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diff --git a/old/63818-0.txt b/old/63818-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index f23143b..0000000 --- a/old/63818-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,13515 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook, A Half Century Among the Siamese and the -Lāo, by Daniel McGilvary - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - - - - -Title: A Half Century Among the Siamese and the Lāo - An Autobiography - - -Author: Daniel McGilvary - - - -Release Date: November 20, 2020 [eBook #63818] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - - -***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A HALF CENTURY AMONG THE SIAMESE -AND THE LĀO*** - - -E-text prepared by Brian Wilson, Barry Abrahamsen, and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images -generously made available by Internet Archive (https://archive.org) - - - -Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this - file which includes the original illustrations. - See 63818-h.htm or 63818-h.zip: - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/63818/63818-h/63818-h.htm) - or - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/63818/63818-h.zip) - - - Images of the original pages are available through - Internet Archive. See - https://archive.org/details/halfcenturyamong00mcgi - - -Transcriber’s note: - - Text that was in italics is enclosed by underscores - (_italics_). - - Text that was in bold face is enclosed by equal signs - (=bold=). - - - - - -A HALF CENTURY AMONG THE SIAMESE AND THE LĀO - - -[Illustration: - - Daniel McGilvary] - - -A HALF CENTURY AMONG THE SIAMESE AND THE LĀO - -An Autobiography - -By - -DANIEL McGILVARY, D.D. - -With an Appreciation by Arthur J. Brown, D.D. - -Illustrated - - -[Illustration] - - - - - - -New York Chicago Toronto -Fleming H. Revell Company -London and Edinburgh - -Copyright, 1912, by -Fleming H. Revell Company - -New York: 158 Fifth Avenue -Chicago: 125 N. Wabash Ave. -Toronto: 25 Richmond St., W. -London: 21 Paternoster Square -Edinburgh: 100 Princes Street - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - TO - MY WIFE - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - AN APPRECIATION - - -Missionary biography is one of the most interesting and instructive of -studies. It is, however, a department of missionary literature to which -Americans have not made proportionate contribution. The foreign -missionary Societies of the United States now represent more -missionaries and a larger expenditure than the European Societies, but -most of the great missionary biographies are of British and Continental -missionaries, so that many Americans do not realize that there are men -connected with their own Societies whose lives have been characterized -by eminent devotion and large achievement. - -Because I regarded Dr. McGilvary as one of the great missionaries of the -Church Universal, I urged him several years ago to write his -autobiography. He was then over seventy-five years of age, and I told -him that he could not spend his remaining strength to any better -advantage to the cause he loved than in preparing such a volume. His -life was not only one of unusual length (he lived to the ripe age of -eighty-three), but his missionary service of fifty-three years covered -an interesting part of the history of missionary work in Siam, and the -entire history, thus far, of the mission to the Lāo people of northern -Siam. There is no more fascinating story in fiction or in that truth -which is stranger than fiction, than the story of his discovery of a -village of strange speech near his station at Pechaburī, Siam, his -learning the language of the villagers, his long journey with his -friend, Dr. Jonathan Wilson, into what was then the unknown region of -northern Siam, pushing his little boat up the great river and pausing -not until he had gone six hundred miles northward and arrived at the -city of Chiengmai. The years that followed were years of toil and -privation, of loneliness and sometimes of danger; but the missionaries -persevered with splendid faith and courage until the foundations of a -prosperous Mission were laid. - -In all the marked development of the Lāo Mission, Dr. McGilvary was a -leader—the leader. He laid the foundations of medical work, introducing -quinine and vaccination among a people scourged by malaria and smallpox, -a work which has now developed into five hospitals and a leper asylum. -He began educational work, which is now represented by eight boarding -schools and twenty-two elementary schools, and is fast expanding into a -college, a medical college, and a theological seminary. He was the -evangelist who won the first converts, founded the first church, and had -a prominent part in founding twenty other churches, and in developing a -Lāo Christian Church of four thousand two hundred and five adult -communicants. His colleague, the Rev. Dr. W. C. Dodd, says that Dr. -McGilvary selected the sites for all the present stations of the Mission -long before committees formally sanctioned the wisdom of his choice. He -led the way into regions beyond and was the pioneer explorer into the -French Lāo States, eastern Burma, and even up to the borders of China. -Go where you will in northern Siam, or in many sections of the -extra-Siamese Lāo States, you will find men and women to whom Dr. -McGilvary first brought the Good News. He well deserves the name so -frequently given him even in his lifetime—“The Apostle to the Lāo.” - -It was my privilege to conduct our Board’s correspondence with Dr. -McGilvary for more than a decade, and, in 1902, to visit him in his home -and to journey with him through an extensive region. I have abiding and -tender memories of those memorable days. He was a Christian gentleman of -the highest type, a man of cultivation and refinement, of ability and -scholarship, of broad vision and constructive leadership. His -evangelistic zeal knew no bounds. A toilsome journey on elephants -through the jungles brought me to a Saturday night with the weary -ejaculation: “Now we can have a day of rest!” The next morning I slept -late; but Dr. McGilvary did not; he spent an hour before breakfast in a -neighbouring village, distributing tracts and inviting the people to -come to a service at our camp at ten o’clock. It was an impressive -service,—under a spreading bo tree, with the mighty forest about us, -monkeys curiously peering through the tangled vines, the huge elephants -browsing the bamboo tips behind us, and the wondering people sitting on -the ground, while one of the missionaries told the deathless story of -redeeming love. But Dr. McGilvary was not present. Seventy-four years -old though he was, he had walked three miles under a scorching sun to -another village and was preaching there, while Dr. Dodd conducted the -service at our camp. And I said: “If that is the way Dr. McGilvary -rests, what does he do when he works?” Dr. McKean, his associate of many -years, writes: - -“No one who has done country evangelistic work with Dr. McGilvary can -ever forget the oft-seen picture of the gray-haired patriarch seated on -the bamboo floor of a thatch-covered Lāo house, teaching some one to -read. Of course, the book faced the pupil, and it was often said that he -had taught so many people in this way that he could read the Lāo -character very readily with the book upside down. Little children -instinctively loved him, and it is therefore needless to say that he -loved them. In spite of his long snow-white beard, never seen in men of -this land and a strange sight to any Lāo child, the children readily -came to him. Parents have been led to God because Dr. McGilvary loved -their children and laid his hands upon them. In no other capacity was -the spirit of the man more manifest than in that of a shepherd. Always -on the alert for every opportunity, counting neither time nor distance -nor the hardship of inclement weather, swollen streams, pathless jungle, -or impassable road, he followed the example of his Master in seeking to -save the lost. His very last journey, which probably was the immediate -cause of his last illness, was a long, wearisome ride on horseback, -through muddy fields and deep irrigating ditches, to visit a man whom he -had befriended many years ago and who seemed to be an inquirer.” - -Dr. McGilvary was pre-eminently a man who walked with God. His piety was -not a mere profession, but a pervasive and abiding force. He knew no -greater joy than to declare the Gospel of his blessed Lord to the people -to whose up-lifting he had devoted his life. “If to be great is ‘to take -the common things of life and walk truly among them,’ he was a great -man—great in soul, great in simplicity, great in faith and great in -love. Siam is the richer because Daniel McGilvary gave her fifty-three -years of unselfish service.” Mrs. Curtis, the gifted author of _The Laos -of North Siam_, says of Dr. McGilvary: “Neither Carey nor Judson -surpassed him in strength of faith and zeal of purpose; neither Paton -nor Chalmers has outranked him in the wonders of their achievements, and -not one of the other hundreds of missionaries ever has had more evidence -of God’s blessing upon their work.” - -Not only the missionaries but the Lāo people loved him as a friend and -venerated him as a father. Some of his intimate friends were the abbots -and monks of the Buddhist monasteries and the high officials of the -country. No one could know him without recognizing the nobility of soul -of this saintly patriarch, in whom was no guile. December 6th, 1910, -many Americans and Europeans celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of his -marriage. The King of Siam through Prince Damrong, Minister of the -Interior, sent a congratulatory message. Letters, telegrams, and gifts -poured in from many different places. The Christian people of the city -presented a large silver tray, on which was engraved: “The Christian -people of Chiengmai to Dr. and Mrs. McGilvary, in memory of your having -brought the Gospel of Jesus Christ to us forty-three years ago.” The -tray showed in relief the old rest-house where Dr. and Mrs. McGilvary -spent their first two years in Chiengmai, the residence which was later -their home of many years, the old dilapidated bridge, and the handsome -new bridge which spans the river opposite the Christian Girls’ -School—thus symbolizing the old and the new eras. - -The recent tours of exploration by the Rev. W. Clifton Dodd, D.D., and -the Rev. John H. Freeman have disclosed the fact that the Lāo peoples -are far more numerous and more widely distributed than we had formerly -supposed. Their numbers are now estimated at from twelve to sixteen -millions, and their habitat includes not only the Lāo States of northern -Siam but extensive regions north and northeastward in the Shan States, -Southern China, and French Indo-China. The evangelization of these -peoples is, therefore, an even larger and more important undertaking -than it was understood to be only a few years ago. All the more honour, -therefore, must be assigned to Dr. McGilvary, who laid foundations upon -which a great superstructure must now be built. - -Dr. McGilvary died as he would have wished to die and as any Christian -worker might wish to die. There was no long illness. He continued his -great evangelistic and literary labours almost to the end. Only a short -time before his death, he made another of his famous itinerating -journeys, preaching the Gospel to the outlying villages, guiding -perplexed people and comforting the sick and dying. He recked as little -of personal hardship as he had all his life, thinking nothing of hard -travelling, simple fare, and exposure to sun, mud, and rain. Not long -after his return and after a few brief days of illness, he quietly “fell -on sleep,” his death the simple but majestic and dignified ending of a -great earthly career. - -The Lāo country had never seen such a funeral as that which marked the -close of this memorable life. Princes, Governors, and High Commissioners -of State sorrowed with multitudes of common people. The business of -Chiengmai was suspended, offices were closed, and flags hung at -half-mast as the silent form of the great missionary was borne to its -last resting-place in the land to which he was the first bringer of -enlightenment, and whose history can never be truly written without -large recognition of his achievements. - -Fortunately, Dr. McGilvary had completed this autobiography before his -natural powers had abated, and had sent the manuscript to his -brother-in-law, Professor Cornelius B. Bradley of the University of -California. Dr. Bradley, himself a son of a great missionary to Siam, -has done his editorial work with sympathetic insight. It has been a -labour of love to him to put these pages through the press, and every -friend of the Lāo people and of Dr. McGilvary is his debtor. The book -itself is characterized by breadth of sympathy, richness of experience, -clearness of statement, and high literary charm. No one can read these -pages without realizing anew that Dr. McGilvary was a man of fine mind, -close observation, and descriptive gifts. The book is full of human -interest. It is the story of a man who tells about the things that he -heard and saw and who tells his story well. I count it a privilege to -have this opportunity of commending this volume as one of the books -which no student of southern Asia and of the missionary enterprise can -afford to overlook. - - ARTHUR J. BROWN. - -156 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - PREFACE - - -Years ago, in the absence of any adequate work upon the subject, the -officers of our Missionary Board and other friends urged me to write a -book on the Lāo Mission. Then there appeared Mrs. L. W. Curtis’ -interesting volume, _The Laos of North Siam_, much to be commended for -its accuracy and its valuable information, especially in view of the -author’s short stay in the field. But no such work exhausts its subject. - -I have always loved to trace the providential circumstances which led to -the founding of the Lāo Mission and directed its early history. And it -seems important that before it be too late, that early history should be -put into permanent form. I have, therefore, endeavoured to give, with -some fulness of detail, the story of the origin and inception of the -Mission, and of its early struggles which culminated in the Edict of -Religious Toleration. And in the later portions of the narrative I have -naturally given prominence to those things which seemed to continue the -characteristic features and the personal interest of that earlier period -of outreach and adventure, and especially my long tours into the -“regions beyond.” - -The appearance during the past year of Rev. J. H. Freeman’s _An Oriental -Land of the Free_, giving very full and accurate information regarding -the present status of the Mission, has relieved me of the necessity of -going over the same ground again. I have, therefore, been content to -draw my narrative to a close with the account of my last long tour in -1898. - -The work was undertaken with many misgivings, since my early training -and the nature of my life-work have not been the best preparation for -authorship. I cherished the secret hope that one of my own children -would give the book its final revision for the press. But at last an -appeal was made to my brother-in-law, Professor Cornelius B. Bradley of -the University of California, whose birth and years of service in Siam, -whose broad scholarship, fine literary taste, and hearty sympathy with -our missionary efforts indicated him as the man above all others best -qualified for this task. His generous acceptance of this work, and the -infinite pains he has taken in the revision and editing of this book, -place me under lasting obligations to him. - -I wish to acknowledge my indebtedness to Dr. W. A. Briggs and to Rev. J. -H. Freeman for the use of maps prepared by them, and to Dr. Briggs and -others for the use of photographs. - - DANIEL MCGILVARY. - - April 6, 1911, - - CHIENGMAI. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - NOTE BY THE EDITOR - - -The task which has fallen to me in connection with this book, was -undertaken as a labour of love; and such it seems to me even more, now -that it ends in sadness of farewell. It has not been an easy task. The -vast spaces to be traversed, and the months of time required before a -question could receive its answer, made consultation with the author -almost impossible. And the ever-present fear that for him the night -might come before the work could receive a last revision at his hands, -or even while he was still in the midst of his story, led me continually -to urge upon him the need of persevering in his writing—which was -evidently becoming an irksome task—and on my part to hasten on a -piecemeal revision as the chapters came to hand, though as yet I had no -measure of the whole to guide me. - -It is, therefore, a great comfort to know that my urgency and haste were -not in vain; that all of the revision reached him in time to receive his -criticism and correction—though his letter on the concluding chapter -was, as I understand, the very last piece of writing that he ever did. -How serene and bright it was, and with no trace of the shadow so soon to -fall! - -But the draft so made had far outgrown the possible limits of -publication, and was, of course, without due measure and proportion of -parts. In the delicate task of its reduction I am much indebted to the -kind suggestions of the Rev. Arthur J. Brown, D.D., and the Rev. A. W. -Halsey, D.D., Secretaries of the Board of Foreign Missions of the -Presbyterian Church, and of the Rev. W. C. Dodd, D.D., of the Lāo -Mission, who, fortunately, was in this country, and who read the -manuscript. For what appears in this book, however, I alone must assume -the responsibility. “An autobiography is a personal book, expressive of -personal opinion.” And whether we agree with them or not, the opinions -of a man like Dr. McGilvary, formed during a long lifetime of closest -contact with the matters whereof he speaks, are an essential part not -only of the history of those matters, but of the portrait of the man, -and far more interesting than any mere details of events or scenes. On -all grave questions, therefore, on which he has expressed his deliberate -opinion, I have preferred to err on the side of inclusion rather than -exclusion. - - * * * * * - -The plan adopted in this volume for spelling Siamese and Lāo words is -intended to make possible, and even easy, a real approximation to the -native pronunciation. Only the tonal inflections of native speech and -the varieties of aspiration are ignored, as wholly foreign to our usage -and, therefore, unmanageable. - -The consonant-letters used and the digraphs _ch_ and _ng_ have their -common English values. - -The vowels are as follows: - - Long ā as in _father_ - ē as in _they_ - ī as in _pique_ - ō as in _rode_ - ū as in _rude_, _rood_ - aw as in _lawn_ - ê as in _there_ (without the _r_) - ô as in _world_ (without the _r_) - û is the _high-mixed_ vowel, not found in English. - It may be pronounced as u. - - Short a as in _about_ (German _Mann_)—_not_ as in _hat_. - e as in _set_ - i as in _sit_ - o as in _obey_ (N. Eng. _coat_)—_not_ as in _cot_. - u as in _pull_, _foot_—_not_ as in _but_. - -The last four long vowels have also their corresponding shorts, but -since these rarely occur, it has not been thought worth while to burden -the scheme with extra characters to represent them. - -The diphthongs are combinations of one of these vowels, heavily -stressed, and nearly always long in quantity—which makes it seem to us -exaggerated or drawled—with a “vanish” of short _i_, _o_, (for _u_), or -_a_. _ai_ (= English long i, y) and _ao_ (= English _ow_) are the only -diphthongs with short initial element, and are to be distinguished from -_āi_ and _āo_. In deference to long established usage in maps and the -like, _ie_ is used in this volume where _ia_ would be the consistent -spelling, and _oi_ for _awi_. - - * * * * * - -A word remains to be said concerning the name of the people among whom -Dr. McGilvary spent his life. That name has suffered uncommonly hard -usage, especially at the hands of Americans, as the following brief -history will show. Its original form in European writing was _Lāo_, a -fairly accurate transcription by early French travellers of the name by -which the Siamese call their cousins to the north and east. The word is -a monosyllable ending in a diphthong similar to that heard in the proper -names _Macāo_, _Mindanāo_, _Callāo_. In French writing the name often -appeared in the plural form, _les Laos_; the added _s_, however, being -silent, made no difference with the pronunciation. This written plural, -then, it would seem, English-speaking people took over without -recognizing the fact that it was only plural, and made it their standard -form for all uses, singular as well as plural. With characteristic -ignorance or disregard of its proper pronunciation, on the mere basis of -its spelling, they have imposed on it a barbarous pronunciation of their -own—_Lay-oss_. It is to be regretted that the usage of American -missionaries has been most effective in giving currency and countenance -to this blunder—has even added to it the further blunder of using it as -the name of the region or territory, as well as of the people. But the -word is purely ethnical—a proper adjective like our words _French_ or -_English_, and, like these, capable of substantive use in naming either -the people or their language, but not their land. Needless to say, these -errors have no currency whatever among European peoples excepting the -English, and they have very little currency in England. It seems high -time for us of America to amend not only our false pronunciation, but -our false usage, and the false spelling upon which these rest. In -accordance with the scheme of spelling adopted in this work, the _a_ of -the name Lāo is marked with the macron to indicate its long quantity and -stress. - - CORNELIUS BEACH BRADLEY. - - BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, - - December, 1911. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CONTENTS - - - I. CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH 19 - - II. MINISTERIAL TRAINING 35 - - III. BANGKOK 43 - - IV. PECHABURĪ—THE CALL OF THE 53 - NORTH - - V. THE CHARTER OF THE LĀO MISSION 66 - - VI. CHIENGMAI 77 - - VII. PIONEER WORK 84 - - VIII. FIRST-FRUITS 95 - - IX. MARTYRDOM 102 - - X. THE ROYAL COMMISSION 118 - - XI. DEATH OF KĀWILŌROT 130 - - XII. THE NEW RÉGIME 140 - - XIII. EXPLORATION 150 - - XIV. FIRST FURLOUGH 160 - - XV. MÛANG KÊN AND CHIENG DĀO 169 - - XVI. SEEKERS AFTER GOD 180 - - XVII. THE RESIDENT COMMISSIONER 191 - - XVIII. WITCHCRAFT 199 - - XIX. THE EDICT OF RELIGIOUS 207 - TOLERATION - - XX. SCHOOLS—THE NINE YEARS’ 221 - WANDERER - - XXI. SECOND FURLOUGH 236 - - XXII. A SURVEYING EXPEDITION 244 - - XXIII. EVANGELISTIC TRAINING 255 - - XXIV. STRUGGLE WITH THE POWERS OF 266 - DARKNESS - - XXV. CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES PLANTED 276 - - XXVI. A FOOTHOLD IN LAMPŪN 289 - - XXVII. A PRISONER OF JESUS CHRIST 300 - - XXVIII. CIRCUIT TOUR WITH MY DAUGHTER 308 - - XXIX. LENGTHENING THE CORDS AND 320 - STRENGTHENING THE STAKES - - XXX. AMONG THE MŪSÔ VILLAGES—FAMINE 338 - - XXXI. CHIENG RUNG AND THE SIPSAWNG 353 - PANNĀ - - XXXII. THIRD FURLOUGH—STATION AT 370 - CHIENG RĀI - - XXXIII. THE REGIONS BEYOND 386 - - XXXIV. THE CLOSED DOOR 402 - - XXXV. CONCLUSION 413 - - INDEX 431 - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - ILLUSTRATIONS - - - DANIEL MCGILVARY _Frontispiece_ - - WILLIAM J. BINGHAM 30 - - MAHĀ MONKUT, KING OF SIAM, 1851-1872 48 - - PAGODA OF WAT CHÊNG, BANGKOK 56 - - REV. DAN BEACH BRADLEY, M.D., 1872 70 - - KĀWILŌROT, PRINCE OF CHIENGMAI (ABOUT 70 - 1869) - - A REST BETWEEN RAPIDS IN THE GORGE OF 76 - THE MÊ PING RIVER - - POLING UP THE MÊ PING RIVER 76 - - TEMPLE OF THE OLD TĀI STYLE OF 82 - ARCHITECTURE, CHIENGMAI - - A CREMATION PROCESSION 146 - - INTERIOR OF A TEMPLE, PRÊ 158 - - AN ABBOT PREACHING 188 - - INTANON, PRINCE OF CHIENGMAI 202 - - ELDER NĀN SUWAN 202 - - DR. MCGILVARY, 1881 238 - - MRS. MCGILVARY, 1881 238 - - CHULALONGKORN, KING OF SIAM, 1872-1910 242 - - PRESBYTERY, RETURNING FROM MEETING IN 264 - LAKAWN - - MARKET SCENE IN CHIENGMAI 274 - - IN THE HARVEST-FIELD 274 - - GIRLS’ SCHOOL IN CHIENGMAI, 1892 284 - - REV. JONATHAN WILSON, D.D., 1898 294 - - FIRST CHURCH IN CHIENGMAI 318 - - DR. MCGILVARY’S HOME IN CHIENGMAI 318 - - MRS. MCGILVARY, 1893 332 - - MŪSÔ PEOPLE AND HUT NEAR CHIENG RAI 348 - - GROUP OF YUNNAN LĀO 356 - - PHYA SURA SIH, SIAMESE HIGH COMMISSIONER 384 - FOR THE NORTH - - HIS MAJESTY, MAHĀ VAJIRAVUDH, KING OF 424 - SIAM - - DR. AND MRS. MCGILVARY, FIFTY YEARS 428 - AFTER THEIR MARRIAGE - - MAP OF NORTHERN SIAM SHOWING MISSION 326 - STATIONS - - MAP OF SIAM 430 - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - I - - CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH - - -Heredity and early environment exercise such a determining influence in -forming a man’s character and shaping his destiny that, without some -knowledge of these as a clew, his after-life would often be -unintelligible. And beyond these there is doubtless a current of events, -directing the course of every man’s life, which no one else can see so -clearly as the man himself. In the following review of my early life, I -have confined myself, therefore, to those events which seem to have led -me to my life-work, or to have prepared me for it. - -By race I am a Scotsman of Scotsmen. My father, Malcom McGilvary, was a -Highland lad, born in the Isle of Skye, and inheriting the marked -characteristics of his race. In 1789, when Malcom was eleven years old, -my grandfather brought his family to the United States, and established -himself in Moore County, North Carolina, on the headwaters of the Cape -Fear River. The McGilvarys had but followed in the wake of an earlier -immigration of Scottish Highlanders, whose descendants to this day form -a large proportion of the population of Moore, Cumberland, Richmond, -Robeson, and other counties of North Carolina. My father’s brothers -gradually scattered, one going to the southwestern, and two to the -northwestern frontier. My father, being the youngest of the family, -remained with his parents on the homestead. The country was then -sparsely settled; communication was slow and uncertain. The scattered -members of the family gradually lost sight of one another and of the -home. My mother belonged to the McIver clan—from the same region of the -Scottish Highlands, and as numerous in North Carolina as the McGilvarys -were scarce. She was born in this country not long after the arrival of -her parents. - -I was born May 16th, 1828, being the youngest of seven children. As soon -after my birth as my mother could endure the removal, she was taken to -Fayetteville, thirty-five miles distant, to undergo a dangerous surgical -operation. The journey was a trying one. Anæsthetics were as yet -unknown. My poor mother did not long survive the shock. She died on the -23d of November of that year. - -Since feeding-bottles were not then in use, the motherless infant was -passed around to the care of aunts and cousins, who had children of like -age. Two aunts in particular, Catharine McIver and Margaret McNeill, and -a cousin, Effie McIver, always claimed a share in me for their motherly -ministrations till, at last, I could be turned over to my sister Mary. -She, though but six years my senior, was old beyond her years; and the -motherly care with which she watched over her little charge was long -remembered and spoken of in the family. - -When I was four years old, my father married his second wife, Miss Nancy -McIntosh. The next nine years, till my father’s death, June 8th, 1841, -were spent in the uneventful routine of a godly family in a country -home. My father’s rigid ideas of family discipline were inherited from -his Presbyterian ancestors in Scotland, and his own piety was of a -distinctly old-school type. He was a ruling elder in the church at -Buffalo, Fayetteville Presbytery, in which office he was succeeded by my -brother, Evander, and three others of his sons became elders in other -churches. No pressure of business was ever allowed to interfere with -family worship night and morning. A psalm or hymn from the old village -hymnbook always formed part of the service. My father was an early -riser, and, in the winter time, family worship was often over before the -dawn. Almost every spare moment of his time he spent in reading Scott’s -Family Bible, the Philadelphia _Presbyterian_, or one of the few books -of devotion which composed the family library. The special treasure of -the book-case was the great quarto Illustrated Family Bible, with the -Apocrypha and Brown’s Concordance, published by M. Carey, Philadelphia, -1815. It was the only pictorial book in the library, and its pictures -were awe-inspiring to us children—especially those in the Book of -Revelation:—The Dragon Chained, The Beast with Seven Heads and Ten -Horns, and the Vision of the Four Seals. These and the solemn themes of -Russell’s _Seven Sermons_—which on rainy days I used to steal away by -myself to read—made a profound impression on me. - -Scottish folk always carry the school with the kirk. Free schools were -unknown; but after the crops were “laid by,” we always had a -subscription school, in which my father, with his large family, had a -leading interest. The teacher “boarded around” with the pupils. Our -regular night-task was three questions and answers in the Shorter -Catechism—no small task for boys of ten or twelve years. My memory of -the Catechism once stood me in good stead in after-life. When examined -for licensure by the Orange Presbytery, I was asked, “What is man’s -state by nature?” In reply I gave the answers to the nineteenth and -twentieth questions in the Catechism. A perceptible smile passed over -the faces of many of the presbyters, and Father Lynch said, “He is right -on the Catechism. He will pass.” In those days to be “right on the -Catechism” would atone for many failures in Hodge or Turretin. - -The church was at the village of Buffalo, four miles from our home, but -no one of the family was expected to be absent from the family pew on -“the Sabbath.” Carriages were a later luxury in that region. Our two -horses carried father and mother, with the youngest of the little folks -mounted behind, till he should be able to walk with the rest. - -The great event of the year was the camp-meeting at the Fall Communion. -It served as an epoch from which the events of the year before and after -it were dated. For weeks before it came, all work on the farm was -arranged with reference to “Buffalo Sacrament”—pronounced with long a in -the first syllable. It was accounted nothing for people to come fifteen, -twenty, or even forty miles to the meetings. Every pew-holder had a -tent, and kept open house. No stranger went away hungry. Neighbouring -ministers were invited to assist the pastor. Services began on Friday, -and closed on Monday, unless some special interest suggested the wisdom -of protracting them further. The regular order was: A sunrise -prayer-meeting, breakfast, a prayer-meeting at nine, a sermon at ten, an -intermission, and then another sermon. The sermons were not accounted of -much worth if they were not an hour long. The pulpit was the tall -old-fashioned boxpulpit with a sounding-board above. For want of room in -the church, the two sermons on Sunday were preached from a stand in the -open air. At the close of the second sermon the ruling elders, stationed -in various parts of the congregation, distributed to the communicants -the “tokens,”[1] which admitted them to the sacramental table. Then, in -solemn procession, the company marched up the rising ground to the -church, singing as they went: - - “Children of the Heavenly King, - As ye journey sweetly sing.” - -Footnote 1: - - The “token” was a thin square piece of lead stamped with the initial - letter of the name of the church. - -It was a beautiful sight, and we boys used to climb the hill in advance -to see it. When the audience was seated, there was a brief introductory -exercise. Then a hymn was sung, while a group of communicants filled the -places about the communion table. There was an address by one of the -ministers, during the progress of which the bread and the wine were -passed to the group at the table. Then there was singing again, while -the first group retired, and a second group took its place. The same -ceremony was repeated for them, and again for others, until all -communicants present had participated. The communion service must have -occupied nearly two hours. One thing I remember well—when the children’s -dinner-time came (which was after all the rest had dined), the sun was -low in the heavens, and there was still a night service before us. -Notwithstanding some inward rebellion, it seemed all right then. But the -same thing nowadays would drive all the young people out of the church. - -With some diffidence I venture to make one criticism on our home life. -The “Sabbath” was too rigidly observed to commend itself to the judgment -and conscience of children—too rigidly, perhaps, for the most healthy -piety in adults. It is hard to convince boys that to whistle on Sunday, -even though the tune be “Old Hundred,” is a sin deserving of censure. An -afternoon stroll in the farm or the orchard might even have clarified my -father’s vision for the enjoyment of his Scott’s Bible at night. It -would surely have been a means of grace to his boys. But such was the -Scottish type of piety of those days, and it was strongly held. The -family discipline was of the reserved and dignified type, rather than of -the affectionate. Implicit obedience was the law for children. My father -loved his children, but never descended to the level of familiarity with -them when young, and could not sympathize with their sports. - -But dark days were coming. Brother John Martin presently married and -moved west. In August, 1840, an infant sister died of quinsy—the first -death I ever witnessed. On June 8th, 1841, the father and “house-bond” -of the family was taken away. The inheritance he left his children was -the example of an upright, spotless life—of more worth than a legacy of -silver and gold. These we might have squandered, but that was -inalienable. - -At thirteen, I was small for my age—too small to do a man’s work on the -farm; and there was no money with which to secure for me an education. -Just then occurred one of those casual incidents which often determine -the whole course of one’s life. Mr. Roderick McIntosh, one of my -mother’s cousins, being disabled for hard work on the farm, had learned -the tailor’s trade, and was then living in the village of Pittsboro, -twenty-one miles away. His father was a neighbour of ours, and a man -after my father’s own heart. The two families had thus always been very -intimate. While the question of my destiny was thus in the balance, this -cousin, one day, while on a visit to his father, called at our house. He -had mounted his horse to leave, when, turning to Evander, he asked, -“What is Dan’l going to do?” My brother replied, “There he is; ask him.” -Turning to me, he said, “Well, Dan’l, how would you like to come and -live with me? I will teach you a trade.” I had never thought of such a -thing, nor had it ever been mentioned in the family. But somehow it -struck me favourably. Instinctively I replied, “I believe I should like -it.” A life-question could not have been settled more fortuitously. But -it was the first step on the way to Siam and the Lāo Mission. - -On the last day of August, 1841, I bade farewell to the old home, with -all its pleasant associations. Every spot of it was dear, but never so -dear as then. Accompanied by my brother Evander, each of us riding one -of the old family horses, I started out for my new home. The departure -was not utterly forlorn, since Evander was still with me. But the -parting from him, as he started back next day, was probably the hardest -thing I had ever experienced. I had to seek a quiet place and give vent -to a flood of tears. For a time I was inexpressibly sad. I realized, as -never before, that I was cut loose from the old moorings—was alone in -the world. But the sorrows of youth are soon assuaged. No one could have -received a warmer welcome in the new home than I did. There were two -children in the family, and they helped to fill the void made by the -separation. - -Pittsboro was not a large village, but its outlook was broader than that -of my home. The world seemed larger. I myself felt larger than I had -done as a country boy. I heard discussion of politics and of the -questions of the day. The county was strongly Whig, but Mr. McIntosh was -an unyielding Democrat, and as fond of argument as a politician. -According to southern custom, stores and shops were favourite resorts -for passing away idle time, and for sharpening the wits of the -villagers. The recent Presidential campaign of 1840 furnished unending -themes for discussion in our little shop. - -There was no Presbyterian church in Pittsboro at that time. The -church-going population was divided between the Methodist and the -Episcopalian churches, the former being the larger. With my cousin’s -family I attended the Methodist church. On my first Sunday I joined the -Methodist Sunday School, and that school was the next important link in -my chain of life. Its special feature was a system of prizes. A certain -number of perfect answers secured a blue ticket; ten of these brought a -yellow ticket; and yellow tickets, according to the number of them, -entitled the possessor to various prizes—a hymnbook, a Bible, or the -like. On the first Sunday I was put into a class of boys of my own age, -at work on a little primer of one hundred and six questions, all -answered in monosyllables. By the next Sunday I was able to recite the -whole, together with the Lord’s Prayer and the Apostles’ Creed at the -end. It was no great feat; but the teacher and the school thought it -was. So, on the strength of my very first lesson, I got a yellow ticket, -and was promoted to the next higher class. That stimulated my ambition, -and I devoted my every spare hour to study. The next book was one of -questions and answers on the four Gospels. They were very easy; I was -able to commit to memory several hundred answers during the week. In a -few Sundays I got my first prize; and it was not long before I had -secured all the prizes offered in the school. What was of far more value -than the prizes was the greater love for study and for the Scriptures -which the effort had awakened in me, and a desire for an education. The -shop was often idle; I had plenty of time for study, and made the most -of it. - -At one of the subsequent Quarterly Meetings, a Rev. Mr. Brainard, who -had considerable reputation as a revivalist, preached one Sunday night a -vivid and thrilling sermon on Noah’s Ark and the Flood. So marked was -the impression on the audience, that, at the close, according to the -Methodist custom, “mourners” were invited to the altar. Many accepted -the invitation. A young friend sitting beside me was greatly affected. -With streaming eyes he said, “Dan’l, let us go, too,” rising up and -starting as he spoke. After a few moments I followed. By this time the -space about the altar was well filled. There was great excitement and no -little confusion—exhortation, singing, and prayer going on all at once. -A number of persons made profession of religion, and soon my young -friend joined them. He was full of joy, and was surprised to find that I -was not so, too. The meetings were continued night after night, and each -night I went to the altar. As I look back upon it from this distance, it -seems to me that, with much exhortation to repent and believe, there was -not enough of clear and definite instruction regarding the plan of -salvation, or the offices and work of Christ. One night, in a quiet hour -at home, the grounds and method of a sinner’s acceptance of Christ -became clear to me, and He became my Lord. - -Soon after, when invitation was given to the new converts to join the -church as probationers, I was urged by some good friends to join with -the rest; and was myself not a little inclined to do so. It was no doubt -the influence of my cousin that enabled me to withstand the excitement -of the revival and the gentle pressure of my Methodist friends, and to -join, instead, my father’s old church at Buffalo. But I owe more than I -shall ever know to that Sunday School, and since then I have always -loved the Methodist Church. Meanwhile the prospects for an education -grew no brighter, though Mr. Brantley, then a young graduate in charge -of the Pittsboro Academy, but afterward a distinguished Baptist minister -of Philadelphia, gave me a place in his school at idle times; and a Dr. -Hall used to lend me books to read. - -When the opportunity for acquiring an education finally came, it was as -unexpected as a clap of thunder out of a blue sky. The celebrated -Bingham School, now in Asheville, North Carolina, was then, as now, the -most noted in the South. It was started by Rev. William Bingham in -Pittsboro, North Carolina, in the closing years of the eighteenth -century. It was moved to Hillsboro by his son, the late William J. -Bingham, father of the present Principal. The school was patronized by -the leading families of the South. The number of pupils was strictly -limited. To secure a place, application had to be made a year or more in -advance. - -My surprise, therefore, can well be imagined, when one day Baccus King, -a young boy of the town, walked into the shop with a letter addressed to -Master Daniel McGilvary from no less a personage than William J. -Bingham, the great teacher and Principal. At first I thought I was the -victim of some boyish trick. But there was the signature, and the -explanation that followed removed all doubt. Nathan Stedman, an -influential citizen of Pittsboro, was an early acquaintance and friend -of Mr. Bingham. He had visited the school in person to secure a place -for his nephew, young King, and had brought back with him the letter for -me. What Mr. Bingham knew of me I never discovered. No doubt Mr. Stedman -could have told, though up to that time I had never more than spoken -with him. Be that as it may, there was the letter with its most generous -offer that I take a course in Bingham School at the Principal’s expense. -He was to board me and furnish all necessary expenses, which, after -graduation, I was to refund by teaching. If I became a minister of the -Gospel, the tuition was to be free; otherwise I was to refund that also. -To young King’s enquiry what I would do, I replied, “Of course, I shall -go.” My cousin, Mr. McIntosh, was scarcely less delighted than I was at -the unexpected opening. - -The invitation to attend Bingham School came in the fall of 1845, when I -was in my eighteenth year. There were then only two weeks till the -school should open. I had little preparation to make. A pine box painted -red was soon got ready to serve as a trunk, for my wardrobe was by no -means elaborate. Mr. Stedman kindly offered me a seat with Baccus and a -friend of his who was returning to the school. On the way Baccus’ friend -entertained us with stories of the rigid discipline, for this was in the -days when the rod was not spared. I had no fears of the rod, but I -trembled lest I should not sustain myself as well as such great kindness -demanded. It might be a very different thing from winning a reputation -in a Methodist Sunday School. - -It was dusk when we reached The Oaks. The family was at supper. Mr. -Bingham came out to receive us. He told Baccus’ friend to take him to -his own old quarters, and, turning to me, said, “I have made -arrangements for you to board with Mr. C., and to room with Mr. K., the -assistant teacher, till my house is finished, when you are to live with -us. But we are at supper now. You must be hungry after your long ride. -Come in and eat with us.” After supper, Mr. Bingham went with me to my -boarding-house, and introduced me to my hosts and to my chum, David -Kerr. He welcomed me, and said he thought we should get along finely -together. We not only did that, but he became a warm friend to whom I -owed much. So I was in the great Bingham School, overwhelmed with a -succession of unexpected kindnesses from so many quarters! What did it -all mean? - - -[Illustration: - - WILLIAM J. BINGHAM] - - -My highest anticipations of the school were realized. If there ever was -a born teacher, William J. Bingham was one. Latin and Greek were taught -then by a method very different from the modern one. Before a sentence -was read or translated, the invariable direction was—master your -grammar. In grammar-drill Mr. Bingham could have no superior. Bullion’s -Grammars and Readers were the text-books. The principal definitions were -learned practically verbatim. The coarse print was required of all in -the class. The older pupils were advised to learn notes, exceptions, and -all. I never became so familiar with any other books as with that series -of grammars. We were expected to decline every noun and adjective, alone -or combined, from nominative singular to ablative plural, backwards or -forwards, and to give, at a nod, voice, mood, tense, number, and person -of any verb in the lesson. These exercises became at last so easy that -they were great fun. Even now, sixty years later, I often put myself to -sleep by repeating the old paradigms. - -It may seem that my estimate of Mr. Bingham is prejudiced by my sense of -personal obligation to him for his kindness. Yet I doubt not that the -universal verdict of every one who went there to study would be that he -should be rated as one of the world’s greatest teachers. The South owes -much to him for the dignity he gave to the profession of teaching. No -man ever left a deeper impress on me. Thousands of times I have thanked -the Lord for the opportunity to attend his school. - -I was graduated from the school in May, 1849, a few days before I was -twenty-one years old. On leaving my kind friends at The Oaks, I was -again at sea. It will be remembered that, by my original agreement, I -was booked for teaching—but I had no idea where. Once more the -unexpected happened. In the midst of negotiations for a school in the -southern part of the state, I was greatly surprised at receiving an -offer from one of the prominent business men of my own town, Pittsboro, -to assist me in organizing a new school of my own there. With much doubt -and hesitation on my part—for there were already two preparatory schools -in the place—the venture was made, and I began with ten pupils taught in -a little business office. The number was considerably increased during -the year. But when the second year opened, I was put in charge of the -Academy, whose Principal had resigned. Here, in work both pleasant and -fairly profitable, I remained until the four years for which I had -agreed to stay were up. - -I had by no means reached my ideal. But, as my friends had predicted, it -had been a success. Some of my warmest supporters were sure that I was -giving up a certainty for an uncertainty, in not making teaching my -life-work. It had evidently been the hope of my friends from the first -that I would make Pittsboro my home, and build up a large and permanent -school there. But my purpose of studying for the ministry had never -wavered, and that made it easier for me to break off. - -During these four years my relations with the newly organized -Presbyterian church had been most pleasant and profitable. There was no -resisting the appeal that I should become ruling elder. The -superintendency of the Sunday School also fell naturally to me, and -opened up another field of usefulness. The friendship formed with the -pastor, the Rev. J. H. McNeill, is one of the pleasant memories of my -life. - -One feature of the church connection must not be passed over. Neither of -the other elders was so circumstanced as to be able to attend the -meetings of the Orange Presbytery. Three of the leading professors in -the University were members of the Presbytery, and all the leading -schools within its bounds were taught by Presbyterian ministers or -elders. To accommodate this large group of teachers, the meetings were -held in midsummer and midwinter. Thus it fell to my lot to represent the -Pittsboro church at the Presbytery during nearly the whole of the four -years of my stay in Pittsboro. As it was then constituted, its meetings -were almost equal to a course in church government. The Rev. J. Doll, -one of the best of parliamentarians, was stated clerk. A group of -members such as the two Drs. Phillips, father and son, Dr. Elisha -Mitchell, of the University, and many others that could be named, would -have made any assembly noted. Professor Charles Phillips, as chairman of -the committee on candidates for the ministry, came into closer touch -with me than most of the others. He afterwards followed my course in the -Seminary with an interest ripening into a friendship which continued -throughout his life. - -The meetings of the Presbytery were not then merely formal business -meetings. They began on Wednesday and closed on Monday. They were looked -forward to by the church in which they were to be held as spiritual and -intellectual feasts. To the members themselves they were seasons of -reunion, where friendships were cemented, and where wits were sharpened -by intellectual conflicts, often before crowded congregations. - -Union Seminary, now of Richmond, Virginia, has always been under the -direction of the Synods of North Carolina and Virginia; and there were -strong reasons why students from those Synods should study there. They -were always reminded of that obligation. But the high reputation of Drs. -Hodge and Alexander was a strong attraction toward Princeton. My pastor -and Professor Phillips, chairman of the committee in charge of me, had -both studied there. So I was allowed to have my preference. No doubt -this proved another stepping-stone to Siam. Union Seminary was not then -enthusiastic in regard to foreign missions, as it has since become. At -the last meeting of Presbytery that I was to attend, Dr. Alexander -Wilson moved that, inasmuch as Orange Presbytery owned a scholarship in -Princeton Seminary, I be assigned to it. To my objection that I had made -money to pay my own way, he replied, “You will have plenty of need of -your money. You can buy books with it.” I followed the suggestion and -laid in a good library. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - II - - MINISTERIAL TRAINING - - -I entered Princeton Seminary in the fall of 1853. I did not lodge in the -Seminary building, but, through the kindness of Rev. Daniel -Derouelle—whom, as agent of the American Bible Society, I had come to -know during his visits to Pittsboro—I found a charming home in his -family. There were, of course, some disadvantages in living a mile and a -half away from the Seminary. I could not have the same intimate -relations with my fellow students which I might have had if lodged in -the Seminary. But I had the delightful home-life which most of them -missed altogether. And the compulsory exercise of two, or sometimes -three, trips a day, helped to keep me in health throughout my course. I -became, indeed, a first-rate walker—an accomplishment which has since -stood me in good stead in all my life abroad. - -Being from the South, and not a college graduate, as were most of the -students, I felt lonesome enough when, on the first morning of the -session, I entered the Oratory and looked about me without discovering a -single face that I knew. But at the close of the lecture some one who -had been told by a friend to look out for me, touched me on the -shoulder, made himself known, and then took me off to introduce me to J. -Aspinwall Hodge, who was to be a classmate of mine. No man ever had a -purer or a better friend than this young man, afterward Dr. J. Aspinwall -Hodge; and I never met a friend more opportunely. - -Of our revered teachers and of the studies of the Seminary course there -is no need to speak here. Our class was a strong one. Among its members -were such men as Gayley, Mills, Jonathan Wilson, Nixon, Lefevre, and -Chaney. Of these Gayley and Mills were already candidates for missionary -work abroad. In other classes were Robert McMullen and Isidore -Loewenthal, destined to become martyrs in Cawnpore and Peshawur. Many -were the stirring appeals we heard from these men. Dr. Charles Hodge, -too, had given a son to India; and he never spoke more impressively than -when he was pleading the cause of foreign missions. Princeton, moreover, -because of its proximity to New York and to the headquarters of the -various missionary societies established there, was a favourite field -for the visits of the Secretaries of these organizations, and of -returned missionaries. A notable visit during my first year was that of -Dr. Alexander Duff, then in his prime. No one who heard him could forget -his scathing criticism of the church for “playing at missions,” or his -impassioned appeals for labourers. - -So the question was kept constantly before me. But during the first two -years, the difficulty of the acquisition of a foreign language by a -person not gifted in his own, seemed an obstacle well-nigh insuperable. -Conscience suggested a compromise. Within the field of Home Missions was -there not equal need of men to bring the bread of life to those who were -perishing without it? With the object of finding some such opportunity, -I spent my last vacation, in the summer of 1855, in Texas as agent of -the American Sunday School Union. - -Texas afforded, indeed, great opportunities for Christian work; but in -the one object of my quest—a field where Christ was not preached—I was -disappointed. In every small village there was already a church—often -more than one. Even in country schoolhouses Methodists, Baptists, and -Cumberland Presbyterians had regular Sunday appointments, each having -acquired claim to a particular Sunday of the month. Conditions were such -that the growth of one sect usually meant a corresponding weakening of -the others. It was possible, of course, to find local exceptions. But it -is easier even now to find villages by the hundred, with three, four, -and even five Protestant churches, aided by various missionary -societies; where all the inhabitants, working together, could do no more -than support one church well. This may be necessary; but it is surely a -great waste. - -From this trip I had just returned with these thoughts in my mind, and -was entering upon my senior year, when it was announced that Dr. S. R. -House, a missionary from Siam, would address the students. Expectation -was on tiptoe to hear from this new kingdom of Siam. The address was a -revelation to us all. The opening of the kingdom to American -missionaries by the reigning monarch, Mahā Mongkut—now an old story—was -new then, and sounded like a veritable romance. My hesitation was ended. -Here was not merely a village or a parish, but a whole kingdom, just -waking from its long, dark, hopeless sleep. Every sermon I preached -there might be to those who had never heard that there is a God in -heaven who made them, or a Saviour from sin. - -The appeal was for volunteers to go at once. None, however, of the men -who had announced themselves as candidates for service abroad were -available for Siam. They were all pledged to other fields. The call -found Jonathan Wilson and myself in much the same state of expectancy, -waiting for a clear revelation of duty. After anxious consultation and -prayer together, and with Dr. House, we promised him that we would give -the matter our most serious thought. If the Lord should lead us thither, -we would go. - -Meanwhile the Rev. Andrew B. Morse had been appointed a missionary to -Siam, and the immediate urgency of the case was thus lightened. Shortly -before the close of my Seminary course, in 1856, there came to me a call -to the pastorate of two contiguous churches, those of Carthage and of -Union, in my native county in North Carolina. The call seemed a -providential one, and I accepted it for one year only. My classmate, -Wilson, soon after accepted a call to work among the Indians in Spencer -Academy. - -My parish was an admirable one for the training of a young man. The -church at Union was one of the oldest in the state. The church at -Carthage, five miles away, was a colony from Union. No distinct -geographical line separated the two. Many of the people regularly -attended both. That, of course, made the work harder for a young pastor. -The extreme limits of the two parishes were fifteen miles apart. But -these were church-going folk, mostly of Scottish descent—not -“dry-weather Christians.” The pastorate had been vacant a whole year. - -At the first morning service the church was crowded to its utmost -capacity. Some came, no doubt, from curiosity to hear the new preacher; -but most of them were hungry for the Gospel. They had all known my -father; and some had known me—or known of me—from boyhood. I could not -have had a more sympathetic audience, as I learned from the words of -appreciation and encouragement spoken to me after church—especially -those spoken by my brother, who was present. - -The year passed rapidly. The work had prospered and was delightful. In -it I formed the taste for evangelistic touring, which was afterwards to -be my work among the Lāo. There had been a number of accessions in both -churches. It was easy to become engrossed in one’s first charge among a -people so sympathetic, and to overlook far-away Siam. Indeed, I had -become so far influenced by present surroundings as to allow my name to -be laid before a meeting of the congregation with a view to becoming -their permanent pastor. Their choice of me was unanimous. Moreover, I -had been dismissed from my old Presbytery to the one within whose bounds -my parish was. The regular meeting of the latter was not far off, when -arrangements were to be made for my ordination and installation. - -As the time drew near, do what I might, my joy in accepting the call -seemed marred by the thought of Siam. I learned that the Siamese -Mission, instead of growing stronger, was becoming weaker. Mr. Morse’s -health had completely broken down during his first year in the field. He -was then returning to the United States. Mrs. Mattoon had already come -back an invalid. Her husband, after ten years in Siam, was greatly in -need of a change; but was holding on in desperation, hoping against hope -that he might be relieved. - -The question of my going to Siam, which had been left an open one, must -now soon be settled by my accepting or declining. I needed counsel, but -knew not on what earthly source to call. When the question of Siam first -came up in Princeton, I had written to leading members of the Orange -Presbytery for advice, stating the claims of Siam so strongly that I was -sure these men would at least give me some encouragement toward going. -But the reply I had from one of them was typical of all the rest: “We do -not know about Siam; but we do know of such and such a church and of -such and such a field vacant here in Orange Presbytery. Still, of -course, it _may_ be your duty to go to Siam.” In that quarter, surely, -there was no light for me. So I devoted Saturday, August 1st, to fasting -and prayer for guidance. In the woods back of the Carthage church and -the Academy, the decision was finally reached. I would go. - -Next morning I stopped my chief elder on his way to church, and informed -him of my decision. After listening to my statement of the case, he -replied, “Of course, if it is settled, there’s nothing more to be said.” -It chanced that Mr. Russell, my former assistant in the Pittsboro -Academy, had just finished his theological course; and, wholly without -reference to the question pending in my mind, had arranged to preach for -me that day. The session was called together before service, was -notified of my decision, and was reminded that the preacher of the day -would be available as a successor to me. He preached a good sermon, had -a conference with the session afterwards, and was virtually engaged that -day. The following week brought notice of my appointment as missionary -to Siam. - -The last communion season of that year was one of more than usual -interest. The meetings began on Friday. Since the minds of the -congregation were already on the subject of foreign missions, and since -Dr. McKay, from my home church, had been appointed by the Synod to -preach on that subject at its coming session in Charlotte, I prevailed -upon him to preach to us the sermon that he had prepared. The text was -from Romans x:14, “How shall they hear without a preacher?” No subject -could have been more appropriate to the occasion. It produced a profound -impression. Some were affected to tears. - -The sermon was a good preparation for the communion service that -followed. At the night service there was deep seriousness throughout the -congregation, and a general desire to have the meetings continued. On -Monday there was an unexpectedly large congregation. At the busiest -season of the year farmers had left their crops to come. The meetings -soon grew to be one protracted prayer-meeting, with occasional short -applications of Scripture to the questions which were already pressing -upon our minds. - -Finally, after the meetings had been continued from Friday until -Wednesday week, they were reluctantly brought to a close; both because -it seemed unwise to interrupt longer the regular life of the community, -and also because the leaders no longer had the voice to carry them on. -As a result of the meetings, there were about eighty accessions to the -two Presbyterian churches, as well as a number to other churches. Many -asked if I did not see in the revival reason to change my mind and -remain. But the effect on me was just the opposite. It was surely the -best preparation I could have had for the long test of faith while -waiting for results in Siam. - -Inasmuch as my certificate of dismissal had never been formally -presented to the Fayetteville Presbytery, I preferred to return it to my -old Orange Presbytery, and to receive my ordination at its hands. On -December 11th, the Presbytery met at my old home in Pittsboro. The -installation of a foreign missionary was new to the Presbytery, as well -as to the church and the community. When the ordaining prayer was ended, -there seemed to be but few dry eyes in the congregation. It was a day I -had little dreamed of sixteen years before, when I first came to -Pittsboro an orphan boy and an apprentice. I felt very small for the -great work so solemnly committed to me. Missionary fields were further -off in those days than they are now, and the undertaking seemed greater. -The future was unknown; but in God was my trust—and He has led me. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - III - - BANGKOK - - -On reaching New York I went directly to the Mission House, then at 23 -Centre Street. As I mounted the steps, the first man I met on the -landing was Jonathan Wilson. We had exchanged a few letters, and each -knew that the other had not forgotten Siam; but neither expected to meet -the other there. “Where are you going?” said one. “I am on my way to -Siam,” said the other. “So am I,” was the reply. In the meantime he had -married and, with his young wife, was in New York awaiting passage. We -took the first opportunity that offered, the clipper ship _David Brown_, -bound for Singapore, and sailing on March 11th, 1858. - -Sailors have a tradition that it is unlucky to have missionaries on -board; but the weather was propitious throughout, and the voyage a -prosperous one. We three were the only passengers, and we proved to be -good sailors. Our fare was reasonably good. We had plenty of good -reading, and soon settled down to steady work. The ship was somewhat -undermanned; and this fact was given as an excuse for not having service -on Sundays. But we had a daily prayer-meeting throughout the voyage, -with just a sufficient number present to plead the promise: “Where two -or three are gathered together in my name.” We also had free access to -the men in the forecastle when off duty. - -We had the excitement of an ocean race with a twin ship of the same -line, which was to sail a week after us. As we reached Anjer Straits on -the seventy-eighth day out, a sail loomed up which proved to be our -competitor. She had beaten us by a week! Ten days later we reached -Singapore, where, indeed, we met no brethren, but were met by welcome -letters from Siam. Like Paul at the Three Taverns, “we thanked God and -took courage.” One of the letters ran thus: - - “Those were good words that came to our half-discouraged - band—the tidings that we are to have helpers in our work.... In - our loneliness we have sometimes been tempted to feel that our - brethren at home had forgotten us. But we rejoice to know that - there are hearts in the church which sympathize with us, and - that you are willing to come and participate with us in our - labours and trials, our joys and sorrows, for we have both.” - -We were fortunate to secure very early passage for Bangkok. On Friday, -June 18th, we reached the bar at the mouth of the Mênam River. The next -day we engaged a small schooner to take us up to Bangkok. With a strong -tide against us, we were not able that evening to get further than -Mosquito Point—the most appropriately-named place in all that land—only -to learn that we could not reach Bangkok until Monday afternoon. There -was no place to sleep on board; and no sleeping would have been -possible, had there been a place. By two o’clock in the morning we could -endure it no longer;—the mosquito contest was too unequal. At last we -found a man and his wife who would take us to the city in their -two-oared skiff. - -Fifty years’ residence in Siam has not surpassed the romance of that -night’s ride. Leaving our goods behind, we seated ourselves in the tiny -craft. With gunwales but two inches above the water’s edge, we skimmed -along through a narrow winding canal overhung with strange tropical -trees. The moon was full, but there was a haze in the air, adding -weirdness to things but dimly seen. The sight of our first Buddhist -monastery, with its white columns and grotesque figures, made us feel as -if we were passing through some fairyland. - -Just at dawn on Sunday morning, June 20th, 1858, we landed at the -mission compound. Our quick passage of only one hundred days took our -friends by surprise. Dr. House, roused by our voices on the veranda, -came _en déshabillé_ to the door to see what was the matter. Finding who -we were, the eager man thrust his hand through a vacant square of the -sash, and shook hands with us so, before he would wait to open the door. -We were in Bangkok! It was as if we had waked up in a new world—in the -Bangkok to which we had looked forward as the goal of our hopes; which -was to be, as we supposed, the home of our lives. - -The Rev. Mr. Mattoon was still at his post, awaiting our coming. Mrs. -Mattoon and her daughters had been compelled to leave for home some time -before our arrival. And not long thereafter Mr. Mattoon followed them on -his furlough, long overdue. Besides the two men of our own mission, we -found in Bangkok the Rev. Dan B. Bradley, M.D., who was conducting a -self-supporting mission; Rev. S. J. Smith, and Rev. R. Telford of the -Baptist mission. - -Since neither Bangkok nor Lower Siam proved to be my permanent home, I -shall content myself with a very summary account of the events of the -next three years. - -The first work of a new missionary is to acquire the language of the -country. His constant wish is, Oh for a gift of tongues to speak to the -people! As soon as a teacher could be found, I settled to work at my -_kaw_, _kā_, _ki_, _kī_[2]. No ambitious freshman has such an incentive -for study as has the new missionary. It is well if he does not confine -himself to grammar and dictionary, as he did in the case of his Latin, -Greek, and Hebrew. Pallegoix’s _Dictionarium Linguae Thai_, and his -short _Grammar_ in Latin, were all the foreign helps we had. The syntax -of the language is easy; but the “tones,” the “aspirates,” and -“inaspirates,” are perplexing beyond belief. You try to say “fowl.” No, -that is “egg.” You mean to say “rice,” but you actually say “mountain.” - -Footnote 2: - - The first exercise of the Siamese Spelling-book. - -A thousand times a day the new missionary longs to open his mouth, but -his lips are sealed. It is a matter of continual regret that he cannot -pour out his soul in the ardour of his first love, unchilled by the -deadening influences to which it is sure to be subjected later. But the -delay is not an unmitigated evil. He is in a new world, in which he is -constantly reminded of the danger of giving offence by a breach of -custom as unalterable as the laws of the Medes and Persians. A bright -little boy runs up and salutes you. You stroke his long black hair, only -to be reminded by one of your seniors—“Oh! you must _never_ do that! It -is a mortal offence to lay your hand on a person’s head.” So, while you -are learning the language, you are learning other things as well, and of -no less importance. - -In the mission school there was a class of bright boys named Nê, Dit, -Chûn, Kwāi, Henry, and one girl, Tūan. To my great delight, Dr. House -kindly turned them over to me. It made me think I was doing something, -and I really was. I soon became deeply interested in these children. Nê -grew to be an important business man and an elder in the church; Tūan’s -family became one of the most influential in the church. Her two sons, -the late Bun It and Elder Bun Yī of the First Church in Chiengmai, have -been among the very best fruits of the mission; though my personal share -in their training was, of course, very slight. In the September after -our arrival there was organized the Presbytery of Siam, with the four -men of the mission as its constituent members. During the first two -years, moreover, I made a number of tours about the country—sometimes -alone, oftener with Dr. House, and once with Mr. Wilson. - -I had the pleasure of meeting His Majesty the King of Siam, not only at -his birthday celebrations, to which foreigners were invited, but once, -also, at a public audience on the occasion of the presentation of a -letter from President James Buchanan of the United States. This was -through the courtesy of Mr. J. H. Chandler, the acting United States -Consul. Two royal state barges were sent down to the Consulate to -receive the President’s letter and the consular party. Siamese etiquette -requires that the letter be accorded the same honour as would be given -the President in person. In the first barge was the letter, placed in a -large golden urn, with a pyramidal cover of gold, and escorted by the -four officers who attend upon His Majesty when he appears in public. In -the second barge was the consular party. - -After a magnificent ride of four miles up the river, we were met at the -palace by gilded palanquins for the members of the party, while the -letter, in a special palanquin and under the golden umbrella, led the -way to the Palace, some quarter of a mile distant. At the Palace gate a -prince of rank met us, and ushered us into the royal presence, where His -Majesty sat on his throne of gold, richly overhung with gilded tapestry. -Advancing toward the throne, and bowing low, we took our stand erect, -while every high prince and nobleman about us was on bended knees, not -daring to raise his eyes above the floor. - -The Consul then read a short introductory speech, stepped forward, and -placed the letter in the extended hands of the King. Having glanced over -it, the King handed it to his secretary, who read it aloud, His Majesty -translating the substance of it to the princes and nobles present. The -King then arose, put his scarf about his waist, girded on his golden -sword, came down, and shook hands with each of the party. Then, with a -wave of his hand, he said, “We have given President Buchanan the first -public reception in our new palace,” adding, “I honour President -Buchanan very much.” He escorted the party around the room, showing us -the portraits of George Washington, President Pierce, Queen Victoria, -and Prince Albert. Then, turning to the proper officer, he directed him -to conduct us to an adjoining room to partake of a luncheon prepared for -us; and, with a bow, withdrew. - -After “tiffin,” we were escorted to the landing as we had come, and -returned in like state in the royal barge to the Consulate. Altogether -it was a notable occasion. - -[Illustration: - - MAHĀ MONKUT, - KING OF SIAM, 1851-1872] - -Of the tours undertaken in Lower Siam, the one which led to the most -lasting results was one in 1859 to Pechaburī, which has since become -well known as one of our mission stations. For companion on this trip I -had Cornelius Bradley, son of the Rev. Dr. Bradley of Bangkok. Shortly -before this a rising young nobleman, and a liberal-minded friend of -foreigners, had been assigned to the place ostensibly of -lieutenant-governor (Pra Palat) of Pechaburī, but practically of -governor. He was a brother of the future Regent; had been on the first -embassy to England; and at a later period became Minister for Foreign -Affairs. At our call, His Excellency received us very kindly, and before -we left invited us to dine with him on the following evening. - -The dinner was one that would have done credit to any hostess in -America. I was still more surprised when, at the table, addressing me by -a title then given to all missionaries, he said, “Maw” (Doctor), “I want -you to come and live in Pechaburī. You have no family. I will furnish -you a house, and give you every assistance you need. You can teach as -much Christianity as you please, if only you will teach my son English. -If you want a school, I will see that you have pupils.” I thanked him -for the offer, but could only tell him that I would think the matter -over. It might be, after all, only a Siamese cheap compliment. It seemed -too good to be true. It was, however, directly in the line of my own -thoughts. I had come to Siam with the idea of leaving the great -commercial centres, and making the experiment among a rural population -like that of my North Carolina charge. - -The next day the Pra Palat called on us at our _sālā_,[3] and again -broached the subject. He was very anxious to have his son study English. -In my mission work I should be untrammelled. Before leaving us, he -mentioned the matter again. It was this time no courteous evasion when I -told him I would come if I could.—What did it all mean? - -Footnote 3: - - A public rest-house or shelter, such as Buddhist piety provides - everywhere for travellers, but especially in connection with the - monasteries. - -I returned to Bangkok full of enthusiasm for Pechaburī. The more I -pondered it, the greater the offer seemed to be. Beyond my predilection -for a smaller city or for rural work, I actually did not like Bangkok. -Pechaburī, however, was beyond the limits of treaty rights. Permission -to establish a station there could be had only by sufferance from a -government not hitherto noted for liberality. Here was an invitation -equivalent to a royal permit, and with no further red tape about it. I -could see only one obstacle in the way. The senior member of the -mission—the one who was naturally its head—I feared would not approve. -And he did, indeed, look askance at the proposition. He doubted whether -we could trust the promises made. And then to go so far away alone! But -I thought I knew human nature well enough to trust that man. As to being -alone, I was willing to risk that. Possibly it might not be best to ride -a free horse too freely. I would go with my own equipment, and be at -least semi-independent; though the Palat had said that he did not mind -the expense, if only he could get his son taught English. - -There could at least be no objection to making an experimental visit, -and then continuing it as long as might seem wise. Pechaburī is within -thirty hours of Bangkok. If taken sick, I could run over in a day or -two. With that understanding, and with the tacit rather than the -expressed sanction of the mission, I began to make preparations. - -At last my preparations were complete, even to baking bread for the -trip. I had fitted up a touring-boat of my own, and had engaged captain -and boatmen; when, on the day before I was to start, cholera, which for -some time had been sporadic in Bangkok, suddenly became epidemic. Till -then Dr. James Campbell, physician to the British Consulate, and our -medical authority, thought that with caution and prudence I might safely -go. A general panic now arose all over the land. Dr. Bradley came to -tell me that deaths were occurring hourly on the canal by which I was to -travel. To go then would be to tempt providence. I had earnestly sought -direction, and it came in a way little expected. - -The first man I met next morning was Dr. House, coming home from Mr. -Wilson’s. He had been called in the night to attend Mrs. Wilson, who had -been suddenly attacked with “the disease,” as the natives -euphemistically call it, being superstitiously afraid of uttering the -name. Dr. House had failed to check it, and sent me to call Dr. -Campbell. But he was not at home, and did not get the message till near -noon. By that time the patient had reached the stage when collapse was -about to ensue. The disease was finally arrested, but Mrs. Wilson was -left in a very precarious condition. - -Meanwhile her little daughter Harriet was also taken ill, and for a time -the life of both mother and daughter was in suspense. The child lingered -on till May 13th, when she was taken to a better clime. On July 14th the -mother, too, ceased from her suffering, and entered on her everlasting -rest. - -During these months, of course, all thoughts of Pechaburī had been -abandoned; nor would it then have been deemed wise to travel during the -wet season. Before the next dry season came, Bangkok began to have more -attractions, and I had become less ambitious to start a new station -alone. On the 11th of September I became engaged to Miss Sophia Royce -Bradley, daughter of the Rev. D. B. Bradley, M.D. On December 6th, 1860, -we were married. In my wife I found a helpmeet of great executive -ability, and admirably qualified for the diversified work before us. It -was something, too, to have inherited the best traditions of one of the -grand missionaries of his age.[4] - -Footnote 4: - - Dr. Bradley’s life would be the best history we could have of Siam - during its transition period. He left a voluminous diary, and it was - from his pen that most of the exact information concerning Siam was - long derived. - -Samrē, our mission station in Bangkok, was four miles distant from the -heart of the city. We greatly needed a more central station for our -work. Dr. Bradley offered us the use of a house on his own premises—one -of the most desirable situations in Bangkok—if we would come and live -there. The mission accepted his generous offer. With reluctance I -resigned whatever claim I might have to be the pioneer of the new -station at Pechaburī. We were settled, as it would seem, for life, in -Bangkok. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - IV - - PECHABURĪ—THE CALL OF THE NORTH - - -By this time the mission generally had become interested in the -establishment of a new station at Pechaburī. Dr. and Mrs. House were -designated for the post. The Doctor actually went to Pechaburī; procured -there, through the help of our friend the Palat, a lot with a house on -it; and thus committed the mission to the project. But the day before he -was to start homeward to prepare for removal thither, he was so -seriously hurt by a fall from his horse that he was confined to his bed -for several months. It was even feared that he was permanently disabled -for active life. A new adjustment of our personnel was thus -necessitated. Dr. Mattoon had just returned from the United States with -the Rev. S. G. McFarland, the Rev. N. A. McDonald, and their wives. Dr. -Mattoon could not be spared from Bangkok, nor was he enthusiastic over -the new station. Mr. McDonald had no desire for such experiments. Both -Mr. and Mrs. McFarland were anxious to move, but were too new to the -field to be sent out alone. They were urgent that we should go with -them. My opportunity had come. So, early in June, 1861, we broke up the -first home of our married life, and, in company with the McFarlands, -moved on to our new home and our new work. - -Our friend, the Pra Palat, seemed pleased that we had come, after all. -His slight knowledge of English had been learned as a private pupil from -Mrs. McGilvary’s own mother. He was glad, whenever he had leisure, to -continue his studies with Mrs. McGilvary. Mr. McFarland preferred school -work. He took the son that I was to have taught, and left me -untrammelled to enter upon evangelistic work. The half-hour after each -evening meal we spent in united prayer for guidance and success. Two -servants of each family were selected as special subjects of prayer; and -these, in due time, we had the pleasure of welcoming into the church. - -Of the incidents of our Pechaburī life I have room for but a single one. -As we were rising from the dinner-table one Sunday shortly after our -arrival, we were surprised to see a man coming up the steps and crossing -the veranda in haste, as if on a special errand. He led by the hand a -little boy of ten or twelve years, and said, “I want to commit this son -of mine into your care. I want you to teach him.” Struck by his earnest -manner, we drew from him these facts: He was a farmer named Nāi Kawn, -living some five miles out in the country. He had just heard of our -arrival, had come immediately, and was very glad to find us. - -We asked whether he had ever met a missionary before. No, he said, but -his father—since dead—had once met Dr. Bradley, and had received a book -from him. He had begged other books from neighbours who had received -them but did not value them. Neither did he at first, till the great -cholera scourge of 1849, when people were dying all around him. He was -greatly alarmed, and learned from one of the books that Pra Yēsū heard -prayer in trouble, and could save from sin. For a long time he prayed -for light, until, about three years ago, he believed in Jesus, and was -now happy in heart. He had heard once of Dr. Bradley’s coming to -Pechaburī, but not until he was gone again. He preached to his -neighbours, who called him “Kon Pra Yēsū” (Lord Jesus’ man). He had -prayed for Dr. Bradley and the missionaries; he had read the story of -Moses, the Epistle to the Romans, the Gospel of John, a tract on Prayer, -and “The Golden Balance”; and he believed them. He could repeat portions -of Romans and John verbatim; and he had his son repeat the Lord’s -Prayer. - -My subject at the afternoon service was Nicodemus and the New Birth. Nāi -Kawn sat spellbound, frequently nodding assent. At the close we asked -him to speak a few words; which he did with great clearness. On being -questioned as to the Trinity, he replied that he was not sure whether he -understood it. He gathered, however, that Jehovah was the Father and -Ruler; that the Son came to save us by dying for us; and that the Holy -Spirit is the Comforter. The difference between Jesus and Buddha is that -the latter entered into Nirvana, and that was the last of him; while -Jesus lives to save. He even insisted that he had seen a vision of Jesus -in heaven. His other experiences were characterized by such marks of -soberness that we wondered whether his faith might not have been -strengthened by a dream or a vision. - -This incident, coming so soon after our arrival, greatly cheered us in -our work. His subsequent story is too long to follow out in detail here. -His piety and his sincerity were undoubted. He lived and died a -Christian; yet he never fully identified himself with the church. He -insisted that he had been baptized by the Holy Ghost, and that there was -no need of further baptism. Not long after this Dr. Bradley and Mr. -Mattoon visited Pechaburī, examined the man, and were equally surprised -at his history. - - * * * * * - -What changed our life-work from the Siamese to the Lāo? There were two -principal causes. The various Lāo states which are now a part of Siam, -were then ruled by feudal princes, each virtually sovereign within his -own dominions, but all required to pay a triennial visit to the Siamese -capital, bringing the customary gifts to their suzerain, the King of -Siam, and renewing their oath of allegiance to him. Their realms served, -moreover, as a “buffer” between Siam and Burma. There were six of these -feudal principalities. Five of them occupied the basins of five chief -tributaries of the Mênam River; namely—in order from west to -east—Chiengmai, Lampūn, Lakawn, Prê, and Nān. The sixth was Lūang -Prabāng on the Mê Kōng River. The rapids on all these streams had served -as an effectual barrier in keeping the northern and the southern states -quite separate. There was no very frequent communication in trade. There -was no mail communication. Official despatches were passed along from -one governor to the next. Very little was known in Bangkok about the Lāo -provinces of the north. A trip from Bangkok to Chiengmai seemed then -like going out of the world. Only one Englishman, Sir Robert Schomburgk -of the British Consulate in Bangkok, had ever made it. - -[Illustration: - - PAGODA OF WAT CHÊNG, BANGKOK] - - -Of these Lāo states, Chiengmai was the most important. After it came -Nān, then Lūang Prabāng (since ceded to the French), Lakawn, Prê, and -Lampūn. The Lāo people were regarded in Siam as a very warlike race; one -chieftain in particular being famed as a great warrior. They were withal -said to be suspicious and unreliable. - -Almost the only visible result of my six months’ stay within the city of -Bangkok, after my marriage, was the formation of a slight acquaintance -with the Prince of Chiengmai and his family. Just before my marriage he -had arrived in Bangkok with a great flotilla of boats and a great -retinue of attendants. The grounds of Wat Chêng monastery, near to Dr. -Bradley’s compound, had always been their stopping-place. The -consequence was that, of all the missionaries, Dr. Bradley had become -best acquainted with them and most deeply interested in them. He -earnestly cultivated their friendship, invited them to his -printing-office and to his house, and continually preached unto them the -Gospel. They were much interested in vaccination, which he had -introduced, and were delighted to find that it protected them from -smallpox. - -The day after our marriage, in response to a present of some wedding -cake, the Prince himself, with his two daughters and a large train of -attendants, called on us in our new home. This was my first introduction -to Chao Kāwilōrot and his family, who were to play so important a rôle -in my future life. All that I saw of him and of his people interested me -greatly. During the short time we remained in their neighbourhood, I -made frequent visits to the Lāo camp. The subject of a mission in -Chiengmai was talked of, with apparent approval on the part of the -Prince. My interest in Pechaburī was increased by the knowledge that -there was a large colony of Lāo[5] there. These were captives of war -from the region of Khōrāt, bearing no very close resemblance to our -later parishioners in the north. At the time of our stay in Pechaburī, -the Lāo in that province were held as government slaves, engaged all day -on various public works—a circumstance which greatly impeded our access -to them, and at the same time made it more difficult for them to embrace -Christianity. Neither they nor we dared apply to the government for the -requisite sanction, lest thereby their case be made worse. Our best -opportunity for work among them was at night. My most pleasant memories -of Pechaburī cluster about scenes in Lāo villages, when the whole -population would assemble, either around a camp-fire or under the bright -light of the moon, to listen till late in the night to the word of God. -The conversion of Nāi Ang, the first one from that colony, anticipated -that of Nān Inta, and the larger ingathering in the North. - -Footnote 5: - - The application of this name is by no means uniform throughout the - peninsula. From Lūang Prabāng southward along the eastern frontier, - the tribes of that stock call themselves Lāo, and are so called by - their neighbours. But the central and western groups do not - acknowledge the name as theirs at all, but call themselves simply Tai; - or if a distinction must be made, they call themselves Kon Nûa - (Northerners), and the Siamese, Kon Tai (Southerners). The Siamese, on - the other hand, also call themselves Tai, which is really the - race-name, common to all branches of the stock; and they apply the - name Lāo alike to all their northern cousins except the Ngīo, or - Western Shans. Nothing is known of the origin of the name, but the - same root no doubt appears in such tribal and geographical names as - Lawā, Lawa, Lawō—the last being the name of the famous abandoned - capital now known as Lophburi.