A NEW VENTURE
IN WHICH IS RECORDED THE APPOINTMENT OF THE FIRST MISSIONARIES TO
HWOCHOW
THE first endeavour to bring the people of Hwochow within sound of the
Gospel proved in every way encouraging. Numbers of men entered the Opium
Refuge, and before long a nucleus of twenty were calling themselves
Christians. The effort was, however, sterile so far as women were
concerned, and Pastor Hsi knew the impossibility of establishing upon a
solid basis a work which left untouched those who so largely controlled
the home.
The power wielded by the woman in China is immense, for while she may be
despised and, in her young days, even ill-treated, her day of power
surely dawns, and woe betide the man who has to combat the determined
will of mother or wife.
The question of providing women workers for Hwochow became a pressing
one, and a visit from the Rev. Hudson Taylor was the occasion chosen by
Pastor Hsi to bring before him the urgency of this claim[3]. His
suggestion was that single women missionaries should be appointed who
could give their time unreservedly to the teaching of women, and
preaching. Mr. Taylor pointed out the difficulties and the
misunderstanding which would make their lot far from easy, but these
difficulties, Pastor and Mrs. Hsi felt, might be overcome, and willingly
promised to give all the help which lay within their power. In any case,
the claim of the women constituted a call to make a forward movement,
and Mr. Taylor promised to give the matter serious consideration. By the
end of that year, 1886, two Norwegian ladies had offered for the post.
Miss Jacobsen, an idealist, strong, capable, and critical, gave herself
whole-heartedly to the work for which she had come. Enthusiastic and
independent in thought and action, she soon acquired the spoken language
to a remarkable degree, and with a praiseworthy tenacity she studied the
classical works of the Chinese, and at the same time could vie with most
of the women in all branches of their domestic activities. Her
extraordinary ability is a byword to this day amongst the people who
knew her.
She was accompanied by Miss Reuter, a lady of education and refinement,
whose grace of manner and goodness of heart speedily endeared her to all
with whom she came in contact. Varied as were the gifts and
circumstances of the friends, they were one in desire and purpose. Their
home was one small room, and here they dwelt and received all who came
to them. They wore the Chinese dress, ate the Chinese food, and whether
in their own home or in the villages where they preached, ever kept
before them the one object of the salvation of souls.
As pioneer workers, enthusiasm sometimes overstepped discretion, and the
violation of Chinese custom in such matters as the public playing of
stringed instruments and open-air preaching to mixed congregations, led
to misunderstanding, and even to the gathering around them of some whose
presence was far from helpful.
Desire on the part of Miss Jacobsen to encourage in every way possible
those who were already faced with persecution as they left idolatry, led
to the preparation, each Sunday, of a simple meal which might be shared
with any who walked long distances to attend services in the City
Church, and who arrived weary and tired. Others, however, apart from the
Christian family heard of this, and if matters of business brought them
to the city, Sunday was considered an appropriate day to transact them,
as thereby dinner might be obtained free. This naturally led to
criticism on the part of the heathen, and many of the more independent
and self-respecting people refrained from intercourse with a community
of whom it could be said: "They believe for their food's sake." Acting
upon the advice of Pastor Hsi, this practice was discontinued, the
missionaries themselves willingly taking no food from morning until
evening, that all might fare alike. It could but be evident to all
concerned that the mistakes were those of love and enthusiasm, and such
qualities do much to counteract any harm that might arise from unwise
methods of expression. In every land, the world might well see more of
the love that defies criticism, and forgets its own interests in
whole-hearted devotion.
Miss Reuter felt the importance of at once reaching the children, and
opened a small school for the daughters of Christians. Three little
girls were committed to her care, and these she faithfully taught, not
despising the day of small things.
