I      i-..                      ~.. r......~ ---—::-::-:::: —-  -D: -I- --
i!                                                                  ~ it     i;  i
i::::::       f;    i   -
i:                                                                                                             ii~~~~~~~~~~
ii~ ~                                                       /Xi  
ac —- /e                                                                                                                   He/ZX-i




THE
HERO MISSIONARY.
OR,
% Dis5tog  of te tWabos
OF THE
REV. EUGENIO KINCAID,
BY ALFRED S. PATTON,
AVtTOR OF " LIGHT IN THE VALLEY," " MY JOY AND CROWN," ETC., ETC.
"The brother whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches."
2 Cor. viii. 18.'W Ve live in deeds, not years; in thoughts, not breaths 
In feelings, not in figures on a dial.
We should count time by heart-throbs. He most lives
Wh  thinks most, feels the noblest, acts the best."
~e 1aork:k
I. DAYTON, 107 NASSAU STREET;
INDIANAPOLIS, IND.: DAYTON & ASHER.
1858.




Entered according to Act of Congress in the year t858, by
H. DAYTON,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the
Southern District of New York.
J. J. REED,
PRINTER & STEREOTYPEB,
43 Centre-St., N. Y.




REV. JOSEPH H. KENNARD, D.D.
AND
WILSON JEWELL, M.D.,
THE EARLY AND DEVOTED FRIENDS
OF
HIM WHOSE LABORS, IN PART, ARE HEREIN SKETCHED,
1)i5       o tll amn 
IS AFFECTIONATELY AND GRATEFULLY INSCRIBED
THE AUTHOR
THE AUTHOR.








PREFACE.
ON the day that Mr. Kincaid last left America to
return to Burmah, I ventured to request permission to
acquaint myself with all the accessible facts of his
public life, with the view of giving them to the world
in the shape of a book.  The application was unexpected, but after some hesitation, it was modestly
waved by referring the proposal to the two ".early
and devoted friends" whose names adorn a previous
page.  Having received their kind approval of such
an undertaking, I began at once the preparation of this
volume.
As expressed in the title, it does not claim to be a
life of Mr. Kincaid, but a history of his labors, and
these I have endeavored to sketch in a style adapted
to the popular mind, and calculated, it is confidently
hoped, to awaken increasing interest in the great
enterprise to which all his energies have been given.
The simple design of this work, then, is to furnish a
condensed, yet accurate view  of the incidents and




viii                  Preface.
scenes connected  with those bold and persevering
efforts which mark Mr. Kincaid as "The Hero Missionary," and which have contributed to give him
such eminence and honor among that noble band who
have sought, or are now  seeking, the evangelization
of Burmah.
Carlyle, in his Life of Sterling, has said-"I have
remarked that a true delineation of the smallest man
and his scene of pilgrimage through life, is capable
of interesting the greatest man; that all men are to
an unspeakable degree brothers, each man's life a
strange emblem  of every man's; and that Human
Portraits, faithfully drawn, are of all pictures the
welcomest on human walls."
If this be true, then, surely the sketch of a man
whose achievements in the highest sphere of human
effort, have made him distinguished among his fellows,
must be capable of awakening a still deeper interest,
and a faithful portrait of such an one cannot fail to
prove a most welcome addition to those already in
the world's possession. But, beyond this, the hope is
cherished that what is here recorded may serve to
excite a deeper interest in the subject of Christian
Missions, and thus contribute, in some humble measure,
to advance a cause dear to all who possess the mind
"which was also in Christ Jesus."




CONTENT S.
CHAPTER I.
LIFE'S BEGINNINGS, -  -         - - -          -    -    11
CHAPTER II
ELEMENTS OF CHARACTER,   -              - -              23
CHAPTER III.
THE FOREIGN MISSIONARY)    -     ~   -33
CHAPTER IV.
ENTERING THE FOREIGN FIELD,   -      -     -      -      41
CHAPTER V.
A YEAR IN RANGOON,   -- -    5
CHAPTER VI.
UP THE IRRAWADDY,                                        60
CHAPTER VII.
OPPOSITION AT AVA,                                       68
CHAPTER VIII.
TILE GOSPEL IN THE GOLDEN CITY,    "   -   -    -        80
CHAPTER IX.
IN THE SHADOW OF THE HIMMALEH MOUNTAINS1 -               89
CHAPTER X.
IN PERILS AMONG ROBBERS, -    -              -          103
CHAPTER XI.
DANGER AND DELIVERANCE,    -      -    -    -     -     116
CHAPTER XII.
bABORS IN TENNASSERIM-           - - -                  129




x                       Contents.
CHAPTER XIII.
A GREAT WORK IN ARRACAN,                              145
CHAPTER XIV.
VISIT TO TIE MOUNTAIN CHIEF   -   -   -   -           159
CHAPTER XV.
VISIT TO AMERICA       177
CHAPTER XVI.
REOPENING OF BURMAH,   -   -             -            195
CHAPTER XVII.
OFF AGAIN FOR BURMAH  -   - -   - -   -  210
CHAPTER XVIII.
RESUMING LABORS                                       224
CHAPTER XIX.
IIAVING FAVOR WITH THE PEOPLE, -   -   -              235
CHAPTER XX.
LABORS INTERRUPTED BY WAR,  - -                       245
CHAPTER XXI.
SETTING UP THE STANDARD AT PROME,   -   -   -   -  257
CHAPTER XXII.
IN FAVOR WITH THE KING, - - - - - -    264
CHAPTER XXIII.
ON THE KING'S BUSINESS, -                             276
CHAPTER XXIV.
THE OVERLAIND ROUTE TO BURMAH,    -   -   -           285
CHAPTER XXV.
RETROSPECT AND PROSPECT,  *  307




KINCAID-THE HERO MISSIONARY.
CHAPTER I.
LIFE S  BEGINNINGS.
"BEFORE I formed thee I knew thee;-and I ordained thee a prophet unto
the nations."-Jer. i. 5.
"As the sun,
Ere it is risen, sometimes paints its image
In the atmosphere; so often do the spirits of
Great events stride on before the events,
And in to-day already walks to-morrow."
THE future of some men is clearly foreshadowed at
life's beginning.  Just as the naturalist in looking
at the merest shoot discerns the pledge of a sturdy
oak-so  those  who carefully observe the first developments of mind may foretell the probable future
of the child. Alluding to the deep interest connected with such observations, FOSTER, in  one of his
Essays says-" While I anticipate the endless progress of life, and wonder through what unknown
scenes it is to take its course, its past years lose that
character of vanity which would seem to belong to a
train of fleeting, perishing moments, and I see them




12                 Kincaid:
assuming the dignity of a commencing eternity. In
them I have begun to be that conscious existence
which I am to be through endless duration; and I
cannot be content without an accurate sketch of the
windings thus far of a stream which is to bear me on
for ever."  A feeling of curiosity similar to this
prompts us to inquire respecting the early history of
others; and hence, when we hear of one who, in any
of life's pursuits, has been successful in reaching a
position of eminence and usefulness, we find ourselves
almost instinctively asking for his antecedents.
Nor can we have failed to notice that, with few exceptions, whatever traits have been peculiar to one
in the primary peri6ds of his life, have contributed
not a little to give shape and direction to his whole
future existence.
But besides these mental and moral indexes, it is
sometimes exceedingly interesting to notice the
moulding influence of those outward circumstances
which, though they may at the time appear trivial,
nevertheless exert a power over an individual's inner
history altogether disproportionate to their seeming
importance.
A brief reference to a few such characteristics and
circumstances connected with the youth and early
manhood of EUGENIO KINCAID will occupy the limits
of the present chapter. He was born in the little
Connecticut town of WETHERSFIELD, but almost before




The Hero Missionary.            13
the years of memory his parents removed to Canada,
and finally settled in Pennsylvania.
His father, NOAH KIINCAID, is a respectable physician, and still lives to rejoice in his son's usefulness.
The maiden name of his mother (some years since
deceased) was Lydia Hough.'Both parents were
consistent members of the Presbyterian church, and
highly esteemed in the circle in which Providence
allotted them to move.
EUGENIO was the oldest of eight children, and the
pious instructions of his sainted mother-to whom he
was peculiarly attached-are among his earliest and
most cherished recollections. Almost from the day
of his birth she seems to have had an impression that
he would become more than an ordinary man, and,
doubtless, the care and attention which this, conviction prompted, had not a little to do in the development of his moral and mental powers, and consequently in giving direction to his whole future life.
His first years, though not marled by any striking
display of genius, were yet distinguished by some intimations of peculiar talent; and any thoughtful
observer would have seen in him that which gave a
sure pledge of future eminence. While very steady,
and devoted to study, he was at the same time remarkably energetic-exhibiting all that intense earnestness in whatever he undertook, that has characterized him through life.




14                 Kincaid:
At the age of sixteen, his mind became deeply exercised on the subject of religion. A meeting of days
was at that time held by a traveling Baptist preacher,
which he attended; and, before its close, he was
brought by divine grace to exercise deep repentance
for sin, and to experience a thorough change of heart.
His mind was at once exercised in reference to the
ordinance of Christian baptism, and going to the
preacher he asked him for a book which might give
him some light on the subject. The preacher went
immediately to his saddle-bags, and, taking out a
small volume, handed it to him. Upon opening it,
Mr. Kincaid found it to be a New Testament, and,
thinking he had made a mistake, immediately returned it-when the preacher, looking very earnestly
at him, said-" Young man, if you want any better
guide than the Holy Ghost has given, don't come to
me." The remark was never forgotten, and, after a
careful investigation of the subject, as presented in
the word of God, he felt that there was no room to
doubt, and at once with a willing mind, submitted to
the ordinance. He was not brought to this decision,
however, without a painful struggle, and in carrying
it out he was obliged to encounter no small amount
of opposition. Only a short time previous to this he
had commenced the study of the law under the direction of his former pastor; but the day following his
baptism he found that his books had been removed,




The Hero Jlissionary.           15
and he was given to understand that he could no
longer look to him for assistance.
Thus all his plans for the future seemed to be at
once frustrated. He was not long, however, in suspense; for G-od, who called him out of darkness into
his marvellous light, had marked out another path
for him, and he was soon made to feel it a duty to
pursue a course of study with reference to the work
of the ministry. At first, many difficulties beset his
way, but, mastering these, he at length found his way
to the Literary and Theological Institution at Hamil
ton, where he was graduated in 1822.
From the very day of his conversion he had been
thoroughly imbued with the spirit of missions, and,
during his preparatory studies, so deep were his impressions of duty to the heathen, that he resolved to
devote his life to labors for their salvation. Upon
the completion of his course at the Institution, therefore, he offered himself to the Baptist Board of Missions,-asking an appointment to Burmah.  From
various causes, however, but principally, it is believed, through the conservative counsels of one who
regarded him as wanting in prudence, his application
was declined, and his cherished hope was thus, for a
time, deferred. Under these circumstances he was
induced to accept an invitation to the pastoralcharge
of the Baptist church at Galway, N. Y.. Here, in the
midst of an attached people, it was his privilege for




16                  Kincaid:
about three years to labor and to witness signal and
most cheering success in his ministry. "His preaching," says one of the venerable men connected with
that church, "was much to our satisfaction-he was
greatly beloved by all, and we thought him a very
promising young man."  But happy as were all the
circumstances connected with this settlement, he did
not feel contented to remain there-wishing to labor
in a more destitute part of the vineyard. In the
year 1826 he made a visit of exploration into the valley of the Susquehanna, and finding there a wide
and inviting field, he determined at once to enter it.
At this time there were not more than two or
three Baptists in all that region; and when, calling at
the house of one of these, he introduced himself as a
Baptist minister, the old man was quite overcome,
and without making any reply, in an audible voice
thanked God for this long-desired blessing.
Mr. Kincaid commenced preaching statedly at
Milton, Union Co., and in less than six months a
little church was organized in that town, consisting
of nine members. The occasion of their first baptism is still remembered by many of the inhabitants
of that place as an occasion of peculiar interest. It
took place immediately upon the close of a Lord's
day morning service, and was witnessed by a very
large concourse of people. Public notice having
been given that the ordinance would be administered




The Hero Missionary.             17
on that day, it brought together not only the greater
part of the floating population of that town and surrounding country, but the dispersing congregations
of the other churches; and the river bank, thronged
with this curious but attentive crowd, presented a
scene at once impressive and beautiful. After baptizing two rejoicing converts, the pastor of the Presbyterian church, by request, closed the service with
an appropriate and fervent prayer.
But, while making Milton his home, Mr. Kincaid embraced every  opportunity  of extending
his labors into the surrounding towns and villages,
and, among other localities, he was accustomed to
preach occasionally at Warrior Run. His visits here
had the effect of exciting an unusual interest, and a
minister of another denomination, who regarded him
in the light of an intruder, thought it important to
warn his people against hearing " the young Baptist
preacher," solemnly assuring them that "Baptist
sentiments were the worst of all heresies; for when
once they entered a place, they could never be rooted out."  In addition to his numerous preaching engagements, Mr. Kincaid edited for a time THE LITERARY AND EVANGELICAL REGISTER, a monthly magazine,
printed at Milton, and designed to diffuse general
scientific and religious knowledge. From a variety
of causes, however, its publication, after the first
year, was discontinue 1.




