he was quick to respond with the most liberal aid; and I have known
him in times of cholera or epidemic sickness to have thousands of
packages of medicine put up by our foreign physicians, for him to
give to the sick people. In all our acquaintance with him I never
knew him to turn a deaf ear to an appeal for help; in a
neighbouring city he supported alone a foundling asylum, in which
were one hundred little castaway girls to whom he supplied nurses,
clothing, etc., and he assured us that no one besides Mr. Baldwin
and myself knew of it. He had for some time been accustomed to come
to advise and consult Mr. Baldwin on various matters, and when
going away would give him a power of attorney to sign for the
firm."
When Mr. Ahok was married, he urged Dr. and Mrs. Baldwin to be present at
the ceremony, and gave them the privilege of bringing foreign friends with
them if they so desired. His wife was a member of a family of high rank,
the sister of a mandarin, and the possessor of an aristocratic little foot
two inches and a half long. Outside of those educated in the mission
schools, she was the first Chinese woman that Mrs. Baldwin had met who
could read and write. One day not long after the wedding, Dr. Baldwin met
Mr. Ahok, and disregarding the Chinese custom which makes it a breach of
etiquette to inquire after a man's wife, asked about Mrs. Ahok. Mr. Ahok at
once answered with evident pride, "She all the same one mandarin; she reads
books all the day." He was very proud of her unusual ability, and the
confidence and sympathy which soon existed between him and his wife was
much greater than is usual in a non-Christian home in China. Mrs. Ahok
shared her husband's warm feeling for his foreign friends. The words of
Mrs. Baldwin, who knew her intimately, characterize her well:
"She was, from my first meeting with her, ever a friend of me and
mine.... She was a woman of strong character, of fine personal
appearance, always attired in elegant dress, and so perfect in her
observance of the elaborate code of Chinese etiquette that it was
ever a marvel to me how she remembered the smallest details of the
exacting courtesy, never failing to meet the terse and telling
instruction of the standard book on etiquette for girls and women,
'As a guest demand nothing, as a hostess exhaust courtesy....' The
better I knew her the more I esteemed her."
Mr. Ahok had two beautiful homes in Foochow; one a very fine Chinese house,
the other an English residence, elegantly furnished with carpets, pictures,
piano, and all other foreign furnishings required for comfort and beauty.
In these two homes he and his wife entertained with great hospitality. Mrs.
Baldwin says that she has often seen almost the entire foreign community of
Foochow, officials, missionaries, and business people, entertained in the
Ahoks' home, sometimes in Chinese fashion, sometimes in foreign. It is, of
course, contrary to Chinese custom for the mistress of the home to appear
before gentlemen outside of her own family. Mrs. Ahok, however, knowing
that it was the custom in England and America for the hostess to dispense
hospitality to her guests, gradually accustomed herself to appearing as
hostess at all gatherings where there were foreign guests; first at small
dinners, and later in larger companies. One who was a frequent guest in the
home says, "It was a constant surprise to me to see this Chinese lady, so
accustomed to seclusion, ever so modestly self-possessed, and in courteous,
ladylike bearing, equal to every occasion."
But although ready to conform to foreign custom when entertaining foreign
guests in her home, it was several years before Mrs. Ahok was willing to
attend similar gatherings in other homes. She frequently called at the home
of her friend, Mrs. Baldwin, but never when there were strangers there. On
one occasion when Mrs. Baldwin was entertaining a few guests at dinner, she
invited Mr. Ahok to dine with them. He accepted readily, and Mrs. Baldwin
went on to say: "We very much desire that Mrs. Ahok should come with you.
We know your customs, but you have known us for a long time. Cannot Mrs.
Ahok make an exception and come on this occasion?" He seemed very much
troubled and replied: "I would very greatly like to have my wife come, and
she would enjoy doing so, and if there were no one here but Mr. Baldwin and
you she would come. But other men will be here, and if she came her chair
bearers would know it and her name be injured."
