"In tropical lands, when the rain comes, what was barren baked earth, in a
day or two is rich meadow, all ablaze with flowers, and the dry torrent
beds, where the stones lay white and glistening ghastly in the hot
sunshine, are foaming with rushing streams and fringed with budding
oleanders." Such a spiritual transformation it was the glad privilege of
our missionaries to witness in the region of Amoy during the years 1854 and
1855. Until then, to the eye of man only an occasional seed had burst its
way through the stone-crusted earth and given a shadow of harvest hope.
The first four years of prayer and testimony from 1842-1846 were definitely
and visibly rewarded with only two converts.
When Mr. Talmage arrived at Amoy in 1847 the total church membership was
three. By 1850 it had grown to five. By the end of 1851 the seed had
brought forth nearly fourfold. There were nineteen converts. This was the
harbinger of brighter days. Even during the troublous times of 1853 signs
of awakening appeared. In the midst of war and rumors of war the native
brethren had proposed to enter the "regions beyond" Chiangchiu and
Chinchew. The faithful preaching of Doty and Talmage in the chapels and on
the streets of Amoy city, among the towns and villages of Amoy Island and
the mainland; the apostolic labors of William Burns, whose joy it was to
sow beside all waters,-these had found acceptance with God and with the
people. Inquirers multiplied at the chapels. They came from among the
shopkeepers and boatmen of Amoy, from cities and towns along the arms of
the sea and up the inland rivers, from remote country hamlets beyond the
mountains.
Mr. Talmage's letters during 1854 and 1855 tell of the great awakening.
"This year (1854), thus far, has been one of unusual blessing, a year 'of
the right hand of the Most High.' Early in January, knowing that there were
a few individuals desirous of receiving Christian baptism, we appointed a
meeting for the examination of such, and also for personal conversation
with all others who might feel an especial interest in Christianity. We
were agreeably surprised to find the number of inquirers and candidates for
baptism much greater than we had supposed. We also found among the
inquirers an unusual tenderness of conscience, and sense of sinfulness, and
anxiety for the salvation of the soul. Seeing such evidence that the Holy
Spirit was shedding abroad His quickening influences among this people, we
appointed a similar interview for the week following.
"These meetings for the examination and instruction of inquirers we have
continued almost every week, and occasionally twice a week, till the
present time. Sometimes the inquirers present have numbered thirty or
forty, perhaps more. At times, moreover, the depth of feeling manifested
has been such that the eyes of every one present have been suffused with
tears. These meetings, we trust, have been very profitable, as well as
interesting."
"On Sabbath, March 26th, we were permitted to receive into the fellowship
of the Christian Church ten individuals, eight men and two women, the
eldest a widow woman aged sixty-eight, the youngest a young man aged
twenty." "On the last Sabbath in May, we again received nine persons, six
men and three women, the eldest an old man aged seventy-four, the youngest
a young man aged twenty-three."
"On the thirtieth of July (Sabbath), we again baptized nine others, four
men and five women, the eldest a widow aged fifty-one, the youngest a girl
aged sixteen. Thus the whole number of adults baptized by us at Amoy
during the present year, thus far, is twenty-eight."
