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1854
HITHERTO the abundant and
patient labours which we have been recording had been rewarded only by
hopeful appearances and fair promise, but the missionary was soon to
witness greater things than these. On the 18th of January, 1854, Mr.
Johnston, shortly after his arrival, wrote: “God has tried the faith and
patience of our brethren in denying them the privilege of gathering
fruit in this life as yet, and at present we cannot even speak of the
blossoms and buddings of the spiritual vintage.” Most singularly it
happened that at the very time when these words were written events were
in progress in a village not twenty miles distant which rendered them no
longer true, and which may be said to have opened a new era in the
history of the mission. Mr. Burns left Amoy on the 9th January on
another preaching tour, taking with him as usual as his companions and
assistants two native evangelists, C.-C. and T.-C. The former had been
with him before in almost all his evangelistic journeys since he came to
Amoy, and was a man in some respects remarkable. He had belonged in the
days of his heathen darkness to the class, so numerous in China, of
fortune-tellers, and possessed in large measure the fortune-teller’s
fluency of speech and readiness of resource. Attracted by the preaching
of the gospel at the American Chapel, he had had his heart touched by
the simple home question of a native Christian, “Are you well? Is your
heart at peace?” and sought and found the peace of God. Rejoicing in
that pearl of great price himself, it was his delight henceforth to
proclaim and commend it to others, and to this end he freely devoted
those peculiar gifts which he had formerly employed in the pursuit of
unlawful gain. He was quick, buoyant, nimble, fertile in argument,
anecdote, and happy illustration, ever prompt for action, and ready with
the fit word at the fitting time. The other, a soldier, had been sorely
puzzled to understand how the Christian preachers should spend their
days telling those gospel stories to the people, without ever asking for
money or apparently seeking any earthly reward. He had often enough
listened at the corners of the streets to the professional story-tellers
of his own country, and well remembered how adroitly they used to stop
at the most thrilling part of the tale, and keep the expectant crowd in
suspense until they had been well paid to tell the rest. He resolved in
his heart to get to the bottom of the matter. He listened with awakened
interest to the Word of Life, found out the great secret, and became a
teller of the good news of grace himself.
The course of the missionary band lay first across the wide estuary
which is closed in by Amoy and its companion group of islands, amid
scenery which the missionaries describe as remarkably resembling the
Frith of Clyde, with “its beautiful variety of hill and island and far
reaches of the sea, at one moment lost sight of and again seen
stretching far round promontory, creek, and bay”— then, for some eight
or ten miles further along the course of a fine winding river. Their
first halting-place was at a market-town on its banks of about 3000
inhabitants, called Pechuia (White-water Camp), and the commercial
centre of a considerable district, full of agricultural villages, where
their course was arrested in a manner to them as unexpected as it was
delightful. “ Here,” says Mr. Doty of the American Mission, “ they
intended to begin working, expecting, after a few days at longest, to go
forward, making known the gospel message as they might have opportunity,
and just where the Master might providentially lead them. But for two
months continuously the brethren were shut up to this one place and the
nearest villages, in holding forth day and night the Word of Life.
Almost at the very first declaration of the truth, some persons were
interested, and became earnest inquirers. From that time to the present
the work has been gradually gaining in importance. Mr. Bums has rented a
small building, the upper floor for his dwelling, while the lower is a
preaching place. This is visited by many persons, who come in on
market-days from all the surrounding region for purposes of trade. There
are twelve such days in each month. Public worship is held on the
Sabbath and every evening, and is attended by a goodly number of
apparently interested listeners. Of a few, hope is indulged that they
have really passed from death unto life. Numbers have renounced their
idols. Some have burned and destroyed them. Others have given them to
the brethren to be thus dealt with. Two of our native brethren are
constantly employed in connection with Mr. Burns.
“In March, Mr. Bums and two brethren made a tour of some weeks further
in the interior, visiting some places to which they had been earnestly
invited by persons who had visited them at Pechuia. While they were
absent, two other native brethren continued the labours at the first
place. At this time it was my privilege to make a short visit there. I
found such an awakened interest and spirit of inquiry as I had never
before met with among Chinese. It did seem as if the Holy Spirit was at
work. The most marked cases are of young men of some education, and
endowed with considerable zeal and energy. These are very active in
efforts to awaken the attention of others. From the first there have
been opposers of the movement, and recently there has been manifested a
disposition to annoy and disturb the public worship. There are firm
idolaters there, and the spirit of persecution is not wanting.”
