W£7^WET:0^ ' - n 7Z' w r LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.! i UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. !' ■ %><*>-«^*< <*■<». ^>^<^<^j K^Jm^W *r *,.* v ^ ^ Sdft -* M * — \ / 1^24^ ^ LV I\ ill , "-: ""- ,-/ hy CapaetV.iMnmt> ^sman^rni'^T/y^efordas. THE HERO MISSIONARY % gistorg of fbt fates REV. EUGENIO KINCAII). BY ALFRED S. PATTON, AITHOR OP "LI.GHT IN THE VALLEY," " MY JOY AND CROWN," ETC., KTC. The brother whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches.' 1 2 Cor. vifi. 18. '• We live in deeds, not years ; in thoughts, not breaths ; In feelings, not in figures on a dial. We should count time by heart-throbs. He most lives Wh s thinks most, feels the noblest, acts the best." H. DAYTON, 101 NASSAU STREET; INDIANAPOLIS, IND. : DAYTON & ASHER. 1858. I I mmt 3V3Z7I Entered according to Act of Congress in the year i858, by H. DAYTON, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York. J . J . REED, PRINTER & STEREOTYPES, 43 Centre-St, N. Y. So % REV. JOSEPH H. KENNAKD, D.D. AND WILSON JEWELL, M.D., THE EARLY AND DEVOTED FRIENDS OF HIM WHOSE LABORS, IN P^RT. ARE HEREIN SKETCHED, £ 1) i Volume IS AFFECTIONATELY AND GRATEFULLY INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR. 1 I PREFACE. On the day that Mr. Kincaid last left America to return to Burmah, I ventured to request permission to acquaint myself with all the accessible facts of his public life, with the view of giving them to the world in the shape of a book. The application was unex- pected, but after some hesitation, it was modestly waved by referring the proposal to the two " early and devoted friends " whose names adorn a previous page. Having received their kind approval of such an undertaking, I began at once the preparation of this volume. As expressed in the title, it does not claim to be a life of Mr. Kincaid, but a history of his labors, and these I have endeavored to sketch in a style adapted to the popular mind, and calculated, it is confidently hoped, to awaken increasing interest in the great enterprise to which all his energies have been given. The simple design of this work, then, is to furnish a Condensed, yet accurate view of the incidents and viii Preface. scenes connected with those bold and persevering efforts which mark Mr. Kincaid as "The Hero Mis- sionary/' and which have contributed to give him such eminence and honor among that noble band who have sought, or are now seeking, the evangelization of Burmah. Carlyle, in his Life of Sterling, has said — "I have remarked that a true delineation of the smallest man and his scene of pilgrimage through life, is capable of interesting the greatest man ; that all men are to an unspeakable degree brothers, each man's life a strange emblem of every man's ; and that Human Portraits, faithfully drawn, are of all pictures the welcomest on human walls." If this be true, then, surely the sketch of a man whose achievements in the highest sphere of human effort, have made him distinguished among his fellows, must be capable of awakening a still deeper interest, and a faithful portrait of such an one cannot fail to prove a most welcome addition to those already in the world's possession. But, beyond this, the hope is cherished that what is here recorded may serve to excite a deeper interest in the subject of Christian Missions, and thus contribute, in some humble measure, to advance a cause dear to all who possess the mind "which was also in Christ Jesus." CONTENTS CHAPTER I. Page life's beginnings, - - - - - -••-■- 11 CHAPTER II ELEMENTS OF CHARACTER, ------ 23 CHAPTER III. THE FOREIGN MISSIONARY, - 33 CHAPTER IV. ENTERING THE FOREIGN FIELD, ----- 4L CHAPTER V. A YEAR IN RANGOON, -------52 CHAPTER VI. UP THE IRRAWADDY, ------- 60 CHAPTER VII. OPPOSITION AT AVA, -------68 CHAPTER VIII. THE GOSPEL IN THE GOLDEN CITY, - - - - 80 CHAPTER IX. IN THE SHADOW OF THE HIMMALEH MOUNTAINS, 89 CHAPTER X. [N PERILS AMONG ROBBERS, - - - - - 103 CHAPTER XI. DANGER AND DELIVERANCE, ------ HQ CHAPTER XII. LABORS IN TENNASSERIM, ------ 129 x Contents. CHAPTER XIII. A GREAT WORK IN ARRACAN. ------ 145 CHAPTER XIV. VISIT TO THE MOUNTAIN CHIEF. ----- 159 CHAPTER XV. VISIT TO AMERICA, - - - - - - " - - 177 CHAPTER XVI. REOPENING OF BURMAH, ------ 195 CHAPTER XVII. OFF AGAIN FOR BURMAH, ------- 210 CHAPTER XVIII. RESUMING LABORS, ------- 224 CHAPTER XIX. HAVING FAVOR WITH THE PEOPLE, ----- 235 CHAPTER XX. LABORS INTERRUPTED BY WAR, ----- 245 CHAPTER XXI. SETTING UP THE STANDARD AT PROME, - - - - 257 CHAPTER XXII. IN FAVOR WITH THE KING, ------ 264 CHAPTER XXIII. ON THE KING'S BUSINESS, ------- 276 CHAPTER XXIV. THE OVERLAND ROUTE TO BURMAH, - 285 CHAPTER XXV. RETROSPECT AND PROSPECT, ------ 307 KINCAID-THE HERO MISSIONARY. CHAPTER I. 11 Before I formed thee I knew thee ; — and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations." — Jer. i. 5. " As the sun, Ere it is risen, sometimes paints its image In the atmosphere ; so often do the spirits of Great events stride on before the events, And in to-day already walks to-morrow." The future of some men is clearly foreshadowed at life's beginning. Just as the naturalist in looking at the merest shoot discerns the pledge of a sturdy oak — so those who carefully observe the first de- velopments of mind may foretell the probable future of the child. Alluding to the deep interest connect- ed with such observations, Foster, in one of his Essays says — " While I anticipate the endless pro- gress of life, and wonder through what unknown scenes it is to take its course, its past years lose that character of vanity which would seem to belong to a train of fleeting, perishing moments, and I see them 12 Kincaid assuming the dignity of a commencing eternity. In them I have begun to be that conscious existence which I am to be through endless duration ; and I cannot be content without an accurate sketch of the windings thus far of a stream which is to bear me on for ever." A feeling of curiosity similar to this prompts us to inquire respecting the early history of others ; and hence, when we hear of one who, in any of life's pursuits, has been successful in reaching a position of eminence and usefulness, we find ourselves almost instinctively asking for his antecedents. Nor can we have failed to notice that, with few ex- ceptions, whatever traits have been peculiar to one in the primary periods of his life, have contributed not a little to give shape and direction to his whole future existence. But besides these mental and moral indexes, it is sometimes exceedingly interesting to notice the moulding influence of those outward circumstances which, though they may at the time appear trivial, nevertheless exert a power over an individual's inner history altogether disproportionate to their seeming importance. A brief reference to a few such characteristics and circumstances connected with the youth and early manhood of Eugenio Kincaid will occupy the limits of the present chapter. He was born in the little Connecticut town of Wethersfield, but almost before The Hero Missionary. • 13 the years of memory his parents removed to Canada, and finally settled in Pennsylvania. His father, Noah Kincaid, is a respectable physi- cian, and still lives to rejoice in his son's usefulness. The maiden name of his mother (some years since deceased) was Lydia Hough. Both parents were consistent members of the Presbyterian church, and highly esteemed in the circle in which Providence allotted them to move. Eugenio was the oldest of eight children, and the pious instructions of his sainted mother — to whom he was peculiarly attached — are among his earliest and most cherished recollections. Almost from the day of his birth she seems to have had an impression that he would become more than an ordinary man, and, doubtless, the care and attention which this convic- tion prompted, had not a little to do in the develop- ment of his moral and mental powers, and conse- quently in giving direction to his whole future life. His first years, though not marked by any striking display of genius, were yet distinguished by some in- timations of peculiar talent ; and any thoughtful observer would have seen in him that which gave a sure pledge of future eminence. While very steady, and devoted to study, he was at the same time re- markably energetic — exhibiting all that intense earn- estness in whatever he undertook, that has charac- terized him through life. "7 14 Kincaid At the age of sixteen, his mind became deeply ex- ercised on the subject of religion. A meeting of days was at that time held by a traveling Baptist preacher, which he attended ; and, before its close, he was brought by divine grace to exercise deep repentance for sin, and to experience a thorough change of heart. His mind was at once exercised in reference to the ordinance of Christian baptism, and going to the preacher he asked him for a book which might give him some light on the subject. The preacher went immediately to his saddle-bags, and, taking out a small volume, handed it to him. Upon opening it, Mr. Kincaid found it to be a New Testament, and, thinking he had made a mistake, immediately re- turned it — when the preacher, looking very earnestly at him, said — " Young man, if you want any better guide than the Holy Ghost has given, don't come to me." The remark was never forgotten, and, after a careful investigation of the subject, as presented in the word of God, he felt that there was no room to doubt, and at once with a willing mind, submitted to the ordinance. He was not brought to this decision, however, without a painful struggle, and in carrying it out he was obliged to encounter no small amount of opposition. Only a short time previous to this he had commenced the study of the law under the direc- tion of his former pastor ; but the day following his baptism he found that his books had been removed, The Hero Missionary, 15 and he was given to understand that he could no longer look to him for assistance.' Thus all his plans for the future seemed to be at once frustrated. He was not long, however, in sus- pense ; for God, who called him out of darkness into his marvellous light, had marked out another path for him, and he was soon made to feel it a duty to pursue a course of study with reference to the work of the ministry. At first, many difficulties beset his way, but, mastering these, he at length found his way to the Literary and Theological Institution at Hamil- ton, where he was graduated in 1822. From the very day of his conversion he had been thoroughly imbued with the spirit of missions, and, during his preparatory studies, so deep were his im- pressions of duty to the heathen, that he resolved to devote his life to labors for their salvation. Upon the completion of his course at the Institution, there- fore, he offered himself to the Baptist Board of Mis- sions, — asking an appointment to Burmah. From various causes, however, but principally, it is be- lieved, through the conservative counsels of one who regarded him as wanting in prudence, his application was declined, and his cherished hope was thus, for a time, deferred. Under these circumstances he was induced to accept an invitation to the pastoral charge of the Baptist church at Galway, N. Y. Here, in the midst of an attached people, it was his privilege for 16 Kincaid : about three years to labor and to witness signal and most cheering success in his ministry. " His preach- ing," says one of the venerable men connected with that church, " was much to our satisfaction — he was greatly beloved by all, and we thought him a very promising young man." But happy as were all the circumstances connected with this settlement, he did not feel contented to remain there — wishing to labor in a more destitute part of the vineyard. In the year 1826 he made a visit of exploration into the val- ley of the Susquehanna, and finding there a wide and inviting field, he determined at once to enter it. At this time there were not more than two or three Baptists in all that region ; and when, calling at the house of one of these, he introduced himself as a Baptist minister, the old man was quite overcome, and without making any reply, in an audible voice thanked God for this long-desired blessing. Mr. Kincaid commenced preaching statedly at Milton, Union Co., and in less than six months a little church was organized in that town, consisting of nine members. The occasion of their first bap- tism is still remembered by many of the inhabitants of that place as an occasion of peculiar interest. It took place immediately upon the close of a Lord's day morning service, and was witnessed by a very large concourse of people. Public notice having been give,n 4 ,hat the ordinance would be administered The Hero Missionary. 17 on that day, it brought together not only the greater part of the floating population of that town and sur- rounding country, but the dispersing congregations of the other churches ; and the river bank, thronged with this curious but attentive crowd, presented a scene at once impressive and beautiful. After bap- tizing two rejoicing converts, the pastor of the Pres- byterian church, by request, closed the service with an appropriate and fervent prayer. But, while making Milton his home, Mr. Kin- caid embraced every opportunity of extending his labors into the surrounding towns and villages, and, among other localities, he was accustomed to preach occasionally at Warrior Run. His visits here had the effect of exciting an unusual interest, and a minister of another denomination, who regarded him in the light of an intruder, thought it important to warn his people against hearing " the young Baptist preacher," solemnly assuring them that "Baptist sentiments were the worst of all heresies ; for when once they entered a place, they could never be root- ed out." In addition to his numerous preaching en- gagements, Mr. Kincaid edited for a time The Lite- rary and Evangelical Register, a monthly magazine, printed at Milton, and designed to diffuse general scientific and religious knowledge. From a variety of causes, however, its publication, after the first year, was discontinue i. 18 Kincaid : Toward the close of 1828, the Board of the Baptist General Association of Pennsylvania, for Missionary Purposes* selected Mr. Kincaid to preach the gospel, and to travel as an exploring agent in several of the central counties of the State. This appointment he accepted, and the cheering success which almost im- mediately crowned his efforts, is embodied in the fol- lowing extracts from a letter, written under date of June 16, 1829, to the Eev. Mr. Kennard— " After receiving an appointment as missionary and agent, I commenced my labors the first week in March. "Without delay I traveled over the field in which I had labored for more than two years — the principal places are Milton, New Columbia, Sunbury, Shamokin, Washington, Jerseybower, Moreland, and Pennsborough. In most of these places, the prospect of good is encouraging ; assemblies generally large and attentive. The discriminating doctrines of our faith begin to claim attention — a spirit of inquiry is going forth, and so far the result has been cheering. For some months past, Shamokin has been sharing in the special influences of the Spirit. The youth have shared largely in this work of grace. The number of anxious, mourning souls is increasing ; and, what is worthy of remark, the largest number received their first conviction on baptismal occasions — some who * An organization which, in 1838, was merged in'o the Pennsylvania Bap- tist State Convention. The Hero Missionary. 19 came out of curiosity, others to ridicule, and others to blaspheme, were pricked in the heart, and began to inquire, ' what shall we do ?' Some who were most violent opposers are now coming and offering them- selves for baptism. The last two Sabbaths on which I baptised, seventeen were received into the church. On these occasions people flock together from all the surrounding country, and I have endeavored to ex- plain faithfully the import of that commission which Christ gave to the Apostles. Sunbury is an important place, and I think a church may be formed here soon — the Presbyterian meeting house is at our service when not in use. Milton and the country around it is an interesting field of labor. I have been blessed in raising up a small church here, and several interesting young peo- ple have been added by baptism. This little church has commenced building a brick meeting house 34 by 40 — they intend finishing it this summer. One bap- tised here a few days since ; several inquiring souls. I have visited settlements in this country where a sermon had never been preached. I have received letters from other neighborhoods, begging of me to come and preach to them. West of the Alleghany mountains is a vast tract of new country, stretching to the North and West, and settlements are forming in every direction. The inhabitants are generally intelligent and enterprising. I have seen, in this 20 Kincaid : wilderness, females come ten and twelve miles on foot to hear one sermon. Many appear to be hungry for the bread of life. I have not traveled as yet any further than into Jefferson county — soon I intend to go over more ground. I feel anxious to know how much land we have to possess. Pioneers are needed to range through this new country and plant churches. The time has evidently come when the helping hand is to be put forth — every thing is encouraging ; it is a good cause, and the great Head of the church will prosper it. Difficulties there are, and opposition there will be ; but, who art thou, great mountain? before Zerobabel thou shalt become a plain. Soon the wilderness will bud and blossom like the rose. — Let the gospel of Christ go forth, and it will not re- turn void." Mr. Kincaid continued in this service for several years, and, upon closing his connection with the As- sociation, the Board, in their Annual Report, bore the following testimony to their appreciation of his labors — " In concluding our report/' says the secretary, " we wish to express our high sense of the valuable services rendered by our Brother Kincaid, in whose resignation, the Association sustains a great loss. He has been your agent from your first organization, and has been the chief instrument in originating nearly al 1 your auxiliary societies. As a pioneer, we know The Hero Missionary. 21 not his equal. It has been ascertained, that within the last four years, he has traveled more than 20,(\ miles, in exploring our State, and preaching in its most destitute and dreary regions, and in some in- stances, where the feet of him that bringeth good tidings had never before been seen. We rejoice that the Foreign Mission, in which wo feel a lively interest, has obtained a brother so laborious and self- denying." The night before leaving Boston for India, Mr. Kincaid wrote the Board as follows : — " The deep interest I have felt in the advancement of the cause in Pennsylvania, can never be erased from my mind ; my happiness has been identified with the prosperity of the Mission cause in that State, and though I may never visit it again, the re- collections of past years, will ever be present with me. In mind, I shall often visit those mountains and valleys where I have so frequently preached the things concerning the kingdom of God." " So ardently," it is added, " was he devoted to the cause of missions in this State, and so unquestionable an assurance has he left of the sincerity of that devo- tion, as naturally to elicit from us warm expressions of gratitude. Indeed, it is difficult to suppress the inquisitiveness we feel in calling to recollection so worthy a friend — so devoted a Christian. We would fain know where he resides ; the tenor of his life, 22 Kincaid and the success of his toils. Has he tired under his burden, and given up in despair ? Or, is he pressing forward to victory and death, with unabated ardor ?" After detaining the reader with a brief reference to the natural elements of the man, whose life was so auspiciously begun, a full and satisfactory answer to these questions will be found, it is believed, in the succeeding chapters of this work. The Hero Missionary. 23 CHAPTER II. ELEMENTS OF CHARACTER. • Every work that he began ... he did it with all his heart and prospered." 2 Chron. xxxi. 21. " He lives and breathes For noble purposes of mind ; and his heart Beats to heroic things of ancient days ; His eye distinguishes ; his soul creates." Many men seem to have no individuality. Even though enjoying what is called a reputation, they are wholly wanting in what constitutes a distinctive cha- racter. Neither their mental nor their moral attri- butes are marked by any thing that can be regarded as permanent, and but for a certain " vain show" they would pass through life scarcely challenging recogni- tion. There are others, however, endowed with such gifts that it matters not where they may be placed, their presence and influence are sure to be deeply and widely felt. Nor is it difficult to discern the qualities which generally give to individuals position and power. In all such cases it will be found that the constituent elements of the mind are such as to impart a decided 24 Kincaid : character to all they say and do, and by the confidence with which they speak their sentiments, and the bold- ness with which they execute their plans, they speedily establish a title to preeminence even among illustrious associates. These natural traits have been strikingly exhibited in the life and labors of Mr. Kincaid, and to theii possession must be traced one of the chief causes of his astonishing success. To exhibit these traits is a difficult task, and one which I approach with great diffidence. In referring to a character so marked by Christian and manly vir- tue, however, nothing, of course, will be expected be- yond a brief outline of the chief qualities for which he has become so widely distinguished. The intellectual endowments of Mr. Kincaid, though not of the first or highest order, are unquestionably far above mediocrity, and the depth and breadth of their development, under the circumstances in which he has been placed, afford ample proof of their native scope and vigor. With a mind at once contemplative and discriminating, he exhibits also sleepless intellec- tual vivacity, and all his mental processes are con- ducted with the greatest possible rapidity. Hence it is that, notwithstanding the amount of time given to active labors, he has still been astonishingly success- ful in the acquisition of general intelligence. The Hero Missionary. 25 Besides being an educated man, therefore, within his appropriate sphere, few, perhaps, are more familiar than he with the current history of the world, whether in the department of politics, science or religion. He possesses also remarkable resources in himself — in his good sense, his quick sagacity, his generous sensibili- ties, and his fertile imagination. Under no circum- stances, perhaps, have these powers appeared to greater advantage than on the platform, when under the ex- citement induced by a crowded audience, he has been portraying the thrilling scenes connected with his labors in Burmah, or when, with strong argument and melting pathos, he has been heard pleading with the churches in behalf of the perishing heathen. At such times, a whole assembly has been not only bathed in tears, but so thrilled by his graphic sketches, or so overwhelmed by his impetuous appeals, that the feelings of many have found utterance in involuntary, half-suppressed ejaculations. The physical organization of Mr. Kincaid is scarcely less remarkable than his mental developments, and has doubtless contributed not a little to the making up of all the other elements of his manhood. In person he is about the medium height, firmly, though not stoutly built — presenting a remarkable combination of nervous and muscular energy. As the natural result of such a formation, constituting the 26 Kincaid : basis of an active temperament, he has, on all occa- sions, exhibited great powers of endurance, and evi- dently with a constitution less vigorous, he could never have survived the toils and privations through which he has been called to pass. The action of strong character, it has been said, demands something firm in its natural basis, just as massive engines re- quire, for their weight and for their working, to be fixed on a solid foundation. The physical nature thus becomes an ally of the moral one, and with a hardness that never shrinks, sustains the energy that never remits. This constitutional firmness may at least be regard- ed as an essental condition to physical courage. And among the many qualities requisite to the position of a Foreign Missionary, this certainly, is one of no little importance. In the prosecution of his work he is often thrown amid circumstances where timidity and irreso- lution would be ruin, and he needs, therefore, in an eminent degree, the power to provide against trying emergencies, and the bravery to ward off the most threatening danger. The possession of this quality, giving to a man as it does, the full use of his faculties for the prudent and prompt adaptation of means to ends, is one of the rarest and most important of human endowments. Indeed, without a meas ire of this courage an indivi- The Hero Missionary. 