—ED. - -But there was more than a casual connection between the two. My labours -among them increased the desire, already awakened in me, to reach the -home of the race. Here was another link in the chain of providences by -which I was led to my life-work. The time, however, was not yet ripe. -The available force of the mission was not yet large enough to justify -further expansion. Moreover, our knowledge of the Lāo country was not -such as to make possible any comprehensive and intelligent plans for a -mission there. The first thing to do was evidently to make a tour of -exploration. The way to such a tour was opened in the fall of 1863. The -Presbytery of Siam met in Bangkok early in November. I had so arranged -my affairs that, if the way should open, I could go north directly, -without returning to Pechaburī. I knew that Mr. Wilson was free, and I -thought he would favour the trip. This he readily did, and the mission -gave its sanction. So I committed my wife and our two-year-old daughter -to the care of loving grandparents, and, after a very hasty preparation, -we started on the 20th of November in search of far-away Chiengmai. - -The six-oared touring-boat which I had fitted up in my bachelor days was -well adapted for our purpose as far as the first fork of the Mênam. The -Siamese are experts with the oar, but are unused to the setting-pole, -which is well-nigh the only resource all through the upper reaches of -the river. It was sunset on a Friday evening before we finally got off. -But it was a start; and it proved to be one of the straws on which the -success of the trip depended. The current against us was very strong; so -we slept within the city limits that night. We spent all day Saturday -traversing a canal parallel with the river, where the current was -weaker. It was sunset before we entered again the main stream, and -stopped to spend Sunday at a monastery. To our great surprise we found -that the Prince of Chiengmai—of whose coming we had had no -intimation—had camped there the night before, and had passed on down to -Bangkok that very morning. We had missed him by taking the canal! - -We were in doubt whether we ought not to return and get a letter from -him. A favourable letter would be invaluable; but he might refuse, or -even forbid our going. If we may judge from what we afterwards knew of -his suspicious nature, such probably would have been the outcome. At any -rate, it would delay us; and we had already a passport from the Siamese -government which would ensure our trip. And, doubtless, we did -accomplish our design with more freedom because of the Prince’s absence -from his realm. It was apparently a fortuitous thing that our men knew -of the more sluggish channel, and so missed the Lāo flotilla. But it is -quite possible that upon that choice depended the establishment of the -Lāo mission. - -All went well until we reached the first fork at Pāknam Pō. There the -water came rushing down like a torrent, so swift that oars were of no -avail. We tried first one side of the stream and then the other, but all -in vain. Our boatmen exchanged their oars for poles. But they were -awkward and unaccustomed to their use. The boat would inevitably drift -down stream. The poor boatmen laughed despairingly at their own failure. -At last a rope was suggested. The men climbed the bank, and dragged the -boat around the point to where the current was less swift. But when, as -often happened, it became necessary to cross to the other side of the -river, the first push off the bank would send us into water so deep that -a fifteen-foot pole could not reach bottom. Away would go the boat some -hundreds of yards down stream before we could bring up on the opposite -bank. We reached Rahêng, however, in nineteen travelling days—which was -not by any means bad time. - -In our various journeyings hitherto we had controlled our own means of -transportation. Henceforth we were at the mercy of native officials, to -whose temperament such things as punctuality and speed are altogether -alien. From Rahêng the trip by elephant to Chiengmai should be only -twelve days. By boat, the trip would be much longer, though the return -trip would be correspondingly shorter. We had a letter from Bangkok to -the officials along the route, directing them to procure for us boats, -elephants, or men, as we might need. We were in a hurry, and, besides, -were young and impulsive. The officials at Rahêng assured us that we -should have prompt despatch. No one, however, seemed to make any effort -to send us on. The governor was a great Buddhist, and fond of company -and argument. He could match our Trinity by a Buddhist one: Putthō, -Thammō, Sangkhō—Buddha, the Scriptures, the Brotherhood. Men’s own good -deeds were their only atonement. The one religion was as good as the -other. On these subjects he would talk by the hour; but when urged to -get our elephants, he always had an excuse. At last, in despair, we -decided to take our boatmen and walk. When this news reached the -governor, whether from pity of us, or from fear that some trouble might -grow out of it, he sent word that if we would wait till the next day, we -should have the elephants without fail. - -We got the elephants; but, as it was, from preference I walked most of -the way. Once I paid dear for my walk by getting separated from my -elephant in the morning, losing my noonday lunch, and not regaining my -party till, tired and hungry, I reached camp at night. Our guide had -taken a circuitous route to avoid a band of robbers on the main route -which I had followed! This was my first experience of elephant-riding. -We crossed rivers where the banks were steep, and there was no regular -landing. But whether ascending or descending steep slopes, whether -skirting streams and waterfalls, one may trust the elephant’s sagacity -and surefootedness. The view we had from one of the mountain ridges -seemed incomparably fine. The Mê Ping wound its way along the base -beneath us, while beyond, to right and to left, rose range beyond range, -with an occasional peak towering high above the rest. But that was tame -in comparison with many mountain views encountered in subsequent years. - -We were eight days in reaching Lakawn,[6] which we marked as one of our -future mission stations. On being asked whether he would welcome a -mission there, the governor replied, “If the King of Siam and the Prince -of Chiengmai approve.” At Lakawn we had no delay, stopping there only -from Friday till Monday morning. Thence to Lampūn we found sālās, or -rest-houses, at regular intervals. The watershed between these towns was -the highest we had crossed. The road follows the valley of a stream to -near the summit, and then follows another stream down on the other side. -The gorge was in places so narrow that the elephant-saddle scraped the -mountain wall on one side, while on the other a misstep would have -precipitated us far down to the brook-bed below. - -Footnote 6: - - A corruption of Nakawn (for Sanskrit _nagara_, capital city), which is - the first part of the official name of the place, Nakawn Lampāng. The - Post Office calls it Lampāng, to distinguish it from another Nakawn - (likewise Lakawn in common speech), in the Malay Peninsula—the place - known to Europeans as Ligor. The general currency of this short name, - and its regular use in all the missionary literature, seem to justify - its retention in this narrative.—ED. - -At Lampūn my companion was not well, so that I alone called on the -authorities. The governor had called the princes together to learn our -errand. They seemed bewildered when told that we had no government -business, nor were we traders—were only teachers of religion. When the -proper officer was directed to send us on quickly, he began to make -excuses that it would take two or three days. Turning sharply upon him, -the governor asked, “Prayā Sanām, how many elephants have you?” “Four,” -was the response. “See that they get off to-morrow,” was the short -reply. He meekly withdrew. There was evidently no trifling with that -governor. One day more brought us to Chiengmai—to the end of what seemed -then a very long journey. As we neared the city, Mr. Wilson’s elephant -took fright at the creaking noise of a water-wheel, and ran away, -crashing through bamboo fences and trampling down gardens. Fortunately -no one was hurt. - -We reached the city on January 7th, 1864, on the forty-ninth day of our -journey. The nephew of the Prince had been left in charge during the -Prince’s absence. He evidently was in doubt how to receive us. He could -not ignore our passport and letter from Bangkok. On the other hand, why -did we not have a letter from the Prince? Our story of missing him -through choosing the canal instead of the main river might or might not -be true. If the deputy were too hospitable, his Prince might blame him. -So he cut the knot, and went off to his fields. We saw no more of him -till he came in to see us safely off. - -The elder daughter of the Prince had accompanied her father to Bangkok, -but the younger daughter was at home. She was a person of great -influence, and was by nature hospitable. Things could not have been -better planned for our purpose. The princess remembered me and my wife -from her call on us after our wedding. She now called on us in person -with her retinue; after that everybody else was free to call. It is not -unlikely that that previous acquaintance redeemed our trip from being a -failure. Our sālā was usually crowded with visitors. We had an ideal -opportunity of seeing the heart of the people. They lacked a certain -external refinement seen among the Siamese; but they seemed sincere and -more religious. Buddhism had not become so much a matter of form. Many -of the older people then spent a day and a night, or even two days, each -month fasting in the monasteries. There was hope that if such people saw -a better way, they would accept it. One officer, who lived just behind -our sālā, a great merit-maker, was a constant visitor. Years afterward -we had the pleasure of welcoming him to the communion of the church. - -From every point of view the tour was eminently successful. Many -thousands heard the Gospel for the first time. In our main quest we were -more than successful. We were delighted with the country, the cities, -the people. Every place we came to we mentally took possession of for -our Lord and Master. In Chiengmai we remained only ten days; but one day -would have sufficed to convince us. I, at least, left it with the joyful -hope of its becoming the field of my life-work. - -From the first we had planned to return by the river through the rapids. -But the prince in charge was very averse to our going by that route. We -knew that the route positively made no difference to him personally. He -had only to give the word, and either elephants or boats would be -forthcoming. Was he afraid of our spying out the road into the country? -At last we were obliged to insist on the wording of our letter, which -specially mentioned boats. Then he offered us one so small that he -probably thought we would refuse it. But we took it; and our captain -afterwards exchanged it for a larger one. We made a swift passage -through the famous rapids, and reached Bangkok on January 30th, 1864. - -The first news that we heard on our arrival was that Mrs. Mattoon was -obliged to leave at once for the United States, and that Mr. Wilson was -to take his furlough at the same time. This, of course, ended all plans -for any immediate removal to Chiengmai. We hastened to Pechaburī, where -the McFarlands had been alone during our absence. Three years were to -pass before our faces were again turned northward. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - V - - THE CHARTER OF THE LĀO MISSION - - -In the meantime, with two children added unto us, we were become a -family much more difficult to move. We liked our home and our work. At -the age of thirty-nine, to strike out into a new work, in a language at -least partly new, was a matter not to be lightly undertaken. Might it -not be better that Mr. Wilson should work up in the United States an -interest in the new mission, should himself select his associates in it, -and that I should give up my claim to that place? It was certain that -three families could not be spared for Chiengmai. More than one day was -spent, under the shade of a great tree behind Wat Noi, in thought on the -subject, and in prayer for direction. - -Finally—though it was a hard thing to do—I wrote to Mr. Wilson, then in -the United States, suggesting the plan just stated. Feeling sure that it -would commend itself to him, I considered the door to Chiengmai as -probably closed to me. In the meantime Mr. Wilson had married again; and -on the eve of his return wrote to me that he had failed to get another -family to come out with him, and was discouraged about the Chiengmai -mission. Probably the time had not yet come, etc., etc. I was delighted -to get that letter. It decided me to go to Chiengmai, the Lord willing, -the following dry season, with only my own family, if need be. Dr. -Mattoon and Dr. House were absent on furlough. Mr. Wilson and I would be -the senior members of the mission. The Board had already given its -sanction. The mission in Bangkok meanwhile had been reinforced by the -arrival of the Georges and the Cardens. On the return of those then -absent on furlough, one of these families could join the McFarlands in -Pechaburī, and yet there would be four families in Bangkok. Such a -combination of favourable circumstances might not occur again. - -When Mr. Wilson arrived in Bangkok in the fall of 1866, a letter was -waiting for him, asking him to visit us in Pechaburī to talk over the -question. On his arrival we spent one Sunday in anxious consultation. He -was still eager to go to Chiengmai, but could not go that year. His -preference would be that we should wait another year.—But that might be -to lose the opportunity. So next morning, leaving Mr. and Mrs. Wilson to -visit with my family, I hurried over to Bangkok. There was no time to be -lost. The Prince of Chiengmai had been called down on special business, -and was soon to return. The whole plan might depend on him—as, in fact, -it did. - -It was after dark on Tuesday night when I reached Dr. Bradley’s, taking -them all by surprise. I made known my errand. Another long and anxious -consultation followed. I knew that Dr. Bradley’s great missionary soul -would not be staggered by any personal considerations. It would be but -the answer to his own prayers to see a mission planted in Chiengmai. In -his heart he was glad that it was to be planted by one of his own -family. Earnest prayer was offered that night at the family altar for -guidance in the negotiations of the following day, and for a blessing on -the mission that was to be. - -On Wednesday, after an early breakfast, Dr. Bradley accompanied me to -our mission. My colleagues, McDonald, George, and Carden, were easily -induced to consent. Mr. McDonald said that he would not go himself; but -if I were willing to risk my family, he would not oppose the scheme, and -would vote to have Mr. Wilson follow me the next year. Thus another -obstacle was removed. - -Taking Mr. McDonald and Mr. George with us, we proceeded next to the -United States Consulate, where Mr. Hood readily agreed to give his -official and personal aid. The two greatest obstacles remained yet: the -Siamese government and—as it turned out in the end—the Lāo Prince[7] -also. The Consul wrote immediately to the King, through our former -Pechaburī friend, who had recently been made Foreign Minister, a formal -request for permission to open a station in Chiengmai. It was Friday -evening when the reply came that the decision did not rest with the -King. He could not force a mission upon the Lāo people. But the Lāo -Prince was then in Bangkok. If he gave his consent, the Siamese -government would give theirs. He suggested that we have an audience with -the Prince, at which His Majesty would have an officer in attendance to -report directly to him. - -Footnote 7: - - The Lāo ruler was a feudal vassal of the King of Siam, governing an - important frontier province, and granted, within that province, some - of the powers which are usually thought of as belonging to - sovereignty—notably the power of life and death in the case of his - immediate subjects. His title, Pra Chao, like its English parallel, - Lord, he shared with the deity as well as with kings; though the Kings - of Siam claim the added designation, “_Yū Hūa_,” “at the head,” or - “Sovereign.” By the early missionaries, however, he was regularly - styled “King,” a term which to us misrepresents his real status, and - which leads to much confusion both of personality and of function. - Meantime both title and function have vanished with the feudal order - of which they were a part, leaving us free to seek for our narrative a - less misleading term. Such a term seems to be the word Prince, thus - defined in Murray’s Dictionary (_s. v._ II. 5):—“The ruler of a - principality or small state, actually, nominally, or originally, a - feudatory of a king or emperor.” The capital initial should suffice - generally to distinguish the Prince who is ruler from princes who are - such merely by accident of birth.—ED. - -So on Saturday morning at ten o’clock we all appeared at the landing -where the Lāo boats were moored, asking for an audience with the Prince. -We were invited to await him in the sālā at the river landing. In a few -moments His Highness came up in his customary informal attire—a -_phānung_ about his loins, no jacket, a scarf thrown loosely over his -shoulders, and a little cane in his hand. Having shaken hands with us, -he seated himself in his favourite attitude, dangling his right leg over -his left knee. He asked our errand. At Mr. Hood’s request Dr. Bradley -explained our desire to establish a mission station in Chiengmai, and -our hope to secure his approval. The Prince seemed relieved to find that -our errand involved nothing more serious than that. The mission station -was no new question suddenly sprung upon him. We had more than once -spoken with him about it, and always apparently with his approbation. To -all our requests he now gave ready assent. Yes, we might establish -ourselves in Chiengmai. Land was cheap; we need not even buy it. Timber -was cheap. There would be, of course, the cost of cutting and hauling -it; but not much more. We could build our houses of brick or of wood, as -we pleased. It was explained, as he already knew, that our object was to -teach religion, to establish schools, and to care for the sick. The -King’s secretary took down the replies of the Prince to our questions. -The Consul expressed his gratitude, and committed my family to his -gracious care. We were to follow the Prince to Chiengmai as soon as -possible. - -Such was the outward scene and circumstance of the official birth of the -Lāo mission. In itself it was ludicrous enough: the audience chamber, a -sālā-landing under the shadow of a Buddhist monastery; the Consul in his -official uniform; the Prince _en déshabillé_; our little group awaiting -the answer on which depended the royal signature of Somdet Phra -Paramendr Mahā Mongkut authorizing the establishment of a Christian -mission. The answer was, Yes. I was myself amazed at the success of the -week’s work. On the part both of the Siamese government and of the Lāo -Prince, it was an act of grace hardly to be expected, though quite in -keeping with the liberality of the truly great king who opened his -country to civilization and to Christianity. And the Lāo Prince, with -all his faults, had some noble and generous traits of character. - -Later in the day I called alone to tell the Prince that as soon as I -could after the close of the rainy season, I would come with my family. -After the intense excitement of the week, I spent a quiet Sabbath in Dr. -Bradley’s family, and on Monday morning could say, as did Abraham’s -servant, “Hinder me not, seeing the Lord hath prospered me.” Taking the -afternoon tide, I hastened home to report the success of my trip, to -close my work in Pechaburī, and to make preparation for a new station, -which was soon to be a new mission. - -[Illustration: - - REV. DAN BEACH BRADLEY, M.D. - 1872] - - -[Illustration: - - KĀWILŌROT, PRINCE OF CHIENGMAI - (ABOUT 1869)] - - -The work in hand was easily turned over to Mr. McFarland, an earnest and -successful worker, who had become specially gifted in the Siamese -language. The Presbytery was to meet in Bangkok in November. The last -busy weeks passed rapidly away. At their end we bade good-bye to our -home and friends in Pechaburī. - -Friends in Bangkok gave us their hearty assistance. The Ladies’ Sewing -Society made a liberal contribution to the new mission. Dr. James -Campbell supplied us with medicines and a book of instructions how to -use them. The German Consul gave us a Prussian rifle for our personal -protection. All our missionary friends added their good wishes and their -prayers. - -We had great difficulty in securing suitable boats and crews for the -journey. On January 3d, 1867, we embarked, leaving Mr. and Mrs. Wilson -to follow us the next year. Mr. George accompanied us as far as Rahêng. -The trip is always a slow one, but we enjoyed it. My rifle was useful in -securing pelicans and other large birds for food. Once I fired into a -large flock of pelicans on the river and killed three with a single -shot. Fish everywhere abounded. My shotgun furnished pigeons and other -small game. The trip afforded fine opportunity for evangelistic work. -Nothing of the sort had ever been done there save the little which Mr. -Wilson and I had attempted on our earlier trip. - -Rahêng was reached in four weeks. There we dismissed the boats that had -brought us from Bangkok, and procured, instead, two large ones of the -sort used in up-country travel. We should have done better with three of -smaller size. We spent nearly a month in toiling up the thirty-two -rapids. At one of them we were delayed from Friday noon till Tuesday -afternoon. At another, to avoid the furious current of the main river, -we attempted a small channel at one side. As we slowly worked our way -along, the water in our channel became shallower and shallower, till we -had to resort to a system of extemporized locks. A temporary dam was -built behind the boat. The resulting slight rise of water would enable -us to drag the boat a little further, till again it was stranded—when -the process would have to be repeated. After two days of hard work at -this, our boatmen gave up in despair. A Chiengmai prince on his way to -Bangkok found us in this extremity, and gave us an order to secure help -at the nearest village. To send the letter up and to bring the boatmen -down would require nearly a week. But there was nothing else to do. - -My rifle helped me somewhat to while away the time of this idle waiting. -We could hear tigers about us every night. I used to skirt about among -the mountain ridges and brooks, half hoping to shoot one of them. Since -my rifle was not a repeater, it was no doubt best that my ambition was -not gratified. Once, taking a Siamese lad with me, I strayed further and -returned later than usual. It was nearly dark when we got back to the -boats, and supper was waiting. Before we had finished our meal, the -boatmen caught sight of the glowing eyes of a tiger that had followed -our trail to the further bank of the river, whence we had crossed to our -boat. - -One of the boat captains professed to be able to call up either deer or -tiger, if one were within hearing. By doubling a leaf together, and with -thumb and finger on either side holding the two edges tense between his -lips while he blew, he would produce a sound so nearly resembling the -cry of a young goat or deer, that a doe within reach of the call, he -claimed, would run to the rescue of her young, or a tiger, hearing it, -would run to secure the prey. The two captains and I one day went up on -a ridge, and, selecting an open triangular space, posted ourselves back -to back, facing in three directions, with our guns in readiness. The -captain had sounded his call only two or three times, when suddenly a -large deer rushed furiously up from the direction toward which one of -the captains was facing. A fallen log was lying about twenty paces off -on the edge of our open space. The excited animal stopped behind it, his -lower parts concealed, but with back, shoulder, neck, and head fully -exposed. Our captain fired away, but was so excited that he would have -missed an elephant. His bullet entered the log some six inches below the -top. In an instant the deer was gone. We found not far off the spot -where evidently a young deer had been devoured by a tiger. We tried the -experiment a number of times later, but with no success. - -After we had waited two days and nights for help from the village above, -on the third night the spirits came to our rescue. Either with their -ears or in their imaginations, our crew heard strange noises in the -rocks and trees about them, which they interpreted as a warning from the -spirits to be gone. Next morning, after consultation together, they made -another desperate effort, and got the boats off. It was still several -days before we met the men that came down in response to the prince’s -order. But some of the worst rapids were yet before us. We could hardly -have got through without their aid. - -The efforts of a single crew, it must be remembered, are utterly -inadequate to bring a boat up through any of these rapids. Only by -combining two or three crews can the boats be brought up one by one. -Some of the men are on the bank, tugging at the tow-rope while they -clamber over rocks and struggle through bushes. Some are on board, -bending to their poles. Others are up to their waists in the rushing -water, by main force fending off the boat from being dashed against the -rocks. On one occasion I myself had made the passage in the first boat, -which then was left moored in quieter waters. The crew went back to -bring up the second boat, in which were my wife and children. With -anxious eyes I was watching the struggle; when, suddenly, in the -fiercest rush of the current, the men lost control of her. Boat and -passengers were drifting with full force straight against a wall of -solid rock on the opposite bank. It seemed as if nothing could save -them. But one of the fleetest boatmen, with rope in hand, swam to a rock -in midstream, and took a turn of the rope about it, just in time to -prevent what would have been a tragedy. - -At night, about camp-fires on the river bank, we were regaled by the -boatmen with legends of the country through which we were passing. One -of these legends concerned the lofty mountain which rises above the -rapid called Kêng Soi, where we were camped. The story was that on its -summit there had been in ancient times a city of _sētīs_ (millionaires), -who paid a gold _fûang_ (two dollars) a bucket for all the water brought -up for their use. It was said that remains of their city, and -particularly an aged cocoanut tree, were still to be seen on the summit. - -Since it would take our boatmen at least two days to surmount that -rapid, I resolved to attempt the ascent, and either verify or explode -the story. Starting at early dawn with my young Siamese, zigzagging back -and forth on the slope all that long forenoon, I struggled upward—often -despairing of success, but ashamed to turn back. At last we stood on the -top, but it was noon or later. We spent two or three hours in search of -the cocoanut tree or other evidence of human settlement, but all in -vain. I was satisfied that we were the first of human kind that had ever -set foot on that lofty summit. We had brought lunch—but no water! Most -willingly would we have given a silver _fûang_ for a draught. - -The legend of the rapids themselves was one of the most interesting. At -the edge of the plain above the rapids there is pointed out a wall of -rock dropping fully a hundred feet sheer to the water’s edge. The story -goes that in ancient times a youth made love to the Prince’s daughter. -The course of true love did not run smooth; the father forbade the suit. -The lovers resolved to make their escape. The young man mounted his -steed with his bride behind him, and together they fled. But soon the -enraged father was in hot pursuit. They reached the river-brink at the -top of the precipice, with the father in plain sight behind them. But -there the lover’s heart failed him. He could not take that leap. The -maiden then begged to exchange places with her lover. She mounted in -front; tied her scarf over her eyes; put spurs to the horse; and took -the fatal leap. To this day the various rapids are mostly named from -various portions of the equipage which are supposed to have drifted down -the stream and lodged upon the rocks. - -Lāo witchcraft was another favourite theme of our Rahêng boatmen. They -were very much afraid of the magical powers of wizards; and evidently -believed that the wizards could readily despatch any who offended them. -They could insert a mass of rawhide into one’s stomach, which would -produce death, and which could not be consumed by fire when the body was -cremated. They could make themselves invisible and invulnerable. No -sword could penetrate their flesh, and a bullet fired at them would drop -harmless from the mouth of the gun. - -But we have lingered too long among the rapids. Some distance above the -last one the mountains on either side recede from the river, and enclose -the great plain of Chiengmai and Lampūn. Both passengers and boatmen -draw a long breath of relief when it opens out. The glorious sun again -shines all day. The feathery plumes of the graceful bamboo clumps are a -delight to the eye, and give variety to the otherwise tame scenery. But -the distant mountains are always in sight. - -The season was advancing. The further we went, the shallower grew the -stream. Long before we reached Chiengmai, we had to use canoes to -lighten our boats; but presently a seasonable rise in the river came to -our aid. On Saturday evening, April 1st, 1867, we moored our boats -beside a mighty banyan tree, whose spreading arms shaded a space more -than a hundred feet wide. It stands opposite the large island which -forty years later the government turned over to Dr. McKean of our -mission for a leper asylum. Stepping out a few paces from under its -shade, one could see across the fields the pagoda-spires of Chiengmai. -There, prayerfully and anxiously, we spent the thirteenth and last -Sunday of our long journey, not knowing what the future might have in -store for us. - - -[Illustration: - - A REST BETWEEN RAPIDS IN THE GORGE OF THE MÊ PING RIVER] - - -[Illustration: - - POLING UP THE MÊ PING RIVER] - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - VI - - CHIENGMAI - - -On Monday morning, April 3d, 1867, we reached the city. We had looked -forward to the arrival as a welcome rest after the long confinement of -our journey in the boat. But it was only the beginning of troubles. We -were not coming to an established station with houses and comforts -prepared by predecessors. The Prince was off on a military expedition, -not to be back for over a month. Till he came, nothing could be done. We -could not secure a house to shelter us, for there was none to be had. -Just outside the eastern gate of the city, however, a sālā for public -use had recently been built by an officer from Rahêng, to “make merit,” -according to Buddhist custom. He had still a quasi claim upon it, and, -with the consent of the Prince’s representative, he offered it to us. It -was well built, with tile roof and teak floor, was enclosed on three -sides, and opened in front on a six-foot veranda. In that one room, some -twelve feet by twenty, all our belongings were stored. It served for -bedroom, parlour, dining-room, and study. In it tables, chairs, -bedstead, organ, boxes, and trunks were all piled one upon another. A -bamboo kitchen and a bathroom were presently extemporized in the yard. -That was our home for more than a year. - -The news of the arrival of white foreigners soon spread far and wide. It -was not known how long they would remain; and the eagerness of all -classes to get sight of them before they should be gone was absolutely -ludicrous, even when most annoying. “There is a white woman and -children! We _must_ go and see them.” Our visitors claimed all the -immunities of backwoodsmen who know no better. In etiquette and manners -they well deserved that name. Within a few feet of the sālā was a -rickety plank-walk leading over marshy ground to the city. Everybody had -to pass that way, and everybody must stop. When the veranda was filled, -they would crowd up on the ground in front as long as they could get -sight of anybody or anything. If to-day the crowd prevented a good view, -they would call to-morrow. The favourite time of all was, of course, our -meal-time, to see how and what the foreigners ate. Almost never in the -daytime could we sit down to a quiet meal without lookers-on. It was not -uncommon for our visitors to pick up a knife or a fork or even the -bread, and ask what that was. “They don’t sit on the floor to eat, nor -use their fingers, as we do!” - -This, however, is only one side of the picture. In one sense we were -partly to blame for our discomfort. We could soon have dispersed the -crowd by giving them to understand that their presence was not wanted. -But we ourselves were on trial. If we had got the name of being -ill-natured or ungracious, they would have left us, probably never to -return. No. This was what we were there for. It gave us constant -opportunities from daylight till dark to proclaim the Gospel message. -The first and commonest question, who we were and what was our errand, -brought us at once to the point. We were come with messages of mercy and -with offer of eternal life from the great God and Saviour. We were come -with a revelation of our Heavenly Father to His wandering and lost -children. While the mass of our visitors came from curiosity, some came -to learn; and many who came from curiosity went away pondering whether -these things were so. Friendships also were formed which stood us in -good stead afterwards when we sorely needed friends. During our time of -persecution these persons would come in by stealth to speak a word of -comfort, when they dared not do so openly. - -As the annoyance of those days fell most heavily on the nerves of my -wife, it was a comfort to learn afterwards that possibly the very first -convert heard the Gospel message first from her lips, while she was -addressing a crowd of visitors very soon after our arrival. Reference -will be made to him later, but it may be said here that from the day -when he first heard the news, he never again worshipped an idol. - -Whatever was their object in coming to see us, we soon gave every crowd, -and nearly every visitor, to understand what we had come for. We had -come as teachers—primarily as teachers of a way of salvation for -sinners. And we never addressed a crowd of thoughtful men or women who -did not readily confess that they were sinners, and needed a saviour -from sin. But we were not merely teachers of religion, though primarily -such. We could often, if not usually, better teach religion—or, at -least, could better lead up to it—by teaching geography or astronomy. A -little globe that I had brought along was often my text. - -I presume that most Christian people in America have a very crude idea -of the method of preaching the Gospel often, or, perhaps, generally, -used by missionaries, particularly in new fields. If they think that the -bell is rung, that the people assemble in orderly fashion, and take -their seats, that a hymn is sung, prayer offered, the Scripture read, a -sermon delivered, and the congregation dismissed with the doxology and -benediction,—they are very much mistaken. All that comes in time. We -have lived to see it come in this land—thanks to God’s blessing upon -work much more desultory than that. Long after the time we are now -speaking of, one could talk of religion to the people by the hour, or -even by the day; one might sing hymns, might solemnly utter prayer, in -response to inquiry as to how we worshipped—and they would listen -respectfully and with interest. But if public worship had been -announced, and these same people had been invited to remain, every soul -would have fled away for fear of being caught in some trap and made -Christians without their consent, or for fear of being made to suffer -the consequences of being reputed Christians before they were ready to -take that step. Forty years later than the time we are now speaking of, -I have seen people who were standing about the church door and looking -in, driven quite away by the mere invitation to come in and be seated. - -In one sense our work during the first year was very desultory. I had -always to shape my instruction to the individuals before me. It would -often be in answer to questions as to where was our country; in what -direction; how one would travel to get there; could one go there on -foot; and so on. Or the question might be as to the manners and customs -of our nation; or it might be directly on religion itself. But as all -roads lead to Rome, so all subjects may be turned to Christ, His cross, -and His salvation. - -Of the friends found in those early days I must mention two. One was -Princess Būa Kam, the mother of the late and last Lāo Prince, Chao -Intanon. At our first acquaintance, she formed for us a warm friendship -that lasted till her death. Nor could I ever discover any other ground -for her friendship than the fact that we were religious teachers. She -was herself a devout Buddhist, and continued to the last her offerings -in the monasteries. I believe that the Gospel plan of salvation struck a -chord in her heart which her own religion never did. From Buddha she got -no assurance of pardon. The assurance that pardon is possible in itself -seemed to give her hope, though by what process a logical mind could -hardly see, so long as she held on to a system which, as she confessed, -did not and could not give pardon. She was always pleased to hear the -story of the incarnation, the birth, life, and miracles of Christ. She -was deeply touched by the recital of His sufferings, persecutions, and -death. Illustrations of the substitutionary efficacy of His sufferings -she readily understood. She acknowledged her god to be a man who, by the -well-nigh endless road to nirvāna, had ceased to suffer by ceasing to -exist. The only claim he had to warrant his pointing out the way to -others was the fact that he had passed over it himself. There was one -ground, however, on which she felt that she might claim the comfort both -of the doctrines which she still held and of ours, too. A favourite -theory of hers—and of many others—was that, after all, we worship the -same God under different names. She called hers Buddha, and we call ours -Jehovah-Jesus. - -She had by nature a woman’s tender heart. Benevolence had doubtless been -developed in her by her religion, till it had become a second nature. -The gifts she loved to make were also a means of laying up a store of -merit for the future. She was most liberal in sending us tokens of -remembrance. These were not of much value. A quart of white rice, a few -oranges, cucumbers, or cocoanuts on a silver tray, were so customary a -sight that, if ever any length of time elapsed without them, we wondered -if the Princess were ill. And, on the other hand, if for any cause my -calls were far apart, she would be sure to send to enquire if I were -ill. The “cup of cold water” which she thus so often pressed to our -lips, I am sure, was given for the Master’s sake. - -Another remarkable friendship formed during that first year was that of -a Buddhist monk, abbot of the Ūmōng monastery. As in the other case, -there was no favour to ask, no axe to grind. He never made a request for -anything, unless it were for a book. But the little novice who attended -him almost always brought a cocoanut or some other small present for us. -Very early in our acquaintance he came to see that the universe could -not be self-existent, as Buddhism teaches. On his deeply religious -nature the sense of sin weighed heavily. He was well versed in the -Buddhist scriptures, and knew that there was no place for pardon in all -that system. He understood the plan of salvation offered to men through -the infinite merit of Jesus Christ. At times he would argue that it was -impossible. But the thought that, after all, it might be possible, -afforded him a gleam of hope that he saw nowhere else; and he was not -willing to renounce it altogether. - -[Illustration: - - TEMPLE OF THE OLD TĀI STYLE OF ARCHITECTURE, CHIENGMAI] - -During the dark months that followed the martyrdom of our native -Christians, when many who were true friends deemed it unwise to let -their sympathy be known, the good abbot visited us regularly, as, -indeed, he continued to do as long as he lived. At times I had strong -hopes that he would leave the priesthood. But he never could quite see -his way to do that, though he maintained that he never ceased to worship -Jesus. The only likeness, alas! that I have of his dear old face is a -photograph taken after death, as his body lay ready for cremation. Unto -whom, if not unto such true friends of His as these, was it said, “I was -a hungered, and ye gave Me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink; I -was in prison, and ye visited Me.—Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one -of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me”? - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - VII - - PIONEER WORK - - -The military expedition in which the Prince was engaged detained him in -the field until some time in May. It was one of many unsuccessful -attempts to capture a notorious Ngīo chieftain who, turning outlaw and -robber, had gathered about him a band of desperadoes, with whom he -sallied forth from his mountain fastness, raiding innocent villages and -carrying off the plunder to his stronghold, before any force could be -gathered to withstand or to pursue him. In this way he kept the whole -country in constant alarm during the earlier years of our stay in -Chiengmai. What made matters worse was the fact—as the Lāo firmly -believed—that he had a charmed life, that he could render himself -invisible, and that no weapon could penetrate his flesh. Had not the -stockade within which he had taken shelter been completely surrounded -one night by a cordon of armed men, and at dawn, when he was to have -been captured, he was nowhere to be found? Such was the man of whom we -shall hear more further on. - -At the Lāo New Year it is customary for all persons of princely rank, -all officers and people of influence, to present their compliments to -the Prince in person, and to take part in the ceremony of “Dam Hūa,” by -way of wishing him a Happy New Year. Because of the Prince’s absence in -the field, this ceremony could not be observed at the regular time; but -it was none the less brilliantly carried out a few days after his -return. The name, Dam Hūa, means “bathing the head” or “head-bath,” and -it is really a ceremonial bathing or baptism of the Prince’s head with -water poured upon it, first by princes and officials in the order of -their rank, and so on down to his humblest subjects. - -The first and more exclusive part of the ceremony took place in the -palace, where I also was privileged to offer my New Year’s greetings -with the rest. The great reception hall was crowded with the Prince’s -family and with officials of all degrees. The air was heavy with the -fragrance of flowers which loaded every table and stand. All were in -readiness with their silver vessels filled with water, awaiting His -Highness’ appearance. At length an officer with a long silver-handled -spear announced his coming. The whole company received him with lowest -prostration after the old-time fashion. Seeing me standing, he sent for -a chair, saying that the ceremony was long, and I would be tired. The -Court Orator, or Scribe, then read a long address of welcome to the -Prince on his return from his brilliant expedition, with high-sounding -compliments on its success. Then there was a long invocation of all the -powers above or beneath, real or imaginary, not to molest, but instead -to protect, guide, and bless His Highness’ person, kingdom, and people, -with corresponding curses invoked on all his enemies and theirs. Then -came the ceremonial bath, administered first by his own family, his -relatives, and high officials—he standing while vase after vase of water -was poured on his head, drenching him completely and flooding all the -floor. It is a ceremony not at all unpleasant in a hot climate, however -unendurable it might be in colder regions. - -This was the beginning. According to immemorial custom, a booth was -prepared on a sand-bar in the river. To this, after the ceremony in the -palace, the Prince went in full state, riding on an elephant richly -caparisoned with trappings of solid gold, to receive a like bath at the -hands of his loyal subjects—beginning, as before, with some high nobles, -and then passing on to the common people, who might all take part in -this closing scene of the strange ceremony. - -I was not in the concourse at the river, but watched the procession from -our sālā, the Prince having said to me that he would call on his return. -This he did, making us a nice little visit, taking a cup of tea, and -listening to the playing of some selections on the organ. He asked if I -had selected a place for a permanent station, and suggested one or two -himself. But I was in no hurry, preferring to wait for the judgment of -Mr. Wilson on his arrival. Meanwhile I was assured that I might remain -in the sālā, and might put up a temporary house to receive the new -family. When I requested his consent to the employment of a teacher, he -asked whom I thought of employing. I mentioned the name of one, and he -said, “He is not good. I will send you a better one,”—and he sent me his -own teacher. - -It was a very auspicious beginning. I knew that neither the Siamese nor -the Lāo trusted the Prince very thoroughly; yet every time that I saw -him it seemed to me that I might trust him. At any rate, I did not then -look forward to the scenes that we were to pass through before three -years were gone. - -After the first curiosity wore off, many of those who came to our sālā -were patients seeking medical treatment. The title “Maw” (doctor) -followed me from Bangkok, where all missionaries, I believe, are still -so called. This name itself often excited hopes which, of course, were -doomed to disappointment. To the ignorant all diseases seem equally -curable, if only there be the requisite skill or power. How often during -those first five years I regretted that I was not a trained physician -and surgeon! My only consolation was that it was not my fault. When my -thoughts were first turned towards missions, I consulted the officers of -our Board on the wisdom of taking at least a partial course in -preparation for my work. But medical missions had not then assumed the -importance they since have won. In fact, just then they were at a -discount. The Board naturally thought that medical study would be, for -me at least, a waste of time, and argued besides that in most mission -fields there were English physicians. But it so happened that eleven -years of my missionary life have been spent in stations from one hundred -to five hundred miles distant from a physician. So, if any physician who -reads this narrative is inclined to criticise me as a quack, I beg such -to remember that I was driven to it—I had to do whatever I could in the -case of illness in my own family; and for pity I could not turn away -those who often had nothing but superstitious charms to rely on. It was -a comfort, moreover, to know that in spite of inevitable -disappointments, our practice of medicine made friends, and possibly -enabled us to maintain the field, at a time when simply as Christian -teachers we could not have done so. Even Prince Kāwilōrot himself -conceded so much when, after forbidding us to remain as missionaries, he -said we might, if we wished, remain to treat the sick. - -In such a malarial country, there is no estimating the boon conferred by -the introduction of quinine alone. Malarial fevers often ran on season -after season, creating an anæmic condition such that the least exertion -would bring on the fever and chills again. The astonishment of the -people, therefore, is not surprising when two or three small powders of -the “white medicine,” as they called it, taken with much misgiving, -would cut short the fever, while their own medicines, taken by the -potful for many months, had failed. The few bottles of quinine which it -had been thought sufficient to bring with me, were soon exhausted. The -next order was for forty four-ounce bottles; and not till our physicians -at length began to order by the thousand ounces could a regular supply -be kept on hand. I have often been in villages where every child, and -nearly every person, young or old, had chills and fever, till the spleen -was enlarged, and the whole condition such that restoration was possible -only after months of treatment. - -There was another malady very common then—the goitre—which had never -been cured by any remedy known to the Lāo doctors. I soon learned, -however, that an ointment of potassium iodide was almost a specific in -the earlier stages of the disease. That soon gave my medicine and my -treatment a reputation that no regular physician could have sustained; -for the people were sure that one who could cure the goitre must be able -to cure any disease. If I protested that I was not a doctor, it seemed a -triumphant answer to say, “Why, you cured such a one of the goitre.” -Often when I declined to undertake the treatment of some disease above -my skill, the patient would go away saying, “I believe you could, if you -would.” - -One other part of my medical work I must mention here, since reference -will be made to it later. The ravages of smallpox had been fearful, -amounting at times to the destruction of a whole generation of children. -The year before our arrival had witnessed such a scourge. Hardly a -household escaped, and many had no children left. I was specially -interested to prevent or to check these destructive epidemics, because -the Prince had seen the efficacy of vaccination as practised by Dr. -Bradley in Bangkok, and because I felt sure that what he had seen had -influenced him to give his consent to our coming. One of the surest ways -then known of sending the virus a long distance was in the form of the -dry scab from a vaccine pustule. When once the virus had “taken,” -vaccination went on from arm to arm. Dr. Bradley sent me the first -vaccine scab. It reached me during the first season; and vaccination -from it ran a notable course. - -The Karens and other hill-tribes are so fearful of smallpox that when it -comes near their villages, they all flee to the mountains. Smallpox had -broken out in a Lāo village near a Karen settlement. The settlement was -at once deserted. Meanwhile the news of the efficacy of vaccination had -reached the Lāo village, and they sent a messenger with an elephant to -beg me to come and vaccinate the entire community. Two young monks came -also from an adjoining village, where the disease was already raging. -These two I vaccinated at once, and sent home, arranging to follow them -later when their pustules should be ripe. From them I vaccinated about -twenty of the villagers. During the following week the Karens all -returned, and in one day I vaccinated one hundred and sixty-three -persons. It was a strange sight to see four generations all vaccinated -at one time—great-grandfathers holding out their withered arms along -with babes a month old. - -Success such as this was naturally very flattering to one’s pride; and -“pride goeth before a fall.” I had kept the Prince informed of the -success of my attempt, and naturally was anxious to introduce -vaccination into the palace. The patronage of the palace would ensure -its introduction into the whole kingdom. Having a fine vaccine pustule -on the arm of a healthy white infant boy, I took him to the palace to -show the case to the Prince’s daughter, and to her husband, who was the -heir-apparent. They had a little son of about the same age. The parents -were pleased, and sent me with the child to the Prince. As soon as he -saw the pustule, he pronounced it genuine, and was delighted. His -younger daughter had lost a child in the epidemic of the year before, -and the family was naturally very anxious on the subject. He sent me -immediately to vaccinate his little grandson. - -I returned to the palace of the son-in-law, and very carefully -vaccinated the young prince on whom so many hopes were centred. I -watched the case daily, and my best hopes seemed realized. The pustules -developed finely. All the characteristic symptoms appeared and -disappeared at the proper times. But when the scab was about to fall -off, the little prince was taken with diarrhœa. I felt sure that a -little paregoric or some other simple remedy would speedily set the -child right, and I offered to treat the case. But half a dozen -doctors—most of them “spirit-doctors”—were already in attendance. The -poor child, I verily believe, was dosed to death. So evident was it that -the unfortunate outcome could not have been the result of vaccination, -that both the parents again and again assured me that they entertained -no such thought. But all diseases—as was then universally believed among -the Lāo—are the result of incurring the displeasure of the “spirits” of -the family or of the clan. The “spirits” might have taken umbrage at the -invasion of their prerogative by vaccination. - -No doubt some such thought was whispered to the Prince, and it is not -unnatural that he should at least have half believed it. In his grief at -the loss of his grandson, it is easy to see how that thought may have -fanned his jealousy at the growing influence of the missionaries. - -No year ever passed more rapidly or more pleasantly than that first year -of the mission. We were too busy to be either lonesome or homesick, -although, to complete our isolation, we had no mails of any sort for -many months. Our two children, the one of three and the other of six -years, were a great comfort to us. When we left Bangkok it was -understood that a Mr. C. of the Borneo Company was to follow us in a -month on business of their teak trade. He had promised to bring up our -mail. So we felt sure of getting our first letters in good time. Since -he would travel much faster than we, it was not impossible that he might -overtake us on the way. But April, May, and June passed, and still no -word of Mr. C. or of the mails he was bringing. In July we received a -note from him, with a few fragments of our long looked-for mail. He had -been attacked by robbers below Rahêng, himself had received a serious -wound, and his boat had been looted of every portable object, including -our mail-bag. Fortunately the robbers, finding nothing of value to them -in the mail, had dropped as they fled some mutilated letters and papers, -which the officers in pursuit picked up, and which Mr. C. forwarded to -us. Otherwise we should have had nothing. We could at least be devoutly -thankful that we had traversed the same river in safety. - -It was long before we were sure that Mr. Wilson and his family were -coming at all that year. It was at least possible that any one of a -thousand causes might delay them, or even prevent their coming -altogether. Their arrival on February 15th, 1868, was, of course, a -great event. - -Not long after this we were eagerly awaiting a promised visit from our -old associate and friend, Dr. S. R. House. Both Mrs. Wilson and Mrs. -McGilvary were expecting shortly to be confined, and the good doctor was -making the tedious journey that he might be on hand to help them with -his professional skill in the hour of their need. Our dismay can be -imagined, when, one day, there appeared, not the doctor, but his native -assistant, with a few pencilled lines from the doctor, telling us that -he was lying in the forest some four or five days distant, dangerously, -if not fatally, gored by an elephant. We were not to come to him, but -were to stand by and attend to the needs of our families. He begged us -to pray for him, and to send him some comforts and medicines. - -The accident happened on this wise: The doctor had been walking awhile -for exercise behind his riding elephant, and then attempted to pass up -beside the creature to the front. The elephant, startled at his -unexpected appearance, struck him to the ground with a blow of his -trunk, gored him savagely in the abdomen, and was about to trample him -under foot, when the driver, not a moment too soon, got the creature -again under control. With rare nerve the doctor cleansed the frightful -wound, and sewed it up by the help of its reflection in a mirror, as he -lay on his back on the ground. He despatched the messenger to us; gave -careful instructions to his attendants as to what they should do for him -when the inevitable fever and delirium should come on; and resigned -himself calmly to await whatever the outcome might be. - -The situation was, indeed, desperate. We could not possibly hope to -reach him before the question of life or death for him would be settled; -nor could he be brought to us. The best we could do was to get an order -from the Prince for a boat, boatmen, and carriers, and despatch these -down the river, committing with earnest prayer the poor sufferer to the -all-loving Father’s care. The doctor was carried on a bamboo litter -through the jungle to the Mê Ping River, and in due time reached -Chiengmai convalescent, to find that the two expected young missionaries -had arrived in safety before him. After a month’s rest he was able to -return to Bangkok; but not until he had assisted us in organizing the -First Presbyterian Church of Chiengmai. - -In the _Presbyterian Record_ for November, 1868, will be found an -interesting report from the doctor’s pen. Naturally he was struck with -the predominance of demon-worship over Buddhism among the Lāo. We quote -the following: - - “Not only offerings, but actually prayers are made to demons. I - shall never forget the first prayer of the kind I ever heard.... - We had just entered a dark defile in the mountains, beyond Mûang - Tôn, and had come to a rude, imageless shrine erected to the - guardian demon of the pass. The owner of my riding-elephant was - seated on the neck of the big beast before me. Putting the palms - of his hands together and raising them in the attitude of - worship, he prayed: ‘Let no evil happen to us. We are six men - and three elephants. Let us not be injured. Let nothing come to - frighten us,’ and so on. On my way down the river, at the rapids - and gloomy passes in the mountains the boatmen would land, - tapers would be lighted, and libations would be poured, and - offerings of flowers, food, and betel would be made to the - powers of darkness.” - - The doctor speaks also of “the favour with which the - missionaries were received, the confidence they had won from all - classes, the influence of their medicines, and the grand field - open for a physician.” He frankly says, “I must confess that - though at one time I did have some misgivings whether, all - things considered, the movement was not a little premature, I - now, being better able to judge, greatly honour the Christian - courage and enterprise which undertook the work; or rather bless - God who inspired Mr. McGilvary’s heart, and made his old - Princeton friend, Mr. Wilson, consent to join him in thus - striking out boldly into an untried field. It will prove, I - trust, a field ready to the harvest.” - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - VIII - - FIRST-FRUITS - - -During the first three months after Mr. Wilson’s arrival we were so -occupied with mission work and with family cares that we had not made -choice of the lot which the Prince had promised to give us. On the very -day that Dr. House left us, however, the Prince came in person, -selected, and made over to us our present beautiful mission compound on -the east bank of the Mê Ping. He would not allow us to offer any -compensation; but, learning afterwards that the native owners had -received no remuneration, we secretly paid them. Mr. Wilson began at -once to erect temporary bamboo buildings, and soon moved to the new -compound. Since it was difficult for me to spare time for further work -of building for myself, and since the old location was an ideal one for -meeting the people, I moved with my family from the sālā into the bamboo -house the Wilsons had occupied, and we made it our home for the next two -years. - -Mr. Wilson was greatly interrupted in his work by sickness in his -family. Little Frank had fallen ill on the journey from Bangkok, and -continued to suffer during all these months. His death on November 17th, -1868, was a heavy stroke to us all. In vain we combined our slight -medical skill, and searched our books of domestic medicine for his -relief. It was pitiful enough to see the natives die, with the sad -feeling in our hearts that a physician might have saved their lives. But -the death of one of our own number, so soon after the trying experiences -early in the year, emphasized, as nothing else could have done, our -appeals for a physician. Yet it was not until 1872 that we welcomed the -first physician appointed to our mission. - -During this time raids were continually being made into the Lāo country -by the renegade Ngīo chieftain already spoken of. Five hundred men from -Prê, and one thousand from Lakawn were drafted for the defence of the -city, and were stationed near our compound. Thus hundreds of soldiers -and workmen furnished us an ever-changing audience. All we had to do, -day or night, was to touch the organ, and people would crowd in to hear. -The dry season of 1868-69 was, therefore, an exceptionally good one for -our work. We had constant visitors from other provinces, who would -converse with us by the hour, and, on returning to their homes, would -carry the news of our presence and of our work. - -In the fall of 1868 occurred two events which, widely different as they -might seem to be, were in reality closely connected, and of much -importance in their bearing on the mission. One was a total eclipse of -the sun on August 17th, and the other was the conversion of Nān Inta, -our first baptized convert. I well remember his tall figure and -thoughtful face when he first appeared at our sālā, shortly after our -arrival in Chiengmai. He had a cough, and had come for medicine. He had -heard, too, that we taught a new religion, and wished to enquire about -that. Some soothing expectorant sufficiently relieved his cough to -encourage him to make another call. On each visit religion was the -all-absorbing topic. He had studied Buddhism, and he diligently -practised its precepts. As an abbot he had led others to make offerings -for the monastery worship, and he had two sons of his own in the -monastic order. But Buddhism had never satisfied his deep spiritual -nature. What of the thousands of failures and transgressions from the -results of which there was no escape? The doctrine of a free and full -pardon through the merits of another, was both new and attractive to -him, but it controverted the fundamental principle of his religion. - -We had some arguments, also, on the science of geography, on the shape -of the earth, on the nature of eclipses, and the like. What he heard was -as foreign to all his preconceived ideas as was the doctrine of -salvation from sin by the death of Christ. Just before the great eclipse -was to occur I told him of it, naming the day and the hour when it was -to occur. I pointed out that the eclipse could not be caused by a -monster which attacked the sun, as he had been taught. If that were the -cause, no one could foretell the day when the monster would be moved to -make the attack. He at once caught that idea. If the eclipse came off as -I said, he would have to admit that his teaching was wrong on a point -perfectly capable of being tested by the senses. There would then be a -strong presumption that we were right in religion as well as in -eclipses. He waited with intense interest for the day to come. The sky -was clear, and everything was favourable. He watched, with a smoked -glass that we had furnished, the reflection of the sun in a bucket of -water. He followed the coming of the eclipse, its progress, and its -passing off, as anxiously as the wise men of old followed the star of -Bethlehem—and, like them, he, too, was led to the Saviour. - -Early the next morning he came in to see me. His first words were, “Mên -tê” (It’s really true). “The teacher’s books teach truth. Ours are -wrong.” This confident assurance had evidently been reached after a -sleepless night. A complete revolution had taken place in his mind; but -it was one that cost him a severe struggle. His only hope had rested on -the teachings of Buddha, and it was no light thing to see the foundation -of his hope undermined. The eclipse had started an ever-widening rift. -He began, as never before, to examine the credentials of Christianity. -He soon learned to read Siamese in order to gain access to our -Scriptures. We read the Gospel of John together. He studied the Shorter -Catechism. He had a logical mind, and it was never idle. Whenever we -met, if only for a few moments, he always had some question to ask me, -or some new doubt to solve. When tempted to doubt, he fell back on the -eclipse, saying, “I know my books were wrong there. If the Gospel system -seems too good to be true in that it offers to pardon and cleanse and -adopt guilty sinners, and give them a title to a heavenly inheritance, -it is simply because it is divine, and not human.” While the truth -dawned gradually on his mind, the full vision seemed to be sudden. His -own account was that afterwards, when walking in the fields and -pondering the subject, it all became very plain to him. His doubts all -vanished. Henceforth for him to live was Christ; and he counted all -things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Him. - -The conversion of Nān Inta was an epoch in the history of the mission. -The ordinary concourse of visitors might be for medicine, or it might be -from mere curiosity. But when one of the most zealous Buddhists, well -known by members of the royal family, openly embraced Christianity, the -matter began to assume a different aspect. What was more remarkable -still was that he urged his two sons to abandon the monastic order. The -Prince’s younger daughter, herself a strong Buddhist, told me that this -was to her convincing evidence of his sincerity. Whether Christianity -were true or false, he certainly believed it true. It was the height of -ambition for every Lāo father to have a son in the order. If he had none -of his own, he often would adopt one and make him a monk. But here was -one of the most devout of them urging his own sons to come out and be -Christians! We regarded it as a favourable circumstance that the patron -and protector of this our first convert was high in princely rank. Nān -Inta’s defection from Buddhism produced a profound impression among all -classes. Emboldened by his example, secret believers became more open. -Not the number alone, but the character of the enquirers attracted -attention. - -The second convert was Noi Sunya, a native doctor from a village eight -miles to the east. He has the enviable distinction of never having -postponed the Gospel offer. He was the chief herdsman in charge of the -Prince’s cattle. Coming to the city on an errand, he called at our sālā -to see what was the attraction there. As in the case of so many others, -it was the good news of pardon for a sinsick soul that arrested his -attention. On his return in the afternoon he called again to make fuller -enquiry concerning “the old, old story of Jesus and His love.” He -promised to return on Sunday. Promises of that sort so often fail, that -we were surprised and delighted to see him early on Sunday morning. We -had an earnest talk together before the time came for public worship. He -remained through the afternoon, and spent the night with us. In answer -to a final exhortation before he left us in the morning, he said, “You -need not fear my going back. I feel sure I am right.” He was willing to -sell all—even life itself, as it proved—for the pearl of great price. He -went home, called his family together, and began family worship that -very night. Only four brief months after this his labours were ended by -the executioner’s stroke, and he wore the martyr’s crown. - -The third, Sên Yā Wichai, has already been mentioned as receiving his -first instruction in Christianity from the “mother-teacher,” as Mrs. -McGilvary was called, during the very first month of the mission. He -then received the great truth of the existence of God and of man’s -accountability to Him. He was an officer living six days’ journey to the -north, and was under the jurisdiction of the Prince of Lampūn. On his -visit a year later, he received further instruction, was baptized, and -returned to tell his neighbours what he had found. They only laughed at -him for his oddity in refusing to join in the Buddhist worship, and in -offerings to the spirits. - -The fourth was Nān Chai, a neighbour and friend of Noi Sunya, and -destined to suffer martyrdom along with him. He, too, was an ex-abbot, -and, therefore, exempt from government work. He was a good scholar, and -was employed by Mr. Wilson as a teacher. When he became a Christian, he -was strongly tempted to hold on still to his position in the monastery, -explaining that he would not himself engage in the worship, but would -only sweep the buildings and keep the grounds in order for others. But -when his duty was pointed out to him, he readily gave up his position, -and was enrolled for regular government service. Here were four noble -and notable men at once deserting the Buddhist faith! No wonder it -became an anxious question whereunto this was to grow. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - IX - - MARTYRDOM - - -In the course of these events our second year of work in Chiengmai had -come to its end. We were now beyond the middle of the year 1869. As some -indefinable sense of oppression in the air gives warning of the -approaching storm, so there were ominous hints, and even some dark -forebodings. Our Christian people—who understood far better than we did -both the character of their rulers and the significance of furtive looks -and innuendoes—were anxious. But they stood firm, and their faith -strengthened ours. - -In the light of subsequent events we now know that the most dangerous -element in the gathering storm was the angry surprise of the Prince -himself at the discovery that the old order seemed actually passing away -under his very eyes; that his will was no longer supreme in men’s minds, -nor always consulted in their actions—this and the deep treachery and -ruthless cruelty of his nature which it brought into play. But there -were other sinister influences at work also, and among them we must not -overlook that of a certain Portuguese adventurer, Fonseca by name. He -was a thoroughly unprincipled man, who, having played his game in -Bangkok and lost, had worked himself into the favour of the Prince -during his recent visit to the capital, and had accompanied him on his -return to Chiengmai. The Prince was persuaded that this man could be of -great service to him in the two matters which were then causing him most -disquietude; namely, the defence of certain lawsuits involving large -sums of money, brought against him in the British Consular Court by -Burmese timber merchants; and the getting rid of the missionaries. These -last were more in Fonseca’s way than they were in the Prince’s. He could -accomplish his ends more readily if they were not there. - -The most plausible excuse that could be offered for desiring to be rid -of the missionaries was the failure of the rice crop that year. In the -early part of the season there was no rain at all. When at last the -fields had been planted, one of the worst floods ever known in that -region destroyed all the lowland rice. Then, finally, the rains ceased -prematurely, and the upland crop was cut off by drought. The presence of -the missionaries in the country had offended the spirits, and they had -withheld the rain. Such was the pretext urged in a petition sent to -Bangkok to have the missionaries removed. The specific address of the -petition to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the United States -Consul leads one to suspect that the matter was directed by some one who -understood the order of official business much better than did the Lāo -Prince. - -The Minister forwarded the document to Mr. McDonald, the acting -Vice-Consul at the time. Mr. McDonald replied to the Minister that there -must be some mistake about it. It appeared that the scarcity of rice -complained of had begun the year before the arrival of the missionaries; -it was not confined to Chiengmai, but extended over all the northern -provinces. He added roguishly, however, that he would strictly enjoin -the American missionaries to be very careful in future not to cause any -famine. Of all this secret plotting we were entirely ignorant at the -time, and learned of it only long afterwards. While these plots were -developing, I was frequently visiting the Prince, and all our relations -with him were apparently satisfactory. But we knew that he was under the -influence of a wily and unprincipled adversary. - -The other matter in which Fonseca was supposed to be able to help his -patron out of difficulties even more pressing, was the Burmese lawsuits -pending before the British Consul. But the British government was the -last party to permit officious meddling with its public business from -such a quarter. It is presumed that there was evidence of his -interference with official correspondence. This much is certain—a -peremptory demand was made on the Siamese government for his recall. The -official order sent up was too emphatic to be neglected. The man was -sent out of the country in quite different style from that in which he -entered it. This man is known to have been present at the consultation -relative to the mission. If the jealousy and suspicion on the part of -the Prince did not originate with him, there is no doubt that he at -least worked on the Prince’s suspicious nature, increasing his jealousy -of the growing popularity of the mission, and leading him to think that -it would be wise to stop it in its incipiency. - -Yet even when the blow was about to fall, we could not believe that the -Prince was so treacherous as to plan to drive us out of the country, at -the same time that he continued to treat us so kindly, and would even -come to dine with us. We could not believe that the younger Princess, -who had a predominating influence over her father, could encourage one -of the Christians to put himself under her protection, only that he -might the more surely be sent to his death a day or two later. We could -not believe that an excursion down the river had been planned by the -Prince, only that he might be out of reach when the executions should -take place. We were still incredulous, even after we received reliable -information from the agent of the Borneo Company that he had heard the -Prince and a certain high officer consulting together to stop our work. -The plan which he reported was to expel the converts from the country, -giving their wives and children the option to follow them or to remain. -After all, that would not have been so great a disaster. These men had -no great possessions to lose. Their banishment would only plant the -Gospel in other provinces or other lands. - -When, in September, 1869, just before the fatal stroke, the Prince -started on what purported to be a three weeks’ fishing trip, we thought -that his absence would give us a respite from our present fears, and -would afford him leisure for better thoughts. As his boats pushed off, -we waved him a parting good-bye from the shore. His first business was -at Lampūn, to secure the co-operation of the governor of that province -in ridding the country of the new religion. Inasmuch as Sên Yā Wichai, -the third convert mentioned above, was a Lampūn officer, it was thought -prudent in his case to secure the action of his own immediate superior. -He was at once sent for, and was condemned to death, but was saved by -his young master, the governor’s son, on the plea that he was a -backwoodsman, and knew no better. - -Of the deep designs against us and our work we were thus either ignorant -or incredulous till, on the evening of September 13th, just before dark, -our night watchman came to us with the common excuse for leaving us, -that some relative was dead or dying, and insisting that he must go -immediately. In vain we urged that he must not leave us thus in the -lurch. As a final argument, we threatened to dock him of a month’s -wages. But wages were nothing to him then. “All that a man hath will he -give for his life.” While we talked to him, he had reached the gate and -was gone. So, also, fled the cook and the coolie, leaving only one blind -Ngīo who had taken refuge with us. - -Mr. Wilson then lived across the river on the new premises, and it was -not until the next day that we learned that all his people, too, had -fled in like manner and at the same hour. We went to Prayā Tēpasing, the -Prince’s executive officer, to enquire the cause. He feigned surprise, -and professed entire ignorance of any designs against the Christians. He -said, however, that the Prince had given an order that the inhabitants -of certain villages should bring in each a hewn slab of timber to repair -the stockade. Possibly the scare might have somehow arisen from that. We -were aware of the order, and had told the Christians that if pressed for -time to procure the timber, they might each take a slab of ours. We now -told the Prayā that we would ourselves be responsible for the timbers -required of them. To assure us with regard to our servants, the Prayā -sent for our cook, gave him a letter assuring his safety, and -threatened, besides, to have him flogged if he deserted us. The cook -remained with us all through these troubles, until we could find another -to take his place. For some reason Mr. Wilson did not avail himself of -this offer. He and Mrs. Wilson got on as they could without servants for -several months. - -We now know that the order for the execution of the Christians had been -given long before by that same Prayā Tēpasing—in such fear of the Prince -was the highest officer in the realm! Not only had our servants -vanished—there was a sudden cessation of our visitors as well. Few even -dared to come for medicine for fear of being suspected of becoming -Christians. There were, however, a few notable exceptions, the abbot of -the Ūmōng monastery being the most conspicuous. - -During the following week Mr. Wilson waded out across the flooded -country to the home of Nān Chai, his teacher. But his family did not -dare to give any information concerning him. To tell what they knew -would cost their lives also—so they had been told. He then went on -another mile to Noi Sunya’s home, with the same result. The wives of -both these men pretended to believe that their husbands had gone to the -city to visit us. Mr. Wilson noticed that one of the women had tears in -her eyes as she spoke. Puzzled rather than satisfied by the result of -the visit, Mr. Wilson returned with the hope that, after all, the men -were still alive, and that we yet should see them in the land of the -living. - -It was two weeks before our suspense was broken by the certainty of -their death. On Sunday morning, September 26th, a Ngīo friend and -neighbour of the martyrs called at my house. After looking all about -him, he asked where the Christians were. I told him there seemed to be a -mystery about them that we could not unravel, but we hoped they were -secreting themselves in safety somewhere. Seeing that I was really -ignorant of their fate, he came close up to me, and looking around again -to assure himself that no one was near, he asked, “If I tell you, will -you promise never to betray me?” Having demanded and received an -emphatic promise equivalent to an oath, he drew his hand significantly -across his neck, and whispered, “That is the way.” His gesture was too -well understood in that reign to leave any doubt as to what was meant. -The man had really come on a sad and dangerous errand of kindness. As -soon as it was accomplished, he hurried away, evidently fearing that the -birds of the air might hear it, or that some breeze might waft it to the -palace. - -On Monday morning Mr. Wilson and I went again to the Prayā. He could now -no longer lie for his master as to the fact of the execution of the men, -but he offered the flimsy excuse that it was because they had not -brought in their slabs on time. We were then obliged to charge him with -patent falsehood. He knew that they were executed for no crime whatever, -but only for being Christians. Poor man! He seemed somewhat ashamed; but -what could he do? He was not at heart a bad man, as his letter of -protection for the cook showed. The lives of two peasants were no great -matter in those days. He had been so trained to execute every behest of -his master, that it scarcely occurred to him that he ought to hesitate -at this. - -But it was some relief to know the worst, and to know that it was known -that we knew it. Before this we had been obliged to feign hopes that we -hardly believed ourselves. Now we could speak openly. The Prince had not -yet returned from his fishing trip; so we went to his elder daughter and -her husband, afterward Prince Intanon. In their position they could not -say much; but they did say that what the Prince had done was not right, -and that they did not approve of the act. - -One outcome of the situation was a flood of the wildest rumours—some of -them, no doubt, started on purpose to frighten us away. One of these -touched us in a most tender point. One of our most faithful servants, -who had been with us from the very first, was desirous of visiting -Bangkok. So we arranged to have him go down in charge of a boat that was -to bring up our supplies for the year. By him we sent a large package of -letters written before we had reason to suspect so serious an outcome of -the troubles that were brewing. While we could not conceal some gloomy -forebodings, our reports were, on the whole, full of hope for the speedy -progress of the Gospel. The boat left for Bangkok a few days after the -Prince started on his fishing trip. Presently it was reported that the -boat had been intercepted, and that this man, with his wife, his son, -and his son’s family, even down to a little grandchild of two years old, -had been killed, and the boat broken to pieces and burned. - -Although such atrocity seemed beyond belief, yet a number of -circumstances combined to give the report credibility. Why, for -instance, was the long, unusual trip down the river taken just before -our boat was to start? What did it mean that, after the murder of the -Christians was known, no sum of money could induce a Lāo man to take a -letter to Bangkok? If the story of the fate of our messenger were true, -the act was the act of a madman—and there is no telling what a madman -may not do. He was in a position to keep us from escaping; and if he had -really gone so far as that, he evidently did not intend that we should -be heard from alive. - -For a time we virtually resigned ourselves to what seemed inevitable -fate. When we could get no letters sent, we actually began writing the -history of those days on the margins of books in our library, so that, -if we were never heard from again, some of the precedent circumstances -of our end might thus, perhaps, come to light. It was a great relief, -therefore, when an influential Burmese, knowing our situation, offered -to carry a letter through to our friends in Bangkok. - -On September 29th, when the letters carried by the Burmese were written, -we were still under the impression that our boatman had been murdered, -and that neither he nor the letters and reports carried by him had been -heard from. It was the knowledge that these rumours were false, and that -he had passed Rahêng in safety, that first relieved our minds. So, too, -his arrival in Bangkok gave our friends there the first assurance of our -safety. With this explanation the letters themselves will give the best -idea of our situation in those dark days. The following is from a letter -of Dr. S. R. House to our Mission Board in New York, printed in the -_Presbyterian Record_ of February, 1870. It is dated November 11th, -1869. - - “Since our last mail was despatched, tidings have been received - from the mission families in North Laos which have greatly - distressed and alarmed us, causing no little anxiety for their - personal safety. This outburst of persecution from which they - are now suffering must have been quite unlooked for, for their - letters down to September 10th were full of encouragement. Never - had the king and the princes[8] seemed more friendly; never had - their prospects seemed brighter. Seven interesting converts had - been baptized since the year began, and they had just been - enjoying a wonderfully favourable opportunity to make the gospel - message known to the people from every part of the kingdom.... - What has caused this sudden change in the demeanour of the king - of Chiengmai toward our missionaries there, does not appear.... - -Footnote 8: - - That is the Prince of Chiengmai and the nobility. These terms are so - used generally throughout this correspondence.—ED. - - “Thus far they seem to have had no apprehension for themselves - personally; but the next letter, of two days’ later date, - indicates that something had occurred or had come to their - knowledge which led them to believe that their own lives were in - jeopardy. On September 29th Mr. McGilvary writes hurriedly to - his father-in-law, Rev. D. B. Bradley, M.D., of the A. M. A. - mission as follows:— - - “‘Dear Father and Mother:—We write to tell you that we may be in - great danger. If you never hear from us more, know that we are - in heaven. Send some one up here to look after our Christians, - and do not, we beg you, grieve over the loss of our lives. Two - of our church members died at the martyr’s stake on the 14th of - September. Warrants are out for the others. What is before us we - do not know. We are all peaceful, and very happy. We have - written letters giving the full facts, but dare not send them - for fear of their interception. - - “‘Lung Puk left here on the 12th direct for Bangkok. Should he - never reach you, you may fear the worst for us.... He had a - large mail with our reports, etc. Should worst come to worst, we - have counted the cost beforehand, and our death will not be in - vain. Love to all the dear ones. Good-bye, dear father, mother, - brothers, sisters, and friends—perhaps till we meet in heaven!’” - -Dr. House then continues: - - “That these letters—the last one especially—awakened our deepest - solicitude, I need not assure you. The brethren from the - Pechaburī station reached Bangkok, to attend the annual session - of Presbytery, the very day the startling tidings came; and - anxious were our deliberations, and earnest our prayers in - behalf of those brethren beloved and their helpless families. A - month had then elapsed since the date of the letters. Were they - still in the land of the living? - - “It was deemed advisable that some of our number should proceed - as far up the river as possible—to Rahêng at least—to learn the - existing state of things and extend all possible assistance. - After consultation this service devolved on Bros. McDonald and - George. - - “Owing to the peculiar allegiance which holds the Lāo tribes - tributary to the Siamese, it was thought best not to press any - doubtful treaty rights and claims through the United States - Consul—that is, the protection they would be entitled to claim - anywhere on the soil of Siam proper—but to throw ourselves on - the friendliness and goodwill of the Siamese Government as old - residents here, most of us, who are greatly troubled lest harm - should befall our friends who are living in one of their - tributary states. What could they do to help us? - - “The deputation, consisting of Dr. Bradley, Mr. McDonald, Mr. - George, and myself, were most kindly received by the new Regent - of the kingdom, the late Prime Minister—were received in every - respect as friends, and the best endeavours of the Siamese - Government were promised. A government official would be - despatched at once bearing a letter to the king of Chiengmai, - enjoining on him to give protection to the missionaries. But the - Regent added, ‘It is difficult to deal with a man so moody and - arbitrary as this Chief of Chiengmai. He is like King Theodore - of Abyssinia.’