f
Christianity. She was, however, eager to learn English, and consented to
learn it through the Bible, since Miss Foster, the English missionary who
had been asked to instruct her in English, would consent to give time from
her other work only on that condition. "I have often found her with the
house full of idols, incense being burned before them," reads a letter from
one of her friends. "Our hearts were often discouraged, fearing that this
Chinese lady would always love the idols." Even after her husband had
become a Christian Mrs. Ahok insisted that she would never forsake the
worship of her ancestors and follow the foreign religion. "But," said Mrs.
Baldwin, "I felt very sure that a woman of her mind and character would yet
follow her husband into the better life. Within a year after, she became a
most earnest, loving, working disciple of Christ, ready to deny herself and
bear her cross in many ways most trying to a Chinese lady."

Both Mrs. Ahok and her husband had intense opposition to meet, for it was
not to be expected that members of families of such high rank should
forsake the religion of their fathers without encountering bitter protest
from their kindred. The opposition of mother and mother-in-law, both of
whom lived in the home with them, was especially hard to bear. Mrs. Ahok's
mother was intensely hostile to Christianity, and did everything possible
to make things so unpleasant for her daughter that she would renounce her
new faith. Mr. Ahok's mother was no less opposed at first; but gradually
she became more willing to learn about Christianity, and for some time
alternated between her idol worship and the Sunday and mid-week services
and family prayers which Mr. Ahok held in his home. At length, after having
thus compared the two religions for some time, she announced: "You may take
my idol away. Hereafter your God shall be my God." From that time on she
was a radiant Christian, and it was not long until Mrs. Ahok's mother
followed her example.

At the time of the death of Mr. Ahok's mother, there occurred an
interesting example of the way in which a Chinese can become an earnest
Christian without becoming less Chinese thereby. In that part of China the
wealthy families, and many of those of the middle classes, begin on the
seventh day after a death a series of "meritorious" ceremonies for the
repose and general benefit of the soul of the departed. In one form or
another the ceremonies are repeated ever