27 dual can scarcely hope to succeed in any important undertaking, because, as Foster has said — " In almost all plans of great enterprise, a man must systematical- ly dismiss, at the entrance, every wish to stipulate with his destiny for safety. He voluntarily treads within the precincts of danger ; and though it be pos- sible he may escape, he ought to be prepared with the fortitude of a self-devoted victim. This is the inevi- table condition on which heroes, travelers, or mission- aries among savage nations, and reformers on a grand scale must commence their career." But this dauntless spirit which is demanded in en- tering upon a great and hazardous enterprise is not less essential to its successful prosecution. And here we discover one of the strongest elements perhaps in Mr. Kincaid's character ; for while quick in his per- ceptions, and prompt and bold in forming his plans, he is at the same time persevering and confident in their execution. In his case we have a remarkable illustration of a strenuous will accompanying the con- clusions of thought, and constantly inciting the utmost efforts to give them a practical result. And it mat- ters not how formidable the difficulties, or how persis- tent the opposition which would defeat his plans, so inflexible is the temper of his mind, and so indomita- ble his courage, that such circumstances only increase the intensity of his soul, and with a feeling bordering 28 Kincaid on impunity, lie seems almost to make his way through impossibilities, and reaches, at last, the full execution of his purposes. But closely allied with this trait of character is an- other, I allude to his independence. Let it cost what it may, he will be honest to the convictions of his own mind, and without stopping to consider what he might lose or what he might gain by any particular course of action, his single inquiry is, What is right ? And having satisfied his conscience on this point, without the slightest regard to man's frown or the hope of his favor, he will say and do whatever he conscientiously believes to be true and proper. His rule has been to act, as far as possible, from convictions superior to his own passions ; and being governed by views of duty too deep and strong to yield to those influences which too often lead men to act in a way which their better judgments would for- bid, his course, in some instances, may appear indis- creet — savoring, perchance, of harshness and arrogance. Frankly independent in his opinions, however, and not without what would be called strong prejudices — no uncommon feature of powerful minds — Mr. Kincaid has not been the man to play the sycophant, nor, under any circumstances, to feign himself what he is not, and a more perfectly outspoken and transparent soul I have never known. In truth — Tlie Hero Missionary. 29 "My love doth so approve hiin, That even his stubbornness, his checks, and frowns, Have grace and favor in them." If anything has been needed to temper this inde- pendence and guard it against abuse, that element has existed in his remarkable self-devotement. His, in an eminent degree, has been the spirit of him who " pleased not himself," and who said — " My meat and my drink is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish His work." He has emphatically given him- self to the work ; abjuring, from the very beginning, every thing that has not looked to its accomplish- ment. Without repining, he has relinquished all else that was dear to him, and, in a spirit of true self-denial, has brought into captivity every passion of his soul to the obedience of Christ. And having made this full surrender of himself, he has been content to derive all his happiness in laboring with ceaseless toil for the glory of God and the salvation of men. His intention has been single, his way straightforward, and, keeping his end in view, he has pursued it without defection and without weariness. Hence, while his natural courage has supported him amid dangers, and while opposition and perils have not been able to disturb his self-reliance, this feeling of his soul, leading him to look to a higher object, has enabled him to say SO Kincaid : with the Apostle — "Neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the Gospel of the grace of God." His life and spirit are fitly embodied in a noble strain of the poet, that reads as if it were written for him : " I feel a secret impulse drive me on, And my soul springs impatient for the fight, 'Tis not the heated spirit and warm blood Of sanguine youth with which my bosom burns ; And though I thirst for glory, 'tis not, witness, Heaven; 'Tis not the sinful lust of fading fame, The perishable praise of mortal man ; His praise I covet whose applause is life." But, after all, the source of his abundant labors as well as the secret of his great success, must be traced to his wonderful faith. Deeply convinced, as he is, of the verity of the Divine promises, and taking these as the basis of his efforts, he is actuated by no visionary conceits, but by that principle which has the marvel- ous power of making the future present ; the unseen visible ; and of investing its possessor with strength sufficient to overcome seeming impossibilities. This is the gift of which the Apostle speaks in the eleventh of Hebrews, and through which holy men of olden time, subdued kingdoms, quenched the violence of fire, stopped the mouths of lions, and turned to flight the armies of the Aliens. " The man of faith," TJie Hero Missionary. says a gifted writer, " is a decided character. The instinct of his reason is a strong will, from a strong motive. He answers the questions, What will you do ? what will you be ? and says, I will walk worthy of my vocation ; I will be a son of God. The Al- mighty allows and grants what such a mind wishes. A man without a determined final faith, an undoubt- ing trust in the true God, is but as a dry leaf on the wings of the wind, carried about by impulses unresist- ed and unavoidable. As the leaf cannot take root, and it rests but to rot, so the faithless man has no living power in him to draw vigor and beauty from the elements. There is no settled hope without faith, and therefore, no going forth of the prophetic and realizing soul into the future eternal firmament of the heavens ; but fancy, instead, makes dreams of memory, and amuses or terrifies with phantoms uncertain as the dance of moonbeams on the sea. Such a mind has no supreme good, for the sake of which every other ob- ject is felt to be inferior and to be held in abeyance, to be enjoyed or endured, merely as it may serve as means to the attainment of the grand end— the un- alienable possession of that good."* Animated by this "precious faith/' Mr. Kincaid presents us with a living exemplification of its strength * "Man and His Motives," by Geo. Moore, M.D., member of the Royal College of Physicians, etc., etc. 32 Kincaid as a governing spring of action. It was in obedience to its dictates that he, in the first instance, relin- quished the delights of home, with all the advantages of polished society, to live and labor among the heathen, and, amid the many discouragements which have beset him in his work, a confidence in God has over- balanced all hindrances, and a firm reliance on his word has not only banished all distrust, but filled his soul with an unwavering and sublime assurance of success. It is this faith, undoubtedly, that has given him that boldness, courage, perseverance and zeal, which, besides obtaining for him "a good report" among his brethren, have been crowned with a higher honor, put upon him by the Great Head of the Church. Such, in outline, are some of the prominent traits of the man whose remarkable labors are sketched in the succeeding chapters. And thus, while furnishing a character every way worthy of study and emulation, the record of his public career, it is believed, will serve to awaken in every Christian heart increased confidence in the ultimate success of the glorious work of missions. The Hero Missionary. 33 CIIAPTEK III. THE FOREIGN MISSIONARY. M Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature." Luke xvi : 15. " Home, thy joys are passing lovely — Joys no strangeer heart can tell : Happy home, indeed I love thee ; Can I, can I say, " Farewell?" Can I leave thee, Far in heathen lands to dwell 1 Yes, I hasten from you gladly — From the scenes I love so well : Far away ye billows bear me ; Lovely native land, farewell ; Pleased I leave thee, Far in heathen lands to dwell." The field in which Mr. Kincaid had now for several years been toiling, and from which abundant harvests had been gathered, was still full of promise, and on every hand he saw the most cheering evidence of the Divine blessing on his labors. With all this, how- ever, he felt that God was calling him to another sphere of effort. And in the familiar words of one, 34 Kincaid : afterwards associated with him in Missionary labor, he was forced to say — " My soul is not at rest. There comes a strange And secret whisper to my spirit, like A dream of night, that tells me I am on Enchanted ground. Why live I here 1 ****** The voice of my departed Lord — " Go teach all nations," from the eastern world, Comes on the night air, and awakes my ear., And 1 will go. I may no longer doubt To give up friends, and home, and idol hopes, And every tender tie that binds my heart To thee, my country !"* For months this conviction of duty had been forcing itself upon his mind. The cry of the perishing fell on his ear in tones deep and earnest as the wants and woes of millions. But at last the purpose was formed. He knew that while many were perfectly satisfied to labor at home, there were but few who had any deep impression of obligation to the heathen ; a feeling confident that another would soon be found to preach the Gospel in the valley of the Susquehanna, he re- solved to spend his future life in publishing tidings of peace to the benighted inhabitants of Burmah. The one grand motive which impelled him to this decision was a zeal for the divine glory ; and his duty was made clear by a deep conviction that the voice of * Rev. N. Brown, D.D. The Hero Missionary. 35 God was calling him to the work. There are many who would fain ascribe lower impulses to those who give themselves to such self-denying labors. And that a lower motive than the approbation of God may influence some who enter upon this work, we do not deny. " The circumstances," says Robert Hall, " which contribute to such a resolution are various, often too subtle and complicated to admit of a dis- tinct analysis : a constitutional ardor of mind, a na- tural neglect of difficulties and dangers, an impatience of being confined within the trammels of ordinary duties, together with many accidental associations and impressions, may combine to form a missionary spirit." It is true, the very peculiarities of tempera- ment and mind here referred to were strikingly cha- racteristic of Mr. Kincaid. But, so far as can be dis- covered, no such circumstances contributed in his case to the decision of this momentous question, and his course having been marked out under a clear conviction of duty, he felt himself impelled to its discharge by all the impulses of a heart beating with love to God, and overflowing with sympathy for man. Similar to these were the feelings of his companion, and to nothing could they mutually look forward ^vith such deep anxiety and intense desire as the privilege of engaging in missionary labors among the heathen. At length the way was opened for the realization of their hopes, and Mr. Kincaid, as also 36 Kincaid : Mr. Mason, having been approved and accepted by the Baptist Board of Foreign Missions, were pub- licly set apart to the responsible office, on the even- ing of the 23d of May, 1830. The services connected with their designation were held in the spacious meeting-house of the Baldwin Place Church, in the presence, says a published report, of " an immensely crowded audience." On that occasion Mr. Kincaid delivered a discourse from 2 Cor. xiii, 11 : " Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace ; and the God of love 'and peace shall be with you." It was an affectionate valedictory, indicating a mind tenderly alive to the best interests of men ;.and giving proof that while he looked with earnest desire to benefit distant na- tions, he cherished a deep solicitude for the spiritual welfare of those from whom he was. soon to be sepa- rated. At the close of the sermon, Dr. Bolles, in be- half of the Board, delivered an impressive charge, alluding in appropriate terms to the extensive field of their labor, the difficulties to be encountered, the zeal requisite to the work, the self-denial which the service demanded, and the pleasing encouragements presented of ample reward here, and of an eternal reward hereafter, as the result of their toils. Then with the aspect and style of fraternal and Christian affection, for which he was so remarkable, the Rev. Mr. Knowles presented to them the hand of fellow The Hero Missionary. 37 ship, accompanying the act with cheering words and pledging to them the fervent prayers of the churches for their safety and ultimate success. On the following morning at 5 o'clock, just pre- vious to the time of sailing, a prayer-meeting was held at the First Baptist meeting-house, where a large assembly met to unite in seeking the presence and blessing of the Lord to accompany his servants across the bosom of the deep and in the land of the heathen. At the close of this meeting, sorrowing, yet rejoicing, Mr. Kincaid took a final and affectionate leave of his brethren, adverting briefly to the deep sensibility which parting with Christian friends excited, but declaring that he felt unspeakably happy in prospect of so soon entering upon labors connected with the diffusion of the knowledge of the Saviour, among those who were sitting in the region and shadow of death. Mrs. Kincaid, also, in tender accents, desired per- mission to present a parting word. Having for many years sighed for the opportunity of imparting in- struction to Burman females, she was now made to re- joice at -the prospect of a speedy consummation of her solicitous hopes and prayers, and for herself as well as in behalf of Mrs. Mason, she professed a readiness heartily to cooperate with their husbands in missionary labors. After prayer, by the Rev. Mr. Choules, &he assem 38 Kincaid : bly, with the missionaries, repaired to the ship, and. on the wharf, united in singing — Te Messengers of Christ, His sov'reign voice obey ; Arise ! and follow where he leads, And peace attend your way The Master whom you serve "Will needful strength bestow ; Depending on his promis'd aid, With sacred courage go. Mountains shall sink to plains. And hell in vain oppose ; The cause is God's, and must prevail, In spite of all his foes. Go, spread a Saviour's fame : And tell his matchless grace, To the most guilty and deprav'd Of Adam's num'rous race. We wish you in his name, The most divine success ; Assur'd that he who sends you forth Will your endeavors bless. Dr. Bolles, the Corresponding Secretary, then led in devout supplication to heaven for a prosperous voyage — that the winds and the waves might be pro- pitious, and the seamen participate in the blessings ofsthe Gospel, after which mutual salutations were exchanged, and the missionaries embarked on board the Martha, Capt. Lovett, for Calcutta. As the vessel left its moorings, a solemn stillness The Hero Missionary. 39 prevailed among the crowd of spectators, broken only by the smothered sobs of those who wept over the separation, and every heart sent up a silent, ear- nest prayer to that gracious and almighty Being, who holds the winds in his fist, and the ocean in the hol- low of his hand, that he would not only waft them safely over the deep, but give them an open and effectual door among the heathen, and crown, with abundant success, all their efforts to shed over Bur- mah the saving light of truth. Soon the vessel began to fade in the distance, and when straining eyes could no longer recognize the features of those on board, slowly they left the dock and returned to their several homes. What the feelings of the departing missionaries were, may easily be imagined, though they have never been written. The ship was soon plunging her bows into the white crested billows, and when the last dim outline of their native land disappeared from view, Oh ! with what sadness of heart did they retire to their lonely cabin ! Now, as never before, they began to realize their situation. They had re- nounced the comforts and privileges of a refined and Christian land, henceforth to dwell among rude hea- then. Every tender tie known to earth had been sundered, and having parted with fond parents, with loved brothers and sisters, and with happy circles of sympathizing Christian friends, they now felt, in 40 Kincaid all their intensity, the sundering of these endearing associations, and as they thought of them, their spirits well nigh sank within them. It was under circumstances like these that Mrs. Judson made the following touching entry in her journal — " Still my heart bleeds. 0, America ! my native land ; must I leave thee ? Must I leave my parents, my sister and brother, my friends beloved, and all the scenes of my early youth ; * * Where I learnt the endearments of friendship and tasted of all the happiness this world can afford ; where I learnt also to value a Saviour's blood, and count all things but loss in comparison with the knowledge of Him ! Yes, I must leave you all, for a heathen land, and an uncongenial clime. Farewell, happy, happy scenes — but % never — no, never to be forgotten." It was in that hour of trial and conflict with nature, that the missionary band, bowing together in prayer, looked alone to God for strength and were comforted. " They prayed — they wept ; but oh, how impotent Is language to portray a scene like this ! No heart which has not felt its power, can know ; But, sure, if fervent prayer, meekly submissive, Much avails with God. tha'~ prayer was heard ir. heaven ' The Hero Missionary. 41 CHAPTER IV. ENTERING THE FOREIGN FIELD. M Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." — Mat. xxviii. 20. " Henceforth, then, It matters not, if storm or sunshine bo My earthly lot — bitter or sweet my cup ; I only pray — God fit me for the work, God make me holy, and my spirit nerve For the stern hour of strife. Let me but know There is an arm unseen that holds me up, An eye that kindly watches all my path, Till I my weary pilgrimage have done — Let me but know I have a friend that waits To welcome me to glory — and I joy To tread the dark and death-fraught wilderness." Having been borne in safety across the ocean, Mr. Kincaid reached Calcutta, Sept. 30, 1830, and from thence embarked for Maulmain, arriving there early on Lord's day morning, Nov. 28th. The exercises of his mind, awakened by the first view of the scenes among which he was henceforth to labor, are well expressed in the following extracts from a letter to the Rev. Dr. Bolles — " We gazed upon the scenery 42 Kincaid around us with feelings not easily to be described. The sun was just throwing his last rays on the dis- tant hills — the country of Burmah lay before us, its mountains, its valleys, its rivers, and its numerous population. It was then we thought more feelingly than ever of the moral gloom that cast its deadly shade over all this portion of the globe ; it was then we felt more than ever for the missionaries who had toiled and suffered on these shores. * * How cheer- ing is it to think of the change that will soon take place in Burmah ! Here the Messiah will reign — paganism will give way before him, and all the proud ensigns of heathen superstition will crumble beneath his feet. All the Saviour has spoken, he will accom- plish. This cheers the heart in this great moral desert." A teacher having been employed, Mr. Kincaid commenced, at once, the acquisition of the language, but, while thus preparing himself to address the hea- then, he was engaged also in preaching on the Lord's day, as well as on every Friday evening in English. Those who attended these services were chiefly British soldiers of the forty-fifth regiment, and Capt. Moore and other officers, observing the unusual at- tention paid to their interests, generously and prompt- ly provided for their accommodation a new and com- modious house of worship. On the assemblies con- vened in this chapel, God, in a signal manner, poured The Hero Missionary, 43 out his Spirit ; converts were multiplied, and the church, before feeble, now became active and strong. Mr. Kincaid, toward the close of the first year, spent in Maulmain, alluding to this work of grace, wrote as follows : — " Many a giant that defied the armies of the "living God has fallen ; not to perish, but to be raised to life everlasting. From about the middle of July to near the end of October, we have had a constant ingathering to the fold of Christ. It has been truly a time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. Many who came out to the chapel to scoff, went home agonizing under the awakening influence of the holy Spirit." As the result of this precious revival, about one hundred cases of conversion were reported, all of whom, after baptism, were added to the church. During the month of March, Mr. Kincaid, in company with Mr. Wade, made a tour of two or three hundred miles up the Martiban river to visit the Karens, who resided there in great numbers, and baptized nine persons on a profession of their faith in Christ. Re- turning from this excursion, Mr. Kincaid wrote — " During our absence we have seen much of the goodness of our heavenly Father, and have had in- creasing evidence that the Lord has much people in idolatrous Burmah, to be called out of darkness into the glorious light of the gospel. Surely the, fields are r.lrite for the harvest, and the urgency of preaching 44 Kincaid : the gospel to the heathen gathers additional force at every step we take. Can any thing be more delight- ful, and more encouraging, than to see poor blind heathen at once transformed into the image of Sim, who gave his life for sinners. The Karens are a truly interesting people. But too little is known of their history, to say any thing about their origin, or the extent of their population ; yet all agree in considering them very numerous in all parts of the Burman empire. They are more mild in their manners, and more in- dustrious in their habits than- the Burmans ; and al- though they are without any fixed religious princi- ples, yet they are exceedingly superstitious. They attribute every evil they experience to the Nats, whom they propitiate by offerings and sacrifices of various kinds. They are entirely ignorant of the use of medicine ; but for some reason they supposed we possessed skill superior to the influence of the Nats; for wherever we went, they brought their sick around us, and they were delighted and astonished at the salutary influence which our medicines produced." In the midst of these encouragements, however, God was pleased to call his servant to the endurance of severe affliction in the sickness and death of a dear babe, and, also, of his beloved companion. Mrs. Kincaid, who had been actively engaged in the study of the language and in the managemenl/of The Hero Missionary. 