5. A Visit to Native Christians.
IT was my privilege, a short time before returning turning to England in the autumn of 1884, to pay a visit to the native Christians, of whom we were speaking in our last number. Our party consisted of a fellow-missionary and two native brethren, one of whom was Chen, the ex-soldier. When within sight of our destination Chen left us, in order to carry the news of our arrival, while the rest continued the journey. Just before arriving we were met by Hsiang, the doctor, who had made preparations to entertain us. After a few hours’ pleasant chat with our host and some of his neighbors, Chen made his appearance, bringing with him about twenty men from the Christian hamlet of Ku-cheng, ―for such I must call it―to welcome us in their midst.
Chen, like a leader, marched his men into the yard, and then into the “reception hall”―a room set apart in every gentleman’s house specially for the reception of visitors. He arranged them in a semi-circle around us, and then at a given signal they all made the usual salutation by bowing half-way down to the ground, we at the same time observing the same custom. Then all were invited to sit down: tea was brought in and presented to each man, and the conversation commenced.
One tall, old gentleman was very quiet, and remained most of the time with his eyes closed and his hands clasped raised nearly to his chin, as if in prayer. He was Hsü― the chief or leading man of his clan― of whose conversion we will speak presently.
In the afternoon we commenced the work of examination of twenty-six candidates for baptism. This pleasant duty lasted till late in the evening. It was particularly pleasing to notice how heartily these simple village people believed the gospel. It was a practical experience with them. They knew what they believed, and gave good reasons for believing what they did believe. They knew well what they had been before the glad tidings of salvation reached them, and they had now for themselves proved the power of the gospel in their own hearts. Their intelligence concerning the practical truths of the Gospel and faith in the presence of a personal Saviour was highly gratifying, and would serve as an example to many a young convert in the home countries.
On the Monday morning we called the little church together under a mulberry tree. Nineteen of the candidates for baptism had been accounted in our judgment satisfactory; of the others some did not seem sufficiently clear as to their conversion, and these were asked to stand over for the time. There were some women among the nineteen, one, an old lady of seventy-two years of age, the mother of Hsiang the family. Two of her sons were among the Christians, and some of her grandchildren.
A small mountain stream runs not far from these cottages, and thither we proceeded in a body to baptize the new believers. What we were about to do had been noised abroad. Several people from the neighboring farmhouses had come to witness the proceedings. The spectators stood at a respectful distance on one side of the brook, whilst we took possession of a spot on the other―a sort of natural platform, made, as it might appear, specially for the occasion. It was a lovely day―the sun was shining brightly and the temperature probably ninety degrees in the shade. My brother missionary and I, by wearing large straw hats, such as are seen only in China, were well protected from the sun’s rays, and there, with the birds sweetly singing around us, and a bright blue sky above our heads, we all kneeled down, and several engaged in prayer, and offered praises to the one true and living God―the God of all the earth. We then led the old lady of seventy-two down into the water, and, with great joy, baptized her in the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost. The others followed in succession.
During all this time the native Christians were singing the Doxology, “Praise God, from whom all blessings flow,” and in a most extraordinary manner. They had never been taught to sing., and no two sang the same note together; indeed some were singing the second line when others were busy with the third, and others were finishing the fourth, whilst the quicker ones had begun again. But the words came from the heart, and each was making true melody in his heart to the Lord; and who shall say that it was not highly pleasing to Him whose Name they were so heartily praising?
The personal history of each one of those baptized would doubtless prove interesting to most of our readers, and, if space permitted, might be given with profit. The account of the conversion of Hsu is particularly interesting, and must not be omitted.
Hsü Kung-yin (Dignity being the surname, and Confucian Correctness, what we should call the Christian name) was a well-to-do man whose home was situated two hundred miles south of Ku-cheng. However, he owned most of the farms and cottages tenanted by the Christians at Ku-cheng. He was the chief man of his clan, numbering some 10,000 people, and upon him devolved the duty of officiating at the yearly sacrifices in the ancestral hall on behalf of himself and the family he represented. When he learned that some of his tenants and relatives in Ku-cheng were departing from the religion of their fathers and serving what to him was a strange God―the God of the Western Barbarians— he became most indignant, and threatened, that unless they at once gave up this new religion he would turn them all out of his farms and cottages. Forthwith he persecuted them in every possible way. Chen, the soldier, was a relative of “Dignity,” and because he refused to give up Christ and go back to Confucius he was deprived of a good deal of his property.
