“I believe all the past of my strange history has been for a purpose—yet all unrevealed—and I will not trouble myself about it. May I ever be ready to serve my Master, anywhere at all times. But should I be permitted in his Providence to carry his blessed gospel to the Laos some future day, then I can read and understand the why of some things. To be thus privileged were better than to visit the home of my childhood, my aged parents, my brother, again—’twere better than to be blessed with houses or lands or wife or children of my own.”

To him the mission in Bangkok at that time was like a candle in a starless night, very faint to be sure, but making more dense the surrounding darkness that seemed to confine its light. His eyes strained to look into the regions beyond and his heart beat with passionate desire to evangelise the unknown peoples.

VII
PROVIDENCE CHANGES PERIL INTO PRIVILEGE

In 1850 the United States sent Honourable James Ballestier, with a small suite including Rev. William Dean, a former missionary, as his secretary, to seek a more generous commercial treaty with Siam. After three months of bickering with officials he was constrained to withdraw from the fruitless effort. The king refused to give a personal audience to the envoy, whereas the envoy refused to deliver the letter from the President to any but the king. This point of etiquette was of vital importance. By refusing to give audience to the representative of another nation, the oriental monarch was signifying that he did not regard the other nation on an equality with Siam. It will be recalled that Commodore Perry, in seeking a treaty with Japan, met this same presumption. Even as late as 1868 China would not admit the equality of other nations by allowing their envoys to personal interview with the emperor. Acknowledging himself vanquished in this point of procedure, Mr. Ballestier withdrew.

Scarcely had the Americans departed when news was received that a British squadron was on its way, bringing an embassy to request a new treaty. The belligerent character of Great Britain at that time was known in Siam, so that this report sent a tremor of fear through the body politic. With a large suite and a great display of naval force the British envoy Sir James Brookes met no greater success than the American. He left in high indignation at the treatment accorded him, threatening vengeance for the discourtesy shown to Her Majesty’s communication. Upon his withdrawal the fear which preceded his arrival increased to a panic among the officials, who were terrified at the prospects of war as a result of the king’s stubborn adherence to custom.

Hand-in-hand with the crisis in the international relations the affairs of the missions were fast drifting towards probable extinction. As the intercourse between the Siamese and Sir James Brookes became strained, the Siamese began to cut off communications with the foreign residents. This was only the shadow of what was to come. As soon as the British fleet left, a sudden wave of arrests gathered in all who were employed as teachers at the missions. Upon inquiry as to the reason, the missionaries were informed that the teachers were to be punished for breaking the law in teaching the sacred language Pali to foreigners. The only plausible ground for this charge was that the Baptist press had, at the request of a high official, undertaken to print the laws of Siam which were in that language. Next the house servants withdrew from the homes of the foreigners.

Another mark of increased hostility was in connection with negotiations for a piece of land for the Presbyterian Mission. Attempts had been made several times, but the transaction had been adroitly blocked. Since permission must be obtained for tenure of land by foreigners, applications were met with procrastination which meant denial, or alternative locations were offered which were totally unfit for the needs. Just before the arrival of the two embassies, a friendly Siamese was found who was willing to lease a desirable piece of land; official permission was secured, the money paid over and the Mattoon family had actually caused their floating house to be towed to the new location preliminary to the erection of a building. Just at this juncture occurred the abortive negotiations for a revision of treaties. Without explanation or warning, a peremptory order came from a higher official, revoking the permit and requiring the missionary to return to the old location.

Under these circumstances Dr. House wrote home (Sept., 1850):

“It becomes a serious question what, as a mission, is our duty—it now being settled that no change for the better is to be hoped for. Three and-a-half years we have been seeking for a place where we could locate our mission, and in our own way aid in bringing this heathen people to Christ. But a separate home among them has been denied and we baffled in every attempt to secure premises on which we might build houses, gather a school and lay foundations for those that come after us. Thus far we have had no local habitation or name of our own—being merged in other societies, living by suffrance on their premises.... And now our teachers are taken from us; no one daring (with imprisonment hanging over them) to become teacher of the proscribed foreigner.”