“It is at last our privilege to write to you of one who, once a worshipper of idols, is now a worshipper of Jehovah.... His name is Ooan Si Teng, a Chinese twenty-four years old, born on the Island of Hainan, has been here some six years, speaks and reads Siamese and also reads his native language. He has been living in the family of Mr. Mattoon for the past two or three years. From his first acquaintance with us he has been convinced of the folly of idol worship and has renounced it.... He accompanied Mrs. Mattoon to Singapore as bearer for little Lowrie; and Dr. Lane, with whom Mrs. Mattoon resided while there, says of him that had he already been a professing Christian, his conduct could not have been more exemplary.
“So it was with great joy that at our last communion October 5, we received him to the ordinance of the Lord’s appointing. The eyes of more than one of us were filled with tears of joy as we looked on this interesting scene.... In all probability he was the first native of that Island to be converted to protestant Christianity.”
While there was bright hope of the immediate prospects on the field, from the Mission Board there came the discouraging reply, “No money, no men,” in response to pleas for recruits. The reports of the dire situation under the old king had not yet been overtaken at home by the news of the marvellous change under the new government.
PERSONAL RELATIONS WITH KING MONGKUT
As he had intimated, the king could not continue familiar intercourse with the westerners because none but the nobles might enter his presence, except by particular request. There was some speculation, therefore, as to the attitude he would assume towards the missionaries after the coronation ceremonies were over. Any misgivings they may have had were soon dispelled. For some years it had been the custom of the Prince-Priest to celebrate his birthday—“the day like that on which I was born,” as he termed it—by inviting his foreign friends to a feast. The missionaries awaited the royal birthday with some interest, agreeing among themselves that his future attitude towards them would be more truly forecast by his treatment of his former custom. When the day approached the king sent an autograph letter “to all the white strangers,” inviting them to the palace.
Concerning this event Dr. House wrote (Oct. 18, 1851):
“This day twelve-month, how different we were situated: our teachers arrested and in irons; our servants panic struck or in prison; and we seriously agitating the question of seeking a more open field to labor in.
“Now we are the invited guests of the King himself, on the occasion of his forty-seventh birthday, to dine at the royal palace with other Europeans. His Majesty’s eldest son is deputed to do the honours of the feast, and we receiving a present of gold from the sovereign of the land as a token of his favour; and nobles and princes courting rather than shunning our acquaintance.”
King Mongkut entertained a particularly high esteem for Dr. Bradley and Dr. House. This admiration manifested itself not merely by including them under the bestowal of general favours but by marks of personal consideration. It was no small honour which the king conferred upon Dr. House by this request (July, 1852):
“Honoured today by the first personal summons I (or indeed any of us missionaries) have received to the royal presence. Nai Poon called to say that he was ordered some days ago to take me for conversation in English as His Majesty was ‘losing all his English.’”