Days of Grace in Manchuria

Author Unknown

It is the custom in some of the principal stations of the Manchurian Mission to hold a short series of special meetings, for prayer and Bible-study, during the early days of the Chinese new year. It is a time when all business is suspended; people are idle, temptation is rife, and it has been found a good thing to give the Christian people an opportunity of beginning the new year after a godly fashion. In the month of February, I908 — being the thirty-fourth and last year of the reign of Kuang-su — such a series of meetings was arranged for in various centres, and among others in connection with the Chinese congregation of the United Free Church of Scotland Mission in the city of Mukden.

It is a large congregation which has been ministered to for many years by a Chinese pastor — Rev. Liu Ch’uen Yao, one of the early fruits of a mission begun thirty-five years ago. Rev. Jonathan Goforth, from the Canadian Presbyterian Mission in Honan, was with us as special missioner. Immediately before coming to Mukden he had held a week’s mission in Liaoyang, a city some forty miles south of Mukden, and manifest blessing followed.

The work began in Mukden on a Saturday night with a special prayer-meeting. On the following Sabbath, Mr. Goforth held two services each preceded by an hour of prayer. There was a large congregation, from eight to nine hundred people being present. He told us fully about the revival in Korea, which country he had visited the previous autumn, repeating some of the striking things we had already heard from others. He closed with an appeal for earnest prayer that a like blessing might come to the Mukden people. An opportunity was given to any one who felt led by the Spirit to pray, but no one responded. It seemed as if the audience was struck dumb. To me it was amazing, as the Chinese are not usually backward in responding to the call to pray. But Mr. Goforth was disappointed. There was, however, a tone about the congregation which to me was full of quiet hope and expectation. In the address the key-note had been struck — this wonderful work in Korea and the need of the Holy Spirit. “It is not by might nor by power.” This truth, emphasised, iterated and reiterated, and pressed home, was not without its effect from the outset.

At night the congregation was very, large. I took this as a token for good. To see seven or eight hundred people gathered together after sunset, a thing almost unheard of in China, to listen to a foreign missionary setting forth the doctrines of sin and righteousness, seemed to me to be some thing miraculous in itself “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord.” Mr. Goforth’s address was from the Book of Ezekiel, the vision of the valley of dry bones. Another opportunity was given during a period of silent prayer for voluntary prayer or confession. Again, however, there was no response. The silence was deeper than in the morning, and Mr. Goforth was again disappointed; but to me, noting the faces of the congregation, the silence was more significant than words. The hearts of men had lost confidence towards God, and they simply could not pray. But one felt that something new had come to us, and that, under the surface of things, a great spiritual movement was in progress.

On Monday morning, immediately after breakfast, ex-Elder D—— was announced. He desired to see me in private. He began in a low, sad voice, saying that he felt ashamed to come but he had to do so. He could not look me in the face without shame, and he could not lift his heart to God until he had straightened out matters with me. I asked, “What things, Mr. D——?” “ Do you remember,” he said, “that about ten years ago Deacon M—— died, and that he had at the time of his death a certain sum of money in trust, belonging to the Church?” Yes, I remembered. “Do you remember,” he continued, “that my firm was security for this money, and that the Church accepted interest on it while the family were unable to pay?” Yes, I remembered. “Then the Boxer trouble arose, and you got the Church to cancel the debt, in view of the losses the Christians had sustained at that time?” Yes, that was so. “Pastor,” he sobbed, the M—— family prospered afterwards. They paid the money to me, and I never said anything about it to you. Yesterday, when Mr. Goforth spoke, I became very, uneasy and unhappy, I have not slept all night, and I have come to make this confession to you, and to ask you to pray the Lord to forgive this my great sin.”

I took the poor man into Mr. Goforth’s room and got him to repeat his story. Then we knelt together, and the strong man was broken down, as on bended knees with head bowed to the dust he pleaded for pardon. Soon afterwards, with a new look in his face, he left, having assured us that he would pay the money as soon as he had realised some property. Our hope had begun to be fulfilled. Mr. Goforth was greatly cheered.

That morning, at the close of the address, the usual opportunity was given for confession and prayer. But only those who felt moved by the Spirit were asked to pray; if they had not received the “Sheng Ling tiu kantung” (the grace of the Holy Spirit) they were to hold their peace. One deacon near me, an oldish man, rose and made the remark that he was not at all sure about the “Sheng Ling tiu kantung,” but he “wished to say a few words” on his own account. “O Lord,” he said in prayer, “I wish to say that I give myself to Thee now to be all Thine for evermore.” “Amen.” It was so natural, so entirely unaffected, that the whole congregation gave a glad response. A few more prayers, somewhat after the stereotyped form, followed, and a closing hymn was sung, full souled. No great manifestation came, such as Mr. Goforth thirsted for, but one was glad.

