The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1894-07-27

WdtciS Ot t1dt river, is the one thlns
that will cleanse them from all tn,
stains Of past sins, | felt, say. tina
| saw more of the depths of super
stition and degradation in one shor
hour. than in all the years of work ir
China. Something Of the same feeling
crept over me that bright sprinc
morning in April, as | saw the throng:
of our Chinese hurrying out of the
city, intent upon the performance
Of this duty of providing for the wants
Of their dead parents. A new thing
to me was the wearing Of great wooden
collars and heavy iron chains (both
like those worn BY criminals in China)
by young women and little boys.
They had made VOWS to the temple
gods, promising to wear these chains
and collars, and were going out to
perform these VOWS. In the case of
the boys the VOWS had been made by
their parents. II was strange to see
handsomely dressed and richly iew-
eled young women riding in sedan
chairs, with these Changing iron chains
around their necks and waists, or
immense wooden collars around their
necks, but sadder to know their hearts
and minds were bound more firmly
with the bands of superstition and
belief, that is real and not to be
thrown off easily. These busy wor-
shippers took no notice of us as we
started out on one Of these evangelis.
tic trips, that by the scattering Of the
seeds of the true religion with its
better forms of worship, is surely
bringing about the day, when, little as
they would believe it now, this festival
of the Ching Ming (Which means
clear, bright) will be thing of the
past, and lost in oblivion of their
dark ages.
We were in barrow made after
the pattern DR.. Nevius introduced
into North China itinerating. The
country people paid us more attention
than our fellow citizens had done,
and we never stopped for our barrow
men to rest or smoke, that we couldn't
gather an interested crowd Of lockers
on.
Several days later, when our num-
bers were swelled by the addition of
Mr. Murray in a cart, Mr.. Hamilton
on donkey, and Mr.. and Mrs.
Davies with their four months old
son, in native barrow, we were to
the people Of the different villages
that we passed through, as the travel
ing circus is to the small boy of an
inland town in the United States. AS
we were espied approaching the in
mates of each house in town, had
word of our coming, and as we left
we were followed by the lingering
and regretful last looks of those who
could not follow, and escourted out
by the children sometimes far into
the country. If took time to tell
what was said of US, or to us, there
wouldn't be space in magazine to
print this, nor time to tell Of any
thing else. Only let me say the three
children were the chief centre of
and am sure if ever
return over that same route, l shall
hear countless tales of blue eyed
children, with very white skins, and
a baby boy who got white milkish
fluid out of a glass bottle through
g skin " tube in most unheard of
way, by some sort of principle of
suction.
When we stopped at the inns, we
had always numbers of uninvited
spectators, to watch our livery move
rent.
We were asked our ages always,
our motive in coming out to the
sometimes. My age was
guessed at as being anywhere between
ny teens and my ffties, and as for
he motive, l fear to dwell on what
yuesses have been made at it. But
On the whole the people were friendly,
only curious, cant, rude.
On the second day, about noon, we
arrived at the first station where there
we're Christians, and stayed in the lit
lie prophets chamber" off the chap
Il. There the Christian women all
came to see us, and with them we
:alked, sang, prayed and visited until
he next afternoon. The name of the
village is Au Jarnity temple, and most
If the Christians there are women.
Why? Because there is such faith
ul woman there perhaps, who helps |
each and lead those who know less
han she. Her name is Mrs. 81, and
The is now able to read most of the
New Testament, though four years
lgo she spent her first months study |
rying to master the few characters in
| short prayer we often teach be-
,inners.
The next morning several women
rom a village two miles or more away.
;ame over on their poor deformed |
7 i I.