OCR Text |
Show kr.PORT OF L I ^ T S I P ko. : k.^.;-OtU O o . f l , uO . A U ^ i i ^ t "For ye have need of patience that baving done ; . ill if 3-od receive the yyonises. " Heb. 10-32 Had the writer of the Hebrews Uvea in Lintsing China during the oarly pari of the year 1919 he could often have admonished us with these words:,!ye have need of patieace"and also with faith is assurance of things hoped for,a conviction of things not eeen. For it truxy was a period of waiting and hoping for better things to come,not only for the small missionary force but for our Chinese friends as well. To begin with there were the "tatting women®,The return of Mrs,Bills to ' 'i " had left them in despair. ..ire.Eastman had need of art at patience on account of their faith that she could give them some tatting to do. obey were not content with the assurance that she v?as a* altogether too busy to undertake such a big thing-,but they appeared at b the house daily,one by one ,or in groups until thy were refused admittance After that they were often foundsomewhere outside too. 3 >use or perhaps hiding behind the lilaca trying to find some excuse to get an entrance into the house and thereby have • eta t e to tell their need. If they failed" f 1 ent'l receive a whipping at the hands of their husbands or a so -Iking % their mothers or mothers-in-law because they had brought home no work. Finally they went with their tales of woe and their many petitions to Mrs Chiang ,wife of the Chinese doctor,and to lire. Hauyae kindergarten teacher. These two women said they would furnish a little capital to start with.They also volunteered to distribute the thread,to measure the lace and to do part of the teaching.They asked Hrs y otaanto assist i ith the accounts and do 0p% the necessary correspondc oco with $fi the friends in America who were selling the tatting.Iftea conferences with Miss Long and with 1'rs.Eastman and after the Station Council gave its approval the work was begun. The women had formerly done their work la their homes and nact studied on the day when they brought it to ho measured Kow it was decided to plan for aa Industrial School,with a room where they gather to tat,and daily lesson hours, "re.Chiang did splendidly at the task of organization* i i?ner WP (-* P discoursj :5 o : ti 'i,: • 1 tb tost of the "^ eaders away. E Laytl all ,al y Hoiy t Lintsing. doctor 1 ac! joined a > hospital fo y ." wife" BA glad to help with t the school and to share in its financial support. Thus by putting in a little at a time they have been able to keep it going until returns have begun to come from America. - In addition to one half-hour og chapel,the women study one hour a day. Eight of tnem graduated from the secona year course in December. They had begun their reading during tneir work with Mrs.Ellis or in some of tae women's classes,bua this graduation ui&riced ane fact that they rinishedreading four small, oooas oa the fundamentals of Christianity, the two Gospels of Matthew and Mark, and had committed to memory the Beatitudes and five hymns. It has been very beautiful to watch their enthusiasm for reading grow. Also very gratifying to have two of the girls unbind their feet and enter the G-irls School. Requests have come from several for more classes^ In arithmetic,physiology,singing and gymnastics. Thirty-two women and girls are in the school. Although /ipn during the year there have been no new decisions for Christ among their number,we have faith to believe that a .aajority of these will Ira tiae become Christians, y? can see that their lives are being changed.3everail of the women are Mohammedans.whom it is harder to win than it is Jrijrf the others -the worshipers of idols. They too would be less likely to study were It not that they do so in connection with this Industrial School. |