45 a school, heartily sympathized with her husband in all his labors and hopes. But, after suffering from several attacks of diseases peculiar to the climate, her strength was so much reduced as to preclude all hope of recovery. On the 10th of November, she was made the happy mother of a son, who, on the 8th of the following month, was removed by death. Just eleven days subsequent to this, her own career was terminated and her emancipated spirit took its flight to glory. The effect of these strokes on Mr. Kincaid is touchingly exhibited in the following extracts from a letter, addressed about this time, to a dear friend in the State of New York : — " It becomes my painful duty to give a detailed ac- count of some of the most afflicting events of my whole life. Hitherto I have been a stranger to sor- row — the cup of affliction has been dealt out to me with a sparing hand. My family was dearer to me than my own life, and a residence on this side the waste of waters, far from kindred and friends, serve to endear them a hundred fold. Separated as we were from the land of our fathers, and surrounded by thousands of poor ignorant heathen, our own humble home became a world of itself ; — together we wept and prayed around the family altar, and together la- bored for the acquisition of that language, by which we might communicate the glorious gospel to the 46 Kincaid : millions of Burmah. We entered into the work with the most sanguine hopes of ultimate success. But now, sir, I am left to make my way alone on these pagan shores.- The friend, the companion, the wife of my youth has been early called from the scene of her labors ; — her toils are ended ; — she weeps and prays no more. You know what it is to see the cold sweat of death gathering over affection's fairest form, and all that was lovely in life, 'fading and withering under the influence of deadly disease ! You know what it is to shed tears of unavailing sorrow over the grave that encloses one dearer than life ! After we arrived in India, we were blessed with excellent health, until the rainy season began ; then we had a slight attack of intermittent fever, but after about ten days it left me, without taking a single portion of medicine ; — it was otherwise, however, with Mrs. Kincaid. She had this fever at intervals for about two months, but it seemed to wear upon her but very little, so that she continued studying the Burman language. At this time she had an attack of the bowel complaint, which reduced her very fast. Both the fever and the bowel complaint were soon removed, but their debilitating influence had been the means of bringing on another disease, peculiar to this climate, and very fatal to foreigners. Until this time we had apprehended nothing alarming. Dr. Brower, of the 45th Regiment, attended daily, and Dr. Anderson, The Hero Missionary. 47 of the staff, often attended in council. These gentle- men advised, as the oily effectual remedy for this complaint, a removal to some northern climate, as soon as Mrs. K. should be able to go on board ship. On the 10th of November, Mrs. Kincaid was made the happy mother of a son. Herself and child during the first five days were very well, and we had every prospect of getting out to sea in a short time. On the 10th she was taken worse, so much so, that I relinquished all hope of her recovery ; how- ever, about the 28th and 29th every symptom ap- peared favorable. She expressed an anxiety to get out, thinking that a little change would prove ser- viceable both to body and mind. The physicians approved of it, and I had her carried out in a palan- quin, morning and evening, until the 5th of December. Our little babe was taken ill on the 5th, and con- tinued sinking until the 8th, when it went into con- vulsive fits ; from the first fit he recovered, but a few hours after, he went into the second, and expired. Mrs. Kincaid sat in a chair, and held him in the last fit. I begged of her for my sake, and for hers not to exert herself ; but a mother's affection prevailed over her better judgment. However, when she saw that its emancipated spirit had taken its upward flight, she became entirely calm, and felt so well satisfied that it was all for the best, that she often told me, she had not had one wish to have her sweet babe re- 48 Kincaid : stored to her again. "We both felt that this entire resignation to the will of God, was a kind mercy of onr heavenly Father. From this time to the 15th of December, there was no perceptible change, except a gradual loss of strength. Most of the time previous to this date, I had felt an awful presentiment on my mind that my dear wife would not recover ; but any favorable change filled me with hope. The first of November, I laid aside my books, and relinquished all labors except to preach to the English, and made it my whole business, night and day 7 , to administer to her wants. December 18th, Lord's day, I perceived that the disease was rapidly approaching a fatal crisis. After considerable con- versation, I told her it was time for meeting, and that I had one person to baptize. She said — 1 Very well, but you will return as soon as pos-si- ble.' I returned before twelve o'clock, and we had as much' conversation as her strength would permit. After preaching again in the evening, on this subject. ' For our light afflictions which are but for a moment/ &c, we both felt that this probably would be the last evening we should spend together on earth. I told her this separation to me was awfully painful, but I perceived it to be the will of God. She said her hope was in Christ, but she had not that cheering pros- pect which she wished, yet she felt weaned from the world, and could leave her family in the hands of The Hero Missionary. 49 God. Much to the same purpose was said at inter- vals till eleven in the evening, when she urged me to lie down a little time and rest, (perceiving that I was much exhausted). At one o'clock I got up, and seeing that she was fast going, I gave her some lavender, which revived her, and she fell into an easy sleep till about two, when she awoke and said to me with a clear voice, ' I am now dying/ and, raising her eyes, continued silent. I applied some restoratives to her temples, but soon perceived the cold clammy sweat of death gathering on her forehead. After a little time, a heavenly smile came over her counte- nance, and more of the divine presence I never felt ; — there was something friendly in the approach of death, and with pleasure I could have unrobed my- self and descended with my dear companion into the dark valley : — heaven seemed to be just at hand, and the glories of the eternal world rose in delightful and awful majesty before me. Never before did I feel such strength in prayer. Never before such entire resignation to the will of God. I stood in silent watchful attention to see the spirit fling its last look on the world, and wing its way to the throne of God. After this she did not speak, but continued looking upwards, with a countenance that indicated that she had caught a glimpse of the brighter visions of eter- nity. About four o'clock on the morning of Decem- ber 19th, she resigned up her spirit, without a strug- 50 Kincaid : gle or a groan. When I saw that all was over, I called a Burman female, who was sleeping in an ad- joining room, and said to her in the Burman language, 'The teacheress is dead/ The sound awoke little Wade, and springing from his bed, he cried out in the most heart-rending manner, ' Is my ma dead ? Is my ma dead V and for a time he was inconsolable. Few children of his age ever received more instruc- tion from a parent. During the last six or eight months his dear ma labored much to instruct him in the knowledge of religion, and often took him alone, and prayed for him. Impressions were made on his mind which I trust will never be forgotten. Thus, my dear sir, I have given you a hasty nar- ration of facts, and you know how to sympathize with me. God has prepared me beyond any thing I had expected, to endure this trial. I see that God has done it, and I feel no disposition to murmur. Every effort was made which kind and skilful physicians could make to arrest the progress of the disease, but all proved unavailing ; and I can now see that my dear Almy had been preparing to leave the world. — At times she felt much distress of mind, and very often talked of the hardness of her heart ; at other times she felt comforted with the promises of the gospel, and rejoiced in the hope of immortality. Some of the most lovely and amiable dispositions which adorn the people of God, she exemplified in The Hero Missionary. 51 her life. That meekness and humility which shrinks from observation, and feels its own unworthiness, and induces a person to esteem others as better than himself, she did possess in no ordinary degree. She is now gone to the full participation of that rest which remains for the people of G-od : the darkness, and hardness of heart over which she mourned, and so often wept, are now removed, and her spirit, all beauteous and holy, joins the society of the redeemed in the paradise of God. A little time longer we travel in this vale of tears, and then hasten to join our friends who have gone before us. The way is short — the time is near — and how amiable, how lovely is the Christian religion, when brought in close connec- tion with the lowly couch of death I It is the hand that wipes a^ay every tear ; it is the balm that heals the wounded spirit ; it is the eye that looks undaunt- ed on the king of terrors ; it is that friend that stick* eth closer than a brother." 52 Kincaid : CHAPTER Y. A YEAR IN RANGOON. "A light to lighten the Gentiles."— Luke ii. 32 " The heathen lands, that lie beneath The shades of overspreading death, Revive at His first dawning light, And deserts blossom at the sight." Early in the spring of 1832, Mr. Kincaid removed from Maulmain to Rangoon, and, though not yet able to preach in the 7!urman tongue, he was eminently successful in ca.rying on the schools which had pre- viously been r established, and, also, by the aid of na- tive assista* cs, in maintaining many of the public services at the mission. His deep conviction, even at this time, however, was that preaching must be relied on as the chief instrumentality for the conver- sion of the heathen. " The circulation of the Scrip- tures," said he, in a letter to the Secretary, " awakens attention ; and, in some few instances, souls may be saved without the use of any other means. But the aistory of the church in all past ages confirnis me in The Hero Missionary. bd the opinion, that we ought not to expect the demoli tion of the kingdom of darkness, and the building ur of the Saviour's, only as we go forth in faith, preach ing the word of eternal life." To the same point is his testimony, given at a later date and as the result of his observations in another field : " The longer I continue among the heathen, the more I am convinced that the Gospel conveyed by the living voice, is the means appointed for the con- version of men. Reading of books enlightens, and induces a spirit of inquiry ; but the full and over- flowing heart reaches the conscience, and awakens the finer feelings of the soul. Hence the necessity of preaching the word, of being instant in season and out of season. Could we but feel as we ought, we should know how to estimate the claims of these mil- lions, on whom not one gleam of moral light has dawned for ages. It is not enough that we pray for them ; it is not enough that we give them books ; we must preach Jesus Christ, and not be discouraged amidst reproaches and insults." At the close of the year, Mr. Kincaid went to Ma- dras, where he was married to Miss Barbara McBain, daughter of a military officer in the service of the East India Company. During his absence those whom he had left in charge of the schools and of the gen- eral interests of the mission, were seized by an infe- rior officer of the government, and subjected to such 54 Kincaid : fines and cruel punishments as had. the effect of breaking up the schools, and of intimidating many who, under other circumstances, would have resorted for conversation and instruction to the Zayat. On his return to Rangoon, however, notwithstand- ing these unfavorable occurrences, Mr. Kincaid boldly resumed his labors, and was soon visited by great numbers, not only from the city, but from distant provinces. This was especially the case during the famous annual festival of Gaudama, and, though many came to inquire about the truths of science, or the operations of the printing press, yet not a few seemed serious and anxious to gain a knowledge of the new religion. Others, however, came as disputants. Thus, in one instance, while discoursing from his veranda, a Bur- man teacher, interrupting him, inquired — " ' Is God without beginning or end, and is he exempt from old age and death ?' ' It is true/ 1 And where is God ?' 1 In heaven.' 'Has God a body ?' 1 He is a spirit.' 'How shall we know this, when we cannot see him?' 4 Just as you know you have a soul, though you can- not see the soul with the eyes of the body.' The Hero Missionary, 55 * After death, will we see God V 1 Before death, if you receive divine light/ 1 What is it V I then read to him, as the multitude gathered around us, several passages about Christ, his coming into the world, his death on the cross, and his resur- rection. To believe in Christ, to repent of your sins, and pray for the Holy Ghost, is the way to receive divine light, and to have great peace of mind, and to be free from darkness, and from the fear of death." At another time a government man entered while he was discoursing to about thirty or forty from the veranda, and in a vehement manner began to prove, in his own estimation, that all religions were the same. He went on for about half an hour, rose suddenly and walked away. The assembly gazed so intently on Mr. Kincaid, that he was conscious they expected some reply. He therefore said to them — " That man has many words, but they give no light. You all know there is true silver, and there is false silver ; there are false gods, and a true God. If there is a false god there is a false law ; and if there is a true God, there is a true law. A man who has a little light will consider this, and desire to know the true God." Several at once exclaimed — ''This, Sir, is true." 56 Kincaid: Among those who presented themselves about this time as inquirers, were many cases of peculiar inter- est. On one occasion, returning from a walk, he found in the house a young man, a relative of the governor's wife, who for several days had been an attentive lis- tener to the instructions imparted from the veranda. Shortly after this he came to the house, just at sun- rise, to engage in conversation and prayer, and, after breakfast, he came again to join in worship. " I see and feel too much/' he said, " ever to abandon the cause of Christ." At another time, when present at evening worship — he appeared quite affected, and two or three times, in the midst of the sermon, he said aloud, " This is won- derful /" Subsequently he called very frequently, though generally after dark, giving on each visit convincing proof of growth both in knowledge and grace. About the same time, a man called who lived two hundred miles beyond Ava ; he was past the middle age of life, very intelligent and talked like a Chris- tian — a tract, he said, had fallen into his hands about twelve or fourteen months ago ; he read it, and re- solved to know more about it, and if possible, see the man who taught this religion. He said — "A great light is visiting the world J" The Hero Missionary, 57 During the same month a government man called, saying, that ever since he first heard he had been anxious to hear again. Just as he was leaving, Mr. Kincaid said — " Where will you go when you die ? — Is it all dark ?" He looked up with a countenance indicating a feeling not easily expressed, but made no reply. Mr. Kincaid then said — " The calamity of death terrifies you ; God you reject, idols you wor- ship, and you are ripe in years ; what is beyond death ?" The old man, shaking his head, replied — '* It is oil dark J 1 Passing through the street one day, a young man came after him and inquired — " Are you a teacher of religion ?" " Yes ; what do you want?" " A book," he replied, " that tells about God and Jesus Christ." Moung Zoo-the, a young man of promising talents, and for some time an inquirer, having applied for baptism, Mr. Kincaid said to him — " Are you not afraid to be baptized ?" " I have been, but it is gone now, and I feel strong." " But suppose you are seized, put in prison, and beat with a bambo ; will you be strong then?" " I cannot deny Christ." " But suppose they kill you ?" 11 Let them kill," he said, " I desire to follow Christ." Others, however, were not so bold. The fear of per- 58 Kincaid : secution operated in many cases to hinder a public profession of religion — so that at this very time, Ko A, one of the native assistants, reported that there were more than twenty in and about Eangoon who loved Jesus Christ, and were praying and serving God in secret. Some who came from a distance said, " Why do you not go to Ava and all the great cities of the empire ? Many have heard of the new religion and the books, and wish to understand what it is." Favored with such indications of the divine blessing as these instances afforded, Mr. Kincaid, when asked by a Burmese officer of government how long he in- tended to stay, might well say — " Until all Burmah WORSHIPS THE ETERNAL GOD." And we can easily imagine what faith and hope inspired his heart when he wrote, — " The fields are really whitening for the harvest — the spirit of inquiry appears to be very extensive, and is daily becoming more so — the despotic nature of the government and the tyranny of the rulers lifts a most formidable obstacle to any change in the civil or religious establishments of the empire. But He who overturned the walls of Jericho, by means that mocked all human wisdom, is able to break down the strongholds of Satan here,, and purify this land of all its abominations. The leaven is evidently at work — ■ the most devoted Boodhists think that this religion The Hero Missionary. 59 will prevail. Satan, however, will make an effort, and his struggle may be long or short, according to the will of heaven. Let all who know Jesus Christ pray for the coming down of the Holy Spirit, that this wil- derness may bloom like Eden." 60 Kincaid CHAPTER VI. UP THE IRRAWADDY. "Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters." — Isa. xxxii. 20. "Walk Boldly and wisely in that light thou hast, There is a hand abore will help thee on." On the 6th of April, 1833, Mr. Kincaid embarked on board a Burman boat for Ava. The journey up the Irrawaddy from Rangoon was seven hundred miles. He was accompanied by his wife and her sis- ter, both English ladies, by Ko Shoon and Ko San- lone, two native preachers, and by several other Bur- mans. At their departure Ko A, Moung Eu, and a number more of the disciples in Rangoon, accom- panied them to the water, affectionately bidding them God-speed, and promising them a constant remem- brance in prayer. Shortly after starting, their boat was found to have sprung aleak, and the water came in so rapidly as to require one man to keep bailing. Before night, however, they succeeded in discovering the leak, and, having stopped it, the next morning they proceeded on their way. The Hero Missionary. 61 Among the chief dangers which beset them in this journey, was their constant exposure to attacks from robbers. Several times, indeed, they were in villages where robbery and murder had just been committed, and, in one instance, their escape seemed to be al- most miraculous. While doubling a point in the river, a band of ten men rose upon them, all armed with spears, Burman swords, and one gun. At the same instant two boats made their appearance and came toward them with great rapidity. The men cried out, " Teacher, come quick ; the robbers are upon us." The first company of ten men immediate- ly fled on seeing the armed boats. Mr. Kincaid beg- ged his boatmen to stay and help against the robbers, but all in vain ; they fled, leaving only six beside himself, to face twenty-three men who were rushing rapidly towards them. They were ordered to stop again and again, but utterly refused. As the last resort, Mr. Kincaid called the men to follow him, and, rushing toward the approaching robbers, he threatened them if they did not stop instantly. Just at that moment a large Burman boat hove in sight, and came down the river ; this, together with Mr. Kin- caid's firmness, brought them to a stand. They turned about and made off rapidly in the same direc- tion they had come. Thus were they mercifully pre- served from the hands of unfeeling savages. But these dangers were soon forgotten amid the 62 Kincaid striking and cheering instances which they were so soon permitted to witness of the power and spread of the gospel. Almost every day was marked by some occurrence which served to strengthen faith in the ultimate triumph of the truth. One man, for instance, came, saying that many months before, he had obtained a book in Rangoon, that told him about the eternal God, who made all things ; and about Christ, who died to open the way for the forgiveness of sin. He said " the more he had thought of this, the more it stuck to him that it was true." In the city of TMr-a-tvan, many said, " We want to hear more of this religion, — if it is true that there is a God who is free from sickness, old age and death, he must be the most excellent." Five men also de- clared their conviction of the truth, and determined to read and examine. At a large village beyond this, while listening to the preaching, a woman cried out, " This God is the true God ; this doctrine is the divine communication I" Afterwards, in private conversation, she said, as soon as she heard, the truth shined upon her mind, and she saw instantly that, all her life, she had been stupidly worshiping what was no God. While stopping at Mey-an-oung, the chief secretary of the city, though at first opposed to the distribution of the tracts and books, after hearing some passages' The Hero Missionary. read, said — "These books teach the true God" and would not be satisfied until lie had got one of every kind, nor would lie let them go until a meal had been prepared and they had eaten. Still further on they met with a government man, who said he had heard much about their books, and one of them he had heard read ; ever since he had been anxious to. get some of the books. He called all his men, told them to ask for books, and read about the eternal God. This man frankly admitted that he had long had doubts about Gaudama's religion, and these had been increased by hearing two or three great men in Ava declare their conviction that this new religion was true, and would spread through the country. He appeared to be very sincere, having a heart, disposed by the power of God, to receive the Gospel. While at Powig-day, an ancient city about as large as Rangoon, Mr. Kincaid was invited to go to the house of the great Toung-diven teacher, so called, the head of the most powerful dissenting sect in Burmah. Arriving at the house, he found a venerable old man, and thirty or forty more, who had gathered to hear them talk. Upon asking him if he had ever read the word of God, he said — " I read about a year ago, one small book that rea- soned about the eternal God and Gaudama." " What do vou think ?" 64 Kincaid " 1 have remained careless." " Then you are indifferent whether you are right or wrong ; so there is no use of my saying any thing to you." During the conversation, which lasted for some time, the old man said he was anxious to know why we took so much trouble to publish this religion. " For I see," said he, " that you are exposed to dan- ger, and are very much reviled and reproached, and must be continually among strangers who do not care for you." " Yes, and we are willing to suffer all this, and much more to save the Burmans from the punish- ment of hell." The interest of the old teacher was so great that he afterwards followed Mr. Kincaid to the boat to hear more and obtain books. The most thrilling incident, however, occurred at the town of Tha-ret. It is thus related by Mr. Kin- caid : — " While I was giving away some tracts to a crowd of people that lined the shore, a young man of an in- teresting appearance came near, and said, ' Will you please give me St. John's History of Christ, and the Acts of the Apostles V ' Did you ever read these books V ' Yes, teacher Judson gave them to me in Prome ; but when the city was burned, I lost the books/ I gave him the books, and four tracts, an >; JH i*F=-^' Bill" 113 1 » s,' HI i s n f ■ : ,■ ma fe ' ■'■';'''' '■-.. ' ■0 i .''•5 '■•mc p ■ i \4JI '... -TO*, W FwLf^M t Z f^'JjflH BIS Hi The Her? Missionary. 