18                  Kincaid:
Toward the close of 1828, the Board of the Baptist
General Association of Pennsylvania, for Missionary
Purposes,* selected Mr. Kincaid to preach the gospel,
and to travel as an exploring agent in several of the
central counties of the State. This appointment he
accepted, and the cheering success which almost immediately crowned his efforts, is embodied in the following extracts from a letter, written under date of
June 16, 1829, to the Rev. Mr. Kennard"After receiving an appointment as missionary
and agent, I commenced my labors the first week in
March. Without delay I traveled over the field in
which I had labored for more than two years-the
principal places are Milton, New Columbia, Sunbury,
Shamokin, Washington, Jerseybower, Moreland, and
Pennsborough. In most of these places, the prospect
of good is encouraging; assemblies generally large
and attentive. The discriminating doctrines of our
faith begin to claim attention-a spirit of inquiry is
going forth, and so far the result has been cheering.
For some months past, Shamokin has been sharing in
the special influences of the Spirit. The youth have
shared largely in this work of grace. The number of
anxious, mourning souls is increasing; and, what is
worthy of remark, the largest number received their
first conviction on baptismal occasions-some who
* An organization which, in 1838, was merged in'o the Pennsylvania Baptist State Convention.




The Hero Missionary.           19
came out of curiosity, others to ridicule, and others
to blaspheme, were pricked in the heart, and began
to inquire,' what shallwe do?' Some who were most
violent opposers are now coming and offering themselves for baptism. The last two Sabbaths on which
I baptised, seventeen were received into the church.
On these occasions people flock together from all the
surrounding country, and I have endeavored to explain faithfully the import of that commission which
Christ gave to the Apostles.
Sunbury is an important place, and I think a church
may be formed here soon-the Presbyterian meeting
house is at our service when not in use.
Milton and the country around it is an interesting
field of labor. I have been blessed in raising up a
small church here, and several interesting young people have been added by baptism. This little church
has commenced building a brick meeting house 34 by
40-they intend finishing it this summer. One baptised here a few days since; several inquiring souls.
I have visited settlements in this country where a
sermon had never been preached. I have received
letters from other neighborhoods, begging of me to
come and preach to them. West of the Alleghany
mountains is a vast tract of new country, stretching
to the North and West, and settlements are forming
in every direction. The inhabitants are generally
intelligent and enterprising. I have seen, in this




20                  Kincaid:
wilderness, females come ten and twelve miles on
foot to hear one sermon. Many appear to be hungry
for the bread of life. I have not traveled as yet any
further than into Jefferson county-soon I intend to
go over more ground. I feel anxious to know how
much land we have to possess. Pioneers are needed
to range through this new country and plant churches.
The time has evidently come when the helping hand
is to be put forth-every thing is encouraging; it is
a good cause, and the great Head of the church will
prosper it. Difficulties there are, and opposition
there will be; but, who art thou, 0 great mountain?
before Zerobabel thou shalt become a plain. Soon
the wilderness will bud and blossom like the rose.Let the gospel of Christ go forth, and it will not return void."
Mr. Kincaid continued in this service for several
years, and, upon closing his connection with the Association, the Board, in their Annual Report, bore
the following testimony to their appreciation of his
labors"In concluding our report," says the secretary,
" we wish to express our high sense of the valuable
services rendered by our Brother Kincaid, in whose
resignation, the Association sustains a great loss. He
has been your agent from your first organization, and
has been the chief instrument in originating nearly
all your auxiliary societies. As a pioneer, we know




The Hero Missionary.              21
not his equal. It has been ascertained, that within
the last four years, he has traveled more than 20,0,
miles, in exploring our State, and preaching in its
most destitute and dreary regions, and in some instances, where the feet of him that bringeth good
tidings had never before been seen.  We rejoice
that the Foreign Jlission, in which we feel a lively
interest, has obtained a brother so laborious and selfdenying."
The night before leaving Boston for India, Mr.
Kincaid wrote the Board as follows:
" The deep interest I have felt in the advancement
of the cause in Pennsylvania, can never be erased
from my mind; my happiness has been identified
with the prosperity of the Mission cause in that
State, and though I may never visit it again, the recollections of past years, will ever be present with
me. In mind, I shall often visit those mountains and
valleys where I have so frequently preached the
things concerning the kingdom of God."" So ardently," it is added, " was he devoted to the
cause of missions in this State, and so unquestionable
an assurance has he left of the sincerity of that devotion, as naturally to elicit from us warm expressions
of gratitude. Indeed, it is difficult to suppress the
inquisitiveness we feel in calling to recollection so
worthy a friend-so devoted a Christian. We would
fain know where he resides; the tenor of his life,




22                  Kincaid:
and the success of his toils. Has he tired under his
burden, and given up in despair? Or, is he pressing
forward to victory and death, with unabated ardor?"
After detaining the reader with a brief reference
to the natural elements of the man, whose life was so
auspiciously begun, a full and satisfactory answer to
these questions will be found, it is believed, in the
succeeding chapters of this work.




The Hero Missionary.                     23
CHAPTER II.
ELEMENTS  OF  CHARACTER.
"'EVERY work that he began... he did it with all his heart and prospered."
2 Chron. xxxi. 21.' He lives and breathes
For noble purposes of mind; and his heart
Beats to heroic things of ancient days;
His eye distinguishes; his soul creates."
MANY men seem  to have no individuality.  Even
though  enjoying what is called a reputation, they are
wholly wanting in what constitutes a distinctive character.  Neither their mental nor their moral attributes are marked by any thing that can be regarded
as permanent, and but for a certain " vain show" they
would pass through life scarcely challenging recognition. There are others, however, endowed with such
gifts that it matters not where they may be placed,
their presence and influence are sure to be deeply and
widely felt. -Nor is it difficult to discern the qualities
which generally give to individuals position and power.
In all such cases it will be found that the constituent
elements of the mind are such as to impart a decided




24                  Kincaid:
character to all they say and do, and by the confidence
with which they speak their sentiments, and the boldness with which they execute their plans, they speedily
establish a title to preeminence even among illustrious
associates.
These natural traits have been strikingly exhibited
in the life and labors of Mr. Kincaid, and to their
possession must be traced one of the chief causes of
his astonishing success.
To exhibit these traits is a difficult task, and one
which I approach with great diffidence.  In referring
to a character so marked by Christian and manly virtue, however, nothing, of course, will be expected beyond a brief outline of the chief qualities for which he
has become so widely distinguished.
The intellectual endowments of Mr. Kincaid, though
not of the first or highest order, are unquestionably
far above mediocrity, and the depth and breadth of
their development, under the circumstances in which
he has been placed, afford ample proof of their native
scope and vigor. With a mind at once contemplative
and discriminating, he exhibits also sleepless intellectual vivacity, and all his mental processes are conducted with the greatest possible rapidity.  Hence it
is that, notwithstanding the amount of time given to
active labors, he has still been astonishingly successful in the acquisition of general intelligence.




The Hero Missionary.              25
Besides being an educated man, therefore, within
his appropriate sphere, few, perhaps, are more familiar
than he with the current history of the world, whether
in the department of politics, science or religion. He
possesses also remarkable resources in himself-in his
good sense, his quick sagacity, his generous sensibilities, and his fertile imagination. Under no circumstances, perhaps, have these powers appeared to greater
advantage than on the platform, when under the excitement induced by a crowded audience, he has been
portraying the thrilling scenes connected with his
labors in Burmah, or when, with strong argument and
melting pathos, he has been heard pleading with the
churches in behalf of the perishing heathen.
At such times, a whole assembly has been not only
bathed in tears, but so thrilled by his graphic sketches,
or so overwhelmed by his impetuous appeals, that the
feelings of many have found utterance in involuntary,
half-suppressed ejaculations.
The physical organization of Mr. Kincaid is scarcely
less remarkable than his mental developments, and
has doubtless contributed not a little to the making
up of all the other elements of his manhood.
In person he is about the medium height, firmly,
though not stoutly built-presenting a remarkable
combination of nervous and muscular energy. As the
natural result of such a formation, constituting the




26                  Kincaid:
basis of an active temperament, he has, on all occasions, exhibited great powers of endurance, and evidently with a constitution less vigorous, he could
never have survived the toils and privations through
which he has been called to pass.  The action of
strong character, it has been said, demands something
firm in its natural basis, just as massive engines require, for their weight and for their working, to be
fixed on a solid foundation.  The physical nature
thus becomes an ally of the moral one, and with a
hardness that never shrinks, sustains the energy that
never remits.
This constitutional firmness may at least be regarded as an essental condition to physical courage. And
among the many qualities requisite to the position of
a Foreign Missionary, this certainly, is one of no little
importance. In the prosecution of his work he is often
thrown amid circumstances where timidity and irresolution would be ruin, and he needs, therefore, in an
eminent degree, the power to provide against trying
emergencies, and the bravery to ward off the most
threatening danger.
The possession of this quality, giving to a man as
it does, the full use of his faculties for the prudent and
prompt adaptation of means to ends, is one of the
rarest and most important of human endowments.
Indeed, without a meas ire of this courage an indivi



The Hero Mlissionary.               27
dual can scarcely hope to succeed in any important
undertaking, because, as Foster has said-" In almost
all plans of great enterprise, a man must systematically dismiss, at the entrance, every wish to stipulate
with his destiny for safety.  He voluntarily treads
within the precincts of danger; and though it be possible he may escape, he ought to be prepared with the
fortitude of a self-devoted victim.  This is the inevitable condition on which heroes, travelers, or missionaries among savage nations, and reformers on a grand
scale must commence their career."
But this dauntless spirit which is demanded inentering upon a great and hazardous enterprise is not
less essential to its successful prosecution. And here
we discover one of the strongest elements perhaps in
Mr. Kincaid's character; for while quick in his perceptions, and prompt and bold in forming his plans,
he is at the same time persevering and confident in
their execution.  In his case we have a remarkable
illustration of a strenuous will accompanying the conclusions of thought, and constantly inciting the utmost
efforts to give them  a practical result.  And it matters not how formidable the difficulties, or how persistent the opposition which would defeat his plans, so
inflexible is the temper of his mind, and so indomitable his courage, that such circumstances only increase
the intensity of his soul, and with a feeling bordering




28                  Kincaid:
on impunity, he seems almost to make his way through
impossibilities, and reaches, at last, the full execution
of his purposes.
But closely allied with this trait of character is another, I allude to his independence.  Let it cost what
it may, he will be honest to the convictions of his own
mind, and without stopping to consider what he might
lose or what he might gain by any particular course
of action, his single inquiry is, What is right? And
having satisfied his conscience on this point, without
the slightest regard to man's frown or the hope of his
favor, he will say and do whatever he conscientiously
believes to be true and proper.
His rule has been to act, as far as possible, from
convictions superior to his own passions; and being
governed by views of duty too deep and strong to
yield to those influences which too often lead men to
act in a way which their better judgments would forbid, his course, in some instances, may appear indiscreet-savoring, perchance, of-harshness and arrogance.
Frankly independent in his opinions, however, and
not without what would be called strong prejudicesno uncommon feature of powerful minds-Mr. Kincaid
has not been the man to play the sycophant, nor,
under any circumstances, to feign himself what he is
not, and a more perfectly outspoken and transparent
soul I have never known.  In truth



T7Le Hero Missionary.                29
"My love doth so approve him,
That even his stubbornness, his checks, and frowns,
Have grace and favor in them."
If anything has been needed to temper this independence and guard it against abuse, that element has
existed in his remarkable se7y-devotement.   His, in
an eminent degree, has been the spirit of him who
" pleased not himself," and who said —    My meat and
my drink is to do the will of Him that sent me, and
to finish His work."  He has emphatically given himself to the work; abjuring, from  the very beginning,
every thing  that has not looked to its accomplishment.
Without repining, he ha's relinquished all else that
was dear to him, and, in a spirit of true self-denial,
has brought into captivity every passion of his soul to
the obedience of Christ.  And having made this full
surrender of himself, he has been content to derive all
his happiness in laboring with ceaseless toil for the
glory of God and the salvation of men.  His intention
has been single, his way straightforward, and, keeping
his end in view, he has pursued it without defection
and  without weariness.  Hence, while his natural
courage has supported him  amid dangers, and while
opposition and perils have not been able to disturb
his self-reliance, this feeling of his soul, leading him
to look to a higher object, has enabled him  to say




30                        Ifne a zld
S(.           Kincaid:
with  the  Apostle-" Neither count I  my  life  dear
unto myself, so that I might finish my course with
joy, and the ministry  which  I have received of the
Lord Jesus, to testify the Gospel of the grace of God."
His life and spirit are fitly embodied in a noble strain
of the poet, that reads as if it were written for him:
" I feel a secret impulse drive me on,
And my soul springs.impatient for the fight,'Tis not the heated spirit and warm blood
Of sanguine youth with which my bosom burns;
And though I thirst for glory,'tis not, witness, -leaven;'Tis not the sinful lust of fading fame,
The perishable praise of mortal man;
His praise I covet whose applause is life."
But, after all, the source of his abundant labors as
well as the secret of his great success, must be traced
to his wonderfullfaith.   Deeply convinced, as he is, of
the verity of the Divine promises, and taking these as
the basis of his efforts, he is actuated by no visionary
conceits, but by that principle which has the marvelous power of making  the future present; the unseen
visible; and of investing its possessor with strength
sufficient to overcome seeming impossibilities.
This is the gift of which the Apostle speaks in the
eleventh of Hebrews, and through which holy men of
olden time, subdued kingdoms, quenched the violence
of fire, stopped  the mouths of lions, and turned  to
flight the armies of the Aliens.   " The man of faith,"




The Hero M:issionary.              31
says a gifted writer, "is a decided character.  The
instinct of his reason is a strong will, from a strong
motive.  He answers the questions, What will you
do? what will you be? and says, I will walk worthy
of my vocation; I will be a son of God.  The Almighty allows and grants what such a mind wishes.
A man without a determined final faith, an undoubting trust in the true God, is but as a dry leaf on the
wings of the wind, carried about by impulses unresisted and unavoidable.  As the leaf cannot take root,
and it rests but to rot, so the faithless man has no
living power in him to draw vigor and beauty from
the elements.  There is no settled hope without faith,
and therefore, no going forth of the prophetic and
realizing soul into the future eternal firmament of the
heavens; but fancy, instead, makes dreams of memory,
and amuses or terrifies with phantoms uncertain as the
dance of moonbeams on the sea.  Such a mind has no
supreme good, for the sake of which every other object is felt to be inferior and to be held in abeyance,
to be enjoyed or endured, merely as it may serve as
means to the attainment of the grand end-the unalienable possession of that good.":Animated by this "'precious faith," Mr. Kincaid
presents us with a living exemplification of its strength
"MAN AND HIS MolIVES," by Geo. Moore, M.D., member of the Royal
College of Physicians, etc., etc.




