CHAPTER XII.

THE MISSION TO MALACCA.

RESOLUTIONS REGARDING MALACCA-OCCUPATION OF THE STATION BY MR. MILNE-BAPTISM OF AFAH-HIS EXPERIENCE-ARRIVAL OF THE AUTHOR AND OTHER BRETHREN-SCHOOLS-TRACTS- AND TRANSLATIONS-ANGLO-CHINESE COLLEGE-VARIOUS LABOURS-RESCUE OF A MALAY FAMILY-DEATH OF MILNE-MORRISON VISITS MALACCAARRIVAL OF KIDD-VISIT OF THE DEPUTATION-DEATH OF COLLIEBAPTISM OF A MALAY SLAVE-AND A CHINESE YOUTH - TOMLIN'S SUPERINTENDENCE- ARRIVAL OF EVANS-FRESH BAPTISMS — DYER JOINS THE MISSION-MORE ENCOURAGEMENT-TWENTY INDIVIDUALS BAPTIZED - TEN MORE ADDED — THEIR EXPERIENCE MISSION TO PENANG-STATION AT JAMES TOWN-LABOURS OF DYER-MISSION TO SINGAPORE JOINED BY THE AMERICAN MISSIONRIES.

MALACCA, situated on the east side of the strait of that name, was one of the earliest European settlements in the east, and now contains about 25,000 inhabitants; of whom 4000 are Chinese, 2000 Portuguese, about the same number of Malabars, and the rest Malays.

Mr. Milne first visited this place in 1814, on his way from Java to China. During the following year, it was resolved to occupy Malacca, as being nearer to China than any of the neighbouring settlements, and as commanding a ready intercourse with other parts of the Archipelago. The station was intended with a view to the Chinese principally, though not exclusively; and as the inhabitants of the neighbouring nations were included in the object, the undertaking assumed the general name of the Ultra-Ganges Missions.

In the spring of 1815, Mr. Milne left Canton, ac

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companied by a Chinese teacher, printers, and materials for publishing books. The Resident received him

with great kindness, and proposed that he should take charge of the Dutch reformed church, established there; which Mr. M. consented to do, as far as his missionary engagements would allow.

Soon after his arrival, Mr. Milne established a Chinese school, into which fifteen children were admitted. A Christian catechism was introduced, and a catechetical exercise maintained every Sabbath afternoon. A public service in Chinese was commenced, and family worship conducted daily, to which the adherents of the mission paid serious attention.

A periodical publication in the native language, having been considered advisable for a reading people, the first number of the Chinese Magazine, left the press in the month of August, 1815. The promotion of Christianity was its primary object; yet knowledge and science were called in to the aid of religion; and instructive anecdotes, with occasional notices of political events, gave a pleasing variety to the work.

The same year, Mr. Milne was joined by Mr. Thomsen, who came out to establish a Malay mission in Malacca; and for that purpose devoted himself to the study of the language.

In the summer of 1816, a more than usual attention to the truth was paid by one of the Chinese printers, who professed his determination to take up the cross, and follow the Saviour. The following extract from Mr. Milne's journal refers to this individual :—

"Nov. 3.-At twelve o'clock this day, I baptized, in the name of the adorable Trinity, Leang Kung-fah, commonly called Leang Afăh. The service was performed in a room of the mission house. Care

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had been taken, by previous conversation and prayer, to prepare him for this sacred ordinance; and finding him still steadfast in the faith, I baptized him. The change produced in his sentiments and conduct is, I hope, the effect of Christian truth,-yet who of mortals can know the heart? Several searching questions were proposed to him, and an exercise suited to a candidate for baptism composed, and given to him to meditate on. He belongs to the province of Canton, is about thirty-three years of age, can read a plain book with ease, and is of a steady character and frugal habits. His temper is not so sociable as that of many other Chinese: he was formerly obstinate, and occasionally troublesome, but of late there has been scarcely anything of this kind to complain of. With respect to his former life he observed, 'I rarely went to excess in sin; yet I have been occasionally guilty of drunkenness and other kindred vices. Before I came hither, I knew not God; but now I desire to serve him.' He wished to be baptized exactly at twelve o'clock, when, to use his own words, 'the shadow inclines neither one way nor the other.'

"At baptism, the following questions were proposed to him, to which he answered as follows:-Q. Have you truly turned from idols, to serve the living and true God, the creator of heaven and earth? A. This is my heart's desire. Q. Do you know and feel, that you are a sinful creature, totally unable to save yourself. A. I know it. Q. Do you really believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and the Saviour of the world; and do you trust in him alone for salvation? A. This is my heart's desire. Q. Do you expect any worldly advantage, profit, or gain, by your becoming a Christian? A. None: I receive baptism because it is my duty. Q. Do you resolve from this day till the day of your death, to live in obedience to all the commandments and ordinances of God; and in justice and righteousness before men? A. This is my determination; but I fear my strength is not equal to it.