Mr. Bums’ own statement is to the same effect, though couched, as his
manner was, in scrupulously guarded and naked terms, and while giving
some additional details, traces briefly the further progress of the
work. “It is exactly four months,” he writes, May 8th, 1854, “since I
first set out this season on a missionary tour; and you are already
aware that God so remarkably opened the door in the place to which we
first went, that we found it our clear duty to remain at that place as
our head-quarters for a longer period than we had intended—visiting the
numerous villages and market-towns within our reach, while we carried on
regular services at Pechuia, our central station. The work there was so
interesting that we felt it could not be abandoned, but as we were
anxious to extend our efforts-to one or two central positions farther
inland, it was necessaiy that other agents should take our place in
order to leave us free to go forward. Accordingly, when, two months ago,
I returned from Amoy to Pechuia, an addition was made to the number of
native assistants, and leaving two of these to occupy Pechuia, I
proceeded on the 9th of March farther inland, in company with the two
native Christian companions with whom I had originally set out on the
9th of January from Amoy. The place to which we first went is a
market-town, somewhat smaller than Pechuia, named Bay-pay (Horse-flat),
and distant from the former place, across the hills, about seven English
miles. To this place we had been invited by several persons, and here we
remained (well-lodged and free of rent) for eleven days, in the course
of which we visited and preached at almost all the villages in the
neighbourhood, from thirty to fifty in number. We were almost everywhere
favourably received, and our message listened to with attention,
although there were no cases, as at Pechuia, of persons coming out and
declaring themselves on the side of the gospel. While at Bay-pay, we
heard it reported that at Pechuia one family had publicly destroyed
their idols and ancestral tablets (the latter the dearest objects of
Chinese idolatry), and that another man had closed his shop on the
Lord’s-day, refusing admittance to a person who wished to trade with
him. Both of these reports, so interesting to us, turned out to be true.
“From Bay-pay we proceeded four or five English miles farther on to
Poolamkio (South-bank Bridge). Here we were on the sea-coast, I suppose
about fifteen miles south of the entrance to Amoy harbour. We were well
received here also, and would have gladly remained for a week or two,
proceeding still farther south, as we were invited to do, but our books,
&c., were becoming few, and our lodging—which would have been very
comfortable had we had sole possession of it—being partly occupied by
opium-smokers and gamblers, we resolved, after a stay of only four days,
on returning to Pechuia. On arriving, we found to our delight that the
work there had made decided progress in our absence. The two native
Christians (members of the American Mission Church at Amoy) whom we had
left in charge, seem to have been much aided in teaching the people. The
preaching room had been crowded every night to a late hour by from forty
to sixty persons, and those who had from the beginning shown an
attachment to the truth had evidently advanced in knowledge and
earnestness of spirit, and resolved to obey the gospel at the risk of
much reproach and opposition. In our absence the station had also had
the benefit of a short visit from Mr. Doty of the American Mission.
After returning from our inland tour, we continued our meetings at
Pechuia with much encouragement, several members of the native church in
Amoy having successively come out of their own accord to aid in the
work. During the last two or three weeks, however, the aspect of things
at Pechuia has been considerably changed; for while those on the side of
the gospel seem to go on in a way that fills our hearts with
thankfulness, and our mouths with praise, a disposition has been shown
on the part of others to interrupt our meetings, which has obliged us at
night to hold them upstairs, and more privately. The state of the
weather also at this rainy season has prevented us from doing so much as
before among adjacent villages. When I left Pechuia last Monday, it
seemed that, including young and old, there might be about twenty
persons who have declared themselves on the side of the gospel, but some
of these are children, and two or three are women whom we have not
seen—mothers who have received the truth from their sons or husbands..
