During the Boxer troubles in China, the greatest stress was brought
upon the native Christians to have them recant their faith. Dr. Li, a
Christian physician of Peking, was not only in imminent peril of his
life, but, to add to his anxiety, kind but mistaken friends were urging
him to pursue a questionable course of action in order that his life
might be saved. One of his friends of the nobility came to him and said:
Things are getting worse and worse. Allow me to put a few idols
in your room, and if the Boxers come they will think you are
not Christians. Now, I knew that this was Satan’s plan. I was
in a difficulty. Could I refuse my protector’s request, and so
endanger him? But God gave me wisdom and words so that I was
able to keep clean, and yet not to offend my friend, who was so
genuinely anxious for my safety.
On another occasion, as he was trying to escape from the city, he says:
Just as I was about to start, some one urged me to carry some
strings of paper money in my hand, “for,” said he, “then people
will imagine you are going to burn it at a grave.” This seemed
a very simple and safe expedient; but I would not agree to it,
because I felt it would, after all, be nothing short of a denial
of Christ. (Text.)
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