TO THE BOYS AND GIRLS OF SCOTLAND.
BY REV. G. A. FRANK KNIGHT, D.D.
YOU are all proud of belonging to the Scottish Nation.
Your blood is stirred when you read of the gallant deeds of our Scottish forefathers—of Wallace and Bruce, and others who had a share in making Scotland a free people. You admire the splendid courage of Patrick Hamilton and George Wishart, who died as martyrs for Christ; of John Knox and Andrew Melville and George Buchanan, who did so much for the Reformation; of Livingstone and Mackay and Mary Slessor, who brought the Gospel to various parts of Africa, of Chalmers in New Guinea, of Morrison in China, of Paton in the New Hebrides, and many another famous Scottish missionary.
But have you ever heard of the brave missionary who gave his life that Korea might have the Bible? Where is Korea? Get your atlas: look up the map of Asia: notice that long peninsula that juts out from Northern China towards Japan. That is Korea, form-
*This interesting story of a noble missionary’s dying effort is written for the boys and girls of Scotland, and is from the pen of Dr Knight, General Secretary of the National Bible Society of Scotland. In a letter giving permission to reprint this touching story, Dr Knight says that Mr Thomas’s death and the remarkable results flowing from his sowing the seed of the Word has so impressed the Christians of Korea that they have decided, under the guidance of their pastors, to raise £5000 for commemorating the great work created through his death.—Editor.
early an independent kingdom, now a province of Japan, with a population of nearly 20 million. Sixty years ago Korea was a “hermit” nation, having no intercourse or commerce with the outside world, and foreigners were forbidden to trade, or even to enter the country. Into this “closed” land one devoted missionary, named Mr Thomas, carried the Scriptures, yet he did so at the cost of his life.
It is only recently that the facts of the martyrdom have come to light. At Seoul, the capital of Korea, a remarkable meeting was recently held, one of the largest gatherings that ever took place. All the leaders of society were present, members of the Government, Korean nobility, Consular representatives, College Professors, Pastors, Teachers, Students—in fact, every degree and rank in the country. The weather was intensely cold, the thermometer down below zero, yet there the vast crowd sat or stood for hours, with interest that never flagged. What had they assembled for? They came to give thanks to God for the blessings that had come to Korea through the Bible, and especially to remember with gratitude the heroic death of the man who had first introduced the Scriptures. A venerable old Korean Pastor, with white hair and beard, dressed in a long, flowing coat of spotless white silk, told the moving story with such dramatic power and pathos, that many could not refrain from tears.
He described how Rev. Mr Williamson, the Agent in China of the National Bible Society of Scotland in 1866, had in vain tried to get the Bible into Korea. While waiting one day at Che-fu for the arrival of a steamer for Pekin, there came into the harbour a Korean junk, which had on board two Koreans, who at the risk of their lives had ventured across the sea for purposes of trade. Getting into touch with them, Mr Williamson discovered that they were Christians, but had no Bibles of their own. Rev. Mr Thomas, a missionary then in Che-fu, offered to act as a pioneer for the Society, and to venture across to Korea with Scriptures. He sailed on the junk with a stock of Bibles, and in constant peril of his life, he mixed with Korean traders, distributed many Scriptures all along the West coast, and rapidly learned the Korean language. There took place, however, a terrible massacre of some 50,000 Christians in Korea, and Thomas had to flee. Next year he ventured back on a steamer called the “General Sherman.” The vessel sailed up the river leading to Pyeng-Yang, but stuck fast
on the mud in mid-stream. The Koreans made fire-rafts, sent them down against the steamer, and set her on fire. Then great mobs, armed with stones, clubs, and all sorts of weapons, lined both banks of the river, to murder anyone who attempted to swim ashore from the doomed ship. Seeing that there was no hope of rescue, Mr Thomas determined to make his death a way of opening up Korea to the Gospel. On the deck of the burning steamer, surrounded by a wild scene of carnage and horror, he calmly opened the cases containing the Bibles, and then with all his might he threw copies of the Book to the excited crowds on the right and the left of the ship. As the flames grew hotter, and the roaring of the furnace increased, he mounted the bridge, and there, holding aloft a Bible, he prayed in his dying agonies that the Bible might, through his death, yet find access to Korea. Then he sank down amid the flames, a martyr for Jesus Christ.
