The American Missionary — Volume 32, No. 09, September, 1878

by Various

2. They are doing this thing now. The missionary sent to Jee Gam’s district was converted in California. The story is full of interest, and I give it in Jee Gam’s own words. It illustrates well the truth I wish to state on more sides than one: “Six years ago, a Chinese fortune-teller, while in California, heard a Chinese missionary speaking to a crowd of his countrymen on the subject of superstition. His heart was deeply touched. Not long after he went home, and at once commenced to build a house for his family, without going to an appointer of days to ask him to select a lucky day to begin upon. And so his friends and relatives told him that he must have a day selected before he put a single man to work, or his house could never be built to stand, or somebody would be killed by evil spirits before the house was completed. He told his friends that he had done with that superstition, and that he would keep on building. Finding they could not persuade him, they left, saying they would have no more to do with him, for he had become a foreigner. Then he was not only despised by these friends, but by every one who lived in that village. They said the evil spirits would soon take his life, or some great trouble would surely visit his family. Finally, his house was completed. He moved in and lived in perfect safety. People then began to wonder why the evil spirits did not visit this house. Some said they were busy elsewhere; but others said they must have gone away, and, on their return, they would cause this home and this obstinate family to be desolated. So they waited, but in vain; for this man prospered, and in due time, in that very house, a son was born to him. When, now, the people saw the joy of this household, they said one to another, ‘He must have worshipped the foreign God, and so the spirits dare not touch him.’ He came back to California and went to fortune-telling again. This time he determined to learn more of Christ, and every opportunity he could find he attended the Chinese meeting, and searched for truth by reading the Bible. He was finally converted, gave up his profession, and was baptized by Rev. Mr. Loomis. He then went home the second time, and studied at Rev. Dr. Happer’s mission in Canton, where he was fitted to be a very able missionary, for he had a very good Chinese education before he became a Christian. When he got through his studies, he was sent to a large city, not far from his own home. There he labored successfully for about two years, and he had been the means of converting a number of his countrymen, among whom was one of his villagers, a professor of Confucius. He was on his way to a county examination; he visited the chapel where this missionary was preaching, not that he might learn about Jesus, but merely for curiosity. But the Lord’s design was otherwise. He sent him there to be converted by the Holy Spirit, and fitted for the great work which He intended to assign him.

“After his conversion, this missionary and a delegate were sent to visit Chuck Hum, a city about six miles from my home. When they reached there, great was their surprise to learn that a man named Quan Lang, who lived close by, had been Christianized in Australia, and had been preaching there, in the open air, for the last three months. They searched and found him earnest in the faith, glad and anxious to join himself with these missionaries. They consulted together about opening a chapel there. Then they wrote Dr. Happer about it. He consented, and they began. But oh, what a hard time they met! Opposition came upon them from every side. Even the whole city firmly united against them. After violent persecution, the governor was consulted. He sent proclamations to the head man of the city and the judge of the district, commanding protection to his person and property. Then this missionary could have as many police officers to protect him as he pleased. They even became burdensome to him, and he had to dismiss them. When the chapel was dedicated, it was crowded to its utmost capacity.” This brings the story down to the present time. The work in that district, it will be perceived, was begun by an Australian convert, and is now carried on by one from California.

Two of our Oakland brethren, Joe Jet and Lee Sam, have recently returned to China, and intend to commence at once their studies at a mission-school, in order to preach the Gospel. One of our San Leandro brethren, Jee Wee, started for China last October, and has just returned. On the westward voyage he fell in with some missionary families and a Chinese evangelist. The result was that at once, on reaching Canton, he began evangelistic work, opening a room for the distribution of Bibles, and preaching. He encountered opposition and persecution at first, but, on application at headquarters, was protected in the same manner with those of whom Jee Gam writes above. The crowds that listened sometimes numbered 300 or 400. More than twenty were hopefully converted, his own father and mother being among them. Another Lee Sam, who returned to China about three years ago, and who, though a Christian, had not at the time he left us been baptized, in his first letter to his brethren here, told of the conversion of his brother, an educated man and a sort of college professor, to whom he had been speaking of the way of life.

We have lost sight of this Lee Sam, of Lui Chung, also, a most hopeful convert and Christian worker, whom I ought to have retained in California, and many others likewise. It is not strange that this should be. Indeed, it could not be otherwise. We, 10,000 miles distant, could not possibly follow them, save with our prayers. But they ought to be followed, and nurtured and edified. And not only that, but set at work, as light-givers and soul-savers, where-ever they go.

It is easy to see that a Chinese, returning to his native land from California, would be likely to have special advantages for doing missionary work. In the first place, by a process of natural selection, they are picked men. It is not the dullards or the drones that undertake to cross the Pacific, and make their way to fortune in a land so strange to them as this. And by the same process it is, again, among those who come, the picked men that enter our schools. The great mass do not care enough about learning to follow up each hard day’s work with two hours of evening study. Those that come do care, and care so much that they brave bitter reproaches in coming, from those whom they leave behind.

Then, besides the limited education which they are able to get in our schools, there is an unconscious education, which they must be, all the while, unconsciously receiving, as they breathe the air of a free and Christian land. Their views are broadened; the old crusted conservatism is broken; and they can speak out, with a force and an authority which, it seems to me, no Chinese who had never left his native district could possibly use.

Then, there cannot but be an interest gathering about them, as having been in “the land of the golden mountains.” They have the story of this to begin with where-ever they go; they gather a crowd by means of it; they gain attention; and the gospel of Christ will come in after it as easily as if it belonged—as, indeed, it does—to the very theme.

Now, what have I to propose? It is this: We ought to have a mission at Hong Kong. It ought to be in close, vital relationship with our California Mission. It ought to be at Hong Kong, because there our steamers land their passengers, and from that point our brethren scatter. Most of them do not enter Canton at all. We ought to have, then, at least one American missionary—not necessarily a great man, but a man of earnest piety and business capacity, and sound common sense—a man who would give to his mission the atmosphere, which, I am sure, our brethren recognize in the mission here, of Christian kindliness and brotherly love—not that of a condescending benevolence, but that of a hearty Christian brotherhood.

He ought to meet every converted Chinese—at least, from our own mission (others, if they are willing)—and take him home to his mission-house; find out his destination, and arrange to keep track of him, and make use of him as an errand-bearer for Christ. And we, on our part, ought to be raising up and sending men who, educated either here or in China, may give themselves, under direction of this missionary, to district gospel work.