32                  Kincaid:
as a governing spring of action. It was in obedience
to its dictates that he, in the first instance, relinquished the delights of home, with all the advantages of
polished society, to live and labor among the heathen,
and, amid the many discouragements which have
beset him in his work, a confidence in God has overbalanced all hindrances, and a firm reliance on his
word has not only banished all distrust, but filled his
soul with an unwavering and sublime assurance of
success. It is this faith, undoubtedly, that has given
him that boldness, courage, perseverance and zeal,
which, besides obtaining for him  "a good report"
among his brethren, have been crowned with a higher
honor, put upon him by the Great Head of the Church.
Such, in outline, are some of the prominent traits
of the man whose remarkable labors are sketched in
the succeeding chapters. And thus, while furnishing
a character every way worthy of study and emulation,
the record of his public career, it is believed, will
serve to awaken in every Christian heart increased
confidence in the ultimate success of the glorious work
of missions.




The Hero  Mlissionary.                       33
CIIAPTER  III.
THlE   FOREIGN   MISSIONARY,
" Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature."
Luke xvi: 15.
" Home, thy joys are passing lovelyJoys no strangeer heart can tell:
Happy home, indeed I love thee;
Can I, can I say, " Farewell?"
Can I leave thee,
Far in heathen lands to dwell?
Yes, I hasten from you gladlyFrom the scenes I love so well:
Far away ye billows bear me;
Lovely native land, farewell;
Pleased I leave thee,
Far in heathen lands to dwell."
THE field in which Mr. Kincaid had now  for several
years been toiling, and from  which abundant harvests
had been gathered, was still full of promise, and on
every hand he saw the most cheering evidence of the
Divine blessing  on  his labors.  With  all this, however, he felt that God was calling him to another
sphere of effort.   And  in  the  familiar words of one,




34                         incaiccld
afterwards associated with him  in Missionary labor, he
was forced to say" My soul is not at rest. There comes a strange
And secret whisper to my spirit, like
A dream of night, that tells me I am on
Enchanted ground. Why live I here?
*     X      ~      *     *      * 
The voice of my departed Lord" Go teach all nations," from the eastern world,
Comes on the night air, and awakes my earr
And 1 will go. I may no longer doubt
To give up friends, and home, and idol hopes,
And every tender tie that binds my heart
To thee, my country!""
For months this conviction of duty had been forcing
itself upon his mind. The cry of the perishing fell on
his ear in tones deep and earnest as the wants and
woes of millions. But at last the purpose was formed.
He knew that while many were perfectly satisfied to
labor at home, there were but few who had any deep
impression of obligation to the heathen; a feeling
confident that another would soon be found to preach
the Gospel in the valley of the Susquehanna, he resolved to spend his future life in publishing tidings
of peace to the benighted inhabitants of Burmah.
The one grand motive which impelled him  to this
decision was a zeal for the divine glory; and his duty
was made clear by a deep conviction that the voice of
* Rev. N. Brown, D.D.




The Hero Mlissionary.            35
God was calling him to the work. There are many
who would fain ascribe lower impulses to those who
give themselves to such self-denying labors. And
that a lower motive than the approbation of God
may influence some who enter upon this work, we do
not deny. "The circumstances," says Robert Hall,
" which contribute to such a resolution are various,
often too subtle and complicated to admit of a distinct analysis: a constitutional ardor of mind, a natural neglect of difficulties and dangers, an impatience
of being confined within the trammels of ordinary
duties, together with many accidental associations
and impressions, may combine to form a missionary
spirit." It is true, the very peculiarities of temperament and mind here referred to were strikingly characteristic of Mr. Kincaid. But, so far as can be discovered, no such circumstances contributed in his
case to the decision of this momentous question, and
his course having been marked out under a clear
conviction of duty, he felt himself impelled to its
discharge by all the impulses of a heart beating with
love to God, and overflowing with sympathy for man.
Similar to these were the feelings of his companion,
and to nothing could they mutually look forward
with such deep anxiety and intense desire as the
privilege of engaging in missionary labors among the
heathen. At length the way was opened for the
realization of their hopes, and Mr. Kincaid, as also




36                  Kincazid:
lMr. Mason, having been approved and accepted by
the Baptist Board of Foreign Missions, were publicly set apart to the responsible office, on the evening of the 23d of May, 1830. The services connected
with their designation were held in the spacious
meeting-house of the Baldwin Place Church, in the
presence, says a published report, of " an immensely
crowded audience."  On that occasion Mr. Kincaid
delivered a discourse from 2 Cor. xiii, 11: "Finally,
brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort,
be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love
and peace shall be with you." It was an affectionate
valedictory, indicating a mind tenderly alive to the
best interests of men; and giving proof that while
he looked with earnest desire to benefit distant nations, he cherished a deep solicitude for the spiritual
welfare of those from whom he was soon to be separated. At the close of the sermon, Dr. Bolles, in behalf of the Board, delivered an impressive charge,
alluding in appropriate terms to the extensive field
of their labor, the difficulties to be encountered, the
zeal requisite to the work, the self-denial which the
service demanded, and the pleasing encouragements
presented of ample reward here, and of an eternal
reward hereafter, as the result of their toils. Then
with the aspect and style of fraternal and Christian
affection, for which he was so remarkable, the Rev.
Mr. Knowles presented to them the hand of fellow




The Hero Missionary.             37
ship, accompanying the act with cheering words and
pledging to them the fervent prayers of the churches
for their safety and ultimate success.
On the following morning at 5 o'clock, just previous to the time of sailing, a prayer-meeting was
held at the First Baptist meeting-house, where a large
assembly met to unite in seeking the presence and
blessing of the Lord to accompany his servants across
the bosom of the deep and.in the land of the heathen.
At -the close of this meeting, sorrowing, yet rejoicing,
Mir. Kincaid took a final and affectionate leave of his
brethren, adverting briefly to the deep sensibility
which parting with Christian friends excited, but
declaring that he felt unspeakably happy in prospect
of so soon entering upon labors connected with the
diffusion of the knowledge of the Saviour, among
those who were sitting in the region and shadow of
death.
Mrs. Kincaid, also, in tender accents, desired permission to present a parting word. Having for many
years sighed for the opportunity of imparting instruction to Burman females, she was now made to rejoice at the prospect of a speedy consummation of
her solicitous hopes and prayers, and for herself as
well as in behalf of Mrs. Mason, she professedl a
readiness heartily to cooperate with their husbands
in missionary labors.
After prayer, by the Rev. Mr. Choules, the assem



38                          Kincaid:
bly, with the missionaries, repaired to the ship, and,
on the wharf, united in singingYe Messengers of Christ,
His sov'reign voice obey;
Arise! and follow where he leads,
And peace attend your way
The Master whom you serve
Will needful strength bestow;
Depending on his promis'd aid,
With sacred courage go.
Mountains shall sink to plains,
And hell in vain oppose;
The cause is God's, and must prevail,
In spite of all his foes.
Go, spread a Saviour's fame:
And tell his matchless grace,
To the most guilty and deprav'd
Of Adam's numn'rous race.
We wish you in his name,
The most divine success;
Assur'd that he who sends you forth
Will your endeavors bless.
Dr. Bolles, the  Corresponding Secretary, then led
in devout supplication to heaven for a prosperous
voyage-that the winds and the waves might be propitious, and the seamen participate in the blessings
of the Gospel, after which  mutual salutations were
exchanged, and the missionaries embarked on board
the Martha, Capt. Lovett, for Calcutta.
As the vessel left its moorings, a solemn stillness




The Hero Missionary.           39
prevailed among the crowd of spectators, broken
only bythe smothered sobs of those who wept over
the separation, and every heart sent up a silent, earnest prayer to that gracious and almighty Being, who
holds the winds in his fist, and the ocean in the hollow of his hand, that he would not only waft them
safely over the deep, but give them an open and
effectual door among the heathen, and crown, with
abundant success, all their efforts to shed over Burmah the saving light of truth.
Soon the vessel began to fade in the distance, and
when straining eyes could no longer recognize the
features of those on board, slowly they left the dock
and returned to their several homes.
What the feelings of the departing missionaries
were, may easily be imagined, though they have
never been written. The ship was soon plunging her
bows into the white crested billows, and when the
last dim outline of their native land disappeared
from view, Oh! with what sadness of heart did they
retire to their lonely cabin! Now, as never before,
they began to realize their situation. They had renounced the comforts and privileges of a refined and
Christian land, henceforth to dwell among rude heathen. Every tender tie known to earth had been
sundered, and having parted with fond parents, with
loved brothers and sisters, and with happy circles
of sympathizing Christian friends, they now felt, in




40                      Kincaid:
all their intensity, the sundering of these endearing
associations, and as they thought of them, their spirits
well nigh sank within them.
It was under circumstances like these that Mrs.
Judson made the following touching entry in her
journal-" Still my heart bleeds.  0, America  my
native land; must I leave thee?  Must I leave my
parents, my sister and brother, my friends beloved,
and all the scenes of my early youth; * * Where I
learnt the endearments of friendship and tasted of all
the happiness this world can afford; where I learnt
also to value a Saviour's blood, and count all things
but loss in comparison with the knowledge of Him!
Yes, I must leave you all, for a heathen land, and an
uncongenial clime. Farewell, happy, happy scenesbut never-no, never to be forgotten."
It was in that hour of trial and conflict with nature,
that the missionary band, bowing together in prayer,
looked alone to God for strength and were comforted.'" They prayed-they wept; but oh, how impotent
Is language to portray a scene like this!
No heart which has not felt its power, can know;
But, sure, if fervent prayer, meekly submissive,
Much avails with God, that prayer was heard in heaven'




The  Hero  Mlissionary.                      41
CHAPTER IV.
ENTERING THE FOREIIGN FIELD.
" Lo, I am with you always, oven unto the end of the world."-Mat. xxviii. 29.
" Henceforth, then,
It matters not, if storm or sunshine be
My earthly lot-bitter or sweet my cup;
I only pray-God fit me for the work,
God make me holy, and my spirit nerve
For the stern hour of strife. Let me but know
There is an arm unseen that holds me up,
An eye that kindly watches all my path,
Till I my weary pilgrimage have doneLet me but know I have a friend that waits
To welcome me to glory-and I joy
To tread the dark and death-fraught wilderness."
HAVING been borne in safety across the ocean, Mr.
Kincaid  reached  Calcutta, Sept. 30, 1830, and from
thence embarked for Maulmain, arriving there early
on Lord's day morning, Nov. 28th. The exercises of
his mind, awakened by the first view of the scenes
among  which  he was henceforth  to  labor, are well
expressed in the following extracts from a letter to
the Rev. Dr. Bolles-" We gazed upon the scenery