Has God answered the dying prayer of this hero? That great meeting is a reply to the question. Korea is to-day an open land: the Bible has spread in it amazingly, and now in that city of Pyeng-Yang alone, where Thomas died, about 9000 persons attend Church every Sabbath, and 5000 meet during the week for prayer, the largest churches being often too small to hold the crowds that gather. In all the Far East to-day there is no city so moral or so Christian as Pyeng-Yang.
This story is but a sample of what is being accomplished over all the world by means of God’s Word. Everywhere the Bible goes it brings salvation, light, news of God’s love, tidings of a Saviour’s grace: and all over the globe, men and women, and boys and girls, begin to live a new life full of joy, strength, and purity. The National Bible Society of Scotland has, since it started in 1861, circulated almost ninety million Scriptures. To-day we are working in practically every country of Europe, from Iceland in the North to Spain and Italy in the South: in Palestine, Arabia, Baluchistan, India, Tibet, Nepal, China, Korea, Japan, Formosa, Java, Malaya, Egypt, Central and South Africa, Liberia, Congo and Calabar, Madeira, the West India Islands, in nearly all the Republics of South America, and in the New Hebrides. From all these lands come tidings of blessing, resulting from the fact that Scotland, which has had the Bible for many centuries, now is seeking, through the Word, to let all mankind know of the love of a Saviour and what He can do for all.
All boys and girls can help. Your little gifts, when added together, amount to a large sum, and you will have the joy of feeling that you are assisting some other boy or girl to share in your own gladness in the possession of a knowledge of Jesus Christ and all that that means.
The Precious Blood.
O THOU blood of the Lamb of God—thou wondrous and omnipotent blood! If the world count thee as unclean, and tread thee under foot, I will speak thy praise as long as there is a breath in me and esteem thee as my highest and dearest possession! Where should I be, hadst thou not flowed for me? Thy living flood swept away the hateful image of my corrupt nature. Sprinkled with thee, I came forth a new creature, and out of thee sprang up my palm of triumph over hell and the grave. But who can sufficiently praise thee, and the boundlessness of thy power and efficacy? Blood, a drop of which is sufficient instantaneously to render blood-red transgressions as white as snow; which, in a moment washes me as clean as the angels themselves after a sanctification of a thousand years; which arrays me in an innocence and acceptableness in the sight of God, to which the beauty of Adam in paradise did not extend; which covers my sinful head with crowns of life, and opens out the road to me, even into the presence-chamber of the Triune God; which makes room for me to stand with joy before His face, and elevates, capacitates, and gives me a right to an endless repose in His arms, and on His paternal bosom. Praiseworthy and miraculous blood—who can worthily praise thee? Mayest thou never remove from the sight of my spirit, when this world shrouds itself in night and darkness before the closing eye of this mortal frame. O that I might behold thy lustre, blood of the cross! when eternity unfolds itself before me, and when in its sight the register of my sins in all their blackness once more presents itself more vividly than ever to my view. O then I shall be strong! Then I shall fear nothing. In beholding thee, I shall overcome all my terrors. Continue, therefore, ever present to my faith! Redden the threshold of my heart with thy brightest radiance! O sacred blood, come upon all of us, for our everlasting atonement and reconciliation! Amen.—Krummacher’s “Elisha.”
Bartimeus An Dall.
II.
(Air a leantainn).
Chunnaic mi aig aon àm duine ‘coiseachd air bile creige moire mar gu’m bitheadh e na chomhnard reidh. Fhad ‘sa b’fhiosrach esan, bha e na chomhnard tearuinte. Bha e gun iomaguin, agus neo-sgathach, cha’n ann a chionn agus nach robh e ann an cunnart, ach do bhrigh gu’n robh e dall.
