Man Proposes, God Will Put In Place
It is interesting to see the different happenings, in the direction of God, which prevented my return to Swatow and led me to settle in Ningpo. This town became the center for me in developing my future work.
On coming to Shanghai to collect the medicine and surgical instruments, my sorrow was great to find that the place had caught fire and everything had been destroyed. This was tragic and I fear I was more like faithless Jacob in believing that everything was against me!
For a time, I failed to see that “all things God works for the good of those who love him.”My trial and disappointment was very great.
Medicines cost much in Shanghai, and I had limited money to buy more. I set out on an inland trip to Ningpo, hoping to receive some medicine from Dr. William Parker, who was a member of the same mission as me.
With me went the few possessions I had, including my watch, a few surgical instruments, a musical instrument, and books for the study of Chinese. I left part of my money behind in Shanghai.
The country was dry for it was the middle of summer and the water level in the canals was very low. Much water had been used for the rice fields while some had been dried up in the great heat. Deciding to make this as much of a mission trip as possible, I set out with many Christian tracts and books.
For fourteen days, our crowded boat traveled slowly while I preached and passed out books. We came to a large town called Shihmenwan, where I found that my material had all been given away. I now decided not to go slowly, but to go through the city of Haining, reaching Ningpo as quickly as possible.
August 4, 1856
There was no water beyond Shihmenwan. I paid off my boat and employed two carriers to carry my things as far as Changwan. By the time the sun came up, we were on the way. I walked on alone, leaving my helper to follow with the men who made many stops to rest. On arriving at a city through which we had to pass, I waited for them in a tea shop just outside the North Gate.
The carriers arrived slowly and seemed very tired. I soon found that they both smoked opium. They had only carried a load that one strong man would think nothing of taking three times the distance. Yet, they seemed tired.
After some rice and tea and an hour of rest—and also, I know, a smoke of the pipe — they had a little more energy. I asked them to move on so that we might get to Changwan before the sun became too hot. My helper had a friend in the city, and he wanted to spend the day there and travel the next morning. I did not like this, but wanted to reach Haining that night if possible.
We set off, entered the North Gate, and had passed through about a third ofthe city when the carriers stopped to rest and said they should be unable to carry the load on to Changwan. Finally, they agreed to take it to the South Gate, where they were to be paid for the distance they had carried it; and the helper called other carriers to come with them.
Walking ahead, I soon came to Changwan and waited for them to arrive. They seemed to be taking a long time. In the meantime, I asked for more carriers for the rest of the trip to Haining. After some time, I began to wonder at the delay. I was not happy when it became too late to finish the trip to Haining that night.
If it were not that my feet hurt and the afternoon very hot, I would have gone back to hurry them on. At last, I decided that my helper must have gone to see his friend and would not come until evening. Yet, even then, there was still no sign of them.
Feeling very troubled, I began very carefully to ask if they had been seen. At last, a man asked if I was on a visit from Shihmenwan and going to Haining. He told me that my things had gone on before me.
He said that he was sitting in a teashop when a carrier came in and took a cup of tea. Then he set off for Haining in a great hurry, saying that the box and bed were from Shihmenwan and had to be taken to Haining that night.
He was to be paid at a rate of ten yuan for each pound.” I realized that my things had gone on before me but as it was already dark and I was tired, it was impossible to follow them. All I could do was find a place to sleep for the night.
This was not an easy task. Raising my heart to God in prayer and asking for help, I went to the other end of town, hoping that the news of a foreign person in town might not have spread this far. I soon came to a small country hotel and went in.
In the dark, I hoped to pass without any question. The only food they had was cold rice and snakes cooked in lamp oil. Not wanting to be asked about my nationality, I thought it wise to order and eat. The food was not to my liking.
I asked the owner if I could spend the night. He produced a record book, advising me that in these difficult times, they were ordered by the officials to keep a record of the people who stayed. He asked for my honorable family name. I told him that my unworthy family name was Tai.
“And your honorable second name?”
“My unworthy name is Ia-Koh” (James).
He told me that it was an unusual name that he had never heard before. He asked me how I wrote it. I added that it was a common name in the place from which I had come.” “And ask from where you come and where you are going?”