Among the number of those who are attached to the gospel are two whole
families of six members each. The eldest son in one of these families, a
promising youth of twenty, early showed much decision, having, on the
birth-day of lthe god of the furnace,’ taken his god and put it in the
fire. The idol having been but in part consumed, his mother discovered
among the ashes a part of its head, and father and mother together beat
their son severely; but some of the other Pechuia inquirers having gone
to comfort the young man, and reason with his parents, their views
underwent so sudden and entire a change, that in a day or two afterwards
they, with their four sons, brought out all their idols and ancestral
tablets and publicly destroyed them in the view of the people. The
father I have two or three times met with, and he seems, along with his
four sons (an interesting set of boys), to be in a promising state of
mind. The other family is that of a respectable cloth-dealer, whose shop
is in the same street with our lodging. This family has passed through
remarkable trials, which seem to have prepared them for receiving the
gospel on its first announcement, they having twice lost all their
property by robbers; and on the second of these occasions having had
their house burned, to cover the robbers’ retreat—when the whole family
were obliged to leap from an upper story, and yet escaped unhurt! They
are a very interesting family, and have in one point shown more decision
than I have before seen in China, having (while yet only inquirers) shut
their shop on the last eight Sabbaths, even although two of these
Sabbaths were market-days. The family adjoining our house is literally
divided—two against three, and three against two. The elder brother and
his wife oppose,—they live by making paper images used in idolatrous
processions, for burning to the dead, &c.; the mother, second son, with
the youngest, who is a mere boy, are on the side of the gospel. The
second son formerly made images with his elder brother, but has now
given up his trade, and has begun a general business in one half of the
shop which they have in common. It is curious thus to notice that on the
Lord’s-day the younger brother’s side of the shop is closed, while the
elder brother’s side remains open! This young man, when we were absent
farther inland, went down to Amoy with the desire of being admitted into
the visible church; and though he has not yet been baptized, the
American missionaries, who examined him, were astonished and delighted
by the evidence which he gave them of knowledge, repentance, and faith;
and would have admitted him a month ago, along with ten others (Amoy
people), had it not been that my two native companions, returning the
day before to Amoy, urged the expediency of delay.”
“Yesterday we had a good day here. It was one of the market-days (there
are twelve such every Chinese month), and the people came in, as usual,
in numbers to hear. Most of those interested in the truth were also
present. The work of preaching all devolved on myself, and I felt
supported more than usually. In the afternoon I went alone to visit a
village in the neighbourhood: and in my absence a number of the
inquirers, &c., met here for worship of their own accord. When I
returned, they were joyfully engaged in singing hymns, studying the
Scriptures, &c., and continued so during most of the evening. I have not
witnessed the same state of things in China before. It is said among the
people that we have some mode of enchanting those who come to us. In no
other way can the blind world account for the impression made on some of
those who are receiving the truth.”
“So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.” There was everywhere
the stir and glad excitement of a busy harvest-field. There were all the
signs of the coming of the kingdom of God after the true model of
apostolic times; the general and wide-spread interest, individual
decision and self-sacrifice, the division of families, the separation of
brother from brother for Christ’s sake and the gospel’s, the test of
persecution and the fierce opposition of adversaries around the wide and
effectual door, the joy of first love, and the spontaneous spread of the
sacred influence from village to village, and from heart to heart. Well
might Mr. Burns write, in regard to these encouraging tokens, in words
which mean much as coming from him:—“What I see here makes me call to
mind former days of the Lord’s power in my native land. In my own circle
of observation I have hardly seen so promising an appearance of the
coming of God’s kingdom since I came to China. . . .You will see from
what I have stated that there is indeed much to encourage prayer and
effort in behalf of this benighted people; and that we have also cause
for admiring thankfulness to our covenant God and Saviour. In my own
experience the Lord’s goodness is so great and unceasing, that while
friends in Scotland may look upon me as an exile, I feel as much at home
here as I would wish to do on this side of the Jordan.”