42                  Kincaid:
around us with feelings not easily to be described.
The sun was just throwing his last rays on the distant hills-the country of Burmah lay before us, its
mountains, its valleys, its rivers, and its numerous
population. It was then we thought more feelingly
than ever of the moral gloom that cast its deadly
shade over all this portion of the globe; it was then
we felt more than e6er for the missionaries who had
toiled and suffered on these shores. * * How cheering is it to think of the change that will soon take
place in Burmah!  Here the Messiah will reignpaganism will give way before him, and all the proud
ensigns of heathen superstition will crumble beneath
his feet. All the Saviour has spoken, he will accomplish. This cheers the heart in this great moral
desert."
A  teacher having been employed, tir. Kincaid
commenced, at once, the acquisition of the language,
but, while thus preparing himself to address the heathen, he was engaged also in preaching on the Lord's
day, as well as on every Friday evening in English.
Those who attended these services were chiefly
British soldiers of the forty-fifth regiment, and Capt.
Mloore and other officers, observing the unusual attention paid to their interests, generously and promptly provided for their accommodation a new and commodious house of worship. On the assemblies convened in this chapel, God, in a signal manner, poured




The Hero Missionary.            43
out his Spirit; converts were multiplied, and the
church, before feeble, now became active and strong.
Mr. Kincaid, toward the close of the first year,
spent in Maulmain, alluding to this work of grace,
wrote as follows:-" Many a giant that defied the
armies of the living God has fallen; not to perish,
but to be raised to life everlasting. From about the
middle of July to near the end of October, we have had
a constant ingathering to the fold of Christ. It has
been truly a time of refreshing from the presence of
the Lord. Many who came out to the chapel to scoff,
went home agonizing under the awakening influence
of the holy Spirit."
As the result of this precious revival, about one
hundred cases of conversion were reported, all of
whom, after baptism, were added to the church.
During the month of March, Mr. Kincaid, in company
with Mr. Wade, made a tour of two or three hundred
miles up the Martiban river to visit the Karens, who
resided there in great numbers, and baptized nine
persons on a profession of their faith in Christ. Returning from this excursion, Mr. Kincaid wrote"During our absence we have seen much of the
goodness of our heavenly Father, and have. had increasing evidence that the Lord has much people in
idolatrous Burmah, to be called out of darkness into
the glorious light of the gospel. Surely thefields are. hite for the h arvest, and the urgency of preaching




44                  Kincaid:
the gospel to the heathen gathers additional force at
every step we take. Can any thing be more delightful, and more encouraging, than to see poor blind
heathen at once transformed into the image of Him,
who gave his life for sinners.
The Karens are a truly interesting people. But
too little is known of their history, to say any thing
about their origin, or the extent of their population;
yet all agree in considering them very numerous in
all parts of the Burman empire.
They are more mild in their manners, and more industrious in their habits than the Burmans; and although they are without any fixed religious principles, yet they are exceedingly superstitious. They
attribute every evil they experience to the Nats,
whom they propitiate by offerings and sacrifices of
various kinds. They are entirely ignorant of the use
of medicine; but for some reason they supposed we
possessed skill superior to the influence of the Nats;
for wherever we went, they brought their sick around
us, and they were delighted and astonished at the
salutary influence which our medicines produced."
In the midst of these encouragements, however,
God was pleased to call his servant to the endurance
of severe affliction in the sickness and death of a dear
babe, and, also, of his beloved companion.
Mrs. Kincaid, who had been actively engaged in
the study of the language and in the management of




Thle Hero MIissionary.          45
a school, heartily sympathized with her husband in
all his labors and hopes. But, after suffering from
several attacks of diseases peculiar to the climate,
her strength was so much reduced as to preclude all
hope of recovery. On the 10th of November, she
was made the happy mother of a son, who, on the 8th
of the following month, was removed by death. Just
eleven days subsequent to this, her own career was
terminated and her emancipated spirit took its flight
to glory. The effect of these strokes on Mr. Kincaid
is touchingly exhibited in the following extracts from
a letter, addressed about this time, to a dear friend
in the State of New York:" It becomes my painful duty to give a detailed account of some of the most afflicting events of my
whole life. Hitherto I have been a stranger to sorrow-the cup of affliction has been dealt out to me
with a sparing hand. My family was dearer to me
than my own life, and a residence on this side the
waste of waters, far from kindred and friends, serve
to endear them a hundred fold. Separated as we
were from the land of our fathers, and surrounded by
thousands of poor ignorant heathen, our own humble
home became a world of itself;-together we wept
and prayed around the family altar, and together labored for the acquisition of that language, by which
we might communicate the glorious gospel to the




46                   Kincaid:
millions of Burmah. We entered into the work with
the most sanguine hopes of ultimate success.
But now, sir, I am left to make my way alone on
these pagan shores, The friend, the companion, the
wife of my youth has been early called from the scene
of her labors;-her toils are ended;-she weeps and
prays no more. You know what it is to see the cold
sweat of death gathering over affection's fairest form,
and all that was lovely in life, fading and withering
under the influence of deadly disease! You know
what it is to shed tears of unavailing sorrow over the
grave that encloses one dearer than life! After we
arrived in India, we were blessed with excellent
health, until the rainy season began; then we had a
slight attack of intermittent fever, but after about
ten days it left me, without taking a single portion
of medicine;-it was otherwise, however, with Mrs.
Kincaid. She had this fever at intervals for about
two months, but it seemed to wear upon her but very
little, so that she continued studying the Burman
language. At this time she had an attack of the
bowel complaint, which reduced her very fast. Both
the fever and the bowel complaint were soon removed,
but their debilitating influence had been the means of
bringing on another disease, peculiar to this climate,
and very fatal to foreigners.  Until this time we had
apprehended nothing alarming. Dr. Brower, of the
45th Regiment, attended daily, and Dr. Anderson,




The Hero Missionary.             47
of the staff, often attended in council. These gentlemen advised, as the o:ly effectual remedy for this
complaint, a removal to some northern climate, as
soon as Mrs. K. should be able to go on board ship.
On the 10th of November, Mrs. Kincaid was made
the happy mother of a son. Herself and child during
the first five days were very well, and we had every
prospect of getting. out to sea in a short time.
On the 10th she was taken worse, so much so,
that I relinquished all hope of her recovery; however, about the 28th and 29th every symptom appeared favorable. She expressed an anxiety to get
out, thinking that a little change would prove serviceable both to body and mind.  The physicians
approved of it, and I had her carried out in a palanquin, morning and evening, until the 5th of December.
Our little babe was taken ill on the 5th, and continued sinking until the 8th, when it went into convulsive fits; from the first fit he recovered, but a few
hours after, he went into the second, and expired.
Mrs. Kincaid sat in a chair, and held him in the last
fit. I begged of her for my sake, and for hers not to
exert herself; but a mother's affection prevailed over
her better judgment. However, when she saw that
its emancipated spirit had taken its upward flight,
she became entirely calm, and felt so well satisfied
that it was all for the best, that she often told me,
she had not had one wish to have her sweet babe re



18                  Kincaid:
stored to her again. We both felt that this entire
resignation to the will of God, was a kind mercy of
our heavenly Father. From this time to the 15th of
December, there was no perceptible change, except
a gradual loss of strength. Most of the time previous
to this date, I had felt an awful presentiment on my
mind that my dear wife would not recover; but any
favorable change filled me with hope.
The first of November, I laid aside my books,
and relinquished all labors except to preach to the
English, and made it my whole business, night and
day, to administer to her wants.  December 18th,
Lord's day, I perceived that the disease was rapidly
approaching a fatal crisis. After considerable conversation, I told her it was time for meeting,
and that I had one person to baptize. She said-'Very well, but you will return as soon as pos-sible.'  I returned before twelve o'clock, and we had
as much conversation as her strength would permit.
After preaching again in the evening, on this subject,'For our light afflictions which are but for a moment,'
&c., we both felt that this probably would be the last
evening we should spend together on earth. I told
her this separation to me was awfully painful, but I
perceived it to be the will of God. She said her hope
was in Christ, but she had not that cheering prospect which she wished, yet she felt weaned from the
world, and could leave her family in the hands of




The Hero Missionary.          49
God. Much to the same purpose was said at intervals till eleven in the evening, when she urged me
to lie down a little time and rest, (perceiving that I
was much exhausted). At one o'clock I got up, and
seeing that she was fast going, I gave her some
lavender, which revived her, and she fell into an easy
sleep till about two, when she awoke and said to me
with a clear voice,'I am now dying,' and, raising her
eyes, continued silent. I applied some restoratives
to her temples, but soon perceived the cold clammy
sweat of death gathering on her forehead. After a
little time, a heavenly smile came over her countenance, and more of the divine presence I never felt;
-there was something friendly in the approach of
death, and with pleasure I could have unrobed myself and descended with my dear companion into the
dark valley:-heaven seemed to be just at hand, and
the glories of the eternal world rose in delightful and
awful majesty before me. Never before did I feel
such strength in prayer. Never before such entire
resignation to the will of God. I stood in silent
watchful attention to see the spirit fling its last look
on the world, and wing its way to the throne of God.
After this she did not speak, but continued looking
upwards, with a countenance that indicated that she
had caught a glimpse of the brighter visions of eternity. About four o'clock on the morning of December 19th, she resigned up her spirit, without a strug



50                 Kincatd:
gle or a groan. When I saw that all was over, I
called a Burman female, who was sleeping in an adjoining room, and said to her in the Burman language,' The teacheress is dead.' The sound awoke little
Wade, and springing from his bed, he cried out in
the most heart-rending manner,' Is my ma dead? Is
my ma dead?' and for a time he was inconsolable.
Few children of his age ever received more instruction from a parent. During the last six or eight
months his dear ma labored much to instruct him in
the knowledge of religion, and often took him alone,
and prayed for him. Impressions were made on his
mind which I trust will never be forgotten.
Thus, my dear sir, I have given you a hasty narration of facts, and you know how to sympathize with
me. God has prepared me beyond any thing I had
expected, to endure this trial. I see that God has
done it, and I feel no disposition to murmur. Every
effort was made which kind and skilful physicians
could make to arrest the progress of the disease, but
all proved unavailing; and I can now see that my
dear Almy had been preparing to leave the world.At times she felt much distress of mind, and very
often talked of the hardness of her heart; at other
times she felt comforted with the promises of the
gospel, and rejoiced in the hope of immortality.
Some of the most lovely and amiable dispositions
which adorn the people of God, she exemplified in




The Hero Missionary.            51
her life. That meekness and humility which shrinks
from observation, and feels its own unworthiness,
and induces a person to esteem others as better than
himself, she did possess in no ordinary degree. She
is now gone to the full participation of that rest
which remains for the people of God: the darkness,
and hardness of heart over which she mourned, and
so often wept, are now removed, and her spirit, all
beauteous and holy, joins the society of the redeemed
in the paradise of God. A little time longer we travel
in this vale of tears, and then hasten to join our
friends who have gone before us. The way is short
-the time is near-and how amiable, how lovely is
the Christian religion, when brought in close connection with the lowly couch of death! It is the hand
that wipes avay every tear; it is the balm that heals
the wounded spirit; it is the eye that looks undaunted on the king of terrors; it is that friend that sticketh closer than a brother."




52                      Kincaid:
CHAPTER V.
A  YEAR  IN  RANGOON.
"A light to lighten the Gentiles."-Luke ii. 32
" The heathen lands, that lie beneath
The shades of overspreading death,
Revive at His first dawning light,
And deserts Hlossom at the sight."
EARLY in the spring of 1832, Mr. Kincaid removed
from Maulmain to Rangoon, and, though not yet able
to preach in the 7urman tongue, he was eminently
successful in ca rying on the schools which had previously been ( tablished, and, also, by the aid of native assistants, in maintaining many of the public
services of the mission.  His deep conviction, even
at this time, however, was that preaching must be
relied on as the chief instrumentality for the conversion of the heathen.  "The circulation of the Scriptures," said he, in a letter to the Secretary, " awakens
attention; and, in some few instances, souls may be
saved without the use of any other means. But the
aistory of the church in all past ages confirms me in




TlIe Hero MIissionary. gd
the opinion, that we ought not to expect the demoli
tion of the kingdom of darkness, and the building ur
of the Saviour's, only as we go forth in faith, preach
ing the word of eternal life." To the same point is
his testimony, given at a later date and as the result
of his observations in another field:
"The longer I continue among the heathen, the
more I am convinced that the Gospel conveyed by
the living voice, is the means appointed for the conversion of men. Reading of books enlightens, and
induces a spirit of inquiry; but the full and overflowing heart reaches the conscience, and awakens
the finer feelings of the soul. Hence the necessity
of preaching the word, of being instant in season and
out of season. Could we but feel as we ought, we
should know how to estimate the claims of these millions, on whom not one gleam of moral light has
dawned for ages. It is not enough that we pray for
them; it is not enough that we give them books; we
must preach Jesus Christ, and not be discouraged
amidst reproaches and insults."
At the close of the year, Mr. Kincaid wenit to Madras, where he was married to Miss Barbara McBain,
daughter of a military officer in the service of the
East India Company. During his absence those whom
he had left in charge of the schools and of jthe general interests of the mission, were seized by an inferior officer of the government, and subjected to such




54                  Kincaid:
fines and cruel punishments as had the effect of
breaking up the schools, and of intimidating many
who, under other circumstances, would have resorted
for conversation and instruction to the Zayat.
On his return to Rangoon, however, notwithstanding these unfavorable occurrences, Mr. Kincaid boldly
resumed his labors, and was soon visited by great
numbers, not only from the city, but from distant
provinces. This was especially the case during the
famous annual festival of Gaudama, and, though many
came to inquire about the truths of science, or the
operations of the printing press, yet not a few seemed
serious and anxious to gain a knowledge of the new
religion.
Others, however, came as disputants. Thus, in one
instance, while discoursing from his veranda, a Burman teacher, interrupting him, inquired"' Is God without beginning or end, and is he exempt
from old age and death?'' It is true.''And where is God?''In heaven.'' Has God a body?'' He is a spirit.''How shall we know this, when we cannot see
him?''Just as you know you have a soul, though you cannot see the soul with the eyes of the body.'