Agus cho nis nach fheud a thuigsinn cionnus a’s urrainn daoine tha co glic, co curamach ann am moran do nithibh, imeachd air aghaidh co foiseil, co neo-churamach, eadhon co aighireach, mar gu’m bitheadh na h-uile ni tearuinte air son na siorruidheadh, am feadh ‘s a tha ribeachan agus sluic fholuichte mu’n cuairt dhoibh air gach taobh, agus feudaidd e bhi am bàs fein aig laimh, agus gu’n tilg an ath cheum iad do’n t-slochd gun grunn. Mo thruaighe! tha sinn a faicinn an aobhair gu soilleir—tha iad dall.
Tha duine dall a saoilsinn barrachd dhe’n ni tha aige na laimh, na do na beanntaibh, an cuan, a ghrian, no na reultaibh. Tha na nithibh so aige ‘na ghlaic, ach ris na nithibh ‘ud eile tha e neo-chomasach beantuinn, agus cha leir dha iad.
Agus tha e nis soilleir ciod uime tha daoine neo iompaichte a cur teagasgan steidhichte an t-soisgeil an suarachas, ag radh, “gur coma ciod e a chreideas neach, mu tha a chridhe ceart”—”gu’m bheil aon chumadh teagaig co maith ri cumadh teagaig sam bith” agus, “nach ‘eil aca mu dheibhinn searmonachadh far am bheil puincean creidimh air an sparradh air sluagh.” Na truaghain bhochda! durragan dalla, a labhairt gu fanoideach mu nithibh diomhair agus eagsamhla gloirmhoir focail Dé, far a mhain am feud sinn fhoghluim ciod tha sinn gu chreidsinn mu thimchioll Dhia, agus an deasdanas tha Dia ag iarruidh air an duine.
Tha e soilleir, mar an ceudna, ciod uime nach ‘eil iad a’ faicinn luachmhoireachd anns na geallaidhean, no gloir ann an Criosd, no moralachd ann an obair an t-saoraidh, ciod uime tha iad a’ deanamh fanoid do pheacadh, a deanamh tair air bagraidhean Dhe, gu h-an-dàna dol an coinn-eamh fheirge, a meas mar ni suarach fuil Criosd, a labh-
airt gu h-eutrom mu’n bhas, agus a dian-ruith a dh’ionns-uidh sgrios cimteach.
Tha iad dall. Tha na Sgriobtuirean ‘cur sin an ceill. Tha daoiné dalla ann, aig am bheil suilean (Isa. xliii. 8); aig am bheil an tuigse air a’ dorchachadh, nan coimhich do bheatha Dhe thaobh an aineolas a tha annta tre dhoille an cridhe. Tha mar sin ma ta doille cridhe ann, co cimt-each agus a dh’fheudas suilean a chuirp bhi dall. Bithidh daoiné neo-iompaichte ag radh gu tric, “Ma tha na nith-ibh sin mar sin, mu tha iad co soilleir, agus co mor, ciod uime nach urrainn dhuinne am faicinn?” Agus chan ‘eil freagrath eile ri thoirt dha so ach—Tha sibh dall.
“Ach” their cuid “tha sinn ag iarruidh am faicinn ma tha gnothuch againne riu mar tha agaibh fein. Nach truagh nach d’thigeadh searmonaiche aig am bitheadh comas sinne thabhairt chum am faicinn.”
Anamaibh bochda, cha’n eil a leithid sin do shearmon- uiche ann, agus cha ruig sibh a leas bhi, feitheamh ris. Tionaileadh e ri cheile solus Dhe mar is aill leis, ‘s e tha mhain an comas an t-searmonaiche an solus sin a dhortadh a mach air suilean dalla. Tha gloineachan ann a thion- alas gathanna na greine a dh’ ionnsuidh aon aite coinneach- aidh, agus am bitheadh suil dhall air a cur ann an sin gus am bitheadh i air a losgadh, cha bu leir dhi ni sam bith. Atharraichidh solus dorchadas, ach cha’n atharr- aich e doille.