The cases of some of the individual converts who were the first-fruits
of this gospel harvest are briefly referred to by Mr. Burns in one of
the letters just quoted; but one or two additional instances may be
given from the letters of other missionaries:—
“A family, consisting of an old father, the mother, He-Se, and their
three sons, Gong-lo, Kwai-a, and Som-a, all became Christians. Even
before their conversion there was much real union and affection between
them. When the old father was going to Amoy to be baptized, Som-a asked
to be allowed to accompany him for the same purpose. He was told he was
too young, and that he might fall back if he made a profession when he
was only a little boy. To this he made the touching reply, ‘ Jesus has
promised to carry the lambs in his arms. As I am only a little boy it
will be easier for Jesus to carry me.’ No further words were needed; Som-a
accompanied his father, and was soon afterwards baptized. Mr. Johnston,
who relates this story, adds that the mother, He-Se, received all her
Christian instruction from the male members of the family, as she dared
not attend the public preaching, but her sons repeated to her much of
what they heard, and she was the first female baptized in Pechuia.
“Another mother said she, too, wished to be a member of the religion of
Jesus, because it had made such a wonderful change in her son. ‘ It must
be a good thing,’ she said, ‘to be connected with such a person as
Jesus.’ She received fuller instruction in consequence.”
A still more interesting case is that of Si-boo, who has since gone to
labour as an evangelist among his own countrymen at Singapore:—“On Mr.
Burns’ first visit to Pechuia, he found amongst the foremost and most
interesting of his hearers, a youth of about eighteen or twenty, called
Si-boo. Of stature rather under the average of his countrymen, with an
eye and countenance more open than usual, and a free and confiding
manner, he soon attracted the attention of our missionary. His position
in life was above the class of common mechanics, and his education
rather good for his position. His occupation was to carve small idols in
wood for the houses of his idolatrous countrymen, of every variety of
style and workmanship, some plain and cheap, and some of the most
elaborate and costly description.
“Had Si-boo been of the spirit of Demetrius, he would have opposed and
persecuted Mr. Bums for bringing his craft into danger. But instead of
that, he manifested a spirit of earnest, truthful inquiry, although that
inquiry was one in which all the prepossessions, and prejudices, and
passions of mind and heart were against the truth— an inquiry in which
all the influence of friends, and all his prospects in life, were cast
into the wrong balance. By the grace of God he made that solemn inquiry
with such simplicity and sincerity, that it soon led to an entire
conviction of the truth of our religion, and that to a decided
profession of his faith at all hazards; and these hazards, in such a
place as Pechuia, were neither few nor small—far greater than at Amoy,
where the presence of a large body of converts, and a considerable
English community, and a British flag, might seem to hold out a prospect
of both protection and support in time of need, though such protection
and temporal aid have never been relied on by even our Amoy converts,
still less encouraged.
“One of the first sacrifices to which Si-boo was called was a great one.
His trade of idol carver must be given up, and with that his only means
of support; and that means both respectable and lucrative to a skilful
hand like him. But to his credit he did not hesitate. He at once threw
it up and cast himself on the providence of God, and neither asked nor
received any assistance from the missionary, but at once set himself to
turn his skill as a carver in a new and legitimate direction. He became
a carver of beads for bracelets and other ornaments, and was soon able
to support himself and assist his, mother in this way. One advantage of
this new trade was, that it was portable. With a few small knives, and a
handful of olive-stones, he could prosecute his work wherever he liked
to take his seat, and he frequently took advantage of this to prosecute
his Master’s work, while he was diligent in his own. Sometimes he would
take his seat in the “Good News Boat,” when away on some evangelistic
enterprise; and while we were slowly rowing up some river or creek, or
scudding away before a favourable wind to some distant port, Si-boo
would be busy at work on his beads; but as soon as we reached our
destination, the beads and tools were thrust into his pouch, and with
his Bible and a few tracts in his hand, he was off to read or talk to
the people, and leave his silent messengers behind him. In this way our
church had the benefit of many a useful evangelist, free of all charge
on her funds; for Si-boo was far from being the only one who gave hours
and often days of gratuitous service. Some of the same occupation as
himself employed their time in the same way.