—This too significant comparison had already - suggested itself in anything but an agreeable way to ourselves. - - “The Siamese move slowly at the best, and the brethren who have - consented to go on this errand so full of perplexity and - possible peril started several days before the royal messenger’s - preparations were completed. We are waiting with the greatest - solicitude further tidings. I must say from what I know of the - character of the man in whose hands and at whose mercy they are, - that I have great fears. Others here, however, are confident - that no harm can come to them personally.” - -The following, from a note of mine to the Board, will throw further -light on our letter to our friends and on our situation. It was dated -October 31st, while we were anxiously waiting for the reply to our -letters. - - ... “But the particular fact that filled us with deepest anxiety - when we sent that note to Bangkok, was a rumour that the king - had, in person, stopped a boat in charge of our old servant whom - we had sent down to Bangkok after money and supplies, and had - put him, his wife, and all the boatmen to death. That rumour was - currently believed here, and we had so many questions asked us - about them by persons in high and in low station, that we were - constrained almost to believe it. And if that had been done, we - knew not what would come next. Of course we had serious - apprehensions regarding our own safety; yet our duty was clear. - However dangerous our position, we felt that flight would be - more dangerous.... Our strength was to sit still.... - - “After waiting a month in suspense about our servants, we have - just learned, on pretty good authority, that they were not - murdered. They have been reported as having passed Rahêng. In a - few days we shall know the truth. If they are safe, our greatest - fears were groundless. We wait to see the Lord’s purpose in - reference to this people. We yet believe they are purposes of - mercy. The excitement has somewhat died down, and we have daily - many visitors. But there is great fear of the authorities. No - one feels safe; no one knows what will come next.” - -I quote from a letter of Mr. Wilson to the Board the following account -of the suffering and death of the martyrs, written January 3d, 1870, -after all the various rumours had been sifted, and the facts were -clearly known. Meantime the Commission referred to in the letter of Dr. -House had come, and this letter was brought to Bangkok by it on its -return. This letter and the one cited just above were printed in the -_Foreign Missionary_ for March and for May, 1870. - - “Till within a very short time before their execution, we had no - apprehension that any serious obstacle would be thrown in the - way of the Lāo becoming Christians. All the baptisms had taken - place publicly. The number, and some of the names, of the - Christians had been given in answer to questions asked by the - younger daughter of the king, and by others of royal blood. We - had become convinced that the king must know that some of his - people had become disciples of Jesus. His two daughters had - assured Mr. McGilvary that no one should be molested for - becoming Christians. With such an assurance from the highest - princesses in the land, we flattered ourselves that the king - would tolerate Christianity. The fearlessness, also, with which - all but Nān Chai professed Christ, made us feel that there was - no danger to the life of any one who had received baptism. - - “Nān Chai, however, seemed anxious. Some two months before his - baptism he requested us to write to Bangkok and get the King of - Siam to make proclamation of religious toleration. Not a month - before his baptism he asked me, ‘If the king should call me and - ask, “Are you a disciple of Jesus?” would it be wrong to say - “No”?’ We knew that for some time he had loved the Saviour, but - he was following Him tremblingly. His position as overseer - (ex-abbot) of the monastery made his renunciation of Buddhism a - more noticeable event, and rendered him more liable to - persecution than some of the others. I may here state that those - who, after leaving the monastery, are appointed overseers of the - temple, are, by virtue of their position, exempt from the call - of their masters to do government work. Nān Chai belonged to - this class. His resignation of this post when he became a - Christian, both proved his sincerity, and made him a mark for - Buddhist hate and reproach. - - “Noi Sunya’s work was to tend the king’s cattle, and in this way - he performed his share of public service. He also worked a farm, - and was a physician. He was of a genial disposition and cheerful - temper, always looking on the bright side of life, happy - himself, and trying to make others happy. He was thus a general - favourite. His reception of the truth was hearty and childlike. - How his face beamed with joy that communion Sabbath! Next day, - Monday, September 6th, about noon, he started for his walk of - nine miles across the plain to Mê Pō Kā. In bidding him good-bye - we little thought we should see his face no more. - - “Our teacher, Nān Chai, came in the following Thursday, somewhat - sad because the head man of his village was urging him for some - government work and supplies that were then being raised for the - army. After resigning the oversight of the temple, being - virtually without a master, he had come in to the city to put - himself under the king’s younger daughter. On Saturday morning, - the 11th, she gave him his protection papers, for which he paid - the usual three rupees. Some ten days before, when Mr. McGilvary - had called with him in reference to this matter, he had, at the - princess’ request, made a statement of his Christian faith, even - to the repeating of a prayer. - - “On that same Saturday afternoon a message came from the head - man of the village for Nān Chai’s immediate return home. The - message was so urgent that he concluded not to wait for the - accustomed Sabbath morning worship. Knowing that there was a - disposition on the part of some of the public officers to find - fault with the Christians, I thought it best for him to go home, - and not return to us till quiet should be restored. He seemed - very sad, and said that his master was disposed to oppress him. - All that I could say did not rouse him from his depression. He - took leave of us about ten o’clock at night. When we awoke on - Sabbath morning, he was gone. We know now that shortly after the - princess had given him her letters of protection on Saturday - morning, she despatched a messenger to the head man of the - village ordering Nān Chai’s arrest. Imagine that Sabbath - morning’s walk of nearly nine miles, much of the way through - water nearly knee-deep! Dear gentle heart, full of care and - fear! - - “He reached home about noon. After dinner he called upon the - head man of the village; but no one knew the nature of the - conference. He was permitted to sleep at home that night. Next - morning came the order from the chief man of the district for - the overseers of the temples and those doing the king’s own work - to appear at his house. This order included, of course, both our - brethren, Noi Sunya and Nān Chai. But to make their attendance - doubly sure, armed men were sent with clubs and pikes to conduct - them to the appointed rendezvous. Noi Sunya took leave of his - wife and six children in tears. He knew what that call and those - clubs and spears meant. When they reached the house of the - district chief, they found a large armed force ready to receive - them. When arrested at their homes they had been charged with - refusing to do the king’s work. But now Nān Chai was asked, ‘Are - you an overseer of a temple?’ He answered, ‘I was, but am not - now.’ ‘Have you entered the religion of the foreigners?’ ‘Yes.’ - Noi Sunya was asked the same question, to which he also answered - ‘Yes.’ - - “They were then seized, and after further examination were told - that they had been condemned to death. While Nān Chai was giving - the reason of the faith that was in him, one of the examiners - kicked him in the eye, leaving it bloodshot and causing it to - swell till the eye was closed. The arms of the prisoners were - tied behind their backs. Their necks were compressed between two - pieces of timber (the death-yoke) tied before and behind so - tightly as painfully to impede both respiration and the - circulation of the blood. They were thus placed in a sitting - posture near a wall, and cords were passed through the holes in - their ears and tied to a beam above. In this constrained and - painful position—not able to turn their heads or bow them in - slumber—they remained from Monday afternoon till Tuesday morning - about ten o’clock, when they were led out into the jungle and - executed. - - “When Nān Chai was arrested, his wife started on a run to inform - us, supposing that he would be brought to the city to undergo a - regular trial. In that case she hoped the missionaries could - ensure his release. She had arrived in sight of our house, when - a messenger from the head man of the village overtook her, and - informed her that if she called on us, it would be at the risk - of her life. She returned immediately, to join him at the - district chief’s house; but was informed that if she made the - least demonstration of grief, she too would be put to death. She - sat down by her husband for a time. They conversed together as - opportunity offered, being narrowly watched by the merciless - guard. The prisoners both said, ‘Oh, if the missionaries were - here, we should not have to die!’ Nān Chai’s last words to his - wife were, ‘Tell the missionaries that we die for no other cause - than that we are Christians.’ One of the guards angrily asked - what he had said. She saw that it was best for her to retire, - and they parted. - - “When Nān Chai knew that he and his comrade were doomed, he said - to one of the officers, ‘You will kill us; we are prepared. But - I beg you not to kill those who are in the employ of the - missionaries. They are not Christians, and are not prepared to - die.’ What a triumph of faith in this once fearful disciple! - What a noble forgetfulness of self in that earnest request for - the lives of others! - - “And now, after a long and weary night of painful watching, the - morning of Tuesday, the 14th, dawns upon them. The hour is come. - They are led out into the lonely jungle. They kneel down. Nān - Chai is asked to pray. He does so, his last petition being, - ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ The tenderness of the scene - melts his enemies to tears. The heads of the prisoners—prisoners - for Jesus’ sake—are drawn back by slightly raising the cruel - yoke they have worn for more than twenty hours. The executioner - approaches with his club. Nān Chai receives the stroke on the - front of the neck. His body sinks to the ground a corpse.... Noi - Sunya receives upon the front of his neck five or six strokes; - but life is still not extinct. A spear is thrust into his heart. - His body is bathed in blood, and his spirit joins that of his - martyred brother. Their bodies were hastily buried. Their graves - we may not yet visit.... - - “Only a few days before his death Nān Chai wrote, at Mrs. - Wilson’s request, a little slip which she forwarded to her - friends as a specimen of the Lāo language. The last line—the - last, no doubt, that he ever wrote—contained the following words - ‘Nān Chai dai rap pen sit lêo. Hak Yēsū nak’ (Nān Chai has - become a disciple. He loves Jesus much).” - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - X - - THE ROYAL COMMISSION - - -After the despatch of our hurried notes by the Burmese on September -29th, 1869, we felt reasonably sure that our friends would learn the -news of our situation, and we were in a measure relieved. But at that -time we still believed the reports about the murder of Lung Puk. In -fact, it was these reports, which we had just heard before writing the -letters sent by the Burmese, that caused the great anxiety expressed in -them. But though we poured out our hearts and unburdened our fears to -our friends, no one in Chiengmai outside of our two families ever knew -the fears that agitated our breasts. For two months or more we still -feared that we might be treacherously murdered under colour as though it -were done by robbers or dacoits. We knew not on lying down at night what -might happen before dawn. - -One of the hardest things of the situation was that, in the presence of -our own dear children, we felt obliged to speak to each other of these -matters by signs alone, since it seemed wise to conceal our fears from -them. When we had native callers, or in our visits to the natives, we -preached to them just as if nothing had happened. Some that we know were -sent as spies to see what we were doing and what we were planning to do, -had nothing to report except the Gospel message which they had heard. - -Then was the time when a few tried friends endeared themselves forever -to us. Among these was the Princess Būa Kam, and the abbot of the Ūmōng -monastery, both of whom have been mentioned before. The silver plate -with a little rice or fruit from the Princess never ceased to come; and -the abbot often made an excuse of errands elsewhere in our neighbourhood -that he might have occasion to call and express his sympathy. - -One incident which occurred before the various rumours had been cleared -up, though well-nigh tragic at the time, seemed afterward amusing -enough. After the appalling treachery of the younger daughter of the -Prince in regard to Nān Chai, while professing constantly such personal -friendship for us, we naturally regarded her with profound distrust. -What, then, was our surprise, when, one night in the darkest time of our -troubles, a summons came for me to go at once to her palace with the -officer who brought the message. I was by no means to wait till morning, -and I could get no clue to the object of the summons. But it was almost -a royal command. Whatever it might mean, nothing would be gained by -refusal; so I promised at once to go. But a difficulty arose. My wife -positively refused to let me go alone. If the worst were to come, she -would be there to see it. - -So the children were left in bed, and off we walked three-fourths of a -mile in the dark to the palace. We found it brilliantly lighted up. Was -it for the final act? But our fears were soon allayed. The Princess -received us as she always had done—probably a little surprised to see -Mrs. McGilvary with me. A foreign rug was spread for us, and soon was -produced a formidable package of documents in English, which the -Princess wanted us to translate! They were from the court in Maulmein, -and had reference to the lawsuits. They had just arrived, and she could -not wait till morning. We glanced over them, gave her the substance of -them, and promised that if she would send her scribe down next day, we -would translate them. She was relieved to find that there was nothing -more formidable in them—and so were we. The whole interview did not last -more than fifteen minutes; and when ready to return, we were escorted -home by servants with lanterns. - -For a time we had very few visitors even for medicine. But the -monasteries were always open, and we were welcomed in nearly all the -homes of the princes. I regularly called on the Prince. When he was in a -pleasant mood, I had pleasant conversations with him. If I found him -moody or busy, I paid my respects and retired. His elder daughter and -her husband were always pleasant, and she was always interested to talk -on the subject of religion. - -Another friendship formed the year before was then a great comfort to -us, though no one could really help us. A wealthy Chinese, who had -charge of collecting nearly all the revenue of the government, had been -shot in the city of Lampūn, eighteen miles away. A messenger with an -elephant was sent, begging me to come at once. It seemed at first -impossible for me to go, but finally I did so. The ball had entered -below the knee while the man was lying down, had followed the bone, and -had lodged in the soft part of the thigh. It was extracted, and I -remained there till the patient was out of danger. The wife, a -Siamo-Chinese, was a merchant, and acted as our banker for ten years. At -this writing, the family has not yet forgotten the service rendered. - -But our hourly thoughts were directed to Bangkok. What would be the -outcome of our letters? We were continually asked what we were going to -do. Our reply was that, of course, we intended to remain. There was no -telegraph then, nor even a monthly mail. It was not till November 26th -that the first news of what was doing in our behalf reached us. It was -brought by messengers sent on in advance to notify the government that a -Royal Commissioner had arrived in Lampūn, with two foreigners and a -train of eighteen elephants and fifty-three attendants. They were to be -in Chiengmai the next day. No intimation, however, was given as to what -the object of the Commission was. But plainly it must be a matter of no -slight importance. - -Early on the morning of the 27th every one was on the alert. A body of -men under the direction of an officer were scrubbing the old sālā next -door to us, for the letter had asked that preparations be made for the -party. A prince whispered in our ears to enquire whether we knew what -the “Kā Lūang” was coming for. But we knew as little as he did. We were -so hopeful, however, that we began to prepare for our guests, too. The -whole place seemed in an attitude of expectancy. The sudden arrival of a -Kā Lūang was not an everyday occurrence. And then the two foreigners—two -“white kolās”! - -In the afternoon the curiosity of every one was gratified by the arrival -of the long train with the Commissioner at its head. The two “white -kolās” were none other than our associates in the Siamese mission, the -Rev. N. A. McDonald, and the Rev. S. C. George. Were ever guests more -welcome! The story was soon told of the receipt of our letters in -Bangkok, and of the negotiations which had resulted in their coming with -a Royal Commissioner and with a “Golden Seal,” as the royal letter is -called. We now knew definitely that the Commissioner had come on the -business of the mission and the treatment of the Christians. But our -brethren did not know the contents of the royal letter. No human -sagacity could yet predict what turn affairs would take. Was the mission -to be securely established, or were we to be escorted safely out of the -country? The Commissioner immediately notified the Prince of his arrival -with the “Golden Seal,” and awaited His Highness’ pleasure. The Prince’s -curiosity and anxiety were guarantee that there would be no delay. Nine -o’clock next morning was named as the hour for the audience. The -Commissioner notified us to be ready. An officer was sent with a -palanquin to escort the “Golden Seal” under the golden umbrella to the -palace. - -Mr. Wilson and I, of course, joined the procession. On reaching the -grand reception hall at the palace, we encountered such an array of -princely state as we had never before seen among the Lāo. Every prince, -princess, and officer who could come was already there. I quote from Mr. -McDonald’s official report to the Board, dated February 2d, 1870, an -account of the audience. (_Presbyterian Record_, June, 1870.) - - “The next morning after our arrival the Regent’s letter was - conducted in state to the palace under the royal umbrella, and - the golden tray containing it was placed on a stand near the - middle of the hall. Very soon the king entered the hall - apparently calm, but pale with suppressed rage. We arose and - bowed to him, and then resumed our seats. The Siamese officers, - however, remained prostrate before him, as did every other one - in the hall. The king immediately broke the seal and handed the - letter to the Siamese secretary to read. After the reading of - the letter he looked up, evidently quite relieved, and remarked, - ‘This letter does not amount to so much. It gives the - missionaries privilege to remain if they wish, or to go if they - prefer.’” - -Mr. McDonald, then, as a member of the Commission, addressed the King, -referring to the kindness with which the missionaries had been received -by him on their arrival—which was in keeping with the favour shown them -in Bangkok, and with the beneficent nature of their work—but regretting -that late difficulties had made their stay unpleasant. Among other -things he referred to the desertion of their servants. But neither he -nor the royal letter made the slightest reference to the murder of the -Christians. Mr. McDonald then proceeds: - - “What I said did not seem to rouse him. He continued to suppress - his rage, and replied, ‘As to servants, he had never placed any - hindrance. He had put to death a couple of fellows—a thing which - he had a right to do, since they had failed to do their allotted - government work. But that was his own business.’” - -The Prince evidently thought that the affair was ended, and was -preparing to close the audience, greatly relieved that the one dreaded -point had not been referred to either in the letter or in the -conference. But to stop there would have been an inexcusable blunder on -our part. Not only had the good name of the Christians been tarnished, -but our own also, if we had made all this great fuss about nothing. It -was a difficult thing to face the Prince before his whole court, and -charge him with falsehood; but he had driven us to it. If he had not -lied, we had. For once we were called upon to stand before kings for His -name’s sake; and I believe that words were given to me to speak. - -I said that I was sorry to be compelled to say that the Prince knew that -he had not spoken the truth. There was not a man or woman in that -audience, nor in the whole country, who did not know that those two men -had been put to death for no other pretended reason than that they were -Christians. It was done and was proclaimed to be done as a warning to -others. They had not refused to do government work. The charge that they -had failed to get the slabs for the stockade was a subterfuge. There was -not a word of truth in it, as the officer through whom it was done, then -present, well knew. When these men received the order to get the slabs, -they started immediately, but were at once arrested, and were not -allowed to get them. In no sense were they dealt with as criminals. On -that very day (over three months after the order), not one-fifth of the -men in the province had as yet brought in their timbers, and nothing was -said about it. In this country it was an unheard-of thing, even for the -gravest offences, to decoy men out from their homes into the jungle, and -to kill them there with no pretence of a trial. There was a Sanām -(Court), there were regular officers of law, even down to the -executioner. In the case of these men, not a single form of law had been -observed. By the Prince’s own order they had been treacherously -arrested, led out into the jungle, and cruelly clubbed to death in the -presence of a lawless mob by a ruffian hired to do it. - -The old man looked on me in mingled astonishment and rage. Possibly till -then he thought we had not been able to learn the facts and particulars -in the case. More likely he thought that no one would dare thus openly -and publicly to expose them. But what was said had the desired effect. -Up to this point the Prince’s position had been impregnable. To assault -it successfully would have required the production of evidence; and no -man in the country, high or low, would have dared to testify against -him. But this unexpected challenge was more than he could endure. He -flung all caution to the winds. In an instant his sole defence was -abandoned. Mr. McDonald says: - - “‘Yes,’ he said, ‘he had killed them because they had embraced - the Christian religion. And he would continue to kill every one - who did the same. Leaving the religion of the country was - rebellion against him, and he would so treat it. If the - missionaries would remain to treat the sick, they might do so. - But they must not make Christians; they must not teach the - Christian religion. If they did, he would expel them from the - country’.... At one time I feared that he might become - uncontrollable, and break over all restraints, and do us some - personal injury. The Siamese officer also was alarmed for our - safety.” - -Matters now had been brought to a crisis. The Christians had been proved -to be not malefactors, but martyrs. We now understood each other, and -all parties understood the situation. The Prince’s bravado before the -Commissioner in one sense was politic. He had read between the lines of -the King’s letter that the Siamese were afraid of him; and he was quite -willing to have it so. On the other hand, his attitude might have the -effect of convincing them that he was a dangerous man, to be dealt with -accordingly—and I believe it did. - -But, as Mr. McDonald goes on to say, “It was useless to attempt any -further argument. The missionaries merely told him that it was their -intention to remain. The conversation then turned to other subjects, and -the Prince became more calm. After returning to the house of Mr. -McGilvary, and after anxious consultation and prayer, it was considered -best to abandon the mission for a time.” - -The Commissioner strongly advised us to withdraw. Mr. McDonald was -naturally timid, and hardly felt safe till he was fairly out of the -country. He and Mr. George were sure that it would not be safe for us to -remain a single day after the Commissioner departed; and Mr. Wilson -agreed with them. Such, then, was the report made to the Board, and the -number of the _Record_ from which we have quoted above announced the -dissolution of the mission. - -The news of the scene in the palace spread like wild-fire over the city. -We had scarcely reached home when our neighbours and friends began to -send us secret messages that it would be foolish to remain. The Prince -was like a lion bearded in his den. When the Commissioner left there was -no telling what he might do. The Commissioner naturally felt some -responsibility for our safety, and desired to have us return with him. I -so far consented as to allow the Commissioner to send word to the Prince -that we would retire as soon as we conveniently could. Yet, from what I -knew of the feeling of the people toward us, I could not see that it was -the will of Providence that the mission should be abandoned. Nor did I -believe that it would be hazardous to remain. The Prince evidently had -no thought of actually renouncing his allegiance to Siam. He had been -directed to see to our safety, if we wished to remain. I think, too, -that I understood him better than did either our own friends or the -Commissioner. His bluster at the audience was for effect. It was more -than probable that, after sober thought, he himself would realize that -he had gone too far. Before the coming of the Commissioner he had been -summoned to Bangkok; he was at that time busy preparing boats for the -journey, and was soon to start. He was too shrewd a man to wish us to -appear there before him as witnesses against him. It was, I thought, -more than probable that he would meet more than half-way any advance -made toward him, though we could not expect him to make the advance -himself. - -Next morning before breakfast Mr. Wilson came over to have a long walk -and talk with me. He did not wish to express his fears before our -children. He argued with all his logic that it was better to go while we -safely could. His idea was to retire to Rahêng, where we would be under -the direct protection of the Siamese government; for, after yesterday’s -scene, he was sure we never could be safe in Chiengmai. So far as he was -concerned, I thought it a good idea. He might go, and I would remain—at -least as long as I could. He felt, however, that he would be to blame if -any disaster happened to us. From all responsibility on that score I -freely exonerated him. As I viewed the case, our personal risk was at an -end so soon as the situation should be known in Bangkok. The Prince -would no longer dare either to do anything or to cause anything to be -done _secretly_ as once we feared he would. Therefore, notwithstanding -the bluster of the day before, fear for our personal safety had little -weight with me. But quite apart from the question of danger, there was -much to be said in favour of Mr. Wilson’s going to Rahêng. The place was -an important one for missionary work. The result might possibly be a -station in both places, instead of in Chiengmai alone. His departure -might seem some concession to the wishes of the Prince—would show less -determination to thwart his known will. If there were any danger in -remaining, it would be less for one family than for two. All I wanted -was time to see the Lord’s will. At any rate, I was not willing to -depart without having an audience with the Prince alone. Against this it -was urged that the Prince had a special grudge against me, because of -the vaccination of his little grandson, and that this would be increased -by my having angered him the day before. But of this I was not afraid. -The parents of the dear child had begged me never to think that they -blamed me for it. As to what had happened the day before, I believed the -Prince’s respect for me was higher than it would have been had I allowed -him to bluff us with his bare-faced lie. The result of our walk was that -Mr. Wilson agreed to have me call on the Prince the next day, though Mr. -McDonald maintained that for himself he would not risk it. - -So, next morning, I called at the palace at an hour when I knew I should -find the Prince alone with his head-wife. And, just as I expected, he -received me with unwonted cordiality. I referred to the friendship -between him and my father-in-law, Dr. Bradley; to his cordial consent -given to our coming to his country to teach the Christian religion and -to benefit his people in other ways; to his kind reception of us when we -came; to his granting us a place for a home; and to his many other acts -of kindness. We had come to him as friends, and I could not bear we -should part as enemies. As I had anticipated, his whole manner showed -that he was pleased at my advance. That, too, he said, was his desire. -We might remain at least till after his return from Bangkok, and take -all the time needed for a comfortable departure. I thanked him for his -consideration, and told him that Mr. Wilson would probably go at once. -We shook hands and parted as if the scene in the palace had never -occurred. I had won my point. What I wanted was time, and I had gained -it. The Prince could not possibly return in less than six months’ -time—it might be much longer. - -In a few days our friends left us. Having no faith in the success of my -new negotiations, or possibly thinking that I might be caught in a trap, -they reported to the Board, as we have seen, that the mission was broken -up—as technically it was. This last turn of affairs was merely a private -arrangement between the Prince and myself. - -Had the matter not passed beyond our power, I doubtless should have been -credulous enough, or weak enough, to prefer that no further action -should be taken by our friends in Bangkok. I did write to Dr. Bradley -and to our mission to pursue a pacific policy, and to show the Prince -all kindness, as, indeed, I knew they would. But I learned afterwards -that their advances were hardly received with courtesy. Mr. George, who -asked permission to send by some one of the numerous fleet of boats some -parcels to us, was given to understand that the things would not be -needed, as the Prince expected both families to leave Chiengmai upon his -return. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - XI - - DEATH OF KĀWILŌROT - - -The Commissioner’s report of the attitude assumed by the Prince showed -the Siamese government that the man in control of the northern provinces -was of a spirit and temper that might be difficult to curb—that might at -any time throw everything into confusion. Hitherto it had been their -policy to strengthen his hands to any degree not inconsistent with his -loyalty. Siam and Burma had long been rivals and enemies. A strong -buffer-state in the north had been a necessity to Siam. But conditions -were changed. Burma was now under English control, and had ceased to be -a disturbing factor in the problem. A change in Siamese policy as -regards the North was inevitable. - -When the news of the murder of the Christians became known in Bangkok, -our friends there deferred to the wishes of the Siamese government as -expressed by the Regent—whose goodwill to the mission and to ourselves -no one doubted. No steps, therefore, were taken to have the United -States officially represented on the Commission. In this we believe our -friends were providentially led. But Dr. House’s letter does not state, -what was also the fact, that the United States Consul, in whose presence -the Lāo Prince had given his official sanction to the establishment of -the mission, was anxious that the United States should be so -represented. And when that Commission so signally failed to accomplish -anything satisfactory, it was the Consul’s turn to say to our friends, -“I told you so.” - -Because, as they themselves expressed it, of the lawless nature of the -Lāo Prince, and the consequent difficulty of protecting foreigners so -far away, our Siamese friends would then have preferred to have us -recalled. In fact, that was their first thought. The first draft of the -letter prepared to be sent by the Commission actually contained the -stipulation that we be safely conveyed back to Siam proper. It was only -the indomitable perseverance of Dr. Bradley—who frankly declared that he -would rather have no such letter sent at all—that secured the omission -of that clause, and left the way open for the possible continuance of -the mission. So, when the Commission returned to Bangkok, and it was -known that the Lāo Prince was soon to follow them. General Partridge, -the United States Consul, immediately took up the case, and insisted -that the Siamese government give guarantee for the fulfilment of -promises publicly made by its vassal in the presence of officials of -both governments. “Before this you could say, ‘He is like a tiger in the -jungle; we cannot control him.’ But when he reaches Bangkok, he is in -your power. You can then make your own terms regarding his return.” - -How this negotiation was conducted, I am not aware. But from the -_Presbyterian Record_ of September, 1870, we learn that the Consul -carried his point: - - “Dr. House sends us word that the Siamese government has - extended its protection over the missionaries in Chiengmai; they - are not to be molested in their work. As the king of Chiengmai - is tributary to Siam, this decision will no doubt be respected. - This king is not likely to live long, and he will be succeeded - by his son-in-law, a prince who has shown a friendly interest in - the missionaries. The intervention of the Siamese government was - obtained by the U. S. Consul, Gen. Partridge, not at the - instance of the missionaries, but he took the ground of treaty - stipulations between Siam and our country, which accorded the - right of protection to American citizens.” - -From the _Foreign Missionary_ of September, 1870, we quote the following -extract from the _Bangkok Summary_, doubtless from the pen of Dr. -Bradley: - - “I am very happy to learn from the most reliable authority that - His Grace the Regent has been pleased to commit the American - citizens in Chiengmai to the care and protection of the Maha - Uparāt, the son-in-law of the king, charging him to assist, - nourish, and protect them so that they shall suffer no trouble - and hindrance in their work from persecutions like those through - which they have passed since September 12th last. - - “His Grace, moreover, is understood to have promised that he - will certainly arrange to have those American citizens protected - in Chiengmai according to the stipulations of the treaties, even - though the present king should live and continue his reign. - - “The Maha Uparāt enjoys the reputation of being a mild and - discreet prince. He received this his new title a few weeks - since from His Majesty the Supreme King of Siam, by virtue of - which he is constituted Second King of Chiengmai. I learn that - His Grace the Regent has virtually committed the rule of that - kingdom to him during the illness of the king, and has assured - him that he is ultimately to become the king’s successor to the - throne. - - “This I regard as good news, indeed, and too good to be held a - day longer from the public. Who will not agree with me that the - Siamese government is worthy of a great meed of praise for what - it has done in the matter of the Chiengmai mission? But let us - see to it that the King of Kings, as well, receives our highest - praise for all these gratifying events of His providence.” - -While the Consul was pressing these claims, Prince Kāwilōrot, as was -intimated in the last extract, became dangerously ill. He was stricken -with almost instantaneous loss of consciousness, and complete paralysis -of speech. Meanwhile we in Chiengmai, only five hundred miles away, were -in profound ignorance of what was happening. If we had despatched a -special messenger thither for news, it would have been three months -before he could have returned with a reply. And the first news we -received was not reassuring. Word came that the time was set for the -Prince’s return; that he had been promoted to higher honours, and had -received higher titles; that he was returning with full power, and -probably flushed with fresh victories. Of course, that did not -necessarily mean very much. Siam understood perfectly the great trick of -oriental statecraft, the giving of high-sounding titles, with, perhaps, -a larger stipend, in compensation for the loss of real power. But it was -a time of great anxiety for us. Revenge was a passion which that man -seldom left ungratified. Would he come breathing out slaughter against -the church and vengeance on us? - -By and by there came a message stating that the Prince was ill, and -directing that offerings be made for his recovery. Then came news that -he was already on his way, and had sent orders for a hundred elephants -to meet him at the landing station below the rapids. Some surmised that -his illness was feigned in order to escape the lawsuits which were -pressing him. About the middle of June we learned that he had reached -the landing station, but was very seriously ill. It was still more -urgently enjoined that his relatives and the monasteries in Chiengmai -should “make merit” in his behalf, and propitiate the demons by generous -offerings. - -On the evening of June 29th, while riding through the streets of the -city, some one called out to me, “The Prince is dead!” No news ever gave -me such a shock. I stepped in to the residence of one of the princes, a -nephew of Kāwilōrot, to get the particulars, but found him in a dreadful -state of mind. Yes. The Prince was dead; and word had come that he (the -nephew) was to go to Bangkok to bear the brunt of the lawsuits—to answer -in his own name for transactions done by order of the dead Prince! - -How soon the strongest prejudices fade and disappear in the presence of -death! The anxious fears of his return that had haunted us, all -dissolved into tender sympathy now that he was gone. We forgot his -treachery and cruelty, and thought only of his interesting human -qualities. We recalled his taking tea or dining with us, and even the -dry jokes that he so much enjoyed. He was a tender father. He could be a -warm, though a fickle and inconstant friend. In many respects he was a -good ruler. He was absolute and tyrannical; but there was no petty -thieving in his realm. And now that voice that had made thousands -tremble was silent in death! No doubt it was with a sigh of relief that -the Siamese government turned over the government of the North to one -whom they could better trust. - -But it would be a hard heart that could follow unmoved that long, weary -homeward trip of the dying Prince. He was so weak that he could not -endure the jarring caused by the use of the setting-poles. His boat had -to be taken in tow of another. When the last lingering hope of life died -out, his one desire was to reach home—to die in his own palace. The trip -through the rapids he could not bear, and it was too slow for the dying -man. Travel by elephant is both rough and slow. He is brought ashore, -therefore, and borne on a litter as swiftly as relays of men can carry -him. Over the mountains and up the valley of the Mê Ping, under burning -sun and through driving rain, they hasten. At last, on the evening of -June 28th, they halt on the left bank of the Mê Ping, with only that -stream between him and his own country. “What land is this?” he asks. -“Lampūn,” is the reply. “Carry me across quickly!” He is obeyed, but -sinks exhausted by the fatigue of crossing. He passes a restless night. -His mind wanders. He dreams of being at home; of worshipping in his own -palace. The morning comes. He is still alive; but so weak that, in spite -of his eagerness to hasten on, at every few paces his bearers must halt, -while attendants fan him or administer a cordial. At last fan and -cordials fail. The litter is set down under the two golden umbrellas -that screen it from the burning rays of the sun. The little group stand -with bowed heads and hushed hearts while the spirit takes its flight, to -appear before its Maker.—Almost, but not quite home, and with none of -his immediate kin by him to see the end! The attendants cover the body -with a cloth, and hasten on to the next station, a few miles below the -city. The procession halted there at about the very time that the -messenger reached Chiengmai with the news that he was dead. - -Such, as I learned next day from the attending prince, were the last -hours of His Highness Chao Kāwilōrot Suriyawong, Prince of Chiengmai. He -died at ten o’clock in the morning of June 29th, 1870, in the seventieth -year of his age, and in the sixteenth of his reign. - -Next morning before breakfast I was sent for by the younger daughter of -the Prince, to go to the residence of the nephew, whom I had left late -in the evening before in such a distracted state of mind. How shocked -was I on entering to find the prince cold and dead! The Princess wished -to get my judgment whether he was really dead beyond all hope of -resuscitation. But it required no skilled physician to answer that -question. He had evidently died by a dose of opium administered by his -own hands. The little cup from which it was taken was still by his -bedside. Whether it was intentional suicide to escape the lawsuits of -his deceased master, or was simply designed to ease the mental troubles -of that night, they could tell as well as I. In either case, he slept -the sleep that knows no waking till the summons of the last trump. - -After breakfast I rode out to the encampment, only two or three miles -away, where the body of the Prince was lying. The family and officers -and friends were assembled to look for the last time on that noted face. -The last act before placing the body in the coffin was to cover it -throughout with gold-leaf, to give it the appearance of being a Buddha. -But no gold-leaf could disguise that face. The family remained there a -few days, partly for the much-needed rest, but chiefly to await a day of -good augury for carrying the remains to the city. - -The day was well chosen for such a pageant as the country had not seen, -to honour alike the departed, and to welcome the succeeding Prince. -There was a long and imposing procession of soldiers, monks, and people -marching to the wailing of the funeral dirge and to the slow, solemn -beat of drums. Near the head of the line, on his elephant, was the -son-in-law, Chao Intanon, soon to be Prince of Chiengmai. Not far behind -came the body of the dead Prince, borne on a golden bier and accompanied -by a large train of yellow-robed priests. Behind this was the vacant -throne, and on it the royal crown, both testifying to the emptiness of -human pomp and power. Then came one leading the horse His Highness used -to ride; and next, his favourite elephant, its huge body covered with -trappings of gold. After these came members of the Prince’s family and -other near relatives. - -About ten o’clock the procession approached the city which, by -inexorable custom, may never open its gates to receive the dead—not even -though the dead were he whose word for so many years had been its law. -What a comment on human glory and on the tyranny of superstitious -custom! On reaching the South Gate, therefore, the procession turned to -the right, and passed on outside the city wall to the East Gate. There, -in the Prince’s summer garden, beside the river, his remains lay in -state until the great cremation ceremony a year later. Meantime a lamp -was kept burning at the head and at the foot night and day. A prince was -in constant attendance. Courses of monks chanted the requiem of the -Buddhist ceremonial for the dead. At intervals during the whole night -the beat of the drum resounded through the air, reminding the city that -there lay all that remained of one of its greatest masters. - -Prince Intanon, though not yet officially installed, assured me, as soon -as I met him at the encampment, that we were to remain and build our -houses and prosecute our work without let or hindrance. Other princes -and officers were pleased to give the same assurance. With the Prince’s -party there came a large mail from friends in Bangkok, giving full -particulars of the negotiations that were stopped by the sudden illness -of the Prince, and clearing up the questions about which we were so much -in doubt. The interposition of Providence had been so marked that we -could only stand in awe before Him who had so wonderfully led us. For, -after the utmost stretch of my own credulity in trying to trust the -Prince, my final conviction is that, had he lived, he and the mission -could not have existed in the same country. He could never have endured -to see his people becoming Christians—Not that he cared so much for -Buddhism; but it would have been a constant challenge to his autocratic -rule. - -In March, while the scenes of this tragic drama were slowly enacting in -Bangkok, and while we were anxiously awaiting the dénouement, we had a -pleasant episode of another kind. One morning we were surprised to learn -from some natives that out on the plain, not far from the city, they had -passed two white foreigners, a man and a woman, and that they were -coming to our house. Sure enough, about ten o’clock, who should ride up -but Rev. and Mrs. J. N. Cushing of the American Baptist Mission in -Burma! What an unexpected pleasure! For three years we had seen but two -white faces outside of our own little circle. Some of our latest news -from home friends was eleven months old when we received it. What a -social feast we did have! - -They had started from Shwegyin, Burma, had made a tour west of the -Salwin River, crossed over to Keng Tung, come down by Chieng Sên and -Chieng Rāi, and now called at Chiengmai on their way back to Burma. -Their visit was a real godsend to us in the time of our troubles. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - XII - - THE NEW RÉGIME - - -One of the results of the change of government was that we were able to -build permanent houses. For three years and more we had lived within -basket-woven bamboo walls that a pocketknife could pierce, neither -secure nor wholesome nor favourable for our work. They bore silent but -steady testimony that we ourselves did not regard our stay as permanent. -The results of our manner of living were already seen in the impaired -health of the members of the mission. My wife surely could never have -lived another decade in the old sālā with bamboo walls and ceiling, -where the dust from the borers in the wood constantly filled the air and -poisoned the lungs. Mrs. Wilson bore up bravely for five years, until -there was just ready for her reception the permanent house which she was -never to enjoy. As soon as they could, the family started for the United -States on furlough, all thoroughly broken down. After two years of rest -Mr. Wilson alone was able to return to the field, leaving Mrs. Wilson -behind. She never regained her health, and they never saw each other -again. Her departure was a great loss to the mission. She was a gifted -lady, a fine vocal and instrumental musician, and a consecrated -missionary. She left one literary work in Lāo, the translation of -Bunyan’s _Pilgrim’s Progress_, which has since been published. - -But as matters then were, there was much perplexing work to be done -before we were at all ready to begin building. I was favoured in getting -a lot of first class teak logs delivered at a very cheap rate. Then the -trouble began. The logs must be hauled up from the river by elephants to -the lot where they are to be sawn. The log is raised and mounted on two -strong trestles. A black line to guide the saw is struck on either side. -Two sawyers stand facing each other across the log, grasping the handles -of a long framed saw with horizontal blade. Then the operation begins. -The saw is pushed and pulled back and forth till the cut is carried -through to the end of the log. This operation is repeated for every -stick of timber put into the house. - -But we are already too fast. Where are the sawyers to come from? There -were then no good sawyers among the Lāo. No one dared to learn for fear -of being appropriated by the Prince, or of being compelled to work on -public buildings. There were, however, three pairs of sawyers, debtors -to the Prince, whom he had brought up from Rahêng for his own work. -Whenever not needed by him or by some other person of rank, they were -allowed to seek employment elsewhere. So, at odd times, I was able to -secure their services. But if the Prince needed them, they must at once -drop everything and go. Scores of times our sawyers were called away, -often for weeks at a time, and at the busiest stage of the work. - -And now for the carpenter. The Lāo dared not be known as carpenters for -the same reason as that given above in the case of the sawyers. They -would have been constantly requisitioned for government work. There was -in the place only one Siamese carpenter reputed to be a good workman. In -order to get him, I had to advance him three hundred rupees, professedly -to pay a debt, but most likely to gamble with. He was to build by -contract. But he had already received his money, or so much of it that -he was quite independent. He soon slashed and spoiled more timber than -his wages were worth. So, to keep him from ruining the whole, I had to -get rid of him, even at some sacrifice. Just then a Siamo-Chinese turned -up, who took the job by the day under my direction, to be assisted by -some Christians whom we trained thus as apprentices. The house was built -on the plan of the East Indian bungalow—raised ten feet from the ground -on posts, with single walls and a veranda all round. Its large lofty -rooms, screened on all sides by the verandas, make it still one of the -most comfortable houses in the mission. It was more than eight years -from the time of our arrival when we entered it; and even then it was -not finished. - -Although the new government was friendly, yet some of the ruling spirits -were in their hearts as hostile as the deceased Prince had ever been, -and without his more noble qualities. There were two in particular who -soon began to show that their secret influence would be against the -mission—and their open hostility, too, so far as they ventured to let it -appear. One was the adopted son of the late Prince, and the other the -new ruler’s half-brother, who had been made Uparāt, or second in power, -when the new Prince ascended the throne. Had these both lived, their -combined influence would have been nearly as formidable as that of -Kāwilōrot. Unfortunately, too, the actual business of the country was -largely in their hands. Prince Intanon was not at all ambitious for -power. He liked nothing better than to work without care or -responsibility in his own little workshop, making fancy -elephant-saddles, and let his half-brother rule the country. During the -following year the adopted son went down to Bangkok to receive the -insignia of his new rank, but never returned. His death was even more -sudden than that of his foster-father. He was taken with the cholera, -and died in a few hours. This left the elder of the two avowed enemies -of Christianity, and the higher in rank and power. To give an -illustration of the kind of spirit we had to contend with in him, I will -anticipate an incident of a few years later. - -Two native Karens, ordained ministers, were sent by the American Baptist -Mission to initiate in Lāo territory a work among the Karens, a -hill-people scattered sparsely throughout all the mountain region -between Siam and Burma. The native evangelists brought with them letters -from the missionaries in Burma, requesting us to aid them in getting Lāo -passports. We went with them to the new Prince, and he very graciously -gave direction to his brother to see that passports were issued, stating -not only that the visitors were to be protected and aided as travellers, -but also that they were to be allowed to teach the new religion, and -that people were allowed to embrace it without fear. - -I was specially interested that they should succeed in the first village -which they were to visit, for it was the one where I had vaccinated the -whole population during the first year of our mission. Since I had -failed to make Christians of them—partly, as I supposed, on account of -my ignorance of their language, but more on account of the persecution -which followed so soon after—I hoped that when the message was delivered -in their own tongue, with official permission to embrace it, the whole -village might accept the Gospel. What was the astonishment of the -preachers that, instead of being received with the characteristic -hospitality of their race, they hardly found common civility! At last -they learned the reason. The Chao Uparāt had secretly despatched a -special messenger with a letter under his own seal, forbidding any Karen -subject to embrace the new religion. All who did so were to be reported -to him. What that meant, or what he wished them to infer that it meant, -was well understood. - -Our readers, therefore, will not be surprised that we found it necessary -to keep an eye on the Chao Uparāt, and to use considerable diplomacy in -counteracting his schemes against the church. It was my policy in those -days to keep up as close an acquaintance as possible with the members of -the ruling family. It was the misfortune of all of them that they were -ignorant;[9] and ignorance begets suspicion. Some of them were naturally -suspicious of the missionaries. They could not understand what motive -could induce men who were neither government officials nor merchants, to -leave a great country and come to live in theirs. - -Footnote 9: - - This same Uparāt, whose word ruled the country, was unable to write - his own orders. - -Two objects were gained by keeping in contact with the rulers. They saw, -then, with their own eyes, and heard with their own ears, what we were -doing. In nearly every interview our one great work was magnified alike -to prince, priest, and people. I have heretofore specially mentioned -princesses, too, as well as princes, in this connection, because the Lāo -have a proud pre-eminence among non-Christian races in the position -accorded to woman. In the family, woman’s authority is universally -recognized. At the time we speak of it was much the same in the -government also. The influence of women in affairs of state was -doubtless greatly increased during the previous reign, when, there being -no sons in the royal household, the daughters naturally became more -prominent. They were trained to understand and to deal with public -business. - -I have already referred to the kindness of the elder daughter, now not, -as in former reigns, the head-wife, but the only wife of the new ruler. -By birth she was of higher rank than he; and she was in every way worthy -of the high position she now assumed. Hers was, in fact, the strong -intelligence and steady will that kept her more passive consort from -errors into which he would otherwise have been led. At this particular -juncture she was needed as a check against the Prince’s more ambitious -and less principled half-brother. She had a woman’s instinct to discern -a point, and a woman’s revulsion against lawless acts, even when done by -her own father. In honesty of purpose she and her consort were one, for -his kindness of heart had drawn to him more dependents than any other -prince in the land possessed. The murder of the Christians they both -regarded as “worse than a crime—a blunder.” For the present, however, -there was no indication of the sinister forces which came into play -later. All in authority seemed to be honestly carrying out the orders -from Bangkok concerning the missionary work. - -A year was spent in preparation for the ceremonies attending the -cremation of the dead Prince. During the last three months of this time, -everything else in the whole land yielded place to it. Not only was -there requisition of men and materials throughout the province of -Chiengmai; but all the neighbouring states furnished large levies of men -under the personal direction of their princes or officers of rank. Such -occasions offer exceptional opportunities for meeting people from all -parts of the country, for forming lasting friendships, and for sending -some knowledge of the Gospel to distant provinces. In after years I -never made a tour on which I did not encounter friends whose -acquaintance I had made at the great cremation festival. - -The preparations were hastened somewhat because of the unsettled state -of the country. Chao Fā Kōlan, the Ngīo freebooter of whom we have -already heard, was still at his old tricks. Emboldened by the death of -the Prince, and the confusion incident to the change of rulers, he had -become more insolent than ever. Villages had been burned within less -than a day’s march from the city. Bands of men, euphemistically called -an army, were levied and despatched to capture him; but long before they -could reach him, he was safe within his stronghold in the mountains. - -[Illustration: - - A CREMATION PROCESSION] - - -The dead Prince was born on a Sunday; therefore every important event of -his life must take place on that day, even to the last dread summons, -which is not under man’s control—and beyond that, to the final -disposition of his mortal remains. Sunday, therefore, was the first day -of the ceremonies. On that day the body was removed from the summer -garden to the “Mēn,” where it was to lie in state to receive the homage -of his relatives and subjects until the following Sunday. The morning of -each day was devoted to “merit-making” of various kinds—feeding the -monks, making offerings to them, and listening to the reading of the -sacred books. The afternoons were largely spent in boxing games, a -favourite amusement of the Lāo. The evenings were given up to gambling. - -Everything went on according to programme until Thursday morning, when -the festivities were rudely interrupted. Chao Fā Kōlan, the bandit -chief, taking advantage of the occasion, made one of his sudden forays -to within so short a distance of Chiengmai that he actually had posted -on the city gates during the night an insolent manifesto to the effect -that the assembled Princes need not trouble themselves further with the -cremation of the dead Prince. He and his band would attend to that! The -news produced a tremendous panic. The whole business of the cremation -was incontinently stopped. A force was sent out after the marauder—with -the usual result. Before the end of the week, however, the panic had -sufficiently subsided to permit the ceremonies to be resumed. The -cremation itself was carried out on the following Sunday as planned. - -During all these years the demand for medical treatment, and the -opportunity which its exercise brings, had been constantly growing. I -made, for example, a second trip to Lampūn, this time at the call of the -Chao Uparāt of that city. The poor man had consumption, and at first -sent to me for some foreign medicine, thinking that would surely cure -him. Judging from his symptoms as reported, I sent word that I could not -cure him; that the soothing mixture which I sent was sent in hope that -it might give him a few nights’ rest; but that was all I could do. -Presently he sent an elephant with a most urgent appeal that I come to -see him. I was glad of the call, for it gave me the opportunity of -directing a dying man to something even more urgently needed than -medicine. I spent a few days with him, and visited all of the leading -families and officials of the place, establishing most valuable and -friendly relations with them. - -Long before this time, both the demand for medical treatment and the -responsibility involved far exceeded what any person without complete -professional training could undertake to meet. We had urged upon our -Board the claims of our mission for a physician. The following touching -appeal, which appeared in the _Foreign Missionary_ for March, 1870, was -made by Mr. Wilson not long after the death of his son Frank. After -sending an earnest appeal from Nān Inta for helpers, Mr. Wilson says: - - “Of course Nān Inta’s call for help includes in it a Christian - physician. Who will respond? I am convinced there are many young - men in the medical profession whose love for Jesus and whose - sympathy with human sufferings are strong enough to bring them - all the way to Chiengmai, if they will but yield themselves to - this constraining influence. Christian physician, you are - greatly needed here. The missionary’s family needs you. This - suffering people needs you. You were needed months since, when a - voice so sweet and full of glee was changed to piteous shrieks - of pain. You were not here to give relief; and if you now come, - it will not greet you, for it is hushed in death. You are needed - here _now_. A plaintive cry comes to me as I write. It is the - voice of our dear babe, whose weak condition fills our hearts - with deepest anxiety. May I not interpret this plaintive cry as - addressed to you? It is the only way that M. has of saying to - you, ‘Come to Chiengmai.’ When you arrive, she may be sleeping - beside her little brother. But you will find others, both old - and young, whose pains you may be able to soothe, and whose - souls you may win from the way that leads to eternal death.” - -Great was our joy, therefore, when, in the summer of 1871, we learned -that Dr. C. W. Vrooman, from Dr. Cuyler’s church in Brooklyn, had -responded to our appeal, and already was under appointment of our Board -for Chiengmai. His arrival was delayed somewhat because it was thought -unsafe for him to make the river trip during the height of the rainy -season. So it was January 22d, 1872, before we welcomed him to -Chiengmai. He came with high credentials as a physician and surgeon with -experience both in private and in hospital practice. He began work on -the day of his arrival. He found Nān Inta at the point of death from -acute dysentery; and his first trophy was the saving of that precious -life. Had he done nothing else, that alone would have been well worth -while. One or two operations for vesical calculus gave him such a -reputation that patients came crowding to him for relief. In his first -report he writes: - - “I was very glad to commence work as soon as I arrived in the - field. The number was large of those who came to the brethren - here for daily treatment; and such is the reputation which they - have established for themselves as physicians, that the demand - for our professional services is greater than we can properly - meet. I am satisfied that the demand for a medical missionary - here was not too strongly urged by the brethren in their earnest - appeals to the Board. - - “I have already had much professional work to do, and while I am - ministering to physical ailments, Brother McGilvary, who is - kindly my interpreter, has opportunity to break unto many the - bread of life.... Two men have just left who came a long - distance, hoping we could bring to life a brother who had died - hours before.” - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - XIII - - EXPLORATION - - -Not long after Dr. Vrooman’s arrival it was decided to undertake our -first extended tour. It was important to ascertain the size and -population of our whole field; and this could be accomplished only by -personal exploration. A journey for this purpose would, of course, -afford abundant opportunity for preaching the Gospel; it would, besides, -give the doctor a needed change, and would effectually advertise his -work. Our objective was Lūang Prabāng, then one of the largest of the -provinces of Siam, as it was also the most distant one. A journey to it -seemed the most profitable that could be made during the time at our -disposal, and the most comfortable as well, since a large stretch of it -could be made by boat. It was already too late in the season to -accomplish all that we desired; but “half a loaf is better than no -bread.” It might be years before a longer trip could be made. As a -matter of fact, it was sixteen years before I visited Lūang Prabāng -again. - -The Prince gave us a passport, sending us as his guests to be -entertained without expense; though, of course, we always paid our way. -Our letter stated that we went as teachers of religion and as physicians -for the sick. It was a virtual proclamation for all the sick to apply to -us for treatment. This gave frequent occasion for retort that we did not -remain long enough to comply with our letter. We could only reply by -pointing to the clouds and the long journey ahead. - -The party consisted of Dr. Vrooman, myself, a cook, a body-servant, and -eight carriers, with a newly-baptized convert as the only available -assistant in the religious work. The elephants required for our -transportation over the first stage of our journey—to Chieng Rāi—we had -secured, for a wonder, without effort, and very cheaply. Their owner was -anxious to get them out of the country to escape an epidemic which then -was prevalent. The start was on April 15th, 1872, after a heavy storm -which ushered in the rainy season. This was my first trip over the road -to Chieng Rāi, afterwards so familiar to me. After leaving the plain of -Chiengmai, the road ascends the valley of the Mê Kūang River, fording -that stream no less than forty-nine times before it reaches the summit, -3100 feet above sea-level, the watershed between the Mê Ping and the Mê -Kōng.[10] Thence it descends to the Mê Kok at Chieng Rāi. The owner of -our elephants travelled with us, and was unnecessarily tender to his -beasts. In consequence we were ten days making this stage of the trip, -which afterwards, with my own elephants, I used to make in less than -six. On this trip I walked almost the whole distance. - -Footnote 10: - - In standard Siamese the vowel in the name of this great river is - undoubtedly long o, and has been so since the days of the earliest - Siamese writing. Such also seems to have been the understanding of the - early travellers who first brought the name into European use, for - Mekong is the uniform spelling of all the standard Atlases and - Gazetteers which I have been able to consult. In the Lāo dialect, - however, the vowel is that represented by _aw_ in _lawn_. This is the - pronunciation which Mr. J. McCarthy, Director of the Siamese Royal - Survey Department, heard in the North, and transferred to the Map of - Siam, which he compiled, as Me Kawng. This, however, Mr. R. W. Giblin, - Mr. McCarthy’s successor in office, recognized as an error, and - assured me that it should be corrected in the new map which he hoped - soon to publish. Mr. Giblin, however, has left the service, and the - map, I fear, has not yet been issued. But since Siamese speech and the - usage of geographical authorities are at one on this point, there can - scarcely be question as to the proper form for use here—ED. - -At Chieng Rāi we were cordially received. The governor listened to the -Gospel message, and, I believe, received it in faith, as we shall see -later. Thence we took boat down the Mê Kok to its junction with the Mê -Kōng. The sand-bar where we spent the Sabbath was covered with fresh -tracks of large Bengal tigers. - -Shortly after this we passed out of the Mê Kok into the great Mê Kōng, -with reference to which I take the liberty of quoting from a recent -work, _Five Years in Siam_, by H. Warrington Smyth, F.R.G.S. - - “Few can regard the Me Kawng without feeling its peculiar - fascination. That narrow streak connecting far countries with - the distant ocean,—what scenes it knows, what stories it could - tell! Gliding gently here, and thundering with fury there where - it meets with opposition; always continuing its great work of - disintegration of hard rocks and of transport of material; with - infinite patience hewing down the mountain sides, and building - up with them new countries in far climes where other tongues are - spoken; it never stays its movement. How few men have seen its - upper waters! What a lonely life altogether is that of the Me - Kawng! From its cradle as the Gorgu River in the far Thibetan - highlands, to its end in the stormy China Sea, it never sees a - populous city or a noble building. For nearly three thousand - miles it storms through solitudes, or wanders sullenly through - jungle wastes. No wonder one sat by the hour listening to its - tale. For though but dull to read of, the wide deep reality - rolling before one had an intense interest for a lonely man. - - “Rising in about 33° 17′ N. Lat. and 94° 25′ E. Long. in the - greatest nursery of noble rivers in the world, where six huge - brethren have so long concealed the secrets of their birth, it - flows southeast through Chinese Thibetan territory to Chuande, - where the tea caravan road from Lhasa and Thibet on the west, - crosses it eastward towards Ta Chien Lu and China, over 10,000 - feet above sea-level.” - -Almost within sight from the mouth of the Mê Kok were the ruins of -Chieng Sên, once the largest city in all this region. Its crumbling -walls enclose an oblong area stretching some two miles along the river. -Seventy years before our visit it had been taken by a combined army of -Siamese and Lāo. Its inhabitants were divided among the conquerors, and -carried away into captivity. At the time of our visit, the city and the -broad province of which it was the capital had been desolate for -three-quarters of a century. Nothing remained but the dilapidated walls -and crumbling ruins of old temples. Judging from its innumerable images -of Buddha, its inhabitants must have been a very religious people. One -wonders whence came all the bronze used in making them in those distant -days. To me it was an unexpected pleasure to find myself in that old -city, the ancestral home of so many of our parishioners. Little did I -think then that twenty years later I should aid in organizing a church -where we then stood. The Mê Kōng is here a mighty stream. It must be a -magnificent sight in time of high water. - -A short distance below the city we passed a village recently deserted -because of the ravages of the tigers. The second day from Chieng Sên -brought us to Chieng Kawng, one of the largest dependencies of the -province of Nān. There we spent two very interesting and profitable -days. I had met the governor in Chiengmai. He was delighted with my -repeating rifle, and had us try it before him. There was also his son, -who not long after was to succeed the father; but his story we shall -come upon some twenty years later. - -At this place we were fortunate in finding an empty trading-boat going -to Lūang Prabāng, in which the governor engaged for us passage on very -reasonable terms. We left Chieng Kawng on May 3d. The trip to Lūang -Prabāng occupied five days, and was one of the memorable events of my -life. In some respects the scenery is not so striking as that of the Mê -Ping rapids. The breadth of the river makes the difference. You miss the -narrow gorge with overhanging cliffs and the sudden bends closing in -every outlet. But, on the other hand, you have an incomparably greater -river and higher mountains. I quote again from Mr. Warrington Smyth the -following description of one portion of the river scenery: - - “The high peaks, towering 5,000 feet above the river, which give - it such a sombre appearance, are generally of the very extensive - limestone series. They present tremendous precipices on some of - their sides, and their outlines are particularly bold.... Some - miles above Lūang Prabāng the large and important tributaries of - the Nam Ū and the Nam Sêng enter the Mê Kawng. The clear - transparent water of these tributaries forms a strong contrast - to the brown sediment-laden water of the Mê Kawng.... In some of - the rapids with sloping bottoms, the first jump over the edge is - very pleasant; the fun then comes in the short roaring waves. - Everybody on board is fully occupied; the men at the bow-oar - canting her head this way and that, the helmsman helping from - the other end to make her take its straight, the men at the oars - pulling for all they are worth, and the rest bailing mightily, - or shouting to any one who has time to listen. If the rapid is a - bad one, the crews land to have a meal before tackling it, and - stop to chew some betel and compare notes after it. So it is - always a sociable event.” - -My travelling companion, Dr. Vrooman, thus gives his impressions. - - “The current of the Cambodia is very swift, in places so much so - that it was dangerous to navigate. The river is nearly a mile - wide in places; and where the channel is narrow, it rushes along - with frightful rapidity. No scenery is finer throughout the - entire distance we travelled on it. Mountains rise from either - bank to the height of three or four thousand feet. The river - fills the bottom of a long, winding valley; and as we glided - swiftly down it, there seemed to move by us the panorama of two - half-erect hanging landscapes of woodland verdure and blossom. - Only as we neared the city did we see rough and craggy mountain - peaks and barren towering precipices.” - -Twenty-six years later I descended the Mê Ū River from Mûang Kwā to -Lūang Prabāng, and then ascended it again. The perpendicular rock-cliffs -at its junction with the Mê Kōng surpass any that I ever saw elsewhere. - -Of greater interest to me, however, than roaring rapids and towering -rocks were the evidences of numerous human habitations perched far above -us on the mountain sides. Rarely can their houses or villages be seen; -but in many places their clearings have denuded the mountains of all -their larger growth. It was tantalizing not to be able to stop and visit -these people in their homes. But my first opportunity to make extensive -tours among them was not till some twenty years later. As for the Mê -Kōng, my comment is: If I wished an exciting river trip, and had a -comfortable boat, I should not expect to find a more enchanting stretch -of three hundred miles anywhere else on the face of the earth. - -Lūang Prabāng was then the most compactly built of all Siamese cities -outside of Bangkok, which, in some respects, it resembled. It differs -from the other Lāo cities in having no great rural population and -extensive rice-plains near it. Its rice supply was then levied from the -hill-tribes as a tribute or tax. The city has a fine situation at the -foot of a steep hill some two hundred feet high, tipped, as usual, with -a pagoda. The Nām Kêng there joins the Mê Kōng, dividing the city into -two unequal portions. The view from the top of the hill is delightful. -The inhabitants belong to a large branch of the Tai race, extending -southward at least to Cambodia. They are called the Lāo Pung Khāo -(White-bellied Lāo), as ours, because of their universal practice of -tattooing the body, are called Lāo Pung Dam (Black-bellied). - -The Prince of Lūang Prabāng was absent from the city hunting wild -elephants, in which game his province abounds. The Chao Uparāt gave us a -hospitable welcome. Behind the city is a noted cave in a mountain, which -the natives think is the abode of the very fiercest evil spirits. No -doubt the real spirits are the malarial germs or the poisonous gas which -later we found to be the chief danger of the Chieng Dāo cave. It was in -this cave that M. Mouhot, a noted French scientist, contracted the fever -from which he died. The natives believed that his death was caused by -his rashness in trespassing upon the domain of the spirits who preside -over the cave. We were astonished at some sorts of fish displayed in the -market, such as I never saw anywhere else. Mr. McCarthy tells of -assisting at the capture of one, a plā buk, seven feet long, with a -body-girth of four feet and two inches, and weighing one hundred and -thirty pounds. - -We remained in Lūang Prabāng six days, leaving it on May 14th. I was -very loath to go so soon. The people were eager for books as well as for -medicine. It was the one place where Siamese books were well understood. -We could have disposed of basketfuls of the Scriptures, as Dr. Peoples -did twenty-four years later. It is one of the anomalies of the twentieth -century that when we finally were ready to establish a Christian -mission, after the country had passed from non-Christian to Christian -rulers, we could not get permission. - -From Lūang Prabāng we again took boat to Tā Dûa, some sixty miles below. -There we bade good-bye to the wonderful river, and turned our faces -homeward. Our elephants were good travellers, the swiftest we had so far -found. They gave us no chance to stroll on in advance, and rest till -they should come up, as we had done before. They brought us to Nān in -six days, four of which were spent in travel over high mountain ridges. -Our road passed near the great salt wells; but we had no time for -sight-seeing. - -Two experiences on this portion of the trip will not be forgotten. One -was a fall from my tall elephant. A flock of large birds in covert near -us suddenly flew up with loud shrill cries. I was reclining in the -howdah at the time, and raised myself up to look out under the hood, -and, while suspended there in unstable equilibrium, another and louder -cry close at hand made the beast give a sudden start backwards, which -landed me in a puddle of water. Fortunately no further damage was done. -Another annoyance, more serious, was the land-leeches which we often -encountered when we dismounted to walk. The whole ground and every shrub -and twig seemed covered with the tiny creatures. Sensitive to the least -noise, each one was holding on by his tail, and waving his head back and -forth to lay hold of any passing animal. We soon found that they had a -special fondness for the _genus homo_. Do what we might, every hundred -yards or so we had to stop to rub them off, while the blood ran -profusely from their bites. We had none of the herbs which the Mūsô bind -on their legs to keep them off. - -On Saturday evening we reached Nān, the first place where I found -friends since leaving Chieng Rāi. Chao Borirak, whom I had met in -Chiengmai, nephew of the Nān Prince, and a few others, were soon on hand -to give us welcome and to offer any aid we needed. The Prince was a -venerable old man, with four sons—fine men, all of them. The country was -well governed, though it long continued conservative as regards the -adoption of foreign ways and the welcoming of foreign traders. I fell in -love with Nān at first sight, and marked it for a future mission -station. - -On our departure from Nān, Chao Borirak accompanied us as far as Prê, -bringing his own elephants—one of them a colt, which he rode astride -like a horse—the only one, in fact, that I ever saw so used. At Prê we -found our government letter not very effective. Rupees, however, were -effective enough to prevent any long delay. The ruling authority in Prê -has always seemed weak. - -[Illustration: - - INTERIOR OF A TEMPLE, PRÊ] - -There was an amusing circumstance connected with an eclipse of the moon -while we were there. Since the conversion of Nān Inta, I had taken pains -to announce each eclipse as it was to occur. I did so in Prê the day -before it was due. The eclipse took place early in the night, and I -expected to hear the city resound with the noise of every gun and -firecracker in the place. But everything was as quiet as a funeral. It -seemed to be regarded as _our_ eclipse. The silence may have been -intended to test our assertion that Rāhū would renounce his hold without -the noise, or possibly they were unwilling to proclaim thus publicly the -superior wisdom of the foreigner in predicting it. At any rate, they -utterly ignored it, and let the monster have his will unmolested. - -My associate had gained all that could have been expected from the tour; -but an aching tooth was giving him great trouble, and we hurried on. We -reached home on June 22d, just sixty-eight days out. We found neither -family in very good health. The doctor’s toothache drove him to such -desperation that he insisted on my trying—all unpractised as I was—to -extract the offending eyetooth. It broke. There was then nothing to do -but to make the trip to Bangkok for the nearest professional help. By -the time he returned, it began to be evident that he could not hope to -remain long in the field. - -Between Bangkok, Pechaburī, and Chiengmai, I had been fifteen years in -the field; and my wife had been in the country from girlhood without -change. We had both endured it remarkably well, considering that we had -had the strain of starting two new stations. Before the end of the year, -however, my wife had reached the limit of her strength, and it became -necessary to hurry her out of the country. So, on the 3d of January, -1873, she was carried in a chair to the boat, and we embarked for the -United States. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - XIV - - THE FIRST FURLOUGH - - -The tour of the previous season had been so hasty and unsatisfactory, -that I was very anxious, if possible, to duplicate the homeward stretch -of it as far as Nān, then descend the Pitsanulōk Fork to the Mênam, and -so follow my family to Bangkok. But would it be safe to leave my wife to -make the river trip without me, when she was in such weak condition, and -burdened with the care of four children, the youngest of whom was but -two years old? I embarked and travelled with them as far as the landing -for Lampūn—where we must separate, if I were to cross over to Nān—still -uncertain as to what I ought to do. It was then Friday. We decided to -stop there over Sunday, and see how matters looked on Monday morning. -The quiet and rest of the boat were improving her condition somewhat; -and her own bravery made up whatever was lacking there. I had secured a -strong letter from the Prince, calling for the best of steersmen through -the rapids, and for protection where the boat should stop for the night. -So, with some anxiety, but with strong faith that the plan in itself so -desirable would prosper, we separated—one party going by boat down the -Mê Ping, and the other going afoot across country to Lampūn. For the -present we leave the wife and children, to hear their report when we -meet again. - -My plan was to rely on getting elephants from point to point. Elephants -are always very hard to get; so it seemed doubtful whether my confidence -were faith or presumption. But I was remarkably favoured. At Lampūn -there was not an elephant nearer than the forests, save two of the -governor’s own. I had trusted to his friendship, and it did not fail me. -I got off in fine style next morning on the governor’s two elephants, -with a letter to all the governors on the route directing them to see -that I was supplied with whatever I needed on the journey. - -I felt strong in having with me, in the person of Nān Inta, so wise a -teacher and such a living witness of the power of the Gospel. On our -first visits it has usually seemed wise to spend much of the time in -visiting and making known the Gospel privately to those of reputation, -as we know one wise missionary did in old times. It is necessary to give -the rulers a clear idea of the non-political nature of our work. In -order to do this, we must show positively what our message is—not merely -that we are religious teachers, but that, as such, we have a message -different from all others, not antagonistic or hostile to them, but -supplementing rather that which they offer. - -In visiting among the princely families in the old city of Lakawn we met -one most interesting case. It was that of an aged bedridden Princess -high in rank, who received the Gospel with all readiness of mind. By -nature, habit, and grace she had been very religious. She had in her day -built temples and rest-houses, had feasted Buddhist monks, and had -fasted times without number, in order to lay up a store of merit for the -great future. She hoped sometimes that she had laid up a sufficient -store; but the five and the eight commands were against her. She had -killed animals; and the command is explicit, and condemns without a -saviour. That the Creator of all had made these creatures for our use -and benefit was a new idea. That of itself would remove much of the -burden on her conscience. And as one after another of the great truths -of revelation was opened up to her, particularly the doctrine of the -incarnation and atonement of our divine-human Redeemer, it seemed as if -the burden was lifted. Nān Inta was himself a living testimony that the -Christian teaching can and does give instantaneous relief when simply -believed. It is difficult to tell which was more touching, the -sympathetic earnestness of the speaker, or the comfort it imparted to -the hearer. The Princess begged us to come again and often. And neither -of us found any other place so attractive. - -After a week spent in Lakawn, we departed on our way to Nān. The next -Sunday we spent in the forest. I look back with delightful memories to -the occasional Sabbaths thus spent in the deep forest after a busy week -with no rest and no privacy—a Sabbath in solitude, away from every -noise, and even every song except the music of the wind and the song of -birds! We always had service with our men; and then, under the shade of -some cool spreading tree, or beside a flowing brook, one could be alone -and yet not alone. No one more needs such retirement than a missionary, -whose work is always a giving-out, with fewer external aids for resupply -than others have. - -The next Sunday we spent in Wieng Sā, the first of the numerous little -outlying towns of Nān. On Monday we reached Nān itself, the limit of our -tour in that direction. The country was well governed, the princes -intelligent, and the common people friendly. But the special attraction -that Nān had for me largely centred around one man, the Prince’s nephew, -Chao Borirak—the one that rode astride the young elephant to see us safe -to Prê on our earlier trip, with whom we used to talk religion about the -camp-fires till the small hours of the morning. We left him then -apparently on the border land of Christianity, with strong hope that he -soon would be ready to profess publicly the faith which he was almost -ready to confess to us. His rank and connection would make him of great -assistance in opening a station in Nān, which, next to Chiengmai, was -the most important province in the Lāo region. Again he offered us a -warm welcome, giving up his time to visiting with us the rulers and the -monasteries, in one of which his son had long been an abbot. It seemed -as if Nān Inta’s experience would be all that was needed to settle his -faith. At his request I asked and received permission from the Prince -for him again to accompany us—with his young elephant foal and her -mother—five days’ journey to Tā It, where I was to take boat. Our walks -by day and our talks by night are never to be forgotten. But the -convenient season to make a public profession never came. He lived in -hope of seeing a station in Nān, but died not long before the station -was established. - -At Tā It no boat was to be had either for sale or for hire. But my face -was turned toward home, and I would have gone on a raft. I had to do the -next thing—to take a small dug-out which the Prince got for me, and go -on to Utaradit, the next town below. There I was able to purchase a -boat, which I afterwards sold in Bangkok for what it cost me. Nān Inta -was the steersman, and my four men rowed. Our longest stop was at -Pitsanulōk, where the Siamese mission now has a station. On reaching -Bangkok I was delighted to find that my family had made their long trip -down the other river in safety, though not without great anxiety, and -some threatened danger. Our oldest daughter had been quite ill on the -way. Once they came perilously near falling a prey to a band of robbers. -It was only by a clever ruse of the captain that they escaped. As soon -as he caught sight of the suspicious-looking group of men on a sand-bar -ahead, he had the gong loudly sounded. That and the waving American flag -evidently made them think that this was the leading boat of some -prince’s flotilla. They incontinently fled into the forest. At the next -stopping-place our boatmen learned that it was, indeed, a marauding band -that had committed many depredations on passing boats. What a merciful -preservation! - -We spent a few weeks in Bangkok, resting and visiting in the home of my -father-in-law, Dr. Bradley, of sainted memory. It proved to be the last -time that we ever saw him. He lived only a few months after that. - -In fifteen years the world had moved. Going round “the Cape,” even in a -good clipper ship like the _David Brown_, had become too slow. We took, -instead, the steamship _Patroclus_ from Singapore to London, via the -Suez Canal. The Rev. Mr. Keyesberry, a missionary friend of Dr. -Bradley’s, had been waiting to find an escort to England for two young -sons and a daughter. We gladly undertook that service, and so had a -flock of seven young folks to look after! - -We were barely under way when our own children broke out with the -measles. The disease, fortunately, proved to be of a mild type, and our -new charges were not hard to manage. So, on the whole, we got along very -well. In London we had unexpected trouble because the friend who was to -meet Alice Keyesberry at the dock failed to appear, and, strangely -enough, we had received no memorandum of her destination. It cost us two -days’ search to discover her friends at the Walthamstow Mission School. - -The boys I had promised to convoy as far as Edinburgh. So, leaving my -family in London, I had the great pleasure of a visit to the beautiful -Scotch capital. The day spent there was to me a memorable one. It was, -however, a matter of great regret that, being so near the Highlands, I -could not also visit the original home of my ancestors. - -We arrived in New York on July 11th, 1873, after an absence of fifteen -years. Under any circumstances fifteen years would work great changes. -But that particular fifteen had included the Civil War. The changes in -the South were heart-rending. - -Though North Carolina was drawn late into the Confederacy, it is said -that she furnished a larger number per capita of soldiers and had a -larger number of casualties than any other state in the South. The havoc -among my old schoolmates and pupils, and among my flock, was -distressing. In many places, too, the sectional feeling was still -bitter. The wisest of the people, however, were becoming fully -reconciled to the results of the war. The largest slaveholder in my own -section assured me that the freeing of his slaves had been a boon to -him, and that he was clearing more from his old farm under free labour -than he had done before with slaves. - -Unfortunately in the churches the feeling was more bitter. My old -associate, Dr. Mattoon, had accepted the presidency of Biddle Institute -at Charlotte—now Biddle University (colored). For a time he was very -coldly received except by such broad-minded men as his old Princeton -classmate, and my friend, Dr. Charles Phillips. By virtue, however, of -his noble Christian character and his conservative bearing, Dr. Mattoon -overcame these prejudices, and lived to be welcomed in the largest -churches in the state. I spent most of my furlough in North Carolina; -and personally I received a welcome almost as warm as if I were a -missionary of the Southern Board. Returned missionaries were not -numerous then. It was not an uncommon thing for me to lecture in -churches which had never before seen the face of a foreign missionary. - -Soon after our arrival in the United States news came of the resignation -of Dr. Vrooman; and my first duty was to find a successor. For myself, -and even for my family, I could endure to return without one. But I -could not face the distressing appeals from the sick whose ailments I -was powerless to relieve. In my visits among friends in North Carolina I -met a young medical graduate, Dr. M. A. Cheek, who received from warm -friends of the mission flattering recommendations for the place. He -himself was pleased with the opening, and would willingly accept it, if -he could first take a graduate course in surgery. This was easily -arranged, and he was ready to return with us the following summer. - -The hardest thing to face was the parting with our children. But the -bitterness of this pang was softened by the kindness of friends which -opened the best of Christian homes and schools to receive them. We can -never sufficiently express our gratitude for the kindness shown us in -this matter by the late Mrs. E. N. Grant and Miss Mitchell of the -Statesville Female College, and to Mrs. McNeill, the widow of my old -pastor. - -These two great questions settled, we left North Carolina in March, -1874—my wife with the two younger children, to visit friends and -relatives in the North; and I, as I hoped, to visit the churches and the -seminaries in search of recruits. But a cold contracted on the trip -north ran into a dangerous attack of pleuro-pneumonia, followed by a -slow recovery. Thus I missed my visits to the seminaries and the meeting -of the General Assembly in St. Louis. - -The return to the field was by way of San Francisco, and we reached -Bangkok on August 27th, 1874. On November 14th a son was given us to -take the place of the children left behind. In December began our river -journey to Chiengmai. The river was low, and we were a month and a day -from Bangkok to Rahêng. There we found four missionaries of the Nova -Scotia Baptist Board seeking to establish a station among the Karens of -Siam. But they found their villages too small and too widely scattered -to justify the establishment of a station. So they were returning to -Burma. On Saturday night we all dined together, and had a sociable hour. -On Sunday evening we drew up our boats side by side, and had a -prayer-meeting that we shall long remember. There was something -delightful in thus meeting and enjoying Christian fellowship on a -sand-bar, and then passing on to our respective fields of work. Some of -these men afterwards went to India, and started the Telegu mission, -which has had phenomenal success. - -There were still the rapids and four more weeks of travel before we -could reach our Lāo home. But the home-coming at last was delightful. -Our faithful old coolie, Lung In, with his wife, met us in a small boat -three days’ journey below Chiengmai, with fruit and fowls lest we should -be in want. Then the tall figure of Nān Inta, with his face like a -benediction! - -It was February 7th, 1875, when at last we drew up alongside our own -landing-place, and felt the warm handshake of old friends. Among the Lāo -at last!