A Chinese Heart Prepared

 

 

     As one thinks of the gross darkness in the great non-Christian lands, it surely seems natural that the special providences of God should appear here and there as witnesses to heathen hearts. Here is one such story of North China, preserved by Andrew Stewart in his book, "Out of Darkness," published by the Religious Tract Society, London:

     "A prosperous farmer living in Kuan not far from Peking had a dream one night. A heavenly visitant appeared to him and warned him against spending more money on the temple services. He had lived a devout and worthy life, had been faithful in his attendance at the temple and liberal in his contributions to its superintendent. The holy one told him that the services were not clean, and the priests were unworthy. He astonished him further by intimating that on the twenty-third day of the seventh moon he would meet a man who would tell him what to do.

     About eight or ten years previously a messenger had given him a copy of the New Testament and one of `The Peep of Day.' While these had greatly interested him, and had more or less influenced his thought and his life, he had never had any clear conception of their meaning.

     During the seventh month there came to his district a simple Christian evangelist, his own countryman. He was a book seller, and day after day he set up his bookstall and sold his books. He likewise had been guided by the divine Spirit to visit this district at this time, because God had a special work for him to do there.

     On the day mentioned in his dream the farmer stopped at the bookstall, and entered into conversation with the evangelist, with the result that he invited him to his home. Here they spent three days discussing the things belonging to eternal life. Two months later they traveled together to Peking, where the farmer stayed for a short time. He did not return until he had been baptized, after which he set out with great joy for his home. Here he became a faithful evangelist, preaching the gospel successfully to his own people, proving that God is able to use the weak things of this world to confound the mighty.