In the evening I posted myself near the door to keep late-comers from disturbing the meeting, and a more orderly gathering one could not wish for. Fathers and mothers were there with their children, and every one kept as quiet and still as mice. Mr. Goforth’s voice rang out well in every part of the large building. The usual opportunity for prayer or confession followed the address. One after another rose, and gave utterance to confession and earnest petition, sometimes mingled with sobs hard to supress. From the woman’s side of the house a voice arose. Soon the speaker’s feelings got the better of her, and she sobbed aloud. Just as she was in the midst of this sobbing prayer, some one gave a terrific yell, almost as if some part of the roof had fallen in, and in a moment the whole congregation seemed to be weeping together. This went on for the space of five minutes or so. Scores of people were praying in the most entangled fashion. One felt glad he had not to take the minutes of that short session. It was quite outside the limits of human interpretation. But the angel who keeps the records of such proceedings as these would be near at hand, and one imagines there was not a little to put on record. We met in the evening and held a short, hearty, hopeful prayer-meeting. The ladies of the Mission were greatly cheered. They had been longing and praying for some such movement among the women and now it seemed to have come. It was marvellous how the women came, twice a day through the mire and the keen cold, and some of them from great distances. Whole families came together and were blessed. At the close of the fourth meeting it was every one’s conviction that a great, if quiet, spiritual work was going on.

From my notebook I quote the happenings of the following days

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18th,

At the meeting this morning, which began at I0 a.m. we had an account of the work in Korea and Liaoyang, from a Liaoyang deacon. He spoke as one who had himself experienced a great uplift.

“There will be no difficulty now,” he remarked, “in getting the Liaoyang congregation to support its own minister.” Mr. Goforth spoke at considerable length, and yet the great congregation never moved. At the close one after another rose and prayed, men and women, to the number of fifteen or more. Their prayers were all manifestly the outpourings of hearts that had been powerfully moved. Our minister, Mr. Liu Ch’uen Yao, has been greatly quickened. His son, the doctor, prayed to-day. He also has been deeply moved. The women prayed with wonderful freedom, fervour, and gratitude.

At the evening meeting to-night the large church was three-quarters full from five o’clock till eight. An evangelist who has been to Korea told us of what he had seen there. But he seems to be measuring everything by that standard, and one hopes he will not get the people to follow any stereotyped method. The beautiful thing about the movement hitherto has been its spontaneity; no forcing, but the simple, natural movement of human souls touched by the Spirit. To-night it was delightful to see the people rising all over the church and to hear them pouring out their hearts in prayer. Again the greatest fervour and power came from the women’s side of the house. We were surprised to hear Mrs. L——’s voice. We heard she had been given up by, the doctor and was dying. And here she was, back from the gates of death, out at this evening meeting on a bitterly cold night, her heart brimming over with thanksgiving and devotion. She has made a determination to give the Lord two full days of service every, week for the rest of her life, and she is going to fulfil that determination. Mrs. P—— was also there, the strongest personality, in the Church, evidently having experienced a great uplift. Her prayer was something wonderful. Many others might be mentioned.

The good work is going on. It is a season of refreshing to us all, in fact a time of joy unspeakable. I am getting impatient for a service of praise. Mr. Goforth says it is too soon. He is glad that so many have been quickened, but thinks there are some who have hitherto been holding back. We had our prayer reunion at the close of the evening meeting. Every one thanked God for His gracious presence. Some one prayed that our minister himself might get a blessing. Thank God, Mr. Liu has got a blessing — you can see it in his good old face — and his son likewise.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY I9th .

