Pioneering in - Far Eastern Bible College

twenty-five years, apart from quarrels during the first two years,we have had less and less conflicts from then onwards. Duringthese latter years, we have practically no more of such. Lookingback at the quarrels of the first two years, these have been due tomy foolishness, for, one of the reasons of my marriage was forMother’s sake. Remembering her life of bitter struggles in order tobring me up and how my brothers and sisters had all died youngand I the only one left, I decided to have a family to give her someconsolation in her evening years. In order to attain to thisobjective, I became hard on my wife. My mother was not only anultra-conservative, but had never had any education. This put mywife at the time in a quandary. I do not know how it was I couldnot sympathise with her. This made it so unbearable on her partthat often she would “weep and drink her tears secretly.” As Ithink of this now, I feel most guilty and doubly sorry.The first two years after marriage might be termed the periodof mirkiness. Our disputes were not only due to the reason abovestated, but rather to our not having known each other well enough.Thanks be to God, He had made a beautiful plan for my life.Three years after, we had a short period of separation. This wasdue to Mother’s sickness and her frailty after giving birth, whichnecessitated their return to China for convalescence. Thisseparation between us lasted three years until I returned home onfurlough and we came together again. This period of separationbecame a great blessing to our reunion. Paul had written toPhilemon on Onesimus’ behalf, “For perhaps he thereforedeparted for a season, that thou shouldest receive him forever.”We were in such a situation. In our separation, we had a time forself-examination, which we expressed in correspondence to ourmutual understanding. Also, “absence makes the heart growfonder” which thereby increased our love.In fact, such a state existed even during our first two years.Sometimes, I left home for half a month at a stretch. During this46