“I am going from Shanghai to Ningpo, by way of Hangchow.” Then, he asked what kind ofwork I did. I told him that I cured the sick. “Oh! you are a doctor,” the owners said. To my great satisfaction, he closed the book. His wife continued talking with me.
“You are a doctor, are you?” she said; “I am happy about that, for I have a daughter who is sick with a terrible disease. If you will cure her, you shall have your supper and bed for nothing.” I asked what my supper and bed were to cost and found they were less than three halfpence of our money! The girl had leprosy for which I had no medicine.
Unable to help the girl, I would not tell her what she needed, saying that her disease was difficult to get over and that I had no way of helping her The mother brought a pen and paper, asking that I write what she needed.
She said, this would not harm, even if it does no good. But this also I would not do. I asked to be shown my bed. Led to a very terrible room on the ground floor, I passed the night without a bed or anything except my shoes to place my head on.
There was no protection from insects. Ten or eleven other people were sleeping in the same room, so I could not take anything off, for fear that someone might steal. As the night went on, I became very cold.
August 5
As may be expected, I rose with little rest and felt very far from well. It was a long time before breakfast was ready. There was another delay before I could get change for the only piece of money I had with me. I did not receive the full value for this coin, which was a serious loss to me in my trying position.
I looked through the town for news of my helper and carriers but found nothing. They might have arrived later or come on in the morning. The town was large and nearly three kilometers long. Because of tiredness and pain, I set out for Haining in the full heat of the day.
The trip of about thirteen kilometers took a long time but I was able to find a welcome place to rest and cup of tea at a village halfway along the road. A strong rain came, allowing me time to preach a little to the people. It was almost sundown when I arrived at the north area of Haining.
When I asked there, I heard no news and was told that outside the East Gate, I should be more likely to hear of them. But I did not find them. While sitting in a tea shop to rest, several people from the mandarin’s office asked who I was and where I had come from. On learning the object of my search, one of the men told me that a box and a bed were carried past here about half an hour ago.
The carrier seemed to be going towards either the Great East Gate or the South Gate. He advised me to go to the business houses there and ask. I asked him to go with me but he would not come, even though I offered to pay.
Another man offered to go with me, so we set off together. We searched both inside and outside the two gates but with no result. I asked a man to make a careful search, promising extra pay if he should find them. In the meantime, I had some dinner and preached to a group of people who had gathered.
He returned, having found nothing. By now very tired, I asked him to help me find a place to sleep for the night and then I would pay him for his trouble. We set off in search of a place to sleep.
At the first two resting houses, the people appeared willing for us to stay but later changed their minds. A government officer who followed us seemed to cause them concern. We went to a third house and found a place to stay. We were no longer followed by the government workers. Some tea was brought and I paid the man for his trouble.
Soon after he was gone, some government officials came but went away. I was now told I could not stay for the night. A young man blamed the officials for the unkindness and told me not to worry. He invited me to sleep at his house.
I went with him, but the family was not willing to receive me. Being tired, I found it difficult to stand but had again to seek a place to stay. Then they said, that because a crowd had gathered at the door, they wanted me to wait at a nearby tea shop until the people went away. Then I could return to the house.
Having no other choice, I left with the young man and waited until past the middle of the night. On returning to the house, the young man searched but could not find it. I was led to another part ofthe city where he finally left me to pass the rest ofthe night as best I could.
I was opposite a place of worship but it was closed, so I lay down on the stone steps in front. Putting my money under my head, I would soon have been asleep if I had not sensed a person coming towards me. He was a beggar, so common in China. I knew that he wanted to rob me of my money.
I lay watching his every move. I also looked to my Father not to leave me in this hour of trial. The man came up and examined me for some time to be sure that was sleeping. It was so dark that he could not see my eyes fixed on him. As he began to feel about me, I quietly asked what he wanted. He made no answer but went away.
1 was very thankful to see him go. Putting as much of my money as I could into my pocket, I hid the rest in another part of my clothes. I made a place to rest near the wall and soon began to go to sleep, but I was awakened by the quiet steps of two people coming. My body was so tired that any little noise caused me to wake. Again I asked for protection from Him who alone was my help, lay still as before.