—and no place that we had seen would we exchange for our Lāo -home. For the first time since our arrival in 1867 we had a permanent -house to enter! - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - XV - - MÛANG KÊN AND CHIENG DĀO - - -Dr. Cheek’s arrival was a matter of great rejoicing. He was very -young—only twenty-one, in fact, on the day he sailed from San Francisco. -The trying drudgery that he and others of our early medical missionaries -had to endure, is now in great measure obviated through the help of -native assistants. The remainder of the year 1875 I devoted very largely -to assisting in the medical work, interpreting, helping in operations, -and caring for the souls of the numerous patients, without feeling the -weight of responsibility for their physical condition, as I had done -before. Dr. Cheek came out a single man; but, like others before him, he -lost his heart on the way. Toward the end of that year he went down to -Bangkok, and was married to Miss Sarah A. Bradley. He returned to -Chiengmai just as Mr. Wilson was ready to start for the United States on -his second furlough. The April communion was postponed a week that the -newly-arrived and the departing missionaries might commune together -before separating. It was Mrs. Wilson’s last communion with us. - -In May, 1876, Nān Inta was ordained our first ruling elder. The story -has often been told that before his ordination the Confession of Faith -was given him to read carefully, since he would be asked whether he -subscribed to its doctrines. When he had finished the reading, he -remarked that he saw nothing peculiar in its teachings. It was very much -like what he had read in Paul’s Epistles! In January Pā Kamun, the widow -of Noi Sunya, was baptized. It was thus appropriately given to her to be -the first woman received into the communion of the church. Two of her -daughters, and Pā Peng, the wife of Nān Inta, soon followed. Lung In was -elected the first deacon, but was too modest to be ordained to that -office. Meanwhile he was becoming a most useful assistant in the -hospital. Strange as it may seem, the office of hospital nurse is one of -the most difficult to get a Lāo to fill. Lung In, however, was not above -the most menial service for the sick. His real successor was not found -until the present incumbent, Dr. Kêo, was trained. Dr. McKean’s -testimony is that it would be scarcely more difficult to procure a good -surgeon than to fill Kêo’s place as nurse and assistant among the -hospital patients. - -During the summer of 1876, in company with Nān Inta, I made a tour among -the four nearest provinces to the north and west. The governor of Mûang -Kên had long given promise of becoming a Christian, and now invited me -to visit his people. On his frequent visits to Chiengmai on business, he -always called on me, and no subject was so interesting to him as the -subject of religion. Before the proclamation of toleration, while the -common people were still afraid of making a public profession of -Christianity, our most effective work was probably that with the higher -class of officials, who stood in somewhat less fear of the known -antagonism of the Chao Uparāt. They were, besides, a more interesting -class than the common people, for they were better educated, were more -accustomed in their daily duties to weigh arguments and decide on -questions of evidence, and many of them had been trained in the -religious order. - -This governor of Mûang Kên had learned enough of the tenets of -Christianity to become unsettled and dissatisfied with the prospects of -salvation offered by a purely ethical religion. He saw the weakness of -the foundation on which he had been taught to rely, and the difference -between the authors of the two religions. So he stood on the border land -between the two, at the very gate, wishing to enter in, but with many -obstacles in his way, and strong opposing influences to overcome. - -My first objective, then, on this tour was Mûang Kên. The governor had -asked me to come and smooth the way for him by teaching his -under-officials and his townsmen. Nān Inta was the living, concrete -argument, and he put his whole heart into it. We had a few days of -deeply interesting work. Few, however, saw the matter as the governor -did. Most of them “would consider it.” Some would go further and say -that they worshipped Jesus under the name of their promised Buddha -Metraya, yet to come. - -From Mûang Kên we went to Chieng Dāo, where we visited the great cave -with its famous Buddhist shrine. Ever since Nān Inta became a Christian, -he had been anxious to test the truth of some of the legends connected -with the place—a thing he dared not do before. The cave is the abode of -the great Lawa spirit, for fear of offending whom Prince Kāwilōrot was -afraid to allow us to build to the north of the city bridge in -Chiengmai. Chieng Dāo mountain, which rises above the cave, is seven -thousand one hundred and sixty feet high—one of the highest peaks in all -Siam, and visible from Chiengmai, some thirty-seven miles away. One of -the sources of the Mê Ping River, twenty feet wide and knee-deep, flows -bodily out from the cave. Since no animal is allowed to be killed in so -sacred a place, the stream abounds in a great variety of beautiful fish -waiting for the food which no visitor fails to give them. The scramble -for it is as interesting to watch as the performance of the sea-lions at -San Francisco. - -The legend is that no one can cross the stream inside the cave and -return alive; and that beyond the stream, under the crest of the -mountain, there is an image of pure gold seven cubits high. One enters -the cave at a little distance from the stream, and finds first a grand -chamber which is a veritable temple, with arched dome, natural pulpit, -and innumerable images of Buddha, large and small. This place is -regarded as a most sacred shrine. Buddhist monks are always there -performing their devotions. The chamber is so dark that they have to use -tapers to see to read. The dim light and the long-drawn tones of the -worshippers produce a very weird impression. - -From the temple-chamber narrow passages lead off in different -directions, till there is danger of losing one’s way in the labyrinth. I -followed Nān Inta and his sons to the stream, which is reached at some -distance farther on. Being neither tall nor a swimmer, I stopped and -sauntered about in the various rooms, waiting for my companions to -verify or to disprove the legend. Needless to say, both parts of it were -proved myths. My companions did return alive, and no golden image was -found. The cave is too damp to make it safe for one to remain long in -those distant passages. Farther on the tapers burned but very dimly; and -one would not choose to be left there in pitch darkness. We could -understand very well how the legend arose of Yaks that devour those that -intrude into their dark caverns. There is no doubt of the presence of a -deadly gas much more to be feared than the spirit of the great Lawa -king, which is believed to have taken up his abode there. We all -experienced more or less of the symptoms premonitory of malarial attack, -and before we got back to the town Nān Inta was shaking with a genuine -chill. A heroic dose, however, of Warburg’s tincture with quinine soon -set him to rights. In this case, then, as in many others, there is a -foundation of truth at the bottom of the legend. - -That night we had a great audience. It was generally known that we -intended to explore the cave, and many, no doubt, came to see how we had -fared. It was well that Nān Inta had so far recovered from his morning’s -chill as to be ready to join in bearing testimony not only to the -falsity of the legend, but also to the truth of the Gospel. It was a -bright moonlight night, and the people listened till very late, while we -sang hymns, preached the Gospel, and pointed them to the better way. The -result was seen years after in the founding of a church there. - -All these provinces that we were now visiting, and others more distant -still, were originally settled by refugees driven from the more southern -districts by the persecution for witchcraft. Now they are important -provinces. Since these people had been ruthlessly driven forth because -of the spirits, I thought they would willingly accept any way of escape -from their control. But they seemed, if anything, more superstitious and -harder to reach than others. Having suffered once, as they supposed, -from the malicious power of the spirits, they seemed even more than -others to dread to incur their anger again by deserting them. But there -were many hopeful exceptions. - -Mûang Pāo was the next city visited. From the incidents of our stay -there I select the cases of two persons who excited our deepest -sympathy. One was an aged Buddhist monk, a Ngīo, who, with a younger -companion, visited our tent daily. The monk was a venerable man, with -striking features, serene countenance, earnest and intelligent. His long -life had been spent in worship, meditation, and study. All this he soon -told us with some quite natural pride. While not bold, he was not -reticent, freely stating his own doctrines, hopes, and fears, and asking -ours. To the question what were his hopes for a future life, he frankly -said, “I don’t know. How can I? I have tried to keep the commandments, -have performed my devotions, have counted my beads. But whether I shall -go up or down [indicating the directions with his finger] I do not know. -I have done what my books tell me, but I have no light _here_ [pointing -to his heart]. Can the teacher’s religion give me any light?” - -The earnestness and the despondency of the man drew me to him. I asked, -what of his failures and transgressions? “That,” he said, “is the dark -point. My books say that all my good deeds shall be rewarded, but the -failures and transgressions must be punished before I can reach Nirvāna, -the final emancipation of the soul by the extinction of all desire.” -“How long will that be?” we ask. He answered by giving a number that -would baffle even astronomers, who are accustomed to deal in almost -fabulous numbers. - -“But is not that virtually endless?” - -“Yes; but what shall we do? That is what our books say.” - -“But is there no room for pardon?” - -“No. Buddha only points out the way that he followed himself. He reached -the goal by the same almost endless journey. How shall we hope to do so -by any shorter or different route?” - -“But supposing there is a way—that there is a great sovereign of the -universe, before all Buddhas and higher than all Buddhas, who has the -right and the authority to grant full pardon through his own infinite -merit, and his vicarious assumption of all our obligations and payment -of all our debts. Would not that be a joyful message?” - -“Yes; if true, it would be.” - -And so we argued till light seemed to gleam for once into his mind. But -the image of the dear old man pointing up and then down with the sad -confession, “I know not whither I shall go,” is a vision that has -saddened me many a time since. - -The other case of special interest I state as it occurred, with no -attempt at explanation of the dream involved in the story.—On the -morning after our arrival, Nān Inta and I started out to visit -monasteries or houses, wherever we might find listeners. I was dressed -in white clothes, and Nān Inta had on a white jacket. We had made a -number of calls, and were about to pass by a house in which we saw only -an elderly woman and some children, presumably her grandchildren. We -were surprised to see her come down from her house and run out after us, -and prostrating herself with the customary salutation given to priests -and princes, she begged us to stop and come in. We accepted her -invitation, though surprised at her evident demonstrations of joy. -Sitting down on the mat, we began to explain that we were teachers of -religion, pointing out the sure way of happiness both in this life and -in the life to come. Our message was one from the great God and Creator -to all races and nations, inviting them to return from all other -refuges, and He would give them an inheritance as His children in the -life to come. She listened with marked interest as we explained to her -our religion, and urged her to accept it. We were surprised at the -explanation she gave of her intense interest. - -Not long before our arrival she had a dream that two men dressed in -white came to her to teach her. What they were to teach her she did not -know; but when she saw us walking up the street she said, “There is the -fulfilment of my dream!” She had watched us as we entered other houses, -fearful lest we should omit hers. Now she was so glad we had come. It -was at least a strange coincidence, for she affirmed that the dream was -before she had ever heard of us. Whatever may have been the cause, it -was a delight to instruct one who seemed to receive all that we said as -a direct message to her. This at once attracted Nān Inta to her, and she -listened to him with frequent exclamations of delight, while he, in his -earnest manner, explained the Gospel message of pardon and life eternal -through Him who liveth and was dead, and behold He is alive for -evermore. She said her one great desire had been to escape from the -punishment of her sins; but she never before had known that there was -any other way but to suffer for them herself. She, too, was a Ngīo. We -visited her frequently during the week of our stay in Mûang Pāo, and to -the last she interpreted our coming as the fulfilment of her dream. This -was the last that we knew either of her or of the aged monk. Before we -visited the place again she was dead, and he had moved away. - -In those days when the people were afraid to make a public profession of -Christianity, it would have been a great gain to the mission if we could -have had schools, and used them as a means of evangelizing the youth. A -first attempt, indeed, had been made by Mr. Wilson with a few Burmese -boys. A young Burmese who had been trained in Maulmein, and who spoke -English, was employed to teach them under Mr. Wilson’s oversight, in the -hope that Lāo boys would presently join them. This hope was not -realized, and the experiment was presently abandoned. - -The first call for a Christian school was for the education of girls. In -the first Christian families girls predominated. Mrs. McGilvary -collected six or eight Christian girls, and devoted as much time to them -as her strength and her family duties would permit. They were really -private pupils, living on our premises and in our family. More wished to -come than she could do justice to. Hence about this time an appeal was -made for two single ladies to devote their whole time to the school. But -it was not till four years later that Miss Edna E. Cole and Miss Mary -Campbell of the Oxford Female Seminary, Ohio, reached Chiengmai. Very -soon they had twenty pupils. From this small beginning has grown our -large Girls’ School. Two of Mrs. McGilvary’s pupils were soon made -assistants. These and others of the first group became fine women, who -have left their mark on the church and the country. - -Notwithstanding our disappointment in the delay of the school for boys, -it proved a wise arrangement that the Girls’ School was started first. A -mission church is sure to be greatly handicapped whose young men must -either remain single—which they will not do—or be compelled to take -ignorant non-Christian wives. Such are a dead-weight to the husband, and -the children almost surely follow the mother. After marriage, the almost -universal custom of the country has been that the husband lives with the -wife’s family. He becomes identified with it, and for the time a -subordinate member of it, almost to the extent of becoming weaned from -his own family. Where all the atmosphere of the family is strongly -Buddhist, with daily offerings to the spirits and gala days at the -temple, the current would be too strong for a father, with his secondary -place in the family, to withstand. For a while it was feared that -Christian girls would have difficulty in finding husbands. But, on the -contrary, our educated girls become not only more intelligent, but more -attractive in manners, dress, and character; and, therefore, have been -much sought after. The homes become Christian homes, and the children -are reared in a Christian atmosphere. The result is that, instead of the -wife’s dragging the husband down, she generally raises the husband up; -and, as a general rule, the children early become Christians. - -In August, 1876, our beloved Princess became very seriously ill. Dr. -Cheek had been called upon to treat domestics in the family, but not the -Prince or Princess. Hearing that she was in a critical condition under -native doctors, and fearing the worst, I took the liberty of suggesting -that they consult Dr. Cheek. They seemed pleased with the suggestion, -and asked me to accompany him—which I did for one or two visits. His -treatment was very successful, and soon she was convalescent. - -About this same time we had an adventure with white ants which came near -costing us our much-valued cabinet organ. It will serve to illustrate an -experience formerly common enough, and still not unknown. One Wednesday -evening before prayer-meeting Mrs. McGilvary sat down at the instrument -to look over the tunes, when she found it full of white ants. Our house -was built on higher ground, into which the creatures are driven when the -lower grounds are filled with water from the annual floods. They do not -attack the teak walls and floors of our houses, but, climbing up the -posts, at last they stumbled upon the soft wood and leather inside the -organ, and were just beginning their feast when our meeting broke in -upon them. Had we not discovered them then, the instrument would have -been completely wrecked before morning. - -Once the white ants destroyed a trunkful of our children’s clothes, once -a box of “knock-down” chairs, and once they attacked my -library—evidently not at all deterred by the learned discussions and -deep thought of Dr. Joseph A. Alexander’s _Commentary on Isaiah_. They -had got through the margin, and would soon have digested the rest, had -not an unexpected occasion for opening the library saved it. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - XVI - - SEEKERS AFTER GOD - - -On New Year’s Day, 1877, I went into the city to make some calls. The -first was at the new palace. In the large reception hall I found the -Princess, virtually alone. She was embroidering some fancy pillow-ends -for the priests—a work in which she was an expert. Her maidens, some -distance off, were sewing priests’ robes. The Prince was in his little -workshop not far off, turning ivory rounds for the railing of an -elephant howdah, a favourite amusement with him. - -The subject of religion was one that continually came up in all my -interviews with the Princess; but hitherto she had apparently argued -more for victory than from a desire to reach the truth. She was as keen -as a lawyer to seize a point, and her quick wit made her a very -enjoyable antagonist. Not only she and her domestics, but the whole -country as well, had been preparing for a great occasion of merit-making -in connection with the approaching dedication of a shrine. Whether the -peculiar interest of this conversation was due to the fact that these -matters had been running in her mind, or to some particular mood in -which I found her, I never knew. Most likely it was both. A chance -allusion to the great event which was in every one’s mouth, at once -brought up the question. Stopping her work and resting her arms on the -embroidery frame, she asked, “Why is it that foreigners do not worship -the Buddha or his images, and do not believe that merit is made -thereby?” - -She seemed to approach the question as a personal one for herself. If we -were right and she were wrong, she would like to know it. We agreed on -that point, and I encouraged her in her estimate of its paramount -importance to every rational man or woman. If Buddhism does, indeed, -lead to happiness in a future life, she was wise in diligently following -its precepts; but if wrong, it would be a fatal mistake. Why do we not -worship Buddha? Because he was only a man. We reverence his character, -as we do that of other upright men who have tried to do good and to lead -their fellow-men to better things. Gautama Buddha seems to have sought -with all his soul for light—was willing to forsake a kingdom and to -renounce all sensual and even intellectual pleasures in this life for -the hope of escaping sin and its consequences in the next. - -Why do we worship Jehovah-Jesus? Because He is our sovereign Lord. The -Buddha groaned under his own load of guilt, and was oppressed by the sad -and universal consequences of sin among men. The Christ challenged His -enemies to convince Him of sin, and His enemies to this day have -confessed that they find no sin in Him. Buddhists believe that Buddha -reached Nirvāna after having himself passed through every form of being -in the universe—having been in turn every animal in the seas, on the -earth, and in the air. He did this by an inexorable law that he and -every other being is subject to, and cannot evade. Our Jehovah-Jesus, as -our Scriptures teach, is the only self-existent being in the universe, -and Himself the cause of all other beings. An infinite Spirit and -invisible, He manifested Himself to the world by descending from heaven, -becoming man, taking on our nature in unison with His own holy nature, -but with no taint of sin. He did this out of infinite love and pity for -our race after it had sinned. He saw there was no other able to save, -and He became our Saviour. - -And take the teachings of the two systems—which is the more credible? -The sacred books of the Princess teach that there is no Creator. -Everything, as the Siamese say, “pen ēng”—comes to be of itself. All -this complicated universe became what it is by a fortuitous concurrence -of atoms, which atoms themselves had no creator. We come as honest -seekers for truth. We look around, above, beneath. Everything seems to -imply the contrivance of mind. The sun rises and sets with greater -regularity than our clocks strike the hour of noon. The seasons follow -each other with wonderful uniformity. Animals are born and die, plants -and trees grow and decay, each after its kind, and in wonderful -adjustment to the conditions about them. The eye is made for seeing, the -ear for hearing, and the air for breathing. Light is necessary for work -by day, and darkness for sleep by night. This city has its walls and -gates; this palace has its beams, its roof, its doors and windows, and -its different apartments, because it was so planned. The Princess gives -her orders, and her servants in distant villages come at her summons. -The Prince’s command is obeyed throughout all his dominions. Subjects -obey because they are under constituted authority. Even so we obey -Jehovah and not Buddha, because we believe that He is the Creator and -the sovereign Lord of the universe. - -In His word—His letter to our race—He claims to be Creator and Lord. We -read His word, and then we look around for evidence as to whether this -is really so. We find that evidence in earth and sea and sky. A letter -comes from the King of Siam. How do we know that it is really his? It -has his seal. Not otherwise “the heavens declare the glory of God, and -the firmament showeth His handiwork.” By faith, then, we believe that -the worlds were made, as His word tells us. We read the account of that -creation. What wonderful beings we are!—made in His image, endowed in -our degrees with His own attributes, and with authority over the world -in which He has placed us. He has given us dominion over all the beasts -of the earth, the fowls of the air, and the fish of the sea. Every time -that a Buddhist kills a fish or a fowl, he sins, because he breaks a -command of his religion. Why not so for a Christian? Because these -creatures were made for man’s use, and were given to him. We partake -with gratitude of the gifts our Father has provided for us. This one -great truth, when received by Christians, relieves the conscience of one -of the greatest burdens that the followers of Buddha must bear. - -But if God made man in His image, why all this suffering that we see and -feel? The best explanation ever given is that given in the Bible. Man -was created holy, and was put on trial. He transgressed. A subject who -disobeys the law of his sovereign incurs his displeasure. He suffers for -it. We are suffering from this disobedience of our first parents by a -law that we daily see exemplified. A man by extravagance or vice -squanders his estate. His children are born penniless. The Prince of -Wieng Chan rebelled against the King of Siam. His country was conquered -and laid waste, and thousands of its inhabitants were made captive and -deported. Thousands of the descendants of these captives are now serfs. -Why are they so? Because of the errors or misfortunes of their -ancestors. The Prince appoints a governor over a province, with the -promise that if he is faithful, his children shall succeed him. Because -of misdemeanor he is deposed. His descendants are born subjects and not -rulers. We belong to a fallen race. - -Somana Gautama belonged to the same race. He groaned under its pains and -penalties. He saw a race sunk in misery. He saw its religion shamefully -corrupt. He inaugurated one of purer morality. But he does not profess -to be divine or a saviour. His religion does not offer a sufficient -remedy. By asceticism and self-mortification it would extinguish all -noble desire as well as the vicious instincts with which we are born. -And then, after interminable cycles of transmigrations, we may hope to -reach a state of unconscious sleep. Happiness and misery are inseparable -things. We escape the one only by escaping the other. That is the dark -prospect which makes Buddhism so pessimistic. To this the Princess -assented, “That is so.” - -Now compare this with the religion of Jesus. The sovereign Father who -loves His wandering, sinful children, in His infinite wisdom devised a -plan that satisfies their needs and desires, “God so loved the world -that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him -should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Our Maker became our -Redeemer by emptying Himself of His glory and becoming man. He is -Himself the greatest possible illustration of the love of God to the -race. He came to reveal the Father. His holy life we have in His word. -He set us the only perfect example, full of pity toward the miserable -and the sinful. Then, by a painful and shameful death, He became Himself -a sacrifice for the sins of the world. He obeyed the law which we had -broken, and which condemns us; and suffered in our stead the penalty due -to us. He conquered death. He took away the sting of death by taking -away sin. He arose from the dead, showing Himself for many days. He -ascended to heaven before the eyes of His disciples. He has sent His -servants and His word to offer a full and free pardon to all who will -accept. He is now, and ever will be, our intercessor in heaven. He sends -His Spirit to purify and fit us for an endless state of conscious -existence which begins at death, and not cycles after. Millions of the -best men and women the world has ever seen have given their testimony to -the reality of this salvation by a triumphant death, with the assurance -that all sin and all suffering were past. Jesus removed the curse, and -brought to light the immortality which we had forfeited by sin. The -missionary and his associates have left both parents and children that -they might offer this to the Princess and to her people. - -To all of this the Princess was mainly a most interested listener. She -had asked to be taught. She put no captious questions. I have omitted an -occasional assent that she gave, and an occasional difficulty or -doubt—not all of which could be fully answered; as, for example, why an -all-powerful God allowed the entrance of sin, and now allows wicked -spirits to tempt us; or that other sad question, why the Gospel had not -been sent to them, so that they might have known this from childhood—a -question the burden of which should press on my readers as well as on -the missionary. - -At last, after a long pause, the Princess made a wonderful confession, -the very words of which I can never forget: - -“Tā chak wā dūi kwām ching, kā han wā paw krū ko tūk lêo.” To speak the -truth, I see that the father-teacher is right. “Kā chûa wā kong chak mī -Pra Chao ton dai sāng lōk.” I believe there surely must be some divine -Lord who made the world. “Lê bat nī ko chûa tī paw krū atibāi dūi kān -pon tōt dōi Pra Yēsū.” And now I believe what the father-teacher has -explained about escape from punishment through the Lord Jesus. And then, -sadly—almost despairingly—she added, “Tê chak yīa cha dai?” But what -shall I do?—I fear it will not be well to forsake “hīt paw hoi mê”—the -customs of my father, the foot-prints of my mother. - -We were sitting in the new brick palace—the first ever built in the -country. In the hall was a large pier-glass with numerous other foreign -articles, most of them bought in Bangkok, and brought up for offerings -at the coming dedication of the shrine. I asked, “Princess, did your -father or grandfather have a brick palace like this?” Somewhat surprised -at the question, she replied, “No.” “And I see the Princess riding down -to the landing every day in a foreign carriage. Did your ancestors do -that?” Before I could make the application, she blushed, perceiving that -she was caught. I went on: “You do daily forsake old customs, and adopt -new ones which your ancestors never knew. The whole method of government -is changing. This foreign cloth, which your maidens are sewing for -priests’ robes, was all unknown to your forefathers. These things all -come from lands where the people worship neither the Buddha nor the -spirits. These are only some of the fruits that grow on the tree. Better -still, plant the tree; for all good fruit grows on it.” Just then our -long conversation was interrupted by the entrance of the Prince, who had -worked till he was tired. He asked what she and the teacher were talking -about so long. She replied that we were discussing “bun lê bāp”—merit -and sin. - -The question often came up after this. She was in a position where it -was, humanly speaking, almost impossible for her outwardly to forsake -the customs of the country. But I have reason to know that on that -morning she received truths which she never forgot. We have seen before -that neither she nor her husband approved of her father’s act in -murdering the Christians. She continued a warm friend to the last, and -so did the Prince. - -On my way home that same forenoon I had another interesting talk with -our dear old friend, the abbot of the Ūmōng monastery, who had been so -true to us during our troubles. On the gate-posts, as I entered, were -offerings of fruit, rice, betel, etc., to propitiate the spirits. This -is in flat violation of one of the fundamental precepts of Buddhism, -which declares that any one who makes offerings to spirits is outside of -the pale, or, as we should say, is virtually excommunicate. Of course, -my abbot friend exculpated himself from all complicity in the offerings. -He himself neither worshipped nor feared the spirits. But his disciples -and parishioners did, and he could not withstand them. He, too, never -gave up the form of Buddhism, but he claimed that he worshipped Jesus -daily as the great Creator and Benefactor of our race. His merit he -believed to be infinitely greater than that of Buddha, whom he knew to -be a man. The abbot was a man of broad mind, and a true and faithful -friend. It is well that it is not for us to say how much of error is -consistent with true discipleship, even in Christian lands. I know that -his deep-rooted friendship for us was because we were teachers of a -religion that offered hopes which Buddhism does not give. I have in mind -many others, also, who believed our doctrine, though they were never -enrolled in our church; and not a few that would urge others of their -family and friends to take, as Christians, the open stand which, from -various causes, they themselves were prevented from taking. But the Lord -knoweth them that are His. - -The great event of the year 1877 was the dedication of a Buddhist shrine -recently rebuilt on Doi Sutēp, the noble mountain which is the pride and -glory of Chiengmai. From the level of the plain, and at a distance of -but four miles westward from the city, the mountain rises in a single -sweep four thousand five hundred feet, forest-crowned to its very -summit, seamed with rushing brooks, and embroidered with gleaming -waterfalls. In the rainy season the play of cloud and vapor, of sunshine -and storm about its mighty mass, forms an ever-changing picture of -surpassing beauty and grandeur. The Siamese and the Lāo are very fond of -an imposing setting and a commanding view for their temples and -shrines—on bold promontories by sea or river, on high knolls and -summits. The one on Doi Sutēp crowns a projecting shoulder or bastion of -the mountain, some half-way up, and visible from all parts of the -Chiengmai plain. Each reigning Prince has been desirous of doing -something to beautify and enrich this shrine. To rebuild it was, -therefore, an attractive idea to Prince Intanon at the beginning of his -rule. - -[Illustration: - - AN ABBOT PREACHING] - - -To do honour to the occasion, and to make merit thereby, all the -northern states, as far east as Lūang Prabāng, sent their highest -officials with costly offerings; and the government of Siam sent a -special representative. For weeks and months previously the whole -country had been placed under requisition to make preparations. -Offerings were levied from every town, village, and monastery, and, I -believe, from every household. Each guest of honour had a temporary -house built for him at the foot of the mountain, with smaller shelters -for persons of less rank. Nearly all the princes and nobles of Chiengmai -joined the encampment at the base of the mountain, and thither, also, -was the city market removed, so that our housekeepers had to send four -miles to market! - -I had intended to pitch a tent near the encampment, so as to be near the -people for missionary work. But a rheumatic attack during the opening -days of the festival prevented. Still, we had as many visitors at home -as we could attend to, and under conditions more favourable for -missionary work. - -Such occasions are very attractive to the Lāo people. For the time being -the prohibition against gambling is removed, and they make the most of -it. It may seem a queer way of making merit, but the theory is that -their merit earns them the right to a good time for once. Thousands of -rupees change hands on such occasions. The mornings are given to making -offerings, the afternoons to boxing and games, and the nights to -theatricals and gambling. I was glad that I was prevented from pitching -my tent in the midst of the noise and revelry. All those interested in -religion were the more free to call and converse with us apart from the -princes and the rabble. Officers and monks from a distance were always -especially welcomed, and few of them in those days returned to their -homes without calling on the foreign teacher. - -I did not get off on a long tour that season, being unable to secure an -elephant. It was better so, however, for early in May Dr. Cheek went to -Bangkok to consult a physician, and went on thence as far as Hongkong. -It was April 30th of the next year before he got back to Chiengmai. And -the season proved to be one of the most unhealthy in the history of the -mission. Worst of all, we had only six bottles of quinine to begin the -season with. There was a rush for the quinine, and it seemed cruel to -withhold it so long as any was left. The fever was of a violent type, -and often fatal. Native doctors were helpless before the scourge. On -looking about me for a substitute for quinine, I found that arsenic was -the next best remedy, and that Fowler’s Solution was the best form for -administering it. But we had not a drop of the solution. We had, -however, a bottle of arsenious acid, and a United States Dispensatory, -so that I had to become pharmacist as well as doctor. I had all the -ingredients save one, an unessential colouring matter. So I made it up -by the quart. But it was not a medicine to be trusted in native hands. -They were accustomed to take their own medicine by the potful, and had -the theory that if a little is good, a great deal would be better. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - XVII - - THE RESIDENT COMMISSIONER - - -In this same year, 1877, there occurred an event of utmost importance to -the mission and to the whole country. We have seen that, up to the death -of Prince Kāwilōrot, those Lāo provinces which are now a part of Siam -had been virtually free states. The Siamese yoke had been very easy. -They had never been conquered in war. Their original association with -Siam had been a voluntary one, in order to escape the oppressive rule of -Burma. Their location and their weakness made it a necessity that they -should look to one of these rival kingdoms for protection against the -other. At the same time, they added both dignity and strength to the one -on which they leaned—they served it as a buffer against the other. -Nature had connected the Lāo country more intimately with Siam. All its -communication with the sea was through the Mênam Chao Prayā and its -tributaries, while a range of lofty mountains separated it from Burma. -In race and language too, they were Siamese, and not Burmese. - -The relation had been mutually beneficial. Both parties recognized the -advantages of the arrangement, and were satisfied. The balance of real -advantage had been to the weaker states. Their chiefs, indeed, were -required to make triennial visits to the Siamese capital, to present -there a nominal tribute, and to renew their oath of allegiance. But with -this exception they were virtually free. In his own country the Prince -had absolute rule. The Siamese had never interfered with, or assumed -control of, the internal affairs of the North Lāo states. It will be -remembered that the sanction of the Siamese government to the -establishment of the mission was given only after the Lāo Prince had -given his. - -It was probably an inevitable result that the stronger power should in -time absorb the weaker. And the course of events had been tending that -way. The forests of teak on the upper branches of the Mênam were too -valuable to be concealed or to remain profitless. The world needed the -timber, and was willing to pay for it. The country needed its value in -money. The Burmese of Maulmein, who were British subjects, had skill in -working out the timber, which the Lāo had not. With money and valuable -presents they tempted the Lāo rulers, who formerly had absolute -authority over the forests, to grant them concessions to cut the timber -and market it in Bangkok. Both parties were avaricious, and both were -probably crooked. Larger bribes sometimes induced a Lāo ruler to issue a -second concession to work a forest already assigned to an earlier -applicant. The result was a constant succession of lawsuits brought by -British subjects against the Lāo. Since the Lāo states were -dependencies of Siam, the Siamese government was often called upon to -enforce judgment against them; while the Lāo felt that the Siamese -suzerainty ought to shield them from such attack. Siam was now come to -be in fact the buffer between the Lāo and the outside world. Instead of -the pleasant relations which had hitherto existed between the two -peoples, there was now constant friction. - -Up to the time when Prince Kāwilōrot gave his public and official -promise before the United States Consul and the representative of the -Siamese government, in the little sālā at the landing-stage of Wat Chêng -in Bangkok, no foreign power other than the English had had any claim on -the Lāo or any contact with them. It was only the impolitic act of -killing the Christians which brought the Lāo Prince into conflict with -the representative of the United States government. The fact that it was -the missionaries who were immediately concerned had nothing to do with -the question. Had the agreement been made with American citizens in any -other capacity or business, the obligation would have been the same. The -Siamese government recognized the obligation, and, as we have seen, -guaranteed the continuance of the mission. And that guarantee was an -additional reason for having an official representative of Siam resident -in Chiengmai. - -Had the new Prince been as strong as he was mild and good, and had the -Chao Uparāt been like him, it is possible that the old feudal relation -might have continued another generation or two. No doubt the Siamese -government thoroughly trusted the loyalty of the new Prince; but it did -not regard him as a man sufficiently strong to hold the reins of power -at that juncture. Moreover, all the business of ruling was largely given -over to the Uparāt; and he in a number of ways had shown his opposition -to our work and his jealousy of the English and of foreigners generally. -When news reached us first that a High Commissioner was appointed, and -then that he was on the way, there was great anxiety to know what stand -he would take with reference to Christianity. - -Prayā Tēp Worachun proved to be an admirable selection for Commissioner. -He had many of the qualities of a statesman. He was cool, calm, patient, -and wise. Judging from the result, it is evident that his instructions -were: to be conservative; to make no rash or premature move; and to -uphold the royal authority conjointly with the old princely -rule—peaceably, if possible, but firmly—till Siam could assume complete -control. Meanwhile he was to follow the English plan of governing -through the native rulers. He was willing to bide his time. Every new -assumption of power on the part of Siam was reluctantly yielded by the -Lāo. But everything conspired to favour the policy of Siam. The Lāo -Prince was passive and unambitious. For the Uparāt no one felt the -reverence or the fear that all had felt for the late Prince Kāwilōrot. -The Commissioner’s fairness and business integrity enabled him to -maintain himself perfectly in his difficult position between the two -branches of the Tai race, and amid the conflicting interests of the -time. - -In religion the new Commissioner was a stoic. His boast was that he -needed no other religion than to be loyal to his king, and upright and -just in his dealings with men. Virtue was its own reward, and vice was -its own punishment. He accepted Gibbon’s conclusion that all religions -are alike good for the state, alike true for their adherents, and alike -false for the philosopher. He encouraged Christianity because it taught -a good morality and made good citizens. But he could see neither the -possibility nor the necessity of an atonement for sin. On one point I -should say we were in full accord. In his opposition to the -spirit-worship of the Lāo he was almost rabid. He sympathized deeply -with the poor people accused of witchcraft, who were driven out of the -country. - -During the absence of Dr. Cheek and Mr. Wilson with their families, I -should have been utterly unable to cope with the situation, had it not -been for my wife’s clear business talent and tact in planning. The -little girls, too, had begun to show somewhat of their mother’s aptitude -for work. - -Meanwhile the fever scourge continued to spread and increase in -violence. The progress of the disease was so rapid that often the person -attacked would never rally at all. An interesting example of the way in -which healing of the body sometimes opened the way to the healing of the -soul, is seen in the case of Sên Kam, an officer who was in charge of -all the irrigation works on the Doi Saket plain, and who one day was -brought to my gate, as it was supposed, to die. The new medicine quickly -checked his fever, and presently he began to study in Siamese the -Shorter Catechism, Genesis, and the Gospel of John. In due time he -returned home a believer. But his desertion from Buddhism caused such -opposition in his province that his baptism was delayed. His family were -so shaken that some of them wished to return to the old worship. But one -young granddaughter of twelve or thirteen years had begun to read our -books and to attend our services. She refused to return to the -monastery, and would run away from it to the chapel. She persevered -until she brought back the whole family into the Christian fold. - -In further illustration of the crowded experiences of this time, I may -cite the following items from letters to our children, written during -the latter half of the year 1877. - - “Last week the King sent for your father to treat a prince who - had had the fever for fifteen days. During his paroxysms his - cries could be heard throughout the whole neighbourhood. In - their extremity they sent for your father, and gave up the case - to him with permission to remove all spirit-charms during the - treatment. He is now out of danger.” [MRS. MCG.] - - “For three weeks I have had a young prince in hospital who had - attempted suicide by cutting his throat. He was a fearful sight. - It did not seem possible that he could survive the night. I - sewed up the wound, however, and now he is well, and apparently - penitent.” [D. MCG.] - - “We are well as usual, but engrossed in work. Your father is - pressed beyond measure with the work of two men. On the return - of Dr. Cheek’s boats, we received forty ounces of quinine; but - it is going at a fearful rate. The hospital is full of patients, - and there are at least one hundred more to be prescribed for - daily. If I did not drop everything else and help him, he could - not possibly get through the day’s work.” [MRS. MCG.] - - “Soon the quinine was all gone, and our compound was becoming a - veritable lazaretto. Most of the patients were anæmic and - dropsical from long-standing fever. They came, because to remain - at home was to die. Then a new complication arose. Unusual - symptoms began to occur that I could not account for. One - morning at breakfast we were called to see a little girl who had - a hemorrhage. She had no cough and had no consumption. While I - was looking up the symptoms and cause, your mother discovered - that the bleeding was from the gums. That gave us the clue. It - was scurvy. I found that we had at least thirty others whose - gums were similarly diseased. We began at once to give them - lime-juice, and prescribed vegetables, for the lack of which - they were starving. It is the invariable custom of Lāo doctors - in cases of fever to put the patient on a strict diet of boiled - rice and dried fish. On such diet some of our patients had been - living for two or three months. They might as well have been on - an arctic voyage!” [D. MCG.] - - “Day before yesterday we tried to have a picnic. A princess had - promised us two elephants, but only one came. Your father took a - horse. The three children and I rode the elephant. Our - destination was the Doi Sutēp temple. About half the way up the - mountain the elephant either concluded that there was no fun in - going up alone, or, more probably, that he had an uncomfortable - load, and refused to go any further. He turned out of the road, - and tried to throw the driver from his neck. The children became - alarmed, and we dismounted as best we could. The children - refused to try riding him again; and since we had come largely - for their pleasure, we had our lunch by a brook, and returned - home on foot.” [MRS. MCG.] - - “We had an interesting incident at our December communion. Just - as I had announced the communion hymn, I saw Chao Borirak—the - Nān prince, who had twice accompanied me with his elephant on my - journeys, and for whose sake largely one of my trips to Nān had - been taken—enter the room. As he had been the subject of much - special prayer on our part, I could hardly command my voice - sufficiently to proceed with the hymn. On my return from my - furlough he had written that he would visit me at the first - opportunity. His uncle, the Prince of Nān, had a grandson in - danger of losing his sight from an accident. He had persuaded - the Prince that possibly our medicine might help him. He brought - a few presents from the Prince, and for himself had brought a - gold ring with a native pearl from the Nān river. He is very - anxious that I should move to Nān, but I tell him that he must - wait for you.... With fever and death around us we have been - wonderfully preserved from ‘the pestilence that walketh in - darkness, and the destruction that wasteth at noonday.’ We have - had our anxieties about the children. During the last hot season - we were afraid that little Margaret would melt away, she was so - thin.” [D. MCG.] - -But the labours of the year were not in vain. During its progress Nān -Suwan, who afterwards became the founder of the church in Chieng Sên, -and four others who became influential ruling elders, were baptized. And -with these was Pā Kawng, an aged slave of the Prince, who lived to be -one of the Lāo saints. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - XVIII - - WITCHCRAFT - - -On January 6th, 1878, two native converts were received into the -church—Nān Sī Wichai, the fine scholar who had been Dr. Cheek’s teacher, -and the wife of a leading elder—and with them our own daughter Cornelia. -This was the bright beginning of the year that brought in religious -toleration. - -One day in March, as I was sitting in my study, I was surprised to see a -tall man, a stranger, with the bearing of an officer, enter. He pointed -with both fingers to his ears, and asked if the teacher could say -“Ephphatha,” and open the ears of a deaf man as Jesus did. It was a -strange introduction—to be accosted by a Lāo with a quotation from -Scripture in the ancient Aramæan tongue! I judged by his accent that he -was from Lakawn. In answer to my enquiry as to who he was, I learned -that he was a Prayā, the highest rank among Lāo officials; that he had -formerly been first in the Lakawn court, but was not then in office. But -where had he received a Bible, and who had taught him? - -I learned that some twenty years before this he had accompanied his -Prince to Bangkok, and there had met Dr. Bradley, from whom he received -a copy of the Old Testament History in Siamese, and the New Testament so -far as it was then published. He had learned Siamese in order to be able -to read and understand the contents of these books. He often wished that -he had lived in the time of Christ. But, having no one to guide him, he -had not learned to draw the lessons that the Bible story was designed to -teach. - -He had come to Chiengmai to get the assistance of the princes there in -righting an unjust decision of the Lakawn court against him. He had -heard, too, that there were teachers of a new religion; and he wished to -know whether we taught as did Dr. Bradley and the books received from -him. His position, his manners, his whole history, including his -connection with my father-in-law, attracted me to him with uncommon -force. Our first interview was long and very satisfactory. His questions -were such as he had long wished to put to some one who could explain -them. The truth had been securely lodged in his mind. It was most -interesting to see how a single new thought would illuminate it all. - -But what he had sown he was then reaping. While in power he doubtless -had oppressed others. Once he had received “hush money” from murderers -whom he should have prosecuted. If he had not taken it, he said they -would have murdered him, too. His sins weighed upon his conscience. His -most anxious question was whether Jesus could really save _all_ men from -_all_ sins. When asked if Buddha could do so, he said that he never had -seen any such promise in any of the scriptures. He would search again. -He went to an abbot friend from whom he borrowed, as he said, “books by -the armful.” He looked them over with this one question in view: Is -there hope of pardon offered to sinners? He went a second time for more. -At his third coming the abbot, finding out what he was after, refused to -lend to him further. But he confessed that his search was in vain. He -argued with the monks, refuted them; and they cast him off. Upon his -arrival the Chao Uparāt had promised his assistance in the lawsuit. -When, however, he found that the Prayā was becoming a Christian, he -dropped him. But he had found an intercessor greater than any earthly -prince. For Him he was willing to face all opposition and to bear all -reproach. - -He was baptized on the 8th of May, just before returning home. The rains -had already set in, and were likely greatly to impede his journey. Yet -he reached Lakawn without encountering a shower. His account of it -afterwards was, that whenever he saw the clouds threatening, he would -wave his hands and pray that they might be dispersed. Lāo Christians -have not become befogged with doubts as to the efficacy of prayer for -temporal blessings. After his return to his home, his family all became -believers, and others also whom he taught. At his invitation I went over -to instruct them and to administer the sacraments. Two years later the -number was sufficient to warrant their organization into a church, of -which the Prayā was made the first elder. - -Dr. Cheek’s return at the end of April, 1878, took from my shoulders the -care of the medical work—a very great burden. During his absence I had -put up a hospital building of six rooms. This since then has been moved, -and now forms the nucleus of the Chiengmai Hospital. The doctor soon -found himself overwhelmed with practice. He was a fine surgeon and a -good doctor, and had great influence both with princes and with people. -Moreover, Mrs. Cheek’s inheritance of the language—like my wife’s—was a -great advantage to them both. Only a few days after the doctor’s arrival -we lost our valuable hospital assistant, Lung In. One evening he -complained of some trouble about the heart. He talked a few moments with -his family, then said he felt better and would go to sleep—and in an -instant was gone. - - * * * * * - -In 1878 Chieng Sên, the old abandoned city which I visited in 1872, -became the theme of anxious consultation on the part of the government. -The Lāo had taken away the inhabitants, but could not take away the -land. It had become a rendezvous for robbers and lawless men from all -quarters. The Western Shans from Burma were settling upon it. Siam -evidently must repopulate the province, or lose it. It was finally -agreed that one thousand descendants of the original captives should be -drafted from Chiengmai, one thousand from Lakawn, and five hundred from -Lampūn, and sent back to reoccupy the province. Chao Noi Inta, the -highest in rank of the available descendants of the original captive -princes, was commissioned as governor. The special interest this exodus -has for our narrative lies in the fact that among these returned -captives was the family of Nān Suwan, one of our best men, and already -an elder of the church. At first Nān Suwan thought of buying himself -off, as many did. But when it was pointed out to him that his going -would be the means of starting a church there, he readily consented to -go. - -[Illustration: - - INTANON, PRINCE OF CHIENGMAI] - - -[Illustration: - - ELDER NĀN SUWAN] - -The governor was a warm friend of mine, and was urgent that we establish -a mission and a church there before Buddhist temples could be built. The -province was virgin soil. A great mortality usually attends the -repeopling of deserted places and the clearing of the land. The governor -was very anxious that we should send a physician. Had we gone then with -five hundred ounces of quinine, we should have had command of the -situation. As it was, Nān Suwan was furnished with some quinine, which -gave him the name of doctor. Broad-minded, hospitable, kindly, and -thoroughly upright, there could have been no better selection. He became -the real father of the Chieng Sên church. His family was a light in the -city. His youngest daughter, Kūi Kêo, one of Mrs. McGilvary’s first -pupils, taught most of the early Christians there to read the Scriptures -in Siamese. The elder himself became a great favourite with the -governor, who used to say that the fact of his being governor, and, -therefore, under authority, alone prevented him from uniting with the -church. Another of the returning captives was Sên Yā Wichai, the first -believer in Chiengmai. He settled on the western border of the Chieng -Sên plain. - - * * * * * - -The Lāo as a race have been in bondage to the spirits. We have already -had frequent occasion to refer to the slavish fear of them among all -classes, from the highest to the lowest. No event in life, from birth to -the last offices for the dead, could be undertaken without consulting or -appeasing the presiding spirits of the clan, the household, or the -country. Their anger is the fruitful cause of every disease and calamity -that flesh is heir to. - -In many ways this would seem a less elevating and ennobling cult than -pure Buddhism. But really it has a much closer affinity with -Christianity than has Buddhism, whether as scientifically held by the -learned, or as embraced by the common people. Buddhism is too atheistic -to bring it into comparison here with Christianity. It lacks the -essential attribute of religion—a sense of dependence on some higher -power. It belongs to a different order of thought. The spirit-cult, on -the other hand, does recognize invisible powers whose goodwill or -illwill brings prosperity or adversity. From this to one Great Spirit, -who is sovereign over all, is but another step on the same line of -ascent. So their spirit-offerings come nearer the idea of propitiation -than do the offerings of Buddhism, which in some quite unaccountable -manner are supposed to bring merit to the offerer. - -A belief in witchcraft—that is, in the temporary or permanent residence -of some evil spirit in men—has been confined to no one age or race. Its -predominance among the northern Tai tribes is very remarkable in view of -its inconsistency with Buddhism, which has long been the religion of the -race. In the contest for supremacy, the spirit-cult, while it has not -superseded Buddhism, has secured the stronger hold on the people. They -worship Buddha and make offerings in his temples; but they fear and -dread the power of the spirits to inflict present evil. It is safer to -neglect Buddha than these. And the power of a malicious spirit is most -dreaded when it has taken up its abode in a human habitation. - -From the time of our first arrival in Chiengmai we were continually -amazed to find what multitudes of people had been driven from their -homes for supposed witchcraft. All the northern provinces and towns, as -has already been mentioned, were largely peopled by that unfortunate -class. Accusation of witchcraft had become one of the most dreaded means -of oppression and persecution. It was a favourite way of getting rid of -an envied rival or of a disagreeable neighbour. No family and no rank -were safe from such attack. Princes, even, had fallen under its ban. -When once the suspicion of witchcraft was well started, the individual -or the family was doomed. Our sympathies had often been aroused in -behalf of these unfortunates; but no favourable opportunity had occurred -for interference in any other way than by our teaching. - -Finally, in August, 1878, the opportunity came. I had a request from a -prince of some wealth and standing, that I would take under our -protection Pā Sêng Bun and her family, accused of witchcraft. The woman -was first the under-wife of the Prince’s deceased father, who was a man -of note in his day. She had two fine boys by a subsequent husband, and a -niece nearly grown. This second husband was a widower, whose former wife -was suspected of dealing in the occult art; and the theory was that the -evil spirit came into her family through these sons. In that season of -heavy rains and flooded streams, the whole family was to be driven -off—some of them surely to die on the way. The patron said that he was -helpless; that no one in the land, unless it were ourselves, could -shield them from that fate. I told him that we were perfectly willing to -risk the anger of the spirits, only we did not wish unnecessarily to -offend the prejudices of the people. He was willing to assume all -_legal_ responsibility; for the rest, we might fight it out with the -spirits as we pleased. After notifying the Siamese Commissioner of the -situation, we brought the family to our place. - -That very day their house was burned down; and not a tree or bush was -left standing on the premises to furnish shelter to the spirits. But -that did not stop the clamour. There was then in their village a great -epidemic of fever. By common consent it was agreed that this had been -caused by the evil spirit resident in the lads. With boyish curiosity -they had twice or thrice gone back to visit the site of their old home, -and, strange to say, after each visit a new case of sickness had -occurred, which was, of course, attributed to their presence. It was -vain to point out the utter ridiculousness of the idea, or to show that -no sickness had occurred on our place since their arrival. That was -easily explained. The spirit was afraid of our God, and did not dare to -enter the premises. It took refuge in a large tree outside till the boys -came out again, when it entered its former habitation and went with -them. - -Finally the patron prince sent word that we must give that family up. He -could endure the odium no longer. When I refused, he threatened to take -the matter into court. To this I replied that I was perfectly willing -that the case be tried; but it should not be tried before a Lāo court, -but before the Commissioner. If they could convince him that the -sickness in the village was caused by a malicious spirit resident in -that family, they should be sent off immediately. But, I added, it would -be fair to make one condition. If the accusers failed, _they_ should be -driven off. This—as I knew it would do—put an end to the whole affair. -We heard no more of it. It was a great victory in the demon controversy; -and, later, as we shall see, it proved a boon to scores of helpless -victims. Before the arrival of the Commissioner such an outcome would -have been impossible. No Lāo court would have refused to expel persons -so accused. The family of Pā Sêng Bun proved to be a treasure, becoming -one of the most influential and valuable in the Chiengmai church. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - XIX - - THE EDICT OF RELIGIOUS TOLERATION - - -Our narrative has now brought us to a point where an apparently trivial -circumstance became the occasion of an event not only of utmost -importance to us and to our work, but of far-reaching consequences to -the country at large. Sometime near the middle of this year, 1878, the -eldest daughter of Nān Inta was to be married to a Christian young man -studying for the ministry. Both parties at that time were virtually -members of our family. The expected bride was a pupil of Mrs. -McGilvary’s, and the groom was a private pupil of mine. The immediate -family connections on both sides were Christians. Inasmuch as this was -the first Christian marriage in the church, we had prepared to celebrate -it with a little wedding feast. Besides the Christians, a few princes -and a few special friends were invited, all anxious to see a Christian -marriage ceremony. Among the invited guests was Chao Tēpawong, Nān -Inta’s liege-lord, and brother of the Uparāt. - -We learned that the family patriarch—known to be a violent opposer of -Christianity—had threatened to prevent the marriage, unless we first -paid to him, as tribal head of the family, the spirit-fee originally -designed to furnish a feast for the spirits. It was a small sum—among -common people not more than six rupees. That payment would legalize -marriage without any further ceremony. In fact, the payment may be -regarded as a distinctively religious act, since it recognizes the -spirits as the guardians and protectors of the family. When one becomes -a Christian, that allegiance is cast off. By an unwritten law or custom -of the country, that fee belonged to the patriarch, and he decided to -exact it or make trouble. I had explained the marriage ceremony to the -princes and to the Commissioner. I knew that the latter recognized the -justice of our position, and I assumed that the government would support -us if the patriarch caused any trouble. - -Sure enough, early in the morning the patriarch’s loud voice was heard -in our yard threatening dire punishment to the family if his demand were -not granted. The bride’s father became alarmed, and thought we must have -some official backing, or he would surely get into trouble. The guests -had arrived, and every one was on the _qui vive_ to see which side was -to win in the contest. I went to the liege-lord of the family for his -sanction; but he said it was too big a question for him to pass upon. I -must go to a higher authority. It had evidently become a question that -could not be settled that morning. Old Adam would have said, “Marry them -and trust to the justice of your cause. Let the old patriarch whistle!” -But we teach our Christians to be obedient to the law, and we wished to -avoid unnecessary trouble. So there was nothing to do but to swallow our -mortification, apologize to our guests, invite them to partake of the -feast, and seek legal sanction afterwards. - -After dinner that same day Dr. Cheek and I called upon the Commissioner. -We had failed, and were come to him for advice. His sympathies were -easily enlisted, but he had no authority to interfere in local or tribal -matters. He advised us to go to the Prince. We did so, meeting him and -the Princess alone. Their position was like that of the Commissioner. -They, too, sympathized with the young couple and with us. But it raised -a new question for them, and they feared to give offence. The Princess -said they had been criticised by our enemies for standing by us; but if -the Chao Uparāt would give his sanction, no one else, they thought, -would dare oppose. So we went next to the Uparāt; but there we ran -against a stone wall. He inwardly laughed at our predicament. He had us -just where he wanted us to be. If our young people could not marry, our -work would be virtually stopped. He said that no one but the King of -Siam had authority to interfere in such a question. - -We returned home signally defeated. Next day I went alone to the Chao -Uparāt, and argued the justice of our case. The parties had renounced -their allegiance to the spirits. It was clearly unreasonable to require -what we could not conscientiously submit to. I even begged him to come -to our aid, since both the Commissioner and the Prince had said that -they were sure that no one else would oppose his decision. If we were -compelled, we must appeal to His Majesty the King of Siam, though we -should be very reluctant to do so. Since marriage is a civil as well as -a religious rite, I was sure His Majesty would admit the justice of our -appeal. Either thinking that we would not make the appeal, or that the -appeal would be in vain, he at last refused to discuss the question -further. Little did he know, nor did we then, that he was doing the best -possible thing for us. - -I returned then to the Commissioner to report. The conflict which, as we -have seen, was probably inevitable between the royal authority -represented by the Commissioner on the one hand, and the local rulers on -the other, was becoming inevitable sooner than was anticipated. The -Commissioner just then was himself having great trouble with officials -who were restive under his authority. The Lakawn Princes had a -difficulty among themselves, and had come to the Commissioner to have -the case adjudicated. His decision had been unfavourable to one of the -higher officials—probably the chief himself. Whoever it was, he had -committed the unpardonable offence of departing to Lakawn without taking -leave of the Commissioner, presumably intending to appeal to Bangkok. So -that morning I found His Excellency indignant at the insult offered to -him, and, through him, to his sovereign. The royal authority which he -represented was challenged. Moreover, some of the acts of the Chao -Uparāt had offended him. His impressions were confirmed and strengthened -by the recital of our grievances. He advised me to write these all out -in full, giving specifications that could be substantiated—and such were -rapidly multiplying. For, provoked at Nān Inta and his family, and -emboldened with his own success in stopping the wedding, the Chao Uparāt -had summoned Nān Inta and had set him to watching his summer-house on -the river—the work of a menial, such as Nān Inta had never yet been -reduced to doing. - -At last the moment had come when an appeal for religious toleration -might be made with fair prospect of success. As the only way of avoiding -continual interference in the future, the Commissioner himself advised -that the appeal be made for religious toleration in general, rather than -for freedom of Christian marriage, which was only a single item. The -Commissioner was busily engaged in writing out a report of his own -grievances, to be sent to the King. He said that he would mention our -case also in his report, and offered to forward my letter with his -despatches. - -I immediately dropped everything else, and addressed myself to writing -that appeal unto Cæsar. In it I referred to the sanction of the Siamese -government to the establishment of the mission, given after the -interview with Prince Kāwilōrot at Wat Chêng, and subsequently renewed -on the appointment of his successor, Prince Intanon. I was very careful -not only to exonerate the latter from all blame, but also highly to -commend both him and his Princess for their uniform kindness, and for -their sympathy in this particular emergency. But the act of the Chao -Uparāt was, no doubt, only the beginning of what he would do if he were -not restrained. It was evidently his intention to reduce to slavery a -family that had always been free. In behalf of his loyal Christian -subjects we begged His Majesty to guarantee to them the same privileges, -civil and religious, which his other subjects enjoyed, among which -surely was the right to be married according to the ceremony of their -own religion. One request I put in with some misgiving—that the -Christians might be exempted from compulsory work on the Sabbath; -otherwise that point might always be used to create difficulty when the -master was hostile. While thus making our appeal to man, importunate -prayer was continually offered to Him who had been our help in times -past. - -It was very necessary that the appeal should go as the joint action of -the mission as then constituted. I was aware that Dr. Cheek, the only -other member of the mission then on the ground, did not enter heartily -into the appeal. He was fearful that it would only make bad worse; that -it would give offence to the Lāo rulers, and possibly to the Siamese as -well. But as regards the Lāo, matters had already reached an extremity -in the case of the one who really ruled the country. And as to the -Siamese, our only human hope was in the King. So, when my paper was -finished, I took it to Dr. Cheek, and read it over to him. He listened -very attentively to the reading, and at its close I was delighted to -hear him say, “That seems all right.” After a few clerical alterations -which he suggested, we both signed the paper. A summary of it was read -to the Commissioner, and was afterwards enclosed by him with his -despatches. Our appeal to the King of Siam had, of course, to be made -through the United States Consul, Colonel Sickels. Our letter to the -King was, therefore, sent unsealed under cover to the Consul, so that he -might read it; and with it went a letter giving him a full account of -all the particulars of the case, and urging him to use his influence, -both personal and official, on our behalf. The whole was entrusted to a -special messenger in a swift boat, with instructions to make all -possible speed. - -Having done our best, we waited prayerfully and hopefully. But the -greatness of the issue involved made us anxious. The liberal policy of -the young King was not then so well known as it became later. One could -not be absolutely certain how even our Consul would regard it. We -trusted, however, to the friendship of the Foreign Minister, who had -invited me to Pechaburī, and who had always been our true friend. No one -of all these persons concerned disappointed our expectations, or even -our hopes. - -Colonel Sickels acted with commendable despatch. He was favoured in -securing an audience without the usual formalities. At that time His -Majesty had a regular day each week when his subjects and others might -approach him informally in his summer garden with petitions on urgent -business. Our appeal was presented to him there. He was already aware of -its nature through the Commissioner’s despatches. Anxiety with regard to -the political situation in the North no doubt prompted him to a decisive -assertion of authority in this matter as well. His Majesty informed the -Consul that his government had already reached a decision favourable to -our request, and that full religious toleration was to be proclaimed. - -The courier returned with unwonted speed, reaching Chiengmai on Sunday, -September 29th. Late in the afternoon of that day the Commissioner -notified me of the arrival of despatches. Next morning I called upon -him. He was radiant with joy. All his own requests had been granted, and -enlarged powers had been given him, including power to make proclamation -of religious toleration in all the Lāo states. He seemed as much -delighted with our success as with his own. He said that he had already -notified the princes and officials to call in the afternoon, and he -would then inform them of the result. Of course, our hearts were -overflowing with gratitude. - -At the appointed hour the Prince, the Chao Uparāt, and all the high -officials were assembled. When the order for the proclamation was made -known, some of them made a final personal appeal to him to stay -proceedings. They argued that unrestricted permission to become -Christians would be the ruin of the country. To understand the force of -this objection it must be remembered that among the Lāo, breach of the -Seventh Commandment was punished, not by civil or criminal procedure, -but by a “spirit-fine” paid to the patriarch of the woman’s family. It -was argued that if Christian young men should transgress with Lāo girls -or women, under the new régime, no fine could be imposed, and there -would be no redress whatever. The Commissioner then sent a messenger, -asking me to come to the audience. The scene, as I entered, reminded me -of that other notable audience with Prince Kāwilōrot and another -Commissioner. The Commissioner stated their objection, and asked me what -I had to say. I replied that the difficulty was purely an imaginary one. -In the first place, it was a cardinal doctrine of the church to forbid -such sins. In the second place, if a professed Christian violated his -vows, he made himself amenable to the discipline of the church, and so -put himself beyond its protection. The Commissioner said, “I have -already so answered, but I wanted those who are present to hear it from -the teacher himself.” To this no reply was made. After a short pause the -Commissioner broke the silence. With a gesture to the audience, he said -that the business was ended. When he had leisure, the Edict would be -issued. One after another the assembled princes and officials retired. - -On my way home I noticed that the Chao Uparāt had stopped at his little -sālā beside the river, the same that Nān Inta had been set to watch. To -show that I had no personal grudge, I stopped to call on him. Rising, he -gave me a more respectful welcome than usual, and ordered a foreign rug -to be spread—the respectful way of receiving guests before the day of -chairs. When I was seated he asked why I had made complaint against him -to Bangkok—he was very sore at heart about it. I replied that I was -sorry, indeed, to be obliged to do it. Did he not remember how I had -told him that we could not submit to his decision; how I had even -entreated him not to force us to appeal to the King? And I could not -appeal without giving the facts as my ground for so doing. But now I -hoped that bygones might be bygones, and that we might be friends.—The -fact was that my letter had been translated in Bangkok, sent back to -Chiengmai, and had been read at the audience before my arrival. But I -never before had such a reception from the Uparāt. - -The wording of the proclamation was left to the Commissioner. If he had -been hostile, or even indifferent, its effect might easily have been -neutralized by a little vagueness or ambiguity. But he was anxious to -have the matter settled decisively. When I took my leave of him that -morning, he promised to show me the draft of the proclamation before he -should affix his seal. When I saw it, there were only a few verbal -changes to suggest. It was a general permission to the Lāo to adopt any -religion they pleased. I suggested that since it was specifically -granted in the interest of Christians, it was desirable that -Christianity be specifically named—which was done. At my request two -extra copies of the proclamation were made with the official seals -attached; one for deposit in our safe, and one that might be read to the -people. The following is a literal translation of this famous document: - - I Prayā Tēp Worachun, Representative of His Majesty the Supreme - King of Siam in Chiengmai, Lampūn, and Lakawn, hereby make - proclamation to the Princes, Rulers, and Officers of various - grades, and to the common people in the cities and provinces - named:—That His Majesty the King of Siam has been graciously - pleased to send me a Royal Letter under the Royal Seal, to the - effect that D. B. Sickels, Esqr., United States Consul, had - communicated to the Foreign Minister of Siam a complaint signed - by Rev. D. McGilvary and Dr. M. A. Cheek against certain parties - for molesting the Christians and compelling them to observe - their old religious customs. The Foreign Minister laid the - subject before His Majesty, who most graciously listened to the - said complaint, and gave the following Royal Command in - reference to the same:— - - That religious and civil duties do not come in conflict. That - whoever wishes to embrace any religion after seeing that it is - true and proper to be embraced, is allowed to do so without any - restriction. That the responsibility for a right or a wrong - choice rests on the individual making the choice. That there is - nothing in the laws and customs of Siam, nor in its foreign - treaties, to throw any restriction on the religious worship and - service of any one. - - To be more specific:—If any person or persons wish to embrace - the Christian Religion, they are freely permitted to follow - their own choice. - - This Proclamation is to certify that from this time forth all - persons are permitted to follow the dictates of their own - conscience in all matters of religious belief and practice. - - It is moreover strictly enjoined on Princes and Rulers, and on - relatives and friends of those who wish to become Christians, - that they throw no obstacles in their way, and that no one - enforce any creed or work which their religion forbids them to - hold or to do—such as the worship and feasting of demons, and - working on the Sabbath day, except in the case of war and other - great unavoidable works, which, however, must not be a mere - pretence, but really important. Be it further observed that they - are to have free and unobstructed observance of the Sabbath day. - And no obstacle is to be thrown in the way of American citizens - employing such persons as they may need, since such would be a - breach of the treaty between the two countries. - - Whenever this Proclamation is made known to the Princes and - Rulers and Officers and People, they are to beware and violate - no precept contained therein. - - Proclamation made on the Thirteenth Day of the Eleventh waxing - Moon, in the Eleventh Year of His Majesty’s Reign, October the - Eighth, Eighteen Hundred and Seventy-Eight. - -The Edict furnishes a second natural division in the history of the Lāo -mission. Its first period was one of struggle for its very existence, -culminating in positive prohibition to preach the gospel and virtual -expulsion of the missionaries. That situation was abruptly brought to an -end by the death of Prince Kāwilōrot and the appointment of his -son-in-law, Prince Intanon. In our second period of struggle, the -conclusion of which we have just witnessed, the conditions were in many -respects similar to those of the first. Our chief antagonists in the two -contests were alike in their love of absolute power, in their -determination to break down all rival influences, and alike, therefore, -in their settled hostility to our work. In neither case was their -antagonism to Christianity primarily on religious grounds. But Kāwilōrot -was of much more imposing personality and figure than the Uparāt. - -Within his own realm Kāwilōrot was really “Lord of Life.” He was -absolute head both of church and of state. He brooked no rival and no -contradiction in either. The highest positions in the religious -hierarchy were bestowed or withdrawn at his pleasure. His own -brothers-in-law languished in exile in Siam, because it was not thought -safe for them to return and be within his reach. At home he had -vanquished or terrified into submission all possible rivals. Even the -court of Siam seemed inspired with a wholesome fear of meddling with -him. The crime of the first Christians was the unpardonable one that -they had dared to become such against the will of Kāwilōrot. But the -time and place for such rulers had passed. Such attitude and temper -suited neither a position under superior authority, nor the policy of a -government striving to rise with the progress of the age. But he served -his purpose in the world, and Providence used him. - -Of his titular successor, Prince Intanon, and of his noble wife, I have -already spoken. His real successor in the government of the land, and in -his championship of the old régime of feudal autocracy, was the Chao -Uparāt. But he had neither the commanding dignity of Kāwilōrot nor his -interesting personality;—had little, in fact, of any of his qualities -save his lodged and settled hatred of all innovation. For him we had -none of a certain kind of respect which the late Prince inspired; and we -were under no constraint of gratitude for favours. The only debt of -gratitude the mission owed him was for being, by his lawless acts, the -unwitting and unwilling cause of the proclamation of religious freedom. - -But the crisis which he precipitated hastened likewise that -centralization of government which Siam was waiting for. The tendency of -the age is everywhere toward centralization. Strong central governments -are everywhere taking the place of weak and scattered ones. Chiengmai -itself and all the existing Lāo states have grown by the capture and -absorption of their weaker, though by no means insignificant, -neighbours. The authority and fear of Siam had long been felt indirectly -in preventing those petty wars in which one weak state captured and -enslaved another. That authority was now to be exerted more directly to -bring to an end the era of arbitrary, personal, autocratic rule among -its dependencies, and to establish in its place the more equal and -stable reign of law. Feudalism with its “organized anarchy” was to give -way to the Nation. - -Such was the period at which we have arrived in this narrative of our -life and work in the Lāo states. It is a wonderful thing to have lived -through such a series of changes, and possibly to have been, under -Providence, the means of bringing some of them about. We work for an end -apparent to ourselves; but God’s designs are deeper and broader than -ours. “He maketh the wrath of man to praise Him.” Of nations, as well as -of individuals, is it true that - - “There’s a divinity that shapes our ends, - Rough-hew them how we will.” - -Among the Christians the Edict, of course, was greeted with an outburst -of joy. To Nān Inta it was like life from the dead. It was in reality -freedom from slavery. And no man made such efficient use of it as he -did. With the sealed copy of the Edict in his hand, he returned to his -village; and wherever he went he could assure the people, on the faith -of his Sovereign, that a profession of the “Jesus-religion” meant -neither the ruffian’s club nor slavery. The effects of the Edict upon -the church will be traced in its future growth as our story moves on. I -may venture, however, to anticipate so much—that within two years’ time -two of our strongest village churches were organized; one of them in Nān -Inta’s own village. Neither of these churches could have existed had not -the Uparāt’s power been abridged. - -To the country, the new authority conferred on the High Commissioner at -that time has resulted in a revolution as silent and as effectual as the -change of the seasons. His new title, Pū Samret Rāchakān—he who fulfills -the King’s work—was used, I believe, for the first time in that -proclamation; and it really marked the passing of the sceptre from the -hands of the Princes of Chiengmai. The titular Chao Chīwit—Lord of -Life—was allowed to retain his title and honours during his lifetime; -but he has had no successor. The Lāo country has ceased to be either a -feudal dependency or a separate “buffer-state.” Silently—almost -imperceptibly—it has become an integral portion of the consolidated -Kingdom of Siam. Autocratic rule has everywhere ceased. And all these -changes are directly in line with the civilization of the age. