The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1893-03-29


n their village who had ever learned to read 3. | ;
me woman is over sixty years of age. and she :
lid her part real well. How many at home. | :
would attempt to learn to read at that
advanced age with public sentiment so against
her.
We were,in February invited there to dinner. p
We did not want to go, Why2 Because, if Chi
nese characters are hard to remember, and Chi
nese words hard to utter. the food is doably hard
for the palates of new comers to this Flowery
Kingdom. When We were invited we were in
the midst of preparing our house for our Annual
Meeting.when our friends from the other stations
near to, come to us. Much more enjoyable was
this task than going to eat Chinese soup. pork.
&c; but we were invited. they came for us. and
SO We donned our Chinese garments and put
piece of black Grape about our heads, not
because we were in mourning. but because the
women wear it SO. and SO looking as old as os
sible. we went to the gate. There the OK team
was waiting for us. We all got into the cart
Mr.. Davis. Paul Atwood. Miss Hewett.a Chinese
woman and her two children. and myself-and |
we were of. 1taoas Oriental it very jolly. |
and it was Uerv, rerv slow. as you will see when |
] tell you that it took us near an hour to go |
two miles. But we enjoyed it. nevertheless. It |
was the Chinese New Years time-the one time |
when all the people put on their fine clothes and
give themselves up to pleasure On the streets |
we saw the men in their handsome silk, satin. |
and fur garments. and hats with red tasses. They
were out making New Years calls. Very great
was the contrast-their rich clothing. and the
narrow, dusty. filthy street. about which they
stepped SO daintily with their high satin boots.
When we were outside the city the ride was
nice-the mountains always rising in silent re-
pose. reminding US - that as the mountains are
rouDd ohn,,f Jaruaolona fha Tord 10 round
about His people from this time forth. even for
ever more" We always have something beau
tiful to turn our eyes to if we will but look up
| and beyond.
Look up from the dirt of the street to the clear
blue vault of the heaven.
Look away from the filth of the people to the
mountains which rise in the distance.
Look away from our weakness and fear to the
strength of the Lord in the heaven,
Look away from the people degraded to the
promises which He has given.
After awhile we came to the village. and going
in through the gate. we found ourselves at the
house of the friend who had brought us. The
| house was full of people from the village who
had came in to look at US. Soon the hostess
| came in and bowed to u.s. turning her back to us
as she did so. and it looked very funny to u.s. you
may be sure. Then the outsiders went away,
and dinner was brought in. The foreign ladies
three of us in all-were seated in the k'ang. and
| the gentlemen in another part of the room. on
chairs. The table at which we sat was about
| two and half feet square. and raised from the
/ k'ang about eight inches. We sat tailor fashion
and ate with chop sticks-tried to. should have
said. After our mouths would be ready to re-
| ceive the morsel, when behold it slipped from
the chop sticks. and we had dropped it. For
~ M II
any other kind of meat). English walnuts. and
| chestnuts prepared with kind of gravy over
them. cold boiled eggs. sliced. and something-I
don't know what it is called-but it is kind Of
gelatine cut in strips about four inches long
they take it up with their chop sticks and draw
it into their mouths as fast as they can. Oh. I
could not have touched that am sure Then
they have meat balls with a covering of dough /;
the meat is nice. but the dough being boiled in
water. looks soggy and disagreeable. The first
thing was dessert. the last. soup. Miss Hewett
attempted this but could hardly swallow it. SO I
refrained altogether from attempting it.
After dinner they had short service. and then
we c. u home.
Ih-rt have been women in the hospital where
we have tried to teach. At first there were three.
two of whom assented to all we said. as the wo-
men usually do, and then go away and do not
obey at all. One of them. however. contested all
we said. saying. well. why don't your Lord
send rain? See. it don't rain. it don't rain %
She said she would not dare to take down her
idols. because when her oldest son returned home
he would be very much Gispleased. The next
two women were much more interesting. They
came to the Doctor. also. for treatment. and I
enjoyed teaching them more than any other work
have, done. I grew to think great deal OF
| fhovs al frio drzf N Loo
We do hope the little they received may not be
forgotten when they go to their heathen homes.
Poor women! How narrow their l1vesI How
little. how very little they know-how dark the
future before theml How much brighter would
! it be if they would only believe the truth we
come to tell them. Will you not pray for them.
that they may accept the truth. and for us. that
, we may be faithful?
We have had in our place for few months q
! woman whose name is Yeh. About three years
, ago she united with the church. and soon after
moved away from the city to village some miles
distant. SO far away that she was not able to at.
J tend service. We visited her twice, and she
seemed to have no idols. and said she was still
believing in the true God. She has three chill
dren, and is very poor, indeed. When she first
came to US she brought her three children will
, her. The eldest girl. of thirteen years. was en-
this family would not consent at all to her mar
rying in the Foreign Devils families. and hence
the girl had to go. In few months the woman
wanted to go home. and then she sent the giri
3 back to us. They were here few days. and
5 then the mother returned and said she talked tc
3 the future mother.in-law. and wanted her to le
the girl stay with us year or two, and learn thu
Gospel; but nc. the me ther-in law wouldn't he al
to it at all. so afraid are they of the influence
foreigners. Mrs. Yeh wanted her to come anC
| see for herself that we are not bad people bu
no. she would not hear to it. and what was more
Z the girl must leave mmediately. They had paiG
thirty dollars for her. which the girls father hat
invested in land, he said so as long as the mon.
ey had been paid. there was nothing to do but tc
let the girl go. again. and this Summer she is tC
/ be married into heather family. and live in ,
heathen home.
t Oh. what life What lifel How differen
from our American, our Christian waysl Whel
, will China turn from her wickedness into tn,
J true light? You can do much by your prayers
= LYDIA LORD DAVIS.