As has been seen, Mr. Ahok was always very friendly to the missionaries and
in sympathy with their work. The Anglo-Chinese College of the Methodist
Mission, for example, was made possible by his generous gift. But it was
some years before he became a Christian. When the step was finally taken,
however, he proved to be a most ardent worker, giving generously to the
work of several denominations in various parts of China, holding Christian
services in his home, and doing earnest personal work among those with whom
he came in contact in the transaction of his business, both in Foochow and
on his trips to other cities.
Mrs. Ahok was a very devout Buddhist and had no desire at all to learn of
Christianity. She was, however, eager to learn English, and consented to
learn it through the Bible, since Miss Foster, the English missionary who
had been asked to instruct her in English, would consent to give time from
her other work only on that condition. "I have often found her with the
house full of idols, incense being burned before them," reads a letter from
one of her friends. "Our hearts were often discouraged, fearing that this
Chinese lady would always love the idols." Even after her husband had
become a Christian Mrs. Ahok insisted that she would never forsake the
worship of her ancestors and follow the foreign religion. "But," said Mrs.
Baldwin, "I felt very sure that a woman of her mind and character would yet
follow her husband into the better life. Within a year after, she became a
most earnest, loving, working disciple of Christ, ready to deny herself and
bear her cross in many ways most trying to a Chinese lady."
Both Mrs. Ahok and her husband had intense opposition to meet, for it was
not to be expected that members of families of such high rank should
forsake the religion of their fathers without encountering bitter protest
from their kindred. The opposition of mother and mother-in-law, both of
whom lived in the home with them, was especially hard to bear. Mrs. Ahok's
mother was intensely hostile to Christianity, and did everything possible
to make things so unpleasant for her daughter that she would renounce her
new faith. Mr. Ahok's mother was no less opposed at first; but gradually
she became more willing to learn about Christianity, and for some time
alternated between her idol worship and the Sunday and mid-week services
and family prayers which Mr. Ahok held in his home. At length, after having
thus compared the two religions for some time, she announced: "You may take
my idol away. Hereafter your God shall be my God." From that time on she
was a radiant Christian, and it was not long until Mrs. Ahok's mother
followed her example.
At the time of the death of Mr. Ahok's mother, there occurred an
interesting example of the way in which a Chinese can become an earnest
Christian without becoming less Chinese thereby. In that part of China the
wealthy families, and many of those of the middle classes, begin on the
seventh day after a death a series of "meritorious" ceremonies for the
repose and general benefit of the soul of the departed. In one form or
another the ceremonies are repeated every seventh day thereafter until the
forty-ninth day. Buddhist or Taoist priests are hired to conduct the
ceremonies. Mr. Ahok, probably partly that he might not antagonize his
relatives and friends by a disregard of their funeral customs, partly
because of the opportunity for spreading the knowledge of Christianity
thus afforded, followed the custom of having such a gathering every seventh
day. But instead of non-Christian ceremonies being held, the truths of
Christianity were preached.
Mrs. Ahok proved to be as active a worker as was her husband. When she had
been a Christian only a very short time, the leader for the Friday night
meeting held in their home failed to arrive. Evidently her husband was away
on one of his business trips, for there was no one else there who could
take charge of the service. So Mrs. Ahok said, "I will lead it, though I am
not very well instructed in the doctrines of Christianity." In telling of
it afterward she said: "I read about the woman who lost the piece of money
and took a candle and searched for it; and about the sheep that was lost
and found; and then there was singing and prayer; and I spoke to them, and
I was able to speak a great deal for them to hear. God helped me and
blessed me greatly in the service."
Soon after she had become a Christian she wrote a letter to the Woman's
Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Church, to be read at their
annual meeting. In it she says: "The time for your meeting is so near that
thoughts of it are constantly in my heart.... We have meetings in our
_hong_ (store), and also meetings in our house every Friday evening. The
praise for leading us to know the doctrine, and open the meetings, is all
due to the sisters who have not minded that the road to China led them so
away from their own country, but have come to teach us of Christianity.
Although I do not presume to say that my heart has been deeply sown with
gospel seed, yet I know that it has been changed into a different heart....
Now I send you this letter of greeting, thanking you for your favours, and
praising you for your great virtues. May God bless your fervour and spread
abroad the doctrine of Christianity in my country. This is what I always
pray."
