ain poisons, worse than either, and
perhaps more commonly used, as they are as effective and much less
dangerous. But we could not prove what we know, and knowledge without
proof is, legally speaking, valueless.

And yet we know these things, we have heard "a cry of tears," we have
heard "a cry of blood"--

"Tears and blood have a cry that pierces heaven
Through all its hallelujah swells of mirth;
God hears their cry, and though He tarry, yet
He doth not forget."

CHAPTER XV

"Simply Murdered"

"'Agonia'--that word so often on St. Paul's lips,
what did it mean? Did it not just mean the
thousand wearinesses . . . and deeper, the
strivings, the travailings, the bitter
disappointments, the 'deaths oft' of a
missionary's life?"
_Rev. Robert Stewart, China._

THERE are worse things than martyrdom. There are some who are "simply
murdered." There is one who belongs to a Caste which more than any other
is considered tolerant and safe. Men converts from this Caste can live
at home, and if a husband and wife believe, they may continue living in
their own house, among the heathen. And yet this is what happened to a
girl because it was known that she wanted to be a Christian.

First persecution. Treasure, as her name may be translated, had learnt
as a child in the little mission school, and when we went to her village
she responded, and took her stand. She refused to take part in a Hindu
ceremony. She was beaten, at first slightly, then severely. This failed,
so they sent her out of our reach to a heathen village miles away. This
also failed, and she was brought home, and for some months went steadily
on, reading and learning when she could, and all the time brightly
witnessing. She was a joy to us.

She was very anxious to come out and be baptised, but her age was the
difficulty. When a convert comes, the first thing to be done is to let
the police authorities know. They send a constable, who takes down the
convert's deposition, which is then forwarded to headquarters. One of
the first questions concerns age. In some cases a medical certificate is
demanded, and the girl's fate turns on that; if we can get one for over
sixteen we are safe from prosecution in the Criminal Courts, but
eighteen is the safest age, as the Civil Courts, if the case were to
proceed, would