Lotus Buds

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LOTUS BUDS

[Illustration]

[Illustration: The Great Rock. (Page 338.)]

LOTUS BUDS

by

AMY WILSON-CARMICHAEL

Keswick Missionary C.E.Z.M.S.

Author of "Things As They Are"; "Overweights of Joy"; "The Beginning of a Story," Etc.

With Fifty Half-Tone Illustrations from Photos Specially Taken for This Work

Morgan and Scott Ld. 12 Paternoster Buildings London MCMXII

Copyright, Morgan & Scott Ld., 1909

First Edition, Quarto (Fifty Photogravure Illustrations) 2,000 Nov., 1909 Edition De Luxe (Fifty Photogravures on Japon Vellum) 250 Nov., 1909 Octavo Edition (Fifty Half-tone Engravings) 5,250 July, 1912

TO THOSE WHO CARE

DOHNAVUR, TINNEVELLY DISTRICT, SOUTH INDIA

Christmas, 1909.

Each for himself, we live our lives apart, Heirs of an age that turns us all to stone; Yet ever Nature, thrust from out the heart, Comes back to claim her own.

Still we have something left of that fair seed God gave for birthright; still the sound of tears Hurts us, and children in their helpless need Still call to listening ears.

OWEN SEAMAN. From "In a Good Cause."

FOREWORD TO THE PRESENT EDITION

_WHEN first "Things as they are" trod the untrodden way, it walked as a small child walks when for the first time it ventures forth upon young, uncertain feet. It has to walk; it does not know why: it only knows there is no choice about it. But there is an eager looking for an outstretched hand, and an instant gratefulness always, for even a finger. A whole hand given without reserve is something never forgotten._

_It was only a child after all, and it had not anticipated having to find its way alone among strangers. It had thought of nothing further than a very short walk among familiar faces. If it had understood beforehand how far it would have to walk, I doubt if it would have had the courage to start; for it was not naturally brave. But once on its way it could not turn back; and thanks to those kindly outstretched hands, it grew a little less afraid, and it went on._

_Then another small wayfarer followed. It also was very easily discouraged; an unfriendly push would have knocked it over at once. But nobody seemed to want to push so unpretentious a thing, so it gained courage and went on._

_And now a more grown-up looking traveller (though indeed its looks belie it) has started on its way; more diffident, if the truth must be told, than even its predecessors. For it thought within itself--Perhaps there will be no welcoming hands held out this time; hands may grow tired of such kind offices. But it has not been so. And now the sense of gratefulness cannot longer be repressed._

_All of which means that I want to thank sincerely those kings of the Book World--Reviewers--and those dwellers in that world who are my Readers, for their insight and the sympathy to which I owe so much._

_Once I read of a soldier who wrote a letter home from the midst of a battle, on a crumpled piece of paper laid upon a cannon ball. His home people he knew would overlook the appearance of the paper and the lack of various things expected in a letter written in a quiet room upon a study table. And he knew he could trust them not to bring too fine a criticism to bear upon the unstudied words hot from the battle's heart._