March 17, 1851. To his brother, Goyn.
"I think the Chinese are very different in their religious feelings from
many other (perhaps from the most of other) heathen people. We have often
heard of the great sacrifices which the heathen of India will make and the
great sufferings they will impose on themselves in order to make atonement
for their sins and appease the anger of the gods. There may occasionally
be something of the kind among the Buddhists of China. But I rather
suppose that where there are any self-mortifications imposed (which is very
rare in this part of China), they are imposed to secure merit, not to atone
for sin. I do not remember ever to have met with an individual among the
Chinese who had any sense of sinfulness of heart, or even any remorse for
sinfulness of conduct except he was first taught it by the Gospel. It is
one of the most difficult truths to convey to their minds that they are
sinners against God. We have had a few inquirers who have expressed a deep
sense of sinfulness. But this sense of sinfulness has come from hearing
the Gospel. The way the most of those, whom we doubt not are true
Christians, have been led on seems to be as follows: They hear the Gospel,
presently they become convinced of its truth. Their first impulses then
seem to be those of joy and gratitude. They are like men who were born
blind, and had never mourned over their blindness, because they had no
notion of the blessing of sight. Presently their eyes begin to be opened
and they begin to see. They only think of the new blessings which they are
receiving, not of the imperfections which still remain in their vision. A
sense of these comes afterwards. Was not this sometimes the case in the
days of the apostles? It was not so on the day of Pentecost. The
multitude were 'pricked in their hearts' because the moment they were
convinced that Jesus was the Christ they were filled with a sense of their
wickedness in crucifying Him. So it is with persons in Christian lands
when their minds become interested in the truth; they are made to feel
their wickedness in so long resisting its influences. But the case seems
to have been different when Philip first carried the Gospel to Samaria. The
first effect there seems to have been that of 'great joy.'
"It seems to be thus in Amoy. The conviction of deep sinfulness comes by
meditating on the Gospel, the work of Christ, etc.
"It is the doctrine of the cross of Christ, after all, which should be the
theme of our discourses."
March 18, 1851. To his brother, Goyn.
"They say in regard to preaching, that when a man has nothing more to say
he had better stop. If this rule were carried out in conversation and
letter-writing, there would be much less said and written in the world,
than is now the case.
"You seem to think that we missionaries can sit down at any time and write
letters, always having enough matter that will be interesting to you at
home. This is a good theory enough, but facts do not always bear it out.
"Our missionary work moves on usually in the same steady manner without
many ups and downs or interesting episodes (rather a mixture of figures you
will say), which we think worthy of note. I wish you folks at home could
send us more men to drive on the work a little faster. The door of access
at Amoy still continues as wide open as ever, and now seems to be the time
for the Church to send her men and occupy the post, which the Master offers
to her. But the Church at home cannot, it seems, look at this matter as we
who are on the ground....