The Hero Missionary.             55' After death, will we see God?''Before death, if you receive divine light.''What is it?'
I then read to him, as the multitude gathered
around us, several passages about Christ, his coming
into the world, his death on the cross, and his resurrection. To believe in Christ, to repent of your sins,
and pray for the Holy Ghost, is the way to receive
divine light, and to have great peace of mind, and to
be free from darkness, and from the fear of death."
At another time a government man entered while
he was discoursing to about thirty or forty from the
veranda, and in a vehement manner began to prove,
in his own estimation, that all religions were the
same.
He went on for about half an hour, rose suddenly
and walked away. The assembly gazed so intently
on Mr. Kincaid, that he was conscious they expected
some reply. He therefore said to them-" That man
has many words, but they give no light. You all
know there is true silver, and there is false silver;
there are false gods, and a true God. If there is a
false god there is a false law; and if there is a true
God, there is a true law. A man who has a little
light will consider this, and desire to know the true
God."  Several at once exclaimed-" This, Sir, is
true."




56                  Kincaid:
Among those who presented themselves about this
time as inquirers, were many cases of peculiar interest.
On one occasion, returning from a walk, he found
in the house a young man, a relative of the governor's
wife, who for several days had been an attentive listener to the instructions imparted from the veranda.
Shortly after this he came to the house, just at sunrise, to engage in conversation and prayer, and, after
breakfast, he came again to join in worship. "I see
and feel too much," he said, " ever to abandon the cause
of Christ."
At another time, when present at evening worship
-he appeared quite affected, and two or three times,
in the midst of the sermon, he said aloud,"   s This wonderful /"
Subsequently he called very frequently, though
generally after dark, giving on each visit convincing
proof of growth both in knowledge and grace.
About the same time, a man called who lived two
hundred miles beyond Ava; he was past the middle
age of life, very intelligent and talked like a Christian-a tract, he said, had fallen into his hands about
twelve or fourteen months ago; he read it, and resolved to know more about it, and if possible, see the
man who taught this religion. He said-"A great light
is visiUng the world I"




The HTero Missionary.          57
During the same month a government man called,
saying, that ever since he first heard he had been
anxious to hear again. Just as he was leaving, Mr.
Kincaid said-" Where will you go when you die?Is it all dark?" l e looked up with a countenance
indicating a feeling not easily expressed, but made
no reply. Mr. Kincaid then said-" The calamity of
death terrifies you; God you reject, idols you worship, and you are ripe in years; what is beyond
death?" The old man, shaking his head, replied" It is all dark."
Passing through the street one day, a young man
came after him and inquired" Are you a teacher of religion?"
"Yes; what do you want?"
"A book," he replied, " that tells about God and
Jesus Christ."
Moung Zoo-the, a young man of promising talents,
and for some time an inquirer, having applied for
baptism, Mr. Kincaid said to him"Are you not afraid to be baptized?"
" I have been, but it is gone now, and I feel strong."
"But suppose you are seized, put in prison, and
beat with a bambo; will you be strong then?"
"I cannot deny Christ."
" But suppose they kill you?"
" Let them kill," he said, " I desire to follow Christ."
Others, however, were not so bold. The fear of per



58                 Kincaid:
secution operated in many cases to hinder a public
profession of religion-so that at this very time, Ko A,
one of the native assistants, reported that there were
more than twenty in and about Rangoon who loved
Jesus Christ, and were praying and serving God in
secret.
Some who came from a distance said, " Why do you
not go to Ava and all the great cities of the empire?
Many have heard of the new religion and the books,
and wish to understand what it is."
Favored with such indications of the divine blessing
as these instances afforded, Mr. Kincaid, when asked
by a Burmese officer of government how long he intended to stay, might well say-" UNTIL ALL BURMAH
WORSHIPS THE ETERNAL GOD."
And we can easily imagine what faith and hope
inspired his heart when he wrote,"The fields are really whitening for the harvestthe spirit of inquiry appears to be very extensive,
and is daily becoming more so the despotic nature
of the government and the tyranny of the rulers lifts
a most formidable obstacle to any change in the civil
or religious establishments of the empire. But He
who overturned the walls of Jericho, by means that
mocked all human wisdom, is able to break down the
strongholds of Satan here, and purify this land of all
its abominations. The leaven is evidently at workthe most devoted Boodhists think that this religion




The Hero Missionary.           59
will prevail. Satan, however, will make an effort, and
his struggle may be long or short, according to the
will of heaven. Let all who know Jesus Christ pray
for the coming down of the Holy Spirit, that this wil.
derness may bloom like Eden."




60                  Kincaid:
CHAPTER VI.
UP THE IRRAWADDY.
"Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters."-Isa. xxxii. 20.
"Walk
Boldly and wisely in that light thou hast,
There is a hand above will help thee on."
ON the 6th of April, 1833, Mr. Kincaid embarked
on board a Burman boat for Ava. The journey up
the Irrawaddy from  Rangoon was seven hundred
miles. He was accompanied by his wife and her sister, both English ladies, by Ko Shoon and Ko Sanlone, two native preachers, and by several other Burmans. At their departure Ko A, Moung Eu, and a
number more of the disciples in Rangoon, accompanied them to the water, affectionately bidding them
God-speed, and promising them a constant remembrance in prayer. Shortly after starting, their boat
was found to have sprung aleak, and the water came
in so rapidly as to require one man to keep bailing.
Before night, however, they succeeded in discovering
the leak, and, having stopped it, the next morning
they proceeded on their way.




The Hero Missionary.           61
Among the chief dangers which beset them in this
journey, was their constant exposure to attacks from
robbers. Several times, indeed, they were in villages
where robbery and murder had just been committed,
and, in one instance, their escape seemed to be almost miraculous.  While doubling a point in the
river, a band of ten men rose upon them, all armed
with spears, Burman swords, and one gun. At the
same instant two boats made their appearance and
came toward them with great rapidity. The men
cried out, "Teacher, come quick; the robbers are
upon us." The first company of ten men immediately fled on seeing the armed boats. Mr. Kincaid begged his boatmen to stay and help against the robbers,
but all in vain; they fled, leaving only six beside
himself, to face twenty-three men who were rushing
rapidly towards them. They were ordered to stop
again and again, but utterly refused. As the last
resort, Mr. Kincaid called the men to follow him,
and, rushing toward the approaching robbers, he
threatened them if they did not stop instantly. Just
at that moment a large Burman boat hove in sight, and
came down the river; this, together with Mr. Kincaid's firmness, brought them  to a stand.  They
turned about and made off rapidly in the same direction they had come. Thus were they mercifully preserved from the hands of unfeeling savages.
But these dangers were soon forgotten amid the




62                  Kincaid:
striking and cheering instances which they were so
soon permitted to witness of the power and spread
of the gospel. Almost every day was marked by
some occurrence which served to strengthen faith in
the ultimate triumph of the truth.
One man, for instance, came, saying that many
months before, he had obtained a book in Rangoon,
that told him about the eternal God, who made all
things; and about Christ, who died to open the way
for the forgiveness of sin. He said " the more he had
thought of this, the more it stuck to him that it was
true."
In the city of Thir-a-wan, many said, " We want to
hear more of this religion,-if it is true that there is
a God who is free from sickness, old age and death,
he must be the most excellent."  Five men also declared their conviction of the truth, and determined
to read and examine.
At a large village beyond this, while listening to
the preaching, a woman cried out, " This God is the
true God; this doctrine is the divine communication!"
Afterwards, in private conversation, she said, as soon
as she heard, the truth shined upon her mind, and
she saw instantly that, all her life, she had been
stupidly worshiping what was no God.
While stopping at Mey-an-oung, the chief secretary
of the city, though at first opposed to the distribution
of the tracts and books, after hearing some passages




The Hero Missionary.          63
read, said-"These books teach the true God," and
would not be satisfied until he had got one of every
kind, nor would he let them go until a meal had been
prepared and they had eaten.
Still further on they met with a government man,
who said he had heard much about their books, and
one of them he had heard read; ever since he had
been anxious to get some of the books. He called
allihis men, told them to ask for books, and read about
the eternal God. This man frankly admitted that he
had long had doubts about Gaudama's religion, and
these had been increased by hearing two or three
great men in Ava declare their conviction that this
new religion was true, and would spread through the
country. He appeared to be very sincere, having a
heart, disposed by the power of God, to receive the
Gospel.
While at Poung-day, an ancient city about as large
as Rangoon, Mr. Kincaid was invited to go to the
house of the great Toung-diven teacher, so called, the
head of the most powerful dissenting sect in Burmah.
Arriving at the house, he found a venerable old man,
and thirty or forty more, who had gathered to hear
them talk. Upon asking him if he had ever read the
word of God, he said" I read about a year ago, one small book that reasoned about the eternal God and Gaudama."
" What do you think?"




64                  Kincaid:
"I have remained careless."
"Then you are indifferent whether you are right
or wrong; so there is no use of my saying any thing
to you."
During the conversation, which lasted for some
time, the old man said he was anxious to know why
we took so much trouble to publish this religion.
"For I see," said he, " that you are exposed to danger, and are very much reviled and reproached, hnd
must be continually among strangers who do not care
for you."
"Yes, and we are willing to suffer all this, and
much more to save the Burmans from the punishment of hell."
The interest of the old teacher was so great that
he afterwards followed Mr. Kincaid to the boat to
hear more and obtain books.
The most thrilling incident, however, occurred at
the town of Tha-ret. It is thus related by Mlr. Kincaid:
"While I was giving away some tracts to a crowd
of people that lined the shore, a young man of an interesting appearance came near, and said,' Will you
please give me St. John's History of Christ, and the
Acts of the Apostles?''Did you ever read these
books?'' Yes, teacher Judson gave them to me in
Prome; but when the city was burned, I lost the
books.' I gave him the books, and four tracts, anO




The Hero Missionary.           65
he immediately disappeared in the crowd. Soon
after this we moved our boat one or two miles farther
up the town, where we would be more secure from
the wind. I could not help thinking of this young
man, but did not expect to see him again. However,
at dark he made his appearance, and said, there is a
man in this city besides me who believes in Jesus
Christ, and he wants to see the teacher, and get books,
but he thinks the boat is away and has sent me to
search. We followed the young man, and how were
we surprised and almost overjoyed to find a venerable old man full of faith and hope in Christ, though
he had no other teacher than St. John's History
of Christ, and the View, accompanied by the influence of the Holy Spirit. He said he had loved
Christ for about two years, and his language was
that of a man who was acquainted with his own heart.
He spoke distinctly of the carnal and spiritual mind,
of regeneration and baptism. The young man before mentioned, had heard Dr. Judson preach in
Prome, and had got books; afterwards he brought
them to this town, and read them to this old man,
and both I trust are born of God..I do not know
when I have spent such an evening. To find two
pilgrims in this great desert-to hear them speak so
boldly and decidedly of their love to Christ in the
presence of more than forty persons, filled me with
joy. Surely this is the work of God! the power of




66                  Kincaid;
the cross is felt in this dark land. O Burmah! Burmah! cast away thine idols, and hear the word of the
Lord."
While laying before a town, a short distance below
Ava, three or four hundred, as had often been the
case at other places, gathered along the shore and
listened to tie words of eternal life. Among several
cases of interest that here came to the knowledge of
Mr. Kincaid, was one of a man about forty years of
age. He said that some months before he had read
a small book that made known to him the living God:
at first he remained careless, but afterwards his mind
shook, (as he expressed himself,) and he was afraid to
worship idols any more; at the same time, he knew
not how to worship the eternal God.
"Can you, sir," said he, "give me the divine communication?"
"Here, sir," said Mr. Kincaid, giving him all the
Epistles, " are the words of the most high God; you
must believe in Christ and pray for divine light."
The morning of the 20th of May brought them in
sight of Ava. They had traveled fifty-four days, and
had visited on their way about three hundred cities
and villages. In most of these they had preached
the Gospel, and in all of them had freely scattered
books and tracts. Their Christian courage and faithfulness-their dangers and deliverances-the evidence of the spreading influence of Christianity-the




The Hero Missionary.             67
awakened spirit of inquiry-the new fields of labor
found ripening for the harvest-all conspired to make
this excursion one of remarkable interest both to the
brethren in Burmah and to the friends of missions in
America.
And now, the journey finished, Mr. Kincaid looks
upon what is to be the scene of his future labors.
That there are difficulties and trials before him he
knows, and that he is in himself inadequate to the
achievement of his mission he deeply feels, "but,"
says he, "I enter this great city relying on the
pledged promises of Him with whom is the residue
of the Spirit:" and then, with intensest feeling he is
heard to pray-" 0, Power Divine! shed abroad thy
life-giving Spirit, that those who hear the Gospel may
feel its power!"




