11 - Chapter 11
Chapter 11 - Journey of Hung-T’Ung by Stanley P. Smith
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The T’ai-yüen Fu Meetings being over, we left that city in detachments for the South; the first consisting of Mr. Key, Mr. Lewis, and myself; the second of Mr. Cassels and Mr. Hoste, who went by a western route to Sih-chau and Ta-ning Hien, intending to bring on a few Christians to meet us at Hung-t’ung; the third of Mr. Hudson Taylor, Mr. Herbert Hudson Taylor, Dr. Edwards, Mr. Studd, and Mr. Beauchamp. From the province of Chih-li on the east, right across to Kan-suh on the west of China Proper, there is a very curious, but deep and rich deposit of light soil. Though exceedingly fertile, its nature is such that in dry weather the roads are deep in dust, and in wet weather in mire. The large proportion of the year in Shan-si, there is usually no rain, but when it does come, the roads in many places have all the appearance of canals, and are quite impassable for carts; beasts of burden and pedestrians even sometimes being delayed on their way, unable to proceed. The first party, traveling by cart, got to Hung-t’ung without mishap; the second, alas! Never reached there, being detained by rain on the west of the Fen river; the third—Mr. Taylor’s party—arrived on July 30th, two days before the Conference, their journey having been most difficult, not to say dangerous. Now they had to skirt a narrow ledge, while masses of rock, varying from a few to many pounds in weight, kept falling; now they had to ford streams, the currents of which were so swift, that many times they were nearly—and in one case one of the number actually—carried off their legs, while now again they would have the greatest difficulty with the four beasts of burden. As an instance of their difficulties. The day before they arrived at Hung-t’ung, they were crossing over the two ranges of hills that separate the P’ing-yang and T’ai-yüen plains. In these mountain-passes there are numerous narrow gorges or defiles, whose almost perpendicular walls are sometimes a hundred feet high. In these defiles, when the rainy season is on, there often occur landslips of greater or less magnitude. If the landslip be small, it forms a quagmire, sometimes covering part of the surface of the road, sometimes the whole of it. It fell out on that day that the two pack mules got so involved in one of these “quags,” that the burdens (which have no under girths, but are just placed on frames) were literally floated in the mire right off their backs. There was nothing for it but for Mr. Studd and Mr. Beauchamp to wade into the mud, and raising the packs, get them carried away one by one by the muleteer; this done, the mules, by great exertion, managed to extricate themselves.
Shortly to describe Hung-t’ung. It is a busy town lying twenty miles north of P’ing-yang, on the main road to T’ai-yüen, the capital of the Shan-si province. The tract of land surrounding the city is well watered, the consequence being that it is exceedingly fertile: a very great variety of vegetables and roots being grown just outside the four walls. Beyond the South gate flows a perennial stream; it has its source in a spring in the hills, distant some eight miles, and it is chiefly the water of this stream that is used to such advantage in the market gardens. Five miles to the west is the Fen river, while five miles further to the west is a range of hills. This range, as the background of a fertile and fairly well-wooded tract of country, forms a very pretty landscape view from different points of vantage. On the north side, distant some thirty miles, stands out in bold relief as a sort of guardian sentinel of the P’ing-yang plain, the great Hoh hill, the summit of which is about 5,000 feet above the sea. The first day of the Conference was Sunday, August 1st. The program of meetings was drawn up on the day preceding, but was afterwards slightly modified. Its corrected form is as follows:―- Sunday, 7 a.m. Mr. Chang Chih-hen.
Sunday, 11 a.m. Mr. Hudson Taylor and Mr. Hsi.
Sunday, 7 p.m. Mr. J. W. Stevenson (a testimony meeting).
Monday, 7 a.m. Mr. Fan.
Monday, 11 a.m. Ordination of native pastors, elders, and deacons.
Monday, 3 p.m. “The Lord’s Supper,” Mr. Hsi and Mr. Stanley P. Smith. On Saturday evening we had the usual C.I.M. prayer meeting. Mr. Stevenson gave us tidings of fellow-workers at Han-chung, which station he had visited before he came to P’ing-yang, and it was most encouraging to hear the accounts of God’s work there.
While we had our English meeting, Mr. Hsi led a Chinese one; and by this time over 100 male and female Church members and inquirers had arrived. The meetings finished, it was of course time for retiring; not only were there present the hundred and more natives, but we foreigners were no small addition to the number. The house at Hung-t’ung is not large, consisting only of two courts—the smaller court being the opium refuge. And yet somehow we managed to pack in. The opium refuge (which in the hot weather has no occupants) received the native ladies, while the larger court took in the men. The majority of the men slept on the floors of rooms covered with plaited rushes; upon the rushes were spread the bedding, about the thickness of two or three rugs, which is always used by the Chinese in these parts—others slept on plank beds, on the k’angs (brick beds), or on forms, while some put up with tables. So, as regards the body, it was decidedly picnicking; but being summer, and the Lord giving the most perfect weather, it was an easy matter.
Briefly to describe the main court: on the south side of the courtyard is the worship-hall, a large room 42 feet by 21, and about 25 feet high; on the east and west sides are two blocks, 40 feet by 10; on the north side is a wall with a door in the center, leading into the lesser half of the court. The courtyard is surrounded by a stone corridor, raised about a foot above the basement, except on the worship-hall side, where it is two feet above. In the big meetings the courtyard was filled with male Church members, the worship-hall contained the lady Church members; the raised space between did for a platform, and was reserved for the foreigners and those who took part in the meetings; while the surrounding corridor, as well as every available space, was crowded with outsiders. Doubtless, these outsiders came with all sorts of motives; some from curiosity, some to see the place, some to see the foreigners; while some, thank God, as after events proved, came with the earnest desire to hear and get to understand the doctrines of the Lord Jesus.
TELL OUT THE JOYFUL TIDINGS.
“BLESSED IS THE PEOPLE THAT KNOW THE JOYFUL SOUND.”
“Tell out the joyful tidings “That once the Saviour told;
“Thro’ village, town and city, “His precious truth unfold.
“Tell out the joyful tidings, “That all His grace may share, “Who, trusting only Jesus, “Will come by faith and prayer.
“Tell out the joyful tidings, “And publish far and wide “The blessed, blessed story, “That Christ for sinners died!”
F.J. Van Alstyne.