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - XX - - SCHOOLS—THE NINE YEARS’ WANDERER - - -The year 1879 opened auspiciously. In March a little variety was -introduced into our secluded life by an official visit to Chiengmai of -Major Street, the British Commissioner at Maulmein. He and his party -arrived quite unexpectedly, spent a week in the city, and attended an -English service at the mission on Sunday. We met them a number of times, -both socially and at official dinners. They strengthened the position of -the Commissioner, and did us all good. But at that time we were -anxiously awaiting another arrival, in which we were more intimately -concerned. Mr. Wilson, who had been for two and a half years absent on -furlough, was daily expected, and with him were our long-looked-for -teachers for the Girls’ School. - -The party was to arrive on April 9th. To please the three children and -myself, on the afternoon of the 8th we four started down the river in a -small boat to meet and welcome them. But the river was low, and we had -not yet reached them when darkness came on and we were obliged to seek -moorings. When, at last, we got ashore, we learned to our great joy that -the mission boats were moored only a few hundred yards below, in the -same bend of the river. We all walked down in the moonlight, and -presently spied their lights close at hand. The young ladies had retired -to read, but not to sleep. The meeting by moonlight at the river’s brink -was quite romantic. We talked till ten o’clock, though Mr. Wilson was so -hoarse that he could scarcely speak. At daybreak our fleet was under -way. We had a jolly breakfast together on board—our visitors at their -little table, and we on the deck. We then visited hard again until noon; -but it was two o’clock before we caught sight of the mission premises, -with the native Christians all waiting to greet the arrivals, old and -new. - -The High Commissioner, a few days later, gave a dinner to the mission, -saying in the note of invitation that it was in honour of the young -ladies, for the boldness and piety that enabled them to leave their -fathers and mothers, and come so far to teach his people. When notified -of their arrival, the Princess sent down carriages and had us all up to -call on her. She was delighted to welcome the young ladies, and was -interested in the school. - - * * * * * - -The Siamese and the Lāo tongues are two closely related branches of the -same linguistic stock. The idiom and the great body of common words are -nearly the same in the two, differing, where they do differ, chiefly in -accent and intonation. Siamese is, of course, the speech of the ruling -race throughout the Siamese kingdom; and even at the time of which we -are speaking it was easy to foresee that the local dialect of its -northern provinces must eventually give way before it, especially for -all official and literary purposes. The chief obstacle in the way of a -speedy victory for the Siamese has been the fact that the Lāo is written -in a wholly different character. Were the two alike in this respect, -there is no doubt that the standard form of speech would take the place -of the dialectal almost without notice. - -Of necessity all teaching so far attempted had been in the Siamese. -There was not a schoolbook in the Lāo character save the spelling -tables. When these had been mastered, there was no reading-book in Lāo -that could be put into the hands of the pupils; nor was there prospect -of any such being printed for years to come. On the other hand, in the -Siamese character there was a considerable Christian literature in -print, both religious and general, already available for purposes of -education. Our pupils, moreover, had all been girls; and almost no Lāo -women at that time could read writing in any character. It was, -therefore, not only much simpler, but quite as well for them on other -accounts, to learn the Siamese character from the start. - -Now, however, when we were arrived at the establishment of regular -schools with a permanent organization and policy, the question could no -longer be postponed, In which language shall instruction be given? It -was not an easy question to decide. With regard to it there was -difference of opinion among the missionaries, both old and new. On the -one hand, it was urged, that since ours was a Lāo mission, the Lāo -should, of course, be the language of the schools. On the other hand -were pointed out the greater scope and availability of the Siamese, its -assured supremacy, and the dwindling future of the Lāo throughout the -territory of Siam. The matter at last was compromised by continuing the -Siamese in the Girls’ School, and adopting the Lāo for the boys. - -Meantime it was desirable to have some portions of the Scriptures in the -Lāo character; and, to accomplish this, the first requisite was a font -of Lāo type. To this end, on my first furlough in 1873, I went from -North Carolina to New York, and not only spent some time, but was at -some personal expense, in the effort to secure such a font. The American -Bible Society voted a liberal sum for the purpose. But there turned out -to be some mechanical difficulties to be overcome in making and using -the type, which were beyond my skill to solve. So, lest the attempt -should fail in my hands, I gave it up. And having accomplished nothing, -I presented no bill of expense either to the Bible Society or to the -Board. - -There seemed, indeed, to be some fatality attending our efforts in this -direction. Mr. Wilson, on the furlough from which he was but now -returned, had gone further. He actually succeeded in getting a font of -Lāo type. But the whole of it was lost, and never reached the -mission.[11] It was not until Dr. Peoples’ furlough in 1889 that we -succeeded in getting our present type. Meanwhile we had used the Siamese -Scriptures, with some present disadvantages, indeed, but with some -advantages as well. Some of our first Christians were attracted to our -religion by their desire to learn Siamese; and the Siamese Bible and -catechism were our textbooks. And now, under Siamese rule, knowledge of -the Siamese opens the way to promotion in the government service. -Siamese alone is taught in the government schools. Young monks are more -eager to study Siamese than their own tongue. - -Footnote 11: - - Mr. Wilson brought only a few specimens with him. He writes:—“The rest - of the type was to be boxed up and sent to Mr. Cutter, and the boxes - were to be put away in the store-room of the Mission Rooms at 23 - Centre Street, and forwarded when called for. They must have been lost - when the Board moved from 23 Centre Street to the Lenox property, and - then to 156 Fifth Avenue.” - -But the important thing, after all, was that we had a school actually -begun, and that there was teaching in _both_ dialects. It was like a new -beginning of our work under conditions more favourable than at the -first. For twelve years it had been a hard, and, sometimes, an -apparently hopeless struggle. But the history of missions affords many -similar instances with even fewer visible results. In twelve years we -had gathered forty converts into the church. Some of these were among -the most useful we have ever had in the history of the mission. It is -hard to estimate rightly the importance of work spent on the foundations -of such an enterprise. But now, with that church organized, with the -medical work well established, the evangelistic work strengthened, and -the initial school, begun long before by Mrs. McGilvary, placed on a -permanent basis, we could write in large letters on our altar, -“Jehovah-Nissi”—Jehovah our banner. - - * * * * * - -In the early part of this year, 1879, twelve more persons were gathered -into the church. One of them was Pā Sêng Bun, the poor woman accused of -witchcraft, who, with so much difficulty, was saved from her -persecutors. Another was Mûn C., who was a daily visitor when we were -here on our first tour of exploration. And another was our own dear -little Margaret. Somewhat later there came to our notice one of the most -interesting of all the incidents in the chequered history of our -mission. One morning, on returning from my work in the city, I was told -that a man had been waiting to see me, and was then talking to Nān Inta. -Stepping down to the house, where a number of persons had collected, I -saw a handsome man of medium height, but of striking figure, larger and -more portly than is usual among the Lāo, and thirty-three years old, as -I learned. - -Nān Tā, for that was the stranger’s name, said that not long after our -first arrival in Chiengmai, while he was yet a monk in the king’s -monastery, he had visited me, and was struck with those points in the -teachings of Christianity which differentiate it from Buddhism. He -received a copy of the Gospel of Matthew in Siamese, learned a few -verses, and took the book home with him to the monastery. Afterwards he -visited me occasionally to take a few further lessons in it. He was a -protégé of Prince Kāwilōrot, who paid the expenses of his entering the -monastic order. He thus became the Prince’s “Luk kêo”[12] (_jewel-son_), -in effect his adopted son. Not long after this he left the priesthood, -married, and settled out in the country. But he paid us a few visits -from time to time, always, as he said, to talk on religion and to study -Siamese. - -Footnote 12: - - A designation whose nearest parallel in English is, perhaps, - _god-son_. - -When the order for the murder of the Christians was given, a monk who -was a friend of his met him in the streets, and asked whether he knew -that his house was to be burned over his head, explaining that the -Prince had nourished him as a son, and now he had apostatized and joined -the foreign religion. Advising him to consider well and quickly, the -priest hurried on. So it had become known in the palace that he was -visiting us and studying the Jesus-religion. There was no time to be -lost, not even to bid good-bye to his young wife. On that eventful -Saturday afternoon, just before the flight of our servants, he stopped -at our door; but seeing no one, he hastened on. On Sunday he secreted -himself in a deserted monastery near the mountains. Next day he fell in -with a company of traders, going to Chieng Rāi, six days’ journey to the -north, and travelled with them without making known what his errand was. -At Chieng Rāi he learned that the Christians were put to death the day -after he left. He was still within the Lāo realm, and might be arrested. -He made his way, therefore, to Keng Tung, in Burmese territory, ten or -fifteen days’ journey still further to the north. - -After remaining there some three years, he returned to Chieng Rāi, where -he heard of the death of Kāwilōrot and the accession of Prince Intanon. -Still in fear, he passed through the towns to the east of Chiengmai, -venturing even as near as Lakawn. Then crossing the Mê Ping valley to -the south of Chiengmai, he went beyond the Salwin into Burma, stopping -awhile among the Red Karens, and then going on to Maulmein. Seeing there -a foreigner’s house, he enquired if anything was known concerning the -missionaries in Zimme (Chiengmai). Nothing was known of them. Returning -again to Siamese territory, he went to Rahêng, thinking that he would go -on to Bangkok. There, however, he was told that the missionaries had -gone back to the United States—information based, no doubt, on our -departure on furlough. - -During his long wanderings he had made friends as he could, and to -support himself had sometimes turned peddler. In the haste of his flight -from home he had taken nothing with him except his copy of the Gospel of -Matthew in Siamese. He could not read it well, but he kept it as a kind -of talisman, till it was now well worn. He had learned to pray daily. He -never dared to return till he heard of the Edict of Toleration. He -regarded it as a special providence that his wife, strange to say, had -not married again. The child born after his flight he found grown to be -a fine girl nine years old. He was delighted to find the missionaries -again. - -It was a thrilling story. This man did not have to become a Christian—he -was one already. His first desire was to understand all that there was -in his Gospel of Matthew. It was evident that he had been spared and -kept for some wise purpose. And so it proved. Since I needed a teacher, -and since he was a fine Buddhist scholar, I employed him as teacher, so -that I might have him near me in order to teach him. He was an apt -pupil, making rapid progress in knowledge, and growing in grace. His -romantic history interested and attracted others. As a church member, as -a ruling elder, and afterwards as an ordained minister, he was a power -in the church till the day when he was taken up. Thousands heard the -Gospel from his lips, and many were drawn by his words and by his life -into the fold of Christ. - -How wonderful are God’s ways in leading His people! Doubtless the -defection of this man was one of the things which alarmed Kāwilōrot. It -may even have hastened the fate of the martyrs. But no doubt the Lord -chose a wonderful way of saving to His church this most useful minister -of the Gospel. - - * * * * * - -After long-continued weakness on the part of Mrs. McGilvary, an acute -attack of pneumonia made a longer stay in the country impossible. My -daughter Cornelia was taken ill at the same time. So, with but little -preparation, on December 28th, 1879, both mother and daughter were -carried in chairs to the boat, and we hastened out of the country. -Stopping in Bangkok only a few days, we embarked for Hongkong. We met -the China Sea in its worst mood. For three days and nights we did not -see the captain’s face; neither did he see sun, moon, or stars in that -most dangerous tract of the sea. The skylight was fastened down, for the -waves swept the vessel from stem to stern. We were good sailors; but we -could not but pity the one hundred and twenty Chinese steerage -passengers, allowed on deck only a few moments twice a day for a breath -of air, after which they had almost to be forced back into their hole -again. There was withal just enough of the spice of danger to make the -sight of Victoria Peak at last doubly welcome. - -By this time my family were all so much improved by the journey that -there was question whether I should proceed with them, or should return -to Chiengmai for another year’s work. It was evident that, in order to -regain her strength, Mrs. McGilvary would require a longer stay in the -United States than one year. I could neither spare the time for so long -a furlough for myself, nor could I expect the Board to grant it. The -question was not an easy one; but we decided at last that my wife and -children should continue their journey to the United States, and that I -should return to Chiengmai alone. - -During my few days’ stay in Bangkok, through the kindness of our Consul, -I had an audience with His Majesty the King. I desired to express to him -in person my thanks for the Edict of Toleration. After some remarks -addressed to the other gentlemen present, the King asked me if I were -not, during the previous month, the bearer of despatches from his -Commissioner in the North—showing that he did not overlook small -matters, as a king might be expected to do. He enquired how I liked the -Commissioner, whether I preached in Siamese or in Lāo, how many converts -we had, etc., etc. It was a very pleasant interview. - -As I ascended the river, it became plain that the water was too low to -permit the latter stage of the trip to be made in my large boat. At -Chiengmai I should find a house, but not a home. Before I could reach -it, the touring season would be nearly over. The thought of stopping a -season for work at Rahêng struck me favourably. The more I considered -it, the more attractive it became. To be sure, I had not secured the -sanction of the mission to that particular enterprise; but I had always -been allowed to choose my own touring ground. An officer, Sên Utamā, -offered me a site for a bamboo house gratis; and before I had announced -my final decision, he and others began to cut bamboo on it to build the -house. I had asked for guidance, and the question seemed to settle -itself. - -I cannot dwell on the interesting six months of the year 1880 spent -there. Sên Utamā was interested from the first. By affliction he had -been wonderfully prepared for, and seemed to be waiting for, the very -consolation that the Gospel offered him. An ex-tax-collector, a Chinese -of some influence, was in the same state of mind, and soon joined the -other as an enquirer. My student, Noi Intachak, entered heartily into -the work. Soon, with my cook and boy, we had the nucleus of quite an -interesting congregation who attended worship twice a day. It was a -delight to teach them. - -The case of the Chinese was deeply interesting. He believed the Gospel -plan of salvation, and was deeply anxious to be saved from his sin and -its punishment. But there was one serious obstacle in the way of his -making an open profession—he had two wives. The real wife—the one he had -formally married—was childless. The one he had bought was younger, and -had two lovable little children, both girls. I recall almost with tears -the burning questionings we had over that situation. He seemed willing -to make any self-sacrifice that duty required. But what was duty? Should -he divorce one of them? If so, which one? “Of course, he must keep the -real one,” you will say. But what of the young mother and the helpless -babes? The very mention of their being turned adrift, even with a dower, -had produced a scene in the family. The poor woman felt quite unable to -care for the children alone. The children were his children. It might -easily have been the ruin both of mother and babes to put her away. My -heart was not hard enough to advise that. Surely the man had not cut -himself off from the hope of salvation by his past—by an error or sin of -ignorance. The conditions of church-membership are faith and repentance. -The sacraments of the church are baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Shall we -offer a man the pardon of his sin without its sacramental seals?—the -glorious hope of endless fellowship in heaven, but not the communion of -saints on earth? A precisely parallel case I had met before in the -person of a native doctor at Mûang Awn. “What then,” the reader will -ask, “did you do?” Why, in each case I just did nothing. I followed the -letter of the law, and baptized neither one. But “the letter killeth; -the spirit maketh alive.” - -In due time Sên Utamā and a nephew of the Chinese were baptized. An -interesting tour was made up the river. But the station in Chiengmai was -feeling the pressure of the growing work. In July, 1880, the church of -Bethlehem was organized, and there were promising openings in other -districts. It was evident that the Board was not in a condition to -consider a permanent station in Rahêng. It would have been an -interesting field for permanent occupation; but for temporary work, I -had been there as long a time as we could afford to spend in one place. - -Just then Prayā Sīhanāt—the officer from Lakawn who, two years before, -had greeted me with “Ephphatha”—invited me to return with him. His ears -were not opened, but his heart was. He had taught the Christian faith to -his wife and children and a few others, and among these was a fellow -ex-officer. He wished with them to receive further and fuller -instruction, and to be taken into the fellowship of the church. Without -waiting to ascertain whether I could go, he was come with a boat to -bring me. This seemed to me the guiding hand of providence, and I -followed it. - -Since a single boat cannot ascend the rapids without the help of another -boat’s crew, we made arrangements to join forces with another party, and -make the trip together. The night before we were to start, the river, -which had been steadily rising, became a flood so strong that my host -dared not face it in his small craft. Our companions, however, did not -wait for us, but went on as they had planned. We waited ten days for -another party, as well as for the river to go down. Imagine my -sensations, then, when, presently, we learned that the captain and owner -of the principal boat in the flotilla with which we had planned to make -the trip, was shot and killed, and his boat was plundered! A band of -dacoits secreted themselves behind a cluster of trees where the channel -runs close to the bank, shot the steersman at his oar, and then had the -boat at their mercy. Since all foreigners are supposed to carry money, -the attack may well have been intended for me. Earlier in that same -year, while returning alone to Rahêng, I came near being entrapped by a -similar band. - -The visit to Lakawn was interesting and profitable. Ten days were spent -with the new converts. While my friend, the Prayā, had been busy, the -devil had not been idle. One of the princes had threatened to have one -of his head men flogged if he joined the Christians. But before we left, -a church was organized, with Prayā Sīhanāt as elder. - -From Lakawn I took elephants to Chiengmai, and spent the last Sunday of -my trip with Nān Inta and the newly organized church of Bethlehem, named -after Mr. Wilson’s old church in Pennsylvania. Nān Inta was waiting for -me where the road to his village turned off from the main route. On -Christmas day following this, Mr. Wilson, Dr. Cheek, and Miss Cole -organized yet another church at Mê Dawk Dêng, where Nān Suwan had been -doing faithful work. In both these cases the persecution for supposed -witchcraft had furnished a good nucleus for the church, which thereafter -the Edict of Toleration protected from expulsion. - -All the departments of our work, medical, educational, evangelistic, -were prospering. Nān Tā, the long-time wanderer, was becoming a power -second only to Nān Inta, and destined ultimately to surpass him. Like -him, he was a man of fine address and bearing, and a good Buddhist -scholar; but he was much younger. Being, moreover, the son of a -Prayā—the highest grade of Lāo officers—he had an influence with the -nobility such as no other of our Christians had. In the church he began -to show a capacity and power such as probably no other person has -exercised. - -Meanwhile Mr. Wilson was working on plans for a building for the Girls’ -High School. Already the school numbered forty-two pupils, but with no -place in which to teach them save the teacher’s house. The season had -been very hard on Miss Campbell’s health. She was very young, and had -come direct to Chiengmai from the seminary without any period of rest, -and with a constitution by no means robust. The mission voted her a trip -to Bangkok for rest. Little did we think when we bade her good-bye that -we should see her face no more. - -Financially for me the year had been the hardest in my life. With all -the economy we could use—and we did not spend a useless penny—it seemed -impossible for me to keep my family going. When we left Chiengmai we had -overdrawn our salary, and the amount had to be made up that year. This -condition was one of the straws that helped to determine me to stop over -in Rahêng. I could live more cheaply there; in fact, could hardly spend -money there if I wished to. In only one matter had I been greatly -disappointed in Rahêng; I hoped to be in somewhat closer communication -with my family, about whom I still felt some anxiety. I was, indeed, -nearer them in space, but it proved much further in time. The largest -mail of the year passed on up to Chiengmai, and was sent back, reaching -Rahêng just after I had left the place. It finally reached me in -Chiengmai on the last day of the year 1880! - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - XXI - - SECOND FURLOUGH - - -My health had been such that I hoped I might safely forego my furlough, -and have my wife and our youngest child return to Chiengmai alone. My -wife, after finding a home for a while with her brother, Professor -Bradley, in Oakland, had gone on in the spring to North Carolina. But -she was not gaining much in strength, and plainly required another year. -My own health was not so good as it was at the beginning of the year. -Certain symptoms gave me anxiety, and decided me to delay my own -furlough no longer. If it was to be taken at all, the sooner the better. -So on March 12th, 1881, I started for the United States. The furlough -which was now beginning ended twenty-three years of service in the -general field of Siam, and fourteen years spent among the Lāo. - -I had proceeded down the river but a few days, when a passing boat -brought the astounding intelligence of the tragic death of our esteemed -and youngest co-labourer, Miss Mary Campbell. What words can express the -shock I received! The news was confirmed a few days later by Dr. Cheek, -whom I met on the river. At this distance it is unnecessary to enlarge -on the particulars of the sad catastrophe. Indeed, it was all so sudden -that there were few particulars to relate. Dr. Cheek had gone down to -Bangkok on business soon after Miss Campbell left us, and now was -returning with Miss Campbell under his escort. At the close of a hot -day’s run, the boats lay moored by a sand-bar for the night. They had -had their evening meal and worship together. Dr. Cheek had taken his -bath in the river, had examined the bar, and notified Miss Campbell how -far it was safe to venture in taking hers. But somehow she ventured out -too far—to a depth from which only angelic arms could receive her to a -shore where there is no more death. - -The brave effort of her Lāo maid, Kam Tip, and Dr. Cheek’s unsuccessful -search till long after-life must have been extinct, were well known at -the time. She had but just come to her chosen field of work, in the -bloom of youth and in the full ardour of her first consecration, little -thinking that her work was to be so soon and so sadly closed. Her last -written words to a friend, with the ink on them scarcely dry before her -death, were: “But I am not alone, for I have found in my dear Lāo girls, -Bûk and Kam Tip, and in Nān Tā, my teacher, more company than I ever -expected. I wish I could lend them to you long enough for you to know -them.” - - * * * * * - -It will be evident to all that in 1881 the working force of the mission -was entirely inadequate for occupying and cultivating the broad and -inviting field, now opened to us as never before. The medical work, -constantly enlarging, occupied the physician’s whole time. Mr. Wilson’s -physical condition, never very strong, confined his labours to the -station and its immediate vicinity. The attention which these alone -required would more than fill one man’s time. The death of Miss Campbell -made imperative an associate for Miss Cole. So, even if the trip to the -United States had not been rendered imperative by considerations of my -own health, the best interests of the work itself seemed to demand that -some one should go to seek reinforcement by direct and personal appeal -to the church at home. - -As for Mrs. McGilvary, after spending the spring of 1880 with her -brother in Oakland, California, she came on with our younger son to -Statesville, North Carolina, where she could be with our daughters, and -not far from our elder son in Davidson College. - -On my arrival in New York, I hastened on at once to North Carolina, -where I spent the summer with my family and friends, lecturing from time -to time in the churches. The fall of this year I spent in Texas and -Arkansas, visiting relatives and friends who had migrated thither from -the family nest in North Carolina. In Texas I attended the meeting of -the Southern Synod, and both there and elsewhere I found many -opportunities for presenting the cause of foreign missions; and -everywhere I encountered warm reception and eager interest in the work -among the Lāo. In the winter I came north to visit the Theological -Seminaries, and to enlist men for the Lāo mission. On my way I stopped -in Oxford, Ohio, where I met Miss Lizzie Westervelt (afterward Mrs. -Stanley K. Phraner), then in her senior year in Miss Peabody’s Seminary, -and preparing for missionary work among the Lāo, upon which she entered -in the following year. This was the school which had given us Miss Mary -Campbell and Miss Edna Cole a few years before. - -[Illustration: - - DR. McGILVARY - 1881] - - -[Illustration: - - MRS. McGILVARY - 1881] - - -While waiting for the Theological Seminaries to re-open after the -Christmas recess, I was the guest of my wife’s cousins at Castleton -Corners, Staten Island. There I had the very pleasant experience of -observing “Watch Night” with the Moravian Church, of which my friends -were members. They called on the Lāo missionary for an account of his -experience in the field. In that, of course, there was nothing -remarkable. But near the close of the next year, when writing to the -family, I alluded to the pleasant memory of Watch Night and sent my -greetings to the church with a request to be remembered in their -prayers. Instead of giving my message verbally, my friends read the -letter itself, and it seemed to be appreciated. The result was that the -Lāo letter came to be looked for regularly as a part of the watch -service, and one was sent to them every year—if I were on the field—for -seventeen years. It was a comfort to know that special prayer was always -offered for us by that great missionary church as the old year was -dying, and the new year was coming in. - -The Professors at Princeton, Union, and Allegheny all gave their cordial -endorsement and aid to me in my efforts to secure men. “We want you to -get our best men,” they said, and the Lord gave them to us. From -Princeton came Chalmers Martin of the senior class. He had been chosen, -however, for the Hebrew Fellowship, and was, therefore, delayed a year -before entering upon his missionary work. Though his career in the Lāo -field was a short one, he left a lasting mark there, as we shall see. -Allegheny gave us Rev. S. C. Peoples, M.D., and his brother-in-law, Rev. -J. H. Hearst. Dr. Peoples’ bow still abides in strength. His double -preparation both as a minister and as a physician, gave him unusual -equipment for the work he has accomplished. Mr. Hearst, however, soon -succumbed to the Chiengmai climate. - -Union gave us that consecrated young man, McLaren, who chose the great -city of Bangkok—a fitting field for him, since his broad sympathies were -bounded by no one race or people. His career also was cut short within a -few months by cholera, contracted while ministering to dying seamen in -the harbour during a severe epidemic of the disease. - -The Northwestern Woman’s Board of Foreign Missions was then, as it has -been since, a great centre of missionary enthusiasm. It had sent out -Miss Cole and Miss Campbell; and now the sudden death of the latter had -caused its interest and that of the Chicago churches to concentrate upon -the Lāo mission. It was to this combination of circumstances that I was -indebted for an invitation to attend its Annual Meeting in Minneapolis, -and to speak there. Then the appointment of Dr. L. E. Wishard’s daughter -(afterwards Mrs. Dr. Fulton of Canton, China), and that of Miss Sadie -Wirt (Mrs. Dr. S. C. Peoples), from his church in Chicago, gave me a -pleasant visit in the Doctor’s family both as I went up to Minneapolis -and as I returned. On a Sunday at Lake Forest, between the Sunday -School, the University, the Ladies’ Seminary, and the church, the Lāo -Mission had four hearings. At Minneapolis we learned that Miss Warner -from the Northwestern Woman’s Board, and Miss Griffin from the -Southwestern, were also appointed to our mission, and Miss Linnell to -Lower Siam. This completed our number, the largest reinforcement the -mission has ever received at one time. - -After the adjournment of the Northwestern Board, a Sunday was spent with -the family and the church of Miss Mary Campbell. After that, -appointments with other churches filled up my time till the meeting of -the General Assembly in Springfield, Illinois, which I attended, though -not as a delegate. Our Presbytery of North Laos had not then been -organized, and Dr. E. P. Dunlap was the representative of the Presbytery -of Siam. At that meeting it seemed to me that a golden opportunity was -missed for drawing together in a closer union the Northern and the -Southern branches of the Presbyterian Church. The outcome threw the -Southern church, much more weakened by the war than the Northern, on its -own resources. In proportion to its financial strength, it has developed -into one of the strongest missionary churches in the land, both as -regards the home work and the foreign. Meantime, with the growth of the -country generally, the Northern Assembly is becoming too unwieldy a body -for its best efficiency. I believe the time will come when there will be -three Assemblies rather than one, with a triennial Assembly of all on a -basis of representation agreed upon by the three—somewhat after the plan -of the Methodist and the Episcopal churches; or, more nearly still, -after the plan of the Pan-Presbyterian Council. - -In duties and pleasures such as have just been described, the time -slipped by till it was the 6th of June, 1882, before I again reached my -family in Statesville. We were to start Lāo-ward about the middle of -July. My furlough ended with a visit to my old charge at Union, to -attend the dedication of a new church there, and to see my old friends -once more. - -We began to gather up our scattered forces at Chicago, where the Fifth -Church gave to its pastor’s daughter, and to the rest of us there -present, a hearty farewell. The others of our large party joined us at -different points on our route across the continent. Dr. Eugene P. Dunlap -and his family, also returning from furlough, were the very last to join -us, just in time to sail with us from San Francisco. - -A missionary’s vacation is very delightful, but the last day of it—the -day that brings him back to his home and his work—is the best of it all. -The small Bangkok steamers of those days could not furnish accommodation -for our whole party at once. Some of us were, therefore, compelled to -lie over at Canton—a circumstance which changed the ultimate location of -one of our young ladies to the Canton mission, just as a previous -successor to Miss Campbell had in a similar manner been changed to -another station in China. But where there are young folks, such -accidents will happen. - -At Bangkok our United States Consul, General Partridge, arranged for us -an audience with the King. His Majesty gave us a cordial reception, -expressing his gratification at seeing so many American missionaries -coming to his country; since he knew that they came to instruct his -people, and to make them more intelligent and better citizens. - -Reinforcements surely had not come too soon. Dr. Wilson, Mrs. Cheek, and -Miss Cole were the only missionaries on the field when we returned; for -Dr. Cheek was absent on business. It was now four years since the -proclamation of religious toleration; and for the first time was there -prospect of workers enough to make any use of the advantages it offered. - -[Illustration: - - CHULALONGKORN, KING OF SIAM, 1872-1910] - - -But had we relied too much on human aid? Were we too much elated in view -of our present numbers, with Mr. Martin to follow the next year? After a -short stay in Bangkok, we reached Chiengmai in the midst of one of those -violent epidemics of fever by which the Lāo country was then, perhaps, -more frequently visited than it is now. Mr. and Mrs. Hearst and Miss -Warner were soon prostrated with the disease, and at one time, out of -the whole mission, scarcely enough were left to care for the sick. Mr. -and Mrs. Hearst soon decided to give up the struggle and withdraw from -the field. Miss Warner continued longer, but ultimately she, too, -retired with broken health. As already stated, Mr. McLaren died of -cholera after a few hours’ sickness in Bangkok. God was teaching us that -it is “not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith Jehovah.” - -Soon other complications arose. Smallpox was brought by pupils into the -Girls’ School, and, to our consternation, Miss Griffin fell a victim. -She had been vaccinated in her childhood, but was not revaccinated on -leaving home—which is always a wise precaution for those expecting to -travel or to live in the East. Proper measures prevented further spread -of the disease; and though our patient had a rather hard attack, yet she -made good recovery. - -During our absence, the church had sustained a great loss in the death -of Nān Inta, our first convert and assistant. But his works do follow -him, and his life will long continue to be a precious legacy to the Lāo -church. He lived, however, until others were ready to take his place. -Nān Sī Wichai, who long had been Dr. Cheek’s teacher, was a strong -character, and he was ordained as an elder. Nān Tā, also, who had -wandered so far and so long after the persecution, was growing to be a -power in the church, and afterwards had the honour of becoming the first -ordained minister among the Lāo. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - XXII - - A SURVEYING EXPEDITION - - -On the 26th of February, 1884, an East Indian appeared on our veranda -with an unexpected note from my old guest and friend, Rev. Dr. J. N. -Cushing of the American Baptist Shan Mission. The surprise and pleasure -of a visit from him and Mrs. Cushing in the early and lonesome days of -the mission have already been referred to. The note told us that he was -now connected, as interpreter, with a surveying expedition under Holt S. -Hallett, Esq., and that the party would arrive in Chiengmai on the -following day. The railroad for which Mr. Hallett was surveying a route -was part of a scheme, then on foot, to build a road from Maulmein to -Chiengmai, there to connect with a road from Bangkok, through the Lāo -country, to Chieng Sên, and, if successful, to be continued up to -Yunnan, China. For some reason the scheme was not carried out, but the -prospect of any road to connect our isolated field with the outside -world was attractive to us. - -The party arrived the next day; and since it would be very inconvenient -for Mr. Hallett to be separated from Dr. Cushing, we found room in our -house for Mr. Hallett also, and had a fine visit with both. They soon -began to tempt me to join their expedition. All expenses were to be -paid. They were not to travel on Sunday. Their intended route, through -the towns and villages on the way to Chieng Rāi and Chieng Sên, and -southward again to Lakawn, was over ground I was anxious to travel once -more. The trip would give me a long and profitable visit with my friend, -Dr. Cushing. But, besides all personal considerations, it seemed right -to give a little aid to an enterprise that would redound to the good of -the country. - -Our Chiengmai Prince, then quite old, was most incredulous as to the -possibilities of the wonderful railroad. In his book, _A Thousand Miles -on an Elephant in the Shan States_, Mr. Hallett has given an amusing -account of his first interview with the Prince. He had great difficulty -in understanding how a train could move faster than ponies, or how it -could move at all without being drawn by some animal. And how could it -ascend the hills? For it would surely slide down unless it were pulled -up. “I explained to him that I had made three railways in England, -therefore he might rely upon what I had said. Railways were made in -various parts of the world over much more difficult hills than those -lying between Zimme (Chiengmai) and Maulmein.... He seemed quite -stupefied by the revelation. It might be so—it must be so, as I had seen -it; but he could not understand how it could be. He was very old; he -could not live much longer. He hoped we would be quick in setting about -and constructing the line, as otherwise he would not have the pleasure -of seeing it.” - -We started at last on March 3d, 1884, with four large riding elephants, -four pack-elephants, and numerous carriers, making forty-one persons in -all. The passport from the Siamese government, supplemented by one from -the acting Commissioner, and the presence with us of a Lāo official of -some rank, sent to see that the orders were carried out, secured for us -men and elephants and all necessary equipments, so far as the country -could furnish them. The local officials were usually very kind, and as -prompt as native officials ever were in those days. Mr. Hallett was very -considerate in arranging to stop for the night and on Sundays near large -villages and towns, where a little missionary work could be done. In the -cities where there were Christians, we held regular services on Sundays. -On these occasions our chief gave the influence of his presence, though, -of course, he could not understand what was said. - -On this trip we had a good opportunity for studying the characteristics -of the elephant. He is very conscious of his dignity, and must be -treated with the respect due to a king, and not with the familiarity of -an equal. Yet one is amused at his timidity. I myself have seen one -ready to stampede if a squirrel or a big rat ran across the road in -front of him. Mr. Hallett says: “Elephants, though immense in size, are -very timid, and easily startled. We had to take them off the path and -turn their heads away into the jungles, whenever we heard the tinkling -bells of an approaching caravan; and they will turn tail and run at the -sight of an audacious little dog that thinks fit to bark at them.” - -On some of the stages of our march, when we had a mother-elephant in our -company, we had the mischievous youngster along. Such are always an -unceasing source of amusement. One of these seemed to have a special -spite against Mr. Hallett’s Madras boy, either because of his peculiar -dress, or for some liberty he had taken with him. Mr. Hallett writes: -“The little elephant was taking every chance he could get to hustle the -men over as they forded the streams, and to souse them with water from -his trunk. Portow, who had an overweening opinion of his own dignity, -and was bent on setting up as an oracle, was, unfortunately, the butt of -the boys, but was likewise the sport of the baby-elephant. Many a time -have I seen him hustled over by the youngster, who seemed to have picked -him out as his playmate. Slyly and softly stealing up behind, he would -suddenly increase his pace, and, with a quick shuffle or a sudden lurch, -shoulder him sprawling to the ground. Portow, during this part of the -journey, behaved like a hunted man, ever looking behind to see whether -the dreadful infant was behind.” - -My friend, Dr. Cushing, who had been put in charge of the train, and our -prince-guide, both believed in the oriental idea of making an impression -by as imposing a pageant as possible. On nearing Chieng Rāi, they -marshalled us in procession, so that we entered the city in state, with -ten armed men leading the way. Possibly it had its desired effect, for a -warm welcome was given us, and every aid was granted. - -In the eleven years since my first visit there with Dr. Vrooman, the -city had grown in size. The fertility of its soil and the large extent -of its arable land were sure to attract still larger population from the -south. In addition to these natural advantages, it had then another -strong claim for a mission station. While all the other Lāo states, -through their rulers, submitted to the introduction of Christianity -rather than welcomed it, Chieng Rāi and Chieng Sên were exceptions. The -rulers of both desired the presence of the missionaries. - -The Sunday spent there was a welcome day of rest. The week had been a -strenuous one. In the morning we held a public service—the first ever -held there. Mr. Hallett and our prince-guide attended, and curiosity -collected quite a congregation. After tiffin, Dr. Cushing and I spent -several hours—the first quiet ones we had had—reading in the monastery -grounds at the great bend of the river. - -That evening I met the governor at home and, save for the presence of -his wife, alone. His intelligent enquiries as to the truths and -teachings of our religion showed that he had already thought much on the -subject. Krū Nān Tā and he were not very distant relatives, and had had -many conversations on the subject. His regard for our mission and his -earnest desire for a mission station, as well as the protection he -afterwards gave the Christians when they were wronged, had, I believe, a -deeper foundation than an intellectual interest, or even a personal -friendship for us. - -Our next stage was Chieng Sên. There Nān Suwan, our ruling elder, and -his family gave us a warm welcome. He met us at the city gate, hardly -hoping there would be a missionary in the expedition, which, rumour told -him, was coming. His house stood on the bank of the river, just where -Dr. Vrooman and I landed thirteen years before, when the only occupants -were wild beasts. The new settlers had been so busy providing housing -and sustenance for themselves, that only one monastery building had been -roofed, and only a portion of its images stored under shelter. Our old -friend the governor had only a bamboo residence. Nān Suwan had made -friends by the help of the quinine with which he had been supplied, and -he had the best house in the city. It served, also, as a chapel, in -which, with grateful hearts, we worshipped on Sunday. - -The governor was even more insistent in his demand for a mission station -than the governor of Chieng Rāi had been. He even offered to send down -elephants to move us up, if we would come. His was not the deep -religious nature of the Chieng Rāi governor. He possibly believed that -in their sphere all religions were alike good. He urged, as he had done -before, that we might even then forestall the monasteries and preoccupy -the field. Nothing would have pleased me more, had it been possible, -than to accept the cordial invitation. It was true, as the governor -said, “The people must and will have some religion. If you do not give -them Christianity, they must take Buddhism.” It was only necessity that -could resist such a plea. But half a loaf is better than no bread. If we -were not ready to start a regular station in Chieng Sên, we must somehow -work the field as best we could. That consideration determined my long -tours in the dry seasons of the years that followed. - -Up to this time I had never been properly equipped and outfitted for -such tours. One outcome of this trip was a great improvement in my means -of transportation for the future. An application made long before this -to the Board for an elephant, had been received as a huge joke. But now -it happened that in the assignment of elephants for our upward trip, a -large _sadaw_—a male without tusks—had fallen to me. He proved to be an -exceptionally fine beast belonging to an estate about to be divided. He -must be sold, and was held at a very cheap figure. With the help of a -contribution by Mr. Hallett, and the hire paid for its use, I was able -to purchase it. The deputy governor gave me a good howdah for it. I was -as proud of my new acquisition as ever a boy was of a new toy. But since -few elephants will travel well alone, I now needed a mate for him. -Before long I was fortunate enough to get a cheap and equally good -female. I was then prepared for my long tours. I could cross streams in -safety, and be protected from rain, even if my journey were prolonged -beyond the limits of the dry season. - -On our return journey, in Mûang Payao, we came in contact with the worst -epidemic of smallpox that I have ever seen. We met it at every turn in -the street. With difficulty could we keep parents with children, all -broken out with the disease, in their arms, from crowding round us in -our sālā. We had hardly taken our seats on the rugs spread for us at the -governor’s official reception of Mr. Hallett, when we discovered cases -of smallpox all about us. Dr. Cushing was nervously afraid of it, and -retired. I had to remain an hour as interpreter. Imagine our -consternation on reaching the next station to find that the Doctor -showed unmistakable signs of having contracted the dreadful disease, -although he had been vaccinated in his youth. What a discovery to be -made on a journey, and four days from home! On consultation it was -thought best to hasten on to Chiengmai, a thing which our mode of travel -made possible. Mr. and Mrs. Chalmers Martin had arrived during our -absence, and had taken up their quarters in our house. It was, -therefore, impossible to take our sick friend in. We did the next best -thing, and gave him a new bamboo house on our hospital lot, where Dr. -Peoples carefully watched over him till he made a rapid recovery, and -was able to return home in a boat as far as Bangkok, and thence by sea -_via_ Singapore. It was a sad close, however, to our pleasant visit -together, and to our otherwise interesting and profitable tour. - - * * * * * - -I returned from Chieng Sên, as we have seen, with an elephant of my own. -On reaching home I found awaiting me the best pony I ever had. It was -sent to me as a present from the governor of Mê Hawng Sawn, near the -Salwin River. I had never been to Mê Hawng Sawn, and had but a very -limited acquaintance with the governor. According to my uniform custom -in those days, on his official visits to Chiengmai, I had twice called -upon him as the governor of a neighbouring province. On both occasions -we had conversation on the different merits of the two religions. On one -of these visits he had brought down some ponies to sell, and on my -asking the price of one he said, “I am very sorry that I have sold all -my gentle ones. There is only one left. If you can use him, I shall be -glad to give him to you.” It is a McGilvary trait not to be timid about -horses, and I said, “I will try him.” So the pony was sent down to my -house; but he proved rather too much for my horsemanship. The first time -I mounted him, he threw me and sprained my wrist. It was the unanimous -vote of the family that he be returned with thanks. The governor sent -back word that he was very sorry; but never mind; when he reached home -he would see to it that I had a good pony—a message which, I am sorry to -say, I took as a good oriental compliment. I had even forgotten all -about the matter, when, on my return from this trip, I found the pony in -my stable. He was a most valuable and timely present. - -But we are not quite done with Mr. Hallett’s survey. He made a short -excursion without an interpreter to the hot Springs. But his final trip -was to be to Mûang Fāng, six days to the north and west of the route -previously taken, and distant some eighty-three miles from Chiengmai. -His object was to see if there were not an easier route to Chieng Rāi -down the valleys of the Mê Fang and the Mê Kok. The trip strongly -appealed both to Mr. Martin and to me, and we gladly accepted Mr. -Hallett’s invitation to accompany him. - -Mûang Fāng was an ancient city captured and destroyed by the Burmese in -1717; so that it lay in ruins nearly two hundred years before it was -re-peopled. Besides Mûang Fāng, we visited, either in going or -returning, four other cities—Chieng Dāo, Mûang Ngāi, Mûang Pāo, and -Mûang Kên. Not far to the south of Mûang Fāng we visited the cave of Top -Tao, noted in the Buddhist legends of Northern Siam. Mr. Hallett thus -describes our experiences there: - - “Inside was a lofty cavern lighted by a natural skylight. On a - raised platform in the cave was a great reclining image of - Buddha some thirty feet long, and around it a number of figures - representing his disciples. Numerous small wooden and stone - images of Buddha had been placed by pious pilgrims about the - platforms. Pillows, mattresses, robes, yellow drapery, flags, - water-bottles, rice-bowls, fans, dolls, images of temples, - doll’s houses for the spirits, and all sorts of trumpery, were - lying together with fresh and faded flowers that had been - offered to the images, and were strewn in front of them. A steep - ladder led up to niches near the roof of the cave, in which - images were enshrined. - - “My companions, full of ardor, determined to explore the inner - recesses of the cave, and accordingly lighted their torches and - proceeded further into the bowels of the earth, whilst I enjoyed - a quiet smoke amongst the gods. Down they went, creeping through - low, narrow passages, over rocks, and along ledges, with chasms - and pits lining their path as the cave expanded—bottomless as - far as they could judge by the faint light of their torches, but - really not more than twenty or thirty feet deep—until they could - get no further, and had to return, having proceeded about the - eighth of a mile.” - -That night brought us to the Mê Fāng River. The narrative proceeds: - - “Here we spent the most unpleasant night we had yet spent, as we - were troubled with rain, heat, and mosquitoes. We were told that - game was plentiful. Wild cattle larger than buffaloes come in - droves from the hills to graze in the plain, while the - rhinoceros and the elephant roam about the plains. - - “At our next stopping-place, after we had settled ourselves in - an empty house, a villager came to inform us that the house - belonged to the Chief of Mûang Fāng, and that anybody that slept - in it would have his head cut off. As rain was threatening, we - determined to risk the penalty, and we were soon glad that we - had done so, as the rain poured down in torrents.” - -There is a small deer called tamnê, which twenty years ago was very -abundant in all the northern provinces. They are not found in the very -tall grass of the river-bottoms, but in grass about waist-high thickly -covering the higher plains. They have their beds in this grass by day, -and graze at night. They are lower than the grass, and never leap so as -to show the body, but glide smoothly along as if swimming, discovering -their presence only through the parting and waving of the grass. -Sometimes you get right upon them before they will run. - -One Saturday we got Mr. Hallett interested in some survey or -calculations not requiring the aid of an interpreter, and Mr. Martin and -I had our first deer hunt. We took six of our elephants, and, going out -about an hour’s ride or more from the city, we formed in open order -abreast, about forty yards apart, and in perfect silence moved forward -over the plain. The hunter thus starts his own game. He sits on the -back, or, better still, on the neck of his elephant, with gun cocked, -ready for a shot at the first noise or movement in the grass. We started -about a dozen of the deer, and emptied many cartridges, but came back to -camp with no meat—much to Mr. Hallett’s disgust. - -Mûang Fāng, like Chieng Sên, was rich in images of all sizes and -materials. I never saw finer bronze ones. It was a favourite field from -which Siamese princes and officials could get a supply otherwise -unattainable in those days. Of course, _they_ have a right to them. But -when a German traveller undertook a wholesale speculation in the images -of Buddha, it was quite another matter, and he got into serious -difficulty with the government. - -Soon after our return to Chiengmai, Mr. Hallett left us for Bangkok. -From his long residence in Burma and from his close connection with the -mission and missionaries during his expedition among what he calls the -Shan States, he understood the methods and results of missionary work -better than most visitors who have written upon the subject. The kind -words of the dedication of his book, though often quoted, may well -conclude this chapter. - -“To the American Missionaries in Burma and Siam and the Shan States I -dedicate this book, as a mark of the high esteem in which I hold the -noble work the American Baptist Mission and the American Presbyterian -Mission are accomplishing in civilizing and Christianizing the people of -Indo-China.” - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - XXIII - - EVANGELISTIC TRAINING - - -On our return from the surveying expedition in the summer of 1884, we -found F. B. Gould, Esq., our first British Vice-Consul, already -established in Chiengmai. It was an important event for the country; -since a British official in any place is a guarantee that at least the -outward forms of law and justice will be observed. In one important -sense, too, it marked a new era for the mission, or, at least, for the -missionaries. - -Those who have not tried can hardly imagine the privation of living -eighteen years without a mail system of any kind. Our only dependence so -far was on catching chance trading boats to and from Bangkok. These were -always an uncertain quantity; in very low water they almost ceased to -travel. Some boatmen preferred not to be responsible for the mail, not -knowing what it might contain. In the great city of Bangkok, and even in -Chiengmai, it required a constant effort to keep ourselves informed of -the departures of boats. The consequence was that an absence of news -from children, friends, and the outside world generally, for three or -four months at a time, was very common. Sometimes the interval was as -much as eight months. Add to this the time of the long river trip, and -our news sometimes would be nearly a year old when it reached us. Mr. -Wilson’s family and mine had schooled ourselves to these conditions; but -to those who had been accustomed to a daily mail, they must have been -almost unendurable. - -The new Vice-Consul came, determined by all means to get some regular -communication established, if it were only a monthly one. We were only -too glad to do whatever we could to that end. It was a matter of pride -to both parties that we arranged at once for a regular and most -successful semi-monthly mail overland to Maulmein. I furnished a -reliable Christian man for chief contractor, and good men for carriers. -Since Mr. Gould had as yet no authority from his government to incur any -expense, the arrangement was wholly a private affair, with the -understanding that all who availed themselves of it should pay a -quarterly assessment for the maintenance of the line. But in a short -time the British government assumed the whole expense. Mr. Gould -promised to get the staff exempt from corvée, or compulsory government -service. He had to use his official authority for that. - -The Lāo government had absolutely no interest in a mail, whether weekly -or yearly; but the Siamese looked rather askance at having in their own -country a mail service over which they had no control. It seemed to be -in some way a reflection on their national pride. There is little doubt -that our private enterprise hastened the weekly government mail from -Bangkok, which was started the next year. And since the Maulmein route -is quicker by two weeks than the one by Bangkok, the Siamese government -has of late maintained both, the two meeting at Rahêng, and giving us a -very creditable and regular mail service. - - * * * * * - -In the spring of 1884 the mission sustained a great loss in the death of -Princess Tipa Kēsawn, Prince Intanon’s consort, whom we were in the -habit of calling “the Queen.” Placed as she was, she could not well have -avoided the making of priests’ garments, and the going through with the -form of making offerings to the spirits. But I seriously doubt whether -she had any expectation of laying up thereby a store of merit for the -future. One thing we do know, that in her last sickness she turned no -anxious look to any of these things, at a time when thoughtful Buddhists -are always most diligent in their efforts. Dr. Peoples of our mission -attended her in her last illness, and the case was submitted entirely to -him. Mrs. McGilvary and I were both with her the day before she died. -Mrs. McGilvary was with her at her death, and remained to see the body -dressed for the coffin. We missed her very much as a friend, and the -whole country missed her as a balance-wheel for her husband. - - * * * * * - -On the arrival of the reinforcement in 1883, a Presbytery was organized -of the four ministers, Wilson, Peoples, Hearst, and McGilvary. I was -then full of the idea of a theological training-class. My experience of -the accumulated power added to the missionary’s efforts by having such -assistants as Nān Inta, Nān Suwan, and Noi Intachak, raised in my mind -the question, Why not increase the number? Having had no schools, we -had, of course, no body of young men educated on Christian lines whom we -might train for the ministry; and we could not have such for years to -come. But we had in our churches mature men of deeply religious nature, -earnest students of Buddhism, and carefully educated in all the learning -of their race. And a man so trained has many compensations for his lack -of training in our elementary schools. He knows the sacred books of his -own people, their strength and their weakness. He understands the -thoughts, the needs, and the difficulties of a Buddhist enquirer, and -the mode of argument by which these difficulties are to be met, as no -young man of his own race, and as no foreign teacher can do. The -training needed to make such a man an efficient preacher of the Gospel, -is training in the Christian Scriptures, together with practical -experience in evangelistic work under efficient direction. - -I was at that time giving regular instruction to Noi Intachak, one of -the finest young men I have ever known in that country, and very anxious -to become a minister.[13] To Nān Tā, afterwards our efficient minister, -I was giving instruction less regularly, as it was possible for him to -take it. But it would have been both easier and more profitable to teach -a class of six or eight. By qualifying such a group of young men to -work, and then working with them and through them, I believed that my -own efficiency could be quadrupled, or even sextupled, as it was doubled -when I had Nān Inta to work with. - -Footnote 13: - - Our hopes for his future career, alas, were cut short by his untimely - death in the following year. - -With these thoughts and this experience impressed on my mind, and in -order that my plan, if adopted, might have the ecclesiastical sanction -of the Presbytery as well as the corporate sanction of the mission, I -had urged the organization of the Presbytery just as soon as we had the -minimum quorum required. In order to give the discussion its proper -outlook and perspective, I noticed, also, in the paper which I read -before the Presbytery, the necessity of a general education for all our -Christians, and of High Schools for both sexes; while I sketched more in -detail the nature and the methods of special instruction intended for -those in training to become evangelists and ministers. - -The training proposed for this last group was intended primarily to -equip the most capable and most promising individuals among the converts -for filling well their places as lay officers and leaders in the -churches, and for engaging intelligently in evangelistic work. But -beyond this it was thought that it would ultimately furnish a body of -picked men from whom again the best might be chosen as candidates for -further instruction leading up to the ministerial office. The course was -to be flexible enough to permit occasional attendance with profit on the -part of men whose household duties or whose business would not permit -them to attend regularly. Its special feature was actual and constant -practice in evangelistic work under the direction and supervision of the -Principal, and with him as his assistants on his tours. - -In view of the poverty of the Lāo generally, and in order to make it -possible for these men to maintain their families while occupied with -this training, it was further proposed that they should receive a -moderate allowance of, perhaps, eight rupees per month of actual -service, or about three dollars of our money. This seemed not -unreasonable, since in Christian lands it is thought a wise provision to -assist students in their preparation for the ministry; and since what is -required to support one European missionary family, would support half a -dozen fairly educated native ministers or ten good native evangelists. - -The Presbytery took hold of the scheme with much ardour, and at once -began to organize it into shape, but on far too large a scale, and with -far too formidable and too foreign apparatus. A regular “Board of -Education” was created, with rules and regulations better suited to -American conditions than to those of the Lāo churches. A committee was -further appointed to examine all applicants for the course, much after -the manner of receiving candidates for the ministry under the care of a -Presbytery. Their “motives for seeking the ministry” were to be enquired -into, while as yet it was not at all known whether they would desire to -become ministers. The allowance in each case was to be the absolute -minimum which it was supposed would suffice for the maintenance of the -student after he had provided all that he could himself. Noi Intachak, -for example, was allowed the maximum of eight rupees a month, while Noi -Chai—one of the best Buddhist scholars in the country, a young man with -a family, living ten miles away in the country—was allowed five rupees, -on the ground that he was not very poor; while yet another was allowed -but three. - -After this ordeal—which was thought to be a good test of their -sincerity—the rest of the six or eight candidates for instruction -declined to commit themselves. None of them understood exactly what the -Board of Education was about. I myself was greatly disappointed at the -outcome. After a week of listless study, Noi Chai begged to be allowed -to withdraw, and the whole thing was disbanded. My hopeful private class -was killed by too much “red tape,” and with it all possibility of a -training-class for four years to come. I was again set free for long -tours and my favourite evangelistic work. - -I continued to teach Noi Intachak till his lamented death, and I devoted -what spare time I could to teaching the long-time wanderer, Nān Tā, who -had become our best evangelist. There seems to have been some fatality -connected with all our efforts to establish a theological training -school. When the next attempt was made, under Mr. Dodd’s direction, with -a large and interesting class enthusiastically taught, through some -cause or combination of causes—for it would be difficult to specify any -single one as alone determinative—it was allowed to slip out of our -hands. Possibly a leading cause in this case was the same that was -operative in the other. At a time when the mission was pressing the idea -of self-support to its breaking point, an allowance probably too scanty -was offered in the evangelistic work to the men who had been trained for -it. The whole question in the Lāo field, as it doubtless is in others, -is a difficult one. As wages in other departments rise, and the demand -for competent men becomes more pressing both in governmental and in -private business, the question will become more difficult still. While -on the one hand there is the danger of making a mercenary ministry, on -the other hand we must remember that, the world over, educated labour -now costs more, but is not, therefore, necessarily dearer. The same -penny-wise and pound-foolish policy has lost us the strength of some of -the best men in our church, our schools, our hospitals, and our -printing-press, because more lucrative positions are offered elsewhere. -But we must remember first of all that theological schools, like all -others, are not made, but grow; and, second, that the law of competition -prevails here, too, as well as elsewhere. It is easy to say that it -ought not to do so, as between the ministry and other professions, or -between the missionary work and other more lucrative callings. But to a -certain extent the same law does hold, and it is a fact to be reckoned -with. - - * * * * * - -In May, 1884, H. R. H. Prince Krommamûn Bijit, a brother of the King of -Siam, arrived and took up his residence in Chiengmai—probably to give -prestige to the High Commissioner, and possibly to smooth the road of -the new British Consul. It was an open secret that the Prince of -Chiengmai could see no need whatever for a British Resident, and at -times he was not slow to make his views known. For a while the relations -between the two were somewhat strained. Yet it was of the utmost -importance that the relations between England and Siam should remain -cordial. At the same time it was a part of the plan of Siam, since fully -carried out, to assume complete control of the government in the -northern states. What was of more special interest to us was, as we -shall see, not only that Prince Bijit was personally friendly, but that -he brought with him substantial evidence of the good will of His Majesty -and of the Siamese government toward our work. - -It was in this year that our first attempt at establishing a mountain -sanitarium was made. It was designed to furnish a refuge from the great -heat of the plain, to be a retreat for invalids, and a place where new -missionaries might more safely become acclimatized, and still be -studying the language. But as a matter of fact, new missionaries are put -to work so promptly that it is about as hard for them to withdraw from -the battle as it is for the older ones. Since we kept no watchman on the -premises, the sanitarium was afterwards burned down—possibly by forest -fires. Later a better and more convenient situation was found nearer the -city, so near that a man can ride up in the evening, spend the night -there with his family, and return in the morning to his work for the -day. It is in a delightful situation beside a cool brook, but is too low -for the best results as a health resort. - - * * * * * - -At the Annual Meeting in December, the importance of opening a new -station in Lakawn was discussed. The baptism of the officer from that -city, and the organization of a church there, have already been -mentioned. The officer was constant in his appeals for the establishment -of a station there, with a missionary in residence. Although Mr. Wilson -was soon to start with his family for the United States on a furlough, -there would still be left in Chiengmai—if I were sent to Lakawn—two -ministers and two physicians, even if these were but three men in all. -Besides, there were beginning to be some good native assistants in -Chiengmai. No one had expressed a desire to open a new station, and no -one had been sounded in regard to the matter. So I determined to make -now the visit to Lakawn which I had planned for the previous fall, but -had been unable to accomplish. My wife and our little son Norwood were -to accompany me. When our preparations were well advanced, what was our -delight to find that Dr. and Mrs. Peoples wished to accompany us, if -they could obtain elephants. When this was mentioned to Prince Bijit, he -not only volunteered the elephants, but informed us that he had -authority from His Majesty to see that we had a lot for our station -there, and, furthermore, that, in passing through Lakawn, he had already -secured for us one of the most desirable lots in the place. In addition -to this, His Majesty had sent by him two thousand rupees as a -contribution toward the new station and a hospital. Who could fail to -see that the guiding hand of the Lord was in it! Before this I had -written to our United States Consul to get permission to secure a lot -there, but had never once thought of a contribution, much less of one so -liberal. Mrs. McGilvary thus reports our trip in a letter to our -daughter: - - “Lakawn, January 30th, 1885. We reached Lampūn on Friday. I - curtained off one end of the sālā just north of the city, and - Mrs. Peoples did the same at the other end, leaving the space - between and the veranda for callers. There we spent the Sabbath. - Your father preached twice to very attentive audiences. We were - impressed with the favourable prospect for mission work, and - hope to make a longer visit to the place soon. We left on - Monday, and reached this place on Thursday noon, and lodged in a - public sālā just opposite the beautiful lot which the Prince has - given us for a station. It is in a fine site, one of the best in - the city. We called on the Chief this morning, and all seemed - pleased at the prospect of having a mission station here. It is - not yet settled who is to open it. We are willing to come, and - so are Dr. and Mrs. Peoples.” - -[Illustration: - - PRESBYTERY, RETURNING FROM MEETING IN LAKAWN] - - -As may well be imagined, we returned to Chiengmai with grateful hearts -for the many providences that had favoured us. The new station was -assured. We had not then thought of keeping two physicians for -Chiengmai. Dr. Cheek had charge of the medical work. Dr. Peoples, -naturally, preferred a field where he would have ample scope both for -his medical profession and for the itinerating work of which he was -equally fond. His double profession and other qualifications fitted him -as no one else could be fitted for opening the new station. On my wife’s -account I was very willing to yield him the pleasure—for such to me it -has always been—of breaking new ground. Mrs. McGilvary had already had -the labour and self-denial of opening two stations, one of which was a -new mission. The importance of Lakawn as the next station could not be -challenged. Dr. and Mrs. Peoples themselves were pleased with the place -and the prospect of the new field. So they were unanimously appointed -and set apart to the new and important work. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - XXIV - - STRUGGLE WITH THE POWERS OF DARKNESS - - -The belief in witchcraft was still prevalent everywhere, and this year -brought us striking illustrations of its cruel power. An elderly man -with his wife and family, living in one of the outlying villages, was -accused of witchcraft. The pair of elephants which he owned and used had -belonged to a man suspected of harbouring a malicious spirit; and it was -thought that the demon had followed these elephants into the family of -their new master. The family was promptly ostracized; but by driving off -her husband with his elephants, the wife might avoid expulsion, and -might save for herself and her daughters the comfortable home. I -endeavoured in vain to prevent this outcome. “I am much more afraid of -the spirits,” said the wife, “than of bears and tigers.” The husband -could no longer face the universal odium which he encountered, and so -was driven forth. But the spirits served the old man a good turn—they -drove him into the Christian religion, which he lives to adorn, and they -gave him two good elephants. The family afterwards applied for one of -them. As a matter of equity he gave up one, and lived comfortably with a -Christian son on the proceeds of the sale of the other. - -Then there was a great epidemic of fever in Bān Pên in the neighbouring -province of Lampūn. Few homes were left without sad hearts and vacant -places through the death of one or more members. The destroyer must be -some demon which had taken up its abode in a human habitation, and was -preying on the inhabitants of the village. The family of one of the most -prosperous men in the village was finally selected as the one which must -be the abode of the destroyer. As they could hardly decide in which -particular member of it the demon resided, they regarded all with equal -suspicion, and proceeded to wreak their vengeance to the uttermost upon -them all. - -First, according to the usual custom, anonymous letters were dropped at -the gate, warning the family to flee, or dire would be the consequences. -When threats failed, armed with an order from the court, the whole -village appeared on the scene and compelled the family to flee for their -lives. No sooner were they out of the way than their two large teak -dwelling-houses, with rice-bins, outhouses, etc., were torn down and -scattered piecemeal over the lot. Not even a tree or shrub was left on -the place. To gain a breathing-spell, the family moved into a bamboo -shed hastily extemporized on the banks of the Mê Ping, some two miles -distant from what had been their home. By some accident they were -directed to our mission. They had learned that the King’s edict -protected the Christians, and, above all, that the Christian religion -protected them from all fear of evil spirits. And so they came to see if -it were true, and if there were any refuge for them. - -Whatever was to be done for them in the way of earthly succor, must -evidently be done quickly. Their neighbours in their temporary refuge -would doubtless soon drive them away again. At the earnest entreaty of -the man I took one of the elders, and went down to look into the case -for myself. It was heart-rending. Whatever they had been able to snatch -from the wreck of a well-to-do home—beds, bedding, furniture, kitchen -utensils—was heaped up in a pile that covered the whole floor-space of -their shack. The great-grandmother, helpless in her dotage, and the -little children, were lying here and there wherever a smoother spot -could be found. Their case seemed almost hopeless as far as human aid -was concerned. Nān Chaiwana had himself appealed for aid both to the -court and to the governor, and had been told that there was nothing they -could do for him. The court was committed against him. The governor, -however, was personally friendly to us, and had shown no ill will -towards the man. It was barely possible that something might be -accomplished there. We all had worship together amid the confusion of -their hut—the first Christian service they had ever attended. They -assured us of their joyful acceptance of the Gospel, and pledged -obedience to all its teachings. We promised to do whatever we could in -their behalf, and returned home. - -Next day Mr. Martin and I went down to Lampūn to call on the governor. -He was not at home, but in the rice-fields several miles out in the -country. We followed him there. He received us kindly, but said, “Were I -to make proclamation to protect that family, it would be impossible to -enforce it. Nearly everybody in that neighbourhood believes that the -bodies or ashes of fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, or children are -in that graveyard, sent there by the demon in that family. If you can -devise some plan to protect them, you are welcome to try it; but if they -return to that village, I cannot be responsible for the results.” When -told that they had now renounced the spirits, and put themselves under -the Great Spirit, he said, “That is all very well, but how am I to -convince the others that _they_ are safe?” We then begged that he would -give the place over to us. We wanted a place for preaching. We would put -up one of the houses and establish a Christian family in it, with -medicine to cure their fevers. I would oversee it, but would ask the -family to help in the work. To this he readily consented. We trusted his -promise, and we returned encouraged. - -A few evenings later I arrived on the scene with our elder and some -other Christians, and pitched tent at the edge of the ricefield, a -hundred yards from the deserted lot, to engage in a contest with the -destroying demon. It was, moreover, a crucial contest as between -Christianity and demonism. Our whole future work in that province, and, -to a large extent, throughout the land, depended on the result. Soon -curiosity brought to our tent the head man and a large number of the -villagers. We spent the evening in preaching to them. When asked what we -proposed to do with the situation, we explained that we had come to take -possession of the house and lot—the governor had given it over to the -mission for a station. It was now the property of the Christians, over -whom the spirits had no power. It was to be dedicated to the Lord’s -work, and we even asked their aid. - -Next morning we began work, bringing in some of the men of the outcast -family to assist in identifying and reassembling the scattered timbers -of the house. With much difficulty bone was joined to bone, and timber -to timber. In a few days some of the villagers offered to be hired to -help. One or two women of the family came over to cook for the workmen. -Before long one house was set up, roofed, and floored; whereupon we -moved up into it, and invited the neighbours to attend its dedication -that evening. The evening was spent in song and prayer and praise. Many -came up into the house. More listened from the ground below. We had -given quinine to the fever patients, who were glad to get well by the -help of Christian medicine. Meanwhile the epidemic subsided, and the -worst fears of the people were allayed. - -When it became necessary for me to return to Chiengmai, I left the elder -to furnish moral support to the poor outcasts, who, little by little, -came back to their home, and became the Christian family which we had -promised to establish there. To save the land from being utterly lost to -him, Nān Chaiwana had mortgaged it to one of the princes for the -trifling sum of one hundred rupees. Not trusting to the prince’s -unselfishness, I took Nān Chaiwana’s own money, paid the mortgage, and -with some regret the prince released the property to me. Thus was it all -restored to the family. Mr. Martin and I visited the station as often as -we could. It became an interesting centre for our work, and ultimately -grew into the Bethel church. - - * * * * * - -While I was engaged in this work, a strange thing was doing on the other -side of the Mê Ping. One day a man came in from the “Big Tamarind Tree -Village” to tell us that his whole village had become Christians, and -were building a chapel. When it was finished, he would invite us to come -down and indoctrinate the people in the teachings of our religion. This -was something new, and, of course, most interesting. In due time the man -came to Chiengmai to inform us that the chapel was finished, and we were -invited to go down, take possession, dedicate it, and teach the people. - -On the following Friday, Mr. Martin and I took boat and went to the -village landing, where we separated, he going east to receive and -baptize the converts in the “new home of the teachers,” as the house at -Bān Pên long was called; and I to dedicate the new chapel at the “Big -Tamarind Tree Village.” I found the chapel there all right, and the -whole village assembled to welcome the teacher; and, apparently, like -the audience that Peter found in the house of Cornelius, ready “to hear -words whereby they might be saved.” The chapel was built mostly of -bamboo, but so new and neat that I complimented the villagers, and -expressed my great delight. After our reception, I invited them up into -the chapel for worship, and began by announcing a hymn, and inviting -them to join in learning to sing it; expecting, with my assistant and -other Christians who had accompanied me, to spend the time in teaching -them what Christianity is; presuming that their reception of it was a -foregone conclusion. - -But somehow things did not seem to run smoothly. I was conscious of -being in a wrong atmosphere. The leader of the movement seemed ill at -ease. None entered in with the accustomed zeal of new converts. My -assistant noticed the same thing, and whispered in my ear that something -was wrong. They were whispering to him, “Where is the money?” “What -money?” “Why, the fifty or one hundred rupees that we were told would -surely be forthcoming to every family that aided in the building, and -that entered the new religion. The foreigners are rich, and, of course, -will be delighted to distribute money freely.” The leader, of course, -expected the lion’s share. It had all been a mere business venture on -his part—or, rather, a swindle! This was on Saturday. On Monday morning -Mr. Martin and I met at the boat according to agreement, he to report a -good day and the baptism of ten adults along with as many children, and -the reception of a number of catechumens; and I to confess how I had -been sold. - - * * * * * - -In the summer of 1885 a most interesting work was started in some -villages to the southwest of the city. Our indefatigable Nān Tā had -visited that region, and many had professed their faith. Mr. Martin and -I both responded to the call, and made a number of visits there. Two -chapels were built by the enquirers, one at Lawng Kum, and one at Chāng -Kam. I quote the following account of this work from the New York -_Observer_: - - “June 9th, 1885.—I have just returned from the villages referred - to in my last letter. I found twenty-two families of professed - believers at Lawng Kum Chapel, which with the aid of a few - dollars from elsewhere they had succeeded in building. Among - them are at least six persons who give good evidence of a change - of heart, and the rest are interesting enquirers. Ten miles from - there, at Chāng Kam, I visited by invitation another company who - had renounced Buddhism, and who call themselves Christians. On - arriving there a roll of thirty-five families was handed me. - Most of them had attended worship at times in the chapel at - Chiengmai, and a few of them are no doubt true Christians. Here - also we secured a native house for a chapel. They contributed a - part of the small sum needed, while in this case, as in the - other, their contribution was supplemented from the monthly - contributions of the church in Chiengmai. Deputations have been - sent also from places still further away, representing in one - case twenty, and in another case twelve families enrolled by - themselves, with others only waiting for the arrival of a - teacher. - - “It is probably premature to predict what will be the result of - all this. The simultaneousness of the movement in villages - thirty or forty miles apart is remarkable. It shows a longing - for something they have not. To turn this awakening to most - account, we need more help, both native and foreign. Mr. Martin - enters into the work with all his zeal, and has contributed no - little toward keeping up the interest.” - -Our expectations in regard to the work at Lawng Kum were disappointed -mainly by removals of families to other places. The chapel in Chāng Kam -was burned down by incendiaries, but was soon replaced, and the village -has continued to be one of our most important out-stations. Its people -have recently [1910] built a new and large chapel, and will soon be -organized into a church. One zealous man in Mê Āo led first his own -family and then his neighbours into the faith, till they, too, have now -a chapel built of teak, with a band of faithful workers to worship in -it. - -Our first visits to these new places were intensely interesting. It -seemed as if the Gospel would be embraced by whole villages. But the -burning of the chapel tells a tale of a strong adverse influence. -Opposition usually drives off the timid and the merely curious. The -lines, then, are sharply drawn, and the Christian society really finds -itself. - -During the last week of the year I spent a few days at the village of Mê -Dawk Dêng to hold a communion service there, and incidentally to give my -family and the teachers of the Girls’ School a much-needed outing. It -was at the height of the rice-harvest, and, one evening, we all greatly -enjoyed the sight of a regular rice-threshing “bee” at the farm of one -of our elders. The “bee” is always at night. The bundles of rice from -the harvest-field are piled up so as to form a wall five feet high -around a space of some twenty-five feet square, with an opening for -entrance at one corner. In the centre of this square is a horizontal -frame of bamboo poles, against which the bundles of rice-heads are -forcibly struck. The grain falls to the ground below, and the straw is -tossed outside. In those days the whole plain at rice-harvest was -lighted up by bonfires of the burning straw—a glorious sight as I have -watched it from Doi Sutēp. - -We pitched our tent near by to enjoy the scene. The men and boys do the -threshing, while the women and girls do the cooking for the feast with -which the work ends. The village maidens are always on hand to encourage -their beaux in their work by passing to them water or betel-nut, and to -serve the viands at the feast. It reminded me much of the husking bees I -had seen as a lad in the South seventy years ago. How near of kin is all -the world! - -We had a delightful communion service on the Sabbath. Seven adults and -six children were baptized. On Monday morning we returned home refreshed -and better prepared for the work before us. - - * * * * * - -[Illustration: - - MARKET SCENE IN CHIENGMAI] - - -[Illustration: - - IN THE HARVEST FIELD] - - -The year had been one of marked progress. The Girls’ School had been -strengthened by the arrival of Miss Lizzie Westervelt. The new station -at Lakawn had been opened, and Dr. and Mrs. Peoples had been installed -there. More new work had been opened in the neighbourhood of Chiengmai -and Lampūn than in any one year of the history of the mission. One -hundred and two adults were added to the communion roll, and about as -many children were baptized. Our new “witchcraft-house” at Bān Pên, with -its hospitable family, afforded a comfortable prophet’s chamber for the -missionaries and a chapel for worship. The Bethel church was afterwards -organized in it. That family became highly respected, and has furnished -some of the most influential members of our church. The work in Nawng -Fān, seven miles south of Chiengmai—Nān Inta’s village—had steadily -grown. It still continues to be one of our best out-stations, and will, -during the present year [1910] be organized into a church. