Part 2 (1/2)

They did seem to enjoy it very much Some of thehted to see that their countrywomen could be so brave and do so well They also wished that their students ht have coentry decided that day that his daughter should coirl who did not have a diploma from a mission school had been admitted to theto the great desire of , Dr Hu opened the course to any who could pass an examination on certain subjects which she considered essential prerequisites to a medical course Four of the seven who presented themselves for exairl, tere daughters-in-law of officials, the other a daughter of one of the gentry

An extract from the examination paper of one of them shows the real earnestness of purpose hich the as undertaken The first question asked was, ”Please give your reasons for co to study otten in the minds of the intellectual world How could they think of a subject as important as the education of medicine! The result is that many lives are lost, sih mission hospitals for women and children have been established for a number of years in the Fuhkien province they are far less than we need For this reason I have a great desire for athat I may be able to help, and to saveIt is for this reason I dare to apply for this instruction”

The graduates of the reat in nu earnest, efficient work Some of them have remained in the hospital as assistants orclass, one went to the Methodist hospital in Ngu-cheng to assist Dr Li Bi Cu, the physician in charge; another went to a large village, to be the only physician practising Western medicine; the third to Tientsin, as an assistant in the Ie

V

THE FAVOUR OF THE PEOPLE

As shown by the glielistic work is carried on in conjunction with the , and are attended by the dispensary patients, those of the hospital patients who are able to be up, the servants, and usually, also, by a nue of the hospital Dr Hu was able to report: ”Not only so dispensary patients, were converted and joined the church on probation We are rejoicing over the fact that all the hospital servants, all iven their hearts to Christ They said before a chapel full of patients in one of ourservices, that they would froood life So far (six months) they have proved themselves to be in earnest”

A few years later she writes: ”In ourprayers I have often looked and seen a chapel full of people I have carefully looked over the crowd and I could easily recognize those who have just coer You wonder how I know it? Well, their faces show

Oftentiet they are in a crowd Sometimes one, two, three, or even ood What the leader said is nothing but the truth Idols are false'”

In addition to theservices Christian work is constantly done by the Bible women ork in connection with the hospital They hold s in the hospital wards, teach the hospital patients to read the Bible, do personal work a their turn in the dispensary, and visit in the homes One of the missionaries who is a frequent visitor to the hospital says: ”No hour of the week brings more fully the joy of service than the hour I spend in the City Hospital with the poor sick folk there They are always so glad to hear, and so responsive No wonder the Master loved to heal; and no wonder the Christian physician finds so many open doors”

It is not to be wondered at that those who have been ministered to by this tender, skilful Christian woman, and have watched her happy, busy life poured out in the service of the suffering ones about her, have become convinced that the beautiful doctrine which she teaches and lives is true

Every year the hospital reports contain a record of those who have beco the year as a result of the medical work Moreover, the seeds sown in the early years of the hospital, soround, were not all in vain Dr Hu's sister, reporting the work of 1908, writes: ”After careful investigation we found that those seeds were sown deep enough, and with such attention, that even though seven, eight, or nine years have passed they are to-day still ger and accepting the gospel, their lives are changed They becohtforward, and have a love for other people”

Christreat event in the Woolston Memorial Hospital, not only for the patients and workers, but also for as hbours as can be accoard to unwilling guests; on the contrary, the neighbours invariably respond with al enthusiasm The first year that they were invited to the Christ ”Admit one only,”

were distributed to one hundred and twenty families, one to each house, the choice of theleft to the family Careful explanations as to why all could not be invited wereChristed by the non-elect with requests for invitations

[Illustration: Dr Hu's Christuests were invited for half-past seven Christreatfor the doors to be opened When they were opened, and the guests began to pass in, presenting their red tickets, a new predicament arose; for it was discovered that many of these tickets were of their own manufacture, the nu the nuiven out But when the doctor looked over the crowds, and sa eager they were to get in, and how good-natured they were, she had not the heart to turn the as they could find a place in which to stand And although the chapel was crowded to its ut capacity, even the base filled, Dr Hu said that no better behaved or more quiet crowd could have been desired They listened attentively to the exercises, which were fully two hours long, and at the close, group by group, they all went up to thank the doctor for the pleasure she had provided for thees had been provided for the invited guests, but as more than twice the number invited had arrived, it was found necessary to omit that part of the entertain day to distribute the cakes and fruits auests had enjoyed themselves was evident when the next Christmas drew near, for many either sent to Dr Hu, or caet to invite theuest fail to appear on Christratitude and appreciation of those a whoetful service of those wholy ter is convincingly shown by the way in which the people flock to her, and in their great eagerness to have the hospital kept open the year around This has proved to be ih every su willing to toil even through the intense heat of July and August, and, since the students iven a vacation, with only half her usual corps of assistants One suratitude that the theristered only 93 that day, after teeks of 99 and even 100, and added, ”It would do you good if you could see how grateful these people are to see us keeping our hospital open; and we are very glad to be able to do so hot season”

But the intense heat of a South China sus with it,continuously in the present crowded quarters Often it is the dreaded plague which necessitates the closing of the hospital doors One hbour directly across the street from the hospital had been stricken with this fatal disease She closed the hospital at once, and put up a notice telling the patients why it was necessary to close, and assuring theain as soon as it was safe to do so The nextthe notice had disappeared, and another one which was put up disappeared as promptly An explanation of this was afforded Dr Hu, by a re this hospital closed?

We took the notice down in hope that the hospital would be opened” But when the plague is prevalent, the closing of the hospital is the only safe course to pursue; for one person, co from this disease, may do more harm in a few minutes than could be undone inappreciation in China is the presentation of an honorary tablet, to be set up in one's reception room, on which is written an appreciation of the achievements of the recipient

These are constantly bestowed upon Dr Hu by those patients who are wealthy enough to express their gratitude in this fashi+on

A few years ago fire broke out in the ht not far from the hospital It burned up to the all of the hospital and all along the length of the wall, co all the houses in front of it

Then it was that the Chinese gave expression in very concrete form to their appreciation of their fellow-countrywo in that hospital Dr Hu says that the building ht have been reduced to ashes in a moment had it not been for the faithful efforts of those ereto have their faces scorched and burned than to leave their work undone,” and who laboured to such effect that nothing but the roof was seriously daer was over the people poured in to express their sye was no greater, so pots of tea and dishes of food ”This may not seem very wonderful to the people in a Christian country,” says Dr

Hu, ”but if you kne the people usually are treated at such tiree with me when I say 'Wonderful'” Fire is usually interpreted as an expression of the displeasure of the Gods, and it is considered discreet not to interfere