And now the moment had come. Trembling from head to foot as he rose, Hudson Taylor could only grasp the rail of the platform and command voice enough to ask his hearers to unite with him in prayer to God. To Him it was easy to speak ; and unusual as this beginning was, even for a missionary address, it arrested attention and opened the way to many a heart. For there was about that prayer a peculiar reality and power. More simple it could not have been, and yet it revealed a sacred intimacy that awakened longing for just such confidence in and certainty of God. A strange hush came over the people before the prayer ended, and then all else was forgotten in scenes to which they found themselves transported.For the missionary came at once to the heart of his message. Back again in thought in the land of his adoption, he was travelling by native junk from Shanghai to Ningpo. Among his fellow-passengers, one Chinese, who had spent some years in England and went by the name of Peter, was much upon his heart, for, though not unacquainted with the Gospel, he knew nothing of its saving power. Simply he told the story of this man’s friendliness and of his own efforts to win him to Christ. Nearing the city of Sung-kiang, they were preparing to go ashore together to -preach and distribute tracts, when Mr. Taylor in his cabin was startled by a sudden splash and cry that told of a man overboard. Springing at once on deck he looked round and missed Peter.
Yes,” exclaimed the boatmen unconcernedly, ” it was over there he went down ! “
To drop the sail and jump into the water was the work of a moment ; but the tide was running out, and the low, shrubless shore afforded little landmark. Searching everywhere in an agony of suspense, Mr Taylor caught sight of some fishermen with a drag-net-just the thing needed.
” Come,” he cried as hope revived, ” come and drag over this spot. A man is drowning ! “
Veh bin,” was the amazing reply : ” It is not convenient.”
” Don’t talk of convenience ! Quickly come, or it will be too late.”
” We are busy fishing.”
” Never mind your fishing ! Come-only come at once ! I will pay you well.”
” How much will you give us ? “
” Five dollars! Only don’t stand talking. Save life without delay ! “
“Too little!” they shouted across the water. “We will not come for less than thirty dollars.”
” But I have not so much with me I I will give you all I’ve got.”
” And how much may that be ? “
” Oh, I don’t know. About fourteen dollars.”
Upon this they came, and the first time they passed the net through the water brought up the missing man. Hat all Mr. Taylor’s efforts to restore respiration were in win. It was only too plain that life had fled, sacrificed to the callous indifference of those who might easily have saved it.
A burning sense of indignation swept over the great audience. Could it be that anywhere on earth people were to be found so utterly callous and selfish! But as the earnest voice went on, conviction struck home all the more deeply that it was unexpected.
” Is the body, then, of so much more value than the soul? We condemn those heathen fishermen. We say they were guilty of the man’s death-because they could easily have saved him, and did not do it. But what of the millions whom we leave to perish, and that eternally? What of the plain command, ‘Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature,’and the searching question inspired by God Himself; ‘If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain; if thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not He that pondereth the heart consider it? and He that keepeth thy soul doth not He know it? And shall He not render to every man according to his works? ‘
China might be far off and little known ; we might silence conscience by saying that its vast population was largely inaccessible ; but every one of those men, women, and children was a soul for whose salvation an infinite price had been paid ; every one of them had a right to know that they had been ransomed by the precious blood of Christ, and to have the offer of eternal life in His Name. While we were busy about other things, quite profitably occupied it may be, they were living, dying without God and without hope-a million every month in that one land passing beyond our reach.