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - XXV - - CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES PLANTED - - -The year 1886 opened auspiciously. But Mr. Martin had brought malaria in -his system from his old home; and the Lāo country is a better place for -contracting the infection than for eradicating it. He worked -indefatigably, but seldom with a blood-temperature down to the normal. -In January he accepted an invitation from Mr. Gould, the British -Vice-Consul, to accompany him on a tour of inspection through the -northern provinces, hoping that the change might prove beneficial. It -afforded, moreover, opportunity for some missionary work in places -seldom or never visited. He was the first to visit the Mūsô villages -high up among the mountains. He baptized a few converts in Chieng Sên, -and reported an interest there that should be followed up. - -About this same time Krū Nān Tā—for such, though not yet ordained, I -shall in future call him—returned from Chieng Rāi with a most -encouraging report of developments there. Later a deputation of seven -men, with Tāo Tēpasing as their leader, came to us from the village of -Mê Kawn in the Chieng Rāi province, earnestly entreating a visit from -the missionary. In their number was Pū King from Chieng Rāi, who had -been a notorious bandit, robber, and murderer. He had now submitted to -the government, and was given a place as public executioner and as doer -of other jobs from which only a lawless man would not shrink. Before -meeting Krū Nān Tā, he had gone so deep in sin that no hope was left -him, and he became hardened in despair. But his conscience was ill at -ease. Hearing rumours of the Christian religion, he determined that if -it could give him hope of pardon, he would seek it at any cost. He and -his wife walked one hundred and ten miles to see if it were really true -that Jesus could save even him. Our good friend the governor encouraged -his coming, and said, “If the Christian religion can make a good man out -of Pū King, I shall have no more doubts of its truth and power.” And we -have no doubt that it did that very thing. - -In a few days Krū Nān Tā and I returned with the party. Elder Āi Tū of -Chieng Rāi,[14] with his family, accompanied us. We thus had quite a -little congregation to worship nightly about the camp-fire, and every -one of the party was either a Christian or an enquirer. This was my -third trip to the north, and the first of those annual trips that have -made that road so familiar to me. - -Footnote 14: - - Afterwards Prayā Pakdī. - -The little colony of Christians at Wieng Pā Pāo was prospering. One of -them was the man whom his wife had driven off, elephants and all, for -witchcraft. Nān Tā reported the governor of the place as a believer. He -had ceased to make offerings in temples, and he ridiculed the idols. He -received us most hospitably, and desired to have a mission station -there. Afterwards, however, through policy and the influence of a -Burmese son-in-law, he resumed his old worship; though to the last in -his heart of hearts, I think, he believed our teachings to be true. In -the case of subordinate officials, the final step of joining the church -is terribly hard to take. - -At Salī Toi, “Grandma” Pan had been praying day and night for our -coming. She lived some distance away from the road, and feared that we -might pass her by. She was overjoyed to see us, and we had to check the -homage she offered us. The poor woman was sadly in need of support. She -was the only Christian in the place, and was surrounded by hostile -neighbours who absolutely rebelled against her establishing herself in -the place. Her family had renounced the spirits, and therefore her -“patriarch,” to whom she could rightly look for protection, became her -chief accuser. He went to the governor of Chieng Rāi for an order -forbidding her to settle there. But he had his thirty-mile walk for his -trouble. The governor told him that the family was not to be interfered -with. How could he forbid those whom the King’s edict allowed? - -Having failed with the governor, they tried to draw away the -daughter-in-law. But she said she would stick by her husband and his -family. Their religion should be her religion, and their God should be -her God. The villagers then notified the family that it would be held -responsible for the value of any buffalo or elephant that might die in -the village. The theory was that the demons would take vengeance on the -village for allowing the trespass of an enemy on their domains. But all -their efforts to shake the poor woman’s faith were futile. - -At Mê Kawn village, from which the delegation had chiefly come, of -course we were received with a warm welcome. On the recent visit of Nān -Tā, when the leading supporters of the temple became Christians, the -less religious families also deserted it. I even saw oxen sheltered from -the rain under its roof. A club-footed man, Noi Tāliya by name, a good -scholar in Ngīo, Burmese, and Lāo, had been the life of the temple. And -it is the earnest Buddhist that makes the earnest Christian. His son -first heard the Gospel, and, coming home, explained it to his father. -Calling his family together, the father said to them, “There are the -spirit shrines. Any one may have them who wishes to continue their -worship.” No one making a bid for them, a bonfire was made, and the once -valued treasures all vanished in smoke. When he went to Chieng Rāi to -announce his conversion to the governor and to the Uparāt, he said that -he prayed all the way that he might answer their questions discreetly -and wisely. He did not know that the governor had no more confidence in -his deserted idols and spirits than he himself had. - -On the evening of our arrival, the largest house in the village was -filled to overflowing till late in the night. Before Sunday the people -had extemporized a chapel which afterwards became the foundation of the -Mê Kawn church. Two Sundays were spent in teaching these people before -we moved on to Chieng Rāi, leaving the new disciples under the oversight -of Noi Tāliya. - -On reaching Chieng Rāi we were invited by the governor to take up our -quarters in his old residence, which we did. It was a better house than -his present one, but there had been two deaths in it, and it was -pronounced unlucky. He knew we were not afraid of ill luck. On the -contrary, it was very good luck that we got it, for the rains were now -falling daily. The governor and Nān Tā were near relatives and very -intimate friends withal. His interest in us was as teachers of the only -religion that ever afforded him a ray of hope. But on this trip Pū King, -the reformed bandit, and his family, were the centre of our interest -there. And it was not long before he, too, like Saul of Tarsus, became a -striking illustration of the grace of God. - -A few hours beyond Chieng Rāi on the road to Chieng Sên, was the home of -Āi Tū. His was the first Christian family in the province. He had -built—in part that it might furnish a guest-chamber for the missionary -on his visits, and in part that it might serve as a chapel for -worship—the largest house in all that neighbourhood. When we arrived, he -had already vacated it for us, and had moved his family down into a -shed. A number of families had begun to attend worship, and to keep the -Sabbath; but were frightened away by that ridiculously stale story that -missionaries were making Christians in order to carry them off in their -ships to feed the Yaks! Strange that such a palpable absurdity should -deceive any one; yet we have known whole villages to be frightened away -by it. - -At Chieng Sên, in the home of Nān Suwan, we were at once aware of being -in a Christian atmosphere—in a consecrated Christian family. That family -was a city set upon a hill—a leaven in the new city and province. It -alone had given Christianity a good name. The governor was free to say -that if Christianity made such men as Nān Suwan, he would like to see -the whole country Christian. The influence of the Girls’ School in -Chiengmai was strongly reflected in his daughter, Kuī Kêo. She taught no -regular school other than her Sunday School; but from time to time -during the week she taught the neighbours. Young men who began by trying -to ridicule her out of her religion, now treated her with the greatest -respect. We were told that rude young fellows singing vulgar songs would -lower their voices when passing by the house. - -We crossed the river in a small boat to spend a few days in teaching -four new families of Christians on the eastern side. One of the men was -Tāo Rāt, the village officer, and another was his son, Noi Chai. The -latter became an influential ruling elder, and, like Nān Suwan, one of -the pillars of the church. - -From Chieng Sên we crossed the broad prairie-like plain westward to Bān -Tam. The officer of the village was Sên Yā Wichai—mentioned in the early -part of this narrative as the very first believer in Chiengmai. The -journey was one of the worst for elephants that I ever made. Heavy rains -had soaked the ground so that at every step it seemed almost impossible -for them to pull their huge feet out of their tracks. The Sên lived only -a quarter of a mile from a remarkable feature of the mountain ridge. The -Mê Tam, the largest river in the plain, flows bodily out from under the -mountain, much as does one of the sources of the Mê Ping at Chieng Dāo. - -It was a great pleasure to spend a Sunday with our now venerable -Christian and his family. It was a family of officers, his three sons -all being either of the grade of Tāo or of Sên—which shows the esteem in -which the family was held. But, unfortunately, their official position -made it more difficult for the sons to follow the example of their -father. - -On Sunday night the rain came down in torrents, reminding us that it was -better for us to be at home. We started homeward early the next morning. -Our route skirted the beautiful mountain range, crossing brooks and the -larger streams of the Mê Tam and the Mê Chan. Already the road had -become almost impassable except for elephants and natives unencumbered -with shoes or trousers. - -We have already spoken of the great mortality incurred in the attempt to -people these new Lāo states. Occasionally the straggling remnant of a -family might be seen returning. One poor little boy awakened my deepest -sympathy. All of his family had died except himself and his brother, a -monk, who were trying to save themselves by flight back to their old -home in the province of Chiengmai. After I passed them I began to wonder -whether the pale, weary-faced, and exhausted travellers would ever reach -the rest they sought. Then I began to think that here I was enacting -again the old tale of the priest and the Levite who passed by on the -other side. At last I could stand it no longer. I stopped and waited for -them to come up. I offered the pitiful little skeleton of a boy a seat -with me on the back of the elephant. At first he somewhat distrusted my -motive, wondering what I wanted to do with him; but he was too weary to -refuse. When he revived, he proved to be a veritable little chatterbox, -and good company. I kept him nearly a week, till we entered the -Chiengmai plain at Doi Saket. Only four years ago, eleven children out -of five Christian families who had settled in Wieng Pā Pāo, died during -the first year. - -Returning through Chieng Rāi, we revisited the new families of -Christians in that province. In the city the governor’s wife asked us to -have worship in their new house, to which they reverently listened. When -we ended she said, “Why, they pray for everybody!” Pū King, the -executioner, was holding on with a death-grip to the hope of salvation -for the chief of sinners. The case of the apostle himself, and of the -penitent thief, greatly encouraged him. Nān Tā also was greatly rejoiced -that his brother Sên Kat became a believer on this tour. - -On my return I found Mr. Martin but little, if at all, improved, by his -trip. He was so thoroughly discouraged that he felt that he could not -face another hot season. He remained with us till the end of the rainy -season, and then, with his family, left Siam for the United States. I -never had felt so thoroughly crushed as I was at his departure. During -three whole years we had lived in the same house, and worked together -hand in hand in the evangelistic work, of which he was very fond. - -Dr. Cheek already had severed his official connection with the mission, -and had gone into business of his own. But he kindly gave his -professional service to the missionaries, and was ready to perform -pressing surgical operations for the natives who came to the hospital. - - * * * * * - -I have often wondered whether all foreign missions, have as many and as -rapid alternations of sunshine and shadow, as the Lāo mission. Our -medical work was once more at a standstill; and by the departure of Mr. -Martin, the evangelistic work again was crippled. But at Hong Kong Mr. -Martin met Rev. and Mrs. D. G. Collins, Dr. and Mrs. A. M. Cary, and -Rev. W. C. Dodd, on their way out for the Lāo mission, with Rev. W. G. -McClure for Lower Siam. Mrs. Cary had become so exhausted by continual -sea-sickness during the whole voyage, that, on her arrival in Bangkok, -many thought her unable to endure the long river trip of six or seven -weeks. Mr. McClure offered to exchange fields with the Carys; but Mrs. -Cary, with true pluck, said that she had been appointed to the Lāo -mission, and to the Lāo she would go. But, alas! it was to be otherwise. -She became worse soon after leaving Bangkok. On Sunday, January 16th, -1887, a mile above Rahêng, she became unconscious, and shortly after -gently passed into her everlasting rest. - -It was still a month’s journey to their destination. There was nothing -to be done but to lay the body to rest in the grounds of a monastery. -Who can portray that parting scene, or adequately sympathize with the -bereaved husband and sister (Mrs. Collins), or with the other members of -the party, as they performed the last sad offices, and then resumed -their lonesome journey! - -When the party reached Chiengmai on the 17th of February, they found -there only the McGilvarys, Miss Griffin, and Miss Westervelt. Miss Cole -had gone to Bangkok. But the Girls’ School was flourishing under the -direction of the two ladies last mentioned. Former pupils of the school -were then doing good service in three different provinces as teachers. -But the arrival of the new forces made possible for the first time a -Boys’ High School. Circumstances now were much more favourable than they -were when Mr. Wilson made the attempt in the earlier days of the -mission. We now had Christian patrons, and there was a growing desire in -the land for education. Buddhist pupils were willing and anxious to -attend our school. Mr. Collins preferred the educational work. As soon -as he acquired the language sufficiently well, he was put in charge of -the school for boys, and it was soon crowded with pupils. - -[Illustration: - - GIRLS’ SCHOOL IN CHIENGMAI - 1892] - - -Mr. Dodd’s preference was along the line of a Training School for -Christian workers. Happily, the taste and preference of both these men -were along the lines of greatest need. Meanwhile Mr. Dodd entered into -the evangelistic work also with a zeal that has never abated. As -newcomers see things with different eyes, it is always interesting to -get their first impressions. Mr. Dodd’s first experience is thus given -in a letter to the Board of June 9th, 1887: - - “On Friday, June 3d, Rev. D. McGilvary of the Lāo mission left - Chiengmai by boat for a tour southward, taking attendants and - all necessary equipments, accompanied by a raw recruit, and - three efficient native helpers. We arrived at our first station - about the middle of the afternoon, and before bed-time held - religious conversation with as many enquirers as time would - permit. Our audience chamber was the house of one of our - newly-received members. Our ‘outward and ordinary means’ of - attracting an audience was a watch, two mariner’s compasses, a - magnifying glass, a stereoscope with an assortment of views, and - a violin. The raw recruit played the violin, and thus called the - audience together. We used both the other attractions to hold - them and to gain their confidence and interest; and afterwards - Dr. McGilvary easily and naturally drew them into religious - conversation. Soon the conversation became a monologue of - instruction in the religion of the great God. The violin was no - longer needed to arouse or sustain an interest. Every day, and - late into the evening, the Doctor and the three assistants - conversed; sometimes to quite an audience, sometimes to - individual enquirers. - - “The religious attitude of the people was a revelation to the - newly-arrived missionary, and doubtless would be to most of - God’s people in the United States. Nearly all of these people - had heard of the ‘religion of the great God,’ but knew nothing - about it, since the district had never before been visited by a - missionary.... But their receptivity was marvellous.... Without - exception these Buddhists confessed at the outset, or were soon - brought to concede, the immeasurable superiority of - Christianity. Many said, ‘It is of no use to argue. Your books - tell the beginnings of things; ours do not.’ On one occasion - when Dr. McGilvary had finished reading and explaining the first - chapter of Genesis, one of his auditors remarked to his fellows, - ‘There is more real information on that one page than in all - Buddha’s writings.’ The sense of sin is universal, so too is the - insufficiency of the works of merit. Many sad souls confessed - that they had long been dreading the penalty for sins for which - they feared that ‘merit-making’ could not atone. - - “The results we cannot measure. We were absent two weeks. - Religious service or conversations were held in more than twenty - different homes, and in some of these several times. Audiences - varied from a single enquirer to fifty. Thus hundreds heard the - gospel for the first time. Many who seemed above the suspicion - of hypocrisy professed to believe and accept what they heard.... - One principal reason for this tour just now, was to baptize in - his own home and among his subjects the chief officer of the - district. Himself, his wife, and his whole family were - baptized—a most interesting household. The abbot of one village - monastery professes to accept Christianity. For some time he has - been sending his parishioners, including his own sister, for - instruction. There is another district officer of the same rank - as our newly-baptized convert, a constant visitor and deeply - interested. This is a specimen tour, neither better nor worse - than the average taken these days. For the last two years, - although most of the time there have been but two ordained - missionaries in the field, over ninety ascessions have been made - to the First Church.”—_Church at Home and Abroad_, May, 1888. - -Before the short trip reported by Mr. Dodd, I had taken a longer one to -the northern provinces, going over the same ground which Mr. Martin and -I had travelled the season before. This time I baptized thirty-six -adults and thirty-two non-communing members. The communion was -administered eight times. I married two couples and ordained one elder. -Each Sunday was spent in villages where there were already Christians. -This encouraging success was the harvest of seed sown on former tours, -but gathered largely through God’s blessing on the work of faithful -elders. Both in Chieng Rāi and in Chieng Sên we might then have -organized churches with a goodly number of members communing and -non-communing, and with very good material for officers. Nān Suwan at -Chieng Sên, like myself, never had the gift of fluent speech, but his -reputation for sterling integrity has left a mark that eloquence might -envy. And Āi Tū at Nāng Lê bids fair to be another power in the province -of Chieng Rāi. Both of them are strongly aided by their daughters, the -first-fruits of our Girls’ School. - -During the year 1887 the whole number of adult accessions was one -hundred and seven; and one hundred and eleven non-communing members were -added to the roll, making two hundred and eighteen additions to our -little flock, exclusive of Lakawn. As I now look back over these years, -it is plain to me that the great lack of the mission all the way through -has been the lack of well-trained native helpers; and for this lack the -mission itself is largely to blame. Those who are eager to accomplish -the evangelization of the world within the present generation, should -first of all lay hold of the present generation of Christians in every -mission field. Fill _these_ with enthusiasm, qualify them, and send them -forth, and we have a lever that will lift the world. - -From the Report of the Board in the same number of _The Church at Home -and Abroad_ cited above, we quote the following: - - “Dr. and Mrs. Peoples are still left alone in Lakawn, the utmost - picket of the foreign missionary line. Mrs. Peoples has not one - lady for a companion; and the doctor is dangerously burdened, - bearing all alone the labour of teaching and healing. For more - than two years they have been waiting for help. No station under - the care of the Foreign Board calls so loudly for reinforcements - as this. Again and again we thought we had found a Christian - couple for Lakawn; but in each case we have been disappointed. - Single men could have been sent, but it is very much to be - desired that the new missionary going there should be married. - Dr. Peoples’ medical work has won for him increasing - friendliness throughout the city.... Mrs. McGilvary has revised - the Lāo version of Matthew’s Gospel, and has translated for the - first time about half of the book of Acts. The Scriptures have - had considerable circulation among the Lāo, but only in the - Siamese tongue.... Dr. Cary had no sooner reached the field than - through the assistance of Dr. McGilvary and Norwood McGilvary, a - young lad, acting as interpreters, he was able to begin work - with regular hours for receiving patients, and for surgical - practice.... Mr. Collins has made a beginning in the much-needed - school for boys. - - “Only one other mission now under the care of our Presbyterian - Church has during the last year shown as much growth, in - proportion to the missionary force employed, as the Lāo - mission.... It is never out of place to remind our Presbyterian - Church that it is to her alone that God has committed the - evangelization of the Lāo tribes.” - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - XXVI - - A FOOTHOLD IN LAMPŪN - - -At a meeting of the Presbytery shortly before the opening of the year -1888, a committee consisting of Dr. Peoples, Mr. Dodd, and myself, was -appointed to organize two churches, one in Chieng Sên and one in Chieng -Rāi, if the way were found open to do so. We also arranged that Mrs. -McGilvary should accompany our son Norwood as far as Bangkok on his way -to the United States. And both expeditions were to start on the same -day, Monday, February 7th. - -To ease somewhat the strain of such a parting, I took an earlier leave, -and went on Saturday with Mr. Dodd to spend Sunday with the church at Mê -Dawk Dêng. That evening we performed a marriage ceremony in the church. -The next day thirteen adults were received into the church—nine by -baptism and four who were children of the church. On Monday Mrs. -McGilvary and I exchanged our last good-byes by note, and both parties -got off on Tuesday morning. Dr. and Mrs. Peoples, starting from Lakawn, -made the first stage of their journey separately from us to a rendezvous -at the Christian village of Mê Kawn, twelve miles south of Chieng Rāi. - -At our next Christian village another wedding was waiting for us, but -the course of true love did not run smooth. The bride belonged to a -well-to-do Christian family; but no member of it could read the -Scriptures. They, therefore, “redeemed” a Christian family for four -hundred rupees, in order to secure the services of the son as a sort of -Levite in the family, and to teach the eldest daughter to read. -Naturally, the two young people fell in love with each other. That was a -contingency the mother had not planned for, and a difficulty arose. She -asked, “If I take Nān —— for a son-in-law, where do my four hundred -rupees come in?” It was all in vain to tell her that she got her pay in -a good son-in-law. She said he was hers already till his debt was paid. -At last she so far relented as to allow the ceremony to take place, but -she would not see it performed. We invited the father and the rest of -the family and the neighbours into our tent, where, to their great joy, -the two were made man and wife. The implacable mother lived to see that -she had not made a bad bargain, after all. - -At Mê Kawn we were joined by Dr. and Mrs. Peoples, and we had a good -Sabbath with the little flock there. Our club-footed man had looked -after it well, and he became later a good elder and a fine -disciplinarian. About this time I was taken with a severe attack of -indigestion, from which I did not recover for many months—the only -continued sickness from which I have suffered in all my connection with -the Lāo mission. - -On reaching Chieng Rāi, we found our good friend the governor mourning -the death of his wife, the same who, when we last saw her, invited us to -worship in her house. It was a pleasure to point the bereaved man to the -divine Comforter, and we are fain to believe that our words were not in -vain. He was still anxious to have the mission station established, -which we, unfortunately, could not yet promise. The Chao Uparāt invited -Dr. Peoples to lecture with his magic lantern, and to have worship in -his residence, where we had a crowded audience. We did not organize a -church in Chieng Rāi, however, partly because the two Christian -villages, equidistant from the city north and south, could not agree on -the best place of meeting. But we found the way open in Chieng Sên, and -did organize a church there, in Nān Suwan’s house, on the very bank of -the Mê Kōng, and with one-half of its members living on the other shore. - -Dr. Peoples had left a large practice in Lakawn, and was obliged to -return. Mr. Dodd returned with them to Lakawn, and thence to Chiengmai. -I had come untrammelled, to remain as long as duty called. It seemed -very desirable to follow up the impressions already made on that -community. But I was not well, and a week’s delay found me no better. -Thinking that a change might be beneficial, I crossed the plain to Sên -Yā Wichai’s home at the foot of the mountains. It was a hard day’s ride, -and I became worse on the way. On reaching my destination I could hardly -stand. Resting there on my back a few days without improvement, it -seemed my first duty to get to a physician as soon as possible, or, at -least, make the effort to do so. Most of the way I could stop at night -either with or near Christian families. This I did, and so reached -Chiengmai on April 14th. - -During my absence the building of the Boys’ High School was completed; -and the school was opened under the direction of Mr. Collins on March -19th, with an enrollment of forty-five boys, nearly all children of -Christian parents. In June Dr. Wilson reached Chiengmai on his return -from the United States; and with him came Miss Fleeson, destined with -the Doctor to join the Peoples at Lakawn, and Miss Belle Eakin (now Mrs. -Dodd), for the Girls’ School in Chiengmai. Miss Griffin was already gone -on her furlough. - -The building for the Girls’ School had long been in process of -construction. Builders and plans had been several times changed, till at -last Dr. Cheek took the contract, and finished it in the summer of 1888. -It has served its purpose admirably these many years, and we then -thought it would do for all time. But though the lot then seemed amply -large, it proves now entirely too small for the needs of the school. -Moreover, it is impossible to enlarge it. On its south side runs the -most travelled road in the country; while on the east the land is owned -by a wealthy official, who would not sell at any price. - -Our congregations had grown till a church building became a necessity -even more urgent than, a schoolhouse. The first mission dwelling-house -was planned in part with reference to such need, its largest room long -being used for Sunday worship. Then a small temporary chapel took its -place. After that a larger teak double dwelling was bought. That, -however, would not hold more than two hundred persons—not more than half -of our largest congregations at the present day. Then for a time we -worshipped in the unfinished building for the Girls’ School. When, at -last, that was finished, it was needed for its original purpose, and we -again must move. It was then decided that we must have a church, and one -worthy of our cause—such as would attract rather than repel both rulers -and people. So one Sunday afternoon we held a meeting of the -congregation to take steps for building it. We were delighted to see the -interest manifested in the enterprise. Pā Kawng, an aged slave of the -Prince, laid down a silver rupee, which was all the money she -possessed—and it was the very first money received toward the building. -The church was completed by the end of this year. - -We had continued evidence of the friendship of Prince Intanon, and even -of his growing interest in our work. One Sunday, in answer to an -invitation given by Mrs. Cheek, he attended our communion service, -conducted that day by Mr. Wilson. Although he arrived an hour and a half -too soon, he remained all through the long service, and bowed as he took -his leave, just when the communion cups were about to be passed. On the -day of our daughter’s marriage in Statesville, North Carolina, he and -the High Commissioner attended a reception given in honour of the event. -The Prince had known her as a child, and seemed much interested. “Is it -this very night that the marriage takes place?” he asked. The reception -was a very pleasant affair. Though my wife was still in Bangkok, Miss -Fleeson and Miss Eakin entered with all their hearts into the thing, -and, with the assistance of Mr. Dodd and Mr. Collins, carried it through -in splendid shape. After refreshments we had charades and other games. -It was amusing to see the look of surprise on the face of the Prince -when the charades were played.—“What are they doing?” “What does that -mean?” “I don’t understand.” But the game was quite too recondite to be -explained to him. So, after the first charade, His Highness and his -party took their leave, assuring us that they had enjoyed the evening -very much. - -Dr. Wilson and Miss Fleeson presently journeyed on to their post at -Lakawn. The governor there gave the mission a very desirable plot of -ground for the new buildings which would be required, saying, “I am glad -to have you come. It would be a shame, when you come to live in our -country, if the government did not do something to make you -comfortable.” - -Scarcely less important than the opening of the new station in Lakawn, -was the opening of permanent work in Lampūn, the largest and most -important sub-station of Chiengmai. Lampūn is a little gem of a walled -city in the same great plain as Chiengmai, and only eighteen miles -distant to the south. From the first settlement of the country, however, -it has been a separate state, yet governed by a branch of the same -ruling race. - -We have seen that the new governor of Lampūn was friendly to the mission -and the missionaries. The opening of the work in Bān Pên and other -important villages near it, rendered it almost essential to have a -footing in Lampūn itself. After some negotiation we secured a suitable -lot, the grounds of the second governor recently deceased. We purchased -from the family the land with the old residence and the stockade. But -presently the family became alarmed lest they had been too hasty in -selling it to foreigners, and brought back the money, begging us to -restore the land. They brought, also, a message from the governor, -saying that he wanted the residence and the stockade himself, but would -_give_ us the rest of the land. It was to our interest to keep on good -terms with him, and we agreed to the arrangement. We got what we wanted, -a good station, and we retained, and probably increased the governor’s -friendship. - -[Illustration: - - REV. JONATHAN WILSON, D.D. - 1898] - - -To make possession sure, I purchased a newly-built house which had come -to be regarded as unlucky, because the owner’s wife had suddenly died in -it. Having arranged to have the house moved and set up on the lot, I was -about to return to Chiengmai, thinking that there was nothing more to -do, when I was sent for by the chief executive officer of the Court. He -said that the governor, indeed, had given us the place, but the Court -wished to make one proviso. He begged that I would sign a paper -promising in few words that if the government at any time should need -it, we would give it up. The governor was growing old, and they -themselves would be held responsible. I saw at once that such a step -would put it in the power of any one to oust us. A need might be -feigned, and yet we should be powerless to withstand it. I was perfectly -dumfounded. My first thought was to go directly to the governor. But -presently I bethought me of the terms on which H. R. H. Prince Bijit, -the brother of His Majesty, had given to the mission the fine lot for -its hospital. The lot was given in perpetuity on condition that it be -used for medical and missionary purposes only. As long as it was so -used, it was ours. But it could not be sold, or used for other purposes, -without forfeiture to the Prince. The thought came to me as an -inspiration. I told the officer of that written deed. “Very well,” said -he. “If you have such a paper as that, show it to me, and I will give -you one like it for this lot.” - -The difficulty was solved. A swift footman was despatched to Chiengmai -asking Mr. Martin to send me at once a copy of the Prince’s deed of -gift. Next morning it came, and I took it immediately to the Court. The -officer’s surprise was evident. He took it and read it carefully -through. His word was given. After a moment’s thought he said, “That is -all right. It will relieve me of all responsibility.” Then he called up -his clerk to copy its terms and execute the new deed. The land was ours -to use as long as we should use it for the purposes specified; and that -I hoped would be until the millennium! With a light heart I was soon -aboard my boat and homeward bound. - -When the house had been removed and set up on the lot, Mr. Collins and I -went down and spent a week there, with interested audiences every night. -It at once became an important out-station of the Chiengmai mission. In -the meantime Mr. Dodd had already collected some twenty students for his -training-class, but without any quarters for them in Chiengmai. Later -Mr. and Mrs. Dodd were put in charge of the station, and the Training -School was moved over to Lampūn. When the Lampūn church was organized, -its charter members numbered nearly two hundred. It is now the mother of -two other churches. Scarcity of men in the mission, openings in other -places, and other causes have prevented the Lampūn station from being -continuously manned. But now, with such efficient workers there as Mr. -and Mrs. Freeman, it has an important future before it, as a sub-station -of Chiengmai. - -Meanwhile my own sickness had continued, with several relapses. A minor -surgical operation had so delayed my recovery that Dr. Cary now advised -a change and rest in a boat trip to Bangkok. After the departure of our -son to the United States, my wife had remained in Bangkok for a visit, -and was soon to return. The telegraph line which the Siamese government -had recently completed, enabled me to wire to her to wait for me to come -and bring her back. Dr. Cary himself, who had never recovered from the -shock occasioned by the tragic death of Mrs. Cary, and who was never -well during his whole stay in the mission, decided to accompany me as -far as Rahêng. - -At Pāknam Pō I left my boat, and took passage for Bangkok by river -steamer, thus saving seven days. After remaining in Bangkok only three -nights, my wife and I took passage in the same steamer on her return -trip, and rejoined our boat at the forks. The water was at its best -stage, and we passed up some of the rapids without knowing that they -were there. But my trouble had not left me. A low diet and long illness -had left me thin and weak. The round trip occupied only two months. Our -last Sunday was at Pāk Bawng, two days below Chiengmai. There we held a -communion service with the Christian families, and a new family was -baptized. - -Three miles to the east is Bān Pên, the village which has figured in a -previous chapter. The Christians there had long been asking for a visit, -which my own sickness and want of time on the part of others rendered it -impossible to make. On Monday morning I decided to take the risk and -visit it. With some misgivings I saw my wife’s boat move off and leave -me—burning, so to speak, my bridges behind me. The whole country was -flooded. Discarding shoes and stockings, I made my way on foot, weak as -I was, through water, across ditches, or along the narrow ridges of -rice-fields, and finally reached Bān Pên in safety. - -And what a week I spent in that neighbourhood! At Nawng Sīu, a village -two miles distant from Bān Pên, there were six families of professed -believers whom Dr. Dodd and I had visited the season before—almost -swimming at times to reach them in their scattered homes. Their -admission was postponed at that time until they should have had further -instruction. To these I specially addressed myself. During the week our -faithful elder, Nān Tā, came down to assist me in the work. On Friday -evening the session met at Nawng Sīu to examine and instruct these new -converts, and again on Saturday morning, closing finally at two o’clock -in the afternoon with baptism and the Lord’s Supper. On counting up the -numbers, it was found that twenty adults and seventeen children had been -baptized. Among them was an aged couple with their children, -grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. It was a memorable sight. The -Sabbath was spent at Bān Pên, where seven more adults and one child were -baptized. On Monday I made my way back to the boat as I had come, and -reached home on Tuesday. And now for the strange part of the story. _I -reached home well._ My week’s wading in the water, and the hard work, -had done what medicine and doctors and a long boat trip had failed to -accomplish! - -But a new disappointment awaited me. Before I reached home, Dr. Cary had -resigned. His short career is one of the mysteries to be explained in -the great beyond. A consecrated physician, he had given his life to the -Lāo people. Crushed by his tragic bereavement on the way out, and with a -constitution never strong, he contended manfully for two years against -the debilitating effects of a malarial climate. But at last he had to -give up the fight. His work had been successful. “He saved others; -himself he could not save!” - -His departure threw on me again the oversight of the medical work. But -this time most of the dispensing of medicine to the natives fell on -Chanta, a protégé of my own, who had had good training under two -physicians. Meanwhile Dr. Cheek looked after the mission families, and, -as already stated, was always ready to respond to an urgent call in the -hospital. My time was largely given, therefore, to the evangelistic -work, to instructing Nān Tā and other elders, and to teaching enquirers -and others to read in Siamese, first the Shorter Catechism, and then a -Gospel. - -The growth of the Chiengmai church, though not phenomenal, was very -healthy and very uniform throughout the year. There were accessions -every month save one, amounting in all to one hundred and sixty souls. -At the end of the year Miss I. A. Griffin returned from furlough, and -served a very useful term until 1896, when she retired greatly missed. -At Lakawn, Rev. Hugh Taylor and his wife began a twenty years’ course of -evangelistic work carried on with indefatigable zeal, while Miss Fleeson -was no less zealous and successful in laying the foundation of a Girls’ -School, destined to be a power in that province. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - XXVII - - A PRISONER OF JESUS CHRIST - - -We have had frequent occasion gratefully to record the good will of the -Siamese government, and of its commissioners and representatives, -towards our mission. In all its history the only exception to this -uniform friendliness was in the case of the Commissioner who, in 1889, -succeeded Prayā Tēp Worachun. The Boys’ School was on an old deserted -monastery-site given by the Prince to Dr. Peoples for a medical or a -mission compound. An old ruined chēdi or pagoda was still standing on -it. Such lots, deserted by the monks, were then regarded as abodes of -the spirits, and on such the natives dared not live. In preparing for -the school buildings, the débris about the foot of the chēdi had been -dug away. One of the early acts of the new Commissioner was to send a -written notice to the mission that it was improper to use old Buddhist -shrines for purposes other than those for which they were originally -built; and he gave us notice that we were to have three months in which -to find other quarters. But as no other lot was offered in its place, we -remained quiet, and that was the last we heard of it. - -Another incident, occurring soon after, was more serious, and gave us a -great deal of anxiety; for it came near costing the life of one of our -best native assistants. A deputation from some twelve or fifteen -families in Chieng Dāo came to us with a request that a native assistant -be sent up to teach them. Krū Nān Tā went up, and they became believers, -but required much further instruction. We selected Noi Siri, the most -prudent of our elders, for the task. We charged him specially, inasmuch -as it was in a province new to our work, to use great caution and give -no just cause of offence to the rulers or to others. He remained there a -month, and then was recalled by the illness of his wife. He stopped at -the mission to report progress, giving a good account of the conduct and -diligence of the new Christians. - -Great was our surprise, then, in a few hours to learn that Noi Siri had -been arrested, put in heavy irons, and thrown into prison on a charge of -treason against the government. Mr. Collins, Mr. Dodd, and I called upon -the Commissioner to enquire the cause of his arrest. The Commissioner -replied, Yes; he had him arrested on the grave charge of disloyalty in -teaching the converts that they were exempt from government work. Such -teaching was treason; and if the charge were true, the penalty was -death. It was not, therefore, a bailable offence. At the same time, he -said, no specifications had been forwarded. He would summon the -accusers, and the man should have a fair trial, and should have the -privilege of producing any witnesses he pleased in his defence. That -was, of course, all that we could ask, save to beg that the trial be -hastened as far as possible—to which he consented. Krū Nān Tā was -allowed to see the prisoner in his cell. From him he learned that so far -was the accusation from being true, that he had taught the Christians -that they were _not_ exempt from government work; and that, furthermore, -no call had been made on them for service while he was there. We sent -immediately for all the Christian men to come down. - -After some delay the prisoner was called into court and examined. -According to Siamese custom, his examination was taken down in writing. - -“Are you Noi Siri, who has been teaching in Chieng Dāo?” - -“Yes.” - -“When did you go there to teach?” - -“On the fourth of the third waning moon.” - -“Have you taught that Christians are exempt from public service?” - -“No. On the contrary, I taught that, as Siamese subjects, Christians are -to pay their taxes and perform all the duties of other subjects.” - -The testimony of the governor of Chieng Dāo, his accuser, was then taken -in his presence. Among the questions asked him were these: - -“Can you state any particular time and place when the Christians were -called to do government work and refused?” - -“Yes. I called a man or two, and they did not obey.” - -“When was that call made?” - -“On the fourth day of the third waxing moon.” - -This was the only specification which the governor gave. The date, it -will be noted, was fifteen days earlier than that of Noi Siri’s arrival -in Chieng Dāo. If the statement were true, it might have subjected the -persons who were summoned to trial and punishment for disloyalty; but it -absolutely cleared Noi Siri. An upright judge would have dismissed the -case. The Christian witnesses were in attendance to testify as to the -nature of the instruction they received; but were not given the -opportunity to do so. The accused man was remanded to prison. We waited, -but nothing was done. We called once more on the Commissioner; but were -told that the case had been referred to Bangkok, and he must wait for a -reply. We waited again. At last we made a written appeal on his behalf, -and in answer were told that the case was one with their own subjects, -and we had nothing to do with it. Meantime Noi Siri had become quite -ill, and all that we could do was to get him transferred from his -dungeon to the common prison. - -Eight months after this, when Mr. Dodd went down to Bangkok to be -married to Miss Eakin, he made, through the United States Minister, an -appeal to the Prince Minister of the North, who promised an immediate -order for his release. As soon as we were assured of that, we went to -the resident Prince in Chiengmai, H. R. H. Prince Sonapandit, who -promised that the order should be issued at once. The next day we called -on the Commissioner to remind him of the Prince’s promise; but he and -the Judge had just gone out for a stroll in the city. It was then -Saturday afternoon. Next day was our communion service, and I was -determined to have Noi Siri present. To do this I had to follow those -men up at once. I was a fast walker, and, when necessary, could run. My -race after them was the ludicrous sequel of the case. Two high officials -closing their office and escaping, in order to keep their victim in -chains another night, pursued by swifter feet, and overtaken in the -street! The Judge acknowledged that the Prince had given the order. He -would attend to it to-morrow. Since to-morrow would be Sunday, I need -not come. But I knew that we should not see Noi Siri in time for our -worship unless I went for him. So on Sunday morning I called once more -on the Judge, who again said that I need not wait; but I had to tell him -that I would not return till I saw his release. So the prisoner was -called, and I saw the fetters taken off from his ankles. - -The second bell was ringing when I entered the church; but Noi Siri was -with me. The congregation rose and sang the long metre doxology. There -were not many dry eyes in the room. Mr. Dodd preached from the text, -“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love -God.” Among the converts who then stood up to make a public profession -of faith was Nāng Su, a daughter of Noi Siri—and this happy coincidence -was no planning of ours. - -Noi Siri’s faith had been tried by fire, and he had come forth from the -furnace as pure gold. In addition to his own imprisonment and distress, -his wife had been for months very low with sickness, and one of his -grandchildren had died during the interval. But from his prison cell he -had written to his family not to let their faith be shaken either by his -trials or by their own. During the eight months and ten days of his -imprisonment, one hundred and thirty-three persons—his daughter closing -the list—were received into church-membership. A European in employ of -the government, who had cognizance of the whole case, afterwards said to -me, “It might be well to get the Commissioner to imprison a few more -Christians!” A history of the case was afterwards published by our Board -in a leaflet entitled, “The Laos Prisoner.” - -Before the close of the year there was an event which for the time came -near to overthrowing the government. A new tax, levied chiefly on areca -trees, caused much exasperation throughout the country. As usual, the -tax was farmed out to Chinese for collection. The local officers in -various districts formed a coalition to resist to the uttermost the -collection of the tax. Of course, this could not be allowed, since the -collectors were the agents of the government. The resistance was centred -chiefly in the districts to the eastward of the city, where Prayā Pāp, -who had some reputation as a soldier, went so far as to gather a -considerable force of the insurgents within a few miles of Chiengmai. A -day even was set for their attack on the city. If they had made a dash -then, they could easily have taken it, for the sympathy of the people -was wholly with them, and the government was unprepared. - -Our house was only two hundred yards away from the Chinese distillery, -which was the objective of the insurgents. The residence of the -Commissioner and that of the Siamese Prince Sonapandit were nearly -opposite us on the other side of the river. Our position was further -compromised by the fact that the wives and children of a number of -influential Chinese had almost forcibly taken refuge in our compound. In -any case, we should have been in a position of great danger from the -guns on the other side of the river aimed at the distillery. We were -strongly advised to take refuge in the British Consulate, whose shelter -was kindly offered us. But the whole population in our neighbourhood was -watching us. If we stirred, there would have been a general stampede. - -Fortunately for themselves and for the country, the courage of the -common people failed. One after another they deserted the leader, till -at last he also fled. He was caught, however, and with seven other -leaders was executed. This was the end of the matter in Chiengmai; but -certain parties of the insurgents, escaping northwards, became roving -bands of marauders that for some time disturbed the peace of the -frontier towns. The rebellion never had any chance of ultimate success; -but had the attack on the city been actually made, the immediate -consequences would have been direful, and untold calamity would have -been entailed on the whole country. - -The arrival of Dr. McKean at the close of the year marked an era in our -medical work. He was accompanied by our daughter, Miss Cornelia H. -McGilvary, now Mrs. William Harris Jun. It was the pleasant duty of Mrs. -McGilvary to escort the party up from Bangkok. The appointment of our -daughter was no less a surprise than a delight to us. During her school -days she always said that she would not become a missionary. When the -question came up for final settlement, she fought it out in her own mind -alone, and reached her own decision. The Lāo language, which, during her -ten years’ absence, she seemed to have lost entirely, came back to her -very soon and with little effort. - -It has been Dr. McKean’s privilege to continue the work begun by able -physicians, and to carry it to a higher degree of efficiency. He has -combined, as most of our physicians have done, the two great objects of -the medical missionary, the medical and the evangelistic, making the -former a means to the latter. While the professional and the charitable -features of the work have not been minimized, but rather magnified, no -minister has more loved to preach the Gospel, or has been more -successful in it. At the same time it may be that the great work now -enlisting his sympathy and his strenuous efforts—the establishment of a -leper colony and hospital, and the amelioration of the condition of that -unfortunate class—may be the one with which his name will be most -intimately associated. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - XXVIII - - CIRCUIT TOUR WITH MY DAUGHTER, 1890 - - -I had been appointed by Presbytery to organize in Chieng Rāi the church -which was not found ready for organization on my previous visit. I had -planned for a tour longer than usual, to include the eastern provinces -as far as Nān, as well as the northern ones, and expected to take with -me native assistants only. But upon the arrival of our reinforcement, I -was no less surprised than delighted to find that my daughter desired to -accompany me; and so it was arranged. - -Starting on February 5th, we spent the first Sunday in Lakawn. Here we -met another surprise. Mr. Taylor had spent his first year in that -annoying work for the new missionary, the building of a house. He was -anxious to get out among the people, but feared he was not sufficiently -versed in the language to make profitable a tour alone. He and Mrs. -Taylor would join us if they could get elephants—a matter which was -easily arranged. Mr. Taylor proved to be an efficient helper. My -daughter had a delightful companion, and it was a great pleasure to -initiate the new missionaries into the evangelistic work which Dr. and -Mrs. Taylor since then have carried on so successfully for twenty years. -It is still their delight—may they live to carry it on for many years to -come! - -One of the chief diversions of the trip thenceforward was afforded by -the pranks of an uncommonly mischievous baby-elephant which accompanied -its mother. On one occasion a footman coming towards us stepped out of -the trail and stood beside a large tree to let us pass. The mischievous -creature saw his opportunity, and before the man knew what was up, he -found himself fast pinioned between the elephant’s head and the tree -trunk. The frightened man extricated himself with loud outcry, while the -beholders were convulsed with laughter. Our own men were constantly the -victims of his pranks; so that, one day, I told them that there would be -no trouble if they would only leave the creature alone—adding, by way of -clinching my advice, “You see, he never troubles me.” Just then, to the -great delight of all, he made straight for me, and if there had been a -tree behind me I should have been in the same unpleasant position in -which the footman found himself. - -Mr. Taylor’s account of the earlier portion of the trip is as follows: - - “We left Lakawn on the 12th of February with Dr. McGilvary and - his daughter, and in four days reached Mûang Prê. Our tents were - pitched by the road just outside the city gate. The advent of - four foreigners, two of whom were women, created quite a stir; - and we were all kept abundantly busy in visiting and being - visited. Mrs. Taylor and Miss McGilvary were the first white - ladies to visit the place; and of course, much to their own - discomfort, were the centre of attraction.... - - “The people of Prê seemed very ready to listen to the Gospel; so - plenty of auditors were found everywhere. On Sabbath, the 16th, - the first convert in Prê was baptized. He is a blind man, Noi - Wong by name, who came to Lakawn to have Dr. Peoples operate on - his eyes; but as nothing could be done for him, he returned home - carrying in his heart some of the teachings there received, and - in his hand a manuscript copy of a small catechism I was able to - spare him. From his answers before the session, it was evident - that he had used his brother’s eyes well in having it read to - him. - - “On Wednesday we started on for Nān, and arrived there the - following Tuesday. We received a very cordial welcome from the - officials of that city, who sent a man to put in order a - rest-house for us, and another to conduct our elephants to a - place for food and water. Next day, after the court closed, - some of the officials came to visit us. After wading through - the crowds on the first and second verandas, and finally - planting himself cross-legged in the middle of the thronged - reception-room, their Chief said they thought we would be - lonesome; so they had come to visit us. No idea could have - been more comical to us; but he was seriously in earnest, and - explained that he had never known the people to visit with - other foreigners who had come to their city. They would not, - however, listen well when the subject of religion was - broached, and with one or two exceptions would not attend any - of our services.” - -The morning after our arrival in Nān, my daughter met in the -market-place a daughter of the Prince, and, before she was aware, found -herself escorted into the palace. Her newly recovered language stood her -in good stead, and she had a pleasant talk with the Prince and his -daughters and wives. Next day he sent word that he would be pleased to -give our party an audience. He was of venerable age, and second only to -our Chiengmai Prince in his influence at the court of Bangkok. He -expressed his pleasure at our visit to his country. He was too old to -embrace a new religion. We might teach his children and grandchildren. -What they would do he did not know. - -At Nān the Taylors left us, returning to their station, while we -journeyed on. Our next stage was Chieng Kawng, one hundred and fifty -miles to the northwest. We usually stopped for the night at large -villages, or sometimes in small towns. But once we spent two days in the -forest, where bears, tigers, and wild elephants abound. The first -evening we just missed the sight of three tigers. Our men had gone on -ahead to select a camping-place for the night, and saw a mother with two -cubs crossing the road. Next morning one of my elephants, that had been -hobbled and turned loose, was not on hand. It was nothing unusual for -one of them to be a little belated, so we loaded up the others and -prepared for starting. But when an hour had passed, and then two hours, -and the elephant still did not come, we unloaded them and waited a long -weary day and an anxious night. Early next morning, however, the driver -appeared. That was a relief, but still there was no elephant. He had -followed her trail over the mountain ridge, down gorges, and across -knolls, till, tired and hungry, he had retraced his steps. Night -overtook him, and, crouched under a tree, he had caught snatches of -sleep while keeping watch for tigers. For two nights and a day he had -not tasted food. With an elephant’s instinct, the beast was making her -way towards her old range in Chieng Rāi, many days distant. It was a -relief to know that she had not joined a large wild herd, in which case -her capture would be practically impossible. - -We could not remain indefinitely in the forest. So giving the driver -food, a gun, and two carriers for company, with instructions not to -return till the elephant was found, we moved on five or six miles to the -next village, Bān Kêm. This was the noon of Wednesday. Our detention -seemed providential. We found the place fever-stricken. Our medicines at -once made us friends. Our tent was crowded with visitors, so that I had -little time to think of the lost elephant. The people seemed hungry for -the Gospel. Three substantial men in the village, on the night before we -left, professed a sincere and cordial acceptance of Jesus as their -Saviour. - -On Saturday, shortly after midday, there was a shout, “Here comes Lung -Noi with the elephant!” I was both glad and sorry to hear it. Had I been -alone, I should have remained longer. But we had lost so much time, that -every one was eager to depart. I promised if possible to come again, but -the time never came. - -Chieng Kawng was our next point, a place I had visited with Dr. Vrooman -seventeen years before. The young lad who then was so much interested in -my repeating rifle was now governor, and came running out, bareheaded -and barefooted, to welcome us. In the interval I had met him from time -to time in Chiengmai, and he always begged that I would make him another -visit. I had been better than my word—I had come at last, and brought my -daughter, too. His brother, the second governor, had seen us in time to -don his audience dress, and he appeared more like a white man than any -one we had seen since the Taylors left us. He was ready to start on an -expedition to Mûang Sing, five days northward beyond the Mê Kōng. The -Prince of Nān had received permission from the King of Siam to repeople -that old province. Hence this expedition. The leader had three hundred -men, and gave me a cordial invitation to go as chaplain and physician! -After this, while the work was well under way, the territory was turned -over to France as the result of the long and troubled negotiations over -the boundary between Siam and French Indo-China. - -The wives of both the governors could scarcely be content with my -daughter’s short stay. They would surely become Christians, if she would -remain one month to teach them. All I could do was to promise once more -to come again if possible. The promised visit was made two years later, -but then the “Nāi” was not along. - -From there the only travelled route to Chieng Sên was by Chieng Rāi, -both hot and circuitous. The alternative was a blind, untravelled track -through the forest, made over forty years before, when Siam sent its -last unfortunate expedition against Keng Tung. Here was a tempting -chance to test the old proverb, Where there’s a will, there’s a way. The -governor procured a noted hunter to guide us. Every carrier and driver -and servant in the party carried his bush knife, and all promised to aid -if we only would take the cooler road. It was, however, literally making -in the forest “a highway for our God,” over which several missionary -tours have since been made. In the denser parts of the forest, we could -force our way only by cutting away branches and small trees, and at -times felling clumps of bamboo. - -We had a cool place for rest and worship on Sunday. Our hunter had not -promised to keep the Sabbath, and we were on his old hunting-grounds, -where game of all kinds abounded. At dawn he was off with his gun, and -we saw no more of him till sunset, when he appeared smiling, with some -choice cuts of beef hanging from the barrel of his gun. He had found and -followed, all day, a herd of wild cattle—the Kating—and succeeded in -killing one of them near our road, a mile or more ahead of our camp. -Though killed on Sunday, we ate it and asked no questions for -conscience’ sake. It was surely the most delicious beef we ever tasted. -We should have had a mutiny the next day, had we proposed to pass on -without stopping to save the meat. And what a huge creature it was. It -must have weighed nearly a ton. Our men extemporized frames over the -fire, and were busy cutting up the meat and drying it until late at -night. Next day each man went loaded with it to his utmost capacity. -What we could not carry away, the guide stored in the fork of a tree -against his return. - -The journey through the forest was shorter and far more comfortable than -would have been the regular route. When next I travelled it, it had -become a public highway. And as long as I continued to journey that way, -it was known as the “Teacher’s Road.” - -Chieng Sên was the limit of our trip. Before reaching it, we began to -hear rumours of war—that the city was blockaded, no one being permitted -to enter or depart. The country population had been called in to defend -the city, etc., etc. We were advised to return, but kept on. At the gate -the guard admitted us without difficulty. - -The disturbance was the aftermath of the previous year’s tax-rebellion, -which, as we supposed, was completely ended before we left home. But a -portion of the insurgents had fled to Keng Tung, and, gathering there a -larger force, came south again as far as Mûang Fāng, where they were -either captured or again scattered. It was the fear that this lawless -band, on its retreat northward, might attack and plunder the city, that -caused the confusion. But the fugitives would have been fools to linger -about two weeks after their defeat, when they knew that both the army -behind them and the country in front of them would be on the alert for -their capture. The governor was delighted to see us, and we were able in -some degree to allay his fears. We were there, too, to speak a word of -comfort to our own flock, who, like the rest, had been called in to -protect the city. The panic gradually subsided, and the people returned -to their homes. Owing in part to the unsettled condition of the country, -we did not remain long in Chieng Sên; but long enough to visit in their -homes every Christian family save one, and to have a delightful -communion season with the church on Sunday. - -Our special commission on this tour was to organize a church in Chieng -Rāi, where our next Sunday was spent. Our governor friend was -disappointed that we had not come to take possession of the fine lot on -the bank of the Mê Kok which he had given us. At his suggestion a house -on it was purchased from his son at a nominal price, with the promise -that we would urge the mission to occupy it the next year. On April -13th, the three sections of the church assembled by invitation at Mê -Kawn. The obstacles which prevented the organization before were now -removed. Fifty-one communicants and thirty-two non-communing members -were enrolled, two ruling elders were elected and ordained, and the new -church started with fair prospects. - -We reached home on April 29th, after an absence of eighty-one days. We -found all well, and the work prospering along all the lines. It was none -too soon, however. We were just in time to escape the rise of the -streams. At our last encampment on the Mê Kūang we had a great storm of -wind and rain, with trees and branches falling about us. The trip was a -long one for my daughter; but her presence greatly enhanced the -importance of the tour. On my subsequent tours through that region the -first question always was, “Did you bring the Nāi?” and the second, “Why -not?” - -On our return we were surprised to find Dr. McKean in a new and -comfortable teak house, toward the erection of which neither axe nor saw -nor plane had been used when we left. The saw-mill could deliver at once -whatever was needed. But _my_ house had been seven years in building! - -By this time nearly all the Lāo cities of Siam had been visited by -missionaries. In two of them—Chiengmai and Lakawn—we had established -permanent stations. For the third station, Chieng Rāi seemed to present -the strongest claim. Politically it was not so important as Nān. But -Nān, while very cordial to foreigners personally, was very jealous about -admitting foreign influence of any kind. And the absolute control of the -people by the princes of Nān would be an obstacle in the way of the -acceptance of Christianity there until the princes themselves embraced -it. In Chieng Rāi province the governor was known to be favourable to -the Jesus-religion. Its broad plains and fertile soil were sure to -attract a large immigration from the south, where population is dense -and land very dear. The city is about equidistant from the five cities -of Wieng Pā Pāo on the south, Mûang Fāng on the west, Chieng Sên on the -north, Chieng Kawng on the northeast, and Chieng Kam on the east. In our -reports to the mission and to the Board, these facts were urged as -arguments for the establishment of a station there. The mission gave its -cordial sanction to a temporary occupancy. A longer tour was authorized -for the next season; but the heavy debt of the Board forbade the -expenditure of more than two hundred and fifty rupees for a temporary -house in order to secure the land which had been given us. Our long -delay sorely shook the good governor’s faith that we would ever come. - -The arrival of young missionaries on the field rendered some kind of -physical and social recreation necessary. Croquet had formerly been -tried, but it gave very little exercise, and had been supplanted by the -better game of lawn tennis. In the fall of 1890, Mrs. McGilvary prepared -a court in our front lot, and invited the missionaries and the small -European community to an “At Home” on Tuesdays at 4:30 P.M. The game -furnished the very exercise needed after a day’s confinement in school -or study. It proved so beneficial to health and to efficiency in work, -that the “At Home” was continued, with occasional interruptions from -weather or other causes, for thirteen or fourteen years. This was Mrs. -McGilvary’s little contribution to the health and the social recreation -of the community in which we lived; and it was highly appreciated. - -In August I had occasion to visit Wieng Pā Pāo. Before I was out of the -Chiengmai plain I had an exciting runaway on my big sadaw elephant. A -mother cow was grazing at some little distance from her calf. As the -elephant approached the calf, the mother became alarmed for its safety, -and rushed frantically towards it, bellowing to the utmost capacity of -her lungs. This was quite too much for my big timid beast. He started -off at a fearful pace, which the driver in vain endeavoured to control. -Fortunately it was on an open plain with no woods or trees. The same -elephant on a previous occasion, when Mrs. McGilvary was riding him, on -some slight alarm rushed off into a thicket of low trees; and once, with -me on his back, went crashing through the standing timber in the forest. -In both cases it was nothing but the strength of the three-strand rattan -girth that saved either howdah or rider. The elephant’s fastest run is -not a “lope,” but a kind of long swing from side to side. It is an awful -sensation. I never was in an earthquake, but I imagine the two -experiences must be somewhat similar, with the fear in this case of -being at any instant dashed from your lofty perch to the ground. - -The special reason for this trip was the fear of some collision or -trouble between the government and the Christians with regard to the -Sunday question. Besides keeping their own Sabbath, the Christians were -forbidden to do any manual work on the Buddhist sacred days as well, -making altogether eight days in each month. Had the rule been the -outcome of conscientious scruples on the part of a religious people at -seeing their sacred day desecrated, we should have respected their -scruples. But the day was a mere holiday, and, except by a few of the -more religious, it was largely spent in hunting and fishing. I had to -remind the governor of his beautiful inconsistency. He would not allow -the Christians to use an axe or a plow on sacred days, while the people -generally were allowed to kill animals, thus breaking the most stringent -of Buddha’s laws. He must have felt the force of the argument, for -before the very next sacred day an order was issued forbidding hunting -and fishing on it. - -[Illustration: - - FIRST CHURCH IN CHIENGMAI] - - -[Illustration: - - DR. McGILVARY’S HOME IN CHIENGMAI] - - -But till the original order was revoked, strict obedience was enjoined -upon the Christians. - -The Annual Meeting was held in Lakawn early in December. Just before it -convened, Dr. and Mrs. W. A. Briggs and Rev. Robert Irwin arrived, -together with Dr. and Mrs. Peoples, returning from furlough. For the -present these were stationed at Lakawn. At the same time Rev. and Mrs. -Stanley K. Phraner were nearing Chiengmai on the Mê Ping fork. But our -song of joy over their arrival was destined soon again to have a sad -refrain. The two young brides had scarcely reached their husbands’ field -of labour—which they thought was to be theirs also—when they were both -called to a higher sphere. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - XXIX - - LENGTHENING THE CORDS AND STRENGTHENING THE STAKES - - -While in the United States, Dr. Peoples had succeeded in procuring a -font of Lāo type, with the necessary equipment for printing. For -twenty-three years we had used only the Siamese Scriptures and -literature. With many present disadvantages, it had some compensations. -Those who could read Siamese had access to the whole of the Old and New -Testaments. The press was set up in Chiengmai, and Rev. D. G. Collins -was made manager. The first printing done was Mrs. McGilvary’s -translation of the Gospel of Matthew. - -My daughter had been sent down to aid the Phraners on their river trip. -Word was sent ahead that Mrs. Phraner was not well. As they drew nearer, -her condition became so critical that Dr. McKean hastened with all speed -to meet them. When she reached Chiengmai, her condition, while still -critical, was more hopeful. I was ready to start on my tour as soon as -the party arrived. When I left home, we were still hopeful that rest, -kind nursing, and medical treatment would set her right again. - -During my absence this year I was fortunate enough to receive a regular -weekly mail from Chiengmai. A staff of engineers were surveying a -railroad route for the Siamese government, and had a weekly mail sent to -their stations along the line. They were very kind to include my letters -also, which was particularly fortunate in that thus I could have news of -the invalid left behind. - -I have learned to start on my tours with very flexible plans, leaving -much to the guidance of providential openings on the way. On this trip, -at the village of Pāng Krai—which, because it was a mile or two away -from the road, I had not visited in seventeen years—I was delayed three -days by a reception so cordial that I could not pass on. On my previous -trip a man from the village, Noi Tēchō by name, came with his little -girl across to our camp and begged us to visit it. This I could not then -do; but he remained with us till late at night, and seemed to be a -believer. I now found that in the interval the man had kept the Sabbath, -and had given such other evidence of his sincerity, that we could not -refuse his reception to the communion and fellowship of the church. On -the last night of our stay we had a baptismal and communion service that -was memorable. The man made a good confession before many witnesses, and -his little daughter was baptized as a non-communing member. - -As in many other cases, this family had been driven by trouble to our -religion. Originally he was the slave of a prince in Lakawn. The -accusation of witchcraft then settled on the family; but before they -were driven off the Prince compelled them to borrow money in order to -redeem themselves from him—to do which the man had to give two of his -children as security. After a move or two, he was driven by famine from -Lakawn, and came to this village. - -One morning at Wieng Pā Pāo I was summoned in great haste to attend one -of the engineers who was thought to have been nearly killed by a fall -from a runaway horse. I found that he had broken a collar-bone, but was -otherwise uninjured. I applied all of my amateur surgical skill, and set -the bone. But my patient, naturally enough, could not feel quite sure; -and thought it safer to go down to our hospital and get Dr. McKean’s -judgment on the case. He found the bone set all right. - -Late one Saturday evening I reached Bān Pā Hōng in Chieng Rāi province, -and stopped with the first Christian family. Next day I learned that in -the next section of the village there was a Christian girl very low with -consumption. Early on Monday morning I moved on, but was only in time to -see a lovely form and face apparently in the most natural sleep; but the -living soul had departed. I had baptized her two years before, when she -was fourteen years of age. She had been sick for seven months, and had -spent most of the time in prayer. It made me inexpressibly sad when I -learned that her strongest desire was to see her own “Paw Krū” before -she departed. On the previous evening, when she heard that we had -reached the village near by, she said, “And the Paw Krū is at Noi Lin’s, -and I cannot see him!” I preached her funeral sermon, and saw her -decently buried. - - * * * * * - -The next Sunday morning, while sitting in the Mê Kawn chapel and -preparing for service, I looked up and saw standing on the ground before -the door some people in a strange costume evidently not Lāo, looking in -as if in doubt whether to enter or not. I immediately recognized them as -belonging to the Mūsô tribe, quite numerous in the mountains near by. -Their ready acceptance of my invitation to come in showed that they were -waiting to be asked, and feared only lest they might be intruders. As -the Mūsôs will be prominent in our narrative of this and the two -following years, a word of introduction may be desirable. - -They are one of a numerous group of hill-tribes which have gradually -followed the mountain ridges down from the interior of the continent. -They live under a patriarchal government, if it may be rightly called a -government at all; and they enjoy great personal freedom, though the -authority of the clan approaches very near to absolute despotism. They -are worshippers of spirits, which are held to preside over the universe -and the destinies of men generally; while as a tribe they are under the -guardianship of their own “spirits.” They have a twelfth—day sabbath or -sacred day, not very definitely marked. They make a great deal of their -“kin waw” or New Year feast, when all communication with other villages -even of their own tribe is cut off during the five or seven days of -their feasting. The religious head of the village is called Pū Chān, and -the head Pū Chān of a province holds in his hands the conscience of all -his flock. - -Their manner of life is as follows: They select a locality, the higher -up the better, near the source of a mountain brook. They fell the trees -and undergrowth at the close of the rainy season, let them dry during -the hot season, and just before the next rainy season set fire to the -clearing on a windy day. All that is readily combustible is consumed, -leaving the logs on the ground. With a small hoe or a narrow spade they -make shallow openings in the earth some ten inches apart, all over the -field, and deposit in each a dozen rice grains, more or less. The rains -do the rest till the harvest. The second year’s crop is the best, but it -is seldom that they can compete with the scrub-growth for a third crop. -A temporary shack is easily erected, if possible, contiguous to three -clearings. When these are abandoned, they move on and repeat the -operation elsewhere. By this means all the higher mountains are being -steadily denuded of their forests. - -Being bound by no system of hoary age and venerable associations, like -Buddhism or Brahmanism, most of the hill-tribes are very receptive of -the Gospel. Their clannishness, however, is such that if they become -Christians at all, they come in a body. But it is very difficult for -individuals or families to break away from the clan. At the same time -their migratory and unsettled habits are by no means favourable to their -education and civilization. To any other power than that of the Gospel -that would seem to be a hopeless task. - -But to return to our visitors at the chapel. There were seven men and -boys in the party. The spokesman, Cha Pū Kaw, was tall and well -proportioned, with the bearing of one who might be a leader of some -position. He understood Lāo better than most of his tribe, and through -him it was by no means difficult to draw the others into conversation. -They were from three families that had been driven down nearer the plain -by accusation of witchcraft. They had learned from our elder that -Christians were not afraid of witchcraft, nor of expulsion from the -country. They had also talked over with him the plan of salvation for -sinful men provided in the Gospel, and had asked to be informed whenever -we should come again. They readily consented to remain through the -morning service, which was modified to suit the needs of the new -audience. It was the first Christian worship they had ever attended, and -they were evidently pleased. The Christians invited them to share their -dinner, and the most of the afternoon was given up to their instruction. -The boys were put to reading the catechism and learning to sing the Lāo -version of “There is a Happy Land.” They remained with us till there was -only light enough left to enable them to find their way home. - -Early next morning we crossed the plain to the foot of the mountain, -where we struck the little brook along which and in which lay our -pathway. The climb was a stiff one, but with noble outlooks over the -plain below. In their little hamlet there were three families, or, -rather, three divisions of one family, numbering twenty-six souls. By -their intercourse with the Christians at the chapel the soil had been -prepared for the seed. So from nine o’clock till noon we addressed -ourselves to teaching the elders, while the children were becoming more -and more interested in the catechism, and especially in the “Happy -Land.” - -While the men and boys were thus engaged, the grandmother and her -daughters were busy preparing dinner. When all was ready, the steaming -white rice was emptied on a board like that on which our housewives -knead their bread. With it was a vegetable curry, sweet potatoes steamed -over the rice, bananas, and other fruits, with native sugar in cakes for -dessert. The board piled with food was set before me, and I was invited -to partake. They were delighted that I could eat and enjoy it. - -After all had finished their meal, the exercises of the morning were -resumed, with the women now disengaged and free to listen. Long before -night Cha Pū Kaw and his brother-in-law, Cha Waw, of about the same age, -expressed their firm belief in the truth of our religion, and their -acceptance of the Gospel offer as far as they understood it. The women -said they would follow their husbands. The sun was already getting low -when we had worship together before leaving. When we came to bid our -hosts good-bye, we found that we were to be escorted down by the two -elder men and the boys, lest a tiger might meet us on the way. It was -almost dark when we reached the chapel.