In the 1950s-"Tell us?" the officer shouted, as he brought the whip down again across the pastor's back. "We must know who else is working with you." Day after day, the Chinese Communists tortured Rev. Fang-Cheng, but no matter what they did to him, he steadfastly refused to give them the names of his fellow Christians.
One day Cheng was brought again before the examining officer. In a corner of the room, he saw a heap of rags and heard a rattling of chains.
As the image became clearer, he realized it was his mother.
Before she did not have white hair; now she had. The color of her face was like ashes.
He could see that she too had passed through heavy suffering.
The Communist spoke to Cheng: "I have heard that you Christians have Ten Commandments, supposedly given by God, which you strive to obey. I would be interested in knowing them. Would you be so kind as to recite the Ten Commandments?"
Cheng was in a terrible state of heart, but any opportunity to acquaint a Communist with God's law must not be neglected. He began to list the commandments. When he arrived at "Honor your father and mother," he was interrupted. The Communist told him. "Cheng, I wish to give you the opportunity to honor your mother. Her she is, suffering in chains. Tell us what you know about your brethren in the faith and I promise that tonight you and your mother will be free. Let me see now whether you really believe in God and wish to fulfill His commandments."
It was not easy to make a decision. Cheng turned to his mother: "Mother, what shall I do?"
The mother answered, "I have taught you from childhood to love Christ and His holy church. Don't mind my suffering. Seek to remain faithful to the Savior and His little brothers. If you betray, you are no more my son." This was the last time Fang-Cheng saw his mother. It was likely that she died under torture.
"No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; He'll never let you be pushed past your limit; He'll always be there to help you to come through it."
From: Jesus Freaks Story of Those Who Stood for Jesus and the Voice of the Martyrs: Honor Your Mother; Minneapolis: Bethany House, (1999) pp.221-222.
If you would like to learn more about how Christians in China still are persecuted, please go to
http://www.persecution.org/2017/01/24/dare-to-show-the-sword-against-them-says-chinese-chief-justice/
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