p. 16 | The Conversion of a Buddhist Nun

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Dec 5, 1907

The Conversion of a Buddhist Nun

Miss Julia K. Mackenzie gives the following striking incident, showing the power of the gospel to save: “When, last October, Miss Wahn, the nun—a miserable, sick, pitiable, repulsive-looking creature, in ugly priestly gray garb, and wearing a brass head-band over her uncombed hair, in token of a vow to repair temples—a wild-looking woman, indeed—came with a note from Mrs. Pierce, then at Chingnan, asking me to receive her until Mrs. Pierce’s return, it seemed just about impossible, and very unwise to receive her into our women’s compound, so near our girls’ school, for the Chinese say:—

“‘Ten Buddhist nuns, nine are bad, The tenth odd one surely is mad.’”

“As she whined out her woes, my soul revolted against receiving her. I had no time to give her out of my crowded days, and no reliable woman to put in charge of her; but there was my senior coworker’s request, and what could I do but grant it? ‘Christ died for the ungodly,’ and in her circumstances I would have been just such a woman—probably worse. So, putting the whole matter into our Lord’s hands, I received her. Her appearance caused a panic among our schoolgirls, who were afraid to go to sleep with such an outcast on the place, lest in the night she do us all some serious harm. Very fervent prayer for protection went to our Father that night. We couldn’t keep her on the place in nun’s garb, so that was changed. I gave her my ‘joinings of time’ and a little taken off from time in the school for Bible study. I found her very intelligent and eager to learn, and I believe she is a saved woman—one born again. She and two of our schoolgirls were baptized about three weeks ago. She helps me much in teaching the women who come every day to learn to read. She is also studying arithmetic and geography in our girls’ school.”—The Foreign Mission Journal.