One of them began to feel for the money under my head. I Spoke again. They sat down at my feet, telling me that they planned to stay there. I asked that they take the opposite side as there was plenty of room. I wanted them to leave this side to me, but they would not move from my feet. I raised myself and set my back against the wall.
They said I had better lie down and sleep as I would be unable to walk tomorrow. They told me that I should not be afraid as they would protect me for the rest of the night. I spoke firmly to them that I did not want their protection, nor did I need it.
I told them that I was not Chinese and did not worship their god who does not give any help. I worshiped God who is my trusted Father. I told them directly that I knew well what they were and what they wanted to do. I would be keeping my eye on them and would not sleep.
One of them went away but soon returned with a third person. I had no feeling of ease but looked to God for help. Now and then, one of them would get up to see if I were sleeping. I told him not to be mistaken as I was awake.
Sometimes, my head would fall, and this would be a signal for one of them to rise. At once, I woke up -and said something. As the night passed slowly on, I felt very tired. To keep myself awake and to cheer myself, I sang songs, said Scripture, and prayed in English. These people would have given anything for me to stop but gave me no more trouble. Shortly, before the sun rose, they left and I was able to sleep.
August 6
I was awakened by the young man who had troubled me the evening before. He was not very gentle and kept asking me to pay him for his work. He even tried to force me to do what he wanted. I defended myself quickly without any thought and took hold of his arm with unexpected strength and told him not to lay a finger on me again or get in my way. This caused him to change.
He let me quietly remain until the gun announced the opening ofthe gates ofthe city and then begged for money to buy opium.1 refused but gave him only the price of fuel that he said he had used in my company the night before. I later learned that he was connected with one of the government offices.
As soon as possible, I bought rice and tea for breakfast and made another search for my things but found nothing. I set out on the return trip and after a long, tiring, and painful walk, arrived in Changwan at about noon. 1 failed to find any of my lost things. I had some food in a tea shop, washed myself, and slept until four in the afternoon.
Feeling much better, I set off to return to the South Gate ofthe city where I had left my helper and carriers two days before. On the way, I was led to think about the goodness of God. I remembered that I had not yet prayed that I might have a place to stay that night.
I felt ashamed that I had been so concerned for my few things while many unsaved people around me had caused so little emotion. I came as a sinner and asked for forgiveness through the blood of Jesus, knowing that I was accepted in Him — free, clean, sanctified.
Oh, the love of Jesus, how great I felt it to be! I knew more than I had ever before, what it was to be turned away from and not be accepted. I was like one from whom men hid their faces with nowhere to lay my head. I felt more than ever before, the greatness of that love which caused Him to leave His home in glory and suffer this for me, even to lay down His life upon the cross.
I thought of Him as “turned away from and not accepted of men, a man of great sorrow, and One who knew sorrow.” I thought of Him at Jacob’s well, tired, hungry, and needing something to drink, yet He found His meat and drink in doing His Father’s will.
I had to compare this with my little love. I looked to Him for pardon for the past and grace and strength to do His will in the future. I needed to walk much more closely in His steps and more than ever to be completely His. I prayed for myself, for friends in England, and for my brothers in the work.
To my eyes came such sweet tears of joy mixed with sorrow. The tiredness from the road was almost forgotten. Before I knew it, I had arrived at the city. At the South Gate, I took a cup of tea, asked about my lost things, and spoke of the love of Jesus. Then I entered the city. Receiving no help with my question, I left by the North Gate.
I felt so much better both in mind and body because of my talk with the Lord on the road back to the city. I decided I would be able to finish the other six miles back to Shihmenwan that evening.
First, I went into another tea shop to buy food where I met one ofthe same carriers who had earlier carried my things. I learned that after I had left them, they had taken my things to the South Gate. There my helper told them that I had gone on, that he did not want to start at once, but would spend the day with his friend and come back to me.
They carried the things to his friend’s house and left them there. I asked him to go with me to the house and learned that my helper had spent the day and night with them. The next morning, he had called other carriers and set off for Hangchow. This was all I could learn. Unable to do anything but return to Shanghai, I left the city again. It was now too late to go to Shihmenwan.
