The two elder girls were sisters, and were called Chun and Han. Both of
them, when they heard about Jesus, believed in him, and loved him. Yet
their characters were very different, Chun being of a joyful
disposition, and Han of a mournful and timid temper. They had no father,
and their mother was employed in the school to take care of the little
children, and to teach them needle-work; but she was a heathen.
When Chun and Han had been three years in the school, their mother wanted
them to leave, and to come with her to her home. The girls were grieved
at the thought of leaving their Christian teacher, and of living in a
heathen home; yet they felt it was their duty to do as their mother
wished. But they were anxious to be baptized before they went, if they
could obtain their mother's consent. Their kind teacher, Miss Grant,
thought it would be of no use to ask leave _long_ before the time, lest
the mother should carry her girls away, and lock them up. So she waited
till the very evening fixed for the baptism. Miss Grant had been praying
all day for help from God, and the two sisters had been praying together;
and now the bell began to ring for evening service. Now the time was come
when the mother must be asked.
"Do you know," said Miss Grant to the mother, "that the children are
going to church with me?" "Yes," replied the mother, "wherever Missie
pleases to take them." Then the lady told her of the baptism, and
entreated her consent. At last the heathen mother replied, "If you wish
it, I will not oppose you." Miss Grant, afraid lest the mother should
change her mind, hastened into her palanquin, and the sisters hastened
into theirs. Looking back, the lady perceived the mother was standing
watching the palanquins. Seeing this, she stopped, saying, "Nomis, why
should not you come, and see what is done?" To the lady's surprise, the
mother immediately consented to come; and so this heathen mother was
present at the baptism of her daughters. Their teacher, (who was their
_mother in Christ_,) rejoiced with exceeding joy to see her dear girls
give themselves to the Lord, and to hear them answer in their broken
English, "All _dis_ I do steadfastly believe."
Soon after their baptism, the girls went to live in their mother's house.
To comfort them, Miss Grant promised to fetch them every Sunday, to spend
the day with her. She came for them at five o'clock in the morning,
before it was light, and took them back at nine, when it was quite dark.
If she had not fetched them herself, they would not have been allowed to
go.
After awhile, they were _not_ allowed to go. The reason was, that the
heathen mother wanted Chun to marry a heathen Chinaman. Chun refused to
commit such a sin. Then her mother was angry, mocked her, and prevented
her going to see Miss Grant. Still Chun refused. She saw her mother
embroidering her wedding-dresses, but she still persisted that she would
not marry a heathen, especially as she would have to bow down before an
idol at her marriage. Chun grew very unhappy, and looked very pale, she
wrote many letters to her kind friend, and offered up many prayers to her
merciful God. And did the Lord hear her, and did He deliver her? He did.
A Christian Chinaman, who had been brought up by a missionary, heard of
Chun, and asked permission to marry her. He had never seen her, for it is
not the custom in China for girls to be seen.
Miss Grant was delighted at the thought of her darling Chun marrying a
Christian, and she helped to prepare for the wedding. There was no bowing
down before an idol at that wedding, but an English clergymen read the
service. Chun's face, according to the custom, was covered with a thick
veil, and even her hands and feet were hidden. A few days after the
wedding, Miss Grant, according to the custom, called on the newly
married. She found the room beautifully ornamented, like all Chinese
rooms at such times, but there were two ornaments seldom seen in
China--two Bibles lying open on the table.
Chun long rejoiced that she had so firmly refused to marry a heathen. One
day, Miss Grant said to her, playfully, "Has your husband beaten you
yet?" (for she knew that Chinamen think nothing of beating their wives.)
Chun replied, with a sweet look, "O no! he often tells me, that _first_
he thanks God, and then _you_, Miss, for having given me to him as his
wife."
There was another girl at Miss Grant's school, named Been. Sometimes she
was called Beneo, which means Miss Been, just as Chuneo means Miss Chun.
Miss Grant hoped that Been loved the Saviour, and hated idols, but she
soon lost her, for her parents took her to their heathen home.
After Been had been home a short time her mother died. The neighbors were
astonished to find that Been refused to worship her mother's spirit, and
to burn gold paper, to supply her with money in the other world. While
her relations were busily occupied in their heathen ceremonies, Been sat
silent and alone. Soon afterwards, her father, who cared not for her,
sold her to a Chinaman to be his wife, for forty dollars.
Miss Grant heard her sad fate, and often longed to see her, but did not
know where to find her. One evening, as she was paying visits in her
palanquin, she saw a pair of bright black eyes looking through a hedge,
and she felt sure that they were her own Been's. She stopped, and
calling the girl, saluted her affectionately. She was glad she had found
out where Been lived, as she would now be able to pay her a visit.
Soon she called upon her, in her own dwelling;--a poor little hut in the
midst of a sugar plantation. She brought as a present, a New Testament in
English, and in large print. Been appeared delighted.
"Do you remember how to read it?" inquired Miss Grant.
"Yes, how could I forget?" Been sweetly replied.
"Well then, read," said Miss Grant.