Part 6 (1/2)
HOW THE CHINESE FIGHT.
July 28, 1853. To his brother, Daniel.
”I suppose you will feel more desirous to learn about the state of politics and war at Amoy. At present everything is quiet. Three weeks ago another attempt was made by the Mandarins to retake Amoy. They landed a body of troops on the opposite side of the island. These were to march across the island (about ten miles) and attack the city by land. Simultaneously an attack was to be made on the city from the water side by the Mandarin fleet. It is said that the land forces amounted to about 10,000. The fleet consisted of about forty sail. On Wednesday morning (July 6th), about daybreak, the troops were put in motion. They were met with about an equal number of rebel troops. They fought until the Mandarin soldiers became hungry (about eight or nine o'clock). Not being relieved at that time, as they expected, they withdrew to cook their rice. The Mandarin in command considering that his life was much more important than that of the soldiers, kept himself at a safe distance from the scene of action. At about breakfast-time he started to go down in his sedan chair nearer the scene of action. When he saw that his troops were retiring to cook their breakfast, he supposed that they were giving way before the enemy.
Prudence being the better part of valor, he ordered his chair-bearers to face about and carry him in the other direction. The soldiers, finding that their chief officer had fled, thought there was no further need of risking their lives, so they all retired. I cannot vouch for the truth of the whole of the above statement. Such, however, is the story soberly related by some of the Chinese. We could see the smoke and hear the reports of the guns from the top of our house. The fighting commenced very early. We thought that the Mandarin troops were gradually approaching the city, until about Chinese breakfast-time (eight to nine o'clock), when the firing ceased. We know not how many lives were lost in the engagement.
The rebels brought into the city some seventeen or eighteen heads which they had decapitated. I know not whether these were all killed in the fight or whether they were the heads of some villagers on whom the rebels took vengeance for a.s.sisting the Mandarins.”
”Now for the engagement on the water. The rebel forces on the water were much inferior to the Mandarin forces, but the Chinese say they fought more desperately. The engagement opened on Wednesday about noon and lasted until nearly evening. Towards evening the Mandarin fleet withdrew a few miles and came to anchor. On Thursday at high-tide (about noon) the engagement was renewed. Towards evening the Mandarin fleet again withdrew as before. On Friday the engagement was again renewed with similar results. On Sat.u.r.day the Mandarin fleet withdrew entirely and left the harbor.
”During the three days of the fight, as you would expect, there was much excitement in Amoy. The tops of the houses and the hills around about, at the time of the engagement, were thronged with people, and there was a continual discharge of cannon. But I have not given the number of the killed and wounded in the three days' naval action. Reports, you know, are often much exaggerated on such occasions. According to the most reliable statements (and I have not yet heard of any other statement), the list stands thus:
”Killed-None!
”Wounded-None!
”Prisoners-None!
”It is said that one ball from a Mandarin junk did strike a rebel junk, but did not hurt any one. During the fighting the vessels kept so far apart that the b.a.l.l.s almost always fell into the water between them. On the second day of the fight, a boat from the city in which were three men, who were not engaged in the fight, was captured by the Mandarin fleet, and the three men were beheaded. War is too serious a matter to be laughed at, but the kind of war we have thus far seen at Amoy is only like children's play.”
Nov. 1, 1853. To his brother, Daniel.
”Our war still continues, fighting almost every day. The day I sent off my last package to you, two more b.a.l.l.s struck our house. One came through the roof of an unoccupied part of the premises. I did not weigh it, but suppose it was about a six-pounder. The other struck against a pillar in the outside wall and fell down and was picked up by some one outside of the house, so that I do not know the size of it. It was a merciful Providence that it struck the pillar. If it had struck on either side of the pillar, it would have come into a room in which many Chinese were collected. On Sunday last there was much fighting again. A small ball came into our veranda. A small ball entered Mr. Doty's house, one entered Mr. Alexander Stronach's house, several entered Dr. Hirschberg's house; other houses also were struck. Dr. Hirschberg's house has been the most exposed. We have all been preserved from harm thus far. He, who has thus far preserved us, I trust will continue to preserve us. The fighting is more serious than at first. A little more courage is manifested and more execution is done.
But I do not see any prospect of either party being victorious. The party whose funds are completely used up first, will doubtless have to yield to the other. I cannot tell which that will be. I shall be heartily glad when one of the armies withdraws from Amoy. The country around Amoy is becoming desolated. Houses and whole villages are plundered and burned. In Amoy suffering abounds, and I suppose is increasing. When I go out into the street I usually put a handful of cash into my pocket to distribute to the beggars.”
In November, 1853, Imperial authority a.s.serted itself.
”The Imperial forces having collected from the neighboring garrisons, appeared in such overwhelming strength that the insurgents hastily put off to sea. Many succeeded in escaping to Formosa and Singapore. The leader was accidentally shot off Macao. The restoration of Imperial authority was followed, however, by terrible scenes of official cruelty and bloodthirstiness. The guilty had escaped, but the Emperor Hienfung's officials wreaked their rage on the helpless and unoffending townspeople.
Hundreds of both s.e.xes were slain in cold blood, and on more than one occasion English officers and seamen interfered to protect the weak and to arrest the progress of an undiscriminating and insensate ma.s.sacre.”