He cites individual cases. Speaking of an aged widow he says:
"She lives at a village some fifteen miles or more from Amoy. Boats coming
from that place to this place land at a wharf near my house. On one
occasion, when she arrived here a few months ago, she resolved to come to
my house, and see how the foreigners lived. On entering, she was met by
the Christian who has charge of the chapel. He asked her business. She
said that she only came for amusement. He replied, 'This is not a place to
visit for amusement, but to hear the doctrine.' 'Well,' says she, 'then I
will hear the doctrine.' He explained to her something of the truths of
Christianity. He told her also that after breakfast I should be in the
chapel for morning worship. She went back to the neighbor's house whence
she had come, to wait until after breakfast. But the new doctrine which
she had heard, took so deep a hold on her mind, that she desired no
breakfast for herself. Soon she again came to hear more. She was deeply
impressed with the truth and importance of the things which she heard. She
reasoned with herself thus: 'The myriads of people I meet with do not know
what is in my heart, but these people tell me what is in my heart and in my
bones. This doctrine cannot be of man. It must be the great power of
God.' She was poor and lived at a distance from Amoy. She learned that
the Christian who had charge of the chapel was of the same surname with
herself. She inquired whether she might not come down next Saturday, and
lodge with his family. She said she would bring with her some dried
potatoes for her food. Of course her request was readily granted. From
that time to the present, she has come the whole distance from her village
to Amoy almost every week, in order to hear the Gospel. She has two sons
and one daughter. She has brought both her sons with her, desiring that
they also may become Christians. The eldest, aged seventeen, is among our
inquirers. She has also brought some of her neighbors with her to hear the
Word. She has met with much opposition and persecution; but so far as we
can learn, she has borne all with the meekness of a true disciple of
Christ. Since her baptism, she has rented a room in Amoy, that she may
live within sound of the Gospel. When she told me of this, I asked her how
she expected to maintain herself, and whether she thought she should be
able to earn a living at Amoy. She replied that she trusted in God. If
she could not get as good food as others, she would eat coarser food.
"There is still a goodly number of inquirers at Amoy. In our meeting for
conversation with them to-day; we met with two very affecting cases. They
are lads, the elder being in his seventeenth year, and the younger in his
thirteenth. Their parents and friends bitterly oppose them in their
determination to follow Christ.
"They have been severely beaten. The elder was severely scourged
yesterday. This morning he was again tied up in a very painful manner, and
beaten by his cruel father. He carried the marks of his sufferings on his
arms, which we saw. We were told that he had scars also on other parts of
his body. We trust that they are 'the marks of the Lord Jesus.' A
brother, still younger than themselves, we are told, also worships Jesus.
If they are, indeed, lambs of Christ's flock, the blessed Saviour will take
care of them; but their severe afflictions should call forth much sympathy
and prayer in their behalf.
"The conduct of our church members continues to give us much comfort. They
are not free from faults. They need much careful oversight and exhortation
and instruction. In consequence of this, our cares, anxieties, and labors
must necessarily increase as the converts increase. But if allowance be
made for their limited knowledge, only a short time having elapsed since
the most of them first heard the Gospel, there are probably but few
churches, even in our own beloved country, compared with which the
Christian character of this little flock would suffer. Were it not for the
Christian activity of our members, so many of them abounding in good works,
our operations here would necessarily be confined within much narrower
limits. Almost every one seems to be impressed with the truth, that he or
she is to improve every opportunity to speak a word for Christ. Many of
them are quite effective speakers. The heathen are often astonished to
hear men from the lower walks of life, who previously had not had the
benefit of any education, and are yet perhaps unable to read, speak with
such fluency, and reason with such power concerning the things of God, as
to silence all their adversaries, even though they be men of education."
Speaking of the awakening at Peh-chui-ia, a market-town once under our
care, now under the care of the English Presbyterians, Mr. Talmage
continues:
"We have been specially interested in their lively faith, their praying
spirit, their earnestness in the study of the Holy Scriptures, and, as a
consequence of all this, their joy in the Holy Ghost.
"The house first rented was found too small and uncomfortable for our work.
The adjoining house, of about the same size, and the upper part of the next
house, have since been rented, and doors opened through the walls. Thus we
have several rooms for lodging and conversation, and also for holding more
private meetings than we could in the chapel. The members and inquirers
spend the greater part of the Sabbath at the mission premises studying the
Scriptures, listening to the preaching of the Word, and in religious
conversation and prayer. They go home only for their meals, and some not
even for that. A part of them spend much of their time there in similar
employments on other days of the week. When we have been with them, we
have been much gratified by seeing their earnestness in the study of the
Scriptures. They are continually coming to us for explanation of passages
which they cannot understand. Often the voice of prayer will be heard from
all parts of the house at once. They are but babes in Christ; yet their
knowledge of the Scriptures is remarkable. We feel it good for our own
souls to be among them."