68                      Kincaid:
CHAPTER VII.
OPPOSITION  AT  AVA.
" No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue
that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord."-Isaiah liv. 17.
" He'll shield you with a wall of fire,\
With holy zeal your heart inspire,
Bid raging winds their fury cease,
And calm the savage breast to peace."
THE reception which Mr. Kincaid met with on his
arrival at Ava, was very different from  that which
had cheered him in the villages and cities visited on
the way. He was greatly perplexed in the first instance to find a house in which he could dwell with
his family, even for the briefest period.  After repeated delays, and when he had found it impossible
to obtain a government order by which he might legally take up his abode in the city, he determined to
take possession of a house without waiting for permission from the authorities, and through the efforts
of Ko San-lone he, at length, succeeded in obtaining
a house on the bank of the river to the east of the




The Hero Mlissionary.           69
city. Only three days after taking possession of the
house, however, the owner, an old lady of noble blood,
died; and, having no children, the property fell into
the hands of the king. By the royal favor, this house
was transferred to one of the king's physicians, who
immediately despatched a messenger ordering the
premises to be at once vacated. The next day the
royal doctor came himself. At first he talked loud,
and behaved quite uncivil, threatening some Burmans
who were listening to the gospel. At length he became calm, and, reasoning with him, Mr. Kincaid
said, " This house is yours, but I cannot leave it until
I obtain another; and another I cannot get without
a government order. I am looking for a house, and
expect an order soon."  This seemed satisfactory.
" Every day," writes Mr. Kincaid in his journal, " I
called on a Woon-gee or At-wen-woon,* and, sometimes,
on two or three in a day, asking for permission to rent
a house, and always met with encouraging words.
They had excuses for every delay and every broken
promise. The young prince must have his ears bored.
This took up eight or nine days. The Chinese ambassador was just taking his leave of the Burman
court. This was an excuse for four or five days.
Four wild elephants were to be caught. This took
i Woon-gee, this is the title of those composing the king's first council. Atwen-woon, this is the name given to the second council, each of these councils
aemg composed of four members.




70                 Kincaid:
up three days. Thus it went on from day to day.
One morning I called on Moung Sa, one of the Woongees, the same man who was an At-wen-woon when
brother Judson first visited Ava. His countenance
changed. What had taken place I could not tell.
He had always appeared pleasant. I remained silent,
waiting to hear the worst. The Woon-gee said-'The king is pained to hear that, in Rangoon, and
in all the cities and villages along the river, you have,iven books, and preached to the people. It is not
agreeable to the king to have a new doctrine spread
among his subjects. It is, therefore, the order of his
majesty, that this English and American doctrine
spread no further.'' You know that I am a teacher of religion, and can
I not preach to the people?''Yes, but you must not give books. Why do you
not preach and give books to the Musselmen and Catholics?'
I told him I had come to Ava to preach to all people, of whatever nation; and if I am not allowed to
go on I shall leave Ava, and go to some other nation.
I could perceive in the course of this morning's conversation, that this nobleman had a rooted aversion
to foreigners, or else that he felt it to be for his interest to appear so."
When the royal doctor parted from Mr. Kincaid
he seemed willing to wait until another dwelling




The Hero Missionary.            7i
could be secured, but, on the following day, he sent
his furniture, with an order to put it into the house.
This they were forbid to do, and in a little time the
doctor came with about twenty young men, to assist
in carrying out the order. "I was sitting," says Mr.
Kincaid, " in the door, and immediately began to reason with the doctor on the impropriety of using violence; that I was a stranger, in a strange land; that
if our books and clothes were put into the street they
would all be destroyed. The doctor was inexorable;
cursed me, and all foreigners; reviled the Christian
religion, and threatened my life. He then ordered
his men to take his things in, and put me, my family,
and all that belonged to us, into the street. Two
young men in an instant rushed to the top of the
stairs, to seize me. I pushed them down, and barred
the door, so that from all their efforts, they could not
force their way in.
Captain Low had got word of my situation, and
sent me two letters in the forenoon, but the messengers were stopped and sent back. Two men were
sent to Moung Sa, a Woon-gee, and he just said,' What can I do?' Ouk-moo, whom I had sent away,
was detained a prisoner in the street. About three
o'clock, Ko San-lone returned, having been in search
of a house. As soon as he entered the veranda, the
doctor seized him, threw him down, and several of,he young men fell upon him. This was too much




72                 Kincaid:
to endure: his cries pierced my heart. I unbarred
the door, and, with a cane in my hand, rushed out,
threatening them. Instantly, they let go of him, and
took up bamboos, pointed at one end, and Burman
spears, and rushed upon me like young tigers. I
knocked five of them over with my cane, but only
one was injured. The door was again barred; and,
for the first time, the doctor was disposed to reason.
As soon as I perceived this, I threw open the door
and told him to come in. He said he had been very
angry, and behaved bad; and begged I would forget
it.
The same evening, the British Resident learned
from Captain Low nearly all the occurrences of the
day. He wrote to the ministers thus,'I am sorry to
hear that a Burmese, named Oo-boy, has assaulted and
threatened Mr. Kincaid and his family; and that no
notice has been taken of it by the ministers, although
one of the Woon-gees was sent to, when the affair began. In the most savage countries in the world,
teachers of religion are treated with kindness and respect; and when the news of this affair shall reach
Bengal, England, and America, the people will cry,
Shame I' I had no knowledge of this till the 22d,
when I received letters from the Resident and Captain Low, saying,' I hope you will not by forgiveness
save Oo-boy from merited punishment.' Before noon
I was requested to appear at the Loot-dau, where all




The Hero Missionary.            73
the ministers of state were assembled, with the queen's
brother at their head. After hearing the whole affair
from first to last, they said,' We know you are right,
and this man deserves punishment; but as he is the
king's doctor, and as you are a teacher of religion,
which enjoins forbearance and forgiveness, we hope
you will forgive him, and he shall confess at any time
and in any place you direct.' I said, you must understand that it was not I who brought up this subject,
neither did I request it. However, so far as I am
personally concerned, I cheerfully forgive the man;
but he must confess his wrong in the presence of all
the great ministers. They then said,'Do you wish
him to be put in prison, and whipped?' I said' No;
I only wish to secure myself and family from being
insulted by rude and ignorant people. They further
said,'The fact that you forgive a man who has done
so bad will be known all through the empire, and
many will be inclined to examine your doctrine.'Thus we parted-the Woon-gees at the same time giving me a written document which was a permission
to rent any house I should choose. The British Resident hearing these things, was not satisfied, and dispatched another message, saying,'As Mr. Kincaid is
an American, he can do as he pleases; but as Mrs.
Kincaid and her sister are British subjects, he was
bound, as the representative of his Government, to
see that those who should dare insult them, should
4




74                 IKincaid:
receive merited punishment.' Furthermore, as Ooboy had, openly in the streets of Ava, reviled the
Christian religion, he considered his crime deserving
severe punishment. At the same time he requested
a boat, that the whole account of this affair might be
sent, without delay, to Major Burney, in Rangoon.
This alarmed them, and the doctor was put in prison.
The Resident was still dissatisfied. He wrote again,
complaining of the unwillingness of the ministers to
punish him as his crimes deserved: said it was because he was the royal physician; but he urged this
as an additional reason why he should not be spared.'If,' said he,' Oo-boy was a poor, ignorant man, there
would be room for mercy; but a man of his rank deserves none.' Immediately Oo-boy was put in the
stocks, and the Resident sends a man every day to
see that he is not screened from justice. I feel very
much for his wife and children-they visit us every
day and beg that we would intercede for him. The
doctor is continually sending to me, to make an effort
in his favor. I would gladly restore him to his family, if it was in my power."
Shortly after this Mr. Kincaid succeeded in obtaining a house, west of the palace, and near the centre
of the city. Here he was soon permitted to witness
manifestations of the same eager spirit of inquiry
which he had met with along the Irawaddy. "Inquiry," says he, writing to one of his missionary




The Hero lJissionary.           75
brethren, "is abroad, is spreading, and the smothered
flame will burst ere long. Many government men
call. Among these, two of the head writers call, read,
and listen. Probably they are spies. I have always
seen these men among the Woon-gees. Having begun to preach the gospel here, there is no going back.
It is impossible to work in the dark, or work quietly,
as some would call it. I am quite certain that I have
not taken a step but a government man has been on
my heels. It is well. I have adopted'one course to
pursue; that is, to preach Christ to every person,
and leave the consequences to Him who has promised
to give the heathen to His Son for an inheritance."
His impressions with reference to being under the
jealous eye of officers of government soon proved to
be well founded. One of the Woon-gees showed himself particularly hostile, and on no less than ten occasions positively forbid him preaching the gospel and
giving books. On the 22d of March, 1834, a message
came directing an immediate appearance before the
high court of the empire. Upon presenting himself,
one of the Woon-gees said sternly to Mr. Kincaid" Why have you come to the royal city?"
"To diffuse abroad the knowledge of the eternal
God."
" Dare you say the religion of the king, his princes,
his nobles, and his people, is false?"
"No, my lord, I do not say so; but in my own




16                  Kincaid,
country, and in all the world, before the knowledge
of the living God appeared, the people worshiped
idols, and the command of God is, to go into all the
world, and preach this religion."
"Stop: it is not proper to say much. It is the
iish of the king, his ministers, and myself, that you
should preach no more."
" If you send us away, the whole world will ridicule you. Why, my lord, are you afraid of two
men?"
" We do not wish you to remain here: you may go
to Rangoon."
" Are there no other towns where we can go?"
" Rangoon is a good place; go there."
" Much conversation," says Mr. Kincaid, " took
place about our disciples, our books, and various subjects connected with the propagation of religion. In
my conversation, which lasted some time, I used respectful but firm language. I told him we had no political motive, no connection with any earthly power; that
our only object was to teach the people the law of
God. I observed,'Under all civilized governments,
teachers of religion are allowed to preach the divine
law.' Towards the close, he used less haughty language than in the beginning, but utterly refused to
reason with me."
About eight months subsequent to this, Mr. Kin:aid was again summoned before the high court. On




The Hero Missionary.            77
this occasion all the noblemen and an immense crowd
of the common people were gathered together at the
great court. As soon as Mr. Kincaid entered, the
great Black Book was called for, and chapter after
chapter was read, in which they had attempted a
full delineation of his character. They said, in substance, that the American teacher had come to the
Golden city; had stirred up great numbers of the
people to despise the gods and religion of Burmah;
was disturbing the public peace; was preaching a
law which the king, the princes, and the nobles did
not approve, and was giving books which taught a
foreign religion-this, and a good deal more, they
read, and no voice was heard but the reader.
At length they read a chapter to which Mr. Kincaid could not listen in silence. In substance it was
this: "About seven months ago the American teacher
promised to preach no more, and give no more books;
but disregarding that promise, he had gone on ever
since, preaching and giving the books in every direction."
Mr. Kincaid said-" I never heard of such a prom.
ise before. I promised to give no more of the Investigator; and the Woon-gees gave me permission
to preach and give the sacred Scriptures."
No sooner had he said this, than a Woon-gee, in a
boisterous and angry manner, said, " We know noth



78                 Kincaid:
ing about your books, and you promised to give no
books.
Another said-" We know nothing about the distinction you make, and are determined to put down
all preaching and all books which teach a foreign
religion."
Mr. Kincaid remonstrated with them-told them
about the Mahomedans and Papists, who were not
molested; upon this, they became more vehement
and rude, said these people did not preach and give
books, and that he should not. They then called
upon him to promise that he would preach no more
and give no more books of any kind. Mr. Kincaid
replied" I dare not promise."
"You must promise," said one of the council.
" I cannot, I dare not make such a promise: I fear
God more than kings; and if you cut off both my arms
and then my head, I cannot make such a promise."
"Remain quiet, and you can stay," said another.
"I dare not remain quiet; I came here to preach,
and the command of God is to preach in all the world."
Half a dozen cried out furiously: "Send him away 
send him away! he is not fit to live in the empire!"
Mr. Kincaid then made an appeal to the prince.
the queen's brother; he listened to his story till he
came to that part where he said the Woon-gees' promise induced him to rent a house at considerable




The Her'o Missionary.          79
expense. He then inquired how much money had
been expended, and said the owner of the house should
pay back the money. One of the ministers said" If we do not oppose you, we shall go to hell."
" But do not I preach the divine law?" inquired
Mr. Kincaid.
"We dare not listen to you," said he, "we are
afraid of hell."
"Thus," says Mr. Kincaid, in one of his letters,
"they would have you think that from pious motives
they set themselves against you. I have some hopes
that this fit of bigotry will wear off, and the sun of
prosperity again shine upon our path. I know the
day of opposition will come; I know the empire of
darkness is not to be overturned without much toil
and suffering. We must not be discouraged; if
driven from one point, we must seize upon another;
and as good soldiers of the cross of Christ, we must
continue struggling on the field of battle, till the triumphant shout is echoed through heaven and through
earth,' The kingdoms of this world have become the
kingdom of Christ.' PRAY FOR US-pray for the little
band of redeemed souls in Ava.'




