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
In the town of Toa-liong-pong was the home of Koa Kau, one of Kai
Bok-su's most devoted students. Here was a lovely chapel built at great
expense. The crowd tore it to pieces from roof to foundation. Then, out
of the bricks of the ruin they erected a huge pile, eight feet high;
they plastered it over with mud, and on the face of it, next the highway
where every one might see it, they wrote in large Chinese characters:
MACKAY, THE BLACK-BEARDED BARBARIAN,
LIES HERE. HIS WORK IS ENDED.
They knew that the first was not true, but they firmly believed the
latter statement, for they understood little of the power of the gospel.
At Sin-tiam the crowd of ruffians smashed the doors and windows of the
church. Then they took the communion roll and read aloud the names of
the Christians who had been baptized. As each name was announced, some
of the murderers would rush off toward the home of the one mentioned.
Here they would torture and often kill the members of the family. The
native preacher and his family barely escaped with their lives. One good
old Christian man with his wife, both over sixty, were dragged out into
the deep water of the Sin-tiam river. Here they were given a choice.
If they gave up Jesus Christ, their lives would be saved. If they still
remained Christians, they would be drowned right there and then. The
brave old couple refused to accept life at such a cost.
"I'm not ashamed to own my Lord," was a hymn Kai Bok-su had taught them,
and They had meant every word as they had sung it many times in the
pretty chapel by the river. And so they were "not ashamed" now. They
were led deeper and deeper into the water, and at every few feet the way
of escape was offered, but they steadily refused, and were at last flung
into the river--faithful martyrs who certainly won a crown of life.
These were only two among many brave Christians who died for their
Master's sake. Some were put to tortures too horrible to tell to make
them give up their faith. Some were hung by their hair to trees, some
were kicked or beaten to death, many were slashed with knives until
death relieved their pain. And on every side the most noble Christian
heroism was shown. In all ages there have been those who died for their
faith in Jesus Christ; and these Formosan followers of their Master
proved themselves no less faithful than the martyrs of old.
And where was Kai Bok-su while the mob raged over the country? Going
about his work in Tamsui as of old. Only now he worked both night and
day, and the anxiety for his poor converts kept him awake in the few
hours when he might have snatched some sleep. He was here, there,
everywhere at once, it seemed, writing letters to encourage the
Christians in distress, visiting those who were wavering to strengthen
their faith, teaching his students, praying, preaching, night and day,
he never ceased; and always the mob surged about him threatening his
life.