FROM MRS. SHARLAND'S DIARY.
QPj V last "journal" was sent off last August, and since
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i then there have been the usual fluctuations in my school-life, and to which this kind of work in these countries seems yet more subject than in England.
There have been trials and joys, meetings and partings,
encouragements and discouragements. Evidences of
Satan's attempts to upset God's work ; yet evidences, too
blessed be His Name ! —of His help and blessing ; marked
answers to prayer ; interventions of His helping hand,
without which the whole work must have come to a standstill ; and, I have every reason to believe, souls saved
unto " eternal life." Therefore we may well in "everything
give thanks."
CONVERSION OF SCHOLARS.
During the autumn two girls who when I last wrote were seeking the Lord, professed to have really found
Him ; and their subsequent conduct certainly does, on
the whole, give proof of the reality of their conversion.
There is ground for hoping that two or three of the
boarders are feeling after the things which belong to their eternal peace. God help them to speedy decision for Him!
The young helper who had come up for her health last summer soon left me, the place not seeming to agree with
her. Her sister, a pupil, partially supplied her place until the end of November. Then she also was recalled home
to help her mother in increased housekeeping. These
things were very trying at the time, but I have since seen the Lord's hand in them for good. For two months
from August a Christian young lady, whom I had known
in Shanghai, came up to board with me as a friend ; her
visit (though she needed some special care as a partial
invalid) was a real refreshment and help. In October
my mere "summer birds of passage" pupils left for their respective homes—some for Germany—the brief sowingtime of the " precious seed " by my hand, in the case of
many at least of them, gone probably for ever. Will any
of it spring up and be as " golden sheaves " for the great
harvest day ? SOLEMNITY OF THE WORK.
I feel this is a solemn phase in my work—the many
changes ; even in my two years' experience here, what
with the Sunday-school and the day-school, so many
have come and gone, perhaps never to be seen by me
again but in eternity. With my every-day and all-day work,
any keeping up of correspondence with them is impossible.
Nevertheless, I am thankful for such opportunities of
scattering the seed of the Kingdom.
Another change, too, was occasioned by (a thing often occurring) the transfer to another post of a Customs'
officer, whose four children I had. His two boys he took
with him, but two girls he left behind with me as boarders ; these children are among the most intelligent and least troublesome of any in my school. At that time the helpful friend mentioned above went home, but it was only to send up quickly after her next sister as a permanent
boarding-pupil, now my only _/?w/-class pupil. She has
proved God's very best loan to me since I have been in Che-foo—a true Christian, by far the most intelligent,
industrious, amiable, and conscientious of any boarder I have had. She soon insisted on following out the kindlymade and unexpected offer of her parents that she should,
without any reduction of terms, assist in the younger classes. At first I could scarcely believe this was God's answer
to my cries to Him for help, and hesitated to accept it ; but at last felt obliged to do so. A younger girl, one of
the Christians, and an orphan, is now able to help a little too on afternoons. Till into December I had eleven
boarders, two small children had become so during their mother's long illness, but on her recovery returned to their original position as day scholars. ANOTHER TRIAL.
Just at that time I had a trial in my eldest Eurasian
boarder (who, when she came to me a year before, was
a Romanist) being called away to what proved the last ill- ness and death of her father. She believed that when the
ports opened again in early spring she would be able to return, and also bring her next sister with her. The girl had
longago quitegiven up Romanism, butowingto her extreme
reserve, I could not be quite sure she had given herself to the LORD Jesus, though there was reason to hope for the
best. The father soon died, leaving his large family but
a legacy of heavy debts, and in the care of their Romanist
Chinese mother ; who, notwithstanding my offers of gratuitous board and education for all her girls, and all the
efforts of Christian friends in Tientsin to second me, had
my pupil's sisters baptised into the Romish church, and
sent them to the Pekin convent, keeping my pupil at home,
with the promise (I fear not a trustworthy one) of sending her back to me next year. I am taught more and more how important it is to " work while it is called to- day," " to be instant in season and out of season," in the case of every child coming under one's influence; for how
truly we know not what a day may bring forth. In consequence of all these fluctuations the new year
opened upon me with only seven boarders actually in the
house, and ten other scholars, and a consequently diminished Sunday-school. I am, however, in correspondence
just now, which may issue, if the Lord so will, in the
addition of three or four non-paying boarders, one paying
one, and a paying day scholar. The full-paying boarders
and day scholars help me in keeping the non-paying
scholars. FURTHER ACCOMMODATION.
Two new rooms have been built by my landlord and
attached to my house, each one giving comfortable sleeping accommodation to ten girls, thus enabling me to easily receive twenty-three boarders, besides affording more school space. The first week in the year we took
possession of and dedicated to the LORD these two new
rooms ; and now I pray Him to fill them with girls, whose
precious souls He shall deign to bless and take and
train for His own service if He tarry long enough. Should
they be all non-paying ones (which I even increasingly
desire), I feel more and more I can trust Him to send
the means in some other forms, whose are the silver and
the gold, and whose are the cattle upon a thousand hills
;
and He has not left me without earnest of this in three or four parcels of clothing which have been given me,
one from quite a stranger to me in another part of China ; and at this last Chinese New Year season, when ordinary
food is dearer, a kind friend in Che-foo sent me a whole
sheep, and others kindly sent me lesser but helpful things —all coming really from my loving Father's hand.
CHINAS MILLIONS.
To Him, too, I am still looking for a permanent ladyhelper—one of His own choosing, who knows just my
need, and how sore it is. In order that we might thoroughly
co-operate, live and act in harmony, it would be quite
desirable that she and I should be of one mind on most points, sympathetic with one another in principle,
feeling, and action. A thoroughly educated lady, and a
thoroughly earnest and devout Christian worker, is indis- pensable ; also with whose bodily health such very bracing
air as that of Che-foo would be likely to agree. Some
practical knowledge of housekeeping, needlework, and,
if possible, of the treatment of simple sicknesses, would
be desirable ; also some little private means, or faith
to trust the LORD for her own support while doing His
work. Should any one (or two sisters, for I have really
work for two helpers, especially in summer) feel moved
of the Lord to this work, to whom I am personally
unknown, and wish for more definite information, Mr. and
Mrs. Hudson Taylor (both now in England), at 6, Pyrland
Road, London, N., I feel sure, would willingly give it.
Last winter was unusually severe in Che-foo, especially
during January and February ; but owing to the exceeding
dryness and lightness of the Che-foo air, neither cold nor
heat is ever felt to anything like the degree marked by
the thermometer.
It has been impossible to post this journal up till now,
owing to the quantity of school correspondence which
awaited me, and seeing to the children's summer clothing.
Mrs. Pruen has most kindly insisted on coming in from
Tung-shan daily on her donkey to help in the morning
teaching ; and my young pupil and friend has returned un- changed to her old post of study and of help. And so the
Lord mercifully provides from time to time. Since return- ing home He has been pleased to send me two more day
scholars and three more boarders. I am expecting any
steamer to bring me two more boarders, with their widowed
mother as school-matron. Present correspondence may
also result in four or five additional boarders. I must now conclude with renewed Christian love, and requests
for remembrance in prayer.