167 When he saw we had a small folding-table and two chairs, he felt greatly relieved, for he had felt very sad, he said, to think he could construct no such arti- cles for us. I mention these facts to shew the kind- heartedness of the chief and his people, and their anxiety to make us comfortable. Our zayat was about fifty yards from the stockade which surrounded the village, and in a delightful situation. After get- ting everything arranged in our new home and ready to begin work, we went up into the village and were taken directly to the house of the Mountain Chief (as he is called). It is certainly no mean specimen of a palace, for though constructed on the same gene- ral plan with all the houses of this peculiar people, yet its dimensions and neatness of construction would point it out as the residence of a great man. Like all the houses, the floor is between five and six feet from the ground. After passing across a very large open verandah, we entered, immediately in front, the great hall of audience. It is certainly a fine room, and from the north end we have a most delightful view of the country in all the wildness of its native grandeur. We spent some time in conversation, but most of the time in getting words and sentences ex- pressed in their own language. I left the company at length, and went to take a view of the domestic arrangements. On the left of the great verandah is a very large apartment, and on the right is one of 168 Kincaid smaller dimensions ; these belong to the females and children. His wives — nine in number — were all busily at work, except one. Some were cleaning- cotton, some spinning, some weaving and some were cooking ; and each one had a child slung on her back, whatever the work might be in which she was en- gaged. All appeared to be cheerful. It was easy to perceive that the female who was not at work, was a person of no ordinary rank among this people. There was a gracefulness and dignity in her manners which could not fail to impress the most casual observer that she was one of " nature's noble women." Her countenance is intelligent, and her features would indicate a mild and amiable temper. Her face was covered with smiles, so that she appeared to be pleased with herself and pleased with all around her. She was the only one of the females who appeared to have any knowledge of the Burman language, and hers, I imagine, is very limited, for though she be- trayed in her countenance no signs of ignorance, 3^et she was able to reply to me only in a few half-formed sentences. We were struck with the order and neat- ness of the apartments. There were no articles lying about the floor, as is always the case in Burman houses, whatever may be their rank. True, there was no furniture for mere show, and little which we regard as necessary to comfort in civilized life ; still they have many articles for the manufacture of cloth, The Hero 31t»oionary. 169 for cooking, for holding water, and for eating, and though they be of the most primitive kind, they all had their appropriate place. The internal arrange- ments of the apartments and the furniture, no less than the neat and comfortable manner in which the houses are constructed, as well as the orderly ar- rangement of the whole village, certainly struck us as indicating, in a more than ordinary degree, an in- nate sense of neatness and regularity. The posts which supported the roof are formed by binding to- gether ten or twelve bamboos, so that at first they might be taken for fluted columns. The roofs of the houses are made of long coarse grass. The walls are double ; the outer extending from the ground to the roof, and the inner from the floor to the roof. The outer wall is formed by placing perfectly straight bamboos, and all of the same size, horizontally one on top of the other, till they reach the top ; these are kept together by upright posts at suitable distances. This wall gives the house a very substantial and pret- ty appearance. The inner wall is made of split bam- boos woven into mats. The stairs for going up into their houses are of the same material, and are broad and well formed, while the people of Arracan have only a large pole, with notches cut in it. In fact, everything pertaining to the houses and villages of the Kemmees indicates an attention to comfort 8 170 Kihcaid ; which we have seen among no other class of people in these countries. Their clothing is scanty and peculiar. Besides a small turban on the head, the only garment ordinarily worn by the men is a belt about four inches wide, fastened round the hips and between the legs ; one end of the belt hanging down before, and one behind. The females have two garments — the upper, a short jacket about ten or twelve inches long, without sleeves and open under one arm ; the lower garment is fastened round the hips and reaches half way to the knees. It is remarkable that a people who con- sult neatness and comfort to so great a degree in the construction of their villages and houses, should have adopted so scanty a covering for their persons. It cannot be for want of material, for they grow a fine, beautiful species of cotton on their hills, and in ex- change for cotton procure salt and dried fish from the coast. *" * * For some wise purpose God has preserved them from idolatry, and kept alive among them the tradi- tion, that in ancient times the Supreme Being gave to their fathers a Good Book, which through their carelessness was destroyed by a dog, but which in time will be restored, when they will become a wise and happy people. We preached the gospel every evening in the most plain and simple manner, and they listened attentively ; but few could understand The Hero Missionary. 171 Burman well enough to receive much instruction. Those who could understand, said they believed what we taught, and that all the Kemmees would believe when they came to hear and understand this doc- trine. From morning till night we spent nearly all our time in collecting words and sentences so as to learn the structure of the language, but still embraced every opportunity to learn the extent of their coun- try and the probable number of the inhabitants. All we could learn, however, on this last subject was, that for several days' journey (two hundred miles or more,) up the great river, and on all the tributary streams, the inhabitants are Kemmees. The Ko-la- dan, and all its tributaries, are thickly studded with their villages, which vary from ten to fifty families in each. They are certainly a numerous people, and, without doubt, I think, one of the greatest branches of the Karen family. The Khyiens inhabit all the hill country and the great ranges of the Yuma moun- tains to the south, as the Kemmees do at the north. After getting about eighty miles north of Ava, I found all the hill country for more than three hun- dred miles, that is, to the Hu Kong valley, inhabited by Ka Khyiens, a people in all respects like the Ka- rens ; so that we have Karens, Ka Khyiens, Khyiens and Kemmees, four branches of the same great family, formerly the sole occupants of this vast country, but who have been gi adually driven by the Burmans from 172 Kincaid : the valley of the Irrawaddy and from the sea- coast. On the fourth day after our arrival at the village of the chief, the path of duty appeared to be plain. We accordingly intimated to Mm, and some of his people, that we should study the language, adopt an alphabet, and as soon as possible give them books in which they could learn the knowledge of God. As might have been expected, they were greatly pleased. In a short time word was brought to us that the chief was going into the neighboring villages to call together the principal men, and would imme- diately commence building us a large house. We were obliged to hold him back, or the house would have been begun that very day. We told him we must return home and make arrangements for this work, for it was not a small thing to study their lan- guage and get ready to give them books ; however, they might expect Mr. S tils on and his family in about twenty days, and that I should, probably, be up again in a month after that. We selected a place for build- ing, and told the chief he might collect the materials at his leisure, that on Mr. Stilson ; s arrival a house could be put up in a few days. He told Ko Bike that our decision gave him more joy than if he had received thousands o f gold and silver, for, said he, ' The gold and silver woulc soon be expended, and neither my children nor my people would be ?ny the better for The Hero Missionary. 173 it ; but if we have the knowledge of God, I shall die in peace.' This indicates a degree of intelligence and earnest- ness which we did not expect to find, and which goes far to encourage us that it is the Lord's work. This village, which we have resolved to make the head- quarters of the Kemmee mission, possesses all the ad- vantages we could desire, — its location is beautiful and healthy, — it is not too far in the interior, and still is far enough to be the centre of a number of villages, embracing, at least, about three thousand inhabitants. It is two degrees north of Akyab, and, therefore, distant on a straight line, one hundred and thirty-eight miles. There are a few curves in the river, so that the distance, by water, is one hundred and fifty miles. Mr. Stilson took the latitude of the village, and made it 22° 3' north, which would make it twelve or thirteen miles north of Ava. No for- eigner has ever been up the river beyond the boun- daries of Arracan, and Burmans are afraid to pene- trate ; so that the extent of the Kemmee country north, can only be conjectured from the statements of the Kemmees themselves. They speak of two powerful bodies of people far to the north, called Lurig-khe, and Tsein-du, who differ somewhat from them in language. I would remark here, that Kem- mee is the generic name of this people, though they have a great number >f local names. This extraor 174 Kincaid dinary variety of names for one and the same people, originates partly from location and partly from clan- ship ; in some cases, the name of a stream gives a name to the people ; and, in other cases, the name of a chief to whose authority they submit. Our inter- course with the Kemmees has been too limited to say much in reference to their national manners and cus- toms, — their vices and their virtues. Polygamy, I should think, does not prevail to any great extent. They have learnt how to make an intoxicating drink from rice, which is used on extraordinary occasions. They regard evil spirits as the principal cause of dis- ease, as also of all other calamities, when they cannot trace them to human agency. This belief in evil de- mons leads them to offer, on certain occasions, propi- tiatory sacrifices. They have no religious services, though they believe in a Supreme Being, — in the im- mortality of the soul, and in future rewards and pun- ishments. Murder, adultery, stealing, and falsehood, are regarded as great crimes, and there is much rea- son to suppose that these are not their national vices. They are, proverbially, a people of one word. It is very possible that many might get the impres- sion, from the preceding remarks, that the Kemmees are a harmless, unwarlike people, but such is not" the case. Broken up, as they are, into clans under differ- ent chiefs, who are supreme among their own people, serious difficulties are rarely, if aver, adjusted in an The Hero Missionary, 175 amicable manner. Feuds are frequent, and often end most disastrously. When one clan nourishes revenge or hatred against another, from whatever cause, an opportunity is sought to fall upon their enemies at a time when least expected. An open declaration of hostile intentions is never made. The triumphant party kill as many men as they can, and all the females and children they can seize are carried away for slaves. Those clans located within the limits of Arracan, are, of course, subject to British rule, and they appear to appreciate the advantages of living in a state of secu- rity under the protection of law. Depending for their subsistence almost entirely on the cultivation of the soil, war is not the natural element of the Kem- mees ; it is rather a circumstance growing out of their peculiar condition. The introduction of books, and the establishment of schools, will lay the foundation of their civilization and happiness, because the first lessons they learn, will be the knowledge of God. This knowledge will spread over the whole length and breadth of the land, and convert this wilderness into a fruitful field." Subsequently Mr. Kincaid made several visits to this people, and Mr. Stilson, in the course of a brief residence, studied their language, and having reduced its elements to writing, was the means of supplying them with a number of books. At a still later period, they were visited by Mr. Ingalls, whose labors among 176 Kincaid : them, under the divine blessing, resulted in a number of hopeful conversions. Among those baptized was Paiting, son of the Mountain Chief, a young man of marked piety, who often, in his private devotions, would be heard pleading with God for his country- men, and in every prayer his fervent cry was — " Oh, Lord, send a teacher from America for the Kemmees." The Hero Missionary. 177 CHAPTER XV< VISIT TO AMERICA. " For not he that oommendeth himself is approved, but whoa the Lord com- mendeth."— 2 Cor. x. 18. " The man of God, give him -welcome home ! For many long and weary years he's roamed ; And now, once more, he hails his native land ; — give him greetings warm, a brother's hand." Me. Kincaid had now been in Burniah more than twelve years, and the health of his wife requiring a change of climate, it was determined that he should make a visit to his native land, which he did in 1833. The reception which he here met, afforded striking proof of the hold which he had upon the hearts of his brethren, and the results which followed his efforts to awaken a missionary spirit in the churches, were regarded as quite astonishing. During his so- journ in this country he traveled through nearly every State in the Union, making his thrilling appeals to the people, and awakening, every where, a new and marvelous interest in behalf of foreign missions. 8* 178 * Kincaid To follow him through all the remarkable incidents connected with this visit, is more than I am prepared to attempt, nor will the limits of a single chapter allow of any thing beyond a brief reference to a few of the leading features of this memorable period in his history. The character and influence of nis public addresses may, to a degree, be inferred from reports which, in some instances, were attempted to be made for the press, and yet to those who have never heard him, these must necessarily convey a very imperfect idea of their effect as they fell directly from his own lips. To appreciate them fully, the reader must have before his mind the person of the speaker ; he must be able to call up his peculiar intonations, but especially must he remember his lofty and impassioned strain of utterance when, all aglow with his subject, every fibre of his frame appeared to tremble with emotion, and every sensibility of his soul seemed stirred to its depths and roused to its intensest activity. Never, while memory remains, can any forget the impression made on the heart in listening to the account given by him of the parting interview of the lamented Comstock's with their two children, and of the last words Mr. Comstock uttered to Mr. Kincaid. Owing to the difficulty of educating them in a heathen land, they were entrusted to Mr. Kin- caid's care, to be taken to America, and the following The Hero Missionary. 179 extract from one of his addresses gives an affecting view of their painful separation :• — " We were together one day, at their house, when word came that the ship was ready to sail, and we must prepare to embark immediately. Upon the ar- rival of this message, which we had been expecting, Mrs. Comstock arose from her seat, took her two children, one in each hand, and walked with them to- wards a grove of tamarind trees near the house. When she had walked some little distance, she paused a moment, looked at each of her children with all a mother's love, and imprinted an affectionate kiss upon the forehead of each. She then raised her eyes to heaven, silently invoked a blessing on their heads 5 returned to the house, and delivering her children into my hands, said, ' Brother Kincaid, this I do for my Saviour J Brother Comstock then took his two children by the hand, and led them from the house towards the ship, while that tender mother gazed upon them, as they walked away, for the last time. She saw them no more on earth. God grant that she may meet them in heaven 1 Brother Comstock accompanied his two children to the ship, which lay about two miles off in the bay. When we had descended to the cabin, he entered one of the state-rooms with his chil- dren. There he knelt with them in prayer, laid his hands upon their heads, and bestowed a father's 180 Kincaid: blessing "upon them — the tears, all the while, stream- ing down his cheeks. This affecting duty over, he resumed, at once, his usual calmness. He took leave of me with a gentle pressure of the hand, and I fol- lowed him to the side of the vessel, as he descended into the small boat which lay along-side, and which was to convey him to the shore. Never shall I forget the words, or the tone in which those words were ut- tered, as he turned up his face, still bedewed with tears, and exclaimed, as the boat moved away, ' Re- member, BROTHER KlNOAID, SIX MEN FOR ARRACAN V I never saw brother or sister Corns to ck after that. The very day that we took a pilot on board off Sandy Hook, April 28th, 1843, was the day that sister Corn- stock died, and in one year afterward, lacking three days, that is, on the 25th of April, 1844, brother Corn- stock followed her. Now they sleep side by side in the grave-yard at Ramree, under the tamarind trees ; and sister Abbott and her children are buried in the same ground. Ah, my Christian friends, could you have witnessed the parting of these beloved missionaries with their children ; — could you have stood with the survivors by the graves of the loved ones who lie buried on those heathen shores, you would then have known something of what it is to make sacrifices for the missionary cause. Once more let me call upon this audience to re- The Hero Missionary. 181 member the last parting words of the beloved Corn- stock ! and then let me ask, in the name of my de- parted brother, and of Jesus, the Master whom he served — shall we go back to that heathen land with- out ' SIX MEN FOE AEEACAN V " It was this noble illustration of Christian heroism, so touchingly related, that called from the pen of Charles Thurber, Esq., the following beautiful lines : SIX MEN FOE AEEACAN. The mother stamp' d a burning kiss Upon each little brow ; So dear a sacrifice as this, She never made till now ; Go, go, my babes, the Sabbath bell Will greet ye o'er the sea ; I'll bid my idol ones farewell, For Thee, my God, for Thee. But off they'd gone — those little ODes — Tsaw them gaily trip, And chatter on in merry tones, To see the gallant ship. The stricken sire — he'd often drank Sad draughts at duty's beck — He leads them calmly o'er the plank, And stands upon the dock ; As pale as polished Parian stones, As white as Arctic snows, Beside those young and cherished ones The stricken father bows* He breathes one prayer — he prints one kiss, And turns him toward the shore — 182 Kincaid He felt, till now, the babes were his, But they were his no more ; The silken tie, more strong than death, That bound their hearts was riven, And floating on an angel's breath, Rose up and clung to heaven. Why lingers he upon the shore 1 Why turns he to the deck 1 Perhaps, to say farewell, once more, Perhaps, one look to take. ! no ; but calm as angels now, That kneel before the throne, Where twice ten thousand thousand bow, And say, " Thy will be done" - He said — " My brother, when you stand, Beyond the raging deep, In that delightful, happy land, Where all our fathers sleep , When you shall hear their Sabbath bell Call out their happy throngs, And hear the organ's solemn swell ; And Zion's sacred songs — Tell them a herald, far away, Where midnight broods o'er man, Bade ye this solemn message say, " Six men for Arracan." While in that happy land of theirs, They feast on blessings given, And genial suns and healthful airs, Come speeding fresh from heaven ; Tell them, that, near yon idol dome, There dwells a lonely man, Who bade ye take this message hoin^ " Six men for Arracan. The Hero Missionary. 183 Sweet home — ah, yes ! I know how sweet Within my country, thou, I've known what heart- felt pleasures meet — I 've felt — and feel them now. Well, in those lively scenes of bliss, Whore childhood's joys began, I'd have ye, brother, tell them this, "Six men for Arracan." ! when the saint lies down to die. And friendship round him stands, And faith directs his tearless eye, To fairer, happier lands — How calm he bids poor earth adieu ! With all most dear below ! The spirit sees sweet home in view, And plumes her wings to go. Stop, dying saint — ! linger yet, And cast one thought on man — Be this the last that you forget — "SIX MEN FOR ARRACAN." In the month of November, 1843, a number of mis- sionary meetings, remarkable for their interest and results, were held with the various Baptist churches in Philadelphia. At one of these gatherings, in the large round house of the Sansom-St. Church, after the reading of an able report by the Rev. Dr. Wil- liams, on the Duty of Churches in reference to the Mission Cause, Mr. Kincaid rose to move its adop- tion. " There are a great many intelligent people," said he, " who have seriously made it a question, whether we, in this day, are to expect the same sue- 184 Kincaid cess as marked the history of primitive Christians, in their efforts to furnish, the heathen with the pre- cious Gospel. My brethren, if I had never read a single mission- ary letter, if I had read nothing but the acts of the Apostles, I feel well satisfied, that if we preach the Gospel in all its length and breadth, and richness, and in the same spirit and labor to win souls as did the primitive Christians, we should have in some degree the same success. If at present, we do not meet with the same or like success, the reason is, that we do not preach in the same spirit, and have not the same love for souls as they had. I would inquire whether we have not had success ; and would reply, look to our brethren on missionary ground, and look at the re- sults of their labors, and we have great reason to take courage. Why, just as we are beginning to think about doing this great work, the windows of heaven are opened, and a blessing is poured down upon us. In 1830, how many missionaries had we in Bur- mah ? — only three, and of these only two were quali- fied to preach the Gospel. Brother Bennet was en- gaged in printing, while brethren Wade and Board- man had only been a short time able to preach in their language. It took two years before either of them could be prepared for preaching in Burmese. It was not until 1834, that the missionaries were rein- The Hero Missionary. 1#£ forced ; and from that time down to 1836, and to the present time, we have ve were afraid and that we were poor, and so throw ourselves upon his clemency. To this I replied that neither was true. We were not afraid, neither were we so poor as to beg. If the governor had any just claim we would pay him, but would never tamely submit to extortion and tyranny. For in submitting to one act of tyranny we were only inviting outrage and oppression. We took along with us a small present worth about eight rupees. We were received in a bland and gentlemanly manner. The governor made several inquiries, and among others when we intended going to Ava ; to which I replied, ' As soon as the rainy season is over.' ' You are right/ he said, ' it is difi- cult and dangerous to go up during the rains. When you are ready to go, I shall furnish you with the ex pense of the journey.' None who saw and heard him on this occasion, could fancy him the governor we had to deal with last April." While disposed to be somewhat conciliatory in his personal relations, he seemed anxious also to convey an impression that his views were, to a degree changed respecting Christianity ; and speaking tc Mr. Kincaid one day on this subject, in the presence of the court, he said : — " One thing about your religion I do not like ; it aims The Hero Missionary. 