I did not stand the test; but oh, how patient God is with us in our
human weakness. "Like as a father pitieth, . . . so the Lord pitieth."
The Chinese have often said to me, "Your children seem made for this
life." But I know it was God's great goodness. He knew how hard the life
was, and how difficult it would have been for me to continue that work
had the children been peevish or hard to manage. Time and time again we
had to get the little ones up before daybreak to start on a cart
journey, but I do not remember that they ever even cried. They would
just wake up enough to get dressed and ask sleepily, "Are we going
again, Mama?" and then go off to sleep as soon as we were settled in our
carts.
* * * * *
On one occasion, arriving at a certain town, we found the place in which
we were to stay unfit for the children. It was simply horrible. On
either side of us, almost reaching to our door, were two great
pigstys--Chinese pigstys! In front of the door were eight or ten great
vessels, filled with fermenting stuff which had been there all summer,
and which added to the other varied and oppressive odors. I greatly
feared for the children, and wanted to leave at once, but my husband
seemed calmly certain of the Lord's power to keep them from all harm.
On the second evening the youngest child became very feverish. Mr.
Goforth was holding a meeting with the men. I was almost overwhelmed
with fear lest the child had diphtheria. Kneeling down beside him, I
cried to the Lord as only a mother under like circumstances could pray.
At last, tired out, I fell asleep on my knees. Awakened by the entrance
of my husband, I felt the child's head again and it seemed cooler, and
the child quieter. The following day he was quite well. Is it much
wonder I can say I know God answers prayer?
* * * * *
Returning from our summer holiday the first of September, 1912, we hoped
to find a place rented at a certain large center where we had planned to
begin work; but to our disappointment learned that the evangelists had
secured premises in a small market village, where there was just one
Christian. There was nothing to do but to go there, though it seemed
almost useless, for it was the busiest season for those farming people.
On our way to this place we prayed much that the Lord would prepare the
people, and open their hearts to the Gospel. We had not been there many
days when we became convinced that we had been led there, and that the
Lord was opening the hearts of the people in a most unusual way. Crowds
of men and women heard the preaching every day. Our evening Gospel
meetings, with organ and hymn scroll, were crowded out on to the street.
Everywhere we met with the utmost friendliness, and before our month's
visit was ended we had the joy of seeing some of the leading people in
the village and district come out boldly for Christ. One was the chief
doctor; another was the head man in the market. In the store, through
which we women had to pass to get to the evening meeting, there were
three men and a young lad of fifteen; all of these were brought to
Christ. The men were opium users, gamblers, men of evil lives. Two of
them are now preachers of the Gospel, and one is the leading man in the
little growing church there.
Had I time and space I could go on multiplying cases where the same
results have followed when the cross of Christ has been the pivot of all
Christian teaching, and prayer has been the source of power.
* * * * *
On one of the early visits to the city of Linchang, a woman came with a
little child whose foot was terribly burned. The whole foot was badly
swollen, the inflammation reaching some distance up the leg. The child
was feverish, and seemed in a serious condition. It happened that on
that trip I had forgotten to bring the simple remedies which I was
accustomed to take out with me, so the woman was told nothing could be
done. But she begged so piteously that I could not turn away; and
lifting up my heart in prayer I asked the Lord to guide me, if there was
anything I could do.
Even while I prayed the thought of a bread poultice came to mind. This
remedy seemed almost absurd. I had never heard of such a thing being
used before under like circumstances, but I resolved to try it. Twice a
day the foot was cleansed and put in the poultice, and it was really
wonderful to see how it healed. We were there ten days, and when we left
the foot was almost completely well. The mother, father, the child
herself, and indeed the whole family, became Christians. On a later
visit I examined the foot, and found not even the sign of a scar
remaining.
I told this incident not long ago to a medical doctor, and he said:
"Why, there is no miracle in _that_! It was just up-to-date
hygiene--giving nature a chance by cleanliness!"
I replied: "Doctor, to me the miracle lay, not in the poultice, but in
God's telling me what to use; and now it is to me all the more a miracle
of prayer, since you say it was up-to-date hygienic treatment."
