hell of Taoism. But all these thingB were in a way negative, from the angle of refraining, in order to avoid some thing evil. What his soul craved was a positive hope, a blissful good, full of freedom, a dynamic of life, and there fore having the potentialities of growth towards and into perfection. "The Bible stories of miracles he could counter with wonderful tales from other religious books, as well as prophetic imprecations against the evil of men and the martyrdoms of witness to the truth. Even Jesus’ character did not seem to stand out to him so clear, in the high-light of its holiness, as it should. ''He kept comparing it with the ‘perfect man*, the ‘noble man,’ the ‘princely man,’ the ‘upright man,’— i.e., the idealized man, of Con fucianism! “ But one day I read to him a long" passage in Fir^t Corinthians. I had earlier read important doctrinal pas sages from other Epistles to him. This reading ended with the last verse of the 16th chapter. I saw his disfig ured face twitch with eager interest; the stumps W his fingers moved con vulsively. ’ Read it again!’ he cried. ‘Those words; those words that say: “ That was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and after wards that which is spiritual— As we have borne the image of the earthly, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. Flesh and blood cannot inherit fhe kingdom of God.................. We s h a l l all be changed— in the twinkling of an eye— . This corrup tible must put on incorruption, and (Continued on page 232)
— Saul, Cornelius and Nicodemus— he needed to be ‘born again.’ And I knew he was not. So did he. So does every heathen man. They all have only fear!” An important point to be borne in mind in connection with Elder Li’s narrative is that Mr. Ting was honest and sincere— a remarkable thing in the world in which he moved. He was one of those men who, perhaps not over-numerous» everywhere in the world and during all ages, are truth- seekers, feeling after God, if haply they may find Him. Being sincere he would not say a doctrine appealed to him when it did not; when he could not lay hold on it with his mind and affections. But, being willing to know the truth, he was surel to be made free; sure to find the light, with Elder Li around to help him. His was a good case to point that enunciated by our Lord: "If any man willeth to do His will, he shall know of the doctrine.” Elder Li continued: “ I explained to him some of the great doctrines of the Scripture; but they seemed to make no special impression upon him. He was familiar with them in one form or an other. .From Chinese sacred writings that he had studied, he thought he had already Imbibed them; they were of no particular ‘flavor’ (as the Chinese say) — had no satisfying power as yet. For instance, he knew and appreciated the Golden Rule of Confucianism; he had pondered over the Beatitudes of Bud dhism; he said he understood the principles of uprightness, the laws of rectitude, of filial piety, of reverence for spiritual beings, etc., that must be observed if one would escape the lurid
bis three souls would at bis death go into his grave with him, and one into the ancestral tablet, and one into the nebulous felicities of the ‘South West’ (oft towards India)— all this was no comfort to him. He wanted something tangible to support him in his present pain and weariness of the flesh; also something to give him a real stafT of comfort on which to face the future. “ Well! One day at a festival, held in the big temple' which we passed near his village, he heard me preach. Afterward he came to me. He invited me to his home. I went with him. It was summer time. We talked till late into the night. He offered me a quilt. It was his quilt; and I was afraid to accept it, but needed it because of the mosquitoes. Moreover, I did not dare refuse it, having already accepted his hospitality, and being far from home. I recalled, in order to reassure myself, that I was the Lord’s messenger, on His errand; and that I had not sought this dangerous nearness to a leper. Thereby'I was heartened to pray in faith to the Mighty God to protect me from leprosy. Then I went off to sleep like a babe. That was years ago, and I have never had any ill-effect from that experience. It certainly strength ened me to realize how the Lord can protect us in danger when we are busy about His business! “ From that day on, the old man was an eager inquirer in the ‘Jesus Doc trine.’ He listened and studied with desperate earnestness. I came to be lieve that the heathen estimate of him was true. He was a ‘good’ man. But even so, it was startling and terrible to realize that he was not yet saved. Like good men of the New Testament
THE RESURRECTION J. H. T urnbull
There is the grave, o’er death He is victorious, See where He lay, He’s risen as He said, Wondrous in power, in majesty most glorious. Why seek the living among the silent dead? Shout all ye lands and hail Him King of Glory; Victor o’er death your Saviour loud proclaim; O’er all the earth go tell the wondrous story; Shout glad hosannas to His glorious name. Hail Him your Lord all powerful to deliver; All ye His saints His praises gladly sing; . Sing of His grace and boundless love forever, Mighty to save, our Saviour, Priest and King.
Dark was the night and hearts were dark with sorrow, No gleam of hope could pierce the awful gloom, No word o f cheer or promised bright tomorrow, All, all seemed hidden in the silent tomb. Their Lord their light by Roman soldiers taken, Nailed to the cross had suffered there in shame, Died all alone by followers forsaken, Mocked and derided for His kingly claim. Love had prepared sweet spices for anointing; A t early morn they came to seek Him there; Angels they saw who joyously were pointing, Saying behold the place, He is not here.
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