—A day never to be forgotten! - -At the chapel I found letters from Chiengmai bringing the news that Mrs. -Phraner’s long and painful sufferings were ended. She died on February -13th. All that three able physicians could do was done; but in vain. Her -mother and her family were never willing that she should become a -missionary, being sure that she could not endure the strain of a -missionary’s life. That fact filled the husband’s cup of sorrow to -overflowing. My letter stated that he was beside himself with grief; -that the physicians, and, in fact, the whole mission, strongly advised -him to join me on my tour; and that he would reach me not long after the -letter. - -On the following Friday, while getting the new chapel ready, I heard the -shout, “There comes the new teacher!” He was worn and haggard, and -visibly older than when I left him; but making a brave effort to be -cheerful. He said very little of his great loss. - -[Illustration: - - MAP OF NORTHERN SIAM, SHOWING MISSION STATIONS, UNDERLINED.] - - -On Sunday the whole Mūsô village was on hand long before the hour for -worship. The women came with their babes tied with a scarf to the -mother’s back, according to their custom. The news that they were become -Christians had spread, and drew a larger number than usual of our -non-Christian neighbours to the services. The Christians, too, were -greatly encouraged thereby. In the afternoon a few of the tribe from -another village were present, and listened with surprise to Cha Pū Kaw’s -first sermon. He had evidently entered upon his new faith in earnest, -and was not ashamed to bear his testimony. - -On Monday we moved on to Chieng Rāi, where I was to direct the removal -of a house to the lot which the Governor had offered us. But Mr. -Phraner’s condition demanded movement and change of scene. Arrangements -were, therefore, made to have the house moved by others, while we went -on at once to Chieng Sên. There we found the Chao Uparāt just returned -from a trip via Mûang Len to Mûang Sing, some hundred miles or so to the -northeast on the other side of the Mê Kōng River. He was profuse in his -praise both of Mûang Sing and of the journey thither; and suggested that -it would be a fine opening for a mission, and a most interesting tour. -The suggestion seemed attractive to us both. So, after a week of work in -the church and in the city of Chieng Sên, we started for Mûang Len and -Mûang Sing. - -Mûang Len is the common market centre of a large number of hill-tribes -that inhabit the mountain ridges in all directions round about. All the -cities and towns north of Chieng Sên hold a fifth-day fair or market. We -were fortunate in striking market-day on the Saturday of our arrival. -Early in the morning people began to pour into the place from all -directions. The mountain tribes came out, their beaux and belles all in -gala dress, some to buy and sell, and others because it was their weekly -holiday. - -From Chieng Sên I had brought along Nān Suwan, the Lû elder, who had -come into closer contact with these mountain tribes than had our elders -from the south. He could make the men, and especially the head men, -understand fairly well. To all who understood the Lāo I could, of -course, speak directly. We took our stand at the end of the market, and -the crowd gathered about us. None of them had ever seen a missionary. -None, save some few of the Lāo men, had ever read a book, or knew even a -letter of any written language. They were children of nature, artless -and unsophisticated. We pressed home the thought, new to them, that -there must be a maker of the world and of all creatures in it. We told -them the old, old story of the infinite love of God, our Father, and of -Christ, His Son, who suffered and died to save us, and of pardon freely -promised to all who believe in Him. This is the final argument that wins -these people. - -After the merely curious among the crowd had withdrawn, this doctrine of -salvation from sin held the more thoughtful, and brought them to our -tent in the afternoon, and even far on into the night. The head men -especially, who were more free to come to me, expressed a deep personal -interest in the new doctrine. The most interested and interesting man -was Sên Ratana, the governor of the Kôn quarter of the city. We met him -on Sunday. On Monday we called on him and spent most of the morning at -his house, explaining to him the plan of salvation and dictating to him -portions of Scripture for him to copy; for by this time the Lāo -manuscript copies which we brought with us were exhausted. He copied, -also, the first few questions and answers of the Shorter Catechism, -hoping that with these as a key, he could learn to read the Siamese -Gospel and catechism which I gave him. - -On our return to our tent on Monday evening we found almost a panic -among our people. Some lawless men had lounged about the tent most of -the day, asking suspicious questions about how much money we carried, -and how many guns, and whither we were going from there, etc., etc. The -result was that those who had been most eager for the trip beyond the Mê -Kōng to Mûang Sing, began now to beg us to return. Mr. Phraner, -moreover, became uneasy about his borrowed elephant, which would be a -great prize for robbers. So, after consultation, it was decided to -retrace our steps. However disappointing this might be to me, I had at -least learned the road to Mûang Sing and Mûang Yawng. The tour to both -those places, and to many others, was only deferred to the following -year, when we might hope to have at least one printed Gospel in the Lāo -language, and a tract or two to distribute. The news of Cha Pū Kaw’s -conversion spread far and wide, and was preparing the way for further -work among his tribe. - -Leaving Mûang Len on Wednesday, we breathed more freely after we had -crossed the border into Siam. On reaching Chieng Sên, Mr. Phraner -decided to return to Chiengmai. He had reaped all the benefit possible -from change of scene. He felt that he ought now to be in his future -home, settling down to a systematic study of the language. But I greatly -missed his pleasant company. - -The object of the missionary’s visit to an outlying church like that of -Chieng Sên, is to “lengthen the cords and strengthen the stakes”—to -awaken the careless, to attract the indifferent, and to deepen -impressions already made. Within the range of influence of such a church -there are always those who, though taught, indeed, by its native -officers, still need further instruction by the missionary—who have -objections to be met and doubts to be resolved beyond the power of these -officers to cope with. Not infrequently some one who is already a -believer has a wife, a husband, or children on whom his own final -decision depends. These must be visited in their homes. Their confidence -must be won and their friendship gained as a preliminary to awakening -their interest in our religion. - -For the sake of the Christians personally, as well as for the work in -general, it is important to cultivate the friendship of the local -rulers. It is to them that the Christians are responsible. And then the -Christian families must be visited, their children instructed, their -difficulties settled, their sick be treated, and instructed how to treat -themselves in our absence; and as much Scriptural teaching is to be -given as our time by night and by day will permit. But our most -important duty is to instruct the elders themselves, and give them an -uplift. - -When my work in Chieng Sên was done, I started for Chieng Kawng, taking -Nān Suwan along, for he was well known there and in most of the region -to be visited as far as Chieng Rāi. The Mê Tam, already referred to as -the stream which rises from under the mountain west of the plain, -becomes quite a river as it enters the Mê Kōng near Chieng Sên. The -bottom land is covered with reedy grass so tall that a large elephant -carrying a high howdah can be seen only a short distance away. Here we -lost our way completely, and wandered about bewildered for a long time. - -When finally we reached the stream, its trough was so deep that we -failed in a number of attempts to get down to the water. At last we dug -down as best we could the edge of the high sandy bank, and, after much -urging, and some protest on his part, my sadaw tremblingly reached forth -his front feet, lay down, and slid like an alligator, dragging his hind -legs after him, till, with a mighty plunge, we landed in deep water. It -was an awful sensation for the rider. The place was in a bayou with -“back water” so deep as to be quite over one’s head; and, unlike the -natives, the rider could not swim! The landing on the further shore was -little better. There the elephant struggled up the bank until he got his -forefeet on the edge above. Then, with a gigantic effort, he drew -himself up so suddenly that the rider had to hold on for dear life to -avoid being thrown over his head. It was a feat that only an elephant -could perform, and one would much prefer witnessing it from a distance -to being on his back during the operation. - -At Chieng Kawng I was sorry to find the governor sadly crippled. In -descending a flight of steps he had slipped to the ground, dislocating -his ankle and bruising the bone. The joint had been barbarously treated, -was fearfully swollen, and caries of the bone had evidently set in. I -urged him to take an elephant and go to our hospital, as the only -possible chance of cure. He was favourably inclined to the idea, and -promised to do so after trying somewhat longer the incantations of a -noted sorceress, who was believed to have great power over wounds. It -almost passes belief that such an intelligent man could have any faith -in it. Yet reason and ridicule alike failed to dispel the hope that she -might succeed. The result might have been predicted. After giving him -great suffering, the treatment cost him his life. - -While I was in Chieng Kawng, a Nān prince returning from Mûang Sing -brought the news that negotiations then on foot between France and Siam -would put a stop to all further settlement of that district; would, in -fact, transfer the whole region east of the Mê Kōng to France. The -Prince of Nān was greatly disappointed; but little did we think that the -transfer would ultimately prove an effectual barrier to our work also. -It is surely one of the anomalies and anachronisms of the twentieth -century that a Christian nation of Europe should oppose the introduction -of Christianity into a region over which it has absolute control! - -On the last night before we left, all the princes and officers came to -see us, and remained till midnight. They were as loath to have us leave -them as we were to go. - -The journey from Chieng Kawng was intensely hot; the thermometer -standing at 103° in my howdah by day, and on one night in my tent at -96°. On the banks of the Mê Ing I found native white roses in bloom in -abundance, and brought home with me a plant which Mrs. McGilvary greatly -prized, for this was the only native rose I had found in the Lāo -territory. - -On the way to Mûang Tông I passed the camp of Chao Wieng Sā, a Nān -prince whom I had met in his home on two former visits. He was -overseeing the felling and running of teak timber down the Mê Ing and -the Mê Kōng to Lūang Prabāng. He had received and read a Siamese New -Testament, was quite familiar with the life and teachings of Jesus, and -admired His character. A lawsuit afterwards brought him to Chiengmai, -where I saw a great deal of him. He was surely a believer at heart. To -me he was willing to confess that his only hope was in Jesus Christ, but -was not ready to make a public profession of his faith. I love to think -of many such whom I have met as like the Gamaliels, the Nicodemuses, and -the Josephs of Christ’s day. - -[Illustration: - - MRS. McGILVARY - 1893] - - -At Mûang Tông, as soon as I dismounted from my elephant an officer met -me to enquire who I was, and to escort me to the public sālā. I soon -learned that he was the brother of another officer whom I had found on -the road to Chieng Rāi the year before, unable to travel and, -apparently, sick unto death with fever. His company could not linger -indefinitely in the forest, and so had left him there with two men to -watch him, and probably to see him die. A dose of calomel, and the -quinine which I left with instructions as to its use, seem to have cured -his fever and enabled him to reach his home in safety. He was himself -now absent, but his brother’s heart had been opened to friendship, and -he did all that he could for my comfort. At night he invited his friends -to the sālā to meet me, and we had an interesting evening. In all these -places Nān Suwan and Noi Siri would often be heard talking to the -audience after I had retired, and until sleep closed my eyes. - -During our absence from Chieng Rāi a case of oppression, or, at least, -of evident injustice, on the part of the Court, had led our friend the -governor to take all Christians under his personal protection as his own -dependents. The kindness was well meant, and we thanked him for it. But -I doubted its wisdom. The only scheme under which Christianity can -really establish itself in all lands, is to have Christians stand on -precisely the same level before the law as Buddhists or Brahmans or the -followers of any other religion. - -From Chieng Rāi the elders were sent on to Cha Pū Kaw’s village to see -how the Mūsôs were getting on. I followed them in a day or two. When I -reached the chapel at Mê Kawn, the elders had returned from the Mūsô -village with a glowing account of their constancy. This the testimony of -Noi Tāliya and of all the Lāo Christians confirmed. They had not missed -a single Sunday service; old and young alike came, and mothers, as -before, bringing their children tied on their backs. They had shamed the -Lāo Christians by their earnestness, getting to the chapel first, -studying hard, and returning home late. - -On Saturday morning the whole village came down, and we spent the day -together. They remained that night as the guests of the Lāo. The next -day, Sunday, was largely given up to their instruction. They all had -renounced the worship of spirits; they all accepted Jesus as their -Saviour; they were all diligently learning to read and to sing. Their -conduct was most consistent; they had a good reflex influence upon the -church; and their conversion was an astonishment to the non-Christian -community. - -These Mūsôs had all come, expecting to join the church. They had been -taught that public baptism—confessing Christ before men—was the -consummating act, the external seal of their initiation into the -privileges of the church. Although we impressed upon them that they were -not saved by the mere ceremony of baptism, yet somehow they felt that -without it they were not quite in the church, and hence probably not -quite safe from the spirits. Since it would be nearly a year before they -would have another opportunity, it seemed unwise not to receive some of -them at this time. The greatest doubt was about Cha Waw. Yet he felt -that more than any other he needed whatever protection and assistance -the church could afford him. He had begun with his whole strength to -break the chains of his opium habit, to seek pardon and be saved. He -felt confident that with God’s help he would succeed. - -The final decision was that, in order to bind them to the service of -Christ, they were all to appear before the session and make their -profession; but that only the two old men should be received into full -communion, and that one grandson from each family be baptized as -non-communing members. It was thought best to let the others wait till -our next visit; though I have never been satisfied that they should not -all have been admitted that day. Three of these Mūsô boys accompanied me -to Chiengmai on my return, and entered the Boys’ School. It is not at -all surprising that, in surroundings so different from those of their -mountain homes, they presently grew lonesome and homesick. But they were -satisfactory pupils, and remained in school long enough to get a good -start in reading and singing. - -Cha Waw, after a manful struggle, finally succeeded in breaking away -entirely from his opium—by the help of prayer and of quinine, as he -always believed and affirmed. When the non-Christian tribesmen with -their opium pipes visited his village, he was accustomed to go down to -the elders at Mê Kawn, to be away from temptation, and under Christian -influence. He lived a number of years after this to attest the reality -of his victory—the only case I have ever known where the victory was -surely won. - -That year there was a famine among all the hill tribes. The upland rice -was almost entirely cut off by a plague of rats. I do not believe in -“rice Christians”; but when people are famishing with hunger, I believe -in feeding them, whether they are Christians or not. These did not ask -either for money or for any other aid. But when I left them, I made -arrangement with the Lāo elders to furnish them with sixty buckets of -rice, for which I paid ten rupees in advance. They were very grateful -for the aid. - -The days spent among the Mūsôs that week were inspiring. Glowing visions -arose before us of a new tribe brought into the Christian church, of -which these were the first-fruits. On this whole tour, indeed, only nine -adults and seventeen children were baptized. But in addition to the -opening of work among the Mūsôs, we had for the first time preached the -Gospel beyond the borders of the kingdom of Siam; and our longing eyes -were turned toward the Sipsawng Pannā, and beyond the great river. By -this time the rains had already begun to fall. A new season was needed -to fulfil our desires. - -Much as I always enjoy my long tours, when my work is done and my face -at last is turned homewards, the gait of my sadaw seems distressingly -slow. On reaching Chiengmai I found all in fair health, and all -departments of work in full operation. But while I was still on my way, -word reached me of the death of Mrs. Briggs in Lakawn, only a month and -nine days after that of Mrs. Phraner. So unexpected was it that I was -not even aware that she had been ill. In answer to my request for a few -particulars from Dr. Briggs, I have received the following, which I know -he will excuse me for transferring to these pages: - - “MRS. ALICE HAMILTON BRIGGS was from Truro, Nova Scotia. - Although within a year of graduation, she gave up her medical - course and accompanied her husband to the Lāo mission in answer - to the call of the Board. When she bade good-bye to the - Secretaries of the Board, Dr. Gillespie said to her, ‘It is a - pleasure to see you so robust and strong. In this respect you - are better off than your husband. There have been so many - missionary women who have broken down on the field, that we are - glad to see that you have a reserve of health.’ - - “Before leaving American shores, however, Mrs. Briggs contracted - a slight cough which developed in severity during the voyage. On - her arrival in Siam it became apparent that the case was one of - pulmonary tuberculosis. The disease seemed to respond to - treatment, and for months improvement was marked. Up to within - twenty-four hours of death Mrs. Briggs was so hopeful of a - return to health that she refused to allow her family at home to - know of her condition. On Saturday she was cutting out a new - dress for herself. On Sunday night she passed away. Dr. Briggs - was spending the evening with her, when a call came to attend a - child said to be dying just across the road. The doctor said he - would be back soon. A few minutes later he was called back too - late even to hear a last word of farewell.” - -The event most interesting to us as a family during the fall of this -year, 1891, was the arrival of our son Evander with his young bride, and -our daughter Margaret, to carry on the work begun by their parents. Our -son had made special preparation for translating the Scriptures into the -Lāo language, then the most pressing need of the mission. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - XXX - - AMONG THE MŪSÔ VILLAGES—FAMINE - - -For the tour of 1892 I was to have the company of Dr. McKean as long as -he could be spared from Chiengmai, which would greatly enhance the value -of the trip. We had also three native evangelist-assistants, and, last, -but not least, we were well supplied with Scriptures and tracts in the -Lāo dialect. Our start was made on January 5th. - -Our first two Sundays and the intervening week we spent in Wieng Pā Pāo, -where we established ourselves in the new chapel which the people -themselves had built since our last tour. We observed the Week of Prayer -with two chapel services daily, and house-to-house and heart-to-heart -work in the intervals. The church was formally organized with thirty-six -adult members and thirty children, three ruling elders, and two deacons. - -From Wieng Pā Pāo we moved on to the village of Mê Kawn, the centre of -our very interesting work of the previous year among the Mūsô tribe. The -Sunday we spent there was a red-letter day in our missionary life. Of it -Dr. McKean writes: “This has been a blessed day. All [of the Mūsôs] -desire baptism. Two boys baptized last year were admitted to the -communion. Eleven other adults and seven children were baptized, making -twenty-two Mūsôs now members of the visible church. One Lāo girl was -received on confession, and three Lāo children were baptized. Our -Christian Mūsôs were out in full force. A Mūsô officer and others not -Christians attended from another village. Before this we had visited -these people in their homes. We found that they had built a good chapel -for their worship, a better building than either of their own houses. -They had been very diligent in observing the Sabbath, in studying the -catechism, and in worship.” - -We could not have been better pleased with our first success. The -exclusion of this little group from the large villages made it possible -and easy for all of them to become Christians. The whole-hearted zeal -with which they entered the church awakened strong hopes for the -conversion of their race. Cha Pū Kaw’s knowledge of the Lāo tongue was -above the average even of their head men. It would be a long time before -we could have another such interpreter and assistant. And he was nearly, -or quite, seventy years old; so that whatever he was to do in teaching -his people must be done soon. It was, therefore, thought best to make a -strong effort through him and his family during that season. - -At our next stopping-place, Nāng Lê, we came near having a serious -casualty. Our boys were out on a deer hunt, and one of them bethought -him of a novel expedient for getting the game. He climbed a tree, and -had the grass fired on the other side of the open space. The grass was -tall and dry, and the wind blew strong towards him. He became so -engrossed in looking for the deer that he forgot the fire, till it was -too late to flee. He could climb beyond the actual flames; but meanwhile -the whole air had become like the breath of a furnace. When, at last, -the fire had swept past him, and he was able to descend, he was a mass -of blisters. The swiftness of the rush of the fire alone saved his life. -Had it been slower, he could not have escaped suffocation. - -From Nāng Lê we visited a very large Mūsô village. It was a steep -foot-climb of four solid hours, and, to make it longer, our guide missed -the way. The first sign of human life we saw was a Mūsô girl alone -watching a clearing. She fled for dear life, till, recognizing Cha Pū -Kaw’s Mūsô speech, she stopped long enough to point the way to the -village. Her fleet steps outran ours, and when we reached the village, -the people were already assembling to see the unwonted sight of the -white foreigners. But the community was greatly disturbed over another -matter. One of their leading officers, it seemed, was accused of being -the abode of a demon that had caused an epidemic of disease. The -authorities were hourly waiting for an order from the court in Chieng -Rāi to expel him and his family by force from the province. They had -heard of Cha Pū Kaw’s conversion, and were anxious to hear from himself -his reasons therefor—which he gave and enforced till late in the night. -They were expecting, however, on the morrow a regular conflict which -might result in bloodshed, and they evidently preferred that we should -not be there. The head Pū Chān was several days’ journey distant. They -would confer together among themselves and with him, would let us know -the result, and would invite us up again before we left their -neighbourhood. - -About midnight a fierce storm of wind and rain broke upon us to our -great discomfort. Our thin tent afforded but poor protection. We doubled -up our bedding over our clothes, and sat upon the pile under our -umbrellas, and laughed at the novelty of our situation and the poor -prospect of a night’s sleep. But later the storm passed off, and we did -get a little sleep. Our visit to that group of Mūsô villages was -evidently not well timed. We took the advice of their officers, and -returned to Nāng Lê. - -Two days later we reached Chieng Sên. Here we received a mail from home, -with news that Mrs. McKean was not well, and other members of the -station needed the doctor’s presence. It was expressed as “the unanimous -judgment of the station that he should return immediately.” We had -planned a regular campaign in the Mūsô districts on both sides of the Mê -Kōng—the sort of trip in which the medical missionary finds his best -opportunity. But the recall was so imperative that it could not be -ignored. So I was left to continue the work alone. - -The Mūsô tribe was about equally numerous in the mountain ranges on both -sides of the big river. On the east side there were eleven villages. It -seemed advisable to take that section first, because they were under -Chieng Sên rulers, of whose cordial and sincere interest in our work we -were sure. Sên Chai, the head man of the large village nearest to the -city, was a friend of Nān Suwan, and was strongly inclined to embrace -our religion; but felt the difficulty of breaking the tribal bond. -Before this I had made him a visit of two or three days, and saw clearly -that our only chance of accomplishing anything was to gain all the head -men of the eleven villages. It was actually easier to win over the whole -as a unit than to win it piecemeal. This was a formidable task to -undertake, but with God’s blessing on the labours of Cha Pū Kaw and Nān -Suwan, it seemed not impossible. - -We set out for the first village one morning shortly after ten o’clock. -It was four o’clock when we stopped for rest at the first cluster of -houses on the outskirts of the settlement. The news of our arrival soon -reached the main village. When we started again we met Sên Chai with a -regular serenade-party of men and boys with native reed instruments, -blowing their plaintive dirge-like music, to welcome us and escort us -in. Soon the population was all assembled—the maidens in their best -sarongs, the mothers and grandmothers each with an urchin strapped to -her back by her scarf, the men coming in from their work, and the -inevitable crowd of children. Cha Pū Kaw was already answering their -questions, with Nān Suwan’s sympathetic aid. They were respectfully shy, -but there was no cringing. Sên Chai invited the local Pū Chān and all -the villagers to assemble after their evening meal to hear the new -doctrines. We first had worship with singing, and prayer by Cha Pū Kaw. -It was the first time they had heard the Great Spirit addressed in their -own Mūsô tongue. There were frequent exclamations of delight that they -were able to understand every word. - -And then, before that motley crowd, drinking with them their native tea -from an earthen teapot, the men seated close around, or reclining as -they smoke their pipes, the women and children walking about or sitting -on the ground—we tell of God the great Spirit, the Creator, and Father -of all—the Bible, His message to men—the incarnation, life, and death of -Christ, and redemption through His blood. Before we get through you will -hear man after man say, “I believe that. It is true.” One man takes up -the story from Cha Pū Kaw’s mouth and repeats it to another—a story that -till now he himself had never heard. Another says, “Nān Suwan has told -us this before, but now we hear it from the father-teacher.” - -Before we retired that night Sên Chai said to us, with the approval of -most of his village, “Go on to Sên Bun Yūang and the head men of the -other villages. If they agree, we will all accept Christianity. One -village cannot accept it alone. If we do not ‘kin waw’ with them—join in -their New Year’s feast—we shall be treated as enemies by the whole -tribe.” - -So, next morning, we set out to find the great Pū Chān—the religious -head of the province. On our way to his village we fell in with a man to -whom Cha Pū Kaw was speaking with great earnestness. I found on -approaching him that he was not a Mūsô, but a Kūi—of a tribe which we -had planned to visit later. He was the Pū Chān of his village. He had -already invited us through Cha Pū Kaw to change our plan, and visit his -village first. It was nearer than the village we were intending to -visit, and we were already tired enough with our climb to be willing to -stop at the nearest place. - -The village was a large one, as mountain villages go—of twenty-five or -thirty houses, and from two hundred and fifty to three hundred souls—in -general not unlike the Mūsô villages we had seen. The Kūi language also, -while different from the Mūsô, is cognate with it, so that Cha Pū Kaw -could still act fairly well as our interpreter. His talk with the Pū -Chān on the way had already laid a good foundation for our work in the -evening, when curiosity and interest in our errand brought the whole -village together to hear Cha Pū Kaw’s new doctrine from his own lips. -The news of his conversion had already reached them, and he had made a -good impression on the religious head of the village.—And, then, it was -something new to see the Mūsô boys able to read and to sing. Nān Suwan -and Cha Pū Kaw led in prayer, the one in Lāo and the other in Mūsô. Then -our religion was explained in its two leading ideas—rejection of the -spirit-cult, and acceptance of Jesus for the pardon of sin and the life -eternal. Questions were asked and answered. - -At last the Pū Chān suggested that, while we continued our reading and -singing with the women and children, he and the men, with Cha Pū Kaw, -withdraw to a neighbouring house and talk the matter over. It was -evident that they would be more at their ease by themselves, unawed by -the presence of the foreign teacher. For some two hours the debate -continued. I could hear their earnest voices from the neighbouring -house, with only now and then a Lāo word that I could understand. Then -they returned to make their report. With oriental politeness, they -expressed their gratitude to the “great teacher” who had come so far and -at such expense, and had brought with him a fellow-mountaineer of -theirs, to teach them, creatures of the jungle, the way to happiness. -They had talked these matters over, and understood them somewhat, but -not fully. Some were greatly pleased with the teachings, and believed -them true. But they could not yet come as an entire village, and they -dared not separate. Next morning we parted as friends. They were glad -that we had found the way to their village. “Be sure to come again!” -That I thought surely I should do; but this proved to be my only visit. - -At the Sên Lūang’s village, where the great Pū Chān lived, we had the -same experience—a good reception, many apparently interested and anxious -to escape their own spirit-worship. A number of the head men said, “If -such and such a village accepts the Jesus-religion, we will.” But no one -could be found to face the clan and make a start. - -Thinking that our native evangelists might get at the heart of the -people all the better if left to do it alone, and being anxious to get -my mail from home, I went down on Saturday to Nān Suwan’s to spend the -Sunday there with the Christians. On Tuesday, to my disappointment, the -evangelists returned to me discouraged. They were convinced that in the -district east of the Mê Kōng River, no break in the solidarity of the -clan could be accomplished that season. - -But it was important not to leave these people with the impression that -we had abandoned them. I had left Sên Chai’s village with the promise to -return. So I went up with the Mūsô Christian boys, and spent a last -night with them. The village again assembled, and we had an interesting -evening. The Sên was greatly disappointed that none of the other -villages would join him. But the New Year was at hand, when the clan -must be unbroken. They would wait another year, and try to get the other -villages to join them. On the whole, I was encouraged. When we left them -we were escorted out of the village to the music of their plaintive -flutes, more like a victorious than a vanquished army. - -After a day or two with the Chieng Sên church, we visited the ridge to -the southeast of that city, between it and Chieng Kawng. Our experience -there was but a repetition of that from which we were just come—cordial -receptions, night audiences, manifest interest, individual believers, -anxious consultations, promises for the next year; but the tribal bond -was too strong to be broken. - -But Cha Pū Kaw was anxious that we should not pass by his own mountain -villages on the Mê Kok. So we turned southward again toward Chieng Rāi. -This, moreover, was one of those famine years, such as we have already -encountered in our story, and shall encounter yet again; many people -were on the verge of starvation. In places we could not get food for our -own men. And famine was beginning to be followed by disease and death. -This was a serious obstacle to our work. - -Another serious obstacle was the use of opium, which became more -prevalent the further west we went along the Mê Kok range towards Mûang -Fāng. We presently reached villages where the poppy was cultivated, -until, in the last village, men, women, and boys, and sometimes even -girls, were its slaves. Fevers and dysentery prevail during the rainy -season. These people have a very scanty pharmacopœia, and no antidotes -whatever for these diseases. Opium in some form is probably their surest -remedy. Many persons told me that they began by using it in sickness. As -sickness recurred the habit grew, until they were fast bound in its -chains. These facts largely determined the character of the instruction -we gave, and made our tour a kind of anti-opium crusade. Encouraged and -disappointed at every village, I was still tempted on by visions of -capturing some large village that would prove a more effective entering -wedge for the tribe than Cha Pū Kaw’s poor little hamlet. The six weeks -so spent were at the time the most novel and exciting, as well as most -arduous, of all my missionary experiences so far. - -We took both the old Mūsô men as assistants, and the younger ones as -carriers for our equipment. Our first day’s journey was a fair sample of -what we had to do continually. In many places it would be a misnomer to -speak of the track we travelled as a path. We left the plain in the -morning, and it was half-past two in the afternoon when we reached the -first summit. It was five o’clock when, desperate with thirst, we came -upon a flowing brook. There was, then, still another hard climb before -we saw our long looked-for first village ahead. And, in general, because -of the habit these people have of planting their villages upon the very -highest points where they can get water, the journey from one of these -villages to another in plain sight, and, apparently, but a short -distance away, would take hours of the hardest travel. Sometimes we -would walk weary hours through rain, or through bushes as wet as rain, -to visit a village; only to walk back again after sitting three hours in -wet clothes trying in vain to awaken some interest in old or young. - -One of the most interesting, and, at the same time, one of the saddest, -cases we met was that of Mûn Kamprai, the head man of a village which -clearly bore the impress of his character in the intelligence and -industry of its inhabitants. From opium he had kept entirely aloof -until, only a few years before this time, under the stress of a severe -illness, he began to take it. The poor man now realized that he was -becoming a wreck, but seemed to have no will-power left to make the -effort to break away from the habit. He was much interested, however, in -his two fellow-tribesmen whom I had brought as my assistants; and Cha -Waw’s example seemed to afford him a faint gleam of hope. If we would -stop a week and teach his people, and would stand by to aid him, he -would try. If successful, he would surely become a Christian—and then -his village would be the one we had been hoping for to free itself from -the tribal bond, and become Christian. - -The experiment was, indeed, pathetic. Removing all temptation, he began -with a desperate determination to succeed. We encouraged him with human -sympathy and the hope of divine aid. We pushed as far as we dared the -use of a tonic which Dr. McKean had given me for such cases; and it -aided him perceptibly. He held out manfully for several days. But, at -last, in an evil hour, he could endure the torture no longer, and before -we knew it, he had resumed the use of the drug. For two nights he had -not slept. In his own expressive language, it was not his eyes, but his -heart that could not sleep. Poor man! his sufferings must have been as -near those of the infernal regions as it is possible to experience in -the body. And then his absolute wreck of mind, and the contempt he felt -for himself when he gave up the struggle as hopeless! - -We spared no labour to reach the homes of these people, or their hearts. -We tried to become Mūsôs to the Mūsôs that we might win them. Sometimes -we had to sleep in their huts—on a floor raised two or three feet from -the ground, which the dogs shared with the family, while the pigs and -goats were on the ground beneath. In the centre was a raised fireplace -on which the native teapot always boiled. Sleeping-mats or thin bedding -lay about on the floor, and on this, before bedtime, some of the inmates -would lie down and fall asleep even while listening to the -conversation.—But everywhere the tribal bond was too strong to be -broken. - -[Illustration: - - MŪSÔ PEOPLE AND HUT NEAR CHIENG RAI] - -By this time the rains had set in. The trails—and the leeches that -infested them—were getting worse and worse. Soon the torrent-streams -would become impassable. We must return while yet we could. Our six -weeks’ wanderings we retraced in four days of constant tramping. It had -been a hard trip for all of us. I myself had a touch of fever. It seemed -good on reaching our camp to have once more the luxury of a chair and a -table. And then to be on the sadaw’s back travelling homewards, and to -meet a good mail on the way! My three-score and fourth birthday was -spent in the forest, and I reached home safely on the 18th of May, after -an absence of nearly five months. - - * * * * * - -The peninsula of Farther India is largely exempt from the terrible -scourge of famine which has become almost chronic in Hindustan, its -greater neighbour on the west. There the population is so numerous that -the normal production of food is just sufficient to supply its needs. -Even a local or a partial failure of the crops must produce distress. -Siam, on the contrary, is happy in that it not only produces an abundant -supply for its own people, but is a granary for the surrounding -countries. The worst that has ever been experienced in Lower Siam in -years of greatest scarcity, has been the necessity of checking the -export of rice. The annual floods there cover the whole country, so that -a general failure of crops is, humanly speaking, impossible. - -In the northern states the land is higher; and considerable portions of -it, being above inundation, are directly dependent upon the seasonal and -local rains. But with a population by no means dense, this very -diversity of the cultivated areas is a source of safety. A season of -heavy rainfall which drowns the lowland rice, is apt to prove -exceptionally good for the uplands. And, on the other hand, a season of -light rainfall, which cuts short the upland crop, is apt to be a good -season for the flooded areas. And in considerable sections of the -country there is the chance that a second crop in the same season may -make good the loss of the first. There is a further security also in the -fact that, until communication with the coast becomes such as to make -exportation profitable, the excess of fruitful years remains unconsumed -in the country, to supply the need of less fruitful ones. It thus comes -about that scarcity amounting to a real famine cannot result from the -failure of crops in any single year. It requires two consecutive -failures to produce extensive suffering among the very poor, and three -to result in a real famine. - -This last, however, was the case in 1892. In 1890 there was a light crop -throughout the land, with less excess than usual to be stored. In 1891 -the crop was lighter still. In the eastern provinces, particularly in -Lakawn and Prê, there was very little rice to be reaped. Famine -conditions began there long before the time for harvest. People were -scattering off in squads or by families into Chiengmai and the northern -provinces, begging a daily morsel. They were poverty-stricken as well as -famishing. The distress led the brethren in Lakawn to make an appeal to -friends in the United States for a famine fund. Quite a liberal -response, amounting to several thousand dollars, was made to this call, -largely by the friends of the Lāo mission. The relief was almost as -timely for the missionaries as it was for the famishing people. -Otherwise they scarcely could have lived through the long strain on -their nerves and sympathies caused by the constant sight of sufferings -which they could not even in part relieve. - -The province of Chiengmai could have met its own needs until the new -crop came in, had it not been for the constant draft upon its reserves -to meet the demands of Lakawn and Prê. But, between high prices offered -and pity for the less fortunate, those reserves were steadily drained -away, until, during the latter months of the year, famine was upon us in -Chiengmai, too. Bands of men from destitute villages, maddened by hunger -and unable to buy food, began to roam about the country by night, or, -sometimes, by day, and seize rice wherever any little remnant of it -could be found. The authorities were powerless to restrain them or to -keep order. The condition of the more destitute provinces can better be -imagined than described. - -At last the relief committee in Lakawn were asked if they could not -spare us a small portion of their fund, for it seemed that their -condition could not be much worse than ours. A letter from Dr. W. A. -Briggs brought us three hundred rupees, but with the following -_caveat_—the italics are his: - - “_Wherever_ we can reach the absolutely starving, that is a - place to invest. We do not pretend to relieve all the - _suffering_. Now, if the need in Chiengmai, or in the district - mentioned, is so great that people are actually dying from - starvation, and those now living are living on such stuff as the - sample enclosed (cocanut-husks, leaves, bark, etc.), _with never - a grain of rice_, then I would advise you to form a Famine - Committee, and go into the business as we have done. The actual - starvation _must_ be attended to, _no matter where it is_. But - our saddest experience is within Prê. Some one should be sent - there at once.” - -The scenes reported from Prê were harrowing. I will not pain the reader -by dwelling upon them. One happy result followed the efforts of the -brethren who went to the relief of that district. While administering to -bodily wants, they preached the Gospel, making such an impression that -there was a strong demand for a permanent station there—which was -established the next year, with Dr. and Mrs. Briggs as pioneer -missionaries. - -It should be stated that, toward the last, the Siamese government sent -up supplies of rice; but, because of the distance and the difficulty of -transportation, not much reached the suffering people in time to help -them; and much was lost in passing through the hands of so many -officials. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - XXXI - - CHIENG RUNG AND THE SIPSAWNG PANNĀ - - -At the Annual Meeting of the mission in December, 1892, the broad field -of Tai peoples north of the frontier of Siam was discussed, and Rev. -Robert Irwin and myself were appointed to make a tour into that region -as long and as far as in our judgment might be deemed wise. The tour -occupied nearly five months—from January 3d to May 25th, 1893. This time -we went fairly well supplied with portions of Scriptures and tracts, and -a good outfit of medicine. Of quinine we carried a hundred ounces, and -returned with less than twenty-five. We relied on the medicines for the -welcome they never yet had failed to win for us. And Mr. Irwin had a -cornet which did excellent service throughout the tour. For riding I had -my big “sadaw” elephant, and Mr. Irwin had a pony; so we could exchange -mounts at our convenience. I pass over the earlier portion of our route, -already so often described, and the two weeks spent among the -hill-tribes visited on previous trips. - -The chief object of our trip was to visit, in their ancient homes, two -northern tribes of the Lāo race—the Kôn and the Lû—from which very many -of our parishioners in the southern provinces derived their origin. For, -under conditions which lasted very nearly down to our own time, there -was almost constant predatory warfare going on in this northern -country—stronger states raiding the weaker, and sweeping away the entire -population of the districts they overran, to plant them in their own -realms. Thus whole villages, and even entire districts, in the Lāo -provinces of Siam, are peopled by the descendants of such colonies of -captives. We found it unadvisable to attempt both visits in the same -season, and the Lû were the more accessible, living on the nearer slopes -of the Mê Kông valley. We went up on the west of the river along the -edge of the British territory, now known as the South Shan States, and -beyond it into Chinese territory, as far as Chieng Rung;[15] then, -returning, we made a somewhat wider sweep to the east of the river, -through French Indo-China; finally recrossing the river at Chieng Lāp, -where we struck once more our outgoing trail. - -Footnote 15: - - This name appears on some maps as Chieng Hung, initial _r_ in the - North being generally pronounced as _h_.—ED. - -After leaving Mûang Len, the utmost point of a former trip, we travelled -awhile by a fine road along the summit of a ridge so regular as to seem -almost like an artificial embankment, and affording noble views over the -valley. At Wieng Mai, a recent offshoot of Mûang Yawng, we spent a most -interesting Saturday and Sunday. Here the Prince-Governor sent to ask if -he should not put up a sālā to shelter us during our stay. In the -morning we preached in the market-place, and afterwards I distributed -medicine and talked with the people till noon, when I had to flee away -to rest under the shade of a big tree by the river. The people seemed -hungry for the bread of life. I could not supply all the requests made -for copies of the Scriptures. - -Mûang Yawng, the older and larger city, we reached on Monday forenoon, -after a two hours’ ride. An officer met us at the gate, and showed us to -the sālā. When the Chao Mawm heard of our arrival, he sent for us, -meeting us at the door. We had a very interesting interview, but he was -not inclined to talk on the subject of religion. He told me that the -city and district had been entirely depopulated in 1809 by a force from -Chiengmai, when “nothing was left behind but the ground.”[16] It had -recovered itself, however, and its population was now larger than that -of Lampūn. With Nān Suwan I visited the market and the Court. At the -latter place I learned that the British Commissioner would arrive the -next day. Knowing that everything would be in confusion, we decided to -move on the next morning. - -Footnote 16: - - This incident is a striking illustration of the methods of warfare in - those days. The expedition in question was directed against the - Burmese, who had established themselves in Mûang Yāng some sixty miles - or more to the northwest. On its way it passed through Mûang Yawng, - where it was loyally received. But being defeated at Mûang Yāng, it - fell back upon Mûang Yawng, and there gathered up all the inhabitants - and swept them off to Chiengmai to prevent their falling into the - hands of the enemy!—ED. - -From this point on, our elephant was everywhere an object of great -interest. Sometimes the people climbed trees to get a better view of -him. A long day’s march brought us to Mûang Yū, picturesquely situated -on high bluffs, with deep gorges running down to the Mê Lūi. Here we -remained only overnight, leaving early the next morning for Mûang Lūi, -which we reached about noon. That evening we had a large attendance at -worship, the governor and officials remaining till after eleven o’clock. -The original population of both these districts, as well as that of -Mûang Yawng, are now scattered throughout the provinces of Chiengmai and -Lampūn. - -Next morning we crossed the beautiful stream on a raft, while our -elephant took the ford. During the forenoon we came upon Captain Davis -of the Commissioner’s staff, who had been sent to make a detour by Mûang -Sing, and was then on his way to join his party. He was resting by the -roadside, ill with fever, and was glad to get from me some quinine. - -The following day, Saturday, brought us to Mûang Lūang, the largest and -most important place in the valley and the southernmost of the old -Sipsawng Pannā confederacy. The valley population is wholly Lû. There is -scarcely a Ngīu (Western Shan) to be found east of the Keng Tung -watershed. Here were the best roads we had seen anywhere in Farther -India, with a real arched bridge of stone across the stream at the -entrance to the city. Early next morning we were awakened by a noisy -crowd about our tent, anxious to see us. It was the great market day, -so, instead of attempting a regular service in camp, we chose the -market-place. There, whether reading or speaking, we always had some -attentive listeners. - -On Monday our road lay for many miles along the summit of a low ridge on -which at intervals were fifteen large villages, just at the edge of the -long fertile plain, where are the rice-fields that feed the country. I -never saw in all my touring anything quite to equal that row of -villages. It seemed too bad to pass through so many without even -stopping. - -[Illustration: - - GROUP OF YUNNAN LĀO] - -On the fourth day from Mûang Lūang we reached Chieng Rung, the limit of -our northward journey. Its location is strikingly beautiful, on a high -steep bluff overlooking the Mê Kōng River, which sweeps in a majestic -curve about its base. It is in Chinese territory, and is ruled by a Chao -Fā appointed from Yunnan. An officer from Yunnan was there at the time -collecting tribute. The influence of the English was already felt there. -Mûang Chê, to the west, had rebelled against the Chao Fā, who thereupon -sent out an expedition which captured and brought away some three -hundred families of the inhabitants. But England cannot allow border -warfare to go on along her frontier. An English officer appeared on the -scene, and the thing was stopped. - -At Chieng Rung we were still in the midst of an area of Lāo-speaking -people—an area which extended far beyond on every side. I gave a portion -of Scripture to a Lû whose home was ten days’ journey northward; and -others to men from as far to the east and to the west. - -We had an interview with the Chao Fā by previous appointment. At the -door the officer suggested that we pull off our shoes. We replied that -it was not our custom, and was unnecessary. He looked very doubtful, but -said no more, and we walked in. The Chao Fā received us courteously. We -took him to be a man of no great strength of character, about forty -years of age, and somewhat weakened by the use of opium. He asked -whether we had not some antidote to enable him to stop its use. He -listened attentively to our statement of the object of our coming, and -said, “You are merit-makers, and that is a good work.” - -When we called at the court, the presiding officer had a wise suggestion -as to how we might further our purpose and establish our religion in the -place—a suggestion evidently not originating with himself, but from a -higher source. “The favour of the Chao Fā,” said he, “will be necessary -and all-sufficient. I see you have a fine elephant. Just make a present -of him to the Chao Fā. He will be delighted, and your road will be all -smooth.” I told him that I was an old man, far from home, and dependent -on the elephant. So I could not part with him. This same suggestion was -pressed upon us several times afterwards, by the highest officials, and -quite up to the hour of our departure; though its form was modified from -a gift to a sale. I became at last a little anxious about the result, -and was somewhat relieved when we actually got away without loss of the -elephant. - -I may mention at this point an incident of this trip which never came to -my knowledge till thirteen years later, showing how we were -providentially spared from what would have put a sudden and tragic end -to our tour and to our lives. When Dr. S. C. Peoples and Dr. W. C. Dodd -were in Keng Tung in March, 1907, the presiding officer of the Court -told them that he had met Dr. McGilvary and Mr. Irwin on their way to -Chieng Rung; that when the people of Chieng Rung first heard that some -foreigners from the south were _en route_ to their capital, they planned -to kill and plunder them. But when they saw that the foreigners rode -elephants and were accompanied by carriers, they decided that this was -probably the advance guard of a formidable army, which it might not be -well to attack. And then, he said, the kindness of the missionaries so -completely won their hearts, that all thought of murder and plunder was -given up. - -Our return was to be through the region to the east of the Mê Kōng. Its -northern cities still belonged to the Sipsawng Pannā. But the rest of it -was territory recently ceded by Siam to France. The governing race—the -people of the plains—were everywhere Tai, speaking the Lāo language and -using the Lāo literature. On its mountain ridges dwelt numerous -hill-tribes, especially the Kamu and the Lamēt. - -The route we were to take crosses the river two days’ journey south of -Chieng Rung; so we had at first to retrace our steps. We left the city -on Monday, March 13th, safe from unseen plots, and with our elephant. On -the second day, after leaving our upward road to strike across to the -river, we entered unexpectedly a large village, where we met with a -reception ludicrously hostile. At every door men were standing with guns -in their hands. We were surprised; but, supposing that it might be -muster-day or something of the sort, we passed innocently along, without -challenge, to the monastery, where we dismounted and began to unload. -Then guns were laid aside and the head man and villagers came up to see -us and to offer assistance. They had heard that foreigners were coming -with elephants and men, whether for peace or war no one knew. So they -had taken the precaution to be ready. When they found out our peaceful -errand, they were ashamed. We had a pleasant visit and worship with them -that evening. - -The next stage of our road was bad. In some places we had to cut our way -through, and there were difficult passages of brook-beds and gorges. We -reached the river at Chieng Hā in a pouring rain, and it rained again at -night. The next day was the Buddhist sacred day, and we were awakened -early by the crowd of merit-makers and worshippers—the women and girls, -as usual, in their head-dresses and gay colours, and all anxious to see -the elephant and the white faces. - -It was 10:30 that morning before we got away. Ourselves, our men, the -saddles and luggage, were carried over by the ferry. Nān Suwan alone -faced the deep river on the sadaw to guide him through. At the first -plunge all of the elephant save his trunk, and half of the rider, went -out of sight. Thence on they went, now up and now down, till they -struggled out on the further shore. Such an effort is very exhausting to -the animal, and he has to have a good rest and breathing-spell after it. - -Mûang Ham, on the eastern bank, is larger than its neighbour on the -west. Its governor was a Chao Mawm, next in rank to the Chao Fā of -Chieng Rung, and his wife was the Chao Fā’s sister. I had a long talk on -religion with the wife. It was a new thought to her that any one could -be greater than the Buddha, though he was neither Creator nor Saviour, -but only a man. It is unnecessary continually to state what was -everywhere the case throughout this trip; namely, that we had good -audiences and interested hearers. We left in every place some books in -the hands of those most likely to use them; though we could have used to -advantage many more, if we had had them. - -From Mûang Ham two days’ march brought us on a Saturday to Mûang Nūn, -the most important city on our route, and, therefore, a most desirable -place to spend Sunday. The city is in the valley of the Nam Bān. It has -well paved streets, and a very large monastery on an eminence above, -where we camped. The abbot gave us a hearty welcome, and did all he -could to make us comfortable. At our night worship the monks and other -visitors were very attentive. - -On Sunday morning we called on the head officer of the Court, and had a -pleasant conversation with him, for he was both intelligent and -inquisitive. Just as we were ready for our own morning worship, the Chao -Mawm, a relative of the Chao Fā for Chieng Rung, sent to ask us to call. -We sent word in reply that it was our hour for worship, and asked -whether he would, perhaps, like to have us worship in his residence. His -answer was a cordial invitation to come and do so. - -The Prince was young and very pleasant. He had a spacious house, and -soon he had it filled with his own family, his officers, and his people. -Mr. Irwin, as usual, had his cornet. We find that singing our Gospel -hymns, with a short explanation of their central truths, is a better way -to hold a mixed crowd where women and children form a goodly proportion, -than is a regular service. Nān Suwan’s Lû dialect served a very good -turn. We had a very interesting morning, and we were cordially invited -to hold a similar meeting at night, when many who had been absent in the -morning might attend. - -At night the house was crowded with a remarkable gathering, for one -could hardly call it a congregation. The invitation, the place, the -attendant circumstances, were all unique. We sang and prayed and -preached with as little restraint as if we had been in our own church in -Chiengmai. The part of the service which most impressed them was Nān -Suwan’s prayer—a direct appeal to a Person unseen, whom he addressed as -Father, Redeemer, Saviour, and Friend. Seldom have I felt so strongly -for any as for these, that they were as sheep needing a shepherd; hungry -souls asking for bread, and getting that which satisfied not. Ethical -teaching they had in abundance, but no Divine Voice asking, “Wilt thou -be made whole?” or saying, “Thy sins be forgiven thee. Arise and walk!” - -Next morning we made our formal call upon the Prince; but he sent to our -camp for our books and the cornet, and soon we had another congregation, -and were having worship again. In the afternoon the Prince made us a -long call. Then there was a continuous stream of visitors, mostly for -medicine, and I vaccinated a number of persons. The son of the chief -officer of the Court, a fine young man, was almost ready to come with us -to Chiengmai to study our religion further. His father, too, was willing -that he should come. The young man promised that he surely would do so -next year, if we came again. And now, seventeen years after these -events, it saddens me to think no missionary has ever been there since. -An occupancy, then, of those open Sipsawng Pannā States would have -turned the flank of French obstruction, and have ensured an entrance -from the north. - -Early on Tuesday morning we left Mûang Nūn, after a visit all too short. -The Prince, with his officers and a large crowd of people, were on hand -to bid us good-bye. That day we found our track very much obstructed by -the jungle growth, and had some difficulty in cutting our way through. -Another complication presently arose in the illness of my associate, Mr. -Irwin. An attack of indigestion developed next day into symptoms of -dysentery, which made further travel for the time impossible. So we were -laid up until the following Tuesday at Mûang Wên—and anxious nights and -days they were. Milder measures failing, we had to resort at last to a -most heroic treatment which I had seen used in the hospital, namely, -large doses of ipecac. By this means the disease was got under control; -and by care and dieting Mr. Irwin was able at length to continue his -journey on my elephant, though throughout the rest of our tour he was -far from being well. - -At Mûang Pōng, one of the three largest cities on the route, we again -stopped over from Thursday night till Tuesday. Here I had an ague-chill -on the night of our arrival, but, with free use of quinine and a little -rest, I escaped further attack. There was a great deal of fever in the -place, and I spent much time in ministering to the sick. - -On Saturday I called upon the Prince and his chief officer. I was told -that the city furnished five hundred men for the Chao Fā’s expedition, -and had seventy villages within its jurisdiction. In former times it had -been raided by an expedition from Nān, and some of the Nān villages to -this day are peopled by descendants of those captives. - -On Monday the Prince and his chief officer made us long calls. The -Prince had never seen a repeating rifle, and seemed incredulous that it -could fire twelve shots in unbroken succession, till I fired three by -way of demonstration. His look of surprise was ludicrous. He _must_ have -the gun, he said, to protect his country, and began bidding for it. At -last he offered a fine riding pony, which I accepted. He was delighted, -saying that we two should always be brothers. If I should never come -again myself, he would welcome and aid our assistants. Four years later -I did visit the place, but the Prince had been killed. - -On Tuesday we reached Mûang Māng, which proved to be one of our most -hopeful places. Sitting in front of our tent, with the whole village -about us, we talked till midnight. I had a sore throat, but our -assistants were inspired with enthusiasm. At last we almost had to drive -the crowd away. - -Mûang Sing was the objective of this portion of our tour. I first became -interested in it when it was about to be occupied as a dependency of the -province of Nān. Mr. Phraner and I made an attempt to reach it in 1891, -but were turned back. Then, again, it seemed about to fall into British -hands, under some old claim by Burma. Even at the time we were there, -its status was still uncertain. It gave evidence of having once been a -large city, and still had a very large territory under its jurisdiction. -Its earlier importance was reflected in the title borne by its ruler, -Chao Fā—Lord of the Sky—a title borne by no other Lû ruler south of -Chieng Rung. My interest in Mûang Sing had been deepened by acquaintance -with a patient in the Chiengmai hospital, of whose case Dr. McKean has -kindly furnished the following account: - - “This Prayā Singhanāt, a prominent man in the local government, - had been for years a great sufferer from vesical calculus and - had tried all kinds of remedies without avail. Fearing his - disease had been occasioned by offending the spirits in the - building of a new house, he tore the house down. This gave him - no relief. Although he had spent years in the monastery, and had - taken all the degrees of the order, he concluded to re-enter it - in the hope of being cured of his malady, spending again six - months in the monastery. A travelling merchant who had himself - been cured of calculus by an operation in the mission hospital - in Chiengmai, advised the Prayā to go there for relief. This he - determined to do, not without great opposition from the Prince - and from his own family. But he was determined. He sold his - possessions, and started with 800 rupees. His journey was long - and painful. For weeks or even months at a time he could not - travel on account of great pain. Once he was beset by dacoits at - night. A part of his money and all his guns were stolen. When he - finally reached Chiengmai twelve months after leaving home, he - was penniless, and of course still suffering intensely. He was - received into the mission hospital and was wholly relieved by an - operation. A more grateful patient one rarely sees. He regularly - attended service at the hospital and evinced great interest in - Christianity.” - -When we reached Mûang Sing, we were disappointed to find that the Prayā -was away. But he had loudly sung the praises of the mission hospital, -and that was a good introduction for us. The chief officer of the Court -was a friend of his, and he proved to be a friend to us, too. Hearing -that we were come, the Chao Fā sent for us, and turned out to be a -relative of the great Chao Fā of Chieng Rung. Though not of a nature so -deeply religious as some, he was interested in religion; and our reply -to his first question as to the object of our visit, immediately -introduced the subject. - -At first he was inclined to cavil, asking such questions as, whether -Jesus could rise in the air as Buddha did, and the like. But this was -evidently to “save his face” before his officers. For a while he -maintained that the universe is self-existent, having come into being by -the concurrence of the matter which composes it. But presently he -confessed that it is too complicated for that, and plainly shows -design—that is, a mind or Mind. At last he asked what argument made us -foreigners so certain of our view that we should come to ask them to -change their religion for ours. We told him that Jesus Christ Himself -was the all-sufficient argument. No matter how the world came into -existence, we are here, and we all know that we are sinners. The Buddha -confessed himself to be only a man, and himself seeking a refuge like -the rest of us. Jesus Christ claimed to have come down from heaven, and -to be the Son of God. He challenged the world to convince Him of sin. -Those who knew Him intimately saw something in Him not only different -and superior, but of a different kind. He showed this not only by His -spotless life, but by the miracles that He wrought. He claims to have -power to forgive sins. And thousands and millions who have accepted Him -believe that He has forgiven them; and show that fact by becoming better -men. We talked thus an hour and a half. He evidently felt the force of -the arguments. - -Sunday was the fifth-day market or fair—the largest and finest we had -seen in the north. The hill-tribes, as usual, were out in full force. I -was still suffering with sore throat, but Mr. Irwin and the assistants -had a fine morning’s work, and in the afternoon had a fair attendance at -the regular service. - -One of the most interesting incidents of our stay was the night service, -held in the residence of the Chao Fā at his express request on the -evening before our departure. The audience was mainly his own family and -dependents, and the Prince was more free than before. During the singing -he asked that the cornet be stopped in order that he might hear the -words more plainly. When Nān Suwan led in prayer, he wished to know if -we always prayed in that way. There was the usual sad refrain—no hope of -pardon, bondage to the spirits, the drawing to a better way, but so -strong a counter-current! Yet who can tell how many, after all, the -truth may have reached? - -We left Mûang Sing on Wednesday, April 12th. There is no need to weary -the reader with details of the ten days’ travel before we reached Chieng -Sên, or with the varied incidents of our work. - -At Chieng Sên we received letters that were disappointing to my plans. -The mission had unanimously decided that, partly for considerations of -our health, and partly for reasons of mission policy, Mrs. McGilvary and -I should take our furlough at once. We had been ten and a half years on -duty in the field. My wife was not really sick, but was not well, and -the doctor advised her going. I was very anxious to repeat the same tour -the next year, in spite of the few malarial chills I had encountered -this time. But arrangements had been completed, and there was no option -but to submit. - -My companion on this tour was far from well, and it was important that -he should hasten home at once. What with daily rains, bad roads, and -swollen streams, Mr. Irwin had a hard trip of it alone the rest of the -way; and it was some little time before he was well again. For my return -there was no such need of haste. The work among the Mūsô had been left, -upon the whole, in hopeful condition. The power of the tribal bond, -which almost annihilated individual responsibility, had been somewhat -weakened. Many head men had promised to enrol themselves as Christians -this season. It was certain that no tour among them could be made the -coming year. I must visit them now. - -The experiences of this visit were entirely like those of the previous -ones—everywhere the same warm welcome, interesting night meetings, -earnest consultations, and ministering to the sick; days spent in wading -brooks, climbing mountain ridges, plunging down ravines, to get from one -village to another, where the same round would be repeated. They would -all become Christians if only another officer or two would join them. -Thus it went on till we had visited nearly all of the eleven villages, -and were back at Sên Chai’s and Sên Bun Yūang’s, where we began. These -people were nearer to Nān Suwan’s Christian village, had known more of -our religion, and, no doubt, were believers in the truth of our -teaching. We talked with them till late at night, and our parting with -them had a tragic interest. They were apparently on the verge of -accepting the Gospel. We used our utmost endeavours to persuade them to -join Cha Pū Kaw on the other side of the river, and not wait for the -others who might come in afterwards. This was probably my last visit; -but if any sufficient number would join the church, the mission would -not desert them. If not, in all probability the offer would never be -pressed upon them again. - -And so it proved to be. About half of the villages were under the -governor of Chieng Sên. The inhabitants of these were assured of their -safety in taking the decisive step, so far as the rulers were concerned. -But some of the larger villages were under the governor of Mûang Len. -His opposition was a foregone conclusion, because of his interest in the -opium traffic. My failure to gain a large entrance among them was one of -the greatest disappointments in my whole work. - -That I was not mistaken in the hopefulness of the work among the Mūsôs -has since been demonstrated by the many thousand converts won among the -same tribe by our Baptist brethren in the Keng Tung region. At the same -time they are better prepared for such a work than were we. Their wide -experience among the Karens of Burma, and the large number of educated -Karens through whom they work, give them advantages in this particular -work which our mission does not possess. On the other hand, it is surely -to be regretted that our mission should be limited in its access to all -branches alike of the Tai population found in the northern states, for -which, by identity of race and language and literature, we are far -better prepared than our Baptist brethren. For while, to use a legal -phrase, the missionary holds a brief for no one particular tribe; while -his commission and his duty is to preach the Gospel to all whom he can -reach; yet it is a well recognized fact that the Tai family has largely -fallen to our mission. And it will be seen from what we have said above, -that we returned from this trip with enlarged views and bright prospects -of opening up work among our own Tai people in the north. It will take -years of hard work and a useless expenditure of time and money for any -other missionary organization to reach the point at which we were ready -to _begin_ work among these people. But this is a complicated question, -the tangled web of which it is not possible for any one man to unravel. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - XXXII - - THIRD FURLOUGH—STATION AT CHIENG RĀI - - -On my return to Chiengmai I found preparations well advanced for our -departure on furlough. Embarking on June 7th, we reached Bangkok on June -22d, and San Francisco on August 12th, 1893. Of the events of that -memorable year, I shall touch upon only two or three. - -Dr. J. H. Barrows, the originator and President of the Parliament of -Religions, had invited me to attend and participate in its meetings. -After, perhaps, a little shock at the boldness of the idea—as if -Christianity were to be put on a par with other religions—I sympathized -with the object as legitimate and proper. It was merely doing on a large -scale what we missionaries are called upon to do on a smaller scale -every time that we hold an argument with Buddhists or other -non-Christian people. The fairness of the idea, and even its very -boldness, might do good; and I believe they did. - -On the Sunday before the opening I listened to a really great sermon by -Dr. Barrows on “Christ the Light of the World.” I attended every session -of the Parliament, save at the hour from 11 A.M. to 12, when I usually -went over to the Moody meetings to hear John McNeill, as he was -familiarly called, preach his trenchant sermons. - -If any one went to the Parliament—as possibly some did—hoping to hear -Christianity demolished, he certainly was disappointed. But there was -one criticism which occurred to me. Whatever may have been thought of -the wisdom of the original conception and inauguration of the -Parliament, the Protestant churches might have made a much more imposing -front, if the ablest men of the different denominations had not stood -aloof, either indifferent or hostile to it. It was surely the -opportunity of a lifetime for many, who could not hope otherwise ever to -address personally the votaries of non-Christian religions, to bring -forward their strong reasons to bear on so many of the most intelligent -and presumably the most earnest seekers after the truth. - -While attending these meetings in Chicago, I received news that our son, -the Rev. Evander B. McGilvary, had felt himself constrained to resign -from the Lāo mission. No good can come from now reviewing the issues -which led to this step; and it is needless to say how bitter was the -disappointment to his parents, who had looked forward to his carrying on -their work, and to him, who had specially prepared himself for that -work, and for no other. But I must say that bitter as was the -disappointment, I sympathized with his position, and respected his -motives. - -At the meeting of the General Assembly in the following May, to which I -was a delegate, the one all-engrossing business was the trial of the -Rev. Henry P. Smith, D.D., for heresy on the question of the “Higher -Criticism.” Viewing the matter from this distance, and entirely apart -from the merits of this particular case, I doubt whether critical and -scientific questions are proper subjects for trials before such a body. -If tried at all, such questions should be tried by a commission of -experts. Biblical criticism and science will go on, and the questions -involved will be decided according to their own lines of evidence, quite -irrespective of the decrees of Popes, Councils, and General Assemblies. -I am much mistaken if the good sense and temper of the church would now -sanction heresy trials on such questions. - - * * * * * - -One day some fifteen years earlier than the point we have now reached in -our narrative, a letter came to our mission from a Mr. Robert Arthington -of Leeds, England. The letter, like all his subsequent ones, was on -small sheets of notepaper, written over once, and then written again -crosswise, so as to be almost illegible. The writer had somewhere -learned of the journey of a French explorer who, from the upper Mê Kōng -and the headwaters of the Mê Ū, had crossed to the China Sea through the -region now known as Tonking. The traveller had passed through certain -tribes possessed of a written language and supposed to be of Aryan -stock. By some means Mr. Arthington had heard of our mission, and wrote -to enquire whether some of us could not visit those tribes and -distribute among them “the Gospels of John and of Luke, and the Acts of -the Apostles,” particularly “telling them that the Acts followed Luke, -_and was by the same author_.” - -We had not the slightest idea who the writer was; but the devout spirit -of the letter was charming, and such interest in obscure tribes along -the northern border of our field was most surprising. His strong desire -to send the Gospel message to “the regions beyond” appealed to me. He -appeared to be a man of means, for he offered to bear the expense of -circulating those three books. At the same time he was evidently -somewhat eccentric and impractical in his ideas. He seemed not to have -thought that to circulate books among newly discovered tribes would -require—since the cessation of the gift of tongues—acquisition of their -languages, translation, printing-presses, etc., etc. But the case, at -all events, seemed worth following up. - -I acknowledged the receipt of his letter, pointing out the obstacles -which he seemed to overlook, directing his attention to our own mission -as occupying a new and interesting field, with many hill-tribes on our -own border which we hoped to reach. I invited his coöperation, stating -that as soon as we were properly enforced, we intended to go as far -north as we could. - -Almost to my surprise, Mr. Arthington replied immediately, expressing -his interest in our work, but still reverting to his scheme for -evangelizing the “tribes of Aryan stock” found by his French traveller. -That was, of course, impossible for us to undertake, though I did -propose to Dr. Cushing of the American Baptist Mission in Burma to join -me in a tour through that region at Mr. Arthington’s expense. This plan -had attractions for us both; but Dr. Cushing’s college work made it -impossible. Still, we might be able to make some compromise with our -unknown correspondent. So, for some years, I kept up an occasional -correspondence with Mr. Arthington, just sufficient to keep us in touch -with each other. He always replied immediately to my letters, breathing -the same deep interest in missions, and especially in the tribes -hitherto unreached by the Gospel. Touring within my own appointed field -engrossed the whole of my available time; but since that field was -already in part supplied, it did not specially appeal to him. - -After the tour, longer than usual, taken with my daughter in 1890, I -sent him a report of it. In response he sent me thirty pounds, which -aided in the work of 1891 among the Mūsô. The tour taken with Mr. -Phraner in 1892 was nearer to his idea; and the one taken with Mr. Irwin -in 1893 intensely interested him—but chiefly because it seemed to be a -stepping stone toward reaching his “Aryan tribes” beyond. He thoroughly -approved of that tour; expressed his regret that we could not meet in -order to come to a clearer understanding about the geography of the -region—since all our maps were defective; and suggested, “I should like -your daughter to go with you on your next trip, as I can well conceive -the idea that she will be a valuable help.” He was, moreover, -“particularly interested that the Cambodians also should have the -Gospels of Luke and John, and the Acts.” - -Following up Mr. Arthington’s suggestion of an interview, I met him by -appointment in Liverpool on my return from the United States. We had -only a half hour’s interview; but he thought that sufficient to enable -us to understand each other’s plans. On reaching London I was to make -out an order for what sum I needed for my next work. This I did, asking -for the modest sum of forty pounds, which I received by return post. - -The trans-Mê Kōng tour, however, was inevitably delayed. It was not -until the Annual Meeting of the mission in 1896 that Dr. Peoples and I -were appointed to make that tour, an account of which will appear later. -To complete, however, now the story of my relations with Mr. Arthington, -I may say that in advance of the Annual Meeting just referred to, I -wrote to him that the projected tour would surely be taken, and -suggested that sixty pounds would probably suffice to cover its expense. -His reply came the day before our meeting adjourned, with a cheque for -seventy pounds. The timely aid seemed to anticipate the divine approval -of our attempt. In his letter he suggested, “Perhaps it might be a good -precaution for you to let the French know your friendly object, and to -get full permission to travel east of the upper waters of the Mê Kōng as -far as you deem proper for your purpose. But, dear Brother, seek—and I -intend to ask with you—the Lord’s counsel and blessed comfort and -guidance.” - -The tour was taken, as I have already intimated, and a full printed -report was sent to Mr. Arthington. On the whole, he was pleased; but it -is not easy to serve two masters. I had assured him from the beginning -that my first duty was to my mission and my own field. Still he was a -little disappointed that I had to go so far out of my way to join Dr. -Peoples in Nān; and a little more so that we could not get up nearer to -Tongking to give his favourite “John, Luke, and the Acts” to the tribes -supposed to be of Aryan descent, found by the French traveller. To -enable me to do this, he said, “I believe I should have great pleasure -in sending you all you will need from me.” He even intimated once that -he would be willing to provide in his will for the continuance of that -work. While not jealous of my connection with the Board, it seemed to -him a tantalizing thing that, while I was geographically nearer his goal -than any one else, and was, moreover, in sympathy with his devout spirit -and evangelistic aspirations to reach the “regions beyond,” I was not -free to carry out his favourite, though somewhat chimerical, plans. - -The last letter I had from him was dated October 22d, 1898. His passion -was then as strong as ever to get his three favourite books to “the -tribes mentioned by the French traveller, ... for they are a people for -whom I have desired much, since the day I first read of them, that they -should have the Gospel.” He expressed great sympathy with my -disappointment that the French would not permit our labouring in their -territory, adding, “Yet the Lord will not be robbed of His own.” His -death occurred not very long after this. Of the disposition of his large -estate I found the following account in the London _Daily Graphic_: - - “The late Robert Arthington of Leeds, left about £750,000 to the - London Missionary Society, and the Baptist Missionary Society. - The total value of his estate was £1,119,843. It is estimated - that the Baptist Missionary Society will receive £415,000 and - the London Missionary Society £335,000. The whole of the money - must be spent in the next twenty years on new missionary work, - and no part of it is to be spent in the United Kingdom.” - -We reached Bangkok on September 11th, 1894. There we were joined by the -Rev. and Mrs. Howard Campbell and Dr. and Mrs. C. H. Denman, who had -come _via_ the Pacific. Earlier in this same year there had come to the -station in Mûang Prê, Dr. and Mrs. Thomas, Mr. and Mrs. Shields, and -Miss Hatch; with the Rev. and Mrs. L. W. Curtis and Miss Margaret Wilson -for Lakawn. - -On our arrival in Chiengmai we found Mr. Phraner very ill with abscess -of the liver, and suffering at times intense pain. He had been warned by -physicians and friends to desist from his work and take his furlough. -But, as chairman of the Evangelistic Committee, he had been pushing the -evangelistic work too eagerly to heed these warnings. He refused to -leave his post till those who were absent should return. Soon after we -arrived he started for the United States, but, alas! it was too late. He -died in Singapore on January 15th, 1895, leaving a wife and two little -boys to pursue their sad journey alone. Mrs. Phraner—formerly Miss -Lizzie Westervelt—had served a useful term in the Girls’ School before -her marriage. The Phraner Memorial School for small children, erected by -the family and friends beside the First Church in Chiengmai, is an -appropriate tribute to their labours for the Lāo race, to which they -devoted their lives. - -The year of our absence had been almost a banner year as regards -successful evangelistic work. Mr. Dodd’s Training School had furnished a -larger number of fairly well prepared evangelists than we ever had -before. Between forty and fifty of these had been actually at work in -the field for longer or shorter periods during the year, and their work -had been very successful. The Annual Meeting convened in Chiengmai soon -after our return. In it there was evident, on the part both of -missionaries and of native assistants, a degree of enthusiasm and -exuberant expectancy which, under the most favourable circumstances, -could hardly have escaped the inevitable reaction. Krū Nān Tā, a man of -magnetic power among his people, was then in his prime. The great value -of his services raised probably to an excessive degree our estimate of -the necessity of more _ordained_ native labourers. If one had done so -much, what might a dozen or a score accomplish? And there were the men, -with two, three, or even more years of training in the study of the -Bible. Most of them were elders or deacons in the different churches. -They had proved faithful in little. Why might they not be trusted with -more talents? Nine of these men were presented for examination before -the Presbytery. - -When we began, it was thought—against the advice of Mr. Dodd, who was on -furlough—that one or two might be ordained to meet the immediate needs -of the work. Some of them had spent a number of years in the Buddhist -priesthood, and had some knowledge of Pali. Others were without such -education, but nearly all had learned to read Siamese. In Biblical -knowledge they had made fair progress. When the examination was closed, -there was a long and anxious deliberation, with special prayer for -divine direction. It was quite safe to ordain one or two. But the next -candidate was so near the standard of these that it might seem invidious -to exclude him—and so with the next, and the next. When the vote was -taken, six were chosen for ordination and three for licensure. The -millennium seemed drawing near! - -With the new title and responsibility, higher wages were naturally to be -expected. And it was precisely upon this rock that our hopes and plans -suffered shipwreck. The Board, as never before, began to insist on the -native churches assuming the support of their own evangelists. The -methods of mission work set forth and practised in China by the Rev. Dr. -Nevius were urged upon us, and became very popular, especially with the -younger members of the mission, though in China they had not passed -beyond the stage of experiment. They are best described in Dr. Nevius’ -own words: - - “These two systems may be distinguished in general by the - former’s depending largely on paid native agency, while the - latter deprecates and seeks to minimize such agency. Perhaps an - equally correct and more generally acceptable statement of the - difference would be, that, while both alike seek ultimately the - establishment of independent, self-reliant, and aggressive - native churches, the ‘Old System’ strives by the use of foreign - funds to foster and stimulate the growth of native churches in - the first stage of their development, and then gradually to - discontinue the use of such funds; while those who adopt the - ‘New System’ think that the desired object can be best obtained - by applying principles of independence and self-reliance from - the beginning. The difference between these two theories may be - more clearly seen in their outward and practical working. The - old uses freely, and as far as practicable, the more advanced - and intelligent of the native church members, in the capacity of - paid Colporteurs, Bible Agents, Evangelists, or Heads of - Stations; while the new proceeds on the assumption that the - persons employed in these various capacities would be more - useful in the end by being left in their original homes and - employments.”[17] - -Footnote 17: - - _Methods of Mission Work_, p. 4. - -The result was that the mission took a good thing and ran it into the -ground. Economy became almost a craze. The churches were assessed—not -heavily, it is true—to support the ministers; and the ministers were -exhorted to take whatever stipend was agreed upon, and count any -deficiency in it as a voluntary contribution on their part, or as a debt -they owed their countrymen for the Gospel’s sake. Neither parishioners -nor workers understood the scheme. But it was tried for one year; and at -the next Annual Meeting (in 1895) the catastrophe came. The churches had -been asked to walk before they could stand; and the ministers were to -work, as well as walk, by faith and not by sight. As pastors, their -expenses were necessarily increased. They had to dress better, and to be -an example in clothing, and educating their families, and in -hospitality. It seemed to them that they were required to make bricks -without straw. A little yielding to demands that were not unreasonable -would have satisfied the ministers, and the churches would have been -encouraged by the continuance of some support from the Board for -evangelistic work, even though the amount was much reduced. The zeal was -well meant; but we broke off too suddenly. - -For the unfortunate results, the mission, the native ministers, the -churches, and, indirectly, the Board should share the responsibility. -The advantages gained by our Training School were nullified, and all -progress toward a permanent Theological School was at an end. After -those two Annual Meetings there was no call for theological training, -and no future for a native ministry. So we have to go on appealing to -the Board and to the American churches for foreign workers, although the -salary of one of these would support half a dozen or more native -ministers. - -It is easy to say that native ministers and church members should be -willing, out of pure gratitude, to labour for the evangelization of -their own people, or that such and such other races have done so. As a -matter of fact, the Lāo church is largely indebted for its progress to -the power exerted by the church itself. And as to the example of other -races, we must remember that there are racial differences. Even our -nearest Christianized neighbours, the Karens, stand in a class quite by -themselves in this respect. We can no more apply one rule to all -oriental races than we can enforce western customs in the Orient. But we -certainly cannot expect happy results from the application of rules that -would have discouraged our own ancestors when the first Christian -missionaries found them. - -Among the things of more hopeful augury accomplished in the year 1894, -two deserve special mention—the establishment of Christian Endeavour -Societies in all the Lāo churches, primarily through the efforts of Dr. -Denman, and the publication of the Book of Psalms and of a hymnal of -over two hundred hymns and tunes. The Psalms were translated by Dr. -Wilson, and the hymns were almost wholly from his pen. - -At the Annual Meeting, to which reference has already been made, a -committee was appointed to consider anew and report on the question -whether it was or was not advisable now to occupy the northern portion -of the field with a permanent station, and, if it were deemed advisable, -to determine the location. I had been anxious to have it occupied two -years before this time, but had yielded then to the claims of Prê and of -Nān—of Prê because the relief work among the sufferers from famine had -furnished a most auspicious opening there; and of Nān because it was a -larger city and province than any in the nearer north. Notwithstanding -the greater progress of the work in the north, with organized and -growing churches in Wieng Pā Pāo, Chieng Rāi, and Chieng Sên, there -seemed to be a lingering doubt as to the wisdom of establishing -permanent stations in cities so small as these. Most of my colleagues -had never visited that northern region. No one save myself had surveyed -the whole field. Yet no part of the work of a mission is more important, -or requires better judgment, than the location of its permanent -stations. Although fully persuaded in my own mind, I did not wish the -mission to embark on a new project involving outlay of money and of men, -without the mature judgment of the whole mission. Hence it was at my own -suggestion that the committee was appointed. - -On January 20th, 1896, Dr. Denman and I of this committee started -northward. Mr. Dodd joined us later. It is a great thing to have a -physician along on such a tour. He relieves a great deal of suffering -among a needy people, and so lifts a great load of care from his -companion. But beyond this, I myself had quite an attack of fever on -this particular trip, and was much indebted to his care for my recovery. -Then we had the stereopticon along, and lectured nearly every night to -large audiences. The doctor manipulated the lantern, and left the -explanation and application to me. Those pictures have made the Gospel -story to live in the imaginations of many thousands of people. The -occasional introduction of a familiar scene from native life serves to -give confidence that the others also are real, while a few comic ones -interest the children, old and young. A picture of the King of -Siam—their King—with three of his children, one of them with his arms -about his father’s neck, always attracted great attention, and was often -asked for again at the close of the exhibition. - -I had some trouble this time with my sadaw elephant. At one stage his -back became so sore that I should have left him behind, were it not that -he had had a serious encounter with a tusker, and I dared not risk him -in that vicinity. He escaped from the encounter with some bruises, and -it was fortunate that he inflicted no serious wound on his antagonist. -And he was quite well again, before we got home. This was, however, the -last tour he made with me. Elephants had become property so unsafe that, -before the next season, I disposed of both of mine. In one year, out of -three hundred and fifty elephants employed by a timber firm, thirty-two -died and twenty-two were stolen. But it was like parting with a friend -to see the sadaw go. - - * * * * * - -The committee visited the three northern churches, and, after full -conference both with the local rulers and with the Christians, reached -the unanimous decision that there should be a station established in the -north, and that it should be at Chieng Rāi. In this we were largely -influenced by the central situation of that place with reference to a -considerable group of cities and towns within the same watershed, and -all, like Chieng Rāi itself, rapidly filling up with an agricultural -population crowded out from the dear and densely settled lands further -south. And in addition to this was the conviction that the new station -would prove a stepping-stone to the large northern section of the Tai -race, established in territory which is now English, French, and -Chinese. We still think that some amicable arrangement should be made -with the American Baptist Missionary Union, by which the Tai race to the -north of Siam and east of the Salwin should be left to our mission. The -Union has a great work among the hill-tribes—a work for which they are -specially adapted and specially well equipped; while we are equally well -equipped for work among the Tai. - -Dr. Denman viewed the field with special interest, for he had been -designated to help in opening the station, and we had the virtual -sanction of the Board thereto. It was the prospect of having a physician -that specially enlisted the interest of the rulers of Chieng Rāi; though -both they and their people were friendly to our work on other grounds. -It made us sad to think that our old friend the governor had not lived -to see the mission started. But the beautiful lot given by him on the Mê -Kok will always be a memorial to him. In due time Rev. and Mrs. Dodd and -Dr. and Mrs. Denman moved up and opened the station. The years have -abundantly justified the wisdom of this step. In 1910 the accessions to -the churches in Chieng Rāi equalled those of the mother church in -Chiengmai. - -From Chieng Sên we sent out two parties of evangelists, five in each, -well loaded with Scriptures and tracts, one northwestward to Keng Tung, -and the other across the Mê Kōng to Mûang Sing. This was the very first -mission work ever done in the Keng Tung State. These parties carried -also a supply of medicines, and were limited in time to two and a half -months. They were everywhere well received, and on their return gave -interesting reports of their work. Their books were eagerly read, and -the supply of them was far too small. There were a number of interesting -cases of believers. Some villages were loath to have them leave. The -experiment, in fact, was very successful. - -[Illustration: - - PHYA SURA SIH, SIAMESE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR THE NORTH] - - -As soon as our committee work was done, Mr. Dodd was obliged to return. -After visiting the Mūsô villages, Dr. Denman and I moved on to Chieng -Kawng. This town is situated on the right bank of the great river within -the fifteen-kilometer zone which was reserved as neutral territory upon -the cession of the left bank to France. A French military station was on -the opposite side of the river, and a small gunboat was lying there—the -first that ever came up through the rapids. Among the crew were two or -three who could read English, and who were very anxious to get English -Bibles. This was an unexpected request which we could not then meet. But -I applied for some to the American Bible Society, and received them just -before I started on my trip of the next year; and, finally, was able to -forward them to the men from Lūang Prabāng. The captain of the gunboat -was very kind to us while we stayed at Chieng Kawng, and was much -interested in having his men get the Bibles. - -Letters were presently received by Dr. Denman summoning him back to -Chiengmai on account of the illness of his wife. This left me again -without an associate, and with the added care of the medical work, which -cannot be avoided on such a tour, and which, of course, rests more -heavily on a layman than it does on a trained physician. Before -returning home I made a call—and I believe it was the last one—at the -Mūsô villages beyond the Mê Kōng. Again my hopes were raised of gaining -the whole tribe. With such a prospect I would gladly have remained with -them several months. But again I had to leave them with only the “next -year” promise—which never was fulfilled. I reached home on May 5th, -after an absence of three and a half months. