A Chinese lived in Yokohama some twelve years ago. He was a
house-painter by occupation, and went about wearing a very
much bedaubed suit of clothes, caked here and there with
white and green and yellow. He was a Christian and attended
church regularly. When the leader said, “Let any one pray who
will,” John never failed to take part. The gladness of his
soul spoke itself forth in a kind of Cantonned Japanese, the
full meaning of which was known to himself and God only. When
the _Shinasan_ (Mr. Chinaman) prayed, many a face in
the room became wreathed in smiles, and sometimes a hand was
necessary over the mouth to help hold the hearer steady. John
paid no attention; he cared not who laughed at his prayers,
he was happy, God had forgiven him; and tho a Chinese, he
said good-by to the world, and cut his cue off. One day a
Korean friend met him and said, “Honorable sir from the great
country, where is your cue?” “Cue? Cue belong no good, makee
cut off.” “But you will not dare to go home, you have lost your
country.” “_Maskee_ country,” said John; “my country belong
_Htien-kuoa, Htien-kuoa_” (“heaven, heaven”), pointing
upward.--JAMES S. GALE, “Korea in Transition.”
(595)
=Country Church=--See CHURCH, THE COUNTRY.