* * * * *
At the same place, some years later, we were conducting special tent
meetings for Christians in the day time, and for the heathen at night.
Just after our meetings began the weather turned bitterly cold, with
wind and sleety rain. The tent was like a drafty ice-house. My husband
caught a severe cold, which became worse each day. He had fever and
severe pains in head and chest, but would not give up his meetings. One
noon he came from the meeting looking very ill, and lay down to rest
till the afternoon meeting.
I determined to take the Christians into my confidence, and tell them of
my anxiety for Mr. Goforth. So, some time before the afternoon meeting
I slipped out and called them into the tent, telling them of my
husband's condition and asking them to pray for him. Oh, what a wave of
earnest, heart-overflow of prayer went up without a moment's pause! The
tears came to my eyes as I thought, "Surely God will answer such
prayers!"
Then, fearing my husband might arrive, I gave out a hymn. A few moments
later he walked into the tent in his old brisk way, looking quite well.
At the close of the meeting he told me that shortly after he heard me go
out the pain in his head and chest ceased, the fever seemed to leave
him, and when he started for the tent he felt quite well. The symptoms
did not return.
* * * * *
When on a visit to a certain out-station, after being there two whole
days, scarcely any women had come to see us. We were so circumstanced
that I could not leave the children. The third day I became so burdened
in prayer that I could only shut myself up in an empty room and cry to
the Lord to send women to us, as he knew I could not leave the children.
From that day we always had plenty of visitors to keep us busy, either
Christian women studying or heathen women listening to the Gospel.
At Tzuchow, the first place we opened together, the people seemed much
set against us. After the first period of curiosity was over, no one
came to hear the Gospel. As we had a nice place for the children to play
in with their faithful nurse,--the one who saved Ruth's life in
1900,--Mrs. Wang and I determined to go out each afternoon and try to
reach the heathen women with the Gospel. Before going out we always
prayed the Lord to open a door to us for preaching. And as I now recall
that time, never once did we return home without being invited into some
home to preach, or at least being asked to sit on a doorstep and tell of
a Saviour from sin.
* * * * *
One of the most outstanding evidences of God's favor and blessing was
seen, at this time, in the way he provided my husband with native
helpers. To carry on the plan of work we had adopted required a good
force of trusty evangelists. Time and again we looked to the Lord for
men and women to help us, and the answer always came.
As my husband always seemed to have plenty of men to help him, he was
frequently asked for evangelists by his fellow-missionaries of both our
own and other missions. I was at first opposed to his giving away his
best men, but he would answer, "The Lord has been good to me; should I
be less generous with my brethren?" And it certainly was remarkable how,
whenever he gave a really valuable evangelist, another man, even better,
was raised up shortly after. The secret of his getting men may be seen
best through words of his own, taken from a letter to a friend in Canada
about the time of which I am now writing:
"We came to this little market town in September of last year. My wife
had two women workers. I had Mr. Tung, the old evangelist, and a young
high school graduate without experience, and the only Christian man in
the district, very ignorant but with this to recommend him, that he was
converted or quickened by the Holy Spirit in the Changte revival, and
was intensely in earnest. We were here only about twenty days when
dozens began to inquire, among whom were robbers, opium sots, and
gamblers. The work went on all day and well on till midnight. We were
all tiring out. We had not enough workers. It was like a very heavy
burden that forced me to my knees. I told the Lord that he was the Lord
of the harvest, and that he must send more harvesters. There was a time
of intense looking to God, almost amounting to agony, and then the
burden lifted, and I knew that God had answered. I told my wife that I
was sure that God was going to send me workers.
"Now what is the result? Since then he has sent me two Chinese B.A.'s,
both excellent speakers. He moved an excellent elder to give up his
business, and he has been appointed an evangelist. At this center a
scholar, who was an opium user and gambler, got converted last year. His
progress has been most remarkable, and it looks as if he is going to
make one of the front-rank preachers. Also two brothers here, who were
among the first converts last year, help to preach, their father--also a
convert of last year--providing their food."
