I  must  once  more  tell  the  story  I  have  had  to  tell  more  than  once
already,  how  four  weeks  ago,  on  the  29th  of  December,  I  put  on
Chinese  dress,  which  I  am  now  wearing.  Mr.  Taylor  had  made  this
change  a  few  months  before,  and  I  found  that  he  was  in  consequence
so  much  less  incommoded  in  preaching,  etc.,  by  the  crowd,  that  I
concluded  that  it  was  my  duty  to  follow  his  example.  .  ..
We  have  a  large,  very  large,  field  of  labour  in  this  region,  though
it  might  be  difficult  in  the  meantime  for  one  to  establish  himself  in
any  particular  place.  The  people  listen  with  attention,  but  we  need
the  power  from  on  high  to  convince  and  convert.  Is  there  any  spirit
of  prayer  on  our  behalf  among  God's  people  in  Kilsyth  ?  Or  is  there
any  effort  to  seek  this  spirit  ?  How  great  the  need  is,  and  how  great
the  arguments  and  motives  for  prayer  in  this  case  !  The  harvest
here  is  indeed  great,  and  the  labourers  are  few  and  imperfectly  fitted,
without  much  grace,  for  such  a  work.  And  yet  grace  can  make  a  few,
feeble  instruments  the  means  of  accomplishing  great  things — things
greater  even  than  we  can  conceive.
This  change  into  Chinese  dress  was  found  to  have  so
many  advantages  that  Mr.  Burns  never  again  resumed
European  clothing.  Among  the  people  of  Nan-zin  it  was
received  with  cordial  favour.  Returning  from  the  tea-shop
a  few  days  later,  both  the  missionaries  were  invited  by  one
who  had  been  present  to  go  with  him  to  his  home  and
repeat  there  the  wonderful  Story.  It  was  evening,  and
they  had  already  been  preaching  for  a  couple  of  hours,  but
such  invitations  were  none  too  frequent  and  they  gladly
accompanied  him.
