f us are planning to
go to Tong's for a Chinese meal. Do you want to come along?"

"Chinese meal? Dear me, I've never had one. Do you have to eat with
chopsticks? Don't they serve you rats and mice and all sorts of
horrible things?"

"Of course not, you silly! There are the most delicious things! And
you don't have to eat with chopsticks unless you want to. In fact,
they always give us knives and forks unless we especially ask for
chopsticks. But I adore strange ways! This will be my third time for
Chinese food. We always ask for chopsticks--it's the most fun trying
to use them! Though I must admit that we usually give up halfway--the
food is so delicious and we're so hungry we have to. Then you'll
come?"

"Well--to tell the truth, I'm afraid it will be some awful stuff I
can't eat."

"I'm surprised at you, Ann! You're a missionary candidate, aren't you?
You'll _have_ to get used to strange--"

"No, but it seems so sort of uncivilized to eat with sticks, or
fingers--and all out of one dish, isn't it? Ugh!"

"Now don't be fussy! Didn't you hear that missionary talk last night?
You've got to appreciate other people's ways on the mission
field--can't go around thinking your ways are best!"

"I know." Ann was suddenly very serious. "But there's only one thing
about it that bothers me. What if your own ways really _are_ best?"

* * * * *

Chopsticks, or knives and forks--which are best? Not which are the
most intriguing, or cause the most hilarity, but which really and
truly are the most useful for their purpose--that of conveying food to
one's mouth in a convenient and graceful manner. Don't condemn Ann
offhand. If I were to ask _you_ this question, what answer would _you_
give?

"Well--really--" you say. "After all--" Yes. That's just it. You, and
Ann, and millions more can't help realizing (or is it feeling?) that
your way _is_ best. But what about the millions in China and Japan?
How would they answer the question? Did you ever stop to think that
their reaction would be just as immediate, and their answer just as
sure? And I think I am safe in saying that a larger proportion of them
have actually tried using the other person's implements than we have.

When a group of ex-China missionaries get together at home and go to a
Chinese restaurant for a meal, the first thing they do after ordering
is to request that the food be served in bowls, and they be supplied
with chopsticks i