O God, remember Thy congregation, which Thou hast purchased of old, Thine adversaries have roared in the midst of Thine assembly; They have set up their ensigns for signs. They seemed as men that lifted up axes upon a thicket of trees. They break down with hatchet and hammers. They have set Thy sanctuary on fire; They have profaned the dwelling place of Thy name even to the ground. They have said in their heart, Let us make havoc of them altogether: They have burned up all the synagogues of God in the land. O let not the oppressed return ashamed: Let the poor and needy praise Thy name. Arise, O God, plead Thine own cause.-PSALm lxxiv. THE PROVINCE OF HO-NAN ITINERANT work was commenced in this province by the C.I.M. in 1875, but it was not till 1884 that Chaukia-k'eo, the first permanent station, was finally opened. Though beset with considerable difficulties, seven other central stations have since that date been established, and in every way the outlook at the beginning of 1900 was bright and hopeful. The Honanese are a strongly independent people, possessed of considerable initiative and sturdy manhood. No one can ever travel through this province without at once feeling he is in touch with a people of a more than ordinary individuality. Their spirit of inquiry and interest has made Ho-nan noted as a province where the sales of Scriptures and tracts are almost unprecedentedly large. Such a people converted make grand Christians and good workers. Though the work has met with not a little opposition from this wide-awake people, the conquests of the Cross have been many and encouraging, considering the short period of settled work. The few following figures will show the increasing encouragement which has attended the labours of the C.I.M. in Ho-nan : Almost up to the time of the troubles recorded in the following letters everything was quiet and hopeful. Baptisms took place within a few days of the riots. Yet suddenly the whole attitude of the people changed and at all the stations the storm burst practically simultaneously. The explanation of this is not far to seek. Every factor in an argument from design is present. Only the inspiration of one guiding evil genius can explain such facts, and in many cases the testimony of the officials themselves amply confirms this obvious deduction. In stations separated by many miles and also in different provinces the officials have gratuitously come to the missionaries and informed them of the Imperial edict commanding their execution. It is cause for the most profound thankfulness that no lives have been lost in this province. Not a station has been spared, however. All have been looted and destroyed, and though many missionaries have been in the most imminent peril, God has mercifully heard their cry and saved them. Why in Shan-si God has permitted that His name be glorified by the martyrdom of so many and in Ho-nan has magnified His grace by preserving the lives of all, we must wait for "that great day" to reveal. But it is well for us to be reminded that God's dealings with His servants have ever been characterised by these mysteries. Under the hand of Herod, James honoured his Lord by death, while Peter was graciously spared. To drink of His cup and to be baptized with His baptism may be, as it was to the sons of Zebedee, to magnify God by death in the one case and by life in the other. By faith some "escaped the edge of the sword," and through faith others endured torture, not accepting deliverance. Sufficient is it for each one to remember Christ's reply to Peter's question, "Lord, and what shall this man do?" “If I will that he tarry till I come, what follow thou Me." is that to thee? The native Christians have, we fear, suffered most severely. As a special chapter is devoted to them, nothing further need be said here than to call attention especially to the extract from Mr. Conway's letter on p. 272. This will be sufficient to show how systematic and cruel the persecution has been. |