The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-08-30
TOUCHING STORY OF
CHINESE GENEROSITY
Convert to Christianity Gives Coffin in Which He Expected
Be Buried Missions. in Brazil-Facts That Count

BY Southern Missionary News Bureau.
The following beautiful story OF
Christian generosity in China 10 worth
reading:
AT the village OF Tai-ho, on the
seacoast Of Hinghwa, Fukien. in q bar
rem region. frequently devastated by
clan fights. there has been q small
congregation worshipping for nearly
twenty years in the house olta military
second degree man. who became an
earnest Christian after he was freed
from the slavery Of opium. He died
several years ago and left his property
to two sons, the elder OF whom be-
came q Christian through the In
fiuence of his fathers peaceful and
triumphant death. The Younger
wasted his portion In rtotous living.
and about two years ago, after spend
ms all. he came back home, reformed,
and became an earnest Christian.
For some time past the con9rega-
lions had overlooked the little house,
half the people gathering around the
door on the threshing floor. The need
Of new church building had been
much talked of, but no move was
made, except the appointment OF q
committee.
AN old member, very lame, and
poor had had his little house. in which
he lived, destroyed by q typhoon last
summer. He arose In the congrega-
ton one Sunday morning and told the
people that the wreck was all he own
ed IN the world. and he would give II
for new church.
Then another veteran. who IL
blind. told the astonished congrega-
tion that he had put all his little saw
ings into good coffin. In which he
had hoped to be decentiy buried. This
he turned over to the building COM
mittee. 1t was valued at over twenty
dollars (silver).
had nothing left but half OF the house
where they were worshipping. offered
his share of the house and threshing
floor. The elder brother Immediately
gave the remaining half. The house
can be sold for three hundred dollars
cash. The congregation In a short
time added over four hundred dollars
to the above three hundred and
twenty-five or more.
This occurred without the knowl-
edge OF any foreign Missionary. In
deed. no foreigner. living In COM
Portable house, with an abundance to
supply all his needs, could even sug-
gest such sacrifices. Such Giving y
ioHiPtcu ny IAtIm WV t4MAt8 - ky~SNA -
Cross. Doubtless there are sc0res Of
such groups Of Chinese Chriatians al
over the country. and some day they
will astonish and shame Christendom
with their lfberality.
Titling ana FUredgn 1Iissions
Mr.. Thomas Kane. in the Mission
airy Voice. says:
The total combined membership of
the Methodist and Presbyterian de-
AZ given in their officlal
year books for the year 1919 Is 81
2i5.6DS. Their combined offerings for
foreign missions for the same year
were S3.046,S28.1S, an average OF
4 fty-eight cents per annum for each
little more than one cent
! week.
The ofTicial statistical report for
1919 OF the Seventh Day Adventists,
who believe that Gods law OF the
tenth Of income IL Of the same hind
Ing force a. his other Law, or the
seventh OF time. gives the total mem-
bership Of their Church In North
America a. .864. Their contribu-
tons To foreign missions tor the yeax|
1919 amounted u e<t>,f13se1. an