She, with Miss Jacobsen, travelled from village to village with the
evangelist Cheng Hsiu-chi, and preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Cheng was a native of Hwochow, and had, at Pastor Hsi's request, made
ready the house for the missionaries when they came. As a young man he
had wandered far in the paths of sin, and his mother, eager for his
reformation, had spent no mean sum of money upon incense with which to
seek the favour of the gods on his behalf. Seeing her devotion, his
heart was touched, and he considered seeking refuge in a Buddhist
monastery from the "fire of passion, hatred, and ignorance always
burning in his heart." With this in view, he took counsel of a friend
who had harboured similar ideals. This man had lately been a patient in
the Refuge, where he had learnt of a stronger power to break the bonds
of sin than fasting, penance, and self-discipline. With him Mr. Cheng
attended a meeting of Christians where, meeting with Christ, he became a
disciple. He returned home to face bitter persecution for refusing to
pay the temple taxes; it was understood that no robbery of his crops, or
ill-treatment of his person, would be punished by the village elders. He
had finally no option but to leave his home and seek refuge elsewhere,
rejoicing that he was counted worthy to suffer "for the Name's sake."
He then helped Pastor Hsi in the Hwochow Refuge, and later took charge
of the same work in new and hitherto untouched districts, returning from
time to time to his own city.
A strong admiration for Miss Jacobsen and her whole-hearted devotion
awoke a consciousness that this feeling was not entirely on his side,
and gradually, but surely, the difference of race and outlook was
obliterated in the love which revealed to each the other's secret.
Those to whom Miss Jacobsen in honour bound confided her purpose, did
all in their power to prevent what it seemed might prove to be a
catastrophe to the work. She was asked to leave Hwochow, and was sent to
another province. Some years passed, but nothing could change the
determination which saw in this union a possible wider sphere of
usefulness and understanding of the people she had come to love;
moreover, the mysterious something which caused her to know that "one
man loved the pilgrim soul" in her, could not be ignored. To her trusted
friend Pastor Hsi, however, she did turn for advice, and while many
fellow-workers found it hard to express their indignation and regret,
he, with a clearness of outlook only possible where there is absence of
prejudice, told her that while he could not regard it as a sin for a
Christian man and woman of different races to marry, he felt convinced
that the time had not come for such unions to be desirable.
As is usual in such cases where inclination runs contrary to the advice
given, the latter was ignored, and in the year 1898 Cheng Hsiu-chi and
Anna Jacobsen became man and wife. Painful as must have been the
attitude of Westerners to Mrs. Cheng, a greater trial awaited her when
she came to realise that the Chinese, both Christian and heathen,
regarded her action with disapproval, and adopted so unappreciative an
attitude both towards her husband and herself, that she found only
critical antagonism where she had looked for sympathetic understanding.
Mr. Cheng proved himself worthy in all ways of the confidence she had
placed in him, and by self-sacrificing toil he, both before and after
his wife's death, faithfully served the Lord to Whom he had yielded his
life. In the year 1915 he too passed to his reward.
Miss Reuter had some time previously married Mr. Stanley Smith; young
workers who had joined Miss Jacobsen for short periods had been moved to
other places, and when fresh appointments were made it was a time of
great difficulty. It was not easy to replace those whose absolute
devotion had won the love of the people amongst whom they lived; and
while Miss Jacobsen's action necessitated her withdrawal from the staff
of the China Inland Mission, and made further residence in Hwochow
impossible for her, they could not forget that she was the first
missionary who had come to them, and that they were losing with her the
man who had been a help to so many of them in their early Christian
life.
FOOTNOTE:
[3] It was on the occasion of this visit that Mr. Hsi was ordained
pastor.
THE CONTINUATION OF THE STORY
"Death is short, and life is long;
Satan is strong, and Christ more strong.
At His Word, Who hath led us hither,
The Red Sea must part hither and thither.
At His Word Who goes before us too,
Jordan must cleave to let us through."
C. ROSSETTI.
"On the other side of the River was also a meadow,
curiously beautified with lilies, and it was green
all the year round."--_Pilgrim's Progress._