Agus cha leoir dhuit comasan laidir tuigse bhi agad. Chaidh an duine ainmeil sin Iarla Chatham maille ri caraíd diadhaidh a dh’ eisdeachd Maighstir Cecil, ministeir urram- ach a bha ann an Lunnuinn. Bha an t-searmoin mu obair an Spioraid ann an cridheachaibh nan creidmheach. Dh’ aidich am fear-riaghlaidh mor so, agus iad a pilleadh bho’n eaglais, nach do thuig e idir an teagasg ris an robh e ag eisdeachd, agus dh’fhiosraich e dhe a charaid an robh e smuaineachadh an robh aon neach bha lathair comasach air a thuigsinn. Fhreagair esan, Bha iomadh bean bhochd gun fhoghhlum, agus cuid do chloinn san eisdeachd a thuig na h-uile focal dhe’n teagasg, agus a dh’eisd ris le aoibhneas.
Ah! anamaibh bochda, tha sibh a gearan an aghaidh an t-soisgeil gum bheil e foluichte uaibh, mar gum b’e sin a choire-san. Agus feumaidh mi ns earrann eaglach dh’ fhoical Dé ainmeachadh a tha mineachadh aobhair ‘ur neo- chomais air a thuigsinn. Och! is focal eagalach e dh’am bu choir gaoir a chur ‘n ar cluasan, agus a thoirt air ‘ur eridheachan bhi lan uamhuiinn le chluintinn. “Ach ma
tha air soisgeul-ne folaichte, is ann dhoibhsan a ta cailte tha e folaichte: anns an do dhall dia an t-saoghail so inntinn na dream nach ‘eil ‘nan creidmhich air eagal gu’n dealraicheadh orra solus soisgeil ghloirmhoir Chriosd, neach a’s e iomhaigh Dhe” (2 Cor. iv. 3, 4.) Tha an soisgeul na fhirinn agus gloirmhor, agus tha e ghnath a’ dealrachadh ‘na shoilise dhiadhaidh fein; ach tha sibhse dall. Dhall Satan an sean bhreugaire agus mhortair sibh air eagal gu’m faiceadh sibh an soisgeul beannaichte so, agus gu’m bitheadh sibh air ‘ur tearnadh. Agus tha sibh cailte, cailte a nis. ‘Se sin ‘ur suidheachadh eagalach, agus air an aobhar sin cha’n urrainn dhuibh an soisgeul a tnuigsinn.
Na bitheadh iongantas ni’s mo air sluagh Dhé ri monmhor luchd Dia-aicheadhaidh an aghaidh nan Sgriobt-uirean. An d’thugadh tu eisdeachd do dhuine dall a’ faotainn coire do dhealbhan maiseach, no air a chuthach, a dimoladh speurran an t-samhraidh. Ma dh’aicheadheas e gu’m bheil soilleireachd ‘s a ghrein, no airde ‘s na beanntaibh, an creid thu e? Agus nan abradh ceud duine dall, le aon ghuth, nach arrainn dhoibh na rionnagan fhaicinn, agus gu’n reusonaicheadh iad le samhladh gliocais nach ‘eil rionnagan idir ann agus gu’n toisicheadh iad air fanoid a dheanadh oirbh mar speuradairibh, am bitheadh, air an aobhar sin gloir neamhan a mheadhoin oidheche, ni’s lugha ‘n ar beachd. ‘N uair thug na daoine iad dearbhadh cho soilleir air an doille fein, nach gabhadh tusa gidheadh tlachd ann a bhi ‘beachdachadh air oibrbh cumhachdach Dhé? Nach taisbeanadh oibrbh-san dhuit a ghloir, agus nach nochdadh iad gniomh a lamh? (Ps. xix. 1).
