Smyrna times., 1886-09-22

healing, that she might be more useful.
She reads the character we'll and is a
very intelligent woman; we hope she
may soon come into the full knowledge
of Christ as the only Savior from sin.
OPIUM POISONING.
Here as N all parts of China the ply
sician is frequently called to cases of
opium poisoning. Our first case we
! shall long remember. The poor woman,
a widow, had taken the drug in the
desperation of poverty and trial. She
was found in the street with her little
boy not far from our compound. PeO-
/ pie were unwilling to receive her into
! their houses for fear she would die.
As her home was outside of the city
wall, there seemed nothing for her ex-
cept to spend the night in the street.
! We found her surrounded by crowd
| of people and so much under the infu-
ence Of the drug, that it did not seem
safe for long time to leave her. For
/ tunately it was summer night and
the full moon lent her kindly rays, as
we ministered to the sufferer. The
boys devotion, was most touching,
hour after hour he stood with his arms
around his mothers neck, rousng her
/ if she slept too sOundly. As it grew
late, the spectators one by one turned
! their steps homeWard. A few remain
ed, influenced probably more by the
| presence of foreigners than by sympa-
tiny with misfortune, and assisted the
boy as it was necessary from time to
time, to have his mother walk little.
Two days afterwards early in the morn
ing, mother and son, cleanly attired
and with happy faces, came to express
their gratitude that life had been saved.
A short time ago we were called to a
case in an officers family. We found
a row of richly dressed ladies standing
around the bed, trying to pry open the
mouth of the unfortunate woman. The
family were greatly excited. One after
another came in, until the room was
full. There was quite a sensation when
younger sister arrived. She approch-
ed the bed and seeing her sisters dis
tress made false attempt to weep,
cautiously wiping her eyes with her
silk kerchief, lest she should mar the
beauty of her PAINTED face. We left
them when the danger was over, sad
with the thought of their shallowness
and poverty so far as real happiness is
concerned, even for this world.
Another time we were called to a
woman who attempted to put an end to
her life by taking soda. She had done
this IN fit of anger because she was
not allowed to go and see her relatives.
We found her suffering intensely and
her mOther-in-law suffering almost as
much mentally. She seemed to be
afraid that the fierce Indignation of the
wife's family would descend in a storm
on her head, and was weeping and la
menting in pitiful tones The husband
too seemed to stand in great dread of
his Wife's friends and wanted me to
wait until some Of them arrived. We
succeeded in convincing them that it
was not safe to wait and they allowed
her to take the medicine.
FOOT BINDING.
The siege against foot binding is con-
stantly raised. From time to time
pair of tiny shoes are brought to us, as
visible tokens that the foe has surren-
dered. Last year the teacher of one of
our day schools was so stirred at a
meeting where the subject of personal
conservation was presented, that she
could find no peace until she had re-
moved all the bandages from her feet.
Some of the women in the woman's
school have also been convinced that it
was not right for them to persist in this
custom. These women were wearing
shoes two and a half inches long.
They were crippled for while and
and obliged to be in bed and at first
could walk only with the help of
cane. Their feet although small and
detormed, have become strong and use
ful so that they can walk long distan-
ces. Removing all bandages at once
seems to be the easiest and quickest
way of getting over the difficulty.
To make any real Roadway against
this cruel custom is slow and discourag-
ing work. When we consider what
great significance is attached to the
small foot in China, that through long
centuries it has been the sign not only
of rank but of Virtue-We can see how
hard 1t is for these women to see the
folly OF it as we do. One of our Chris
tians said, don't mind if they call me
slave, but when they are suspicious
OF my character, that is hard to bear"
1t is the work of the Spirit to per-
suade them to honor God in this mat
ter, IN spite of the criticisms which it is
so natural for them to shrink from.
In regard to the feet of Children in
Christian families, parents are often
strongly opposed by relatives. 1t is the
sad fact that they are not ALWAYS strong
enough to remain firm and do some
times yield to the wishes of their
friends, perhaps more prayerful effort
of
couragement, given just at the right
time would gain the victory for the
right, and save the parents from sub
Jectlng their children to this heather
custom, by doing which they so greatly
hinder their Christian influence. Hap
PLY most are glad to conform to the
Christian usage.
A few months after our arrival
child was brought to us, afflicted with
a weak hand and arm. We said if they
would unbind her feet we would do
what we could for her. These were
hard terms and the father shed man3
tears over it. No one could help pity
ing him as he sat there with a look of
distress trying to decide the matter. If
we would promise certainly to cure her,
he would be willing But if she was
not cured and had big feet, no one would
want her for a wife, they finally con
cluded to comply with our terms, for
they said they had consulted all the
idols, aud she had taken great deal of
medicine the priests had prescribed and
1t had all done no good. She is still
with us, attending school and receiv-
ing treatment at the same time. She
has improved very much in the use of
her hand, has good mind and is learn
ing rapidly. We hope they will leave
her with us, until she has completed
the course of study in the boarding
school.
All workers in China see many evils
that they feel impatient to reform. We
need often to remember that Rome
was not builtin day " and to our faith
add patience. Our great source of
strength is in Him under whose banner
we have enlisted. He alone can give
us the love which is not enthusiasm,
nor even tenderness alone, but some
thing more real and lasting, and which
will urge US ever on, in this search for
the lost ones. Only love like unto his,
can enable us to look beneath the
vanity, the hypocrisy and the untidy
habits of these women, to the precious
soul, with its possibilities of eternal