April 6, 1852. To his brother, Goyn.
"I promised to give some account of the young man who was baptized on the
Sabbath before the last. His name is Khi (pronounced like the letter 'X'
of the Greek alphabet). Early last year I noticed a young man who began to
be quite regular in attending service at my chapel. I inquired of him
where he lived and why he came. He said he was employed in burning lime at
a lime-kiln not far off from my house. That I had met him in the street
and invited him to come to the chapel. Of this I remembered nothing, but I
often thus invite persons to come and hear the Gospel. He said he came in
consequence of that invitation. But having heard the doctrine, he found it
to be good, and had embraced it. This man has since been baptized. I soon
learned that he had been persuading his fellow-workmen to come along with
him. One of these workmen was Khi. He soon determined to obey the
doctrines of the Scriptures. One of these doctrines brought him into
immediate collision with his employer. This doctrine was, 'Remember the
Sabbath day to keep it holy.' He refused to work on the Sabbath day. His
employer told him if he did not work he would discharge him. Khi was not
to be moved from his determination and was finally dismissed. After a few
ineffectual efforts to get employment, he returned to visit his father's
family; They reside a day's journey from Amoy. While home he was taken
ill. It was two or three months before he returned again to Amoy. When he
came back I conversed with him concerning his conduct while away. He had
as yet but little knowledge of the doctrines of the Bible. But I was much
gratified at the simplicity of piety which his narration manifested. He
had not only endeavored to serve God himself, but had endeavored to
persuade others also to turn unto God. After his return, all his efforts
to get employment failed. I spoke to a mason who has done much work for
us, and who employs many workmen, and requested him to employ Khi for the
carrying of bricks and mortar and such work, if he had an opening for him.
He consented to do so and employed him for a short time. But Khi's fellow
workmen did not like his religion and succeeded in getting him discharged.
In consequence of the dampness of the climate, it is not safe for
foreigners to live on the first floor. We always live above stairs.
Therefore I have rooms in the lower part of my house unoccupied. Khi asked
me if he might sleep in one of these rooms. I of course consented. He had
no bed or bedding. I had some empty boxes in the room. He put these
together, and laid some straw and a straw mat on them for his bed. After
he was discharged by the mason, he endeavored to make a living by carrying
potatoes about the street for sale. His profits were from two to four
cents a day. He made no complaint. He lived on potatoes. Winter came on;
he had no means of buying clothing, or better food. The consequence was
that he became ill. The room in which he slept was directly under my
study. Almost every night I would hear his voice engaged in prayer, before
he retired to his straw. Sometimes he would pray for a long, long time.
The first thing in the morning again I would hear his voice in prayer. I
knew that he was destitute, but as he never complained, I knew not how
great his destitution was, and did not dare to help him lest it would throw
out inducements for others to profess Christianity. We are continually
compelled to guard against this danger. Many of these poor people would
profess Christianity for the sake of a living. One Sabbath evening I heard
his voice in prayer, much earlier than usual, and therefore it attracted
particular attention. Presently word came to me that Khi was ill. I went
down to see him. It made my heart bleed to see a fellow-creature in such
destitution, one, moreover, who I hoped was a brother in Christ Jesus. I
had had no idea that his destitution was so great. He seemed to be
suffering under a severe attack of colic. On inquiry as to how he usually
fared, I did not wonder that he was ill. I gave him a little medicine,
took means to get him warm and he was soon relieved.
"I then had some good food prepared for him. I was peculiarly struck with
the meekness and patience wherewith he bore his sufferings. There was not
a murmuring word from his lips, but many words of an opposite character.
The next day I called him into my study to give him a little money with
which to buy clothing and food. But I had great difficulty in persuading
him to take it. He said his sufferings were of no consequence. They were
much less than he deserved. The sufferings of this world were all only for
a short time. They were sent upon us to teach us not to love the world.
Much more he said to this effect. I had to call upon one of the native
converts to intercede with him, before he would take the money. But I must
not dwell on this subject longer. From what I have said about our
missionary work, you will understand why the missionary loves his work and
why he would not leave it for any other work, unless duty compels him."
"HE IS ONLY A BEGGAR."
Nov. 27, 1852. To the Sunday-school of the Reformed Church at Bound Brook,
New Jersey.
"There is very much poverty and misery among the heathen. They do not pity
each other and love each other as some Christians do. Those who have the
comforts of life seem to have very little pity for those who are destitute.
Therefore they have no poorhouses where the poor may be taken care of.
Consequently very many steal, very many beg, and very many starve to death.
In going from my house to church on the Sabbath I have counted more than
thirty beggars on the streets. The most of them were such pitiable looking
objects as you never saw. I have seen persons who are called beggars in
the United States, but I never saw a real beggar till I came to Amoy. Some
of them are covered with filth and a few filthy rags. Some of them are
without eyes, some without noses, some without hands, and some without
feet. Some crawl upon their hands and feet, some sit down in the streets
and shove themselves along, and some lie down end can only move along by
rolling over and over. On Sunday before last, while I was preaching, a
blind girl came into the chapel. She was led by a string attached to a boy
going before her. He could see, but could not walk. He crept along on his
hands and knees. A month or two ago, during a cold storm, late in the
evening, just as I was going to bed, I heard some one groaning by my front
door. I went out to see what was the matter. I found an old man with
white beard Iying in the mud and water, and with very little clothing. He
was shivering from cold. He was unable to speak. I had him carried into
my house, and covered over with some mats. We prepared some warm drink and
food for him, as speedily as possible, hoping that thus we might save his
life. But before we could get it ready he died. He had probably been
carried by some persons and laid at my door to die, that they might be free
from the trouble and expense of burying him.
"A week or two ago when walking through the streets I saw a beggar Iying a
little distance off. I inquired whether he was already dead. Some men,
who stood near, said 'Yes.' I then asked why they did not bury him. 'Oh,
he is of no use.' I inquired, 'Is he not a man ?' 'No,' they said, 'he is
only a beggar.' 'But,' I asked again, 'is he not still a man?' They
laughed and answered, 'Yes.' A few days after, walking with Mrs. Talmage
by the same place, we saw another beggar Iying nearly in the same spot. I
inquired of the persons who were near whether he was dead. They answered,
'Yes.' Close by sat a beggar who was still alive. He was scarcely grown
up. But his face was so deformed from suffering that we could not guess
his age. He held out his hands for alms. We gave him a few cash and went
on. The next day we passed that way again. We saw two beggars lying
together, both dead. We went to them. One was the lad to whom we gave the
cash the day previous. On Sunday in coming from church we again passed by
that sad spot, and there was still another beggar lying dead directly in
the road. This gives you, in part, a picture of what heathenism is."
Parts of two letters written in 1852 to his sister Catharine will prove
interesting.