16 GOOD NEWS FROM FUH-CHAU. believe the Creator's own account of his own work, set themselves to maintain that there must have been some twenty pairs of different species of mankind from the first; or that, according to some, still more probably, all men have gradually advanced by easy stages from apes, and monkeys, and even from molluscs. GOOD NEWS FROM FUH-CHAU. THERE is a Mission station on the coast of China of which the readers of the "Gleaner" have not heard much. It is in the great city of Fuh-chau, which contains nearly a million of inhabitants. Here we made a commencement, by placing there two Missionaries, and the work has since gone on amidst much difficulty and discouragement. Ten years had passed over, and there had not been gained one convert to Christianity. During this time two valuable Missionaries had died, the Rev. W. Welton and the Rev. F. M'Caw, while others had returned home, their health having given way. Some pronounced Fuh-chau a barren soil, and wished it to be given up. There were other places on the coast which they thought would more readily respond to the labours of the husbandman; but the Society persisted, and, when one Missionary was removed, another was sent out. At length, in March 1861, the two first converts were baptized, and we experienced the truth of the divine declaration-"Be not weary in well-doing, for in due time we shall reap, if we faint not." Since then, with occasional reverses, the work has gone on, and there is now a native congregation at Fuhchau, comprising some very valuable native catechists. Lord's-day, October 8th, 1865, was a day to be remembered at Fuh-chau. The new church, built for the use of the native Christians, the expenses of which were mainly defrayed by the English residents, was opened for the worship of the one true God. The service commenced at eleven o'clock A.M., and the morning prayers were read, partly in Chinese and partly in English. After the second lesson, four adults and six children, all Chinese, were bap tized. Amongst them were two persons, of whom our Missionary tells us some interesting particulars. One was a man of the name of Lo Ling Mr. Lo Ling and his family have been receiving instruction for the last ten months. He has had to endure a great deal for Christ's sake, but he has remained faithful. His only daughter, who had been betrothed to a heathen, became a believer in Jesus, and constantly prayed and showed evidence, if not of real conversion, at least of deep interest in the truth. Her father was most anxious to have the engagement broken off, and the girl herself was equally desirous for a dissolution of the contract; but her reputed husband would not listen to it, and determined at once to marry her, and so prevent her becoming a Christian. The girl's GOOD NEWS FROM FUH-CHAU. 17 father could not prevent this, and so made all the necessary preparations for the wedding-feast, &c. But now came the hour of his trial. His sonin-law's party did all they could by entreaty, by promise, and by threats, to persuade him to give up Christianity, but nothing seemed to move him. His answer was, "I have decided to become a Christian and worship Jesus." During this time of his trial the Christians were in constant prayer for him, and to this I attribute his victory. The day of the marriage was a most exciting one. Lo Ling asked me how he should manage, for that he wished to have the Christians' prayers said on the occasion. I told him I feared my presence would excite the fury of the opposite party, and perhaps bring on a repetition of last year's troubles, but that he might ask Kiu Taick and others of the catechists to be present; that perhaps their presence would be tolerated; and if matters assumed a reasonable appearance, Kiu Taick, the senior catechist would pray and read the word of God. I pointed out to my faithful native brother appropriate portions to be read on the occasion, but warned him not to attempt any thing unless he saw a favourable opportunity. The catechists went, but they found the bridegroom's party unmanageable. They could do nothing. In the meanwhile the mob had assembled about the door, and threatened to pull down the house, which is the property of the Mission, and said something about tearing down our church. They hooted one of the American Missionaries who happened to pass at the time. When the bridal chair left the house, the streets all along were lined on both sides with men and women, using the most abusive language towards the bride and her family, crying out, "Ha! ha! come see the bride going to worship the kàu tâu," i. e. the head of the religion, meaning the Missionary. The bridegroom and his party were infuriated, and returned in the evening to Lo Ling's house, and heaped abuse and threats upon the poor fellow, but he bore it all very well; and when telling me about it afterwards, he said, "It did not become a Christian to return evil for evil." They refused the bride to return to her father's house to pay the ordinary visit of ceremony. This was the greatest mark of disrespect they could show towards the parents of the bride, and poor Lo Ling felt it keenly. At first he determined to summon the son-in-law