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - XXXIII - - THE REGIONS BEYOND - - -Two important tours were undertaken by the Lāo Mission in 1897—one at -the opening of the year, eastward and northward beyond the Mê Kōng River -into French and Chinese territory; and the other after the close of the -rainy season, northward into British territory. The latter tour led to -far-reaching results, but it does not come within the scope of this -personal narrative. The former was rendered possible by the timely gift -of seventy pounds from Mr. Arthington, already mentioned; and -represented the nearest approach we could then make toward the -fulfilment of his great desire to reach with the Scriptures those -“tribes of Aryan origin” in the “regions beyond.” Dr. Peoples, then of -Nān, was my companion during part of this tour; and we went well -supplied with Scriptures and tracts, no less than fourteen carriers -being loaded with these alone. I left home on January 12th, going -eastward by way of Lakawn and Prê to Nān, where Dr. Peoples was to join -me. At each of these stations I spent a busy and a delightful Sunday; -and from Lakawn as far as Nān I had the pleasant company of Miss Fleeson -and Miss Dr. Bowman, returning to their post from the Annual Meeting. - -One night on this portion of the trip we were awakened by the cries of -our men and the snorting of the ponies, to find that we had a visit from -a night prowler, coming so near that we heard the clatter of the loose -stones which he dislodged as he sprang away. The tracks we found in the -morning showed him to be a large Bengal tiger. On this same stretch of -road, as recently as 1910, the mails for Nān were interrupted by a -man-eating tiger, which killed several men and women, till, finally, he -was despatched by Dr. Peoples within a few hundred yards of the mission -compound. - -Ten days were spent in journeying northward through the great province -of Nān, stopping night by night in its villages and towns, where we -always had good audiences at our evening worship. Sunday we spent at -Mûang Ngôn, and then turned eastward, striking the Mê Kōng at Tā Dûa, -and making our way up its western bank. At Bān Hūi Kûa we found such -interest that we were sorry that we must move on. The Prayā—or Pīa, as -the name is called throughout this region—spent an afternoon in -transcribing in the Lūang Prabāng character the tract entitled “The Way -to Happiness.” He had heard something of our religion before this from a -former princess-pupil of Miss Cole in the Wang Lang School at Bangkok. -As he bade us good-bye he said, pointing upwards, “I hope we shall meet -up yonder,” and seemed pleased that we had the same anticipation. - -The next Sunday we camped in the monastery grounds at Bān Hūa Ling. The -people began to assemble before breakfast, and long before it was time -for the morning service the grounds were full. The abbot, with his monks -and the officers, sat directly before me as I explained the method of -salvation through Jesus Christ. The audience listened most attentively. -At the close the abbot and the officers remained for further -conversation. The abbot expressed surprise at our errand. He had never -known of anybody’s travelling about simply to teach the people. Some -expressed fear of encountering the anger of the spirits if they should -no longer worship them. To this the doctor gave the scientific answer -that fevers and most other diseases were caused and propagated by -specific germs, over which the spirits have no control whatever. This -was to them a new idea, but they seemed to comprehend it. Next morning, -when we left them, the people followed us with expressions of regret. - -When we reached Chieng Mên, a town on the western bank of the river and -opposite Lūang Prabāng, we found a European with a group of boys, who -turned out to be the French schoolmaster. He invited us to dine with him -that evening, and the next day aided us in crossing the river. Our first -duty in Lūang Prabāng was to report to the French authorities, M. -Vackle, the Commandant Supérieur, and M. Grant, the Commissaire. They -had been notified from Bangkok of our coming, and received us with -genuine French hospitality. We never met two more perfect gentlemen. -They even offered us a house; but, as the abbot of the principal -monastery was a personal friend of mine, they yielded to our preference -to stop with him, but only on the ground that there would be more -comfort and room for our men. - -That evening we were invited to dine with M. Vackle. M. Grant and his -staff were present; and the dinner was a royal one, to which we were -prepared to do full justice. We had the embarrassment of not being able -to converse save through a native interpreter not well versed either in -French or in English. But our host was most considerate, as were also -his French guests. And every evening during our stay we dined with one -or another of the officials. - -Next day we called on the Lāo “King,” as he is still euphemistically -called, though possessing only such powers as the French give him. When -we made our business call on the French officials to ask permission to -proceed on our missionary tour through the French territory, they were -very obliging. We freely discussed together alternative routes, and they -offered us passports for any of them. When at last with some hesitancy, -the question of permanent work and a mission station was broached, M. -Vackle replied that for that he had no authority. Application would have -to be made to the Governor General at Hanoi, and preferably through -Washington and Paris. The prospect still seemed hopeful. - -On the evening before our departure, M. Vackle invited us to dine -informally and spend the evening with him at his beautiful cottage and -garden two miles out in the country. On meeting us, our host said, “The -other night I was the Commandant Supérieur. To-night I am simply M. -Vackle. I want to have a pleasant informal evening with you.” And surely -we did. We talked of the old friendship between France and the United -States, of Washington and La Fayette, the Chicago Exposition, the -Parliament of Religions, and of M. Vackle’s own work in the new -province. He was interested in the Parliament of Religions, and asked if -Roman Catholics were equally welcome with Protestants. He had an -exaggerated idea of the number of our religious sects. We told him that -the great body of Protestants were included in five or six groups -somewhat like the orders of the Catholic church, but there were numerous -smaller subdivisions. He had heard of one that lived wholly on milk. Of -this we had to confess ignorance, unless it were that large group that -we call infants. - -It was after eleven when we rose to take our leave; and even then he -detained us to see by torchlight his beautiful garden, artificially -watered, and his bowling alley—insisting that we try a turn on it. This -was what I had never done before, but at the first bowl I brought down -several pins. This pleased him, and he said that he had never seen a -better first play. - -On taking our final leave, we spoke a last word for permanent mission -work, reminding him that while Catholicism and Protestantism had alike -produced great nations, Buddhism never had; and that it was therefore -political wisdom to encourage and foster the Christian religion in the -provinces. He assented, but said he feared that the “King” might imagine -that his subjects would be less loyal if they became Christians. We -assured him that the reverse would be true, since it was a fundamental -point in our teaching as well as in the Scriptures, that Christians were -to be obedient to their rulers. - -Among the routes offered we chose the northern one as most nearly -meeting Mr. Arthington’s desires. Our passport stated that we were Bāt -Lūangs, i.e., Catholic priests. We left Lūang Prabāng on Monday, March -8th, crossed the Nam Ū near its mouth, and spent three weeks on our way -to Mûang Sai. At one point there was a theft of a considerable amount of -our money, which delayed us a day or two, but annoyed us more. The -thieves turned out to be some of our own men, who afterwards confessed, -and eventually we recovered the money. From Mûang Sai there is a good -route to Nān, and as no man had been left in that station along with the -ladies, Dr. Peoples felt that he must return to it, while I should go on -northward to the Sipsawng Pannā and finally return to Chiengmai along -the route which I took with Mr. Irwin in 1893. His departure was a great -loss to me personally, and to the effectiveness of the tour. He left us -on March 31st. - -The next week was one of intense interest to me. One of its days was the -thirtieth anniversary of my arrival in Chiengmai, and fraught with -memories of the hopes, achievements, and disappointments of all those -years. And were we now, perhaps, on the eve of a new opening with wider -possibilities than ever? So it seemed. For, one day as I was in the -monastery at Mûang Sai, there entered an officer, Sên Suriya by name, -who, making the obeisance usually made to priests, explained that, -having been absent from home, he had not heard the instruction we had -given at our evening worship. His wife, however, had reported that a -teacher from a great and distant country was come with Scriptures and an -offer of salvation from the great God of all. It was the great desire of -his heart to be saved from his sins. His interest was evidently intense, -and that roused our interest in him. From three o’clock till nightfall -our elders and I explained to him the great truths of revelation, while -he listened almost with rapture. - -In the midst of this earnest conference the “āchān,” or chief officer of -the monastery, came in; and Sên Suriya joined us in explaining to this -friend the strange news he had heard. The āchān was soon as deeply -interested as he. He also desired to know further of this matter. Before -we parted that evening, Sên Suriya had accepted the teaching joyfully; -and his friend, with more reservation. - -Soon others had joined these two—notably a family of refugees from -persecution for witchcraft. They were ready to accept anything which -would deliver them from bondage to the spirits. On Sunday at the public -service the instruction was directed to the needs of these enquirers, -all of whom were present. The cost was to be counted; the cross was to -be taken up; but the reward was great. Sên Suriya’s wife and family all -opposed him. He had spent an anxious night, and was under great strain; -but was still firm. He was ready at any cost. - -His friend the āchān had received his appointment in the monastery from -the Pīa, or head-officer. For honesty’s sake he felt he must notify the -Pīa and resign his position. It was, therefore, arranged that our elders -and I should go with the two friends on that errand that very afternoon. -We went, and were kindly received. Sên Suriya, as spokesman, witnessed a -good confession. They had been men, he said, who all their lives had -sought merit and followed the teachings of the Buddha, but with great -anxiety, on account of their failures. Now they had learned of the great -refuge of the God who could pardon and save both in this and in the -coming world. Their motive was strictly religious. They would be as -loyal as ever, and would perform faithfully their government duties. The -āchān said that his friend had fully expressed his views, but he wished -further to resign his position in the monastery. The Pīa listened with -evident interest, but with some surprise. When he spoke, he said: “All -that I know of religion I have learned from these two men. They know -manifold more than I do. If they see it right, how can I oppose? I will -still take them as my religious teachers, and will learn Christianity of -them.” - -I added a word, emphasizing their assurance that being good Christians -would only strengthen their loyalty. Thanking the Pīa for his kindness, -I retired. How much of his liberality was due to my presence—if it were -so due at all—I do not know. But next morning Sên Suriya came to say -that he could not withstand the opposition of his wife and family. While -his faith was firm as ever, he could do no more this year. By another -year he hoped their opposition might be relaxed. Meantime the family of -refugees had weakened. I supplied all these with medicine, and urged -them to remain steadfast in the faith, reminding them that baptism was -not essential to salvation. - -I had made further stay in Mûang Sai dependent upon the outcome in the -case of these two men. So now it seemed best to continue my journey -northward. I went out to a retired wooded hillock, and there spent a -quiet season in prayer, commending those in whom I had become so -intensely interested to the care of the Divine Teacher, and seeking -direction for my further course. - -So far we had not met many of the hill-tribes, which had been one of the -main objectives of the tour. As I descended from the hill, I found some -thirty Kamus just arrived on some government work, and encamped by the -road. I turned aside to speak with them, when, to my surprise, one, -taller and more intelligent than the rest, answered me in good Lāo. To -my greater surprise, when I handed him a tract, he began to read it. It -seems that, when a lad, he had been initiated into the monastic order by -the Princess of Lūang Prabāng, and was one of the very few of his tribe -who was a fairly good Lāo scholar. He was delighted to get the book; but -I was like a miner who has found a new gold mine. Had they been ready to -return to their homes, I should at once have gone with them. A new -vision seemed to open before me of work among that interesting tribe. I -had seen the great value of the help afforded by Cha Pū Kaw, the first -Mūsô convert, in work among his tribe. But he was not a scholar, and was -too old to learn. Here was a Kamu scholar. Might he not have been raised -up for this very purpose? - -That evening I spent with my elders in their camp. I left with my new -friend a number of books, which he promised to read to his people. I -took down the names of their villages, and promised if possible to visit -them next year—which they all begged me to do. That apparently casual -meeting seemed to me a loud call, Come over and help us! And it led to a -most interesting work, which was stopped only at the command of the -French. - -Leaving Mûang Sai, we journeyed northward along the telegraph road, -enlivened by noble views of long slopes, deep gorges, and high peaks. We -passed some villages of the Yao tribe with whom we could converse only -by signs. On the third day out, at Bān Nā Tawng, we left the telegraph -road, turning off at right angles to Mûang Lā. At one village the head -man assembled his people to meet us, when he learned that here was a man -from seven days beyond the great French country! At one place we passed -a village of Lentīns, so named from the district in Cochin China from -which they came. They showed their Chinese ingenuity by having their -rice-pounding done by water-power. - -Mûang Āi was the last town in French territory; beyond it one enters the -province of Yunnan, China. Here we had scarcely pitched our tent before -the governor had read our little tract on “The Way to Happiness,” and -asked us to stay awhile to teach his people. This we did, remaining from -Friday till Tuesday. He invited us to worship in his house, which was -filled to overflowing. On Saturday, in company with the governor, I -attended a wedding feast. I got along finely with the various dishes -until a bowl of blood fresh from a slaughtered hog was passed around, -and each guest took a spoonful! My note upon leaving the town was, “It -is wonderful how many, especially of the officers and the more -thoughtful class, are struck with the self-evidencing truths of the -Gospel on its first presentation. And their first thought is the sincere -conviction that the Gospel meets their wants. Nor is this testimony -invalidated because, when they come to count the cost, they are not -willing to pay it.” - -I was much pleased to hear uniform testimony to the uprightness of -French officials. My own respect for French rule had greatly increased -since we entered their territory. Is it that the Tai race beyond the Mê -Kōng is more religious, or is it on account of the French rule, that -people there seem more deeply interested in the Gospel message? But such -has been the fact. I have never been cheered by brighter visions of -hopeful and speedy results of our labours. It seems almost inconceivable -that a European nation should forbid missionary work among its people. - -From this point on we were warned not to allow our party to be separated -on the march. Shortly before this a merchant travelling with his son had -been attacked and killed. I heard of two mountain tribes in this -neighbourhood new to me, and of a third further to the northwest, which -sacrifices at every rice-harvest a human victim captured from some other -tribe. Scarcely any one had ever heard of the name of Jesus. - -Not far from the town we passed on a ridge a well-marked boundary stone -with the letters R. F. (République Française) on one side, and C. R. -(Chieng Rung) on the other, in large Roman capitals. Noticing by the -roadside a large stack of bricks, we learned that we were near the salt -wells, and that the salt was compressed into bricks for easier -transportation on mules. The salt industry makes Bān Baw Rê an important -place. No one with white clothes, white hair, or white beard is allowed -to enter the enclosure about the salt wells; so I did not see them. I -could get no reason for the prohibition, save that the spirits would be -displeased. - -The time of my visit was unfortunate, being the beginning of their New -Year festival, which is always a season of carousal. That night we had a -scene that defied description. After supper a man came to tell me to get -ready; they were going to “saw” me. I did not know what “saw”-ing might -be; but I soon learned, to my disgust. Presently a noisy crowd entered -the sālā where I was, with drums, fifes, and other musical instruments, -and surrounded me with deafening noise and songs. A great personage had -come to their place, and they were come to do him honour. He had great -riches, and they expected a treat of fifty rupees. Paying no attention -to my attempted disclaimer, they went on: “Give us out your money. Give -us fifty rupees! Give us twenty-five!” Pushing my way out of the noisy -circle, I was followed with more imperative demands. At last the -governor’s son came up as a friend and advised me to give them five or -six rupees, or they would never depart. Then one of my elders came to -me, anxious regarding the outcome, and said that it was only a New Year -custom, not a religious one—intimating that I need have no conscientious -scruples in the matter. Finally the governor’s son said he could get -them off with three rupees. I had only one in my pocket, and did not -dare open my box before that mob. At last I handed the young man that -one, and, with an emphasis which they understood, told him that I would -give no more, appealing to his father for protection, and holding him -responsible for the consequences. They went off sullenly enough. Having -gone so far, I doubt whether they would have desisted without something -“to save their face.” From me they went to the governor’s, and so on, in -order, throughout the place, with their hideous noise, which I could -hear far on into the night. - -At another village further on, the people seemed in doubt how to receive -me, till a young man came forward and asked if I were not the man who a -few years before travelled through that country with an elephant, and -let the Prince of Mûang Pōng have a gun. Then, turning to the head man, -he said, “You need not be afraid. He is a teacher of the -Jesus-religion.” My standing in that village was assured. One of the -listeners at our worship in the monastery that night was much impressed, -not with the idea of pardon, as is commonly the case, but with that of -the Holy Spirit to purify and cleanse. That was what he needed; and he -earnestly enquired how to obtain his aid. This led to the subject of -prayer to a living, personal God, who has promised this aid. We left him -with the hope that his great need would be supplied. - -Mûang Lā was the furthest point reached on this tour. From it we struck -westward into our old route of 1893 at Mûang Pōng. The Chao Fā who got -my gun had been killed by his people. I was much struck with the -judicial aspect of the act as told me. One of the officers said, “He was -a bad man, who oppressed the people, fined and executed them unjustly, -and, of course, we killed him. That is the way the Lāo do.” A nephew and -adopted son of the murdered Prince succeeded him, but the authority was -largely in the hands of the Prayā Lūang, though the young Prince’s -mother also had great influence. She invited me to a good dinner, and we -had a most interesting conversation. Among other things she asked, “How -is it that you say Buddhism cannot save?” and she seemed much impressed -with the answer: “Because Gautama Buddha is gone, and it is more than -twenty-five hundred years before the next Buddha is expected.” - -We were now travelling southward, and soon came once more upon the -tricolour floating over the French post at Mûang Sing. I felt like -saluting it. I was greatly surprised to find an Englishman, Mr. Eva, in -charge. He fairly shouted to hear his mother tongue once more. He had -scarcely heard a word of it for three years. Seeing that I was spent -with my long, hot ride, and that my carriers would not get in till -nightfall, he kindly offered to hunt me up some luncheon. This I -declined, if only I might have a cup of tea and a piece of dry bread. -Holding up both hands, he exclaimed, “You’ve got me there! I’ve almost -forgotten how wheat bread tastes.” He insisted on my taking up my -quarters in his bungalow, till I said, “If you were on French business, -you would wish to stop where you could best accomplish it, would you -not? I am here on missionary work, and my business is with the people. -The monastery grounds will suit me better.” “Looking at it in that -light,” said he, “you’re right. I’ll say no more.” I knew that in the -home of a French official I should have no visitors at all. - -He was the son of an English Wesleyan minister; but, being a wild lad, -he had wandered away and drifted into the French army, where he rose to -an official position. But the influences of his early days had not been -lost. We had many heart-to-heart talks together. He wanted an English -Bible. Having only my “Oxford” along, I could not spare him that, but -brought him one on my next tour. On Sunday he attended the service led -by the elders, pleased at the evidence they gave of the reality of our -missionary work. He had six thousand Kamus in his district. - -The opium habit is very common. We found but few monasteries in the -Sipsawng Pannā whose abbots and monks did not use opium. One man, when -asked whether he used it, made a significant answer: “When I have money, -I do. When I have none, I don’t.” - -The Chao Fā of Mûang Sing was busy preparing for the marriage of his -daughter with a son of the great Chao Fā of Chieng Rung. So I did not -see much of him. I had a long talk, however, with the prospective groom. -He doubted the possibility of pardon for sin. I had several interviews -with Dr. McKean’s patient for calculus, before mentioned. He was not so -near Christianity as I hoped to find him, but was profuse in praise of -the doctor and the hospital. He had two wives before the operation, and -now was utilizing his new lease of life by taking another younger one. I -saw here some peaches not quite ripe—which was very tantalizing. But I -did get some ripe plums. - -When I left Mûang Sing on April 28th, Mr. Eva escorted me six miles on -my way, and we bade each other good-bye four or five times before we -could finally part. At Wieng Pūkā I had another warm welcome from the -French Commissaire. I had to decline his invitation, also, to good -quarters with him; but dined with him at night, and next morning he sent -me a nice shoulder of beef. A large number of Kamus were here engaged on -some public works. Unlike most of their tribe, these are Buddhists, and -there were a number who could read, and who were delighted to get books. -It was remarkable that their women spoke Lāo fairly well. Their chief -officer had eighteen hundred men under him. After talking with them till -near midnight, I turned them over to the elders, and was soon asleep. -Next morning my cook came to my tent to enquire whether I were not ill. -It was half-past six, and breakfast was ready! - -We passed many Kamu villages in this portion of our route. Most of them -would welcome a missionary, and seemed ripe for the Gospel. Formerly, -under the government of Nān, they had an easy time, with no taxes and -almost voluntary service. Now they naturally complained of the stricter -régime of the French. I consoled them with the fact that the world over -people have to pay taxes to the government that protects them. For this -I did not at all need the warning which Mr. Eva gave me, that the one -thing which the French would not tolerate was interference with their -government work. At Chieng Kawng I took leave of French territory, with -nothing but feelings of gratitude for the uniform personal kindness of -their officials, and their apparently kind interest in our work. That -work I must now dismiss with the very brief outline I have given. I -believe that light was conveyed to many seekers after truth, and seed -was sown which will not be lost. - -From Chieng Kawng onwards I was on old touring ground, and among -friends. I spent a Sunday there, made a short visit to the Mūsô hills, -and found a warm welcome in Chieng Rāi from the two missionary families -who were now established in that station, as well as from my many native -friends. Here I received my long-desired mail. Its good cheer was -tempered by one sad piece of news—the death of my sister Mary and my -brother Evander, the last of my own mother’s children. On May 16th I -entered upon my own three-score and tenth year. Leaving Chieng Rāi on -the 18th, I reached home on the 26th, after an absence of four and a -half months. - -Meanwhile the work in our own and in all the other stations had been -energetically prosecuted by a faithful band of younger workers, better -prepared than the old ones to carry it on to completion. And the other -long tour to the English territory, planned for the later portion of the -year, was successfully carried out by Dr. Briggs, Rev. Mr. Dodd, and -Rev. Mr. Irwin. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - XXXIV - - THE CLOSED DOOR - - -The tour of 1898 was undertaken with two special objects in view: (1) to -follow up the auspicious beginnings of work among the Kamu and Lamēt -tribes, the largest and most important within the mountain area explored -during the previous season, and, apparently, ready as a body to accept -the Gospel; and (2) to secure the sanction of the French government for -continued work in French territory. I was unable to secure a missionary -colleague for the tour, and therefore went accompanied only by native -evangelists. I took the most direct route, crossing the Mê Kōng at Pāk -Bêng, following the Bêng River to its source, and crossing by the pass -at its head to Mûang Sai, the point at which the most promising work of -the previous tour was begun. The journey so far occupied nearly a -month’s time. - -The tour was organized on notice too short to permit my passport from -the United States Minister in Bangkok to reach me in Chiengmai before I -started. It was, therefore, sent on direct to the French authorities at -Lūang Prabāng. Meantime M. Vackle, the Commandant Supérieur, who was so -kind to us the year before, had been superseded by M. Luce; and him, -unfortunately, we just missed at the crossing of the Mê Kōng. He passed -up in a steamer the day before we reached the river. By the time we -reached Mûang Sai, M. Luce had returned to Lūang Prabāng, and had wired -to the office in Mûang Sai that my passport was come, and that I was -expected in Lūang Prabāng. No instructions were given regarding my work, -and the authorities were in doubt what to do. Under the circumstances, -the only passport they could issue was one to the capital, Lūang -Prabāng. - -They were not particular, however, as to the route I should take. So I -chose a circuit to the northeast, leading through the mountain region to -the Ū River, down which I could descend by boat to Lūang Prabāng. This -would enable me to find Nān Tit, the Kamu scholar whom I met at Mûang -Sai on my previous tour, and to visit with him a few Kamu villages. The -extent of the work I hoped to undertake that season would depend upon -the opening I found there. A passport was given me by that route, and a -soldier was sent along as guide and escort. - -Nān Tit, as I hoped, had read the books I gave him, had prepared the way -for me by teaching the substance of them to his neighbours, and now -would assist me in teaching his tribe. With him as interpreter and -assistant we visited a number of contiguous villages, holding night -conferences, at which the whole population of the village would be -present. Everywhere a wonderfully ready response was given to the -Gospel. They, too, were oppressed by the dread of spirits, and welcomed -deliverance from their bondage. They would accept the Gospel, but, -naturally, referred us on to the Pīa. - -To his village at last we went. He was a venerable man near seventy, and -though for years hopelessly crippled by paralysis of the lower limbs, -his bright mind and business talents had raised him to his present -position, and given him a commanding influence. I shall never forget our -first interview. He had heard the rumour that our religion could -overcome the spirits and save from sin. Crawling painfully on his hands -to meet us, he welcomed us to his village and his people. He had heard -of the Jesus-religion, and wished to embrace it. Since he was old, he -must do it soon. This was on Friday afternoon. By Saturday night every -family in the place had made the same decision, and would begin by -keeping their first Sabbath next day. Our elders entered with heart and -soul into teaching them. The young folks soon learned a verse or two of -“The Happy Land,” and some a verse or two in the Catechism. Next -morning, before I was dressed, old and young of both sexes were -gathering to learn how to keep the Sabbath. It was a great day, just the -like of which I had never seen. It settled the decision of hundreds, -possibly of thousands, of people. - -Still, everything depended upon the French authorities. They could -forbid our teaching, as, in fact, they afterwards did. But up to this -point I could not believe that they would. A prompt and candid interview -seemed all that would be necessary to settle that matter, and make the -Kamus feel safe. If such an opening were found, I had determined to -remain with them throughout the season. But in that case my family and -the mission must be informed. More medicine and books and some comforts -would be required to carry me through. It was, therefore, decided to -move on a day’s journey to Mûang Lā, a convenient point, leave there two -elders to instruct the people, and send back three carriers to Chiengmai -for the needed supplies and another elder; while I went on overland to -Mûang Kwā, and there took boat down the Ū River. - -The mountain scenery along this river is very beautiful, especially so -near its junction with the Mê Kōng. We reached Lūang Prabāng on Monday, -May 9th, and called at once on M. Grant, who was so kind to us the year -before. He gave me a greeting as warm as ever. The king was having an -interview with M. Luce that day, so I could not see him till Tuesday. I -dined that night with M. Grant, he himself coming at dusk to walk over -with me. We had a delightful evening. There had been a regular exodus of -Kamus that year to Chiengmai and other southern provinces. M. Grant -asked if I had heard any reason assigned for it. I told him that I had -heard of three—the dearness of rice, owing to the failure of the last -crop; the exhaustion of the mountain lands, and the lack of remunerative -employment by which they could earn the money required to pay their -taxes. - -On Tuesday afternoon the Commandant Supérieur sent his secretary to -invite me to an interview. He, too, gave me a cordial greeting. He had -received my passport together with a letter of introduction from the -Consul Général in Bangkok. I had also a kind personal letter from our -United States Minister, Mr. John Barrett. He had used his personal -influence, and assured me that it would all be right. My interview was -very pleasant. M. Luce enquired about our mission work, the number of -our converts, and other similar matters. He then referred to the large -emigration of Kamus; asked if I had heard of any reason for it, and how -many of our three thousand converts were Kamus. He was much surprised to -learn that the converts were almost entirely Lāo, with not a half dozen -Kamus among them. Putting his anxiety about the emigration and our work -among these people together, it seemed to me later that he must have -thought the movement a religious one. - -When, at last, I stated my special errand to the city, namely, that a -number of villages in his province were interested in our religion, that -I wished to teach them further, and that, since they were French -subjects, I thought it proper to inform him and secure his sanction, he -thanked me for doing so, but his manner at once changed. He said he -should have to consult the king about that; the mountain people were -hard to teach; the country was unhealthy; the Catholic missionaries in -the south were leaving, or had left; the king would fear that the Kamus -would become disloyal to him if they became Christians. To this I -replied that the native officials had uniformly granted us permission to -teach among their subjects; that they realized that it was a benefit to -their country, and even gave us their assistance; and that it was the -fixed policy of our mission to teach Christians loyalty to their rulers. -M. Luce said he would consult with the king, and would let me know the -decision. I expressed my wish to pay my respects to the king, which he -said was a very proper thing, and, on my leaving, he gave me a cordial -invitation to dine with him that night. - -Next day, through M. Grant, I secured a very pleasant interview with the -king. My long residence in the country and acquaintance with both -Siamese and Lāo officials, gave us much common ground for conversation. -He was pleased that I had known their Majesties, the present King of -Siam and his father, his former liege-lords. Quite in line with native -ideas, he thought I must be a man of great merit to be so old and yet so -strong. I explained at his request the teaching of our religion, -pointing out some of its distinctive differences from Buddhism, in all -of which things he was interested. He said that it was all very good, -but he was born and reared in the Buddhist worship, and was too old to -change. Gradually introducing my errand, I told him of my interest in -the Kamus, and of their desire to become Christians; that I had come -down to get permission to work among them. We taught them a better -morality, of which loyalty to rulers was a fundamental article, enjoined -by Jesus on His disciples. He raised the objection that the Kamus were -ignorant, and we would find them harder to teach than the Lāo. To this I -replied that these villagers had become believers, and I was going to -spend several months in teaching them. He asked if I did not think I was -running great risk in living so long in the forest, and so far away from -home. “Well,” said I, “I am used to life in the forest and jungle, and -you can see for yourself how I have fared.” At which he smiled, and made -no further objection. I left with the firm conviction that if M. Luce -were not unwilling, there would be no difficulty with him. - -While at dinner that night, I informed M. Luce of my pleasant audience -with the king; how I told him my plans, and he had virtually given his -consent. “Is that so?” said he. “I must see the king myself about that.” -And as I took my leave, he said again, “I will see the king to-morrow, -and will let you know the result.” - -The next afternoon, Thursday, M. Luce had a long interview at the -Prince’s residence. On Friday afternoon I called on M. Grant on my way -to the Commandant’s office. He told me that M. Luce wished to see me, -but had instructed him to notify me that the king did not understand -that I was to spend several months among the Kamus—though he certainly -did, or why should he have raised the question of my health? I reminded -M. Grant that my passport was not to the king, but to the French -authorities. All the world recognized the country as French territory. -It would have been considered a discourtesy to the French if the -representative of the United States had sent a letter to the Lāo king as -such. He admitted that in a limited sense this was true; but they did -not treat the king as a conquered vassal. Cochin China had fought the -French, and had been conquered and annexed. But Lūang Prabāng had put -itself under their protection without firing a gun. M. Grant delivered -his message with as much consideration toward my disappointment as was -consistent with loyalty to his superior. But my disappointment I could -not conceal. - -M. Luce, I was informed, was very busy that day, but would be glad to -see me on Saturday afternoon. The decision, however, was irreversible. -Further pressure would be useless, and might be unwise. In that case, I -said, of course I must submit. I had shown proper respect for the ruling -authority, and my own desire to avoid future misunderstanding, by making -the long and costly journey to Lūang Prabāng. My errand was now ended. I -would take my leave at once, and return next morning. - -This being reported to M. Luce, he sent word that he must see me before -I left. I might come immediately. Personally, again, he was very kind, -but made a studied effort to put the responsibility upon the king, who, -as he said, had not understood that I wished to make a long stay among -the Kamus, which he thought was unsafe for me. Of course, I had no -complaint to make of the king, who had been most gracious. I submitted -to their decision, and would return home. But my arrangements required -my return to the Kamu villages, where I had left my men and my goods, -and would be detained there till my messengers should return from -Chiengmai—which, he said, was all right. Since the responsibility had -been put on the king, and the adverse decision had been based solely on -the danger to my personal health and safety, I thought it unwise to -raise the question of native assistants, and so felt free to leave these -on the ground to teach the new believers, as, indeed, I felt under -obligation to do. - -Thanking M. Luce for all his personal kindness, I begged to take my -leave of him then, so that I might start on my return the next morning. -But he evidently was not satisfied with his own part in the matter, and -wished to make some personal amends to soothe my disappointment. He -hoped I would not leave in the morning, but would remain till Monday, -and give him the pleasure of a dinner with me and M. Grant on Sunday -night. I hoped he would still excuse me, since, if I remained, that -would be our time for public worship. “Then,” said he, “we shall be -pleased to have you on Saturday night; and if you are not ready now to -give an affirmative reply, I hope you will so arrange it as to notify my -secretary in the morning.” Notwithstanding his evident disingenuousness -in trying to shift the responsibility for his own acts to another, there -was no reason for making it a personal matter; and it would be impolitic -to leave apparently angry. So I decided to remain till Monday, and -accepted the invitation for Saturday night. - -I feared there would be great constraint on both sides at the dinner; -but in this I was agreeably disappointed. That very day a long telegram -had arrived, reporting the declaration of war with Spain, and the -particulars of the great naval victory of Manila Bay. On my arrival at -his house, M. Luce handed me a full translation of these into English, -which he had had made for me. They were much surprised at the victory, -for they thought the Spanish navy much larger and stronger than ours; -and they were high in their praise of the victors. We really had a -delightful time. After dinner our host and M. Grant both laid themselves -out to show me beautiful maps and pictures. M. Luce invited me to call -on Monday morning, and he would send a long telegram to my wife without -charge. This he did, and we all parted friends. The departure on the -16th, my seventieth birthday, was not as joyful as I had hoped. - -On my return to Mûang Sai, I found that my carriers had been delayed by -sore feet and sickness. I could not leave till they came, for fear of -missing them and causing further complications. So my long trip home was -thrown into the middle of a very rainy season. I had to apologize as -best I could to the new converts for the change in my plan to remain -with them. But they were glad to have our elders stay and teach them. If -that shady tree on the little hill at Mûang Sai could speak, it would -tell of much anxious prayer on leaving the Christians and starting on -the long journey before me. My Ebenezer was left on that tree. - -That journey was altogether the worst I ever had. I did not reach home -till August 6th, after the longest tour I had ever taken. M. Luce’s -telegram had prepared my family and friends for my changed plans. - -A few lines must close the history of the work among the Kamus. In -December the three evangelists returned with a most encouraging report. -The converts had remained firm, and others were waiting to join them. -The next season a native minister was sent to them. In 1903 the mission -ventured to send two of our younger men, Dr. Campbell and Mr. Mackay. to -Mûang Sai, to visit the Christians, and respond to a pressing call to -extend the work. Imagine their surprise on reaching Mûang Sai to find -that the local commissioner had received orders to forbid our -missionaries to visit the Christian community, or to hold any religious -service with them, on penalty of being conducted out of the country, by -force if necessary. The command was so imperative that the Commissioner -dared not disobey. He begged them for his sake to return peaceably. No -effort has been made since to reach the Christians at Mûang Sai, or to -extend the work. - -It will be remembered that a few members of the Chieng Sên church—never -more than half a dozen families—lived on the east bank of the Mê Kōng, -in French territory. So objectionable was the very presence of a -missionary making a few days’ visit among his flock, that it was -regarded of sufficient importance to warrant an official protest from -the authorities at Lūang Prabāng, sent through the Governor General of -Hanoi, and the United States Minister at Bangkok. Complaint was made of -a visit made by the Rev. ——, who had exhibited Scripture pictures and -distributed books among the people—which was so contrary to their policy -that they forbade the Roman Catholic missionaries from working in their -territory. They begged that the thing be not repeated! For the credit of -the French authorities I should have been glad to suppress the latter -part of this story. But, on the other hand, I think it should be known, -in order that it may become a burden on the prayers of the Christian -world of all denominations, that God’s providence may open the whole -peninsula of Indo-China to the preaching of the Gospel. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - XXXV - - CONCLUSION - - -My advancing age suggests the wisdom of not attempting to continue this -personal narrative beyond the account just given of my last long -missionary tour. I may venture to add, however, by way of conclusion, a -few suggestions and criticisms concerning the work of our mission as a -whole, and briefly notice a few of the more important personalities and -events of these later years. - -Special prominence has been given throughout to the evangelistic work, -as being the foundation of all other missionary work. A Christian Church -and a Christian constituency must be the first aim in all missions. In -this we have not been unsuccessful. Our ideals, it is true, have not -been realized. We have not witnessed among the Siamese or the Lāo any -racial movement towards Christianity; nor have there been any great -revivals resulting in large accessions to the church. Both of these we -hope for in the not far distant future. Yet the uniform, healthful -growth of the church, as distinguished from spasmodic or sporadic -increase, has been most gratifying. Seldom does a week pass without -accessions to some of our churches. - -An adult membership of four thousand is a good foundation. And it must -never be forgotten that the roll of church-membership is a very -inadequate index of the real influence and power of a mission. In -addition to a much larger constituency of adherents, there is our large -roll of non-communing members, the hope of the future church. And signs -of most hopeful promise have appeared within the present year. The -growth of the Chieng Rāi church during that time has been surpassed only -by the results of Dr. Campbell’s recent tours, amounting to eighty -accessions within a few weeks. The supporters of our missions have every -cause for gratitude, and a call for earnest, effectual prayer in their -behalf. - -A review of our evangelistic work suggests one or two criticisms. On one -line at least, with a smaller amount of hard work done by the missionary -himself, we might have accomplished more, might now be better prepared -for advanced work, and the native church might be better able to stand -alone, if we had addressed our efforts more steadily to the development -and use of native assistance. While we have not had the material of well -educated young men out of which to form a theological seminary and to -furnish a fully equipped native ministry, we have not used, to the -extent to which we should have used it, the material which was -available. For a mission as old as ours, we must confess that in this -most important matter we are very backward. - -The delay in starting our school for boys was not our fault; it was -inevitable. The Lāo rulers of the earlier years were absolutely -indifferent to all education, and were positively jealous of any that -was given by the mission. But as the church began to increase, we had -accessions of men trained in the Buddhist priesthood. Some of these were -among the best educated men in the country. They understood—as young men -even from mission schools could not be expected to understand—the -religion, the modes of thought, the needs of their own people, and how -to reach them. Their education, however deficient, brought them many -compensations. They form the class from which nearly all of our -evangelists have been drawn. When such men have been drilled in the -Scriptures, their Buddhistic knowledge makes them the very best men for -successful work among their countrymen. They visit and sleep in the -homes of their people, and are one with them. The missionary in his work -must rely largely on their judgment and advice. - -It must not be understood that we have not taught these men or used -them. A great deal of labour has been spent in training them; very much -in the same way in which in American churches, a generation ago, busy -pastors trained up young men to be some of our best ministers. The -criticism I make—and in it I believe all my colleagues will concur—is -that we have not made as much of them as we should have done. No doubt -there have been difficulties in the way. Their families must somehow be -provided for during the process. The native churches were not strong -enough to undertake their support. We were warned that to aid them with -foreign funds would make the churches mercenary. What the missionary -himself sometimes did to eke out their subsistence was irregular and -difficult, and often unsatisfactory. But the labourer is worthy of his -hire. Hungry mouths must be fed. The Board and the churches at home do -not begrudge a thousand dollars or more to support a missionary in the -field. Should they begrudge the same amount spent upon half a dozen men -who will treble or quadruple the missionary’s work and his influence? In -any business it is poor policy to employ a high-salaried foreman, and -then not furnish him cheaper men to do that which unskilled labour can -accomplish better than he. - -In this matter, as in some others, we might have learned valuable -lessons from our nearest missionary neighbours in Burma, even though the -conditions of our work have been in many respects very different from -theirs. Making all allowance for our conditions, I frankly confess that -our greatest mistake has probably been in doing too much of the work -ourselves, instead of training others to do it, and working through -them. This conviction, however, must not in the least lead us to relax -our efforts in the line of general education. For the ultimate -establishment of the church, and to meet the demands of the age, we must -have workmen thoroughly equipped. Till that time comes, we must, as we -should more fully have done hitherto, rely on whatever good working -material we find ready to hand. - - * * * * * - -With regard to plans and methods of work, another thought suggests -itself. In a business organized as ours is, where the majority in the -Annual Meeting has absolute power, it is difficult to avoid the -appearance—and sometimes the reality—of a vacillating policy. New -stations are established, and missionaries are located by the ballot of -the mission there assembled. From year to year the personnel of the -mission is constantly changing by reason of furloughs, breakdown of -health, and necessary removals. We make our disposition of forces at one -meeting, and at the next an entirely new disposition has become -necessary. A family has been left alone without a physician or -associate. Missionary enthusiasm, or an earnest minority interested in a -particular field or a particular cause, may initiate a policy which a -subsequent majority may be unable to sanction, or which it may be found -difficult or impossible to carry out. - -Again, as between the policy of maintaining one strong central station, -and that of maintaining several smaller ones in different parts of the -country, it is often difficult to decide. With the aim originally of -establishing the Gospel in all the states under Siamese rule, we seem to -have been led to adopt the latter policy. Through God’s blessing on -evangelistic tours, in Lampūn and in the frontier provinces of the -north, there grew up churches which called for missionary oversight. The -famine in Prê summoned us thither; and to secure the work then done, a -missionary in residence was needed. Though no church had been formed in -Nān, yet our tours had opened the way to one, and the importance of the -province and its distance from our centre demanded a station. In every -case these stations were opened with the cordial approval of the mission -and of the Board at home. Yet it has been difficult to keep them all -manned, as has been specially true in the case of Prê—and there to the -great detriment of the work. It is easy to say now that a strong central -policy might have been better. And that criticism would probably hit me -harder than anyone else, for I have sanctioned the establishment of -every one of those stations. It is possible that a more centralized -organization might have accomplished more toward the education of native -workers—the point last under discussion. - -With reference to the establishment of stations in the north beyond the -frontier of Siam, there was not until recently absolute unanimity in the -mission. But that was not from any diversity of opinion as regards the -question in itself, but because a sister denomination had established -itself there. There has never been reasonable ground for doubt that the -language and race of the ruling class, and of the population of the -plains would naturally assign them to the Lāo mission. And no other -mission is so well equipped for working that field. A Lāo Inland -Mission, somewhat on the plan of the China Inland Mission, would be an -ideal scheme for reaching the whole of the Tai-speaking peoples of the -north and northeast under English and French and Chinese rule. The -obligation to carry the Gospel to those peoples should rest heavily on -the conscience of the Christian Church, and on our Church in particular. -Who will volunteer to be the leaders? - -It has already been noticed that in our educational work the Girls’ -School had the precedence in time, and possibly in importance. Boys did -at least learn to read and write in the monasteries. At the time of our -arrival in Chiengmai, only two women in the province could read. The -Chiengmai Girls’ School has had a wide educational influence throughout -the north, and to-day our Girls’ Schools have practically no -competitors. - -The Phraner Memorial School for small children, in connection with the -First Church, Chiengmai, under Mrs. Campbell’s direction, is preparing -material both for High Schools and for the College. We have good schools -for girls in Lakawn, Nān, and Chieng Rāi; and parochial mixed schools in -most of our country churches and out-stations. The young women who have -been engaged in this department, and many self-sacrificing married -women, have great reason to rejoice over the work accomplished. No -greater work can be done than that of educating the wives and mothers of -the church and the land. Educated Christian men are greatly handicapped -when consorted with illiterate and superstitious wives. Without a -Christian wife and mother there can be no Christian family, the -foundation both of the church and of the Christian State. - -On a recent visit to Chiengmai, Princess Dārā Ratsami—one of the wives -of His late Majesty of Siam, and daughter of Prince Intanon of Chiengmai -and his wife, the Princess Tipakēsawn, often mentioned in the preceding -narrative—was much interested in the Girls’ School, and was pleased to -name it the Phra Rajchayar School, after herself—using therefor her -title, and not her personal name. - -The mission had been founded twenty years before it had, and almost -before it could have had, a School for Boys. It is the intention of the -mission to make of this school—the Prince Royal College—the future -Christian College. Similar schools have been established in the other -stations. - -Since the Siamese government assumed control in the North, it has -manifested a laudable zeal in establishing schools, in which, however, -the Siamese language alone is taught. His Majesty is most fortunate in -having such an able and progressive representative in the North as the -present High Commissioner, Chow Prayā Surasīh Visithasakdī. And the -country is no less fortunate in having a ruler whose high personal -character and wise administration command the confidence and respect of -all classes. He is interested in educating the people, and in everything -that advances the interests of the country. - -I regard the educational question as the great question now before the -mission. The existence of the Siamese schools greatly emphasizes the -importance of our own work, and the necessity of maintaining a high -standard and a strong teaching force in Siamese, English, mathematics, -and the sciences. Their schools then will be tributary to ours. - -The ultimate prevalence of the Siamese language in all the provinces -under Siamese rule, has been inevitable from the start. All governments -realize the importance of a uniform language in unifying a people, and -have no interest whatever in perpetuating a provincial dialect. The -Siamese, in fact, look down with a kind of disdain upon the Lāo speech, -and use it only as a temporary necessity during the period of -transition. And the Siamese is really the richer of the two by reason of -its large borrowing from the Pali, the better scholarship behind it, and -its closer connection with the outside world. - -These two forms of the Tai speech—with a common idiom, and with the -great body of words in both identical, or differing only in vocal -inflection—have been kept apart chiefly by the fact that they have -different written characters. All of the Lāo women and children, and -two-thirds of the men had to be taught to read, whichever character were -adopted; and they could have learned the one form quite as easily as the -other. Had the mission adopted the Siamese character from the start, it -would now be master of the educational situation, working on a uniform -scheme with the Siamese Educational Department. Moreover, the Siamese -language in our schools would have been a distinct attraction toward -education and toward Christianity. And thus there would have been -available for the North the labours of two or more generations of able -workers in the southern mission, from which so far the Lāo church has -been mostly cut off. The whole Bible would have been accessible from the -first; whereas now nearly half of it remains still untranslated into the -Lāo. If the future needs of the Siamese provinces alone were to be -considered, it might even be doubted whether it were worth while to -complete the translation. When the monks, in their studies and teaching, -adopt the Siamese, as it is now the intention of the government to have -them do, Lāo books will soon be without readers throughout Siam. When -for the young a choice is possible in the matter of such a transcendent -instrument of thought and culture as language, all surely would wish -their training to be in that one which has in it the promise of the -future. These words are written in no idle criticism of the past, and in -no captious spirit regarding the present; but with full sense of the -gravity of the decision which confronts the mission in shaping its -educational policy for those who henceforth are to be Siamese. - -Meanwhile, Lāo type and books in the Lāo dialect are needed, not merely -for the present generation of older people who cannot or will not learn -a new character, but also for the instruction and Christianization of -that much larger mass of Lāo folk beyond the frontier of Siam as -revealed by recent explorations. Removed, as these are, entirely from -the political and cultural influence of Siam, and divided up under the -jurisdiction of three great nations of diverse and alien speech, it is -inconceivable that the Siamese should ever win the ascendency over them. -Nor has either of these nations any immediate and pressing incentive -toward unifying the speech of its provincials, such as has actuated Siam -in this matter. If the field of the Lāo mission is to be extended to -include these “regions beyond”—as we all hope that it soon may be—Lāo -speech will inevitably be the medium of all its work there. Then all -that so far has been accomplished in the way of translation, writing, -and printing in the Lāo tongue, will be so much invaluable capital to be -turned over to the newer enterprise. - -As regards the medical department of the mission, the Lāo field has been -an ideal one for its operation and for demonstration of its results. -When the field was virtually closed to the simple Gospel, the missionary -physician found everywhere an exalted, not to say exaggerated, idea of -the efficacy of foreign medicine, and a warm welcome for himself. Dr. -Cheek, who virtually founded our regular medical work among the Lāo, had -been on the field but a short time when he reported thirteen thousand -patients treated in one year. Probably no subsequent physician has had -such absolute control of the situation as he had, so long as he gave his -time and talents to his calling. But even the layman finds his medical -chest an invaluable adjunct to his evangelistic work, as we have had -frequent occasion to notice. We are devoutly thankful for—we might -almost envy—the influence that our medical missionaries have exerted in -the civilization and the Christianization of the Lāo tribes. - -Somewhat of the present status and importance of the medical mission may -be judged from the following facts: Dr. J. W. McKean’s projected Leper -Asylum is the largest charitable institution ever planned in the -kingdom. The new Overbrook Hospital in Chieng Rāi, the generous gift of -the Gest family of Overbrook, Pennsylvania, is the finest building in -the mission. The Charles T. Van Santvoord Hospital in Lakawn is another -similar gift. Native physicians, trained as far as present opportunities -permit in Western surgery and medicine, are now maintained at certain -posts by the Siamese government. And especially the work of Dr. Arthur -Kerr, the government physician in Chiengmai, and his unremitting -kindness to the mission, are deeply appreciated by us all. - -I cannot close these remarks without making special reference to the -work of my old friend and classmate and early associate in the mission, -Dr. Jonathan Wilson. In addition to his other most valuable labours, he -spent years of loving and devoted service in the preparation of hymns -for Lāo worship, Which will mould and lead the spiritual life of this -people for years to come. The Lāo are lovers of music. Many of them have -received much of their religious instruction through the use of these -hymns. His influence in the Lāo church may be compared to that of Watts -and Wesley for the English race. - - * * * * * - -Our long isolation as a mission has enabled us to appreciate the coming -to us in late years of a number of distinguished visitors, who have -greatly encouraged and strengthened us. - -At the Annual Meeting in December, 1900, we were favoured with a visit -from our United States Minister, Hon. Hamilton King, and his two -daughters. Referring to his visit, the “Lāo Quarterly Letter” said: “His -addresses to the missionaries and native ministers and elders of the -Presbytery were much appreciated, and our large church building was -crowded on two successive Sabbaths to hear his eloquent words of -encouragement to native Christians, and his warm commendation of -Christianity to non-Christians. It has been said that one of the best -things which a United States Minister can take to a non-Christian land -is a good Christian home. And this is just what Mr. King has brought to -Siam.” - -At the Annual Meeting of the following year, in Lakawn, we received the -first official visit we ever had from one of the Secretaries of our -Board, in the person of Rev. Arthur J. Brown, D.D., accompanied by his -good wife. The importance of these secretarial visits to distant -missions can hardly be overestimated. It is impossible to legislate -intelligently for a constituency twelve thousand miles away. No amount -of writing can give the varied kinds of information necessary for a full -understanding of the people, the missionaries, their surroundings, and -the needs of the field, which a single visit will convey. Then, too, -there are questions of administration and mission polity, requiring -settlement in the home Board, which can with difficulty be understood -through correspondence. Dr. Brown’s official visit was most helpful, as -also his words of encouragement, his sermons and addresses. The pleasure -derived from the personal visits of Dr. and Mrs. Brown to various -members of the Mission will always linger in our memories. - -[Illustration: - - HIS MAJESTY, MAHĀ VAJIRAVUDH, KING OF SIAM] - -Another notable visit to Chiengmai was that of the Crown Prince of Siam, -now His Majesty Mahā Vajiravudh, in the winter of 1905-6. On this visit -His Royal Highness very graciously accepted the invitation of the -mission to lay the corner stone of the William Allen Butler Hall, the -recitation hall of the new Boys’ School. On that occasion he delivered -an address, of which the following is a translation: - - “Ladies and Gentlemen:—I have listened with great pleasure to - the complimentary remarks which have just been made. I regard - them as indisputable evidence of your friendship for the whole - Kingdom of Siam. - - “During my visit to the United States, the American people were - pleased to give me a most enthusiastic welcome. I may mention - particularly the sumptuous banquet with which your Board of - Foreign Missions honoured me. I perceived clearly that the - American people received me whole-heartedly and not - perfunctorily. This also made it evident to me that the American - people have a sincere friendship for the Kingdom of Siam. Of - this fact I was profoundly convinced, and I certainly shall not - soon forget my visit to the United States. - - “This being so, I feel compelled to reciprocate this kindness to - the full extent of my ability. As my Royal Grandfather and my - Royal Father have befriended the missionaries, so I trust that I - too shall have opportunity, on proper occasions, to assist them - to the limits of my power. - - “Your invitation to me to-day to lay the corner stone of your - new School Building, is another evidence of your friendship and - goodwill toward Siam. I have full confidence that you will make - every endeavour to teach the students to use their knowledge for - the welfare of their country. Therefore I take great pleasure in - complying with your request, and I invoke a rich blessing on - this new institution. May it prosper and fulfil the highest - expectations of its founders!” - -In response to a request from the Principal that he would name the new -school, His Royal Highness sent the following reply: - - “CHIENGMAI, January 2d, 1906. - - “I have great pleasure in naming the new school, the foundation - stone of which I have just laid, The Prince Royal’s College. May - this School which I have so named, be prosperous, and realize - all that its well-wishers hope for it. May it long flourish, and - remain a worthy monument of the enterprise of the American - Presbyterian Church of Chiengmai. This is the wish of their - sincere friend, - - “VAJIRAVUDH.” - -Little did we then think that His Royal Highness would so soon be called -to fill the high office left vacant by the lamented death of his -distinguished father, King Chulalangkorn, which occurred October 22d, -1910. - -In December, 1908, Mrs. McGilvary’s brother, Professor Cornelius B. -Bradley of the University of California, while on a visit to the land of -his birth and of his father’s labours, paid us a visit in the North. He -was present at our Annual Meeting in Lakawn, and on Sunday preached the -Communion sermon, and again in Chiengmai. It was to the astonishment of -all who heard him, both natives and foreigners, that he could converse -fluently and flawlessly, and could so preach, after an absence of -thirty-six years. It was upon this visit to Siam, that he made a special -study and translation of the Sukhōthai Stone—the earliest known monument -of the Siamese language. - -In company with Professor Bradley came Mr. William McClusky, a business -man, on a visit to his daughter, Mrs. M. B. Palmer. The significance of -this visit lies in the fact that Mr. McClusky has remained among us, and -has identified himself with the work of the mission, endearing himself -to all. - - * * * * * - -In 1905 Mrs. McGilvary returned to the United States for a much-needed -change. I remained on the field until 1906, when I was cabled for on -account of the very serious state of her health. I found her very low, -and my visit was devoted to the restoration of her health. In the autumn -she was sufficiently recovered to make our return possible, and the -voyage was undertaken in compliance with her own ardent wish. She was -greatly benefited by the sea-voyage, and since her return her health has -been fully restored. - -On May 16th, 1908, my daughter, Mrs. William Harris, gave a dinner in -honour of my eightieth birthday, at which all our missionary and -European friends in Chiengmai were guests. Dr. McKean expressed the -congratulations of my friends in an address, from which I quote the -following: “Eighty years of age, sir, but not eighty years old! We do -not associate the term old age with you, for you seem to have drunk of -the fount of perpetual youth.” But the sentiment to which I most -heartily subscribe is the following: “There is a common maxim among men -to which we all readily assent; namely, that no man is able to do his -best work in the world without having received from God that best of all -temporal gifts, a helpmeet for him. We most heartily congratulate you -that, early in your life in Siam, Mrs. McGilvary was made a partner in -this great life-work. And no one knows so well as yourself how large a -part she has had in making possible much of the strenuous work that you -have done. To her, likewise, we offer on this happy occasion our hearty -congratulations and our fervent wishes for an ever-brightening future!” - -On December 6th, 1910, Mrs. McGilvary and I celebrated our Golden -Wedding. As this occurred during the Annual Meeting of the Mission, most -of our missionary friends, as well as our friends of the foreign colony, -were present. It was a matter of great regret, however, that Dr. Wilson, -who was present at the wedding fifty years before, was too feeble to -come to Chiengmai on this occasion. The many beautiful gifts received -were another token of the loving regard of our friends and dear ones in -this and in the homeland. Among the many letters and telegrams received -was a cablegram from our children in America. “It was like a hand-clasp -and a whisper of love flashed around the world.” Dr. Arthur J. Brown, -speaking for himself and the members of the Board of Foreign Missions, -wrote: “We greatly rejoice in your long and conspicuously devoted and -influential service for the Lāo people. We share the veneration and love -with which we know you are regarded by the people among whom your lives -have been spent, and by the missionaries with whom you have been so -closely associated. It would be a joy if we could join the relatives and -friends who will be with you on that happy day in December. We invoke -God’s richest blessings on you both. Mrs. Brown and all my colleagues in -the office unite with the members of the Board in loving -congratulations.” - -One of the most valued of these messages came from H. R. H. Prince -Damrong, Minister of the Interior: “I just learn from the local papers -of the celebration of your Golden Wedding. I wish you and Mrs. McGilvary -to accept my sincere congratulations and best wishes that you both may -be spared to continue your great work for many more years. Damrong.” - -Our good friend, H. E. Prayā Surasīh Visithsakdī, High Commissioner for -the Northwestern Provinces, brought his congratulations in person, -presenting Mrs. McGilvary with a very rare old Siamese bowl of inlaid -work of silver and gold. - -[Illustration: - - DR. AND MRS. McGILVARY FIFTY YEARS AFTER THEIR MARRIAGE] - - -From the native church in Chieng Rāi a message in Lāo was received, of -which the following is a translation: “The Chieng Rāi Christians invoke -Divine blessings on the Father-Teacher and Mother-Teacher McGilvary, who -are by us more beloved than gold.” - -We were deeply touched by a most unexpected demonstration of the -Chiengmai Christians, who assembled at our home, and with many -expressions of loving esteem and gratitude presented us with a silver -tray, designed by themselves, on which were represented in relief the -progress of the city in these fifty years: on one end the old bridge, on -the other the new bridge just completed; on the two sides, the -rest-house we occupied upon our arrival in Chiengmai, and our present -home. The inscription, in Lāo, reads: “1867-1910. The Christian people -of Chiengmai to Father-Teacher and Mother-Teacher McGilvary, in memory -of your having brought the Good News of Christ, forty-three years -ago.”—It makes one feel very humble to quote such expressions from our -colleagues and friends. But it would not be in human nature to fail to -appreciate them. - - * * * * * - -I would not close this life-story without expressing, on behalf of my -wife and myself, our heartfelt gratitude to our friends, native and -foreign, for the great kindness shown us in our intercourse with them -during these long years; and, above all, our devout gratitude to the -Giver of all good, for sparing so long our lives, and crowning them with -such rich blessings. Of these the greatest has been in permitting us to -lay the foundations, and to witness the steady growth of the Church of -Christ in Northern Siam. - -[Illustration: - - SKETCH MAP OF SIAM AND THE ADJACENT REGIONS - TO ILLUSTRATE THE MISSIONARY TOURS OF REV. DANIEL McGILVARY, D.D.] - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - INDEX - - - Arthington, Robert, 373-376, 386. - - - Bradley, Rev. Dan Beach, M.D., 45, 52, 54-57, 67-70, 131-132, 164, 199. - - Buddhist shrines, 172-173, 188, 252-253. - - - Ceremonies and Festivals: - Dam Hūa, 84-86; - cremation, 145-147; - dedication of a shrine, 188-189; - rice-harvest, 274; - fairs, 327, 356, 366; - “kin waw,” 323, 343; - sacred days, 318-319; - wedding feast, 395; - New Year, 396-397. - - Chulalongkorn, King of Siam, 211-213, 382, 426. - - Commission, Royal, 112, 121-131. - - Commissioners, High: - Prayā Tēp Worachun, 193-194, 205, 206, 208, 210, 213-215, 222, 300; - Commissioner not named, 300-304; - Chow Prayā Surasīh, 419. - - Cushing, Rev. J. N., DD, 138-139, 244, 247, 250, 373. - - - Demonism and witchcraft, 75-76, 91, 93-94, 173, 194, 203-208, 214, - 266-270, 278, 321, 324, 331, 340. - - Diseases: - cholera, 51; - fever, 88, 190, 195, 205, 242; - goitre, 88; - smallpox (vaccination), 57, 89-91, 243, 250; - scurvy, 196; - mortality of re-peopled districts, 202, 282. - - - Education: - Girls’ School, 177-178, 221-223, 274, 284, 287, 292, 418-419; - Boys’ School, 284, 291, 300, 419, 424-426; - Phraner Memorial, 377, 418; - parochial, 418; - government, 419-420; - educational policy as regards language, 222-225, 420-422. - - Elephants: - saddle, 62, 151-152, 157, 246, 249-250, 311-312, 317-318, 330-331, - 355, 359-360, 382-383; - wild, 156, 253, 311; - baby-elephants, 246-247, 309. - - Evangelists and ministers, native, 257-263, 377-380, 414-416. - - - Famine, 335, 346, 349-352. - - French Indo-China, 332, 354, 358, 384, and chapters xxxiii, xxxiv. - - - Hallett, Holt S. (railroad survey), 244-254. - - House, Rev. S. R., M.D., 37-38, 45, 53, 67, 92-93, 110-112. - - - Intanon, Prince of Chiengmai, 81, 90, 108-109, 132, 137, 142, 145, 187, - 193-194, 209, 245, 262, 293, 300. - - - Kamu tribe, 368, 393-394, 400, 403, 405, 407, 411. - - Karens, 89, 143-144. - - Kāwilōrot, Prince of Chiengmai (1855-1870), 57, 67, 69-70, 85-86, 90, - 95, 102-106, 121-129, 133-138, 146-147. - - - Lāo: - the name, 13-14, 57-58; - spelling of Lāo words, 12-13; - people, 58, 156; - states, 130, 191-192, 218-219, 262; - language, 357, 358, 420-422, see also Education; - women, 144-145. - - Lāo Mission: - planted, 77; - Rev. J. Wilson arrives, 92; - first church organized, 93; - a gift of land, 95; - first native members received, 96-101; - persecution, 106-117; - mission supposedly abandoned, 126; - intervention, 130-132; - new régime, 137-144; - permanent buildings, 140-142; - first physician, 149; - Girls’ School, 177; - teachers arrive, 221-222; - reinforcement, 242; - Presbytery organized, 257; - printing-press, 320; - Christian Endeavor, 381; - summaries, 217-218, 225, 287-288, 299, 304, 401; - general review, 413-423. - Later Missionaries: - Briggs, Rev. W. A., M.D., 10, 319, 336-337, 351-352, 401; - Campbell, Rev. Howard, 376, 411, 414; - Mrs. Campbell, 418; - Campbell, Miss Mary, 177, 221-222, 234, 236-237, 240; - Cary, A. M., M.D., 283-284, 296, 298; - Cheek, M. A., M.D., 166, 169, 178, 190, 195, 212, 233, 236-237, - 283, 292; - Mrs. Cheek, 169, 242, 293; - Cole, Miss Edna E., 177, 221-222, 233, 240, 284, 387; - Collins, Rev. D. G., 283, 284, 296, 301; - Curtis, Rev. L. W., 376; - Mrs. Curtis, 9; - Denman, C. H., M.D., 376, 381, 382-385; - Dodd, Rev. W. C., D.D., 283, 284-286, 289, 291, 296, 301, 358, - 377-378, 382, 384, 401; - Mrs. Dodd (Miss B. Eakin), 292, 293, 303; - Fleeson, Miss, 292, 293, 299; - Freeman, Rev. J. H., 9, 296; - Griffin, Miss I. A., 240, 243, 284, 292, 299; - Hearst, Rev. J. H., 239, 243; - Irwin, Rev. Robert, 319, 353, 362, 367, 401; - Martin, Rev. Chalmers, 239, 250, 252, 268, 270, 271-273, 276, 283; - McGilvary, Cornelia H. (Mrs. William Harris), 199, 306, 308-316, - 427; - McGilvary, Rev. Evander B., 337, 371; - McGilvary, Margaret A. (Mrs. Roderick Gillies), 197, 337; - McKean, J. W., M.D., 306, 316, 320, 338, 341, 422-423, 427; - Peoples, Rev. S. C., M.D., 239, 250, 257, 263-265, 289-291, 300, - 319, 387; - Mrs. Peoples, 240; - Phraner, Rev. Stanley K., 319, 320, 326-329, 376-377, 418; - Mrs. Phraner (Lizzie Westervelt), 238, 274, 284; - Taylor, Rev. Hugh, 299, 308-309; - Vrooman, C. W., M.D., 149-159, 166. - Native Converts: - Āi Tū (Prayā Pakdī), 277, 280, 287; - Cha Pū Kaw and Cha Waw, _see under_ Mūsô; - Chao Borirak, 158, 163, 197; - Lung In, 168, 170, 202; - Nān Chai, 100-101, 114-117; - Nān Chaiwana, 266-270; - Nān Inta, 96-99, 149, 161, 163, 207, 208, 210, 233, 243, 257, 258; - Nān Tā, 225-228, 234, 243, 248, 258, 272, 276, 277, 283, 299, 301; - Nān Sī Wichai, 199, 243; - Nān Suwan, 197-198, 233, 248, 257, 280, 287, 327, 330, 333, 341, - 359; - Noi Intachak, 230, 257, 260; - Noi Siri, 301-304, 333; - Noi Sunya, 99-100, 114-117; - Noi Tāliya, 278-279, 290, 334; - Pā Sêng Bun, 205-206; - Prayā Sīhanāt, 199-201, 232-233; - Sên Utamā, 230, 232; - Sên Yā Wichai, 79, 100, 105, 203, 281, 291. - - - Mahā Mongkut, King of Siam, 37, 47-48, 70. - - Mahā Vajiravudh, King of Siam, 425-426. - - Mattoon, Rev. S., D.D., 39, 45, 67, 165-166. - - McDonald, Rev. N. A., D.D., 53, 68, 103-104, 121ff. - - McFarland, Rev. S. G., D.D., 53, 70-71. - - McGilvary, Rev. Daniel, D.D., birth (1828), 20; - parentage, 19-20; - childhood, 20-28; - conversion, 27-28; - Bingham School, 29-31; - teaching, 31-32; - Presbytery of Orange, 32-34; - Princeton Seminary (1853-1856), 35-38; - pastorate, 38-41; - ordination, 42; - voyage, 43-45; - Bangkok (1858-1861), 45-52; - marriage (1860), 52; - Pechaburī, 53ff; - first acquaintance with the Lāo, 57-58; - tour of exploration to Chiengmai, 59-65; - charter of the Lāo mission, 66-70; - removal to Chiengmai (1867), 71-76; - pioneer experiences, 77-83; - ceremony of Dam Hūa, 84-86; - non-professional medicine and surgery, 88-91, 95, 120, 147-148, 158, - 190, 195-196, 322, 362; - visit from Dr. House, 92; - First Church organized, 93; - first-fruits, 95-101; - the gathering storm, 102-105; - it breaks (Sep. 1869), 106; - terrifying suspense, 107, 118-119; - alarm in Bangkok, 111-113; - the martyrs, 114-117; - Siamese Royal Commission, 121; - a stormy audience and its results, 122-129; - death of Kāwilōrot, 133-135; - visit from Dr. and Mrs. Cushing, 138-139; - the new rulers, 137-144; - building, 140-142; - arrival of a missionary physician, 149; - First Tour (1872, with Dr. Vrooman)—exploration north and east, - 150-159; - visit to Lakawn and Nān, 161-168; - first furlough (1873-1875), 159-168; - Second Tour (1876)—exploration northwestward, 170-177; - conversation with the Princess, 180-187; - shrine on Doi Sutēp, 188-189; - firmer Siamese policy—the Resident High Commissioner, 191-194; - the deaf Prayā, 199-201; - struggle with demonism:—Pā Sêng Bun, 203-206; - Christian marriage defeated, 207-209; - appeal unto Cæsar, 210-212; - Edict of Religious Toleration (1878), 213-220; - teachers for the Girls’ School, 221-222; - the harvest of twelve years, 225; - the nine years’ wanderer, 225-228; - voyage to Hongkong, 228-230; - Rahêng, 230-232; - churches organized, 233; - second furlough (1881-1882)—reinforcements and losses, 236-243; - a surveying expedition (1884), 244-254; - equipment for touring, 249-251; - semi-monthly mail to Maulmein, 255-256; - death of Princess Tipa Kēsawn, 257; - Presbytery of North Laos and the training of native evangelists, - 257-262; - station established at Lakawn, 263-265; - struggle with demonism renewed—Bān Pên, 266-270; - work among the villages, 270-274; - Third Tour (1886, with Mr. Martin)—Christian communities in the - north, 276-283; - reinforcements, 283-284; - river trip with Mr. Dodd, 285-286; - Fourth Tour (1887), 286-287; - Fifth Tour (1888, with Dr. Peoples and Mr. Dodd):—church organized in - Chieng Sên, 289-291; - serious illness, 291; - marriage of his daughter—the Prince and the charades, 293; - foothold secured in Lampūn, 294-296; - trip to Bangkok, 297; - week at Bān Pên, 297-298; - a marvellous recovery, 298; - the “prisoner of Jesus Christ,” 300-304; - tax-rebellion, 305-306; - Dr. McKean, and a continuous medical mission at last, 306-307; - Sixth Tour (1890, with Miss McGilvary):—Lakawn, Prê, Nān, 308-310; - the lost elephant, 311; - Chieng Kawng and the “Teacher’s Road,” 313-314; - Chieng Sên and Chieng Rāi, 314-315; - elephant runaways, 317-318; - Buddhist sacred days to be observed by Christians, 318-319; - Seventh Tour (1891, with Mr. Phraner), 320-336:—first meeting with - the Mūsôs, 322-327; - Mûang Len, 327-329; - Chieng Sên, 329-330; - a thrilling experience, 330-331; - Chieng Kawng and Mûang Tông, 332-333; - Mūsôs baptized, 333-336; - Eighth Tour (1892, with Dr. McKean)—among the Mūsô villages, 338-348; - tragic struggle with opium, 348; - famine, 349-352; - Ninth Tour (1893, with Mr. Irwin)—the Sipsawng Pannā, 353-368; - Mûang Yawng, 354-355; - an undiscovered peril, 358; - Chieng Rung; - ferry and ford of the Mê Kōng, 359-360; - dysentery and heroic treatment, 362; - Mûang Sing, 363-366; - Mūsôs east of the Mê Kōng, 367-368; - third furlough (1893-1894), 370-376; - Mr. Arthington of Leeds, 373-376; - Presbytery and a native ministry, 377-380; - Tenth Tour (1896, with Dr. Denman)—Chieng Rāi chosen for a station, - 382-384; - evangelists sent forth, 384; - Mūsôs, 385; - Eleventh Tour (1897, with Dr. Peoples)—the “regions beyond”: Lūang - Prabāng, 388ff.; - courtesy of French officials, 388-390, 395, 398, 400; - Mûang Sai, 390-394; - Mûang Āi, 394-395; - wedding feast, 395; - surprise party, 396-397; - Mûang Sing, 398, 399; - Twelfth Tour (1898)—the closed door, 402-412; - summoned to the U. S. by illness of Mrs. McGilvary (1905), 426-427; - Golden Wedding, 427-429; - appreciation by Dr. Arthur J. Brown, D.D., 1-7. - Observations and criticisms: Continuity in mission policy, 416-417; - Converts with more than one wife, 231-232; - Exclusion of the Lāo mission from the Lāo-speaking peoples of the - north, 157, 332, 368-369, 404, 411-412; - Girls’ Schools as Christianizing agencies, 178, 203, 280, 284, 287, - 418-419; - Heresy trials, 371-372; - Language problem, 222-225, 420-422; - Native evangelists and ministers, 257-262, 377-380, 414-416; - Parliament of religions, 370-371; - Obedient to constituted authority and law, 208, 301, 393, 400, 406; - Outlying Christian communities—their claim on the missionary, - 329-330; - Rulers—importance of cultivating their acquaintance, 90, 144, 161, - 170-171,330. - Religious teachings and conversations, 97-98, 161-162, 174-176, - 180-188, 199-200, 342-343, 365. - - McGilvary, Mrs. Sophia Bradley, marriage, 52; - wins first Lāo convert, 79, 100; - life in a bamboo shack, 140; - furlough after twenty-three years in Siam, 159-160; - river journey Without escort, 164; - opens first Lāo school, 177; - sole assistant in the mission, 195-197; - translates first Gospel into Lāo, 288, 320; - visits to the U. S., 158, 229, 238, 426-427; - Golden Wedding, 427-428. - - Medical Mission, summary, 422-423. - - Merit-making, 64, 133, 134, 147, 180, 257. - - Mission, American Baptist, of Burma, 138, 143, 254, 368, 383, 418. - - Mūsô tribe, 276, 322-327, 334-336, 338-348. - - - Nevius, Rev. Dr., 378-379. - - - Opium, 136, 335, 346-348, 357, 399. - - - Presbytery: - of, Siam, 47, 59, 71; - of North Laos, 257-260, 377-380. - - Princess: - Tipa Kēsawn, 55, 90, 108-109, 145, 178, 180-187, 209, 222, 257; - the younger, 55, 63-64, 105, 114, 115, 119, 136. - - Printing-press, and Lāo type, 224, 320, 338, 353, 384. - - Posts and telegraphs, 91, 121, 255-256, 296, 320. - - - Rapids: - Mê Ping, 71-75; - Mê Kōng, 154-155. - - Regent of Siam, 112, 132. - - Robbers and brigandage, 91, 164, 233, 329, 358; - bandit chieftain, 84, 96, 146, 147. - - - Toleration, Edict of, chapter xix. - - - Warfare of depopulation, 218, 353-354, 355, 357, 363. - - White ants, 179. - - Wild game; - deer, 253, 339; - cattle, 253, 313; - tigers, 72, 152, 153, 311, 386-387. - - Wilson, Rev. Jonathan, D.D., 36, 38, 43, 51, 65, 67, 92, 95, 113, 140, - 148, 169, 221, 233, 263, 291, 381, 423, 428. - - - - - PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - BIOGRAPHY - - -ROBERT E. SPEER, D.D. - -=The Foreign Doctor=: “The Hakim Sahib” - -A Biography of Joseph Plumb Cochran, M.D., of Persia. Illustrated, 12mo, -cloth, net $1.50. - - Dr. Cochran came to a position of power in Western Persia which - made his life as interesting as a romance. He was one of the - central figures in the Kurdish invasion of Persia, and was the - chief means of saving the city of Uramia. In no other biography - is there as full an account of the actual medical work done by - the medical missionary, and of the problem of the use of the - political influence acquired by a man of Dr. Cochran’s gifts and - opportunities. - - -HENRY D. 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