II
WORK AMONG THE WOMEN OF THE UPPER CLASSES
Interested in every form of Christian service, Mrs. Ahok was especially
eager to share the joy of her new-found faith with the women of her own
class, the wealthy aristocratic ladies whose secluded lives were so barren
and empty, and to whom it was so difficult for a missionary to obtain
access. She threw herself with whole-hearted eagerness into the work of the
Church of England Zenana Society, whose mission is to these very women, and
many are the testimonies to the inestimable value of the work which she
did. As one of the missionaries wrote: "She is of immense usefulness in
getting the houses open, as she knows the high-class families, and is
intensely earnest herself that her fellow-countrywomen should receive the
glad news too. Her knowledge of the endless Chinese etiquette and customs,
too, is of great service." How difficult it would have been to carry on
work of this kind successfully without the help of a Chinese lady of the
"four hundred," can be judged from the accounts of the work which the
missionaries wrote home from time to time.
[Illustration: Reception Rooms in Chinese Homes of Wealth]
"We have paid our first visit to some of the rich families in the
city. Mrs. Ahok sent a coolie on the day before to ask if they
could see us, and they having signified their willingness, we
agreed to meet Mrs. Ahok and go with her. We had some dinner at 12
o'clock, as the city is so far away it takes a great deal of time
to go, and then started in our sedan chairs to meet Mrs. Ahok. We
found her ready, waiting for us, dressed in a most lovely coral
pink jacket, beautifully embroidered, and with very pretty
ornaments in her hair...."
"After an hour and a half's ride through the narrow, crowded
streets of the suburbs we reached the city gates; then through more
streets even more thronged, till we reached the house. We were
carried through the large outer door, then through a small
courtyard, and our chairs put down in a row facing the partition
which shut off the next portion of the house. There we had to sit
some little time, as I fancy the ladies had not quite finished
dressing, but at last out came one of the heads of the family and
invited us in. We got out of our chairs and in turn made a sort of
low bow to the newcomer, shaking our own hands (Chinese fashion)
all the time. This over, she escorted us into an inner room....
There was a rug on the floor, a round table, some very high chairs
with straight backs, and some mirrors. We sat in state some few
minutes and then more ladies came in one after another, and each
one we had to salute in the same ceremonious way...."
"We had to drink tea when we first went in, and later quite a meal
was spread on the round table, cakes, fruits, and tea again. We sat
at the table with about three of the principal ladies, and the
others looked on. I was a good deal struck with the respectful way
the young women treat the older ones, always rising when they enter
the room, and remaining standing until they are seated.... We were
invited to go and inspect the house, and I was soon quite
bewildered at the number of courtyards with rooms all round, which
we were led through. I think I was never before in so large a house
in China, all one story, but it must cover a great deal of ground.
The number of people, too, seemed very great; wives, sons' wives,
brothers' wives, children in dozens and scores, servants and slave
girls to any number--altogether in that one establishment, one
hundred and twenty people."
"At last we finished our tour of inspection, and arrived again in
the inner court; but alas! more refreshments were waiting, a bowl
of soup for each of us, with some white stuff inside.... We got
through the greater part of the concoction, wiped our mouths with a
cloth wrung out in very hot water presented to us by a slave girl,
and began to take our leave, bowed to the ladies of the house,
begged them to be seated, informed them that we had given them
much trouble, but felt grateful for their kindness, and amid
repeated requests to 'walk slowly, slowly,' we reached our chairs,
alternately calling our thanks, and requests to them to be seated.
It is a great thing, going with Mrs. Ahok, for one has a good
opportunity of learning many little customs which please them
greatly."
