The mission workers hoped that a change in sovereigns would mean
no reaction; they scarcely expected more. But while King Mongkut
had “put no obstacle in the way,” King Chulalongkorn soon removed
the remaining obstacles by making effective the treaty provisions
even in the dependency of Lao. For it was the rapid development
of the work in that new station that precipitated a condition in
which the good offices of the new government alone saved the day.
Within two years of the beginning of work at Chiengmai the first
convert made a confession of faith, Nan Inta; and in seven months
more six others had received baptism. Then suddenly the virulence
of the king of Lao was manifested by the martyrdom of two of these
converts, put to death on his orders.
As the Lao state was subject to the king of Siam, and as the
government had given permission for the missionaries to work in
that dependency, appeal was taken promptly to the regent for
protection of the Lao missionaries whose lives were in danger.
The regent sent a commissioner with all dispatch to Chiengmai
with stringent orders to the Lao ruler that the missionaries
must receive the full protection guaranteed by the treaty
between Siam and the United States. Enraged by this invocation
of a higher authority, the Lao king declared that while the
missionaries might remain as the Siamese government had ordered,
yet they must not teach religion or make Christians; and openly
vowed his purpose to kill any of his people who should become
converts to the new religion. The situation had apparently become
impossible; and to gain time while deciding what course was best
under the circumstances, the work was suspended, and the workers
had virtually decided to leave in the spring. About that time,
however, the tyrant with a large suite left for Bangkok to attend
the cremation ceremonies of his late suzerain. While there he fell
sick, and before he could reach his Chiengmai capital he died. Upon
his death the supreme power within the province passed to the hands
of one kindly disposed to the missionaries.
In the same year as the death of the Lao king, 1870, a royal
proclamation was issued which appeared in part in the Bangkok
Calendar for the next year. This proclamation was a decree of
religious liberty. Apparently, although not of a certainty, it had
some connection with the recent affair among the Lao. A paragraph
from this proclamation shows the broadmindedness of the government
at that period:
“In regard to the concern of seeking and holding a religion
that shall be a refuge to yourself in this life, it is a
good concern and exceedingly appropriate and suitable that
you all—every individual of you—should investigate and
judge for himself according to his own wisdom. And when you
see any religion whatever, or any company of religionists
whatever, likely to be of advantage to yourself, a refuge in
accord with your own wisdom, hold to that religion with all
your heart. Hold it not with a shallow mind, with mere guess
work or merely because of its general popularity or from
mere traditional saying that it is the custom held from time
immemorial. And do not hold a religion that you have not good
evidence is true and then frighten men’s fears and flatter
their hopes thereby. Do not be frightened and astonished at
diverse fictitious events and hold to and follow them. When
you shall have obtained a refuge, a religious faith that
is good and beautiful and suitable, hold to it with great
joy and follow its teachings, and it will be a cause of
prosperity to each one of you.... It is our will that our
subjects of whatever race, nation or creed live freely and
happily in the kingdom, no man despising or molesting another
on account of religious difference, or any other difference
of opinion, custom or manners.”
Oddly enough, Dr. House, who seemed always to make mention of the
innovations of the progressive government under the new king, makes
no reference to this proclamation in his letters, nor does he
mention it in his chapter on the history of missions in _Siam and
Laos_. In this last named work, however, he states that on Sept.
29, 1878, the king of Siam issued “a proclamation establishing
religious toleration in Laos and by implication throughout all his
dominions.”
Early in 1871 an incident occurred which was fraught with great
consequence for native Christians, and one in which Dr. House’s
friendly intimacy with the high officials enabled him to render a
service of far-reaching consequence to the young native church.
One of the girls of the school, Ooey, shortly after she had made a
confession of faith, was called as a witness in court upon a suit
in behalf of another member of the church. It was then the custom
to allow the Chinese to take oath according to their religion;
but there was no provision in the law for the Christian oath.
When this young girl was asked to take the native oath, she told
the court boldly that she was a Christian and that she could not
take an oath based on the native religion; and she demanded to be
sworn upon her Christian faith. The court tried to induce her to
accede to custom, assuring her that it was but a harmless formula.
But she steadily refused, although she was an important witness,
the lack of whose testimony was greatly to the disadvantage of a
fellow-Christian. In consequence the case was suspended, in hopes
that she would change her attitude.
The matter was at once brought to the attention of Dr. House, who
recognised that the situation involved elements which were of
serious consequence to the religious rights of native Christians.
If compelled to take oath, it would infringe upon their conscience.
If not permitted to substitute the Christian oath, they would have
to forfeit their standing in the court in all cases. The doctor at
once sought an interview with the minister of foreign affairs, his
old friend and former Lieutenant-Governor of Petchaburi, and also
with the regent, an old-time friend. After laying before them the
nature of the case, an order was issued directing that a witness be
sworn by the faith to which he claimed allegiance. This action, so
far as appears, was the first step in the legal recognition of the
Christian faith on the part of the government.