80                        Kincaid:
CHAPTER VIII.
THE GOSPEL IN THE GOLDEN CITY.
"Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: for I am with thee, and
no man shall set on thee, to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city."
Acts xviii. 9.'0,'tis pleasant,'tis reviving
To our hearts, to hear, each day,
Joyful news, from far arriving,
How the gospel wins its way,
Those enlightening
Who in death and darkness lay."
FROM the preceding chapter, it will be seen that
the labors of Mr. Kincaid in Ava were attended with
no  ordinary  degree  of anxiety.  Almost from  the
hour of his arrival, however, he was cheered in his
work with the clearest proofs of the divine blessing.
His veranda was daily visited by persons of all classes,
to the number of from one to eight hundred, many
of whom  seemed anxious to learn something about
the new religion. Only three months after his arrival he writes in his journal: " The very thing that
ought to rejoice me often troubles me; it is the numbers that are flocking to the veranda to read and hear




The Hero Missionary.             81
the word of God. If I would, I could not resist the
tide that is setting in. Our veranda is pretty well
filled during the day, and sometimes forty or fifty
come in at a time."  About the same time, writing to
one of his missionary brethren, he says: "It is time
for us to be awake, and work while the door is open.
More than two hundred were at the house yesterday.
We have three promising inquirers. I really think
the time of Burmah's deliverance is at hand. It is
no passing cloud that hangs over the land: it is
spreading in every" direction; and the time must
come, when showers large and rich will water this
desert. Oh for that faith that heeds no mountains,
and regards not the desert vallies."
With all this, however, he was not so sanguine in
his hopes as to overlook the difficulties and trials
which he subsequently encountered in the prosecution of his labors. " If you inquire," says he, " what
is the prospect in Ava? will you be allowed to preach
and give books, without being molested? I cannot
answer this question; yet I do not think the government will lift its arm against the cross of Christ.
We shall often be annoyed, I cannot doubt. In all
ages the gospel has met with opposition. Can we
expect it to spread in Burmah without violent oppo
sition on the part of the priesthood and many of its
rulers? For my part, I do not expect it. The sooner
this war begins, the sooner will Burmah be saved. I




82                  Kincaid:
long to see the flame kindled that shall purify this
land of all its abominations."
To further this great work, on which his heart was
set, Mrs. Kincaid devoted a considerable portion of
her time to teaching, and doubtless access was thus
had to many who, otherwise, would never have been
reached. Still, the preaching of the gospel was relied on as the chief instrumentality, and it was not
long till Mr. Kincaid was permitted to see evidence
of its taking deep hold on the hearts of the people.
Cases began to come to his knowledge which gave
convincing proof not only of conviction of sin, but of
saving faith in Jesus Christ. The first convert baptized was a woman about forty years of age. In giving an account of her conversion to Christianity, she
said with great simplicity: " I know it is the true religion, because it takes away my pride, and makes me
feel like a little child." And, being asked why she
wished to be baptized, she replied —" I believe it is
the appointed road for those who worship God?"
Her baptism is described by Mr. Kincaid as a scene
of peculiar beauty, and as an occasion of remarkable
interest. Repairing to the Irrawaddy,
"We knelt down," he says, "upon the shore, and
lifted up our hearts in thanksgiving to Almighty
God for the tokens of his divine favor. Mah Nwa
Oo was then buried beneath the wave, in obedience
to her Saviour's will. How strikingly solemn this




The Hero Missionary.            83
hour  How holy is this place! These waters, that
have for ages been echoing the song of heathen worshipers, now listen to the voice of prayer rising to
the throne of the Eternal. The spire of the royal
palace gleams over our heads, and the walls of the
Golden city fling their shadow upon the waters; but
we heed it not. The King eternal, immortal, invisible, and only wise God our Saviour, has bid us plant
his banners here. If God be for us, who can be
against us? Several of the heathen were spectators of
this scene; but no one offered the least insult in word
or in action. Not a breath was heard but the voice of
prayer, and the words of the divine commission.
We hope this may be the commencement of good
days in Ava. Let waters break forth in this desert;
let the wilderness blossom; let the Lord's house be
established on the top of these mountains!"
Only a few days subsequent to this, they were
again permitted to gather on the river shore, on the
occasion of the baptism  of Moung.Kay, who, only
four months previous, had been acknowledged one
of the most popular preachers of Boodhism in the
royal city. This man first heard the Gospel from the
lips of Ko San-lone, one of Mr. Kincaid's native assistants. He, finding him one day explaining the sacred
Pali to a large assembly of venerable men, sat down
among them, and, when a favorable opportunity offered, he said to the preacher-" Have you heard




84                  Kinca'id:
that there is a God eternal, who is not, and never was
subject. to any of the infirmities of men?"
" No."
" There is such a God, and his sacred word is in
Burmah."
He then explained to him the leading doctrines of
the Christian system. The truth pierced his heart.
He asked for a book. The fifth day after he threw
away his beads; forsook the pagodas; refused to
bow to idols, and made no offerings to the priests.
He read incessantly till the New Testament was gone
through. He was especially affected with the view
he there received of Christ's mediation, and at length,
after carefully examining himself, he came forward,
saying"I think I have a new heart. I see every thing
differently from what I formerly did; every thing is
so new that I can hardly sleep or eat."
The knowledge of his conversion, as might be supposed, created through the city no little stir, and his
baptism was regarded as an event promising great
advantage to the future interests of the mission.
The general attention awakened about this time towards the claims of the christian religion, is strikingly
exhibited in the numerous cases of interest alluded
to by Mr. Kincaid, in his journal. From this it appears that many men of distinction, and officers of government, as well as persons of humbler capacity and




The Her. Missionary.            85
station, came often to inquire after the truth, or to
bear their simple and honest testimony to the experience of its power on their souls.
On several occasions, by invitation, he visited the
Palace, and was frequently sent for to converse with
Prince Mekara, the most learned man, perhaps, in
the empire. "At first," says Mr. Kincaid, " he seemed to be anxious only about science; but, of late, he
has become a student in the scriptures. He says, that
St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans is wonderful beyond
anything he ever read. I found him one evening
comparing several passages together: he had the
places marked which speak of the law offaith. I said,'Your highness will be much gratified in reading
the Old Testament scriptures.''Why?' he inquired.' Those writings give an account of the most wonderful events from the beginning of the world to the
coming of Christ.'' Be it so: this divine law must be more important
than any history.'   He then inquired-' How is a person to know that he is a believer, and
that he will be saved from all his sins?'
I gave a short relation of my own Christian experience, particularly the peace I felt when the eyes of
my understanding were first opened to see the beauty
of the divine character. He listened with the most
eager attention to every word. I urged the import



86                  Kincaid:
ance of venturing all on Christ, who alone can save
us from our sins and present us pure and holy before
the throne of God."
At a subsequent interview, this Prince said" very thing I read in your books I admire. It is a
pure and holy religion, different from any other."
Secretly, there were many who gave similar testimonies. One, for instance, would say-" I see that
this is the most excellent religion." Another —" The
more I read of it, the more fully am I convinced that
it is the true religion."  And, another-" I believe
in the religion taught by Jesus Christ. All other
religions appear foolish and absurd when compared
with this."
But some who even went further than this, and
gave encouraging evidence of conversion, were wanting in the courage and faith necessary, under the
circumstances, to a public confession of Christ.
"Fear," writes Mr. Kincaid, "keeps them from
coming out openly on the side of truth; though
many, in secret, declare their full conviction of the
truth of the Christian religion."
From the first, Mr. Kincaid did not feel a doubt
with reference to the ultimate success of this important mission, and though, in the prosecution of his
work, much occurred to discourage his heart, we find
him laboring on with a growing confidence in the
final triumph of the Gospel. He saw clearly that there




The Hero Missionary.            87
never before had been such an opportunity for making vigorous exertions for the salvation of Burmah,
and, leaving all in the hands of God, he was resolved
to labor unceasingly while he was favored with an
open door.
"It is true," he says, " the government at times
has been feverish, and on three or four occasions, has
put itself into a threatening posture; yet all this has
quickly subsided. Our heavenly Father has set open
the door of hope, and the door of faith, so that, although there may be much that is trying, and sometimes even perplexing, we cannot but feel that a
foundation is being laid for the introduction of great
and manifold good into this benighted empire. The
husbandman who enters a wild and cheerless forest,
is obliged to toil long and painfully, before he can
see a single field whitening for the harvest: he does
not sit down, however, in hopeless sorrow. The
hardy woodman's axe echoes through the gloomy
forest, and, in process of time, there is an opening
made, through which the light of day descends, and
the fattening dews of heaven distil; then comes the
delightful labor of casting in the seed, and gathering
the joyous harvest. Shall we be less patient, less
laborious, less hopeful? Shall we say this is the work
of many long and painful years, and therefore abandon the labor in despair?  Many long years may




88                  Kincaid:
pass, before the reaper's song shall echo through
these vallies; yet that day will surely come."
Nor was that day long delayed, At the close of
the first year spent in Ava a church of Christ had
been planted, and during the three remaining years
of his residence in that city, hundreds of thousands
heard the word of eternal life, and though multitudes
of these never went farther than to relinquish their
belief in the superstitions of Gaudama, yet, doubtless, a great number silently accepted the faith of the
Gospel, while others, who openly avowed their love
to Christ, gave the most cheering evidence of having
been made the subjects of a thorough  spiritual
change.




The Hero MissJonary.               89
CHAPTER IX.
IN THE SHADOW  OF THE HIMMALEH MOUNTAINS.
" To preach the Gospel in the regions beyond, and not to boast in another
man's line of things made ready to our hand."-2 Cor. x: 16.
"We see new realms to truth expand,
Where truth was never known before;
Fields ripened for the reaper's hand,
Mines rich in everlasting ore."
No place in Burmah afforded such opportunities
for the spread of the truth as Ava.  Being the capital
of the empire, and the seat of the Golden Presence,
persons were to be met with here from almost every
part of the realm; and what transpired in Ava, therefore, soon became known in the most remote portions
of the land.
Availing himself of this advantage, Mr. Kincaid
sought every opportunity of forming an acquaintance
with those who came from distant provinces, that he
might put into their hands the word of God, to be
carried to the regions from whence they came.
In his intercourse with some of these strangers,
Mr. Kincaid became deeply interested in a numerous




90                  Kincaid:
people known as Shyans, and occupying the provinces on the northern frontiers of the empire.
After obtaining all the information he could concerning the position of their country, he conceived
the plan of a tour of exploration, to extend, if possible,
as far as the borders of China and the frontiers of
Assam. This design meeting the approval of his
brethren of the Mission, he began at once to make
the necessary arrangements for the excursion.
Hitherto no effort had been made, by any agent
of the Christian church, to explore the field north
and east of Ava; and, anxious to ascertain the extent
of the population, the languages spoken, the character of the people, and the facilities for doing them
good, Mr. Kincaid resolved to undertake the journey,
and thus determine what could be done for the salvation of these millions of immortal beings who had
never heard the Gospel. When first made acquainted
with his plans, the government interposed serious
objections, and forbad him passing through the upper
provinces.
" The alleged reason," says Mr. Kincaid, " was that
I had got permission to remain in Ava, and here I
preached and gave books; but was not satisfied, and
now wished to go through all the northern cities of
the empire. This would not do; it was asking more
than any foreigner had reason to expect. Without
any delay I went to the Thoot dau. The spacious




The Hero Missionary.           91
hall was crowded with hundreds of people, and the
ministers were immersed in business. After a fatiguing half hour of elbowing and squeezing, I got
through the dense mass of petitioners, secretaries,
and petty officers, and found myself fairly in the presence of the lords of the land, with the queen's brother at their head.'What does the American teacher want? was the
first question.'Some days since, I made every arrangement to go
on to Assam-my boat and every thing is ready; but
to-day a message was brought that your lordships are
opposed to my going by the way of Bomau and Mogaung; and my object in calling is to inquire into
the ground of your opposition.'' You must not go,' was the stern and prompt reply
of two noblemen at the same time-one of them
stroking down a huge tuft of beard that hung from
the end of his chin, and putting on a countenance of
great self-complacency-' we cannot consent to your
going through our northern cities, and giving books
to the people. If you wish to go to Assam, go by the
way of Bengal; that is a good way.'' But that would take me a whole year.''Let it take eight years,' said the haughty nobleman with the handful of black beard.'You know I am a religious teacher, and should be
allowed to go where I choose.'




