If I were to attempt to place before the readers of the MISSIONARY, in
such setting as would be needed for a comprehension of them, all the
interesting minor facts and scenes that pass under my observation in
our work, there would be no room on its pages for anything else. Let me
give a few examples of these.

A young Chinaman is being examined with reference to baptism, and is
asked why he decided to turn from the worship of idols. "God is
_true_" is the reply, a very simple reason,--a trite one possibly;
but there was something in the tone and emphasis of it which thrilled
me. I saw the emptyness of heathen worship at a point from which I had
never looked at it before. A God that is _true_, that can be
absolutely trusted! Where will you find one in any heathen Pantheon?
Conceive now a thoughtful, honest man passing from the timorous worship
of such gods to the rest and comfort and courage which come from
knowing and trusting Him who is true, and you will begin to realize
what that simple answer meant.

"What are your people making such a noise for?" was asked of a Chinese
brother at Ventura, during the Chinese New Year's Festival. "To scare
away the evil spirits," was the reply. "And why don't _you_ scare
them away?" was the next question, for all was quiet at our little
mission house, "Evil spirits stay away when Holy Spirit comes," was the
reply. I am not confident that I recall the exact words, but I have
certainly given the idea, and it meant emancipation for the man that
uttered it, an entrance into the liberty wherewith Christ makes us
free.

"When I get discouraged, as I often do," writes a teacher, "I think of
the five who are studying the Testament, and of a remark one of them