“The love of Bible studies has always characterized the converts in
China. Few, if any, were more studious and diligent than Si-boo, and few
more successful than he. Morning, noon, and night, you might hear his
clear and cheerful voice, reading aloud some portions of Scripture or
Christian classic; or, in the same loud tone, for almost all Chinamen
read aloud, and that often at the full pitch of their voice, committing
to memory some favourite passage of the Word of God. Even when busy at
work, that extra energy which in him led sometimes to an exuberant
playfulness, rather opposed to the stricter notions and more staid
manner of some of his friends, was generally expended in committing to
memory some verse of Scripture or favourite hymn, the latter being
generally sung along with, or after the process of committal, so
frequently, that many beside himself had the privilege of hearing both
hymn and tunes if they were so disposed.
“It was this diligent study and Christian consistency of character,
during these years of his profession of the faith, and that intelligent
acquaintance with the system of divine truth, which marked out Si-boo
for the interesting mission on which he has been since sent, while his
native energy and independence would both incline and enable him to
undertake a work of enterprise and difficulty.”
It will have been noticed that the religious movement we are now
describing was not confined to Pechuia, but extended more or less over
the whole district, with its scattered villages, of which it forms the
centre. At Bay-pay especially, the work, if less striking in its
manifestations at the outset, was in the end even more steady and
progressive. It became speedily the seat of a fervent and prosperous
church, which has continued to this day to grow in numbers, in zeal, and
in fruitfulness. Tried in a more than usual degree by the blasts of
persecution, it has nobly stood the test, and proved itself to be one of
those trees of God’s planting, “which shaking fastens more.” It was
constituted into a regular Christian community almost as early as its
elder sister at Pechuia, and numbered in 1865 on its communion roll more
than twice as many members. It was in reference to this favoured field
of labour that one of the missionaries afterwards wrote, in returning
from the delightful work of instructing inquirers and examining
candidates for baptism:—“ After winding about among the hills, and on
emerging from a narrow rocky path, the whole rich plain in which Pechuia
stands burst at once upon our view. About two months before, in
returning, the labourers were just beginning to let in the irrigating
waters and to break up the hardened soil; but now it was all covered
with the verdure of the growing rice—a beautiful emblem of the spiritual
harvest which the Lord was so rapidly gathering by our hands.”
Meanwhile at Amoy also the spiritual work of the missionaries grew
sensibly in interest and fruitfulness. It seemed as if the mother church
there had been moved to jealousy by the fervour and love of her own
daughters in the faith. The earnest attention of hearers at all the
chapels deepened, and inquirers multiplied. The arrival of one and
another too from distant stations, who had travelled all the way in
search of the priceless pearl, must have chid the tardy steps of those
who had heard the divine call before them, but were halting between two
opinions: “We have great reason,” writes Mr. Doty, “for thankful praise
to the God of grace for the tokens of his favour that we are enjoying in
our work here. Knowing there were some persons waiting an opportunity to
offer themselves as applicants for church-membership, some time in
January we appointed a special meeting for the purpose. We were both
surprised and cheered to find about thirty persons of both sexes, and of
ages varying from twenty years up to near seventy, convened. Though
among this number were many whom we cannot regard as proper subjects for
church-membership, yet most have manifested, and still do continue to
manifest, an interest in their soul’s salvation.
“We found that there was a spirit of inquiry and awakening, quite
unknown to us as to its extent, among those who had been statedly
hearing the word. From the time of that first meeting for conference and
examination, we have felt it to be our duty to continue to hold similar
services, and so to meet with those who wish instruction, or desire to
be received to church-fellowship. A part of the time we have held the
meeting once in two weeks, generally once a week, though in some
instances twice. In these meetings we are usually engaged from three to
four hours, during which time we may converse with or examine, as the
case may be, three or four individuals in the most searching manner,
both as to their experimental knowledge of the Holy Spirit’s work in the
heart, and their acquaintance with Christian doctrine. This brings us
into the closest personal contact with their minds, and enables us to
give instruction, to correct misconceptions'of truth, guide the
inquiring, encourage, warn, and exhort, so as to meet the difficulties
of each individual, and the profit of all. Of those applying, after
several examinations, ten were admitted to baptism on the last Sabbath
of last month, March 26. Two of these are women, one aged sixty-eight
years, the other forty-seven; while of the males, their ages range from
twenty to sixty-four years. Our meetings continue to be attended with
unabated solemnity and interest, and by increasing numbers. Among those
recently baptized, as well as among those asking to be numbered among
God’s professing people, there are several cases manifesting more
clearly the work of the Spirit with power than anything we have
heretofore seen among the Chinese. Our brethren of the London Society’s
Mission are sharing largely in this blessed visitation. They have
recently received seventeen, nine of whom were women, to
church-fellowship, and numbers more are asking for the same privilege.”
