p. 16 | A Sabbath Meeting With Chinese Women

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · May 11, 1905

A Sabbath Meeting With Chinese Women

By Maude Thompson Miller, M. D.

MAUDE THOMPSON MILLER, M. D.

[This report was written only a short time before Mrs. Miller’s death.—Ed.]

To conduct a service for Chinese women is much more difficult than one who has never been in China would think. In the first place, a Chinese woman is not supposed to leave her home. Year in and year out, she remains at home, for some one must look after the servants and the home. She controls her daughter-in-law in the same stern way in which she was controlled by her mother-in-law, and as she can neither read nor write, her time is spent in gossiping with the other women of the home, or the compound, over the latest news the servants bring in from the street, or rehearsing a family quarrel which may or may not have resulted in a tragedy.

In a Chinese home husbands and wives are not expected to love each other, and having never seen each other before marriage, it is but to be expected that in many cases true love can not be found.

As the mother always takes the son’s part, there is much contention and strife between her and her daughter-in-law.

In passing through the streets of a city, one rarely sees a Chinese woman, except of the poorer classes, and beggars in their rags, begging food; occasionally a woman will be seen in the door of her dwelling, or, passing on a back street, she may be seen in the narrow alley at her work or at a murky pool washing clothes.

While it is customary for a woman to remain at home, her tiny feet will not permit her to walk either long or short distances, because of the pain which these crippled members constantly give their owner; so a Chinese woman in going anywhere must be carried in a chair, wheelbarrow, or cart.

With all these disadvantages, it is not to be wondered at that the Chinese women are rather timid in leaving their homes to attend church, and as our “worship halls,” as they are called in Chinese, are not yet completed, when they come and find men assembled in the hall, they will not come in, or if they do, they stay only a few minutes, so the only way to hold services with them is to do it after the meeting for the men is over, and they have left the yard. When the repairs are finished, we shall have separate halls for the men and women to meet in, thus doing away with this difficulty.

Many times the women come, not to hear about Jesus, but to get a look at that curious-looking foreigner, who has large feet just like the men, and to see

how she talks and does; frequently they will climb on the benches in the rear of the hall, just for one glance.

As they have never attended a meeting, they feel free to talk whenever they please. Perhaps while we are singing, a newcomer arrives. They all greet her, and she says out loud to some friend, “Why, when did you come? How long have you been here?” The friend replies in the same loud tone, unless stopped by the Bible woman, who must constantly tell them not to talk, but to listen. During prayer, they usually remain quiet except for a mumble from one or two, and then, as we try to tell them of a loving Saviour who died to save them, and the hope of everlasting life to those who believe and obey him, they listen attentively for a time, but soon are more interested in my Chinese skirt, and ask, “How much did you pay for this cloth? How much did it cost to have this skirt made? Where did you have it made?” etc. But a reminder that this is a meeting brings us back to the subject again. Not being able to read or write, they are slow to understand, and when the meaning dawns on one, she must tell it to the rest so they will understand. Then all want to talk at once, so it is some time again before the speaker has the floor.

In this way much time is consumed, and little advancement made, and as the women are so restless, one-half hour is as long a meeting as can be held at one time. One day, when holding the meeting a little longer than usual, the entire audience except two women left, thinking they had stayed long enough, and were presuming upon my time. One who remained, having attended some meetings previously, said, “They have no manners, and do not know how to act at church.” After attending a few meetings they learn how to conduct themselves, and are then as orderly as it is possible for Chinese to be.

Probably not more than one woman in a thousand can read in China; however, this varies in different parts of the country. If a young lady is fortunate enough to have a kind father or brothers, and a desire to read, she may learn to read quite well, but these cases are very rare.

In this way, day after day, the seeds of truth must be sown in their hearts, which we trust will bear fruit for eternal life. A nation weighed down in heathen darkness for centuries can not be turned into a devout Christian people in a day nor an hour. We must be satisfied to do our part, and let God do the rest; it is only God who can change the heart.

We were made greatly to rejoice when the news reached us of the grand step Ohio has taken in donating one half of her workers and tithe to the General Conference.

May this mark an era in the advancement of the third angel’s message, not only in Ohio, but in many lands, is our prayer. And do not forget China’s millions.

Shang-tsai Hsien, Honan, China.