Wong was a Chinese boy about thirteen years old. He lived with his parents in Shiu-Hing, a town about a hundred miles from the large city of Canton in Southern China. From the time he was six years old he had been attending school. It was a heathen Chinese school, and poor Wong had never known what it was to go to a Christian Sunday school. However, on his way to school day by day, he would pass a little gospel mission in Shiu-Hing.
Wong often wondered what this small building was for — so different from their idol temples. So one day his curiosity led him to go into the mission and sit down. What he heard there must have interested him, for he went in again and again, until finally it came to him that the Christian teachings must be true. He managed somehow to buy several Christian books, and then, quite innocently, he went to his native teacher and asked him to explain some of the signs which he could not understand. Most of the Chinese teachers were bitterly opposed to Christianity, though you might conclude at once that Wong was scolded and his books taken away from him. However, Wong’s teacher was not one of those who hated Christianity and he did not tear up and burn his Christian books. Instead he let Wong bring his Christian books to school and read with him, explaining the unfamiliar signs. In this way the boy made progress in his knowledge of the Scriptures and the teachings of the gospel.
About that time a native Christian by the name of Ili-To came to the town and began to preach the gospel there. Wong attended the services and listened so attentively that the preacher noticed him and called him aside after the others had left. Their conversation went like this: “How do you like the teaching?” “It is very good.”
“Why do so many Chinese refuse to accept it?”
“Because they do not understand it.”
“But what good do you find in it?”
“I find that it is good for my heart.”
“Do you believe in Jesus?”
“Yes, dear Sir.”
That was the first time Wong had ever spoken to a preacher or even to a Christian. He was invited to come back every day and have the Bible explained. He gladly accepted the invitation and became more deeply interested in the truths of salvation. Dear Wong came out on the side of Christ, confessing Him as his Saviour.
By and by he wanted to be baized. But what would his mother and relatives say about it, and what would they do to him when they found out that he had received Christianity and renounced the old heathen religion and customs? Many of his countrymen who had done the same had been severely persecuted — driven from their homes, disowned by father and mother, robbed of all that they had; some were beaten and some were even killed by their former friends and relatives.
Wong knew all this, but he was firm in his new faith and was willing to suffer shame and loss for Christ’s sake. His father had died, so he told his mother first of all about the step he was to take. She was very kind and did not object much to his being baptized. His relatives cursed and threatened him, they did not succeed in frightened the young disciple of Christ. The d came when he was baptized along with two others. From then on it was his joy to announce to his countrymen the good news that the Lord Jesus saves and makes happy those who put their trust in Him, “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved Rom. 10:1313For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13).
ML-06/19/1966