Agus an cuirear tuilleadh earbsa annta-san tha dall gu spioradail? An gabhar iadsan ‘n an luchd-iuil spioradail? Cha ghabhar, feudaidh an creidmheach a’s annmhuinne a bhlais gu’m bheil an Tighearna grasmhor (Ps. xxxiv. 8), a chunnaic luachmhoireachd sam bith ‘s na geallaidhean, maise sam bith ann an Criosd, gloir sam bith ‘s na Sgriobtuirean, dluth-leanntann ri dhochas a dh’aindeoin fianuis agus reusonachaidhean faoin dheich mile do luchd Dia-aicheadh. Dh’fhosgaileadh ‘ur suilean-sa. Dhall an Satan an suilean-san. Tha ‘ur fianuis-sa timchioll air ni is aithne dhuibh. Tha am fianuis-san mu ni nach aithne dhoibh, agus air an aobhar sin gun luach. Ma leanar a mhuinntir so, gheibbhear iad nan luchd-iul dhall nan dall, agus tuitidh iad araon anns an t-slochd (Matt. xv. 14).
II.—A BHOCHDUINN.
Faic a nis toradh bronach a dhoille—fior bhochduinn. Ann an so mar an ceudna tha Bartimeus na iomhaigh air na h-uile anam neo-iompaichte. Tha iad le cheile bochd. C’uin a dh’fheudar ag radh gu’m bheil duine bochd? An e’n corp a mhain a tha ‘cur feum air saoibhreas? Nach ‘eil saoibhreas do’n chridhe ann? Nach feud an intinn bhi bochd, an t-anam bhi fuidh fhiachaibh nach urrainn dha phaigheadh. Tha saoibreas ann bharr air aigiod, beartas ris nach ‘eil or no clachan luachmhor ri bhi air an coimeas (Seum ii. 5; Gnath viii. 10, 11; Iob xxviii. 12-19).
Tha duine bochd ‘n uair nach ‘eil fheumaibh air an riarachadh. Mar is airde na nithibh air am bheil e feum-ach, ‘s ann is doimhne nadur a bhochduinn, mar is lionmhoire fheumaibh, ‘s ann is doimhne tomhas a bhochduinn. An duine tha dh’easbhuidh biadh agus fasgadh tha e ni’s bochda na esan tha dh’easbhuidh fasgadh a mhain. Agus nach ‘eil an duine aig nach ‘eil gradh no dochas ni’s bochda na esan air am bheil a mhain aran agus teine a dh’uireasbhuidh? Co a their nach ‘eil an duine sin bochd, aig am bheil anam tur falamh? Ciod e am moll do’n chruithneachd (Ier. xxiii. 28), an corp do’n anam? Nach ‘eil iarrtasan an anama ni’s farsuinge, agus ni’s dorr’ a riarachadh na feumaibh a chuirp? Nach ‘eil ocras cridhe ann? Nach ‘eil à leithid do ni ann agus gorta firinn agus graidh? Nach ‘eil spioradaibh dhaoine air an treigsinn aig àm sam bith a crubadh, agus a crith, agus a reodhadh, mar truaghain gun dachaidh ann an oidhchibh gaillionnach a gheamhraidh? Nach ‘eil oidhche agus geamhradh agus stoirm ann do’n anam? Agus ‘n uair tha e gun dachaidh na aonaranachd, gun ionad-foluich bho a naimhdean, gun fhasgadh bho’n doinn, gun bhiadh d’a ocras, gun chomhfhurtachd ‘n a dhoilgheasan, nach ‘eil e bochd? bochd ann sa bhochduinn is mò, ni a mhain tha airidh air bochduinn ag radh ris? Thubhairt Tòmas, a’ Kempis, “gu’m bheil an duine sin a mhain bochd anns an t-saoghail a ta beo gun losa; agus gu’m bheil an duine sin a mhain saoibhir leis am bheil losa a gabhail tlaichd comhnuidh a ghabhail.”