239 like ; it aims to destroy every other, and this is un- charitable. They allowed our religion to be good, but we would not allow theirs to be good ;" this was his great objection. To this Mr. Kincaid replied, " That the whole design of Christianity was to bring the race of man to love God supremely, and to love others as themselves, and that this doctrine does certainly make men wise and good and happy." " You are getting all the people over to your side, said the governor, " for you make them think well of yourselves, and of your doctrine." One of the highest in rank among his officers said, " These teachers have all sorts of books ; and then they have maps of all the countries in the world, and globes that represent the earth as round as an orange, and that it turns round every day, and that the sun stands still. Does not this go to destroy Gaudama's religion ?" " True," said the governor ; " this makes our reli- gion false." " "Whether the sun goes round the earth," Mr. Kin- caid replied, " or the earth round the sun, is a ques- tion that belongs to science and not to religion." Everything, now, seemed to favor Mr. Kincaid in his work, and, full of faith, we find him engaging, at once, in active efforts not simply for the evangeliza- tion of Rangoon, but for the spread of the gospel through the whole length and breadth of the empire. 240 Kincaid : The scattered members of the Burman church now began to gather round him — numerous cases of in- quiry began to appear — representatives of churches from distant towns came in to express their congratu- ations, others called to solicit books, and on every hand, he was permitted to see the most cheering tokens of the Divine favor. Having sent off two of the native brethren to visit the Karen churches east of Rangoon, and also to the north and northwest, they zealously fulfilled their missions, and returning brought the most cheering intelligence of what they had been permitted to hear and witness of the grace of God. Among other matters of interest, they reported that in every Christian household they found them maintaining family worship morning and evening, and on each Lord's day they met four times for pub- lic service. The news of Mr. Kincaid's arrival in Rangoon, they found had preceded them, and hearing of his rough treatment by the authorities, prayer was made inces- santly for him that he might not be driven from the country. In one village they spent a Lord's day with a church numbering over four hundred members, and when they met with these brethren and read to them the letters containing assurances of being affec- tionately and constantly remembered in the prayers of the teachers, all were affected to tears, and many The Hero Missionary. 241 wept aloud for joy. From the pastor of this church they bore to Mr. Kincaid the following simple and touching letter : — " May the grace and fellowship of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit be with you, with my love, and the love of all the sons and daughters of God in this church. I am one of the least of all the disciples, and know but little of the divine word. Divine grace has made me a teacher of the gospel, and by the sacred imposition of hands I am made a pastor. Daily I study the Bible, and pray for a larger measure of the Holy Spirit, so as to teach and guide this flock of little ones. I have but little knowledge and can teach only what I know. I, the pastor, and all the church rejoiced greatly when we heard that you had come into this Burman kingdom, and cease not to pray for you. Our Father who is in heaven will hear our prayers. We all desire greatly to see you, and to hear more fully the deep things of God, that we may grow and be established in every virtue." The ardent love of the Karens for the gospel was never more strikingly illustrated than in the efforts and sacrifices which many made, about this time, to possess portions of the word of God. Some came from a great distance, through districts infested with robbers and amidst almost incessant storms. Among these, Mr. Kincaid makes special mention of two Christian boys from the province of Pautanau, one 242 Kincaid : hundred and thirty miles distant. They had been sent by the church with a letter requesting ten New Testaments, a copy of Pilgrim's Progress, seven tracts, and two hymn-books. The books were carefully roll- ed up and put in the bottom of a basket, and then the basket filled with rice and dried fish. This done, they gave the parting hand, and in a tremulous voice said — " Pray for us that we may be delivered from the calamity of falling into the hands of officers with these books." Toward the close of this year, cases of inquiry be- gan to multiply, and a number of hopeful converts soon presented themselves for the ordinance of bap- tism. One of these, in relating the exercises of his mind, said that about three months previous, his heart had been very much perplexed through a dream ; he imagined himself going toward Shway Dagong, and when not far off, it crumbled down into a mass of ruins. He woke up in great distress, feel- ing that all his life long he had been rendering the homage, due only to God, to that senseless mass of ruins. He betook himself to prayer and the reading of the New Testament. The light of truth shined in upon his soul and he found peace in believing. " Our baptism," says Mr. Kincaid, " took place be- tween three and four in the afternoon, in the royal tank, a beautiful, clear sheet of water, nearly four miles in circumference. Tt has several finely wooded The Hero 31issionary. 243 islands, and is surrounded on three sides by groves having a park-like appearance. Under the deep, dark foliage of a clump of aged trees, on a green bank sloping down to the water's edge, with the glittering spires of a hundred pagodas before us, we kneeled in prayer to Him who said, ' Lo, I am with you.' I cannot express to you our feelings when these re- deemed ones, four Burmans and five Karens, went down into the baptismal grave, rendering homage to Him who is ' the resurrection and the life.' We have a number of very earnest inquirers. Three of them, we think, have received the word of God into their hearts. There are, besides, a large number who no longer attempt any defence, but lis- ten and are thoughtful. Just now, while I write, three men from Dalla are sitting by me in conversa- tion on the character of Christ's religion. I have been reading and explaining 'to them for an hour. They are saying, { Gaudama cannot stand, and what is the use ? We are a poor, ignorant people, after having Gaudama's religion a thousand years.' An intelligent young priest, who has visited us repeated- ly during the last three months, and has borrowed books of us, said the other day, that he was disgust- ed with the yellow robe and must throw it away. The fields are white for the harvest on every side of us. There is no serious opposition. People of all ranks and ages come to us. A few days since, an 244 Kincaid : officer of high rank, with his lady and some twenty- five or thirty attendants, spent the evening with us, and gave us a very urgent invitation to visit them." 'Tis now the time of strife and war, The contest sounds on every side ; Nations are bound to Satan's car, And who shall meet him in his pride 1 Is there no arm his power to break 1 Are there no hearts that deeply feel ? Sons of the kingdom ! rise, awake ! Obey at length your Saviour's will. Hark ! 'tis the trumpet's warning cry ! Lo, o'er the earth the banners wave ; The Lord of glory comes from high, To rule, to conquer and to sare. Tlie Hero Missionary, 245 CHAPTER XX. LABORS INTERRUPTED BY WAR. { ' In the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion : in the secret of hia tabernacle shall he hide me ; he shall set me up upon a rock. And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me : therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy ; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord."— Ps. xxvii. 5, 6. " Labor ! "Wait ! though midnight shadows Gather round thee here, And a storm above thee lowering Fill thy heart with fear — Wait in hope ! the morning dawneth When the night is gone, And a peaceful rest awaits thee, When thy work is done." During a residence of more than six months in Rangoon, Mr. Kincaid was cheered by scenes and in- cidents of extraordinary interest ; but in the midst of these encouragements, and when he had nearly completed his preparations for proceeding to the cap- ital in pursuance of his original purpose and under favor of the royal invitation, a new aspect was put on the posture of things by the arrival of war steamers 246 Kincaid : at Rangoon, demanding on behalf of the East India Government redress of grievances. For a long time, ^British subjects had suffered from the Burman Gov- ernment the greatest injustice. Without cause, they had often been fined and imprisoned, and, such was the terror under which they were living, that they were compelled to endure these wrongs in silence, knowing that the slightest whisper of dissatisfaction would only be visited by ten-fold greater outrages, and even with cruel tortures and death. At length tidings of the doings of the government towards Bri- tish subjects reached the ear of Commodore Lambert, and, after taking the necessary steps to satisfy him- self of the truth of these reports, he came to demand redress of the Burmese authorities. On the evening of the 24th of November, 1851, a frigate and four armed steamers came before the city and immediately every thing was thrown into the ut- most state of alarm. The governor threatened to set the city on fire, and in every house the foreigners were at work securing their papers and property. Great gongs were beating in every direction. A re- port was current that all who wore hats (Europeans) would be seized and carried off as hostages. Near midnight Mr. Kincaid was sent to go to the gover- nor's, nearly two miles distant. Without hesitation he set off, but was met by messengers countermand- ing the ordei The Hero Missionary. 247 On the following morning the governor with a large guard appeared on the wharf, and there issued an or- der that any person, foreigner or native, who should come down to any of the wharves, or appear on the bank of the river, should be instantly beheaded. This order was published through the city by beat of gong and public crier. On hearing this Mr. Kincaid went immediately to the main wharf, where there were several distinguished officers and a guard, and remonstrated with them in strong terms on the insane course they were pursuing, — working themselves and the people into a panic, when there was all possible evidence that the ships were come on a peaceful mis- sion, — to prevent, not to make war. They felt it, but were disposed to be blind to the innumerable acts of injustice and cruelty inflicted on all classes of people. Com. Lambert having sent a deputation of four offi- cers with a communication to the viceroy, he imme- diately called for Mr. Kincaid, and in the presence of some fifty of his great chiefs, he desired to know from him whether the translation of the commodore's let- ter was correct. After carefully reading both he was assured that it had been faithfully rendered. " What does it mean ?" said the governor. " I am accused of being a bad man, committing outrages on her Britannic Majesty's subjects, and yet the letter does not specify in what way I have done this. Tell me what I should do." 248 Kincaid " 1 am not competent," said Mr. Kincaid, " to advise in these matters." " Do not tell me so," lie said ; " you have more books and maps than all the other people in the city, and you know what the English want and what I can do." To get rid of his importunity Mr. Kincaid said, — " You can write to the commodore and ask for an ex- planation." This struck him favorably. Then he in- quired whether the English had come for peace or war. "For peace, undoubtedly," Mr. Kincaid replied. "If they had come for war, instead of three ships they would have had twenty-five or thirty." " After a few days," says Mr. Kincaid in his jour- nal, " the governor recovered in some measure from the panic into which he was thrown, and commenced hostile preparations, buying up all the muskets in the city, collecting guns from all the neighboring cities and fortifying the heights of Shway JDagong, and building stockades at Kee-men-ding, four miles above the city. He has collected from the surrounding vil- lages about ten thousand men, and has invited to his aid a celebrated robber chief with all his followers, thus getting together all the desperate characters in the lower provinces. As yet we had felt safe in the old city, as the majority of the inhabitants are for- eigners, but on the 4th and 5th of December orders The Hero Missionary. 249 were issued, it was reported, to attack the foreigners, plunder them, cut their throats, and burn the city. Bodies of armed men and of desperate character were' constantly parading the streets. Foreigners were all armed and keeping ceaseless watch in their houses. Com. Lambert very kindly gave me an invitation to place the ladies and children on board of one of his vessels, and the stern cabins of the steamer ' Tenas- serim' were prepared for them ; but Capt. Barker, ot the ' Duchess of Argyle/ a large merchant ship, invi- ted us to take refuge on his vessel, which seemed pre- ferable, as the ships of war were threatened with an attack by fire-rafts. On the evening of the 5th we took Mrs. Kincaid and Mrs. Dawson, with the little children, to a private wharf, where a boat was ready to take them on board the ' Duchess/ The next day the young ladies went on board. Dr. Dawson and myself remained on shore most of the time. We packed up our books and the most valuable part of our baggage, and placed them in fire-proof godowns belonging to Mr. Birrell. The ladies and children were now safe and there was little danger to our pro- perty from fire, but it was necessary to keep a con- stant watch, especially by night, as the governor threatened to let loose the robbers, now about 500 strong. He had openly and repeatedly declared his intention of taking the lives of eight persons whom lie named, among whom I was included. We regard- 11* - 250 Kincaid : ed his threats as the ravings of a madman ; still I kept away from the new city, for I knew if he should mus- ter courage to commence hostilities he would be anxious to have me for a translator and interpreter. # * # * ■* * A little after dark on the 10th of December, as I was passing along one of the principal streets, I was suddenly seized by some eight or nine Burmans, who partly carried, partly dragged me into a dark, narrow lane. There I was surrounded by forty or fifty armed men. A long and not very pleasant altercation fol- lowed, — they threatening me, and I in turn threaten- ing them ; they insisting on taking me to the gov- ernor, and I insisting on going to the custom house. At length I got to the custom house — I hardly know how. A bundle of clothes from the washerman, which a Burman carried after me, was the excuse for this outrage. The custom house officers interfered, and after a long dispute these guards went to the governor for an order to take me out. It was nearly two miles to the governor's, and while they were gone the custom house officers hurried me off on board ship. This, it seems, annoyed his excellency, for the next afternoon he sent an officer to the commodore, com- plaining that I had taken my family on board ship without his permission, and so had broken the laws of Burmah. Com. Lambert replied that that law The Hero Missionary. 251 might hold in reference to Burman subjects, but not in reference to British subjects or persons claiming British protection. He drew up a letter and sent it to the governor by one of his officers and Mr. Edwards, his translator, in which he stated, that the amity ex- isting between the government of the United States and her Britannic Majesty rendered it imperative on his part to demand of his excellency the punishment of those men who had seized and maltreated me the evening before in the streets of Rangoon. The gov- ernor expressed much regret at what had taken place, and said the men should be punished if I would point them out. Of course this was impossible, for the men were withdrawn from the old city. On the 12th I went on shore again. I have learned that two Portuguese, the tools of a Jesuit, have made the governor believe that I am at the bottom of the English expedition. This is the secret of his hostili- ty to me. Within a few days the governor of Dalla has received orders from Ava to place his troops at the disposal of the Viceroy of Rangoon. . According- ly, fifteen hundred men crossed the river early on the morning of the 19th, uttering the most savage yells. Yesterday one thousand men arrived from Prome. After all, the only men the governor can depend on are the robbers. The peasantry, that make up four-fifths of his army, will throw away their muskets and run at the firing of the first gun. The 252 Eincaid officers threaten the Karen Christians that they will place them ' in the fore front of the battle 7 if the English come on shore. Three hundred of the dis- ciples are now on duty at the great pagoda. The churches are sending messengers to us almost daily to inquire how things are and to let us know their situation. Few of them sleep in their houses for fear of robbers. Our hearts bleed for them. We can only say to them, Look up to Him who took care of Elijah in the desert. The Burman peasantry, hea- then as well as Christian, are also sending messen- gers to us, expressing the hope that the English will put an end to the brutal tyranny under which they have so long suffered. Among our more than ten thousand disciples, besides hundreds who are 'almost Christians/ there is earnest prayer to Him who ruleth over all. It is a merciful Providence that we had not left for Ava. We had procured one boat and were just set- tling the price of another, when the war ships arrived. The Lord hath ordered all things well." All efforts to bring the Burmese authorities to terms having failed, hostilities ensued, and the mission families, in imminent peril, were compelled to hasten their escape from the city. " We had only one hour," says Mr. Kincaid, " to abandon our house and take refuge on ship-board. With hardly a change of clothes, we fled. One hour more, and we would have The Hero Missionary. 253 Deen prisoners. Many foreigners did not escape, and they were loaded with irons and crowded in a loath- some prison. Some died under their sufferings, and the others were repeatedly ordered out for execution and then remanded to prison." As it was impossible to calculate how long these hostilities would continue, the missionaries deemed it prudent to seek a refuge in Maulmain. After re- maining there about three months, however, Mr. Kin- caid, leaving his family behind him, determined to return to Rangoon. The very day after his arrival the war was virtually terminated by the destruction of the great fortress which had been defended by 30,000 Burmans with over two hundred mo tinted guns. " From seven o'clock in the morning till evening of that day," says Mr. Kincaid, " I spent in the field- hospital among the wounded and the dying. At night I walked back two miles to the ship, among the dead and dying Burmans strewed over the battle- field. That was a terrible day, and I thought con- tinually of our suffering disciples. After all, their sufferings had hardly begun. The great Burman army was shattered into fragments, and now, in groups of from one to three hundred, they were ravaging the country, burning the villages, slaughter- ing the cattle and robbing the people. I took up my abode in an old building, having a great number of idols in it. Having cleared out the idols and cob- 254 Kincaid webs, one large room was converted into a chapel. A Karen deputation found me the third day after the great battle ; and then there was coming and going in one continued stream. The Bnrman disciples, also, came in from their various hiding places, and with them many other Burmans took refuge under mv building." In the following June, Mr. Kincaid was again joined by his family from Maulmain, and, having set things in order, every department of missionary work moved on as they never had seen it before. The people's hearts were softened like wax. The arm of the Lord was made bare, and they had Pentecostal seasons almost every week. " In our missionary work," said Mr. Kincaid, " we have every encouragement to labor in season and out of season. We have baptized every Lord's day since the middle of July, and the whole number up to the present time is sixty. From several villages where we sent preachers and school teachers, we have cheer- ing accounts. Two entire villages have sent off their poongyees, turned their buildings into chapels and school-houses, and sent to us a request to be taught the ways of God more perfectly. As soon as the war closes, there should be missionary stations at Danabo and Prome, two families for each. TTithin a few days past we have buried two of our Christian women, one of them the oldest member of The Hero Missionary. 255 the church. As near as we can learn, she was ninety- three years of age. Till the very last she retained her mental powers remarkably. She possessed much faith, and spoke often of her desire to depart and be with Christ. At our last communion season she was borne to the chapel, and at the close expressed her joy at being once more permitted to unite in this holy service. Five members of the church have died within the year." Writing about this time to Mr. Marshman, of Se- rampore, editor of the Friend of India, he said : — " The principles of Christianity have taken deep root in the hearts of some 12,000, and through these a large amount of moral influence is brought to bear on some 20.000 more. Our churches are found scatter- ed all the way from the seaboard to Prome. We have now at school in this city two hundred and fifty young persons preparing to go back to their villages, some to teach school and others to labor as evange- lists among their countrymen. About forty native preachers are now supported by congregations over the country. The intelligence of recent events in Burmah has aroused to new energy the friends of missions in America, and I have no doubt but we shall be well sustained by having true and faithful men sent to our aid. I hope to see churches raised up along the whole line of this river to the Hukang ralley. Then we shall stand on the borders of west- 256 Kincaid era China and on the npper waters of the great Cambodia, and can reach by our boots and our preaching untold millions in the centre of eastern Asia. I almost wish that I had been born thirty years later in the Christian era, so as to see Chris- tianity pouring its light over these vast regions. The Hero Missionary. 257 CHAPTER XXI. SETTING UP THE STANDARD AT PROME. Go through the gates ; prepare you the way for the people ; cast up, cast up the highway ; gather out the stones ; lift up a standard for the people." Isa. lxii. 10. " Fear not, shrink not, though the burden Heavy to thee prove ; God shall fill thy mouth with gladness, And thy heart with love." 1 For many years the city of Prome, occupying a position midway between Rangoon and Ava, had been regarded as one of the most promising centres of mis- sionary labor in the Burman empire. The gospel was first preached there by Dr. Judson, in 1830, and with an encouraging prospect of success, but after a residence of a few months, he was peremptorily or- dered away. From that time to 1853 but little effort had been made to spread the knowledge of Christ among its 50,000 idolatrous inhabitants. In the be- ginning of that year, we find Mr. Kincaid taking up his abode there, and, in strong faith, laying his plans for its evangelization. By the kind assistance of the 258 Kincaid quarter master general of the army, he succeeded in obtaining possession of two monasteries, with a zayat immediately contiguous to the highway, and on Lord's day the 22d of January, he held his first public reli- gious service. Much to his joy he soon ascertained that a Burmese Christian had anticipated him, and was already " holding forth the word of life," having nightly gatherings of the people at his house, to whom he read and explained the Scriptures. This man was one of the converts baptized ten years previously by Mr. Kincaid in Arracan, and was now in the employ of the assistant commissioner at Prome. He had en- tered into this service on the express condition that he might be allowed to spend a part of his time daily in giving religious instruction to his countrymen. From him Mr. Kincaid received a considerable amount of important information relative to the state of the public mind, and the best means of presenting before the people the claims of Christianity. " Religious services," said Mr. Kincaid, " are held every Lord's day, at 11, A. M., in the chapel in the cen- tre of the city. The congregation numbers from one hundred to one hundred and fifty, who are attentive listeners. Besides these, there are sometimes nearly a hundred comers and goers, who listen outside all around the chapel. After the regular services have closed, many of the hearers usually remain, and oth- ers also come in The disciples scatter themselves The Hero Missionary. 