It was amid exhilarating influences and prospects like these that Mr.
Burns made a brief visit to this country during the summer and autumn of
1854. The occasion of his journey was a sad one. His valued colleague
Dr. Young, had at the close of the previous year suffered a heavy
affliction in the unexpected removal of an endeared partner, whose life
had seemed alike invaluable to himself and to the cause for which he
laboured; and though he seemed at first to rally from the blow, it soon
appeared that he had received both in mind and body so severe a shock as
to render a return to his native land for a season indispensable. It was
necessary that some one should accompany him on the voyage, and it was
decided after brief conference that Mr. Bums should undertake that duty.
How tenderly he watched over his friend during what was to both a
singularly trying journey, and how lovingly he cared for those dear to
him after his early and sudden removal, it is not for me to tell; but it
will be remembered in his behalf in the great day. Dr. Young died at
Musselburgh on the nth of February, 1855, having laboured only for four
years in the work to which he had devoted himself; but having
accomplished much in little time. He will be ever remembered with honour,
as one of the first pioneers and patient sowers in a field of toil, of
which he was only beginning to reap the fruit when his Master summoned
him away. Many in Scotland will remember the Chinese Christian nurse who
accompanied him to Edinburgh in charge of his child, and who was one of
the first-fruits of his faithful labours in China. She had been baptized
the previous year along with her own son and fifteen others at Amoy. “
She was, we believe, the first converted Chinese woman that had been in
Scotland. She could not escape observation as she sat in the church-pew,
with deep thought on her countenance, poring over the Chinese hymn-book,
bound in black, which she held in her dark bony hand. A red rose, after
the fashion of her country, set in evergreen leaves, on the knot of her
jet hair, tightly combed back, relieved the brown face almost grim with
gravity. Her black peering eyes watched the preacher. The unknown tongue
did not weary her. She was in the house of God and among the friends of
Jesus, and longed all the week long for the Lord’s-day. When greeted by
any friend at the close of the service, her face could hardly be
recognized as the same. Her sparkling eye, and a look of laughter
irradiated it all over. When asked if she did not weary in this country,
she said to the missionary, HI ere where I can speak so little to man, I
speak the more to God.’ At leaving Edinburgh she said she had been happy
there, but she knew it was because she loved the Saviour she had
received so much kindness.
“Those who remained after the crowded meeting in St. Luke’s, Church, can
never forget the animated dialogue carried on in Chinese between Mr.
Burns and Boo-a, to whom it was very trying to appear in the great
assembly, but for the willingness she felt to profess her faith in
Christ before her Scottish brethren, one of whom had first ' carried the
gospel to her family in China. Her son had already been baptized; but
when her daughters were mentioned she pointed to her brow, where the
water of baptism had been sprinkled, and sorrowfully shook her head. The
Sabbath before her departure she sat down at the Lord’s table, by her
own earnest desire, and much enjoyed the ordinance. There the disciples
of Jesus from the east and the west, the north and the south, can meet
and understand the common language of its sacred symbols, feeding
through them on the one Saviour, even while the barrier of varied
tongues prevents other intercourse.”
In the meanwhile Mr. Burns was actively engaged in endeavouring to
extend and deepen the interest in the Chinese cause, which had already
begun to be felt in Scotland, and which had shortly before led to the
formation of an auxiliary society in aid of the English mission. He
sought especially to engage the interest of those congregations amongst
whom he had chiefly laboured in former years, and who would thus most
readily respond to his calls both by active efforts and by prayers.
