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
He stayed with them some time after this, for, though so many people
had become Christians, they were like little children and needed much
careful teaching. Especially they must learn how to live as Jesus Christ
would have his followers live. Many heathen as well as the Christians
came to his meetings and listened eagerly. At first the people found
it almost impossible to sit quiet and still during a service. They
had never been accustomed to such a task, and some of the missionary's
experiences were very funny. When they had sung a hymn and had settled
down to listen to the address, the preacher would no sooner start than
out would come one long pipe after another, pieces of flint would strike
on steel, and in a few minutes the smoke would begin to ascend. Mackay
would pause and gently tell them that as this was a Christian service
they must not do anything that might disturb it. They were anxious to do
just as he bade, so the pipes would disappear, and nodding their heads
politely they would say, "Oh, yes, we must be quiet; oh, yes, indeed."
One day when the congregation was very still and their young pastor was
speaking earnest words to them, one man less attentive than the others
happened to glance out of the window. Instantly he sprang to his feet
shouting, "Buffaloes in the rice-fields! Buffaloes in the rice-fields!"
and away he went with a good fraction of the congregation helter-skelter
at his heels.
The missionary spoke again upon the necessity of quiet, and his hearers
nodded agreeably and murmured, "Yes, yes, we must be quiet."
They were very good for the next few minutes and the minister had
reached a very important point in his address, when there was a great
disturbance at the door. An old woman came hobbling up on her small feet
and poking her head in at the church door screamed, "My pig has gone!
Pig has gone!" and away went another portion of the congregation to help
find the truant porker.
But, in spite of many interruptions, the congregation at Go-ko-khi
learned much of the beautiful truth of their new religion. Their
indulgent pastor never blamed his restless hearers, but before the
church was two months old he had trained them so well that there was
not a more orderly and attentive congregation even in his own Christian
Canada than that which gathered in the first chapel in north Formosa.