259 among them ; and, collecting in little groups of five or ten, commence, in a conversational way, to lay be- fore them the claims of Christianity ; there they re- main for an hour or two. This is often a time of great interest, and much excitement, as all are en- gaged in conversation. Sometimes a reference is made to the ' law and the testimony ;' and the large quarto Bible is taken from the bamboo stand and placed on the floor, where it is read, passage after passage, by some one of the native assistants, and then explained in the hearing of all. The assistants occasionally have meetings at their houses, in the north part of the city, and by this means the light of the gospel is spreading in their neighborhood." The first fruits of the gospel at Prome were three converts, baptized February 22. In July, the number had increased to thirty-eight, and there were very many inquirers, not only in Prome, but in the neigh- boring towns and villages. In one village, ten miles distant, there were seven converts, and the entire village had abandoned their Budhist priests. Appli- cations for preaching were received from other direc- tions. Excursions had been made to large cities, sometimes by the missionaries, accompanied by the assistants, and sometimes by the assistants alone. At Keaugen, forty miles below Prome, with a population of sixty thousand, multitudes gave ear to the gospel. 260 Kincaid, In January there were four churches, including two Karen, and the near promise of a fifth, where five converts had been baptized, and there were several hopeful inquirers. The whole number received to baptism was about eighty, residing in ten or twelve localities, distant from Prome, in opposite directions, from twelve and thirty-eight, to ninety miles. Two of the baptized were from Ava, who came for the purpose of learning more of the way of life. Seventy members were enrolled on the records of the Prome church, of whom, twenty-one were Karens. In a letter dated Prome, February 7, 1855, Mr. Kin- . caid says : " We intend soon to make Tau-yet, forty-five miles north of Prome, one of our principal stations. It is four miles below Meaday, the frontier English fortress, and is rapidly becoming a large town. Innumerable villages cover the country in the rear of Keyau Gen. This we shall also make an important centre. We have encouragement to hope that three men, a short time since baptized, will become laborers in the Lord's vineyard. They are men of fair natural talents and a good education, and are studying the Scriptures day and night, so as to be able to teach others the things of the kingdom. One of the most encouraging fea- tures in the work of grace in Prome is the large pro- portion of gifted men and women, who are hopefully converted. There is one, and often there are two The Hero Missionary. 261 public meetings every evening in the city, conducted mostly by Ko Dway and Moung Pau-te. Very often the place is crowded, and not unfrequently some are obliged to go away for want of room. Moung Kauye, Moung Myat Poo, and Keyau Gen are almost con- stantly going from village to village, and from city to city, preaching Christ. If, within a few months, the Lord gives us three more evangelists, we shall be able to enlarge our field of active labor. In a few days I intend going north, and I hope to preach Christ -in every city and village as far as Ava. Every week we have inquirers from northern cities, and we must heed the Macedonian cry. Our hope and prayer is that the Lord will raise up laborers to reap this great harvest. I feel oppressed beyond utterance, when I look over this wide field and see what is to be done. It is important that we employ all the sanctified talent within our reach, for evangelizing these cities and villages.' 7 Writing six months subsequent to this, he says — " The word of grace is still onward. Several have been baptized within a few weeks, and among them one Chun, the first Christian of his race. Another Chun is a candidate for baptism. The Yoma moun- tains are inhabited by this people for hundreds of miles. They are evidently a branch of the great Karen family. Our congregation on the Sabbath varies from one 262 Kincaid : hundred and fifty to two hundred. The church is preparing to build a good teak chapel during the coming dry season. They are subscribing liberally for the purpose. Our Karen field is large to the northeast and south- east ; and the spirit of inquiry is increasing. We have baptized over forty Karens, and are instructing eight for teaching schools in the villages, and two for assistants more particularly. Karen chiefs are often coming in and asking for school-teachers : but we have only one man who can read his own language. We hope to have ten more soon. There is a wide spirit of inquiry among this people, and the coming cold season I intend visiting two or three scores of their villages. We have disciples now in four cities between this and Ava." But this religious prosperity was not confined to Prome. In every direction the influence of the gos- pel was spreading, and converts were multiplied in all the adjacent towns and villages. That which gave special and preeminent interest, however, to the work of grace at Prome, was that it included an unusual number of Burmans. Thus while the aggre- gate of baptisms at the close of the year was one hun- dred and sixty-one, more than one hundred were re- ported as Burmans. " Full many a day in faith and prayer Where heathen feet have trod, The Hero Missionary. 263 Thou'st labored with a fathers care To point their souls to God. And what joy thy spirit felt, When at the Saviour's feet, "With thee the anxious heathen knelt, God's mercy to entreat ; Or when beneath the yielding wavo Of Irrawaddy's tide, Burmah's dark sons allegiance gave To Him, the crucified. Go on, dear servant of the Lord, And still his love proclaim. Till Burmans all may read his Word, And praise his holy name." 264 Kincaid CHAPTER XXII. IN FAVOR WITH THE KING. " Seest thou a man diligent in his business ? he shall stand before kings." Prov. xxii. 59. " Let us then, be up and doing, With a heart for any fate ; Still achieving, still pursuing, Learn to labor and to wait." Though Ava was the field to which Mr. Kincaid had been specially designated, various circumstances conspired to delay his going thither, and, while wait- ing for a favorable opening, he had been led, as we have seen, to devote himself to missionary labors in Rangoon and Prome. During the month of Septem- ber, 1855, however, he was called upon by a messen- ger from the king and heir-apparent to ascertain when he intended to make his visit to the Royal City. Subsequently he received repeated messages from the court, which had now been removed to Ummerapoora, offering boats and men to take him and his family up, and also to furnish him with a house. Encouraged by this indication of good feel- The Hero Missionary, 265 ing on the part of his majesty, Mr. Kincaid, in com- pany with Dr. Dawson, decided to make an experi mental visit to the Capital in the early part of the ensuing year, — this time being selected in view of the fact that they wonld then meet the Chinese and Shan caravans, and thereby have an opportunity of sending books widely over the northern and eastern provinces. The journey to the Capital was begun on the 24th of March and accomplished on the 11th of April, some time having been spent on the way in visiting the most important villages and towns. Ummera- poora is situated a short distance above Ava, con- taining a population of 300,000 souls, and may be re- garded, perhaps, as one of the finest cities in the Empire. The streets are broad and clean, and some of them are five or six miles long. On the north side of the city is a beautiful lake, and the cocoanut tamarind, mango and other trees, are to be seen in abundance. One of the first things Mr. Kincaid did after get- ting his things out of the boat, was to dispatch the two native assistants, Ko En and Moung Pau-te, to seek out the members of "the little church which was formerly in Ava. After a search of more than half a day, they found one individual, by the name of Ko Shway-nee, — and no language could express the feel- ings excited both ir him and his teacher at again 12 266 Kincaid meeting. " Amid all the trials and struggles/' says Dr. Dawson, " to which he had been exposed, during the long period of seventeen years, his faith and hope as a Christian have remained unshaken. Many a bitter blast of temptation, of persecution and of worldly scorn has swept over his soul, and in the loneliness of his lot he supposed that God had for- saken him. But, casting away all fear, he has fought the good fight of faith and remained steadfast in Christ. When he heard that teacher Kincaid had arrived, his heart was filled with gladness, and down ^iis furrowed cheeks flowed tears of joy ! Of the old members of the Ava church, three of the venerable and aged had gone to their home in heaven. Others had left the city and settled elsewhere. A brother of Ko Shway-nee's wife had for a long period been an inquirer, and by gradually receiving instruction from his relative and looking to the Saviour for guid- ance, he finally settled down in the conviction that he was a Christian. His case was particularly inter- esting, inasmuch as it showed that God sometimes honors a very humble instrument to convert the heart of an unlettered Burman. This man proposes to accompany us down the river to Prome, where he wishes to be baptized. We rejoice in this first trophy of redeeming grace which has now become known to us, in the golden city of Ummerapoora." At first considerable effort was made on the part The Hero Missionary. 267 of a Jesuit priest and some of the officers to awaken prejudice in the king's mind against the missionaries, but all their devices signally failed, and in a few days they were sent for to go up to the palace. " To at- tempt any description of this magnificent establish- ment," says Dr. Dawson, " would require more time and space than I am now able to give it. It will suffice to say that it is built almost entirely of teak wood, lacquered, carved and gilded in a manner to make it an exceedingly imposing structure in the eyes of a stranger. Over the throne-room projects a spire, at once gorgeous and attractive. The height of it is probably about two hundred feet. The wings of the main building represent the figure of a cross. Next to it is the treasury, containing the crown- jewels ; back of it is the garden ; on one side is the royal tower, surmounted by a cupola ; farther on is the royal stud, and at its side stands the palace of the ' white elephant.' Within the same enclosure are the arsenal and sheds for a great many guns. In front is a spacious building, constructed in the same style as the palace, known and occupied as the king's court. Here sit the woongees, or ministers of state, hearing and deciding cases, and administering laws which affect the entire kingdom. Surrounding the whole establishment are three walls, the outermost being a wooden palisade ; the others are of brick. Our first interview was with two of the At-wen- 268 Kirvoaid: woons, or privy councillors, to whose private office we were led by Mr. Anthony Camarata, the collector of government customs. These functionaries re- ceived us with much friendliness, bade us sit down on the floor, and inquired into our business with the king. Mr. Kincaid mentioned that he lived in Ava during the reign of Noung-dau-pra, and left the capi- tal soon after the accession to the throne of Thur-ra- wadi. We had now come simply to pay our respects to his Majesty, and to ascertain whether we might come up hereafter, and take up our abode near the * golden feet.' Several other inquiries were then made of both of us, as to our particular professions, the kinds and cures of different diseases, surgical operations on tumors, on the limbs, and on the eyes ; and other things pertaining to medicine. Appearing rather pleased, the two privy councillors rose, and, after adjusting their dress, said they would go up into the palace to see whether the king was at leisure, and requested us to remain for the present where we were. A crowd of people that thronged the office now broke away, and the officials passed out. At half-past twelve, the collector called for us, re- • marking that the king was unengaged. Dropping our shoes at the bottom of the steps, we walked up, and were at once ushered into the royal presence. His Majesty, the king of Burmah, was now before us! The Hero Missionary. 269 His age is about forty-one ; his height is five feet seven inches. He is full and fleshy, without being- fat, has a large, well developed head, particularly in the frontal region, and a noble brow. His counte- nance is pleasing, expressive of a thoughtful mind, cheerful temper and benevolent heart. He wore a rich silk ' patso' round his waist, but he had neither jacket nor head dress. His long black hair was roll- ed up into a knot at the top of his head. His features and complexion are of the ordinary Burman type. Seating ourselves on the floor, as did everybody except His Majesty, and throwing our feet back into a most awkward and painful posture, with our hands upraised, we made our bow in the usual fashion ob^ served at this court. The king nodded, as indicative of recognition. About thirty persons were in the chamber, who sat around in a semi-circle, and four sword-bearers, with their swords before them. The monarch was seated on a crimson velvet carpet, fringed with silk, and spread out on the elevated floor of the adjoining, but open apartment. A bol- ster reposed against one -of the gilded posts of the room, against which the king reclined as he saw fit. "We were formally introduced by the privy council- lors as two American sayahs, (teachers,) one of whom (pointing to me) has some knowledge of medicine. His Majesty opened the conversation by inquiring our object in coming to the capital. Fearing some 270 Kincaid: impropriety in the expression of court terms and mode of address — words which are seldom or never pronounced in free America — we replied, mostly though not entirely, through Mr. Collector Camarata, that we had come up to present our respects to the king, and to get his authority to move up to the capi- tal by-and-by with our families. He asked what we proposed doing ? Our answer was, ' To instruct the people, to have a school for children, and to open a medical dispensary for the sick and suffering.' He then inquired how far America is from Burmah, how *ong it takes sailing vessels and steamers to make the passage out, the geographical situation of the conti- nent of America, of Europe, and of various countries. He next spoke about the political relations existing between France and the United States, between France and England, and between England and America. Had England and America ever been at war ? ' Yes, twice.' ' TThat was the result of those wars V We replied, ' The American people got what they wanted. The first war obtained for them their independence ; the second procured for them justice in regard to their commerce on the seas.' ' Have you a king in America, or what form of government have you there?' 'The government of the United States is a republic, — all the officers being elected by the people. The president, or chief magistrate, is elected every four years.' He shook his head, when The Hero Missionary. 271 told that the president is so frequently changed, and remarked that it was not a wise arrangement. He wished for information about the war now in progress with Russia, and the views entertained concerning it in the United States, — ' because/ said he, { not being mixed up in it, they would speak the truth. 7 He next asked, whether our coming up to his capital, and residing in it, would affect our political relations with our own government, or our right of citizenship in the United States. ' Not in the slightest,' we re- plied. He then inquired, ' Whether, if he wished us to go — one or both of us — to America upon his busi- ness, we would be willing to do so.' We answered that if his Majesty urged us to proceed to the United States on any important national business, for a short season, we could hardly refuse : that we would of course go ; but we hoped the king might have no reason for such a step. He now repeated his question about the object of our visit to Ummerapoora, intimating somewhat pleasantly, that merchants, he knew, wished to acquire property and riches, — that scientific travelers passed through the country to observe its formation, and to notice curious and striking natural phenomena ; there are others, whose design is not quite so clear, or cre- ditable. By the latter class he evidently meant to say ' spies' — whose object is disreputable. This was the hardest remark that he made, and we could not 272 Kincaid : fail to allow the credit of it to the wily Jesuit. We answered as before. ' But/ continued the king, 'Bur- mese children do not desire to study English.' We replied, that we never intended to teach them Eng- lish ; that there were a few foreigners' children who might wish to study it, but the Burmese ought to be taught knowledge ; and there was a great deal of use- ful knowledge to learn. He then wanted to know when we would come up. We informed his Majesty that we could not leave our present stations at Prome and Rangoon, before other men from America should come to take our places. We hoped it would not be long, and that we should certainly, if Providence per- mitted, return again, at least to remain for a short period, during the next cold season. Turning to his officers on the opposite side, he observed, ' The white races are generally learned people ; they are fond of books.' The king now spoke about commerce, and said that he wished to encourage trade as much as possible. He requested us to write to the newspapers in Ame- rica, and to inform our fellow-citizens, that he would do every thing in his power to promote trade. He hoped merchants would come and settle in his king- dom, that he would afford them every opportunity to obtain riches. We promised that we would make known his Majesty's sentiments. Mr. Kincaid offered to send him regularly the ' New York Weekly Tri- The Hero Missionary? 273 bune/ There are foreigners here who can translate it for him. ' He would be glad to see it, for/ said he, 1 we can rely on it for particulars about the Russian war/ His attention was next directed to a ' free-will offer- ing' of books, which we had taken for the king's ac- ceptance. He inquired what they were ? We told him, calling out the names, — the ' Historical Instruc- tor/ translated into Burmese by Mr. Stevens, for the government schools at Maulmain ; a copy of Mr. Stil- son's arithmetic in Burmese ; a work by the same au- thor on geometry, also in Burmese ; — a little book on 1 Human Anatomy/ translated by Mrs. Bennett, — and a richly bound copy of the Bible in Burmese. Speak- ing about books, he advised us to give no tracts or books to the Burmese ; it would, he thought, be labor in vain. Some observations were now made respect- ing Burmese books, when the king remarked, that no man could read them all, they were so numerous, and not one in fifteen thousand could comprehend half of what he did read. His grand uncle, who was the most learned man in the empire, the celebrated Mek- ara prince, had read all the Burmese sacred books but one ; though a most devoted student, he could not accomplish so great a task. Our interview had now lasted nearly two hours, - when his Majesty rose, and throwing his arms across his chest, and looking towards us, he said, { If you 12* 274 Kincaid : have any feelings of regard for me, — in short, if you love me, come soon, came soon, and I will pay all your expenses/ He then turned, and retired into his pri- vate chamber. Immediately the officers gathered round to look at the books ; but they had scarcely opened them, when a lad came out and said, ' The king has sent for the books.' Before leaving the palace, we were informed that the king was engaged in reading them. /V After remaining at the capital about a week, they returned to their homes at Pronie and Rangoon, greatly encouraged with the prospect of reestablishing the Ava mission, and rejoicing that the time had come when the gospel might be carried without hindrance to all the cities and towns of Burmah. On the 2-ith of January, 1856, accompanied by their families, Messrs. Kincaid and Dawson again left Prome, on a second visit to the capital, where they arrived after a passage of twenty-five days. They were again received by the king in the most friendly manner, and strongly urged by him to take up their abode in the royal city. At their first interview with the king's brother he proposed committing to the care of Mr. Kincaid ten or a dozen young men, selected from some of the first families, to be taken to America for the purpose of acquiring an education in the higher branches of mechanical science ; subsequently, however, it was thought best to abandon this scheme, The Hero Missionary. 275 and substitute a literary course at the "Doreton Col- lege," Calcutta. But while that subject was engaging the thoughts of his royal highness, the king's mind was occupied with the project of despatching an official embassy to the government of the United States. For this service his Majesty was pleased to select Mr. Kincaid, engaging to pay all the expenses of the overland pas- sage and back to Burmah. After some hesitation, Mr. Kincaid consented to the arrangement, and, a council of State having been held to consider the matter, a royal letter was at once prepared, and com- mitted to the hands of Mr. Kincaid to be borne to the government at Washington. In taking their leave of the court, Mr. Kincaid and Dr. Dawson were each presented with a silk patso, a ring, and a drinking cup, as marks of personal favor from his Majesty ; while Mrs. Kincaid and Mrs. Daw- son and the children were introduced to the queen and ladies at the palace, and were received with much cordiality. They gave a copy of the Burmese Bible to her Majesty, which was graciously and gladly ac- cepted. 276 Kincaid CHAPTER XXIII. ON THE KING'S BUSINESS. " I rose tip and did the king's business." — Dan. viii. 27. u Down the dark future, through long generations, The sounds of war grow fainter, and then-cease ; And like a bell with solemn, sweet vibrations, I hear once more the voice of Christ say ' Peace.' Peace ! and no longer from its brazen portals, The blast of war's great organ shakes the skies : But beautiful as songs of the immortals, The holy melodies of love arise." Having consented to further the king's wishes with reference to the opening of friendly and commercial intercourse with the United States, Mr. Kincaid be- gan at once to make his arrangements for another hasty visit to America. The opportunity of thus serving his Majesty was the more cheerfully embraced from the fact that the precarious state of Mrs. Kin- caid's health seemed, again, imperatively to demand a change of climate. But for this consideration, his duty to the interests of the Mission would have been regarded as altogether too sacred to be neglected merely for the performance of a service not likely to .•••l.iTnffl TJie Hero Missionary. 