They wisely selected the Burmese people as their objective from the first, and excepting their first superintendent, they have made the mastering of the language the first duty of every new missionary. In this they have been exceedingly clearsighted. While the mission has not been large in numbers, it has maintained a good working force, and had latterly sent forward re-enforcements. They maintain nine or ten missionaries, men and women, who are in the full vigor of their earlier manhood and womanhood, and they are steadily gathering a native Church. Meantime, they have added English work and taken up the lepers, mentioned elsewhere, as a specialty. They have the vigor and hope of a healthful young mission.
There are two other special features of their mission worthy of note. They have strongly-fortified themselves with Christian schools, one of the most potent agencies for breaking down Buddhism. Buddhist schools must be met by Christian schools.
Then, they require five years’ service from every young man entering their mission before they allow him to marry. This gives a period of probation at small outlay of money, and insures that the young man will acquire the language and be safely proven worthy and suited to his calling before the mission becomes responsible for his family. It has one disadvantage. When the young missionary does marry, his wife is a novice in the land, wholly unacquainted with the people and their language, and can hardly hope to become her husband’s helpmate, as she could have done if they had entered upon their missionary life together. Yet, on the whole, it is a policy worthy of careful study and wider application.
This outline of missions in Burma leaves much more unwritten than it records. It is only intended to give a general survey of the forces that are gathering which shall make the Burmese, the Shans, the Karens, the Chins, and all the nations and tribes truly Christians. They all aim at the speedy redemption of this stronghold of Buddhism with its attendant demonology.
CHAPTER XIII
The Methodist Episcopal Mission, Burma
Methodism was established in Rangoon in 1879. Unlike any other mission known to the writer, Methodism began its work in Burma, as in some other places in India, without any financial support or any community of Methodistic sentiment or tradition among the people to depend upon. It is true that there are a few persons in Rangoon who had known of the wonderful work done in Calcutta under Dr. Thoburn, and had repeatedly invited him to come to Rangoon to preach. William Taylor had sent out Mr. and Mrs. Carter from America to begin self-supporting work among the English-speaking people in Rangoon. At this juncture, Dr. Thoburn went over to Rangoon and laid the foundation of Methodism in that city. He always remembers, with cordial appreciation, the kindness of the Baptist missionaries in receiving him and giving him the use of their chapel in which to preach until the size of the congregation required a larger building. Then he went to the municipal hall where he arranged the first Methodist society within two weeks of his first service.
The beginnings were very encouraging. Of all the English-speaking Churches which Methodism has organized in India, that at Rangoon was the largest in numbers and most diverse in its membership at the beginning. Some of these original members remained with us for nearly a score of years. Some of them proved their loyalty and faithful service through long years and under all changes.
The self-support of this Church has been somewhat remarkable. The Government gave the site for the church and parsonage, and the first year a plain, wooden church edifice was erected, and also a parsonage by its side. Mr. Carter was succeeded by Mr. Robinson as pastor. Under this pastorate all that had been done previously was conserved and new undertakings were begun. The church and parsonage buildings were paid for and the Church taught Methodist usages. Considering that very few of the members, if any, had any previous knowledge of the doctrines, this instruction was most necessary.
From the very first until the present, a period of twenty-one years, the Church has supported its pastor with a modest salary. If part of that time there has been a supplemental amount paid by the Missionary Society, this has always been more than offset by the real missionary work done by the pastorate. Much of the time the pastor has been presiding elder of the district, and always he has had more than his pastorate to care for.
Rev. Mr. Robinson, aided by his devoted wife, had four years of labor in care of the Church and the affairs of the mission. During this busy period he began a girls’ school for the English-speaking children and also a mission to seamen. These two institutions were begun in a modest way as works of faith and without buildings or funds for running expenses. They were both launched to meet a great need. Here again the liberality of the congregation and the community of Rangoon friendly to an active evangelism was exemplified in the contributions to support both of these institutions. Here, as in the case of the church, the Government was generous in its aid of the school. It was at this time the Government was extending its newly-organized educational department and felt generous in its plans for schools already organized. A very desirable piece of land was given the mission to be used for our girls’ school. But a building was to be erected, and our people had no funds. At that time the thought of receiving mission money from America was not entertained by any. After giving the land, the Government gave over half the cost of the first school building, and the people of Rangoon and vicinity gave the remainder of the required funds. This has been the order almost throughout our experience as a mission. Support of all English branches of our work has been secured almost entirely in Burma.