“Do you know,” said Miss Grant to the mother, “that the children are going to church with me?” “Yes,” replied the mother, “wherever Missie pleases to take them.”  Then the lady told her of the baptism, and entreated her consent.  At last the heathen mother replied, “If you wish it, I will not oppose you.”  Miss Grant, afraid lest the mother should change her mind, hastened into her palanquin, and the sisters hastened into theirs.  Looking back, the lady perceived the mother was standing watching the palanquins.  Seeing this, she stopped, saying, “Nomis, why should not you come, and see what is done?” To the lady’s surprise, the mother immediately consented to come; and so this heathen mother was present at the baptism of her daughters.  Their teacher, (who was their mother in Christ,) rejoiced with exceeding joy to see her dear girls give themselves to the Lord, and to hear them answer in their broken English, “All dis I do steadfastly believe.”

Soon after their baptism, the girls went to live in their mother’s house.  To comfort them, Miss Grant promised to fetch them every Sunday, to spend the day with her.  She came for them at five o’clock in the morning, before it was light, and took them back at nine, when it was quite dark.  If she had not fetched them herself, they would not have been allowed to go.

After awhile, they were not allowed to go.  The reason was, that the heathen mother wanted Chun to marry a heathen Chinaman.  Chun refused to commit such a sin.  Then her mother was angry, mocked her, and prevented her going to see Miss Grant.  Still Chun refused.  She saw her mother embroidering her wedding-dresses, but she still persisted that she would not marry a heathen, especially as she would have to bow down before an idol at her marriage.  Chun grew very unhappy, and looked very pale, she wrote many letters to her kind friend, and offered up many prayers to her merciful God.  And did the Lord hear her, and did He deliver her?  He did.  A Christian Chinaman, who had been brought up by a missionary, heard of Chun, and asked permission to marry her.  He had never seen her, for it is not the custom in China for girls to be seen.

Miss Grant was delighted at the thought of her darling Chun marrying a Christian, and she helped to prepare for the wedding.  There was no bowing down before an idol at that wedding, but an English clergymen read the service.  Chun’s face, according to the custom, was covered with a thick veil, and even her hands and feet were hidden.  A few days after the wedding, Miss Grant, according to the custom, called on the newly married.  She found the room beautifully ornamented, like all Chinese rooms at such times, but there were two ornaments seldom seen in China—­two Bibles lying open on the table.

Chun long rejoiced that she had so firmly refused to marry a heathen.  One day, Miss Grant said to her, playfully, “Has your husband beaten you yet?” (for she knew that Chinamen think nothing of beating their wives.) Chun replied, with a sweet look, “O no! he often tells me, that first he thanks God, and then you, Miss, for having given me to him as his wife.”