277 result in any practical importance. Hoping, how- ever, that a visit to his native land would restore his companion to her wonted health, he was induced to accept the king's appointment ; and, accordingly, accompanied by his family, he left Rangoon, and was again on his way to America. Shortly after his arrival here, he proceeded to Washington, and delivered into the hands of the Pre- sident the Royal letter with which he had been in- trusted, and of which the following is a literal transla- tion. It was sealed with the king's seal, and inclosed in an elegant ivory box, lined with crimson velvet. " His Majesty, whose glory is like the rising sun, ruling over the kingdoms of Tho-na-pa-yon-te, Yon- pa-de-pa, and all the eastern principalities, whose chiefs walk under golden umbrellas — Lord of Saddan, the King of Elephants, and Lord of many white Ele- phants — whose descent is from the royal race of Alompra, — also the great Lords and officers of State, ever bowing before his Majesty, as water lilies around the throne, to direct and superintend the affairs of the Empire — Send salutations to the President and great officers of State residing in the city of Washington, and ruling over many great countries in the continent of America. His Majesty, whose shadow, like that of his royal 278 Kincaid race, falls over the entire kingdom, desires to govern so as to promote wise and useful regulations, such as the greatest of rulers has ever made it his study to accomplish. His Majesty is aware that it has always been the custom of great rulers to be on terms of friendship with other nations, and to pursue measures tending to perpetual amity. As the American Teacher, Rev. E. Kincaid, has come to the royal city, without hindrance, and he has permission to go in and out of the Palace when he pleases, and has permission to look on the royal coun- tenance, he will be able to address the President of the United States, and the great officers, on all sub- jects pertaining to the government and kingdom of Burmah. Should this royal kingdom and the great country of America form a friendly intercourse, there is on our part the desire that the two great countries through all coming generations may cultivate friendly relations — and that the merchants and common peo- ple and all classes may be greatly benefitted. Foi this purpose this royal letter is committed to Mr. Kincaid. Should he be charged with a letter from the President and great officers of State, to bring to the royal city of Ava, for his Majesty and the court, and should the President and great officers say, Let the two countries be on terms of friendship, and that our children and grand-children, and all merchants and the common people, may through all generations The Hero Missionary. 279 reap great advantage — should such a message come, it will be heard with great pleasure." To this letter the President prepared a respectful and appropriate reply, committing the same, with a large number of valuable national publications, to the care of Mr. Kincaid, to be delivered to the king. The duties connected with this civil service were soon and easily accomplished. There were other matters, however, of an ecclesiastical character, which demanded his attention, and which were not so easily adjusted. For a number of years serious difficulties had been known to exist between some of the Executive Com- mittee, at Boston, and a large number of the Mission- aries. These difficulties had now become so involved as to require a full and clear statement of all the facts in order that the integrity and honor of brethren in the foreign field might be vindicated. As one of their number — bound to each by strong fraternal ties, and familiar with all the points involved in the several cases — Mr. Kincaid came forward and stood nobly for their defence. In his earnest vindication, as published* will be found the principles for which Mr. Kincaid contend- ed, as well as the motives which prompted him to * This vindication appeared originally in the form of letters in the columns of The American Baptist and Christian Chronicle. These letters were subse- quently issued in the form of a pamphlet. 280 Kincaid: take so conspicuous a part in this vexed and still un- settled controversy. Let it here suffice to say, that the views set forth in that vindication, were not reached in haste, nor were they advanced in a retaliative spirit of contro- versy. From the beginning of his missionary life he had boldly contended with all his prominent associ- ates in labor, that the relationship subsisting between God's ambassadors who are sent to the foreign field, and the religious organization through which they derive their support, is not that of "principal and agent, employers and employed ;" but strictly one of " brotherly equality" a relationship requiring them to look upon each other as fellow-laborers in the gospel. Hence, when the claim was officially put forth that " the authority of the Board is absolute" and when that authority, through the Executive Committee, issued instructions demanding " acquiescence" — under the claim of an "absolute" power — a power never conceded by the missionaries, and which they could not com- ply with except at the costly sacrifice of their indivi- dual responsibility, — Mr. Kincaid felt himself bound to protest against such usurped authority, claiming for himself and for his brethren the right of "recipro- cal direction" and contending that no change should be made by either party without " the consent of the other." In advocating this principle, Mr. Kincaid was led The Hero Missionary. 281 to speak of particular instances in which he beleived it had been openly violated. Alluding for instance, to the case of Mr. Yinton, who was regarded as re- fractory, in having without authority removed from Maulmain to Eangoon, Mr. Kincaid, after fully ex- plaining the circumstances which led to that impor- tant change, concludes by saying — " Did ' Mr. Yinton go to Rangoon on his own responsibility V One thou- sand Karen Christians called him to * come over and help them.' Humanity with imploring voice called him ; above all, the Providence of God, in clear and distinct language, called him to the work. Dare he sit still, and say to these suffering Karens, and to weeping humanity, and above all to the Providence of God, ' Let me first go and obtain permission from those who claim dictatorial power over me V Dare he so insult the Providence of God, and mock the entreaties of God's suffering people ? Shall he say that he is a hireling and careth not for the torn and scattered flock ? Did ' Mr. Yinton go to Rangoon on his own responsibility V Shame, shame on such gross and fabulous statements. Never, since the day that Paul was called into Macedonia, has there been a clearer case of duty to go in the name of Christ. Had it been my case, under similar circumstances, no op- position on the part of man would have been regarded as of the slightest moment. I should have brushed them as cobwebs from my path. What power is that 282 Rincaid : which thrusts itself between the ambassador of Christ in a heathen land, and the God of missions ? "What power is that which claims to keep the consciences of men who are planting churches on heathen shores?" To the exercise of this power, claiming the right to give direction, but resisted by several devoted and successful missionaries, Mr. Kincaid ascribes all the difficulty which has for years disturbed our missionary operations. It is this, he contends, that has subjected them to the grave charge of " disregarding regula- tions" and " setting at naught instructions"; and im- pressed with the danger and evil consequent upon such an assumption of power, he says — " The cry of 1 insubordination/ ' disregard of regulations/ ' setting at naught instructions/ is the cry of desperation. — Oppression has caused a revolt, not against regula- tions, but against outrage and wrong. Regulations are never knowingly disregarded. Oppression arouses, in self-defense, all but abject slaves." And then he adds — " Let any man or set of men be armed with dictatorial power, and there may be the exhibition of a strong government, to carry any measure, however unwise, to silence every murmur, however reasonable, and to crush all opposition, however just, as Louis Napoleon put France under his feet. Let every sub- ject of importance be thoroughly ventilated and sifted. Let discussion, untrammeled by threats, be invited. Let all the aids of testimony, and the lights of expe- The Hero Missionary, 283 rience and history be invoked. Let opinion grapple with opinion. This will be the most precious guar- anty for the avoidance of evil, the security of sacred rights, and the preservation of truth. If infallibility is ascribed to one set of men, in such a sense as to require all their official acts to be sanctioned without examination, then a principle has been adopted ab- horrent to Protestant Christianity." The fearless avowal of sentiments like these had the effect, of course, to awaken, in some quarters, no little opposition, and not a few were disposed to re- gard their utterance in the light of a crime worthy to be treated as ecclesiastical treason. But neither fear nor favor could for a moment influence him to with- hold the declaration of his honest convictions ; and, with the same frankness and manliness which has marked his whole life, he has not hesitated to speak what he believed to be the truth, nor shunned the responsibility assumed in resisting what he has felt to be an encroachment on the Christian liberty of himself and his missionary brethren. As on his two former visits to America, Mr. Kin- caid's earnest addresses were everywhere listened to with the deepest interest, and his moving appeals in behalf of the perishing heathen never failed to meet with a cheerful and liberal response. But in addition to the service rendered to the general cause of mis- sions, he was successful, through the voluntary con- 284 Kincaid : iributions made at the close of his last public efforts in Philadelphia and New- York, in raising a fund of about a thousand dollars, which was judiciously ex- pended in the purchase of a large assortment of edu- cational works, and also of a number of astronomical instruments for the use of the Karen schools at Rangoon. milxiTffl The Hero Missionary. 285 CHAPTER XXIY. OVERLAND TO BURlfAH. ' Behold, the third time I am ready to come unto you ; and I 'will not bo rurdensome to you : for I seek not yours, but you." — 2 Cor. xii. 14. " Burmah ! shrouded in tho pall Of error's dreadful right ! For wings — for wings once more to bear To thy dark shores the light." On the second day of August, 1857, Mr. Kincaid, .eaving his family behind him, again set out for Bur- mah. With the view of visiting Mrs. Kincaid's rela- tives in Scotland, he embarked for Glasgow, arriving there after a pleasant passage of fifteen days from New- York. Between four and five weeks were pro- fitably spent in journeying through Scotland and England, and in both countries he received a most cordial welcome, and was frequently called upon to address very large assemblies on the subject of missions. While in London, Mr. Kincaid embraced an oppor- tunity of hearing the Rev. C. H. Spurgeon, at Surrey Garden, and the following extract from a letter, ad- 286 Kincaid dressed to the Rev. N. Brown, D. D., will convey to the reader his impressions of that remarkable preacher, and, also, his views of church music — a topic at the present time exciting no little interest. " The great edifice," he says, " with its three galle- ries, one above the other, and running round the entire building, was crowded to its utmost capacity. The sermon was plain, deeply practical, and deliver- ed with an earnestness and pathos that held that vast assembly so still, that it seemed as if each one held in his breath. He drew such a picture of man's moral helplessness, and God's amazing grace and power to save, and pointed out so clearly man's utter ruin, and the revealed arm of Jehovah to save the penitent, that he certainly washed his hands of the blood of souls. The singing was almost overpower- ing. When that ocean of people rose and sung, ' Grace, 'tis a charming sound,' it seemed as if the windows of heaven were opened. This seemed like worshiping God, like making melody in the heart unto the Lord. How unlike this is an organ and a choir, making music for a sitting, silent congregation. To me it seems anti-christian. The noblest and most heavenly part of divine worship is handed over to a machine and a few hirelings. Why not hand over the praying to a few hirelings ? It is time to amend our ways, and come back to the simplicity of the gospel." TJie Hero Missionary. 287 Upon leaving England, Mr. Kincaid took what is known as the Overland, or Mail Route, to Calcutta, and some account of this passage, abounding as it does with information and incident, is here transfer- red from his journal : Southampton, Oct. 20. — After breakfast I came on board the Indus. Every cabin is full, and at Malta we are to take on board two hundred or two hundred and fifty soldiers. We have passengers for Malta, Alexandria, Bombay, Ceylon, Madras, Calcutta, Bur- mah, Penang, and China. There are about thirty ladies, and all the rest officers and civilians. Lord Dalhousie with his two daughters are going to Malta to spend the winter. He recognized me as soon as I came on board, invited me to sit down, and we had a long conversation. He had learned long since that I had been to Ava, and that the king had been very cordial. Captain Maxwell, from Prome, is on board ; he was engineer under Forlong. Several other offi- cers have come up and called me byname. Some of them knew me in Rangoon, and others in Prome and Thayet. Oct. 21. — Early this morning the mail steamer from Alexandria passed us. We have had a strong wind all day, with some rain ; not more than half the pas- sengers were at breakfast, and about the same at din- ner. We are in the middle of the Bay of Biscay, and the sea is high. 288 Kincaid Oct 22. — Still in the Bay of Biscay. The weather is fine, but the sea is high. Only two ladies out at breakfast, and about half the gentlemen. There are four in my saloon, a room twelve feet square, and a table in the centre. Very comfortable. Then we have a small room adjoining, with a table and two couches. There are four rooms, with twenty passen- gers, all officers and surgeons but myself, and this saloon is for our exclusive use. The dining saloon above us is ninety feet long, and has two tables the entire length, and still there is not room for all the cabin passengers. We have tea or coffee at six in the morning, breakfast at nine, tiffin at twelve, dinner at four, and tea at eight. My health is excellent, and I am able to read and write all the time. Just now there is a heavy, rolling sea, and it is not very easy writing. By morning we shall be on the coast of Spain, and escape this heavy swell. Oct. 23. — This morning at nine we were on the coast of Portugal. A lofty range of mountains are in full view. We do not stop at any port in Portugal. The wind is strong from the land, and is cold. There is but little sea, and the sun shines through a pale, nazy atmosphere. Oct. 24. — This morning we are close in shore, about one mile distant, and are passing the mouth of the Tagus. About twenty miles up is Lisbon, the capital }f Portugal. There is a fine, broad entrance, and AAxlAllirf The Hero Missionary. 289 beautiful high, hills on each side. Four ships are just coming* out to sea. One old castle is in sight, which was formerly used as a summer palace. Lord's Day, Oct. 25. — This morning about ten, we were entering the Straits of Gibraltar. First we passed Cadiz, only two or three miles to the west, and soon the high coast of Africa rose gradually on the east. At eleven o'clock we had public worship, conducted by an Episcopalian clergyman. He did not attempt to preach, only read the service. At two o'clock we had the coast of Africa and of Europe close to us. Tangier is the largest sea-port of Mo- rocco, the kingdom of the Moors, who once governed nearly all Spain. At half-past three we came to an- chor in the bay of Gibraltar, about half a mile from the vast rock, which is supposed to be the strongest fortress in the world. The town is more than a mile long, and now in the evening, lighted up with gas, looks extremely well. The rock is so abrupt that the streets and houses can all be seen, one above the other. Yast excavations are made in the solid rock at different heights, where batteries of the largest sized guns are placed so as to sweep, with a whirl- wind of balls, shot and shell, the whole bay and the low sand plain which connects it to the Spanish main- head on the north-east side. The town has a popu- lation of seventy thousand, who are nearly all Span- iards and Maltese. On the Spanish side are three 13 290 Kincaid : small towns in sight, built of stone, which look very pretty among the distant hills. A few miles below Gibraltar is the narrowest part of the straits, where Europe and Africa come within eight or nine miles of each other. We stop here six or seven hours to take in coal, and put off the mail. Oct. 26. — This morning about eight, the snowy mountains of Sierra Nevada stood out in awful gran- deur. They are said to be 12,000 feet high. The snowy ridges glisten in the sun beautifully. I should not think we were more than twenty miles distant from the coast of Spain. The coast of Africa is not in sight. Algiers is not far distant. This afternoon we are nearly opposite Carthagena. Oct. 27. — On getting up this morning I found we were close to the African coast. Low ridges near the water, and then a succession of higher and still higher ridges back. Often we appear to be only two or three miles from the shore. Here and there smoke is curling up among the hills, and groups of cottages are seen, and now and then boats in the bays. A little after noon we pass the bay of Algiers, but so intercepted by hills that the city is now visible. The country along here for several hundred miles is now governed by France. Algiers is the capital, and a large sea-port. The country joins Morocco on the south. For many generations Algiers was the great- est place for pirates in the world, and thousands of laIuuIV The Hero Missionary. 291 Europeans and Americans were captured, held in slavery, and made to work in irons. Popery and Mohammedanism have been the curse of this country. Before and after the Christian era, it was one of the most enlightened and prosperous countries in the world. A pure Christianity spread over all the coast of Africa, bordering upon the Mediterranean, but Popish dogmas gradually extinguished the light. Schools were declared to be a curse ; ignorance, superstition and priest-craft following in rapid suc- cession. Ten o'clock, P. M. — We are now getting near the countries where Paul and his fellow-laborers toiled and suffered. What a burning shame that our mis- sions in Greece, and France, and Africa, have been abandoned. Did we conduct missions in harmony with the spirit and genius of the gospel, the windows of heaven would be opened, and the churches at home would be like an army with banners. As it is now, we can expect little of the divine favor. Oct. 28. — This morning we were still near the coast of Africa, and the sea for two days and nights has been as smooth as a pond. About sundown we were leaving the coast, and at ten in the evening we pass- ed close under the island of Geta, two or three miles long, and having three or four islands much smaller near by. They are said to be of volcanic origin. The weather is becoming warm, and very fine ; a E\:::c.-J . gentle breeze from the African coast, bnt only a rip- ple on the water. Oct. '29. — T >morrow morning early we expect to be at Malta, and there will be bnt little time for writ- ing. I will dispatch this from that island, and wi again from Alexandria. At times a feeling of sad: and gloom comes over me. bnt it does not last long. The promises of God are precious, and in every exi- gency he will be a present help. Evening. — About three o'clock we passed cl< nnder an island called Pontenella. It is some thir- teen or fonrteen miles long, of considerable breadth, and is cultivated like a garden, almost entirely with grapes. It is the penal settlement of Xaples. King Bomba sends all his state prisoners here. It is [ yaed the larger part of the convicts are among the best men of the State. A 12 ore cruel, brutal despot^ ism does not exist probably in the world. MdUot Oct. BO. — I have spent seven hours on shore. Viletta is the name of the town, built entirely of cream-colore 3 sandstone. The stree:- are extremely narrow, many of them not more than ten or tw feet broad, and most of them are named after some saint, from the Roman calendar. The buildings are from three to four stories high : the population is about twenty thousand. The language is Arabic, somewhat modified and mixed up with Italian. There is a harbor on each s::~^ :: :Lr : is r^arlv The Hi ff. 293 surrounded by water, so that it is almost an island. It is a vast rock, rising many feet above the water. and above this rises a high wall of hewn stone, brist- ling in every direction with large gnns. It is per- haps the strongest place in the world, after Gibraltar. St. John's church, built by the Knights of Malt the most remarkable edifice on the island. The roof is one vast arch of hewn stone, and entirely covered with paintings, intended to illustrate many even: Scripture history. The walls also are covered with similar paintings. The great altar in the centre transept is a masterly work ; it is built of onyx and agate, topaz and lazuli. Behind the altar is a sculp- ture, as large as life, of Christ and John the Baptist, made from one piece of marble. John the Baptist is represented as pouring water from a large shell, on the head of Christ. There are several small chapels at right-angles with the main building, and all con- nected by a lofty arched way. All have their altars, sculptures, paintings, candlesticks and candles. All the candlesticks are of silver, and in the main build- ing, before the high altar, they are about six feet high. The floor is made of sepulchral marble ak with various figures inlaid in mosaic work, in every variety of marble. It is the most remarkable build- ing of the kind I have ever seen. It was built by the knights in the feudal ages, and is a monument of the darkness and superstition of those ages. 294 The Hero Missionary. Alexandria, Nov. 2. — All last night we had on only half steam power, as we should reach the harbor be- fore morning, bnt could not enter, as the channel is intricate. I was up by the earliest dawn. At first onlv a light from a loftv tower was seen, soon the faint outline of the coast became visible, next the palace buildings of the Pasha, on a point of land near the light-house tower. Soon the sun rose from the ocean and revealed the Nile, the city, the harbor crowded with ships, the forts bristling with guns, and several large men-of-war, and innumerable wind-mills along the coast as far as the eye could reach. In the distance Cleopatra's Needle, and a little farther in- land Pompey's Pillar. After we entered the harbor we had a near view of many objects of interest. The anchor was no sooner down than large boats, rilled with Egyptians and Abyssinians, came on each side of the ship, and began at once to carry off the bag- gage. Over these laborers were several grave, gen- tlemanly Turks and Arabs, neatly and even richly dressed. These men took an account of all the bag- gage of the passengers, and all the cases of military stores. After breakfast, the passengers took boats and went on shore, about one mile, and repaired at once to the office, and obtained tickets for transit through Egypt, across the desert to the Red Sea. About 11 A. M., the cars started, a very long train. The road for forty mil *s runs along the Tiletta branch The Hero Missionary. 