In old China, girls were often engaged to be married when they were only little children. The parents make all the arrangements. So Hsiao-mei was engaged while very young to a little boy and both of the families were heathen. After some time, hover, the parents of Hsiao-mei heard the gospel, believed it, and were saved, and each one in their household was saved too.
Hsiao-mei grew up to be a bright Christian girl and the parents were so sorry over the engagement, but it was binding and could not be annulled. The elder brother was very grieved also that his beloved sister should go into a heathen home.
At last the marriage day came, and Hsiao-mei had strengthened her heart through prayer. She stepped into the bridal chair, sent by the bridegroom. Her brother accompanied her a little while, but then had to turn back with a heavy heart. The Chinese custom is that the bride has to enter her new home alone. After her arrival she was carried, as it was the custom, over the threshold. On entering the guest hall, she bowed low before her future mother-in-law, the chief person of the house. Then she was placed at the side of the bridegroom before the ancestral shrine where the ancestors and idols were worshiped, and the marriage ceremony began. The chief point was to bow down before the shrine three times, which the bridegroom did, but the young bride held herself quite erect, even when she was told to bow. A murmur arose amongst the guests and relatives, and threatenings were heard, becoming louder and louder. When they saw she would not yield, they wanted to beat her and drag her down, but the mother-in-law spoke with a firm voice: “Let her alone. She has bowed down to me very respectfully, and that is enough for me. Let her go into her room.”
The next day the mother-in-law asked Hsiao-mei why she had bowed down only before her, and not before the idol shrine. Then Hsiao-mei told her about the only true God, the Creator of heaven and earth, who has given a commandment to honor Father and Mother, and who had sent His Son to be the Saviour of the world. The old woman was very interested.
Hsiao-mei opened her Bible and read to her. She listened attentively, and the young husband also showed great interest.
After the Chinese custom, the young bride could be visited by her relations on the third day. The parents and the brother had prayed much for Hsiao-mei. It was with a trembling heart that the brother came to the new home of his beloved sister. What would they have done with her? Had they beaten her? Had they killed her? How great was his amazement when he entered the house to find Hsiao-mei, with beaming face, reading aloud to her mother-in-law out of her Bible.
ML 05/10/1953