I looked to my Father to provide all my needs and again I was reminded of His unending love and care. I was invited to sleep on a passenger boat, now dry in the bed ofthe river. The night was again very cold and insects troublesome. Still, I got a little rest. When the sun came up, I continued my trip.
August 7
I felt very sick at first. Yet, I reminded myself of the goodness of God so that I could stand the heat each day and the long cold at night. Much ofthe load was taken off my mind. I had given myself and my cares to the Lord and knew that if it was for my good and His glory, my things would be returned.
If not, all would be for the best. I hoped that the most difficult part of my trip was now coming to a close. As I walked, I was still tired and my feet hurt. On my return to Shihmenwan, I still had 810 yuan in hand.
The cost to take the boat to Kashing was 120 yuan with the trip to Shanghai costing 360, leaving me just 330 yuan for three or four days’ needs. I went at once to the boat office. To my disappointment, I found that because the river was dry, the shipment had not come down. No boat would leave that day and perhaps not even the next.
I asked if there was not a letter-boat for Kashing and was told that these had already left. All I could do was to travel with any private boat that was going. I could find no boat that was going all the way to Shanghai. If I had, my difficulty would have been at an end.
Just at this time, I saw at a turn in the river, a letter-boat going in the direction of Kashing. This must have been one of the Kashing boats that had an unexpected delay. I set off as fast as I could go. I forgot about my tired body and feet that hurt. After a chase of about two kilometers, I caught up with it.
“Are you going to Kashing?” I called out.
“No,” was the only answer.
“Are you going in that direction?”
“No.”
“Will you let me go as far as you do go that way?”
Still, “No,” and nothing more.
Completely disappointed and my strength gone, I fell to the grass and fell into a deep sleep, as if dead. On waking, I heard voices coming to my ears. They were talking about me! One said, “He speaks the pure Shanghai language.”
From their language, I knew them to be Shanghai people. Raising myself, I saw that they were on a large passenger boat on the other side of the river. After a few words, they sent their small boat to get me. They were very kind and gave me some tea. When I felt better, I was given food also.
I removed my shoes to ease my feet and I was kindly given hot water to wash. On hearing my story and seeing how bad my feet looked, they felt sorry for me. Every passing boat was stopped to see if it was going my way. They did not find one, so after a few hours’ sleep, I left the boat planning to preach in the house of worship of Kwan-ti.
I had told my new friends that I was now unable to help myself, having no strength to walk to Kashing. Unable to get a ride that day, I no longer had enough money to take me by letter boat, a costly way to travel.
I said that I did not know how my God would help me, but that I knew He would do so. My business was now to serve Him where I was. I knew that help would come and said that this would prove the truth of that which other missionaries and I had preached in Shanghai.
While visiting with the captain on the way to town, we saw a letter boat coming up. I reminded him that I no longer had the money to pay for my passage. However, he stopped it and found that it was going to a place about fifteen kilometers from Shanghai.
From there, one of the boatmen would carry the mail overland to the city. He informed them that I was a foreigner from Shanghai with no money to go back. He told them that they would take me with them and find a sedan chair for the rest of the way, I would pay them in Shanghai.
The captain pointed to his boat sitting in the mud because of the low level of water. He promised that if I did not pay on my return to Shanghai, he would do so on their return. This kindness was not asked for and made by someone I did not know.
This was unusual as Chinese people generally do not take chances with their money. Those on the letter-boat agreed to this and I was taken on as a passenger. Oh, how thankful I felt for this guidance of God and to be once more on my way to Shanghai!
This boat was built long and thin and did not have very much space inside. One has to lie down all the time as any small move would easily cause the boat to turn over. This did not concern me, as I was only too happy to be quiet. These are the fastest boats I have seen in China and are worked by two men who take turns all day and night. They use their feet and hands. If the wind is right, they work their feet and use one hand to control a small sail, guiding with the other hand.
After a nice and quick trip, I arrived safely in Shanghai on August 9, with the help of Him who said, “Never will I leave you. Never will I forsake you.” He also promised “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”