"On my part the ordinance was dispensed with mingled affection, hope, and fear. May he be made faithful unto death; and as he is the first fruits of this branch of the mission, may an abundant harvest follow, to the joy of the church, and the honour of Christ."

His account of his own experience, is as follows:

"Before I believed in the Saviour, though I knew myself to be a sinner, I did not know how to obtain pardon. I used to go every

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new and full moon to the temple, and prayed to the gods to protect me; but though my body worshipped the gods, my heart still cherished evil thoughts and desires, together with designs of cheating and lying, which never departed from my mind. After a time, I was brought to Malacca, in the family of a missionary, who used to preach to his domestics the doctrine of salvation through Jesus. I attended his ministrations, but my heart was not engaged. Sometimes I looked at the Scriptures, and heard them explained, but I did not fully comprehend the meaning. Hearing the missionary exhort men not to go and worship the gods, I used to say, 'this is a strange kind of doctrine. According to this, gilt paper and sacrificial candles, gold flowers and paper money, must be useless and sinful. I fear that Buddha will soon bring punishment and death on such an opponent of the gods, and then we shall see whether he will continue to preach these doctrines.'

"A few months afterwards, a priest of Buddha came from China, and lived in the temple of Kwan-yin, hard by. He visited me frequently, and I asked him how I was to obtain the pardon of sins? He answered, Daily recite the true forms of devotion, and Buddha, who resides in the western heavens, will remit the sins of your whole family. If a person give a little money to the priest, to chant the prayers for him, he will, in the next life, be born into a rich family, and will not be sent to hell to suffer misery.' When I heard this, I desired to become a follower of Buddha. The priest immediately sent me a volume of prayers, and desired me to repeat them; saying, that if I recited them a thousand times, I should cancel all the debts of my former life. I accordingly began to repeat the prayers; but one evening, while sitting alone, it came into my mind, that I had committed many real sins, and could hardly expect by reciting prayers, without performing a single virtuous action, to obtain forgiveness.

"In the mean while, I heard the missionary preach the doctrine of atonement through Jesus, and at my leisure, I examined the Scriptures, which forbad uncleanness, deceit, and idolatry. Then I thought, 'these are good books, exhorting men to depart from iniquity: moreover, the doctrines are attested by the miracles of Jesus, therefore this book must certainly be true.' I then listened to the explanation of the Scriptures, and on the Sabbath day read the Bible more attentively, requesting the missionary to explain it to me. I asked what was meant by Jesus making atonement for sin. The missionary told me, that Jesus was the Son of God, sent into the world to suffer

for the sins of men, in order that all who believe in Him might obtain salvation. Feeling myself to be a sinner, I asked how I was to obtain pardon? The missionary said, 'If you believe in Jesus, God will receive you as his adopted son, and in the world to come, bestow on you everlasting life.'

"On returning to my room, I thought within myself, I am a great sinner, and if I do not depend on the merits of Christ, how can God forgive me?' I then determined to become a disciple of Jesus, and requested baptism.

"After receiving this rite, I employed my mind diligently in guarding my life and actions, and became more and more fond of reading the Scriptures. I prayed to God, to drive all evil thoughts out of my mind, and cherish good desires within me.

"I now not only refrained from worshipping images myself, but pitied those who did, and sought to instruct them in the way of salvation. With this view, I made a small book, exhorting men to worship God, and believe in Jesus; and on my return to my native village in China, I printed a hundred copies, for the purpose of distribution; when one day I was suddenly apprehended by the police, who brought me before the mandarin. He said, that my believing in Jesus, and printing Christian books, were both violations of the law, and ordered me into confinement. While there, I thought with myself, this book contains the true doctrine of Jesus, the Saviour of the world, who exhorted men to become good-why then should I be persecuted for printing it? I suppose it is because my sins have provoked God to punish me.' Therefore I heartily repented, and prayed that God would pity and pardon me. The missionary afterwards interested some persons to speak to the mandarin on my behalf; who, after giving me thirty blows with the bamboo, on the soles of my feet, till the blood flowed, liberated me. The police officers also extorted from me seventy dollars. After I had suffered this persecution and loss of property, I did not dare to turn my back on the Lord Jesus, but accounted that I suffered the just punishment due for my sins."

In 1817, an English periodical, called the "IndoChinese Gleaner," was begun. It contained the most recent information from China, notices about the literature and religion of the Ultra-Ganges nations, with the best method of evangelizing them; but it was