302
Reports of Medical Missions.
JUNE,
opposition or difficulty. On the first Sabbath following, the little native church was nasembled, and the day was sanctified by prayer and by the celebration of the Lord's Supper. There were four male and six female communicants; Liang A-fáh conducted the service, and it was felt to be an interesting and solenın season.
Arrangements were now made to receive patients three times a week, viz., Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Tuesday was appointed to be the day for surgical operations. The average attendance of new and old cases on these three days, during the whole of June and July was 200 each time.
The second Sabbath was observed by the public preaching of God's word by our aged Evangelist, Liang A-fáh; 230 persons of both sexes were present, the females sitting on reserved seats by themselves. There was much coming in and going out, talking and smiling at the strange sight of preaching, sing- ing, and praying to an invisible Being, without priest, altar, or sacrifice. Many, however, were attentive and listened with approval.
The third Sabbath was rainy, and only fifty persons were present. On the fourth there were about two hundred, who were quiet, and listened with some degree of attention to the doctrines delivered. The fifth was also well attended. On the sixth Sabbath, July 16th, there was a very full congrega tion; there were about sixty women, of whom fully one half were of the more respectable class. Most of the women sat in a side room with Mrs. Hobson and child. Altogether, including those who only remained a short time, there were from two hundred and fifty to three hundred persons present. There was more noise than usual this day, caused by the chattering of the women, the crying of children, and playing of some boys at the door. Some were very quiet and attentive, but the greater part came evidently from curiosity alone. to see the foreign lady and child, for several of the women who were not in the side room were raising their heads high to look over the blinds, or through the crevices to get a sight of them. To give a single illustration of the igno- rance and indifference of the people to what appears to us so sacred and impor- Lant :-on one occasion, a woman during the time of preaching on the Sabbath- day, held up her child to the reading-desk, and in a loud voice requested me- dical aid for her child at once, and could not be easily persuaded to sit quietly down and wait awhile, till the explanation of the sacred Book should be con- cluded. Her sudden intrusion and earnestness much amused the congregation. The child had nothing seriously the matter with it. Others would occasionally stand up and peep over our shoulders to observe what we were reading, look about with a staring gaze, smile, and then sit down. Others, if any tracts were on the table, would make a rush to seize them. On another occasion, some sinall-footed ladies walked in during service, and 1 rose up to beckon them to a seat as they passed by; in a moment they moved away from me under evi- dent alarm, their trepidation and awkward motions occasioning a laugh.
On Monday, July 17th, at half past six; A. M., there were already several patients waiting for medical advice, and at half past nine when we began the day's duty by the Evangelist addressing the sick, there were then a hundred and twenty persons. Two hundred tracts were distributed, also a form of prayer (specially prepared for them) was given to each patient. The women and men were admitted alternately, fifteen or twenty at a time. The chief diseases prevailing were acute and chronic ophthalmia, and their sequelæ; rheumatic neuralgia; fever; dropsy, and various forms of scrofula. The in- spection was completed after six hours. Whilst I was healing in the dispen- sary, the native preacher was exhorting and distributing books in the waiting- room. The total number of applicants, new and old cases, was 284 :—160 women and 124 men.
teen.
July 18th.-This day an interesting old lady, a Roman Catholic, called to see Mrs. Hobson. Tea and fruit were presented, after which I had a long con- versation with her on religious subjects. She was baptized at the age of six- Her husband was not living; she expressed herself deeply grieved that during life he cared not for the true doctrine She hoped, however, that the cleansing of fire in bell would render him fit for the service and enjoyment of heaven. She asked for an explanation of the difference between our religion
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