* * * * *
Another gracious evidence of God's over-ruling providence was seen in
the way we, especially the children, were kept from contracting
contagious diseases. The Chinese carry their children about everywhere
in their arms, even when sick with all sorts of contagious diseases.
I give the following instance to show how impossible it was to know when
one would run into danger. Going to a certain village for a day's
preaching, I took with me little Mary, then three years of age. We were
waited on by a Christian woman who was most kind and attentive,
bringing water and food for both Mary and myself. Being much taken up
with preaching to the women, it did not occur to me to ask why she kept
her baby's face covered, for the child was always in her arms. Just as
we were leaving I asked her; then she uncovered the baby's face, and to
my horror I found that the child was suffering from smallpox! For weeks
I watched Mary's temperature, but nothing developed.
Through repeated instances of this kind I came to see that Mr. Goforth
was right when he said, "The safest place for yourself and the children
is in the path of duty."
As I recall those years of touring life with our children, words fail me
to tell of all the Lord's goodness to them and to me. Though there were
many hard, hard places, these were but opportunities for special grace
and help. Many times, when discouraged almost to the point of never
going out again with the children, there would come evidence that the
Lord was using our family life, lived among the people, to win them to
Christ. Then I would take new courage, and go again. Oh, it is so true
that
"We may trust him fully
All for us to do;
Those who trust him wholly
Find him wholly true."
VII
THE STORY OF ONE FURLOUGH (1908-1910)
"Call upon me in the day of trouble: I will
deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me" (Psa.
50:15).
IN THE summer of 1908 I was obliged to return to Canada with five of our
children, leaving Mr. Goforth in China for the revival work.
Reaching Toronto, I learned that my eldest son was at death's door from
repeated attacks of rheumatic fever. He was then almost a day's journey
away. On my way there, as I recalled the times in which he had been
given back to us from the very gates of death, my faith was strengthened
to believe for his recovery again. But, as I prayed, it became very
clear that the answer to my petition depended on myself; in other words,
that I must yield myself and my will to God.
I had been planning to take no meetings during that furlough, but to
devote myself wholly to my children. I confessed the sin of planning my
own life, and definitely covenanted with the Lord that if he would
raise my son for his service I would take meetings, or do anything, as
he opened the way for the care of the children.
There were six difficult doors, however, that would have to be
opened--not one, but all--before I could possibly go out and speak for
Christ and China, as God seemed to be asking. First, the Lord would need
to restore my son to complete health, as I could never feel justified in
leaving a sick child. Second, he would need to restore my own health,
for I had been ordered to the hospital for an operation. Third, he would
need to keep all the other children well. Fourth, a servant must be sent
to take care of the house--though my income was so small that a servant
seemed out of the question, and only the strictest economy was making
both ends meet. Fifth, a Christian lady would need to be willing to take
care of the children, and act as my housekeeper in my absence from home.
Sixth, sufficient money would need to be sent to meet the extra expenses
incurred by my leaving home.
Yet, as I laid these difficulties before the Lord, I received the
definite assurance that he would open the way.
My son was brought back to Toronto on a stretcher, the doctor not
allowing him to raise his head; but on arrival he would not obey
orders, declaring that he was so well he could not and would not remain
still. Fearing the consequences of his disobeying orders, I telephoned
for the doctor to come at once. On his arrival he gave the lad a
thorough examination, and then said: "Well, I cannot make him out; all I
can say is, let him do as he pleases."
Within a month the boy was going back to his high school, apparently
quite well. Some months later he applied for a position as forester
under the government. He had to pass through the hands of the official
doctor. My son told him of his recent illness, and of what the doctor
had said concerning his heart; but this physician replied: "In spite of
all you have told me I can discover nothing whatever the matter with
you, and will therefore give you a clear bill of health."
As for myself, I did not go to the hospital; for all the symptoms that
had seemed to require it left me, and I became perfectly well. A servant
was sent to me who did her work sympathetically, as helping me to do the
Lord's work. A married niece, living near, offered to stay in the home
whenever I needed to be absent.