VII. THE BLOSSOMING DESERT.
”In tropical lands, when the rain comes, what was barren baked earth, in a day or two is rich meadow, all ablaze with flowers, and the dry torrent beds, where the stones lay white and glistening ghastly in the hot suns.h.i.+ne, are foaming with rus.h.i.+ng streams and fringed with budding oleanders.” Such a spiritual transformation it was the glad privilege of our missionaries to witness in the region of Amoy during the years 1854 and 1855. Until then, to the eye of man only an occasional seed had burst its way through the stone-crusted earth and given a shadow of harvest hope.
The first four years of prayer and testimony from 1842-1846 were definitely and visibly rewarded with only two converts.
When Mr. Talmage arrived at Amoy in 1847 the total church members.h.i.+p was three. By 1850 it had grown to five. By the end of 1851 the seed had brought forth nearly fourfold. There were nineteen converts. This was the harbinger of brighter days. Even during the troublous times of 1853 signs of awakening appeared. In the midst of war and rumors of war the native brethren had proposed to enter the ”regions beyond” Chiangchiu and Chinchew. The faithful preaching of Doty and Talmage in the chapels and on the streets of Amoy city, among the towns and villages of Amoy Island and the mainland; the apostolic labors of William Burns, whose joy it was to sow beside all waters,-these had found acceptance with G.o.d and with the people. Inquirers multiplied at the chapels. They came from among the shopkeepers and boatmen of Amoy, from cities and towns along the arms of the sea and up the inland rivers, from remote country hamlets beyond the mountains.
Mr. Talmage's letters during 1854 and 1855 tell of the great awakening.
”This year (1854), thus far, has been one of unusual blessing, a year 'of the right hand of the Most High.' Early in January, knowing that there were a few individuals desirous of receiving Christian baptism, we appointed a meeting for the examination of such, and also for personal conversation with all others who might feel an especial interest in Christianity. We were agreeably surprised to find the number of inquirers and candidates for baptism much greater than we had supposed. We also found among the inquirers an unusual tenderness of conscience, and sense of sinfulness, and anxiety for the salvation of the soul. Seeing such evidence that the Holy Spirit was shedding abroad His quickening influences among this people, we appointed a similar interview for the week following.
”These meetings for the examination and instruction of inquirers we have continued almost every week, and occasionally twice a week, till the present time. Sometimes the inquirers present have numbered thirty or forty, perhaps more. At times, moreover, the depth of feeling manifested has been such that the eyes of every one present have been suffused with tears. These meetings, we trust, have been very profitable, as well as interesting.”
”On Sabbath, March 26th, we were permitted to receive into the fellows.h.i.+p of the Christian Church ten individuals, eight men and two women, the eldest a widow woman aged sixty-eight, the youngest a young man aged twenty.” ”On the last Sabbath in May, we again received nine persons, six men and three women, the eldest an old man aged seventy-four, the youngest a young man aged twenty-three.”
”On the thirtieth of July (Sabbath), we again baptized nine others, four men and five women, the eldest a widow aged fifty-one, the youngest a girl aged sixteen. Thus the whole number of adults baptized by us at Amoy during the present year, thus far, is twenty-eight.”
He cites individual cases. Speaking of an aged widow he says:
”She lives at a village some fifteen miles or more from Amoy. Boats coming from that place to this place land at a wharf near my house. On one occasion, when she arrived here a few months ago, she resolved to come to my house, and see how the foreigners lived. On entering, she was met by the Christian who has charge of the chapel. He asked her business. She said that she only came for amus.e.m.e.nt. He replied, 'This is not a place to visit for amus.e.m.e.nt, but to hear the doctrine.' 'Well,' says she, 'then I will hear the doctrine.' He explained to her something of the truths of Christianity. He told her also that after breakfast I should be in the chapel for morning wors.h.i.+p. She went back to the neighbor's house whence she had come, to wait until after breakfast. But the new doctrine which she had heard, took so deep a hold on her mind, that she desired no breakfast for herself. Soon she again came to hear more. She was deeply impressed with the truth and importance of the things which she heard. She reasoned with herself thus: 'The myriads of people I meet with do not know what is in my heart, but these people tell me what is in my heart and in my bones. This doctrine cannot be of man. It must be the great power of G.o.d.' She was poor and lived at a distance from Amoy. She learned that the Christian who had charge of the chapel was of the same surname with herself. She inquired whether she might not come down next Sat.u.r.day, and lodge with his family. She said she would bring with her some dried potatoes for her food. Of course her request was readily granted. From that time to the present, she has come the whole distance from her village to Amoy almost every week, in order to hear the Gospel. She has two sons and one daughter. She has brought both her sons with her, desiring that they also may become Christians. The eldest, aged seventeen, is among our inquirers. She has also brought some of her neighbors with her to hear the Word. She has met with much opposition and persecution; but so far as we can learn, she has borne all with the meekness of a true disciple of Christ. Since her baptism, she has rented a room in Amoy, that she may live within sound of the Gospel. When she told me of this, I asked her how she expected to maintain herself, and whether she thought she should be able to earn a living at Amoy. She replied that she trusted in G.o.d. If she could not get as good food as others, she would eat coa.r.s.er food.