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Show 91 in the spring of 1913 were again absorbing and full of hope The crowds in the chapel were larger than in previous years, and the women listened more quietly. In the temple fewer seemed to be burning incense than before, yet it was still pitiful to watch those who were going through the many forms of worship. One young woman who seemed most in need of sympathy was making a kowtow at every step through the large courts, in performance of a vow. She became so weary that servants had to assist her to rise each time, but still went slowly on. All that one saw in the temple, the priests begging with their baskets in hand, the beggars sitting about, the numerous peddlers, brought a feeling of the utter hollowness of this religion, and a deeper longing to transport all there to the Christian church across the way. The region west and north-west of Peking has been for years BEGINNINGS allotted to our Mission Before and directly after Boxer days that region was conspicuously anti-foreign. Some of our summer houses were an opening wedge, A preaching chape! was started in a village. The first Christians proved worthy, but almost all moved to Peking. The union work of the five denominations secured scores of inquirers at an annual fair at a neighboring village where our e.'forts have centered, resulting in a church of nine members, baptised this year. Four are young men of good education. Four evenings a week they hold religious meetings, and on three, lectures. In these lectures the preacher has been ably assisted by the young men. These young Christians have also made tours at their own expense to neighboring cities, - (which on the map long have been our dismay,) and give glowing reports. For our annual meeting these young men wanted their church to be well represented. By added stent they could contribute a little but need more. In their simplicity they appealed to neighbor tradesmen. The shopkeepers actually contributed, and two of the young men attended with the preacher. A little over two miles from this church is a city which adjoins the U.S. Indemnity Academy. There the earnest Christian professors, Americans propose to foster through us a church to which their students will give Christian service. An inquirer walked six miles to the nearest church. He kept coming and brought others. He was baptised and soon secured his first convert. Every Sunday six or seven men walked that twelve miles. Their village is a suburb of a big city on the railway. Our preacher and teacher proposed to go to them on alternate Sundays. From dire poverty they contributed $25.00 and started a boys' school in one of their homes. But they wanted continuous religious instruction, and so the school teacher at Fang Shan volunteered to change places with their teacher. That was real sacrifice, for the living conditions in the surburb were painful. Our teacher and his wife began their work of love. The women thirsted for the gospel and it transformed their lives. They memorised scripture and hymns, learned to read and to read with avidity. Twelve adults were baptised. Every evening over twenty meet for prayer. The room which was school, church and dwelling was a mere shed, in whose roof a bursting beam was visible. The room was loaned, as was the furniture, consisting of a tottering table and benches with broken legs. But that little band of Christians had a vision. They bought a patch of ground, bargained for it for $2.50, and then |