christian
morality and practice with regard to these things should be lower than
that of the heathen. Famine often visited those parts, and he came to
hold the view that men could hardly pray, 'Give us this day our daily
bread,' with any hope of a favourable answer, or even reasonably expect
God's blessing upon their tillage of the soil, while they continued to
use a large part of the grain produce