And so there remained but one condition unfulfilled--the money. But I
believed this would come as I went forward; and it did. Each month that
followed, as I made up my accounts, I found that my receipts exceeded my
expenditures sufficiently to enable me to spend money for work in China,
and to purchase things which I needed for China, including an organ. All
these accounts were laid before our beloved Mission Board secretary, who
approved them.
Under these circumstances I dared not refuse invitations to speak. Yet,
so weak was my faith, for months I never left home for a few days
without dreading lest something should happen to the children during my
absence. I even accepted meetings with the proviso that if the children
needed me I must fail to keep my appointment. But as the days and weeks
and months passed, and all went well, I learned to trust.
"'Be still; be strong to-day.'
But, Lord, to-morrow?
What of to-morrow, Lord?
Shall there be rest from toil,
Be truce from sorrow?
'Did I not die for thee?
Do I not live for thee?
Leave me to-morrow.'"
In giving the following I wish to make clear that, had I been living a
life of ease or self-indulgence, I could not have been justified in
expecting God to undertake for me in such matters as are here recorded.
It must be remembered that I had stepped out into a life which meant
_trusting for everything_.
Before leaving China for Canada my husband had said to me: "Do not stint
the children with apples; give them all they want." But when I began
housekeeping I found this was not very easy to do. Apples were
expensive, and the appetites of my six children for them seemed
insatiable. However, I began by buying a few small baskets; and then I
did not need to buy more, for apples came in a most wonderful way. First
in baskets; then, as the season advanced, in barrels. These came from
many different sources; and in some cases long distances, express paid
to the door. On one occasion a barrel of large, hard "Greenings" came
just as we had finished the last barrel. The children complained that
they were too hard to eat, and begged me to buy them some "Snows"--very
expensive, but delicious apples for eating. I had only purchased one
small basket of "Snows" when a large supply, almost a barrelful, came
from a distant friend.
I feel that the Lord saw that I had given up all for him, so just showed
how he could provide, thus evidencing his love and care for my dear
children. We had set up housekeeping at the end of the fruit season, and
so I had not been able to do canning for winter use. That winter, again
and again, gifts of canned fruit came, sometimes from unknown sources.
Altogether, seventy jars of the finest fruit were sent to us. I will
give the details of just one of these gifts.
Shortly before leaving home for ten days, the servant informed me that
the canned fruit was finished. Accordingly, I went down and ordered
enough dried fruit to last till I should return. On reaching home I was
greeted at the door by a rush from the children, all trying at once to
tell me that a lovely valentine had just arrived. Leading me back to the
kitchen, they showed me the table covered with twenty jars of the most
delicious looking fruit, and a large can of maple syrup. On a card
accompanying the gift was written: "A valentine for our dear 'substitute
in China,' from her sisters in Renfrew."
* * * * *
Early in the winter it became evident that a telephone was a necessity,
with my numerous calls and engagements. I hesitated about going into
this expense, not being quite sure that it was right to use in that way
the money given me. At last, I prayed that the Lord would show me his
will in the matter by sending me half the amount needed for the
telephone within a certain time, if it was right for me to get it.
Before the time expired the money had come; so I got the telephone.
* * * * *
As the weather became cold I began to suffer on the long drives in the
country to appointments, and was soon longing for a fur coat. I
consulted our mission secretary as to whether, if sufficient money were
given me, I could put it into a fur coat. The answer was a decided
"Yes." There was no doubt that the coat was a necessity in the Lord's
work. So I began to pray the Lord to send the money quickly, for the
cold was severe. In less than two weeks I received the money needed, and
of course got the coat.
* * * * *
The ladies of the Winnipeg Presbyterial had arranged a series of
meetings for me in Winnipeg, Brandon, and other places in that vicinity,
about ten in all. The collections from the meetings were to defray my
traveling expenses, which would amount to over one hundred dollars. On
my way by train from Toronto to Winnipeg I caught a severe cold, which
settled in my throat and chest. I did not want the women to be
disappointed, and also put to all the expense, if I failed them. Just
before reaching Winnipeg I was enabled to commit myself definitely into
the Lord's hands, for strength and voice for the meetings. The days that
followed can never be forgotten, for the bodily weakness, fever, and
throat trouble were removed only while I was giving my addresses. In
each case, though so hoarse before and after speaking as to be scarcely
able to make myself heard above a whisper, my voice cleared for the
address.
