understand that it is a Chinese church, not a foreign one, and we decided that this was a splendid opportunity to impress on the people the fact that when a man joins the Christian Church he does not in any way become less of a Chinese, and that our Church believes in honoring the rulers of the country. As soon as it was finally decided that we should follow the regulations the members agreed that we had done the correct thing.
In one way it was rather fortunate for the boys in the school that we had no entertainment to prepare for. Just at Christmas last year came the examinations, and some of the boys were working very hard to prepare for the entrance examination. So it gave them a better chance to study. And during Christmas week they had four examinations.
We did not intend, however, that Christmas should pass without something to make the boys remember the day and what it means. If they could not have a Christmas tree, I determined to give them the next best thing—in fact, when I was a boy a year or two ago, I thought it was away ahead of a mere tree—that is hanging up the stockings. The boys had never even heard of such a custom, so it was great fun for them. One morning in school, after prayers, I solemnly asked the boarders, "How many of you have two pairs of socks?" There was blank amazement. Why did I wish to know that? I only smiled, as I began with the boy in the front, little "Georgie Bond." "Have you two pairs of socks?" "Yes, but the extra pair have holes." Then to the next boy, "Have you a second
