WE made reference in our last issue to the Chinaman Chu, who had been brought to God some years ago. Dr. Parrott writes so cheeringly of him today, that we remind our readers of the way God opened his eyes. Dr. Parrott was on a journey through the cities and towns of the almost unknown regions of the western hills of Shansi. The roads in that part of China are simply the beds of mountain streams, which in the rainy season fill with water, and at once stop all travelling. The water, however, soon disappears into the Great Yellow River, and then roads are again passable, rocks, stones, and sand only remaining to try the patience of the traveler, and to test the strength and power of endurance of the beasts of burden. These makeshift roads, to a great extent, serve to cut off the inhabitants of the hills from those of the more populous plains.
The party started from the city of Ping-yang, feeling conscious of carrying with it the Word of Life into a region of the greatest darkness, where hitherto the Gospel had not been preached.
Rain now began to fall, and advance was both slow and difficult. The road became covered with water, the stream grew deeper, and the constant crossing and re-crossing made it dangerous for the animals. The rain still increased, and the missionary began to fear that the rainy season had commenced.
The party stayed a few days in roadside inns and villages along the route, hoping for better weather, but the waters increased so quickly that it was impossible to proceed. The stream had grown too rapid and deep for the laden mules to swim over.
On the eleventh day of the journey, when home was too far to think of returning, Dr. Parrott and his attendants looked around for a resting place for the night. Not far away were a few caves, and in them were living three families. After a little persuasion the occupier of one of the caves, a farmer named Chang, allowed the travelers to sleep in a shed where he kept his grain and farming implements.
The next morning the guide refused to go any further along such roads, unpacked the goods, and returned home with the mules; the rain, the famine-stricken region, and the fear of robbers and wolves having quite frightened him.
So Dr. Parrott was left weather-bound in the cave with only one native companion, and the prospect of nearly a fortnight’s weary waiting! For ten days the missionary lived with the Chang family―and was thankful for their kind hospitality, which consisted of two meals of maize bread in the twenty-four hours, together with a few vegetables, and hot water to drink.
When the rain ceased Dr. Parrott and his companion obtained mules and proceeded. They carried some copies of the Scriptures over the mountains, along a difficult and dangerous mountain path, till they reached a place where the water in the river was not more than a few feet deep. Then they crossed the river and reached the town of Wu-cheng, put up at an inn, and preached the Gospel to as many as they could of the few people left.
It happened to be market day, and there was present, listening, a man named Chu from a neighboring village. They distributed copies of parts of the Bible, and gave to Chu a Gospel of Mark.
This he took home and studied carefully. He conceived it to be a book from heaven, for it taught a heavenly doctrine—one different from that which he had ever heard. So Chu began to worship the book. And for two years he worshipped this Gospel by Mark. At the end of that time he visited Wu-cheng again, and stayed in the inn where Dr. Parrott had been, and there, to his great joy, he discovered another book, in the possession of the inn keeper, which appeared to be of the same kind as his own Gospel of Mark. He bargained with the innkeeper and bought the new book, which was nothing less than a complete New Testament.
Chu returned home with his new treasure, and began to study it with great desire. A Buddhist priest in the village also became deeply interested in the contents of these strange books, so much so that the priest and Chu used to meet every evening to read these Scriptures.
And now his story can be most happily continued. Our friend, Dr. Parrott, has just received a communication from Mr. T. W. Pigott, who is laboring in the Shan-si province, some two hundred miles distant from the district where Chu lived. He recently received a visit from him, and says: “We have had a most enlightened native brother, of the name of Chu, whose labors were much blessed everywhere. He is now seriously contemplating taking a step of entire dependence upon the Lord for guidance and help.”
When the Gospel of God truly takes root, it spreads by its own force through the souls of the men of the country who have received it. It is most delightful, therefore, to hear of God fitting a man for His work as He has done this man, so strangely brought to Himself.
Speaking of the work in which he is now engaged, Dr. Parrott says: “There are several enquirers. One man was a gambler, and made a living by gambling, when he first came under the power of the Gospel. He felt constrained to give up his evil ways, and is now working as a common laborer in the fields to earn his bread honestly. He comes regularly to our preachings every night.
“The people come in and out during the service, staying just as long as they please, perhaps only for a few minutes; but there are some who remain the whole service, and during the month before harvest, some forty men were found who would be attentive listeners night after night.”
We may surely say, such mission work compares very favorably with very much of similar work in our own land. And in one way it is more hopeful; for such as take up the position of being followers of the Lord Jesus Christ in China, have broken off from their idols, and their old idolatrous ways. They are
known in their village or district, they are marked off from the heathen, and have frequently to suffer persecution; so that in such men we have the stamp of genuineness, which in England is too frequently absent.