A Chinese Christian ferryman, poor in money but rich in faith,
one night ferried a man over the river. After throwing the cash
for his fare into the bottom of the boat, the passenger departed
hurriedly. The Christian went to pick up the money and found a
magnificent pair of gold bracelets which the man had dropt. He
tied up his boat and tried to find his passenger, but he was
lost in the crowd. According to the Chinese law, he could keep
the bracelets, but he did not feel comfortable in doing this.
He went to the preacher and together they took the bracelets to
the mandarin, and later it was found that a wealthy Chinese had
been robbed and the man who dropt the bracelets was a thief.
The owner received them very thankfully and gave the mandarin a
small reward for the finder. The incident imprest the official
very much. “I have never seen or heard anything like this,” he
said. “Your religion must be a true religion and your God a
loving God, thus to influence a poor man to give up wealth for
conscience sake.” He praised the boatman, who went to his poor,
damp, mud hut on the bank of the river with a contented mind.
(414)