Chapter I: Introduction

TWENTY-ONE years ago, on 19th February 1896, Pastor Hsi, to quote the words of his biographer, "was translated to higher service." Those who read the fascinating and wonderful story of his life by Mrs. Howard Taylor will at once be interested in _The Fulfilment of a Dream_, which is the story of the work in Hwochow, and gives the account of the carrying on of the spiritual labour of that remarkable man, and of the fulfilment of his dream. I think it is equally true that those who have not read Pastor Hsi's life will desire to do so after reading this book.

It is a commonplace observation, but none the less true, that the story commenced in the Acts of the Apostles could not be finished by Luke, because the great activity, the commencement of which he recorded, is still going forward. Every tale of missionary endeavour moving forward "toward the uttermost part of the earth" is an added chapter. It has been given to Mildred Cable and her fellow workers, to labour in the apostolic succession; and then to Mildred Cable, to write this wonderful chapter.

From my own standpoint the book is full of charm. While by no means its supreme value, the first impression made upon the mind is that of the naturalness of the story. The reader is made the friend of the writer, and listens to an artless and charming account of places and of peoples. My first reading of the book at one sitting (as all such books should be read), left me with a sense of the atmosphere of the missionary's life and surroundings. I was admitted into the actuality of everyday things, and was made familiar with the pathos and tragedy and humour of life in a land and among a people largely unknown to me.

As I have said, this is by no means the supreme value of the book. That rather consists in something that grows upon you as you read. The writer does not state it in so many words, or very seldom, and certainly is not trying to persuade you to believe it, but there it is. I refer to the tender and yet strong revelation of the power of the Divine Grace, both in its sustenance of those who are called to missionary work, and its transforming power in the case of those who, often at cost, yield themselves to its call.

In Chapters I., V., VI., VII., and VIII., the reader will trace the story of the development of the work, and a wonderful story it is. Chapters XI. and XII., containing first the story of Ai Do, and then a record of demoniacal manifestations, show the reader how these quiet and earnest workers are brought up against the big, naked, awful things of life; and also how being so confronted, they are unafraid and unconquered in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. The fact that I draw special attention to these chapters is not intended to suggest for a moment that the others are either uninteresting or unimportant. They are neither the one nor the other. For all that it is intended to be, the book is a whole, and is supremely precious, because it is manifestly a part of the larger whole of Christ's great emprise.

With confidence and joy I commend the story to all those in whose heart burns the passion for the coming of the hour when our adorable Redeemer shall "see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied." G. CAMPBELL MORGAN.

AUTHOR'S PREFACE

I WISH to acknowledge that apart from my co-workers, Evangeline and Francesca French, this book would have been impossible. To Mr. Albert Lutley, Superintendent of the China Inland Mission Work in the Province of Shansi, I am indebted for help and kindnesses which I can acknowledge, but never repay. I am also indebted to my Chinese secretary, Miss Wang, for her able reporting of the many interviews which the compiling of this book has necessitated.

* * * * *

The Chinese themselves say: "One mile alters the speech, and ten miles change the customs."

In view of the fact that the Province of Shansi alone is larger than England and Wales, I wish it to be clearly understood that the usages and customs to which I refer throughout this book are local.

EDITOR'S NOTE

ALL personal names are spelt according to the system employed by the authoress, except where it has been necessary to modify this to retain the identity of someone mentioned in Mrs. Howard Taylor's _Pastor Hsi_. All place names are spelt according to the orthography of the Chinese Postal Guide, which system is now used in the standard maps of China and has been adopted by the larger missionary societies. Thus, Hoh-chau of _Pastor Hsi_ becomes Hwochow, T'ai-yuean becomes Taiyueanfu, P'ing-yang becomes Pingyangfu, etc.

