JEE GAM ON THE MISSION IN CHINA.
[The sixth anniversary (eighth year) of our Chinese Schools takes place next Sabbath, April 24th. The following address has been prepared by Jee Gam to be delivered on that occasion. I forward it as a sort of first instalment in our plea for the commencement of a work greatly needed, and capable, if rightly carried on, of yielding most blessed results.—W. C. P.]
In China proper, exclusive of Chinese Tartary, Thibet, etc., there are eighteen provinces, among them Kwong Dioung, of which the well-known city of Canton is the capital. This province embraces 77 districts, and almost all of our Christian Chinese come from four of these districts, which lie in a cluster about eighty miles south-west of Canton, and 100 miles west of Hong Kong. To these districts our young men expect to return, and many of them already have returned. Their faith has often been tried, but they have stood firm, and have often come forth victorious, because the Lord Jehovah has been with them.
I wish I could tell you all about the trials and persecutions of these converts; but time will not permit, so I will briefly relate the story of the marriage ceremonies of Lee Fon and Quong Jo. These two brethren went home some three years ago. Not long after they had arrived the time for their marriages was undesignedly appointed on the same day. When they learned of this, and found that the day for their marriages could not be changed, they were very much grieved, for they did not wish the ceremony to be performed in a heathen manner. The principal rites of a Chinese wedding are the worshiping of ancestors, and of the household gods. The bride and bridegroom are married separately at their own homes. After the marriage of the bride, she is taken to the home of the bridegroom. Then both worship the ancestors together.
Within a distance of eighteen miles there were only two Christians—one of them a native preacher. The help of these men was very much needed. There being such a long distance between them, it would have been impossible for the native missionary and the convert to attend both ceremonies. So Quong Jo decided to stand alone, and oppose his brothers and relatives, who were urging him to worship the ancestors. He would not do this. They reviled him, and threatened to compel him. He still stood firm, for the Lord was with him even there, alone in that heathen village. Finally they left him to himself to worship whatever God he pleased. When the time came to place the offerings before the ancestral tablets, Quong Jo turned the opposite way, and prayed aloud to the true God whom he had learned to worship in America. He was closely watched by a crowd.
At the same time the marriage of Lee Fon was taking place in his own village, about ten miles from Quong Jo’s home. The native preacher and his convert were invited a few days previous, and arrived early in the morning of the day of the marriage. As soon as they entered the reception hall of the village, the cry on the streets was: “Two barbarians have come to the wedding.” Fifteen minutes afterwards the hall was filled. Among those present were teachers and professors who had come to argue with the so-called “barbarians.” For several hours the argument was kept up, but each of these followers of Confucius was, in turn, silenced. His brothers and relatives, who had been the chief persecutors, now said, “We will let you worship the foreign Jesus.” After this contest the missionary and the native convert returned with the bridegroom and his friends to his home, where the marriage ceremony was concluded by prayer and praises to God, instead of the worship of ancestors. Thus these two battles for the right were gained by four Christians.
From this, dear friends, you can see that a native missionary who understands the customs and manners of the people, and is thoroughly acquainted with their language, is a very great help in two respects: 1st, in preaching the Gospel to the people; and, 2d, in helping and advising those who are already converted. We want more of such missionaries; and we want more missionary stations in these districts. Neither can be had, until we first establish a General Mission or Seminary in that country.
Hong Kong would be the most suitable and convenient city for the seat of such a mission. I will tell you why.
1st. The English language is used more in Hong Kong than in any other port in China, and the Chinese living there, or those visiting that place, could not be reached in a more efficient manner than by opening the same kind of free schools for them as you have opened for us here. They feel that they need to know the English language. Of course, there are public schools where both the English and Chinese languages are taught by the British government, but all have their sessions in the day-time; consequently, the children are the only ones benefited by these schools. There remains the laboring class unreached. If a free evening school is opened, I have no doubt that much good could be done among them.
2d. Hong Kong is a great highway to all foreign ports, especially San Francisco. Through Hong Kong nearly all the Chinese in the United States have come and will return. If a General Mission could be established at this port much co-operating work could be accomplished between our mission here and that at Hong Kong. Christian Chinese, returning home, would receive letters of introduction to the superintendent of the Hong Kong mission. This superintendent would have pastoral care over them, and be a very great help in time of persecution. Converts would be made firmer in faith, and more earnest in leading others to Christ. If this mission prosper, as we have not the least doubt it would, these converts could have preaching stations in these districts, and from these stations reach every village; but the work would be carried to a much wider extent by the aid of lady missionaries, who alone could reach the women.
Many of our number will go back there to study; for if they return they must be well versed in the Chinese Bible and in the classics of Confucius. They will meet much opposition from educated men. These will come and discuss with our brethren, and they should be able to give a reason for the hope that is in them.
In regard to the cost of this mission, what we propose would not be very expensive. There should be one missionary, a wise and earnest Christian, with good business capacity, and one well-educated Chinese helper; and as the school grew and scholars were prepared to preach, the range of studies and the number of teachers could be increased.
All our Chinese Christian brethren expect to do all they can towards the establishment of such a mission, but we must have help from our American friends, especially the friends of the American Missionary Association.