This market-town owed much to the earnest labors of Rev. W. C. Burns, whose
words and manner of life are still a fragrant memory among the brethren
there. He was the first English Presbyterian missionary to China. He
arrived in 1847. For the first four years he carried on evangelistic work
at Hongkong and Canton. He came to Amoy in 1851.
Mr. Talmage alludes to a family at Peh-chui-ia who had endured much for
Christ's sake.
"This family have been twice plundered. Once their house was set on fire
by a band of robbers, and everything was destroyed, themselves only
escaping with their lives by a remarkable providence." (So intense is the
hatred of some of the officials against Christianity that bold robberies
will take place with their connivance, sometimes at their instigation.)
"These afflictions seem to have been employed by the Spirit of God in
preparing their hearts for the reception of the Gospel. On the first
announcement of the Word, they were deeply impressed with its truth. The
father, however, had a hard struggle; and the opposition from his neighbors
was too much for him at the first. At one time, he resolved to run away
from the place altogether. At another time he meditated drowning himself.
While in this state of mind, he derived much benefit from the counsel and
earnest entreaties of his wife. She exhorted and besought him to exhibit
the meekness and endurance taught by the meek and suffering Saviour. He
who never suffers His people to be tempted above that they are able to
bear, at length raised him above the fear of man, and established his
goings. On one occasion, when we were conversing with him, it was
suggested that he might again be robbed. He replied that he did not
believe he should be, for he now trusted in God. We suggested, 'Perhaps
the very fact that you have turned from idols to the service of the true
God, may lead the enemies of the Gospel to band together and plunder you.'
He answered, 'I do not believe that they will. They will not, except it be
the will of God. If it be His will, I also am willing.' On one occasion
it was suggested that he might even be brought before magistrates because
of the Gospel. He answered that he had no anxiety on that subject. When
the time came the Holy Ghost would teach him what to speak. He has since
had his faith put to the test, but his confidence was not disappointed.
The enemies of the Gospel banded together to demand of him money as his
share of the expenses of some idolatrous celebration, resolving, if he
refused to pay the money, to plunder his establishment. A crowd collected
at his door to carry the resolution into effect. They made their demand
for the money. But he was enabled to speak to them with such power that
they trembled in his presence, it is said, and were glad to leave him
alone."
Mr. Talmage writes of the great change in a man notoriously wicked, who at
fifty-one years of age yielded to Christ.
"For thirty-one years he was addicted to the smoking of opium. When the
brethren first saw him, he seemed just ready to fall into the grave. He
also had a bad reputation throughout the town, being accustomed to meddling
with other people's business. He was a man of good natural abilities, and
the people feared him. He has given up his opium and his other vile
practices. His whole character seems to have undergone a change. He also
has been called, as have all the others in that town, to experience
persecution. His enemies are those of his own house. His opium-smoking,
and all his other wickedness, they could endure; but they cannot endure his
Christianity, his temperance, his meek and quiet spirit. One of my visits
to Peh-chui-ia was on the day after his friends had been manifesting,
especial opposition to him. I found him greatly rejoicing that he had been
called to suffer persecution for Christ's sake, and that he had been
enabled to bear it so meekly. He said the Holy Scriptures had been
verified, referring to Matthew v.11, 12. He said that he had been enabled
to preach the Gospel to those who had met to oppose him for two hours,
until his voice failed him. He was still quite hoarse from his much
speaking. He had told them of the change which he had experienced through
the power of the Holy Spirit on his heart; but he also said he knew they
could not understand his meaning, when he spoke of the work of the Holy
Spirit in the heart. If they would worship Jesus, however, and pray to the
Holy Spirit to change their hearts, as his had been changed, then they
would understand him."