ce, but fitted His voice and doings to their understanding.
While we should have got impatient, God took the trouble of teaching
them in this small way. What a good thing it is that our Father is
more patient than we His children are. We want light and full
understanding straight off; but He does not despise the very smallest
beginning, does not reject the poor soul in darkness, who shows,
perhaps, only a feeble groping after the light. May He make us more
like Himself!

It is true that the "tender mercies of the wicked are cruel." While
Mr. Lue was lying on his death-bed, one of the idols was having its
birthday celebrated, and again the people of the place were collecting
money for the theatre. Mrs. Lue replied again that she would be glad to
give her share for anything which would benefit her fellow-men, and was
even willing to give a double share, but could not give them any money
for idolatry. The men threatened that she should ask them in vain for
help when her husband died. They would not carry the coffin, neither
would they lend her the things needed for carrying it to its
resting-place. She did not reply, but came and told us. We advised
her to act as if no word had been said, for we believed the men would
think better of it, and not carry out their threats. And if they did,
the Church members from other villages would gladly do that service for
her. So she said nothing till after her husband's death, when all of
them came without any refusal. Only one man said that he would not
carry a Christian's coffin, but the others soon made him ashamed of
himself. None could keep up his displeasure with Mrs. Lue for very
long, for she was too much respected by all.

As the funeral procession passed through Kucheng the streets were lined
on both sides with onlookers. But even there a hush seemed to have
fallen on the people. Here and there a quiet remark was heard, "Oh,
the Christians do pay proper respect to their dead. Even all the
missionaries and preachers follow them to the grave, and wear mourning
for them!" Some little boys were walking ahead of the coffin, beating
the gongs and carrying four banners, with the inscription, "He shall
certainly rise again," and, "He shall ascend to heaven and dwell
there." One long banner showed the text, "For there is one God and one
Mediator between God and men." And another, "For God so loved the
world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever belie