295 of the Nile. Here we crossed that branch, and what seemed to be a section of the bridge, worked by steam. Soon after crossing we entered a town of considerable size, where we had dinner, furnished by the Transit Company. After an hour we started off again, and every five or six miles passed through large villages or towns. The country is a dead level. Camels are seen in every direction ; they are used for irrigating the land and also for carrying the pro- duce to market. Every town, and almost every village is surround- ed by a wall made of bricks. All the buildings of the common people are made of sun-dried bricks, and only eight or ten feet square, many of them much smaller, and often made in the . form of a bee-hive, with a small entrance. The land appears to be ex- tremely fertile. The buffalo, such as we see in Bur- mah, is extensively employed in farming, but they are much smaller. Donkeys are used for riding, and even for carrying loads. Frequently I saw a camel and a buffalo yoked together ploughing. I saw vast fields of Indian corn, but it seems to be sown and not planted, and is small. The wheat harvest, and also that of peas and beans, is passed long since. Oranges, sweet limes, and pomegranates are in season. The pomegranates are three or four times larger than I ever saw in India, but the oranges are inferior. Cab- bages and potatoes are abundant, but inferior in 296 Kincaid quality. Turks, Arabs, Greeks, and Armenians ap- pear to be the great men, and to hold all the offices. The Egyptians and Copts are the laboring classes, and are in the lowest condition of servitude. There are also multitudes of Arabs and Abyssinians equally degraded. The distance between the high and low classes in Egypt is vastly greater than in Burmah, or even in Bengal. At 7 P. M. we entered Cairo, but many miles before reaching the city, we saw the far- famed pyramids, that is, the four within the neigh- borhood of Cairo. They are about four hundred feet high. From the sea-shore up to Cairo there are very few trees, except date trees, and these appear to be only twenty-five or thirty feet high. Cairo, Nov. 3. — There are three hotels in the city, and they were nearly full when we arrived. The steamers from Calcutta, Bombay, and Australia, had come in to Suez, and all the passengers, or nearly all, had crossed the desert, and filled the hotels. Large numbers of us had to sleep on couches and benches — some on the floor ; and all the floors in Egypt are flag-stones, and rarely even covered with mats. About 9 P. M. we had supper, and then many of us took a walk through several streets. The atmos- phere is wonderfully clear, and the moon rose beau- tifully, almost light enough to read any print. I slept on a couch without a pillow or a blanket, but my Scotch plaid did me good service, for it became The Hero Missionary. 297 cold before morning. Before sunrise scores of Arabs, with donkeys saddled, filled the whole space around the hotel. A very large number of the passengers took each a donkey and rode off to see the bazaars, the citadel, palace, and Pasha's Mosque. It was ludicrous enough to see the large, tall officers mount- ed on those little animals, not much larger than some of the goats I have seen in India. The fortress or citadel stands on a hill some two hundred feet above the town, and the view from its ramparts enables one to see the great desert on each side of the Nile. Ex- cept the narrow valley watered by the Nile and the canals, all is desolation, as far as the eye can reach. I went all over the mosque and the palace. They are built of Egyptian marble, unlike anything we ever see in America or England. The bazaars are much as we see them in Calcutta, only they are built of stone, and the second and third stairs jut out so that only a small opening is left for light to come into the narrow street below. At every step almost I met long lines of camels loaded with every conceiva- ble article of use or of merchandize. Great numbers were loaded with building stone, and I should think each one carried five hundred pounds weight. They lie down like an elephant, to be loaded and unloaded, and I should think they were equally strong and do- cile as elephants. Carts and oxen are not used. I saw officials, Turks and Arabs, riding in English car- 13* 298 Kincaid riages with five horses and showy harness. There are a considerable number of costly buildings, but the gr,eat mass are low, dirty, miserable abodes. I saw one school of about forty boys. The oifly light and air came through the doorway ; the boys appear- ed to be from eight to fourteen years old. Old mats and gunny bags spread on the stone floor, made their seats. They all sat cross-legged on their mats, each one with a small coarse paper manuscript containing a few passages from the Koran. Simultaneously they all read in a peculiar sing-song tone, all as if by machinery heaved their bodies backwards and for- wards, their heads nearly touching their books. Is- lanism appears to be all that is taught, and fanaticism of the worst character is fostered. The moral and intellectual condition of Egypt is as low perhaps as it can be. An iron despotism is everywhere visible. Absolute power, unmodified by any public opinion, has crushed out all sense of manliness ; beings made only a little lower than the angels are converted into mere animals, like beasts of burden. The curse of heaven rests upon this land. Suez, Nov. 5. — I reached this place last evening about midnight, and am in the only hotel in town. — The waters of the Eed Sea wash the stone steps on the eastern side. Back of the hotel lies the town, surrounded by a stone wall— one of the dirtiest and most miserable looking towns I ever saw. We left TJie Hero Missionary, 299 Cairo yesterday about 11 o'clock, A. m., in the cars, and were soon in the Great Desert. The railroad is excellent, and is completed to within thirty miles of Suez. Nothing can exceed the utter desolation of the country, after leaving the Valley of the Nile. — No green thing is to be seen ; there is no flower to 1 waste its sweetness on the desert air.' The desert from the Nile to the Red Sea is not a dead level ; the railroad is occasionally cut through elevations from five to ten feet, and in many cuttings I noticed a fine brown soil, and in several places layers of clay. This shows that only water is wanting to convert the desert into a rich, fertile country. True, some parts are only sand and pebbles. Occasionally I saw sand ridges many miles long, and thirty or forty feet high. These ridges all run east and west, and this shows that the strong prevailing winds are north and south, by the appearance of these sand-drifts. The strong and terrible winds which sometime sweep the desert are from the south, that is from Abyssinia. About forty miles from Cairo is a palace of the Pasha of Egypt, also several other buildings near it, and about two miles from the railroad. The Pasha with his court retires to this desert-palace when the plague is desolating the cities of the Nile. Every ten or fifteen miles is a building, and two or three scores of Arabs, with their small tents ; these Arabs in case of any strong wind clear the sand-drifts from the rail. Here 300 Kincaid also is water in large iron tanks brought from the Nile, and coal to supply the locomotive. We saw several caravans of camels loaded, and moving on over the desert. They are truly called the ships of the desert ; no other animal could live in such a des- olate region. About 3 o'clock p. M., we came to the end of the railroad ; here are three or four tents about sixty feet long and thirty broad, with tables and chairs to accommodate one hundred and fifty to sit down at their meals. Another tent to accommo- date fifty or sixty second class passengers. There were in all about three hundred passengers. One freight train came in last night, and another will be in to-night. The scene at this place is novel and in- teresting. Some three thousand camels with their saddles on were lying or standing in groups, in every direction, ready to be loaded with baggage, mails and military stores. You may fancy the amount to be carried on camels from this to the Red Sea, about thirty miles, when these two hundred passengers have from three to six trunks each, and these trunks average one hundred pounds each. Then there are all the mails for Bombay, Ceylon, Madras, Calcutta, the Straits, and China. As the boxes lie on the plain they seem to be enough to load a three hundred ton vessel with the mails alone. Then there are fifteen hundred boxes of silver, nearly one million pounds stealing, for the army. It is said the silver alone will The Hero Missionary. 301 load a thousand camels. There are sixty thousand pairs of boots for soldiers, in fifteen thousand boxes, one thousand rifles in two hundred boxes, and besides all these, a vast amount of military stores. At half- past four, a hundred and eight passengers were sent off in eighteen vans, that is six passengers in each van. Each van is drawn by a pair of mules, and a pair of small horses. Two Arabs mounted on horses go along to keep the vans together. Every five miles the teams are changed, and at each place is a stone building, with a large court in the centre, where water, straw, and peas are kept for the animals. This water and provender is brought from the valley of the Nile. At half-past 8 p. m., one hundred and eight more passengers were sent off, and I was one of them. Till 10 o'clock it was very dark ; then the moon rose and shed a beautiful, soft light over the desert. On our right, the whole distance to the sea, runs a broken range of hills, said to be from three to four hundred feet high, solid masses of rock. Our Arabs drove furiously, except in low places where sand had drifted. Occasionally for half a mile we seemed to be almost buried in the sand, and then again we would roll along on a smooth, hard surface, like a macadamized road. In several places we saw caravans of from one to two hundred camels. Each Bedowin has from four to seven or eight camels. He rides or leads one, and then the next, with a long cord, is tied to the saddle, 302 Kincaid: and so on to the end, all following in single file. An Arab with eight or ten good camels will carry from four to five thousand pounds weight. All these in- habitants of the desert call themselves the children of Ishmael. For three hundred years they have been the same people, unchanged except by becoming the followers of Mohamet. During some four or five hours in the desert, waiting for the vans, I went around among these Ishmaelites, sitting in groups among their camels, to observe their features, the expression of the countenance, their conversation, and manners. I would have given anything to have been able to converse with them. I saw some noble features. Why is there not in all Christendom one or two men to consecrate themselves to the work of evangelizing this people? At first view it might seem hopeless, but I do not believe there is any insu- perable obstacle in the way. Human wisdom would find difficulties enough and make mountains of mole- hills. In the promises of God there is no exception made ; ' streams shall break forth in the desert, and springs in the dry and thirsty land.' Ten miles before reaching Suez, we saw lights in the town and harbor, so level is the desert, and so clear is the atmosphere. It was midnight when we arrived, and one o'clock when we had supper, and then some thirty or more passengers had no bed. — During the night about two thousand camels loaded The Hero Missionary. 303 came in, and passengers continued to arrive until eight in the morning. Nov. 7. — This is the third day we have been in this place, and we are to go on board the Hindustan this evening. The steamer for Bombay went off yester- day. The steamer for Australia that went off two weeks ago ran upon a coral reef, about eight hundred miles down the Red Sea, and stove a large hole in her bows. Being an iron ship, and having water- tight compartments, only the part that was stove filled with water. After three or four days the tide rising, she got off, and has got back to Suez. What she will now do is uncertain. About thirty of her passengers, and also a hundred soldiers, will go with us, at least as far as Ceylon. So we have now in all seven hundred and twenty souls. Nov. 8. — Just at dark last evening we steamed down the gulf of Suez ; both coasts are in sight all day, and often a very narrow channel, only seven or eight miles broad. About sundown we had a fine view of Mount Sinai, on the Arabian coast. On the other side was Nubia. When the wind blows from the African coast the heat is fearfully oppressive. — All is wild, desolate, and barren. Nov. 13. — For three days we saw no land, except two or three vast rocks rising almost perpendicular from the sea. But yesterday and to-day we have passed great numbers of islands, and some of them 304 Kincaid very high. This afternoon we passed along within two or three miles of the Arabian coast, while the African coast is only a few miles distant. In the nar- rowest part of the channel is Perim, a small island where the English have sunk an Artesian well and found water ; their flag is now flying, and they are building a small fortress. It is admirably situated to command the entrance to the Eed Sea. It is only some seventy miles above Aden, where we expect to be to-night." Without following Mr. Kincaid in all the subse- quent details of his journal, it may suffice to say, that upon reaching Aden, one day was required to take in coal. This afforded a very favorable opportunity of seeing the town. It contains a population of 20,000, and is not particularly interesting, being chiefly remarkable for its barren, bluish-colored hills. The houses are built of bamboo, and on a foundation of sand. Four miles in the interior is the Turkish wall, where the British military force is situated. The next stopping place in the voyage was at Cey- lon. Here, also, a day was very pleasantly spent. This island is not only a bustling, business-like place, but one of extraordinary beauty, and hence, styled by the natives a " terrestrial paradise." It is situ- ated in the Indian Ocean, near Cape Cormorin ; is 270 miles long, 150 broad, and has a population of 1,130*000 souls. In the interior there are several The Hero Missionary. 305 cities and towns, one of which (Candy) contains a public library, erected on pillars, and built in a lake. Off the northwest of Ceylon is a great and valuable pearl fishery. The natives are of Hindoo origin, and under British rule, are fast advancing in cultivation and wealth. Once more on the deep, and four days brought them before Madras. This is the capital of the pre- sidency of that name, and is situated in the Carnatic, on the shores of the Bay of Bengal. So low is the shore here, that a landing can only be effected in na- tive barges, called massoollah boats. These are well manned, however, and so skillfully handled that they dash with safety through the heaviest surf. The population of the city is between four and five hundred thousand. Three days more on ship board, and they enter the mouth of the river Hooghly, and after steaming 100 miles, they drop anchor before Calcutta — the city of palaces, and the capital of British India. It is up- wards of six miles in length, extending along the river's bank. The population is about 600,000, and, like the other principal cities under British rule, of a very mixed character, affording the stranger no Email amount of amusement in the way of costume and physiognomy. Many of the houses are tall and stately, with verandas and Grecian pillars. Behind the front lines of mansions is the native town, with 306 Kincaid dirty, narrow streets, dirty natives — all more or less naked — ghastly religions mendicants, showy marriage processions, and sounds of creaking wheels and dis- cordant voices. From the quay, built by Lord Has- tings, we may see all this, and also the vessels of every shape and size from all parts of the world ; while near the banks are hundreds of Brahmins, say- ing their prayers and washing in the deified river. Mr. Kincaid landed in Calcutta late on Saturday evening, the 5th of December. He says in a letter, dated Dec. 8, " It was just three months from the. day I left New York to the day I landed in Calcutta, and I spent thirty-three days in England, five days in Egypt, one day in Aden, one in Ceylon, besides stop- ping a few hours at Gibraltar, Malta and Madras, so that I made the voyage in little less than fifty days." After spending two weeks in Calcutta, during which time several interviews were had with Dr. Duff and other missionaries, Mr. Kincaid again embarked, arri- ving in Rangoon toward the close of December. In a letter from him, bearing date of January first, he states that he was then about starting for Prome, in- tending, after visiting the churches there, to proceed up to Ava. He had just learned that his Majesty had been anxiously inquiring when he was to return, and that a rumor had reached Rangoon that the king had turned all the priests out of the city, and that he was constantly reading Jesus Christ's book. The Hero Missionary, 307 CHAPTER XXV. RETROSPECT AND PROSPECT. " He hath showed his people the power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of the heathen." — Ps. cxi. 6. " Are there not signs, Thunders and voices, in the troubled air ? Do ye not see, upon the mountain tops, Beacon to beacon answering ? Who can tell But all the harsh and dissonant sounds which long Have been — are still — disquieting the earth, Are but the tuning of the varying parts Por the grand chorus, which shall usher in The hastening triumph of the Prince of Peace ! Yes ; his shall be the kingdoms. * * # * * * E'en now the symphonies Of that blest song are floating through the air — Peace, peace on earth, and glory be to God." In looking back over the period of Mr. Kincaid's Labors, how changed is the moral aspect of the people among whom he has gone preaching the gospel ! — When he entered the field, Burmah had, as it were, but just heard the name of Christ, and the number 308 Kincaid : of conversions from heathenism was comparatively small. For several years, amid many privations and bitter persecutions, the first devoted band of Mission- aries had sought to prepare the way and to lift up a standard for the people. At that time the measure of missionary spirit in the churches was very limited, and many felt but little confidence in the success of the efforts that were making for the salvation of the heathen. " They had but little to rest on," said one of their number, " except the command and promise of God." The faith of many faltered. The work advanced but slowly, and so numerous were the im- pediments thrown in the way, both at home and abroad, as almost to forbode defeat. Dr. Morse, in his Universal Gazetteer, published about this time, said, under the head of Rangoon — "The American Bap- tists have employed two missionaries here ; but, owing to the opposition of the Burman government, it is supposed they will be obliged to leave the country." Amid all the trials and discouragements, however, which beset those who were first in the field, their faith did not fail them, and they were enabled to prosecute their work with a joyful and unwavering confidence of ultimate success. Now, how changed is the aspect of things ! The government that then sought to banish Christ's am- bassadors, desires to foster them ; and, in the exercise The Hero Missionary. 309 of his royal favor, the king extends to them the free- dom of the empire ! At home, too, public sentiment respecting Foreign Missions has undergone a radical change ; and the enterprise has now come to be regarded, as one of the noblest that can possibly enlist the sympathies and efforts of the Christian church. The influence of this work at home, as well as its results abroad, are beyond all human computation. — That our churches have felt a powerful reflex influ- ence from the foreign field, cannot be doubted, and it would not be difficult to show that the activity and resources of the church owe their development more to this enterprise than to all other agencies combined. But within the last thirty years what an immense amount of good has been accomplished on the field, while, at the same time, deep and strong foundations have been laid for the achievement of still larger re- sults. The entire Bible has been translated into the language of the people — books have been prepared — schools established — churches organized — the Gospel has been preached in almost every part of the empire, and thousands of souls have there been brought to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. With these facts before him, and in the exercise of strong faith in God, Mr. Kincaid might well write — " The mission in Burmah cannot be overthrown ; it is found- ed upon the Rock of Ages ; the gates of hell cannot 310 Kincaid prevail against it ; the prayers of God's people have been heard. The gospel of Christ in its blessed re- velations has been preached in thousands of Burman cities and villages, from the sea-shore up to the lower Himalayas, and in thousands of Karen hamlets. God's holy word is read not only by thousands of Karens and Burmans of the common people, but in the palace of Alompra. There is not only a shaking among the dry bones, but the Holy Spirit has been poured out, and a great army is standing up on the side of the Lord of Hosts. There are ministers of Christ stand- ing on those out-posts of Zion's walls, and leading forth those converts into the thickest of the war, and teaching them how to work for God. No dangers can alarm them, no opposition can discourage them, and no persecution can crush them. He who said, 1 Be not afraid ;' ' Lo, I am with you ;' stands at their right hand and girds them with strength." But cheering as have already been the triumphs of the Gospel in Burmah, the day, we are persuaded, is not distant that shall witness still greater conquests ; and, though before that day dawn, the present race of devoted laborers may be in their graves, their suc- cessors will certainly see it, and, going forth with a sublime faith in the Divine promises, and with hearts full of love and zeal for the Divine glory, it shall be their great joy to witness the gathering of all the people unto Shiloh. The Hero Missionary. 311 Nor will this success be limited to Burmah. The enterprise of Christian Missions contemplates not the subjugation of a nation, but the conquest of the world ; and, looking into the future, we are permitted to see cheering evidence that the victories of the cross are fast hastening to a glorious consummation. Said Dr. Judson, in his farewell address — " Judging from the past, what may we rationally expect during the lapse of another thirty or forty years ? Look forward with the eye of faith. See the missionary spirit universally diffused, and in active operation throughout this country, — every church sustaining, not only its own minister, but, through some general organization, its own missionary in a foreign land. See the Bible faithfully translated into all languages, — the rays. of the lamp of heaven trans- mitted through every medium, and illuminating all lands. See the Sabbath spreading its holy calm over the face of the earth, — the churches of Zion assem- bling, and the praises of Jesus resounding from shore to shore, — and, though the great majority may still remain, as now in this Christian country, without hope and without God in the world, yet the barriers in the way of the descent and operations of the Holy Spirit removed, revivals of religion shall then be- come more constant and more powerful. The world is yet in its infancy : the gracious designs of God are yet hardly developed, Glorious things are spoken 312 Kincaid. of Zion, the city of our God. She is yet to triumph, and become the joy and glory of the whole earth. — Blessed be God, that we live in these latter times, — the latter times of the reign of darkness and impos- ture. Great is our privilege, precious our opportu- nity, to cooperate with the Saviour in the blessed work of enlarging and establishing his kingdom throughout the world." The promises of God are all pledged to his Son for a universal triumph — the field of labor assigned to the church covers the entire world, and the prayer that is constantly ascending to heaven from the heart of every true believer is, that the heathen may be given to Christ for an inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for a possession. And when this prayer shall be answered — when this field shall be cultivated — when this pledge shall be redeemed — then " He shall have dominion from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth" — " The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." And — " May the hour Soon come, when, all false gods, false creeds, false prophete, Demolished, the round world shall be at last The raercy-seat of God, the heritage Of Christ, and the possession of the Spirit!'' $1 •2 > >• ^>r m* \ Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide Treatment Date: Sept. 2005 PreservationTechnologies A WORLD LEADER IN PAPER PRESERVATION 1 1 1 Thomson Park Drive Cranberry Township, PA 16066 (724)779-2111 ■Ai ~/ ~ w m LS. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS II! 014 728 489 8 # . •-.