The old chief determined to enforce his threat, and when he again came round to collect his rents, the Christians were a little concerned to know how things would go with them. One thing, however, they saw clearly: they had found it commanded in the New Testament that they should love their enemies and pray for those who persecuted them. (Matt. 5:4444But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; (Matthew 5:44).) They, therefore, prayed that their landlord might repent and believe the gospel. Having talked the matter over among themselves, they resolved to challenge “Dignity” to compare the writings of the New Testament with the writings of Confucius, and to judge honestly between the two before so strongly renouncing Christianity. They asked, “What are your reasons for objecting to the gospel? Have you examined the teaching of Jesus? You cling to Confucius. What does he teach of God, of life, or of the way of salvation? Come and make comparison.”
Hsüaccepted the challenge, replying, “Very well; bring forth your New Testament, and I will bring, my classics. Let us compare them. I will soon show you your errors.”
A meeting was arranged, and “Dignity of Confucian Correctness” brought with him his brother “Dignity Possessing Joy,” and as both the men were Chinese scholars, and could quote the writings of Confucius by the chapter, they had no doubt of being able very quickly to discomfit the humble cottagers, few of whom could be considered in any way learned in the classics. However, these simple men were far beyond Confucian learning, for they could give a good reason for the hope that was in them (1 Peter 3:1515But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: (1 Peter 3:15).), and knew with certainty the reality of the great hereafter, which to Confucius was a matter far beyond himself. For, on being asked by one of his disciples on one occasion what he had to teach about the life to come, he replied, “Since we knew too little about the mysteries of this present life, how can we possibly know anything of the future?”
The Christians brought their New Testament, and the inquiry commenced. One of the first things which the chief did not fail to notice was, that the Christians knew their book well, and were able to find statements in it to support every proposition they brought forward, and, at the same time, they were able from their book to confute his own line of things, that men’s hearts are naturally good, and that so long as they obey the teaching of Confucius, honor their parents, and seek “not to do to others what you would not have others do to you,” they had no sin, and would, in virtue of their being Confucians, find future happiness.
The wealthy and learned Dignity soon began to find it less easy to show the Christians their errors than he had anticipated, and, before night came on, he confessed before them all, that he could see that the morality of the New Testament was superior to the morality of Confucius, and, added he, “I desire to be a Christian.”
He retired to search the Scriptures for himself, and the next day was found joining himself with those whom he had so recently persecuted, and became an earnest enquirer and a diligent student of the word of God.
Dignity’s brother was not at all ready to give up his long cherished devotion to Confucian teaching, and he loudly protested against the conduct of his brother, and declared that he never would become a Christian.
Honest convictions, such as had changed the mind of his brother, had no weight with him. However, God can work as He pleases, and “Dignity Possessing Joy” dreamed a dream. The God of the Christians spoke to him, and told him that the Christians were right. Accordingly, the next morning he went to the Christians, and, relating to them his dream, requested to be taught the way of salvation.
These things were to the Christians a source of great joy. Prayer had been heard, and he who formerly had persecuted them now sought to further the cause of Christ. For some time past the brethren had been needing a building in which to meet. Every house in the village was too small to contain them, and he no sooner ascertained this fact than he gave them a piece of land, and built them a hall upon it— a building in keeping with the mud and reed cottages in the village.
I have said that Hsü lived two hundred miles from Ku-cheng Tsih, and whilst he may have found it easy enough to confess Christ among his Christian tenants, it was a very different thing in his native place where everybody knew him and knew nothing whatever of Christianity, for they had not so much as heard the name of Christ. His friends accounted him mad; members of his own family refused even to speak to him, and at one time so severely was he persecuted that it was not safe for him to leave his house. But he remained faithful to Christ, and soon had the joy of seeing his eldest son brought under the power of the gospel. His son was his first convert One who has since lived some time with this noble old man writes, “He has wonderfully grown in grace, and his daily walk and conversation are most exemplary. His earnest desire is the salvation of his family, and already (a year after his conversion) there are six enquirers— relatives and neighbors— several of whom give good evidence of a work of grace having begun in their hearts.”
A. G. P.