Sketches from Formosa.

86 SKETCHES FROM FORMOSA
understand for a time. He was always confusing things ;
and, like many others placed far more favourably, would
often return from worship with a heart entirely unresponsive
to the Truth. But he held on thinking that, at the
very least, it was pleasant to be hearing about One who
was able and willing to help poor sinners like himself.
He even commenced to pray in secret, although there his
difficulties only seemed to increase. How could one pray
if there were no tangible object before him to listen to his
prayers ? Teng-ho thinks it was then, when he began
to confess sin, and ask God, for Jesus' sake, to make him
a better and a happier man, that the Holy Spirit led him
to forsake many of his evil practices, and truly to desire
that he might become an earnest follower of Jesus Christ.
He says he has still many spiritual
enemies to contend
against, but that he tries daily to lean upon Him who has
promised to save to the uttermost.
Surely all this is the doing of the Lord, and may well
give rise to feelings of gratitude and holy joy. O that God
would bestow much of His Spirit on the feeble instru-
mentality made use of for the accomplishment of His
I feel more and more the need of a holy, wise, and
work !
loving Christ-like life whilst labouring amongst this poor
people. Much of what we say fails to interest them or
call forth any response, but this they can understand and
appreciate.
From Hwan-a-chan we crossed to Thau-sia, and met
with an agreeable surprise on finding that no fewer than
ten families there were meeting statedly for Christian
reached from our station
worship. The village is easily
at Poah-be. It is surrounded by lofty trees, the grateful
shade of which is such a luxury in Formosa. Our first
sight of it, from the summit of a low range of hills, which
shuts in the view from the north and west, reminded me of
the quiet and comfortable little hamlets of Po-li-sia ;