Those who then renewed their acquaintance with him were struck with the
change which so short an interval of years had made upon him. The
effects of a tropical climate, combined with almost incessant and
exhausting labours, had sensibly told upon the vigour of a frame, which
the rigours of a Canadian winter had already partially broken. The
fresh, sanguine, youthful, and even boyish look, which his early hearers
remembered so well, had given place to an aspect of ripe and almost
fading manhood, which seemed to tell of the lapse not of six but of
twenty years. His countenance was sallow, his brow furrowed, his head
tinged with gray, and his eye if still bright was bright with a milder
brightness. His spirit too had become riper and more mellow. Time and
experience had wrought in him a gracious sweetness and human kindliness
of temper, which in the young Boanerges were less conspicuous. He was
more genial, more loving, .more freely communicative and companionable,
less restrained and austere, than in former days. There was less fire
perhaps, but even more fervour; less of the Baptist—more of the Christ.
It seemed as if the exalted tone of Christian devotedness which he ever
sustained were now less with him a matter of effort and struggle, and
more of a holy habit in which grace had become as a second nature.
Comparative exile too from the household of faith, amid heathen scenes
and heathen faces, made his heart warm towards his Christian brethren,
and pour itself forth in fuller loving converse, as one that felt more
than ever at home. “His intercourse with us in private, writes his
esteemed brother-in-law, the Rev. Thomas Bain of Cupar Angus, “was of a
much more genial and social character, while at the same time
equally-hallowed and Christ-like. He took great interest in the
children, taking down all their names that he might remember them
individually in prayer.” His preaching too was considerably altered. The
fiery intensity and somewhat spasmodic energy of former days had given
place to a more full and equable flow of spiritual instruction and
fervent appeal; while the frequent allusion and illustrative anecdote
from the scenes of his distant field of labour, perpetually reminded the
hearer that the evangelist had become the missionary. In every other way
too we were reminded of this. While his bodily presence was in Scotland,
it was evident that his heart and more than half his thoughts were still
in China. He talked of Chinese scenes, sung Chinese hymns, recited far
into the night Chinese chapters >and psalms, and abounded in details of
Chinese customs, traits, and ways of life, such as he too seldom
indulged in in his letters. Nor was he forgotten by those whom he thus
so continually remembered. Of this he received a peculiarly touching
proof in a letter addressed to him as their spiritual father by the
infant church at Pechuia, which in the naive simplicity and freshness of
its fervent and loving words breathes the very spirit of apostolic
times, and which well deserves a permanent record in connection with his
life and labours. The benignant look of strange delight with which, one
morning in the Free Church manse at Kilsyth, he pored over this precious
scroll, and deciphered and explained to us its mystic hieroglyphic
lines, is to me a picture never to be forgotten. It was to the following
effect
“Given to be inspected by Mr. Burns and all the disciples.
“We, who have received the grace of Jesus Christ, send a letter to
pastor Wm. Burns, {lit. shepherd-teacher Pin-ui-lim). We wish that God
our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ may give to all the holy disciples
in the Church grace and peace. Now we wish you to know that you are to
pray to God for us; for you came to our market-town, and unfolded the
gracious command of God, causing us to obtain the grace of God. Now, as
we have a number of things to say, we must send this communication. We
wish you deeply to thank God for us, that in the intercalary seventh
month and thirteenth day, pastor Johnston {lit. shepherd-teacher
Jin-sin) established a free school here; there are twelve attending it.
Formerly, in the third month, a man, whose name is Chun-sim, belonging
to the village of Chieng-choa?i (pure fount village), heard you
preaching in the village of Hui-tsau (pottery village). Many thanks to
the Holy Spirit who opened his blinded heart, so that in the seventh
month he sent a communication to the church at Amoy, praying the
brethren to go to the village. They went and spoke for several days, and
all the villagers with delighted heart listened. Also in the town of
Chidh-bey, the Holy Spirit is powerfully working {lit. influencing,
moving); the people generally {lit. man, man) desire to hear the gospel.
The brethren and missionaries have gone together several times; and now,
in the village of Ka-lang, there are two men, Cheng-soan and Sni-mui,
who are joining heart with the brethren in prayer. Teacher! we, in this
place, with united heart, pray, and bitterly {i.e. earnestly) beg of God
to give you a level plain {i.e. prosperous journey) to go home, and beg
of God again to give you a level plain (good journey) quickly to come.