"We then proceeded to another house, where we went through much the
same etiquette. We were received by a very pleasant old lady and
her daughter-in-law, a nice young woman with four dear little
children, three of them boys. The old lady is a widow; her husband
when living was a mandarin, and her eldest son is now at Peking,
preparing to be a mandarin also. We were obliged to drink tea
again, and after some time the old lady invited us into her own
bedroom, a very much cleaner room than one sees generally, with
white matting on the floor and some good furniture. She was very
proud of it, but according to Chinese fashion kept exclaiming that
it was such a dirty bad room, that she could hardly ask us into it,
but we must excuse it, as it was 'an old woman's room.' We had the
concertina brought in again and sang several hymns to which they
listened very quietly. One of us read a verse and explained it
before singing it, and Mrs. Ahok joined heartily, most bravely
acknowledging herself to be a Christian, and telling her friends
how happy she was. We then went through the house, and about the
middle of the establishment we came on a little enclosure where
trees were growing, and a pond of water with a rookery behind it
looked quite pretty.... When we left they begged us to come again,
and Mrs. Ahok is so pleased with the reception we received that she
is anxious, if possible, to arrange for us to go again next week."
Even more formidable than ceremonious social calls in wealthy Chinese
homes, is the thought of entertaining the aristocracy in one's own home.
"I want to tell you about our grand feast," one lady writes. "We
had been entertained at several houses, and wished to try to get on
more friendly terms with some of the rich city ladies. We feared
that they would never be willing to come so far, they so seldom
leave their houses for anything. However, through our unfailing
friend, Mrs. Ahok, we sent invitations asking them to come and dine
with us.... Sixteen ladies promised to come. The day before, we had
to remind them of the day and hour; but according to Chinese
etiquette we only sent our cards, and the messenger explained his
errand...."
"Well, at last the day arrived, and we were busy all the morning
making the house look as bright as we could, and getting chairs put
about in the verandas and passages. Mrs. Ahok came first, very
kindly, and advised us how best to set the tables, etc. She ordered
the feast for us, as the Chinese always do, from a shop. So much
is paid for a table and everything is provided. Mrs. Ahok lent us
all her own pretty things for the table, lovely little silver cups,
ornamented silver spoons, red china tea cups with silver stands,
and ivory chopsticks mounted with silver; so we were very grand. We
had two tables, ten at each. We were twenty in all, counting
ourselves."
"At last they began to arrive, and we were kept busy receiving, and
conducting them to their seats in the drawing-room. Tea had to be
offered at once, and that was hard to manage as none of our men
servants might come into the room; so Tuang had to do it all. I do
wish you could have peeped in and seen them all sitting about our
drawing-room. To us it was a sight that made our hearts dance for
joy--and it was a pretty sight too. Some dresses were quite lovely,
all the colours of the rainbow, and beautifully embroidered...."
"Next on the programme came what the Chinese call '_Tieng sieng_,'
fruit and cakes; and during the interval they wandered all over the
house examining everything, and we moved about, talking first to
one and then to another. Several little things much encouraged
us--their friendly, pleasant manner and evident pleasure, and the
earnest way in which they pressed us to go again to visit them. One
old lady, of a rich mandarin family, said to me in a confidential
way, behind her fan: 'Come and see me some day when you have plenty
of time, and tell me all about the doctrine, slowly, slowly. I
would like to understand about it.'"
"At last the feast was announced, and then came the critical
point--seating them at table. One table is supposed to be high, the
other low, in point of honour, and at each table the seats are all
in order (one, two, three, four, etc.), and it is a mortal offence
to give a low seat to one who should be placed high. Mrs. Ahok came
to our aid again and pointed out each lady according to her rank
and Miss ---- escorted her to her place. We ourselves had, of
course, to take the lowest places."
"Mrs. Ahok then asked a blessing and we began. The principal dish
is placed in the centre of the table and the hostess with her own
chopsticks helps the guests, all the time urging them to eat, and
apologizing for the food, saying she is sorry she has nothing fit
for them to eat. Mrs. Ahok did the chief part of these duties for
us, and we tried to watch her and do as she did. About two hours we
sat at the table, and at last, when we were nearly exhausted,
bowls of hot water were brought in, and a cloth wrung out was
handed to each person to wash her mouth and hands. The effect on
these powdered and painted faces was very funny, but Mrs. Ahok had
prepared us for this emergency also, and had sent over her own
dressing box--such a beautiful large one--fitted up with everything
they could need, powders, paints, and all complete. The ladies were
quite charmed and delighted to find such a thing in a foreign
house, and adjourned upstairs with great delight to beautify
themselves. We heard them telling each other that it was just as
if they had been at home...."
