“You makee Christian newspaper?  You talkee Jesus?  Mr. Taylor tellee me.  Me Christian—­me love Jesus.”

Yes, Ah Lee was a Christian; there could be no doubt about that.  I have seen many happy converts, but none happier than he.  He was not merely happy—­he was ecstatic.

The story of the mighty change was a simple one, but thrilling.  Near Vacaville, the former seat of the Pacific Methodist College, in Solano county, lived the Rev. Iry Taylor, a member of the Pacific Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.  Mr. Taylor was a praying man, and he had a praying wife.  Ah Lee was employed as a domestic in the family.  His curiosity was first excited in regard to family prayers.  He wanted to know what it all meant.  The Taylor’s explained.  The old, old story took hold of Ah Lee.  He was put to thinking and then to praying.  The idea of the forgiveness of sins filled him with wonder and longing.  He hung with breathless interest upon the word of the Lord, opening to him a world of new thought.  The tide of feeling bore him on, and at the foot of the cross he found what he sought.

Ah Lee was converted—­converted as Paul, as Augustine, as Wesley, were converted.  He was born into a new life that was as real to him as his consciousness was real.  This psychological change will be understood by some of my readers; others may regard it as they do any other inexplicable phenomenon in that mysterious inner world of the human soul, in which are lived the real lives of us all.  In Ah Lee’s heathen soul was wrought the gracious wonder that makes joy among the angels of God.

The young Chinese disciple, it is to be feared, got little sympathy outside the Taylor household and a few others.  The right-hand of Christian fellowship was withheld by many, or extended in a cold, half-reluctant way.  But it mattered not to Ah Lee; he had his own heaven.  Coldness was wasted on him.  The light within him brightened every thing without.

Ah Lee became a frequent visitor to our cottage on the hill.  He always came and went rejoicing.  The Gospel of John was his daily study and delight.  To his ardent and receptive nature it was a diamond mine.  Two things he wanted to do.  He had a strong desire to translate his favorite Gospel into Chinese, and to lead his parents to Christ.  When he spoke of his father and mother his voice would soften, his eyes moisten with tenderness.

“I go back to China and tellee my fader and mudder allee good news,” he said, with beaming face.

This peculiar development of filial reverence and affection among the Chinese is a hopeful feature of their national life.  It furnishes a solid basis for a strong Christian nation.  The weakening of this sentiment weakens religious susceptibility; its destruction is spiritual death.  The worship of ancestors is idolatry, but it is that form of it nearest akin to the worship of the Heavenly Father.  The honoring of the father and mother on earth is the commandment with promise, and it is the promise of this life and of life everlasting.