before the officers, to compel him to allow his daughter to return and pay the usual token of respect to her father and mother, but myself and the other native brethren dissuaded him from this. It was a great trial for him.. How little do people at a distanee know what great difficulties those have to encounter who determine to confess Christ before their heathen countrymen ! We, however, who have to deal with them, are fully persuaded of those difficulties, and doubt whether many who make professions of Christ in Christian lands would be prepared to face the same difficulties for Christ's sake. But what of the poor girl? Why, she was dragged from her father's house amidst torrents of abuse, and taken to a heathen home, where she was commanded to fall down and worship the domestic and ancestral idols. Did she at once renounce her faith in Christ? Ah! no. She at once refused to bow her knee to the idols, and said she had learned to worship the one living and true God. But this did not satisfy her cruel husband, who stood by ready to enforce his wicked commands with threats and blows. 18 GOOD NEWS FROM FUH-CHAU. Poor girl! it was a great trial for her. Her husband, however, could not prevail over her faith, and all he could do was to elicit from his wife the exclamations, "I am a Christian, I am a Christian." The father came the next day, and in great triumph related all this to me, and declared he believed his daughter would never again worship an idol. There is great danger, however, as she is never allowed to see any of our members, and even her family are not permitted to see much of her. Such heroism is worthy of universal praise, and it illustrates the truth, that there is in Christianity a power able to sustain even the weakest natures to endure the severest trials rather than deny what they consider to be the truth. There has been heroism for Christ in every land, and China has not kept back her witnesses for the truth of Christ's religion, but she, too, has the privilege of having contributed to the "noble army of martyre." It is the height of dishonesty and impiety, in the face of such testimony, to say, as we continually hear it said, "There is not a single sincere convert in China." The Chinese Christians have learned to die for Christ, and this is what those who deny their sincerity have not yet learned. I am not afraid to say that there are at this moment, in Fuhchau, and in connexion with our own Mission too, Chinese Christians who are preaching Christ with more eloquence and as much zeal as ever Morrison or Milne taught in China. Now we will not say to our readers how easy a thing it is to be a Christian in England, and how difficult it is to be one in China. It is difficult in China. It requires great grace to endure so much persecution; but it requires just as much grace to be a consistent Christian in England. The difficulties are not of the same kind, but they are just as great. In China the danger is, lest the sinner should be frightened away from Christ. In England the danger is, lest the sinner be allured away from Christ, for temptations to pleasure are as strong here as violence and persecution are there there in China is the rage-here in England the wiles of Satan. Here the world, like Absalom, steals away men's hearts. But in either trial the Lord is able to uphold those who trust in Him, and will not suffer their foot to be moved. We trust that the prayers of our readers will not be wanting on behalf of Lo Ling and his daughter. Amongst the other persons who were baptized was one of the Mission schoolboys, who, of his own accord, came forward to renounce his heathen name and associations, and cast in his lot with the people of God. His name is Chiong Hok, and the following is his history And now about Chiong Hok, one of our schoolboys, who renounced heathenism, and was baptized yesterday with the others. He has attended our school for more than a year, and has from the very first shown deep interest and a remarkable comprehension of the truth. His progress in Scripture knowledge has been most satisfactory. Frequently on Sunday evenings, when I publicly examine and catechize all the Christianschildren and adults-in the chapel, he has, by his ready comprehen BRIEF MEMOIRS OF MR. GEORGE JEFFERIES. 19 sion and intelligence, put many of the adult members to shame. I have for a long time taken a particular interest in him. For the last few months, in addition to his intelligent answering, I have observed in him a very thoughtful and serious spirit; but I had not the slightest expectation that he was meditating the important step which he took yesterday. He seemed to have very clear notions of prayer, and appeared fully to appeciate the doctrine of redemption through Christ. I felt persuaded myself that the Holy Spirit was working on the boy's mind. A few weeks ago I gave an address on baptism. A few days after, Chiong Hok sent a message through the schoolmaster to the effect that he wished very much to become a Christian, and requested to be baptized at the same time as the other candidates. On examining him I found his desire sincere. I asked the head catechist to examine him more thoroughly, and