This morning I went to the church before ten o’clock, as I wished to hear about the work in Korea from a Chinaman’s standpoint. The building was three-quarters full even then, and the women’s part quite full. Mr. Chang gave a very interesting and stirring address. That the work was genuine was demonstrated, he said, by the evidence of Chinese merchants in Pingyang, who, although they knew nothing about Christianity themselves, could yet judge soundly of its ethical effects. Being strangers in this Korean city, the missionaries naturally found their way to the house of the Shantung merchants, and talked with them. “Who were they?” asked the merchants. “Christians from Manchuria.” “Were there Christians in Manthuria also?” “Oh, yes.” “Were they the same sort as the Christians here?” “Don’t know. What are the Christians here like?” “Good men! good men!” “ Why do you think so?” “Oh, a man owed us an account, five years ago, of twenty dollars. He refused to acknowledge more than ten, and we had no redress. A few months ago he came back and,asked us to turn up that old account, and insisted on paying it with interest for these five years.” Things of this sort, Mr. Chang stated, were happening all over Korea.

Mr. Goforth spoke for quite an hour on Prayer, very tenderly and impressively. The- time came for voluntary prayer, and one after another prayed in quick succession. There is now no hanging back; on the contrary, many are eager; and a good deal of suppressed emotion is visibly being felt. I was struck with the movements of Elder S——. His feelings quite overpowered him. Twice he sprang to his feet, made an attempt to speak, and twice sat down again, burying his face in his hands in great distress. At last he rose, sprang to the platform, and said, in effect “Mr. Goforth, I can bear this burden no longer! Before the Lord and this congregation I must confess my iniquities. Years ago, as all you people know, I was an earnest and sincere Christian. But, alas, I fell!

He then gave the particulars of his fall, and continued “My wife spoke to me often about my great sin, and at last I could endure that no longer, and made up my mind to get rid of her. I mixed poison with her food on three separate occasions, but each time ineffectually. All this time I was a member in the Church, and often preached from that pulpit there. I got hundreds of cards printed with my name and designation as elder in this Church, but I am not worthy of such a designation.”

Walking over to the stove, “I now tear up these cards and burn them,” throwing a handful of cards into the fire, “and I charge every one here who has such a card of mine to destroy it. I have been all the time like a fierce dog frightening souls away from the fold of Christ. May God have mercy upon me! May God have mercy upon me!” And he threw himself down on the ground in a very agony of weeping.

Immediately, the whole congregation broke into loud lamentation. Scores of men and women rushed forward to the platform, fell on their knees, and made abject confession of sin.

It was impossible to gather particulars, the hubbub was so great. There was not a dry, face in the building. When the noise had subsided a little, Mr. S—— again got up and said “Here is a gold bangle which in my pride and vanity I bought and wore. And here is a gold ring which I have also been wearing. They are not mine. ‘Take them, and may God have mercy on my soul!”

In his terrible excitement to get rid of the ring he almost tore his finger out of joint. A friend beside him assisted him, and the ring and bangle were laid on the table. An earnest prayer, simple and tender, arose on the women’s side. It was a cry for forgiveness. I inquired who it was who thus prayed. The reply was, Mrs. S——, the wife of the elder who had just confessed.

I cannot remember what happened after that on the Wednesday forenoon. We were as those who had dreamed. There is not a doubt in the minds of any of us now but that we are in the midst of a great work of grace. The Spirit of the Lord is with us as we have not seen heretofore.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20th .

At both morning and evening meetings to-day the church was filled. The spiritual movement is spreading and deepening. There has been no scene such as we witnessed on Wednesday. But the desire to get good has spread over the whole congregation. They seem to be afraid that the time will pass away and leave them unblessed, and so we have had crowds of people confessing — elders, deacons, evangelists, members young and old, inquirers, backsliders. The whole congregation has been of one mind to-day. And it was this we must receive the Spirit and the power He can bring, and we must take every step, however painful it may be, in order not to miss this great blessing. The spirit of prayer has been wonderfully manifest. Sometimes half a dozen would start at once, and on one occasion the entire congregation of seven or eight hundred people were all praying together. But there was not the slightest feeling of discord. One felt they were all of one heart and one mind. The spirit of giving offerings has been wonderful. Men have promised land and houses, as well as money, to the Lord’s cause. I don’t know how many offered to give part of their time to voluntary service for the Master.

The spirit of praise has been very evident, especially to-day. The singing of hymns of thanksgiving has been splendid. A new song has literally been put into their mouth to glorify God withal. Old hymns are sung with a new and extraordinary fervour, and new hymns are coming to the front — hymns of confession and contrition, hymns of pardon through the precious blood of the Atonement — hymns expressing human need and heavenly peace. Songs of the redeemed they sing as they never sang before. “What can wash away my sin?” “Weeping cannot save me,” “Tell it o’er and o’er again, Christ receiveth sinful men” — these and many others are the hymns which have become sacred songs indeed through the revival.