* * * * *

The first answer came the morning after our dear Constance died, and was
the one that had the greatest, most far-reaching effect on the new life
and its work.

As I thought of facing the crowds of heathen women day by day, and what
it would mean to carry on aggressive evangelism outside, there was one
need I felt must be met--that of a Bible-woman. As I prayed for
direction, a Mrs. Wang Hsieh-sheng came to mind as the one I should ask.

But when I laid my request before her, that she come with me, she burst
into tears, saying: "I dare not. I have only one child left, and it
would risk her life too much."

Seeing how she felt, I did not urge her, but told her to go and pray
about it for a day, and bring me her answer after the funeral that
night. When she came that evening her face was shining through tears, as
she said: "O my Shepherd Mother, I will go. If you are willing to risk
your children for the sake of my sisters, how much more should I!"

Eighteen years have passed since that day. I would need to write a
volume to record all that Mrs. Wang meant to me in those years; yes, and
to the work. As the years passed she became my beloved companion,
sharing in all the responsibilities and hardships of that life, and also
in its joys. I realized more and more that she was indeed a God-given
co-worker. Though circumstances have led me away from that life, she
still remains and works for her sisters in the Changte Church.

* * * * *

One of the hardest words a missionary can get from his Home Board is the
word "retrench." My husband and I were on one of our evangelistic tours
north of Changte. Every door seemed wide open before us, and the time
ripe for a specially aggressive campaign of evangelism for the heathen.
But, just as we were planning for this, word reached us from our station
treasurer of a message received from the Home Board that funds were low,
and retrenchment must be carried out along all lines.

To us this meant dismissing helpers, and a general curtailing of our
work. We faced the question squarely. Our own tithe had been long
overdrawn. How then could we support the men we had, and go on with the
work which was opening so gloriously before us after years of hard
pioneer preparation?

But we decided to go on as we had planned, and to trust God for the
necessary funds; believing that, though for the time being the home
church had di