THE CHINESE.
CLIPPINGS FROM CORRESPONDENCE.
BY REV. W. C. POND.
Our readers may possibly remember that we have been making an experimental effort to plant a mission at Point Pedro, a Chinese fishing village, on one of the headlands making out into San Francisco Bay, about twenty miles from this city, and at least five miles from any American village. The work resembles, as to its difficulties, that which would be encountered in any village in China itself, and the teacher—Miss Mary C. Waterbury—is almost as much alone there as she would be if at work in China. One American family—a gentleman and his wife—reside at the point, having charge of the ranch and collecting the ground rents due from the Chinese fishermen, and in this family she has her only opportunity for free conversation in her native tongue. I make the following extract from a letter from her, giving an account of a “Moon Festival,” observed there by the Chinese. “It was a never-to-be-forgotten scene. I only wished that every Christian in this land could have looked upon it. This day has been a general holiday; no fishing, no work of any kind. These poor, tired men, who ply the oar and draw the net seven days in the week, early and late, day and night, are resting. They are to have a good dinner and a good time generally; and, in connection with it, are observing the oldest form of idol-worship this dark world has ever seen. This—not in China, or in Ethiopia, but right here in Christian America, under the very sound and light of the glorious gospel of the Light of the World. Under the clear shining of a bright, full moon a table is spread with the very best the offerer can afford, and then his guests come out, and, one by one, bow down to the moon and worship—worship, ‘not the one who carries the lantern,’ as a Christian Chinese said, ‘but the lantern itself.’ This is about all there was of it—and it does not make much of a story,—but nothing ever impressed me more deeply. I had read of idolatry before, but now I was looking it square in the face. Not many days ago a poor old man died here. Ever since, his daughter and her husband and the grand-children have been worshiping his spirit with all sorts of votive offerings; not from love to him, not to express their reverence for his memory, but from fear of his ghost. And so, right here in America, there is growing up a generation of idolaters.”
SELLING PRAYERS IN A CHINESE TEMPLE.
Mrs. Langdon, of Stockton, writes: “Since Lee Pak Un came (the Chinese helper) two of our boys have joined the association. We have one pupil who attended school for some time, then absented himself for months, and has now returned. He can read understandingly, is a good Chinese scholar, and is very intelligent, but when approached on religious matters cannot be made to know what I am talking about. The inability, however, is evidently moral. Lee Pak Un says: His friend, surname brother, says he will not be a Christian while his father lives; he is afraid of him. ‘If any man cometh unto me and hateth not his own father, * * * he cannot be my disciple.’ How often these hard sayings of our Lord find illustration in our missionary work! How many of our believing Chinese have been obliged to take the position of one hating father and mother—to do what is interpreted by them and others as acts of hatred, in order to be Christ’s disciples! How often, after returning to China, have they been obliged to stand unmoved by a father’s threats and curses and a mother’s tears, or else bow down to idols and deny their Lord!”
I have not often, in the last two or three years, made mention in the Missionary of our Petaluma school. It has been one of the smallest of our missions, with comparatively little occurring, month by month, to interest our readers or to encourage us. But for several months past, under the care of Miss Carrie L. Jones, daughter of Rev. Dr. R. G. Jones, pastor of the Congregational Church in that city, and through the faithful service of our helper, Wong Ock, new interest has been developed, the attendance has almost trebled, and the harvest seems to be close at hand. One of the pupils, not yet an avowed Christian, writes to Miss Jones as follows: “I come to school every night at 7 o’clock to learn to read and write. I go to meeting Wednesday and to church Sunday-school. Some China boy would like to love Jesus Christ and God. My good friend Wong Ock is a good boy, and I like him very much. California is a good country. Good-bye.” From Wong Ock himself I have several letters on file, from which I give the following extracts: “I feel much comfort and happiness in my heart when I try to do God’s will. I hope I may be faithful at all times and trust in Him, so He may help me, and I may bear much fruit in His name. Charlie, one of our boys, has joined the Christian Association in the last two weeks. Now I find him very good. He seems to have entirely left his old habits, and has given his heart to serve the Lord Jesus.” Again, “I feel very contented, as I have made acquaintance with my Lord and Saviour. I am willing now to give up all I have for His name’s sake, for His righteousness’ sake. But I often shed many tears for those around us who have not known the gospel. For my part (i.e., so far as I myself am concerned), I am thankful for those who love Jesus and teach me so well in his name. I hope the reward of my Lord be multiplied to them, so they may know to lead His flock back to His fold. But you know how many of the hearts have been discouraged on account of the bad actions of some Chinese. Nevertheless, we must be faithful. Then I think everything will be well done in the Lord’s sight.” What he means is this: that if we are faithful our Lord will be pleased and will accept us, even though many of those for whom we labor and pray refuse to give up their opium, their gambling, their hatreds, and refuse to become Christians, because they would, as Christians, be obliged to abandon these things. Some months since I proposed to Wong Ock, as I could not afford, considering the size of the school, to pay him the full salary of a helper (i.e., $25 per month), to seek work for part of the day in some family, as several of our helpers do, or else to go to Point Pedro with reference to making a thorough experiment in the work there. To have accepted either proposition would have increased his monthly income by at least $10, or 66 per cent. This is his reply: “I prayed to God, and He has shown me the right way, I think. No matter to me in what place I work, only for Jesus Christ. But I think I am useful here; also can study myself. I need but little money, only enough to keep me, and you can give what you think best. I do not wish to leave here, nor work in family, as I get too tired to study; not feel very strong. The question is, What use am I to God? Because not our will, but His, be done. If we can be of use to God, we ought to be satisfied, whether we dwell among the savages or become poor and suffer as Job did, for even our Christ the Lord left the holier and happier place and came to this dark and sinful world to die for our sins. Now, I am sorry if a man drive a hen away, if the eggs she set upon have not time enough to be hatched. My dear brother, if I feel so for the hen, shall I leave the boys whom I have preached to and cared for ever so long, and some of them nearly come to be Christians? I think not. Still I wish to do right.”