The Black-Bearded Barbarian : The Life of George Leslie Mackay of Formosa — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
The Black-Bearded Barbarian : The Life of George Leslie Mackay of Formosa
John Stuart Mill · en
Now Go-ko-khi was, unfortunately, near the great city of Bang-kah. This
was the most hostile and wicked place in all that country, and A Hoa
and Mackay had been stoned out of it on their visit there. The people in
Bang-kah learned of the new church building, and one day, when the brick
walls were about three feet high, there arose a tramp of feet, beating
of drums, and loud shouts, and up marched a detachment of soldiers sent
with orders from the prefect of Bang-kah to stop the building of the
chapel. Their officers went straight to the house of the headman with
his commands. Mr. Tan was six feet two and he rose to his full height
and towered above his visitor majestically. The "mayor" of Go-ko-khi was
a Christian now, and on the wall of his house was pasted a large sheet
of paper with the ten commandments printed on it. He pointed to this and
said: "I am determined to abide by these." The officer was taken aback.
He was scarcely prepared to defy the headman, and he went away to stir
up the villagers. But everywhere the soldiers met with opposition. There
seemed no one who would take their part. The officer knew he and his men
were scarcely within their rights in what they were doing; so,
fearing trouble, he marched back to the city, reporting there that the
black-bearded barbarian had bewitched the villagers with some magic art.
The prefect of Bang-kah next sent a message to the British consul. The
missionary was building a fort at Go-ko-khi, he declared in great alarm,
and would probably bring guns up the river at night. He was a very bad
man indeed, and if the British consul desired peace he should stop this
wicked Kai Bok-su at once. And the British consul down in his old Dutch
fort at Tamsui laughed heartily over the letter, knowing all about Kai
Bok-su and the sort of fort he was building.
So, in spite of all opposition, the little church rose steadily up
and up until it was crowned with a tiled roof and was ready for the
worshipers.
That was a great day for north Formosa and its young missionary, the day
the first church was opened. The place was packed to the doors, and many
stood outside listening at the windows. And of that crowd one hundred
and fifty arose and declared that from henceforth they would cast away
their idols and worship only the one and true God. Standing up there in
his first pulpit and looking down upon the crowd of upturned faces, and
seeing the new light in them which the blessed good news of Jesus and
his love had brought, Kai Bok-su's heart swelled with joy.