Nach mor, ma ta, tha do dh’fhior bhochduinn ann an luchairtibh phrionnsaibh, air a sgeadachadh ann am purpur agus anart grinn, agus a teachd beo gu saoghail gach là! Nach tric tha i ag imeachd ann an cuideachd righribh, a boillsgeadh le clachaibh luachmhor, agus a laimhseachadh òr nach fheudar a chunntadh! Nach mor dhith tha’m measg an t-sluaigh mhor-chuisich shaoibhir tha leantainn
gnathan, an t-saoghail so leis am bheil anamaibh lag air am mealladh, agus air son am bheil ocas air cridheachaibh gun ghliocas. Beatha muinntir mhor-chuiseach an t-saoghail so, le an amhurasan, agus am farmad, agus am breugan; le am miodhoireachd shuairich, agus le’n greadhnachas mheallta, le’n leiregrios mhor, agus le’n truaighean riomhach! sin bochduinn ann am firinn.
Ach na dichuimhnicheam. Feudar a bhochduinn so thaicinn am measg muinntir tha stuama, dichiolach, nach ‘eil a leantainn fasain an t-saoghail, agus tha suidheadh guriaghailteach fuidh theagasgan an t-soisgeil. Tha mi ga faicinn fa’m chomhair; chithear a samhladh ann am Bartimeus, ach tha an ni uamhasach fein ri bhi air fhaicinn annadsa, O a pheacaich.
Chunnaic mi duine ‘toiseachadh turus fada. Bha an turus cunnartach troimh gharbh-chriochan anns nach robh comhfhurtachdan do luchd-siubhail. Cha robh suil aig an toiseach gur ann mar so a bhitheadh; bha cladhan uaine lan fhluraichean, a’ treorachadh bho a thigh. Bha an t-slighe reidh, an latha soilleir, cairdean am fagus, a dhochas mór. Dh’fhalbh e gu h-aobhneach ann an carbad socraich: seirbheisich churamach a frithealadh dha, agus feumaibh air an luchdachadh le nithibh do gach seorsa ulluichte air son a thoilintinn, no fheumaibh dha leantainn. Tha orain agus faile cubhraidh a lionadh àileadh na maidne, agus ged a theich iad sin air falbh, mar a dh’imich toiseach an latha seachad, bha gidheadh a dhochas ‘fantuinn laidir, agus ghluais rothan a charbaid gu fuaimneach thairis air an rathad chomhnard. Bha cairdean gu h-aidheil, agus le furan cairdeil, a’cur failte air ‘san dol seachad, agus bha farmad aig eud dheth. Mheas se e fein sona; agus a’ deanamh aoibhneas na sheilbhean riarachail, thug se fein thairis do thoil-inntinn. Tha feasgar a cheud latha air teachd, agus feuch! tha an carbada ‘dol sios sliabh cas. Nach cas tha e fás! Ni’s luaithe agus ni’s luaithe tha an carbad a’ dol. Tha an t-athar a’ dorachachadh, tha an duibhre a’ fás, tha e ni’s fuar; ni’s luaithe agus ni’s luaithe tha an carbad a greasad sios. Cha’n ‘eil ni ann is urrainn stad a chur air. Tha e fein ag oidhearpachadh air so a dheanamh, tha na seirbheisich ga chuideachadh. Tha e ag eigheach air son cuideachaidh, ach ‘s ann an diomhain. Gu luath tha na h-eich a ruith sios. Agus faic aig iochdar an t-sleibh tha amhainn dhorchá gun drochaid. Tha an rathad a’ treorachadh ga h-ionnsuidh. A steach innte chaidh na h-eich, agus a gleachd ris na h-uigseachan, a rànail agus ann an cruaidh-spairn amhghair, chaidh iad uile as an t-sealladh.