“Those who saw Mrs. Ahok’s earnest face, and listened to some of the most simple and heart-stirring words ever heard on an English platform, will recall the impression her plea for her countrywomen then made....  If God should open the way for Mrs. Ahok again to visit England, she will be welcomed as one who brought home the reality of missions to many a conscience in England, and revived the flagging spirits to zeal for the Lord of Hosts!”

Mrs. Ahok went home by way of Canada, accompanied by Miss Mead, one of the new workers for whom she had been pleading.  She did not realize how seriously ill her husband was, for he had written cheerfully:  “Tell Mrs. Ahok that I have been a little ill for some weeks and that now I am staying at the Ato house.  I find it very restful staying quietly at the old home....  Tell Mrs. Ahok, please, not to worry at all about me.”  On saying good-bye to friends in England Mrs. Ahok told them that she hoped to come again, and that the next time it would be with her husband.  She was thus spared the keen anxiety throughout the long journey which she must have suffered, had she realized her husband’s condition.  She wrote back to Miss Bradshaw from Montreal, telling of her safe arrival and expressing her gratitude that although she and her maid had both suffered severely from sea-sickness, they had been well taken care of by “a woman who was a worshipper of God.”  At Vancouver she had to wait some days for her steamer, and she wrote from there on July 26: 

“All well, all peace.  From the time I left England a month has passed away.  I keep thinking constantly of the meetings in England which we had together.  Now we are in this place waiting for the ship and therefore we had this very good opportunity for work.  I have been invited by the minister of the church here to speak at meetings.  I have done so six times.  Because this is a new place, and there are men and women who do not at all believe the Gospel, but who like to hear about Chinese ways and customs, therefore they all greatly wish me to go to these meetings.  I think this is also God’s leading for us, that we could not proceed on our journey, but must spend this time here....  To-day is Saturday; this afternoon at half-past three we are to have another meeting; to-morrow we go on board ship to return to China....  When you have an opportunity, give my greetings to all my Christian friends.”

After Mrs. Ahok was back in China, she had a letter from the minister of the Methodist church in Vancouver telling her that three new missionary societies had been formed as a result of her few days’ stay.  He added, “Your stay here has been an inspiration to us; the fortnight has been one of blessing to us all.”

IV

PATIENT IN TRIBULATION