l except a few cotton gowns were put
to one side, and as the voice in the courtyard still pleaded for
Hwochow, even the earrings were taken from her ears, the rings from her
fingers, and the ornaments from her hair.

He Who is worthy to receive accepted the offering, and her heart sang a
song of thanksgiving as she murmured to herself, "Hwochow shall have the
Gospel."

Morning prayers at Middle Eden was an hour of joyful worship, and on
this day Mrs. Hsi's heart was so full of happiness that she could
scarcely wait until the full congregation had assembled before she,
laden with her bundles, entered the room and placed them on the table,
saying, "I think God has answered our prayers; I can do without these,
let Hwochow have the Gospel."

Every heart present must have been moved, for all could judge accurately
what the sacrifice must be. She had offered her only worldly treasures,
articles which her husband could not ask her to sacrifice, ready as he
was to use in God's service all that pertained to their home.

Surely the angels joined their song to that of the little Christian
community that morning, as the words of their own pastor's hymn ascended
with the sacrifice of praise:

"I hung for thee on Calvary, what dost thou still withhold from Me?
Thy strength, thy time, thy goods?
Oh say, what dost thou yet deny, My heart of love to satisfy?"

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Heavenly Invitation Office ("Pastor Hsi's" translation).

[2] The raised brick or mud platform, heated by a fire, used as a bed in
North China.

THE BIG ROAD

"Allons! whoever you are, come travel with me!
Travelling with me you find what never tires.
Whoever you are, come forth! a man or a woman, come forth!
You must not stay sleeping or dallying there in the house,
though you built it, or though it has been built for you."
WALT WHITMAN.

"The Master said: With coarse rice to eat, with
water to drink, and my bended arm for a pillow;--I
have still joy in the midst of these
things."--_Confucian Analects._

CHAPTER II

THE BIG ROAD

INDICATING THE SITUATION OF HWOCHOW IN THE PROVINCE OF SHANSI

THE city of Hwochow is situated on the main road which connects
Taiyueanfu with Sianfu, the direct route from Peking to the northwestern
provinces. Along this road pass strings of camels, laden with the