Dr. House devoted a part of each day to street work. He had
previously in his walks about the city prepared an accurate map.
He now laid this off in districts and entered upon a plan of
systematic visitation to every house in the capital. This plan
afforded unusual opportunity to see the people in their homes and
to engage them in religious conversation.
“At 1 p. m. went out for a couple of hours distribution of
books. Met at a watt gate two old men. To one gave books;
the other said he was an old man (seventy-four); his ears
were deaf—he could scarcely hear; his eyes had become
dark—he could not see to read; and what should he do? He
seemed to wish to be instructed in the way of happiness, and
I stopped to tell him of the love of God. Then we walked
on together.... I could not part from him with Christ yet
unspoken of, and so in the road I stopped again, sheltered by
my umbrella only, till I had given him the idea of the Son of
God dying in the sinner’s place. I did not know or care what
passers-by might think, I only thought of the poor old man’s
need of the Saviour.
“My first visit was to a floating house where a Siamese lady
was sitting in the shade of the veranda.... She was glad to
get books—read fluently; said she already held to our way
of worship, and gave a specimen of chanting some part of the
Roman ritual.
“Next was sent for by a young prince to whose intelligent
family I had given books last week. He gave me tea, etc. The
woman at the next house said ‘Oh, yes, I would like books,’
and an interesting conversation ensued. She at once assented
to there being a Creator, and though probably had never heard
of one before, asked for His name. How happy I feel when
coming to one such I tell of the God of creation, and unfold
the wondrous story of redemption.
“At the next house found a clay modeler at work. He had a
book, and brought it to me—proved to be an English speller.
It had a hymn in praise of mother-love, also a church—, and
a Watt’s catechism. The latter I translated to him, giving me
an opportunity to give much religious instruction.”
This type of evangelistic work Dr. House very soon found to be
much to his liking, and was surprised at his own versatility in
religious conversation:
“I ought to bless God for giving me, as I believe I have,
some talent for entering into conversation with strangers,
introducing the great subject to those casually met. I was in
early youth sensible of a great lack of talent of this kind,
but cultivated it and now I am not the same I once was.... O,
Master, fill my heart with Thy love, and then my lips must
always and to all speak forth Thy praise.”
Occasionally he writes out an abstract of the conversation,
especially if it had shown particular thought on the part of the
interlocutor. A transcription of one of these entries will give a
good idea of how the missionary “preaches”:
“Going over into the palace of our prince, found several
Nai, intelligent headmen—one a Khun—gathered on the porch
of the audience hall. They invited me to sit down and answer
questions, ‘talk about religion’ they said.... Our religion
differs in this, for one thing; whereas your god Buddha was
originally a man who by merit attained to divinity, ours was
originally God, who took on him the nature of man. ‘But what
did he do that he might become God?’ they asked. So I told
of eternity and Jehovah. They asked if we were hired to come
over here; surprised we had no temple with idols; never was a
more excellent opportunity to make known God’s blessed truth,
or more respectful attention—all friendly, civil. And to
many, what I said had all the interest of novelty.... What
were God’s commandments? Is Jesus then the Son of God? Can
a Siamese man, if he repent, be saved? Can you become God,
will you become a God at last? Why did not God create all
men alike? Why must he needs try us on probation? In what
direction is hell?—these and innumerable similar questions
were proposed mostly in good faith. And grace was given me
and utterance to give what seemed a satisfactory answer to
most of them.”
On another day, passing through the grounds of a watt, he was
invited by a priest of his acquaintance to stop for a call. Tea
was made ready and a pleasant discussion of religion ensued in the
presence of several young priests:
“One thing he could not get over, we killed animals. Yes,
so do you, I told him; and explained about animalculæ in
water—promised to let him see them through my microscope
when it came.
“Transmigration endless! He told me that Buddha taught
that if any one took a needle and thrust it into the earth
anywhere in the wide world, and was to ask his teacher if
he had ever been there,—Yes, he had some time or other been
buried there! So of any given place on the earth’s surface.
(This beats geology for stupendous periods of time.)
“Buddha taught that time passed very slowly in hell; and he
illustrated it thus: Now 2,395 years since Gotama Buddha
died—all that time but as half an hour to those in hell.
“‘Let me see your god and I will believe,’ said some
onlooker. I asked him if he could see his own god? ‘Yes,’ he
replied. ‘Stop,’ said my host, ‘you had better say nothing of
that.’ But I went on to ask him if he worshipped brick and
mortar which could not lift its hand, nor see nor hear.
“They all thought Nippant (nirvana) preferable to
heaven—till I told of the assurance we had that ‘they go no
more out.’”