Teacher ! you know that our faith is thin {i.e. weak) and in danger.
Many thanks to our Lord and God, who defends us as the apple of the eye.
Teacher! from the time that we parted with you in the seventh month, we
have been meditating on our Lord Jesus’ love to sinners, in giving up
His life for them; also thinking of your benevolence and good conduct,
your faith in the Lord, and compassion for us. We have heard the gospel
but a few months; our faith is not yet firm {lit. hard, solid). Teacher!
you know that we are like sheep that have lost their shepherd, or an
infant that has lost its milk. Many thanks to the Holy Spirit, our Lord,
morning and evening {i.e. continually), comforts our hearts, [and gives
us] peace. And in the seventh month, the twenty-fourth day, the brethren
with united heart prayed, and shedding tears, bitterly begged of God
again to send a number of-pastors, quickly to come, again to teach the
gospel. We wish that God our Father may grant this prayer, which is
exactly that which the heart desires, {i.e. Amen.)”
Then follow nine names, being those of all the members of the church at
Pechuia at the date when the letter was written. It was learned
afterwards that they had subsequently addressed a similar appeal to the
American missionaries, every sentence of which, Mr. Talmage writes, was
prayed over. “They would write a sentence, and then pray, and then write
another sentence, and then pray again.” Well might an ardent friend of
the cause exclaim in reference to this deeply affecting incident:— “
Never did a more touching appeal come from a heathen land for
ambassadors of Christ! China is thus in truth stretching out her hands
to God! ”
While the native Christian disciples thus spoke for themselves, the most
cheering tidings also reached him from other quarters of their
steadfastness and joy, as well as of the extension of the sacred
influence throughout the district around. In a letter which reached Mr.
Burns while still in Scotland, Mr. Doty writes:—
“The little church at Pechuia continues to dwell in love, and to become
more and more established in the truth. There is still much of the same
spirit of prayer and hungering after the word. . . . But what shall I
tell you of the Lord’s visitation of mercy at Chioh-bey? Again, truly,
are we as those that dream. The general features of the work are very
similar to what you witnessed at Pechuia. The instrumentality has been
native brethren almost entirely. Attention was first awakened in one or
two by I-ju and Tick-jam, who went to Chioh-bey together, the former
with the opium pills. This was two or three months ago. # This was
followed up by repeated visits of other brethren from Pechuia and Amoy.
Shortly the desire to hear the Word was so intense, that there would be
scarcely any stop day or night; the brethren in turns going, and
breaking down from much speaking in the course of three or four days,
and coming back to us almost voiceless. An establishment has been rented
in extent nearly equal to that at Pechuia. Here daily and almost hourly
the Word is preached, the Scriptures studied, and prayer and praise
offered. There are some fifteen persons who seem to have been
spiritually wrought upon, several of whom give pleasing evidence of
regeneration. Among these is one of the persons rescued and saved from
the water and death, at the slaughter on retaking Amoy. He was healed on
board the hospital junk, and is the same person, I conjecture, who told
you or Dr. Young that, 'as he was about to be executed, he prayed to
Jesus.’ He says he has been praying ever since, especially that Jesus
would establish a church at Chioh-bey, that he might enjoy the means of
grace.
There are several persons interested in villages around who come to town
to spend the Sabbath. Judging from the visit of last week, I do not see
but necessity is laid upon us to arrange for their being received into
the visible church. Still, what are we to do becomes a serious question.
We are already taxed beyond, time and strength, and cannot give adequate
pastoral care to the flocks already gathered; shall we add another? But
I won’t close despondingly, knowing, as I do, that Jesus knows and will
care for His own. He will provide. Praise Him, and pray for greater
blessings still.”
Such good news as these from the far country of his adoption must have
been to the missionary “as cold water to a thirsty soul,” and would make
him eagerly long, to return to the work from which he had been so
abruptly called away. He sailed again for China in the ship Challenger
on the 9th March, along with the Rev. Carstairs Douglas, a distinguished
alumnus of Glasgow University and of the New College, Edinburgh, who had
devoted himself to the Chinese cause, and who was ordained by the Free
Church Presbytery of Glasgow on the 21st of February, 1855.
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