Siam and Laos, as Seen by Our American Missionaries
History
Siam and Laos, as Seen by Our American Missionaries
Laos -- Description and travel; Missions -- Laos; Missions -- Thailand; Thailand -- Description and travel
In 1843, Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Chandler arrived from Burmah, where, as a
type-founder and lay missionary, he had been employed for three years.
Being a practical machinist, he did much to introduce a knowledge of
the useful arts among some of the leading men of the kingdom. Prince
Chow Fah Noi, who subsequently, in 1851, was made the second king,
became a pupil of his, and constructed a well-appointed machine-shop
under his supervision, as did also an intelligent young Siamese
nobleman of progressive ideas who afterward became master of the mint.
In 1844 the first steamer ever seen in Siam made its appearance, and
greatly astonished the natives. On leaving, it took as passengers to
Singapore the Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Buell, the only missionaries of the
Presbyterian Board, who were now, after only three and a half years’
residence, most reluctantly obliged to abandon their work, Mrs. Buell
having been stricken with paralysis. With their departure (February
24th) the Presbyterian mission in Siam died out, or rather was
suspended, and more than three years elapsed before it was resumed. It
had from the first been the intention of the Board to establish and
maintain a _Chinese_ department, but those sent out for this purpose,
on reaching Singapore and learning there how fully open China proper
was to the gospel, felt themselves called to proceed to that land,
whose claims seemed so much greater. Miss Pierce of the American
Board, who had come out as a missionary teacher, but failed to gather
a school, died of consumption in September of this year.
The year 1845 witnessed quite a reduction in the number of the
American missionaries in Siam. The Rev. Mr. Davenport and wife (now
Mrs. Fanny Feudge) of the Baptist mission left for the United States,
to return no more, and Dr. Jones, also, on a visit. The Rev. Charles
Robinson and family of the A. B. C. F. M. also left Siam (Mr. R. to
die at St. Helena on his passage home), while Mrs. Dr. Bradley died at
Bangkok in the triumphs of faith after years of efficient and loving
service for her Saviour――a most valuable helper in her husband’s work.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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