For example: while at Dr. and Mrs. C. W. Gordon's home the Sunday I was
to speak in Winnipeg, I was advertised to speak that night in Dr.
Gordon's church. At the supper table I asked Dr. Gordon if he would be
ready to speak should I fail. Just before my time came to speak I
slipped up on to the platform behind Dr. Gordon, who was praying; and
oh, how I cried to the Lord for help and courage! For the church was
packed, and even the Sunday-school room partitions were opened to
accommodate the crowd. My throat was as if in a vise, and I felt weak
and ill. But, as Dr. Gordon introduced me, I stepped forward possessed
by a feeling of wonderful calm and absolute confidence. It seemed I
could just _feel_ One like unto the Son of man beside me, and never had
I felt so completely and only a channel. For more than an hour I spoke
so that every one heard distinctly; but when I sat down my throat
tightened as before. Dr. Gordon told me later that he had a man sit in
the most difficult place in which to hear, and that he had heard every
word.
So it was till the end of my appointments. On the homeward journey I
asked the Lord either to heal my throat, or to provide a way for me to
get a needed rest from speaking, for I had many appointments awaiting me
in Ontario. A few days after reaching home four of my children were
taken down with measles. During the weeks I was in quarantine with them
my throat received the rest it needed, and became quite restored.
* * * * *
One day the following early summer, in looking over the children's
clothes, I found there was so much to be done I was fairly overwhelmed.
I saw it was quite impossible to do the necessary sewing and keep my
appointments too. The question that weighed heavily was, "Should I
cancel the meetings for which I had given my word?" My husband urged me
to buy ready-made clothes, but I knew how expensive they would be, and
could not bring myself to do so. I went alone and laid my burden before
the Lord, praying that, if he wanted me to speak further for China, he
would show his will by sending me some gift that would enable me to get
ready-made clothes for the children.
A few days later I was speaking at a Presbyterial gathering in western
Ontario. At the close of the evening meeting an old gentleman put into
my hands some money. I asked him what he wished me to use it for, and he
replied, "For your children. Use it in a way that will help you to be
free for God's work." My heart rose in thanksgiving, and I decided to
accept it as the token I had asked of the Lord. On my return to Toronto
I spent this gift in buying ready-made clothes for the children, to save
my time and strength for the Lord's work.
* * * * *
When busy in my home one day, the thought of two dear friends of the
China Inland Mission kept coming constantly to mind, and I began to
wonder if I should not send them some money. Looking into my purse, I
found I had only fifty cents on hand. I put the matter out of my mind,
with the thought that if the Lord wanted me to send them anything he
would provide a way. That afternoon's mail brought a letter from a
distant place in Ontario where, a year before, I had visited and spoken
for a friend. The letter was from the treasurer of the Christian
Endeavor Society for which I had spoken. He enclosed five dollars, and
said the money was to have been given me at the time I spoke for them,
but had been overlooked.
My first thought was to return it, as it would be dishonoring my friend
to accept money for such a service; and then I remembered my friends for
whom I wanted money, and I decided to send the five dollars to them. My
husband, returning the following morning, handed me another five to put
with it, and the ten dollars was sent off.
In due course a reply came from my friends, saying that the very morning
my letter arrived they both had been given assurance that a certain sum
would come, for which they had been praying. This was to meet a need
which they did not wish to bring before their Board. My letter brought
the ten dollars; and another letter in the afternoon's mail contained a
sum which, with mine, exactly made the amount they had been asking the
Lord for.
"Say not my soul, 'Can God relieve my care?'
Remember that Omnipotence hath servants everywhere!"
On one occasion, when about to leave home on a ten days' trip to
Montreal and other places, word came that the children's Sunday-school
treat was to take place during my absence.