A Chinese Soldier's Conversion
By Eva Allum
WANG was born in Honan, China, some twenty-nine years ago. When eighteen years of age, he became a soldier. During the revolution in China, in 1911, he served in the imperial army at Hankau, and took part in the fighting there. Later, together with many other soldiers, he began plundering and looting in the peace-abiding villages and smaller towns of Honan. He became such a notorious character that the officials had their men searching for him. He decided to leave for the far western province of Szechuan. In order to reach this province, he engaged himself as a “swimmer” on a house boat leaving Ichang for Chungking. It happened — very providentially, no doubt — that Mr. Allum and Mr. Warren had engaged this very house boat for their first trip to Szechuan. On Sabbaths, they would assemble the crew of about twenty in a little meeting. At the close of the first meeting, Mr. Allum made an appeal to the men to give up their tobacco smoking and wine drinking. Wang responded by throwing his pipe overboard. Noticing his willingness to work, and his kindly disposition toward one or two boys among the crew, Mr. Allum thought to use him as a water carrier and general helper after they found a suitable building here in Chungking. Of course, at this time they knew nothing of his former history. So he was employed as doorkeeper and water carrier. Later, when I arrived in Chungking, we employed the boy as general help in our home. One day, on our return from a walk, we found that five dollars was missing from our cash box. All the evidence pointed to Wang, so we dismissed him. He repeatedly denied having stolen the money, and although dismissed in this humiliating manner, continued to come to the meetings. He always took part in the testimony meetings, in which he expressed his determination to serve God in spite of the obstacles he declared Satan was placing in his pathway. After dismissing Wang, we hired another lad who had been in attendance at the meetings. Again we found that things were stolen; and upon thoroughly investigating, we learned that the second boy had stolen these. Finally he acknowledged the theft of the five dollars we had accused Wang of stealing. He admitted having stolen this money to cause Wang to lose his position, so that he might secure it. Upon finding out the facts, we re-employed Wang. He continually praises God for vindicating him in this matter; and realizing that the Lord thus cared for him, his faith has been greatly strengthened. This seems to be a genuine case of conversion from heathenism to the gospel. When he first came in contact with the gospel, he could not read a character; but although very busy, he has now read the Gospel of John. As we see the result of the influence of the gospel upon the life of this heathen soldier, we are encouraged to bend every effort toward giving it to others who sit in darkness.