CHURCHES (Continuation.)
their labour, and without any difficulty or delay, about twenty natives were assembled around us, attentive listeners. Mr. Gutzlaff commenced addressing them in their own language, in tone, gesture, and manner to the assemblage before him. They listened with apparent pleasure, frequently responding and offering observations.
He was succeeded in turn by his two native assistants, who addressed their fellow countrymen with much animation, especially A-tai, the younger. The whole was concluded by Mr. Gutzlaff offering a short prayer to the Almighty. We then departed after leaving a few tracts with those who had something to say to us.
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In this way, we proceeded over a space of two miles, which was covered at almost every level and habitable point by native huts of rude construction, but with substantial outer walls to repel the inroads of pirates and freebooters.
They seemed to recognise, in Mr. Gutzlaff and his native assistant, old acquaintances, and the authoritative tone and manner with which he compelled any hesitating or inattentive individual to give his presence and attention was sometimes amusing. At one time, we had a congregation in the open air, with the heavens as our canopy, and the rugged soil as the pulpit. At another time, we met in some native dwelling, where the tenants of the adjoining huts were congregated. Mr. Gutzlaff stationed himself at the door to allow free ingress but prevent the egress of any refractory individual. His mild compulsions were received with good humour, extracting a smile from the object of them and approval from the rest. The majority were eager to listen, following us, in some instances, to the next place of meeting, where the services underwent a slight change or alteration of the parts assigned to each preacher. Some of the more intelligent listeners made remarks in the course of the address. The dialect they spoke was the Hok-ba, which differs considerably from the Canton dialect generally spoken in these parts.
We next went on board a boat anchored close to the beach and filled with a cargo of paving-stones. The crew amounted to about twenty and evinced a shy manner. Here, we had a service, necessarily rendered short by their inattentive and unwilling disposition. Mr. Gutzlaff, in the course of his address, told them they were pirates and robbers, wicked men, living without God, and exhorted them to repentance of sin and faith in His Son. They showed no disposition to revenge the low opinion entertained of their morality and attempted no denial.
The whole population of these scattered hamlets consists, with few exceptions, of Chinese of the lowest description and character, driven by outlawry and crime, as frequently as by the want of subsistence elsewhere, to the neighbourhood of this new British Settlement.
Six hours were spent in such visits. The last place of meeting was at a large village, in the shop of a tradesman of respectable appearance.