report to me the result. He did so, and reported very satisfactorily. But his tender age (twelve years), and the fact that his father was a heathen, seemed to me at first very great difficulties in admitting him to baptism. I told the boy I was satisfied with his intelligence, &c., but I feared I could not, without his father's consent, receive him as a candidate for baptism. He said that was no difficulty, for that his father was quite willing; that he had obtained his father's consent long before he spoke to me on the subject. I then sent for the father, and spoke to him on the subject, and laid the whole matter before him as plainly as possible. It appears that the boy had been meditating the step for some months before he let us know a word about it, and had been teaching his father what he himself had, as we hope and believe, been taught of God. The father at once gave his consent. After this we consulted the native Christians on the subject, and they all agreed in thinking the boy ought to be admitted to baptism. May God bless the lad! May he be a blessing to many. I have great hopes that God has great things in store for him. May the account of this Chinese boy be read in many of our English Sunday schools, and stir up the boys and girls to think more of that great Saviour, who died upon the cross for them, and whose name they bear, so that they may be led to imitate the example of this Chinese boy, and give themselves to Him! BRIEF MEMOIRS OF MR. GEORGE JEFFERIES, WE resume Mr. Roper's memorial of his friend and fellow-labourer, written at the request of Mr. Jefferies' parents. He expresses a hope that they may prove not only grateful to the friends of the deceased, but may move to more sympathy and prayer the friends of Missions generally. The latter will see, in this narrative, something of what those whom they send forth into the Mission fields are sometimes called upon to pass through. I believe that it is good, (says his friend,) called the dark side of the picture should be seen. that what might be But in the picture of 20 BRIEF MEMOIRS OF MR. GEORGE JEFFERIES. my dear friend, which I have attempted to draw in the following pages, there is a gloriously bright side, so bright, indeed, that every reader will perceive it. There is no greater trial of faith than to STAND STILL AND WAIT on God, when we have no idea at all where the help which we need is to come from, or when it is to come. So we found it at this time. It grieved us sorely when we saw Mr. Jefferies sinking daily, and we could yet do nothing for him. As for our friend himself, all seemed to be peace and comfort with him; no murmur, no complaint escaped his lips. Surely, God's promise, "I will be with thee in trouble," was fulfilled to him. Very often his nights were restless, and in the morning, instead of being refreshed, he looked weary, and almost worn out. Generally about nine o'clock he would leave his room for awhile, and come and sit or lie in the piazza, to get fresh air, and talk a bit with us; but he was too weak to stay long, and therefore soon returned to his bed. During the night of the 28th of June there was a change for the worse in Mr. Jefferies. On the 29th, I wrote " Mr. J. is now much worse than he has been before he has suffered much during the last week, and I fear he will not last much longer." At noon on that day he was a little better. During all the day Mr. Hinderer tried again to find a person who would go to Abbeokuta, but all his efforts were fruitless; no such person could be found. This may seem strange; but it must be remembered that there was war in the country, and kidnappers were on all the roads; and any person attempting to go from one town to another would almost certainly be caught and sold as a slave; so that, though we offered much, we could not get any one to go to Abbeokuta. I need not say, that if by any effort of ours, at any risk, we could have helped our friend in any way at all, either by getting him down to Abbeokuta or Lagos, or by getting medical or other help up to him, we should certainly have done it; but we could not help him; and because we could not, we mourned day and night. I say we mourned-we who were well-not Mr. Jefferies: his patience was never ruffled. His faith was sorely tried at this time; but strength was given him according to his need. It must not be thought that he was indifferent as to whether he recovered or not. He was not to say desirous, but he was anxious to see his dear parents and friends again, ALL of them; their names he often mentioned most affectionately. He was anxious, too, if God willed it, that he might "not die, but live and declare the works of the Lord" to the heathen people in this country; but he would not have things otherwise than as God in his providence ordered them: he felt all things must be for good, because "He doeth all things well." Although his sickness was so severe, and now threatened to carry him away from the world, he could yet say, "None of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, that I may finish my course with joy." His feelings were "I dare not choose my way, I would not if I might; It has been well and truthfully said that |