CONTENTS

PAGE

PROLOGUE xix

CHAPTER I

MRS. HSI'S GIFT, BEING AN ACCOUNT OF THE
OPENING OF THE STATION OF HWOCHOW 3

CHAPTER II

THE BIG ROAD, INDICATING THE SITUATION OF
HWOCHOW IN THE PROVINCE OF SHANSI 11

CHAPTER III

A NEW VENTURE, IN WHICH IS RECORDED THE
APPOINTMENT OF THE FIRST MISSIONARIES
TO HWOCHOW 19

CHAPTER IV

THE CONTINUATION OF THE STORY, BEING A RECORD
OF SOME WHO WERE COUNTED WORTHY TO SUFFER
FOR CHRIST'S SAKE, AND OF MRS. HSI'S
EXPERIENCE IN THE BOXER OUTBREAK 27

CHAPTER V

LIFE IN THE VILLAGES, AN INTRODUCTION TO
CHINESE HOME LIFE 37

CHAPTER VI

OUR RECEPTION AT HWOCHOW, SHOWING THINGS AS
THEY SOMETIMES ARE 47

CHAPTER VII

A PORTRAIT GALLERY, WHEREIN THE READER IS
INTRODUCED TO SOME OF OUR FELLOW WORKERS 57

CHAPTER VIII

WORK DEVELOPMENT, RELATING HOW WE SOUGHT TO
ENCOMPASS THE WORK, AND THE WORK
ENCOMPASSED US 69

CHAPTER IX

MRS. HSI'S SECOND GIFT, BEING AN ACCOUNT OF
HER LIFE FROM WIDOWHOOD 77

CHAPTER X

THE STORY OF AN OPIUM SMOKER 85

CHAPTER XI

THE GREAT FURNACE FOR A GREAT SOUL, BEING THE
STORY OF AI DO 95

CHAPTER XII

THE POWERS OF DARKNESS, BEING A RECORD OF SOME
OBSERVATIONS IN DEMONOLOGY 109

CHAPTER XIII

THE LIFE STORY OF PASTOR WANG 127

CHAPTER XIV

A VISIT TO THE BASE, FROM WHENCE WE ARE AGAIN
SENT FORTH WITH FRESH SUPPLIES 141

CHAPTER XV

THE BUILDERS, RELATING HOW THE SUPPLIES WERE
USED 151

CHAPTER XVI

WOMEN'S BIBLE TRAINING SCHOOL, WHICH TELLS HOW
A LINK WAS ESTABLISHED BETWEEN WESTMINSTER
AND HWOCHOW BIBLE SCHOOLS 159

CHAPTER XVII

THE DRAW NET LET DOWN INTO THE SEA, AN ACCOUNT
OF FRESH EFFORTS TO REACH THE MULTITUDE, AND
BRING THEM TO DECISION 169

CHAPTER XVIII

LIFE AMONGST THE UPPER TEN THOUSAND, RECORDING
HOSPITALITY SHOWN TO US BY THE OFFICIAL
CLASSES 177

CHAPTER XIX

THE REVOLUTION OF 1911, AND HOW WE WERE
AFFECTED BY IT 189

CHAPTER XX

CHANGED CONDITIONS, WHEREIN SOME, THOUGH
FOLLOWING A PATH OF ACTION, FAILED TO
UNDERSTAND IT 199

CHAPTER XXI

ANOTHER PORTRAIT GALLERY, WHEREIN THE READER
IS INTRODUCED TO SOME WHO HAVE FAILED 211

CHAPTER XXII

PREACHING THE GOSPEL, HEALING THE SICK,
TELLING OF THE DAILY ROUTINE 223

CHAPTER XXIII

A CASKET OF JEWELS, BEING AN ACCOUNT OF THE
GIRLS' SCHOOL 233

CHAPTER XXIV

THE TREASURE HOUSE, WHERE THE READER IS SHOWN
THE LAPIDARY AT WORK 247

CHAPTER XXV

CONCLUSION, BEING A REVIEW OF THE PRESENT
SITUATION 257

APPENDIX 263

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

MRS. HSI _Frontispiece_

FACING PAGE

A WOMAN OPIUM SMOKER 82

PASTOR WANG 136

WOMEN'S BIBLE SCHOOL 160

"PUPPY" AND HER MOTHER 218

THE TEACHING STAFF 228

SOME KINDERGARTEN SCHOLARS 236

LING AI, HER CHILDREN, AND HER MOTHER, MRS. LIANG 252