"At length they said they must go, and we had great leave-taking,
bowing and scraping, and thanks, and apologies for having troubled
us so much, and assurances on our part that it was all pleasure;
and finally off they went, and we sat down to cool ourselves, and
drink tea, and chat with Mrs. Ahok. She was very glad and thankful
that all went off so well, but quite tired after her exertions, and
sat holding her poor little bound feet in her hands, saying they
did ache so."
III
A JOURNEY TO ENGLAND
One day when Mrs. Ahok went to call on one of her English friends, Miss
Bradshaw, she was startled to find that the physician had ordered her to
leave for England on the next steamer, sailing three days later. "I wish
you could go with me, Mrs. Ahok," Miss Bradshaw said, when she had told her
of the physician's decision. This was a very remarkable suggestion to make
to this little Chinese woman, whose life had been such a secluded one that
a few years before she would not even accept an invitation to dinner with
the Baldwins, since there were to be foreign gentlemen present. Only a
short time before, when the Baldwins were returning to America and Mrs.
Ahok had gone with them, on her husband's launch, to the steamer anchorage,
twelve miles away, they had considered it a great honour, since this
Chinese friend had never been so far from home before. But Mrs. Ahok's
response was even more remarkable than Miss Bradshaw's proposition; for in
three days her little Chinese trunks packed and ticketed, "Dublin,
Ireland." Mr. Ahok had heartily consented to his wife's going; and she,
unwilling to have her sick friend take the long journey alone, and mindful
of the service she might perform for her people in England, by telling of
their need and pleading for workers, quickly decided to go.
A letter from a friend who was with her the day she sailed shows the spirit
with which she took this remarkable step: "I was impressed with two things;
her implicit confidence in her missionary friend, and her sweet, innocent
trust in the love and care of her Heavenly Father. She was leaving an
elegant home and a large household, and in giving last advice to servants
and children her voice was clear and joyous, but I noticed that she often
furtively wiped the tears off her cheeks. In her good-bye to her dearly
loved aged mother, whose grief was inconsolable, she said: 'Don't grieve,
don't worry, just pray and God will take care of me and I will come back.
Then we will sit here together and I will have so many things to tell you.'
Again and again she said to her children, 'Study your lessons diligently
and pray night and morning.'"
Mrs. Ahok sailed from Foochow the 26th of January, 1890. At Hong Kong she
was told, "There are a hundred miseries ahead of you," but she answered
unflinchingly, "If there were a thousand more I would go." From Singapore
she wrote to her husband:
"Yesterday we arrived here at twelve o'clock. Diong Chio (her
servant, who accompanied her) wishes very much to go back to
Foochow. But I think now I have come so far on the way, I wish very
much to obey God's will and go on to England.... Yesterday we drove
in a horse carriage to see Mrs. Cooke. We saw Mrs. Ting's relatives
in the school.... It is very hot here, like Foochow in the sixth
moon. I wish you very much to take care of yourself and take care
of the children, and do not let them play too much.... I send
_chang angs_ (greetings) to the Christian brothers and sisters, so
many I cannot name them all, but greet them all. Please sometimes
comfort my mother's heart and cheer her that she may be happy in
trusting in God all the time. Write to me in Chinese characters,
and I can then read it myself; or sometimes, if more convenient, in
English, and Miss Bradshaw will read it to me."
A letter from Penang, written two days later, reads:
"Leaving Singapore, a Chinese lady and gentleman came on board our
boat to come to their home here in Penang. I saw the lady was very
sad ... so I talked with them, and found they knew your friend in
Singapore. I spoke to them of God and the Christian doctrine, and
they were very glad to hear. When we arrived here they invited me
to their house to breakfast, which was quite a feast. Their house
is very beautiful, four stories high. They afterward took me to
call on some friends, and then brought me back to the boat on
time."
At Colombo she and Miss Bradshaw were met by Miss Bradshaw's sister and
brother-in-law, whose home was in that city. Mrs. Ahok wrote from there: