A Buddhist priest named Cheo in China gave the following interesting account of himself.
He had, like many other Chinese boys, been placed in a temple while he was very young. The older priests had taught him to read and write, but above all he had been taught to regard the idols with great reverence. He had a great deal of freedom, and while attending the markets and fairs had frequently heard missionaries preach about the true God. But this had affected him very little, as he believed himself right and the missionaries wrong.
As he grew older he was placed in charge of a temple, and his special object was a large idol which stood on a pedestal facing the front door.
One day he stood watching the rain which was coming down in torrents. He suddenly faced about, and addressed the idol in these terms: “I have served you faithfully now for many years, and believe you are powerful and are able to do great things for those who worship you. But the missionaries tell me that you are false, and not able to help yourself, and therefore not able to help me. Now I am going to put you to the test.”
So saying he picked up the idol in his arms and carried him into the middle of the yard, and said: “Now, if you have any sense at all you will get out of this rain as quick as possible.”
He then turned and ran back to the temple, fully expecting the idol to follow close at his heels. But how great was his disappointment to find the idol still sitting just where he had been put, and the rain was washing the paint from his head and face.
He watched for a while and then said, “Well, you silly old fellow, you don’t know enough to come in out of the rain!”
He then carried the idol back to his place with the words, “Now I am through with you.” Closing the door he locked the temple, and coming to the missionary he began to ask him more fully about the true God.
We hope to meet that Chinese boy, grown to manhood and become a priest, in heaven.
ML-07/09/1978