92                  Kincaid:'You must not go,' was reiterated by two or three.
I made an effort to get from them the reason of
their opposition, but it was unavailing. They appeared unwilling to get into any discussion, and I
left them."
Subsequently he says, " I called on the Sa-16 prince
(queen's brother.) He was seated in a hall of great
extent; the roof was supported by a great number
of gilt pillars, from thirty to forty feet in height.
There were three landscape paintings hanging on
the walls, not less than ten feet square, and on every
side was evidence of wealth and eastern pride. The
prince sat on an unpretending cushion, near the centre of the hall, dictating to a secretary a letter of instructions to the governor of Mogaung. Between
one or two hundred officers, with their attendants,
were sitting at a distance, on one side of the hall. I
had been seated but a minute, when the prince observed me, and inquired the object of my visit. I
related briefly my wish to go through the north of
Burmah to Assam.  He replied,'that the ministers
had taken up the subject, and were not agreed; and
as long as the king's ministers were not of one mind,
it would be impracticable.' Considerable conversation took place, but the main point was kept at a distance. Leaving the prince, I called immediately on
Moung Yeet, an atwenwoon, whom I knew to be one
of the principal opposers of my proposed tour. He




The Hero Missionary.            93
was very affable. After hearing my statements, he
said, frankly, though not haughtily-which is uncommon for a Burman of high rank-'As one of the king's ministers, I have opposed
your design; but now I understand it in a different
light from formerly, and will lay it before his Majesty's officers.'
I tried, again and again, to get him to express his
own opinion, but he was as cautious as if his life depended on keeping his own views concealed. I told
him I had just seen the Sa-l prince, and he made no
objection, only said the ministers were not agreed.'Did the prince say you might go?' inquired the
minister, eagerly.'No, he did not say that-he only said you, ministers, were not agreed; and now, if you and one or
two more, who have opposed it, say go, all difficulties
will be removed.'"
After many delays, however, he at length obtained
a permit from government, and, on the 27th of January, 1837, embarked on the Irrawaddy in a boat provided and despatched in his charge, by the British
Resident. The region of country through which he
passed is described, in his journal, as one of uncommon beauty, and, as in other instances, the facts and
incidents which transpired on the trip, served to give
increased importance to Burmah as a field of labor,
and to afford the most cheering prospect of its ulti



94                  Kincaid:
mate evangelization. It would be instructive to follow Mr. Kincaid in all the interesting features of this
journey; the limits of the present chapter, however,
forbid more than a brief reference to some of the
most remarkable occurrences noted in his journal.
Aside from observations on the scenery through
which they passed, and a close inspection of some ancient monuments of Boodhism found by the way,
nothing of special moment occurred until the close
of the third day, when, happening to stop for the
night at a small village called Ya-tha-ya, it was discovered they had fallen upon a nest of robbers. Being too late, however, to proceed further; it was
deemed prudent to prepare themselves against any
attack, and Mr. Kincaid thus describes the measures
adopted for their protection, with their success.
" We had in the boat one musket and one pair of cavalry pistols. These I loaded with care. I placed the
two oldest Burmans on the shore, with the musket, to
keep watch by turns; had the boat so fastened that
we could push off at a moment's warning; told the
rest of the men to sleep, and, with the pistols lying
beside me, I sat and watched till day-break. It was
an uncomfortable night. About ten o'clock in the
evening, a deep-toned gong sounded in the head-man's
house. In a few minutes the villagers were together,
talking boisterously, and sometimes angrily. The
evening being clear and still, I could hear much that




The Hero  lissionary.          95
was said. The people were charged by the head-man
to keep away from my boat. I also heard a good deal
about spirits and opium. After an hour or so, all was
still till about midnight, when the gong again sent
forth its deep tones, echoing among the trees and
rocks. In a few minutes I heard voices, and saw
lights gliding along among the trees and cabins. All
collected in the house of the head-man, and began
talking, as before. My men on the shore inquired
what was to be done. I told them to remain firm,
unless a large number came down, and, in that case,
come upon the boat immediately. It was an hour of
deep anxiety; for no one who understood their language could mistake their character. Presently a
tall man came down, and when within forty or fifty
yards of us, my men hailed him and ordered him to
stop. With an angry, coarse voice, he inquired why
they stopped him, and was promptly told that I had
so directed. I immediately spoke, and told him it
would be unsafe to come nearer; that I had heard
their language and witnessed their proceedings, and
was fully prepared to resist them; that we were
peaceable people, seeking only to benefit others, but
should not tamely fall into the hands of lawless men.
After looking at us a few minutes, he returned, and
the villagers remained together all night, talking,
singing, drinking spirits, and smoking opium."
On the afternoon of the next day Mr. Kincaid met




96                XjKincaid:
with a company of a very different character. "I
came," says he, "upon a party of Shyans, twenty-five
or thirty, male and female. They had built up their
fires, and were cooking rice upon the shore. They
were elderly people, had one large boat, and in it
were provisions and various articles which make up
what this people call comfortable. They were all
dressed in coarse, dark blue cotton, and each one,
whether at work or not, kept smoking from a pipe
that had a stem three or four feet long. I let my
boat go on, and remained half an hour in conversation with them, as most of them spoke Burman very
well. They had come from a province about two
hundred and fifty miles north-east of this, and were
on a pilgrimage to places of reputed merit in various
parts of the empire. I inquired,' Why do you take so long a journey?'
One of them, whose face was wrinkled with age,
though he was active and spoke with energy, replied,'Our years are many, and we are going to visit all
the most distinguished gods in the kingdom, that we
may get peace and merit before death.''Have you failed of obtaining peace, by worshiping
the gods in your own country?''Yes; and we have heard there are gods in Amaraplira, Ava, and Pagan, and that under them are relics of Gaudama, which possess indescribable power.
To visit those places, and make offerings and prayers,




Thie Hero Missionary.           97
is meritorious.' As he uttered these words, he laid
down his pipe, looked me full in the face, and said,
gravely and anxiously,'What do you think-is this
true?'No; it is all wrong. The gods you are going to
see, are made of bricks and lime. Your offerings
they cannot see; your prayers they cannot hear.
The true God, who made heaven and earth; made
you and me; gave us power to speak and think;
gives us the three seasons-the warm, the cold, and
the rainy; the eternal God, whose presence, power,
and goodness are everywhere-that God is here, and
hears all we say. He sees you and me, though with
our bodily eyes we cannot see him. He is holy, free
from sin, never,sick, never sees old age, and never
dies. He is God, the true God, and beside him there
is no God.'' Wonderful language'-' Extraordinary words,' replied half a dozen, with one breath-and then urged
to hear more. Such a company of sober,.venerable
old men and women, entirely ignorant of the Being
who made them, yet distinctly conscious of their accountability, is a scene deeply affecting."
Only a day or two after this, when at Kyouk-man,
a village of fifty or sixty houses, there occurred an
incident of thrilling interest. They had stopped
there for the night, and having a little moonlight, -Mro
Kincaid spoke to a number of the people gathered
5




98                 Kincad:
on the shore. After they had gone to their homes,
and when all in the boat were asleep, " I was aroused,
says Mr. Kincaid, " by a low voice, saying,'Teacher,
teacher;' and, starting up, I saw a man standing in
the water, by the boat. Before I had time to make
any inquiry, he began to apologize for disturbing me
at that time of the night, and said he had been absent,
and when he returned, a neighbor read to him a tract
about God. Learning where he had got it, and fearing I might be gone before day-light, he resolved to
come at once. It was very dark, but I could perceive
by his voice that he was an old man. In few words
I explained to him the character of God, and the provision God has made for the happiness of intelligent
oeings; and gave him a small book and two tracts.
The poor old man went away, pouring forth a torrent
of kind wishes, and saying he wished to understand
this. For the first time in his life, he has heard there
is an eternal God, who made the heavens and the
earth. For the first time in his life, he has in his
hand the gospel of peace."
The next night was spent at Kyouk-Kyih, a beautiful town, distinguished as the residence of the Governor of the province of Monhein. Calling upon the
Governor, he received Mr. Kincaid in the most friendly manner, and gave him much information relating
to the population of his province. He ordered dinner also, and though Mr. Kincaid remonstrated, tell



The Hero Missionary.           99
ing him he had just dined, and would only take
a cup of tea with him, it availed nothing. " A Governor," he said, "should be an example to others, and
how would it appear, if I should let you go away
without any expression of hospitality?" His wife
and family were equally kind and pleasant with himself. Mr. Kincaid gave her a New Testament, and
the Governor two tracts.  They appeared much
gratified with their gifts, and afterwards engaged
freely in a long conversation on the subject of religion.
The next morning, just as they were about to leave,
the Governor's servants came down to the boat, bearing a present of rice, dried fish and vegetables.
In one village still further up the river, a large
room in the head-man's house was filled with attentive
hearers, and Mr. Kincaid continued reading and
speaking to them until a very late hour. The conduct of the whole assembly was praiseworthy, and
several of them said, they had never before supposed
there was any religion in the world besides their own,
worth thinking about; but, said they, this idea of an
eternal God, and of a way to escape the punishment
of hell, must be considered. A similar reception was
given them at a number of towns both on the Irrawaddy and the Mogaung rivers-the head-man providing a room for a public service, and the people,
flocking in and manifesting, in every instance, the
most respectful attention.




100                Kincaid:
At length, after being twenty-two days on the way
and having traveled about three hundred and fifty
miles from Ava, they reached Mogaung, the most
northern city of Burmah. Here, beneath the shadow
of the Himmaleh mountains, he found spreading before him the vast wilderness which separates Burmah
from Hindostan, skirted by a territory crowded with
people, and abounding in mines of amber and serpentine stone.
During the time spent here a thorough survey was
made of the city, and several excursions were taken
into the surrounding country. But after gathering
all the information possible with reference to the extent and character of the population laying farther
north, Mr. Kincaid was led to doubt whether there
was any object of sufficient importance to warrant
him in proceeding with his undertaking. But, beside this, he found it impossible to procure either
provisions suitable for his journey, or men to accompany him, and having carefully weighed the matter,
he, at last, concluded to set his face toward home.
After taking an affecting leave of the Governor and
his household, in which he repeated many things he
had before told them of the eternal God, and of that
futurity to which they were all hastening, he again
embarked, and began with great rapidity to descend
the river toward Ava. On reviewing this tour, together with the previous labors bestowed on Burmah,




The Hero lMissionary.          101
Mr. Kincaid was led to the following encouraging reflections on the state and prospects of that mission:
" The prospect of enlightening and saving the people of this empire, has greatly increased in my mind,
during my tour north. Not that I ever doubted its
ultimate accomplishment, but obstacles appear less
formidable, and ways of gaining access to the people
less difficult. I may be too sanguine,' too much inclined to look on the bright side;' but after four years'
acquaintance with the government of Ava, and after
traveling the whole length of the empire, visiting almost every town, and city, and village, on the Irrawaddy, from the Martaban gulf to the Himmaleh
mountains, and forming an acquaintance with many
of the provincial authorities, and learning with some
degree of exactness, the extent, habits, and character
of the various tribes of Burmah, it will be allowed
that I have had at least an opportunity of forming
some idea of what can be done. Eight years ago, no
one would have supposed it possible that a missionary could go to Ava, and for four years preach the
Gospel publicly, and baptize believers, and form themn
into a Christian church; that, as a teacher of religion, he would be received kindly into the houses
of princes and noblemen; and that he would be allowed to travel about in the neighboring towns and
villages, giving books, and preaching to the people.
All this has been done, in the most frank and open




102                Kincaid:
manner. Twenty have been baptized, and formed
into a church. On the Lord's day they meet, and
sing, and pray, and hear the Gospel preached. Add
to this, a great multitude have heard of God, and of
the Mediator, and have read more or less of the Holy
Scriptures. This, too, has been done in weakness,
and with very insufficient means. Now, the field is
better known-the prejudices, vices and habits of
the people are better known. When all these facts
are duly considered, there is much to inspire confidence in the use of those means which God has appointed for the conversion of the world. Obstacles
there are, and will be as long as sin and idolatry
exist, but they are not insurmountable, when encountered in the name and strength of Him who
came to destroy the works of the devil."




The Hero Missionary.                       103
CHAPTER X.
IN  PERILS  AMONG  ROBBERS.
"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord
is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even
mine enemies and my foes came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled
and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, mine heart shall not
feaf."-Psalm xxii. 1-3.
" When exposed to fearful dangers,
Jesus will his own defend;
Borne afar'midst foes and strangers,
Jesus will appear your friend;
And his presence
Shall be with you to the end."
THE  perils and  privations which Mr. Kincaid suffered in his passage down the Irrawaddy from Mogaung, form one of the most thrilling chapters of his
wonderful history. The whole land was at this time
in arms, all the horrors of anarchy and civil war had
fallen upon the empire, and large bodies of men, under a sort of military  organization, were  prowling
about the country-robbing and burning  cities and
villages, thus rendering all travel exceedingly dangerous.




104                Kincaid:
He succeeded, however, in making a rapid passage
down the river, to a point about two hundred miles
from Ava, when he fell successively into the hands
of two bands of banditti. His own language, used in
a public address, though never before printed, will
best convey to the mind of the reader an idea of his
dreadful sufferings while in the hands of one of these
savage hordes:
"We were passing gently down the stream," said
Mr. Kincaid, "not, however, without frequent Tfase
alarms that robbers were near, for we had been informed at the last village where we stopped that we
should soon have to pass through a mountainous region and a deep ravine, where the robbers were in
great numbers. It was about 10 o'clock in the morning-I was lying under the cover of my boat engaged
in reading, when one of my boys cried out,' Teacher,
the robbers.' I had so frequently heard this alarm,
and as frequently found it to be false, for my people
always stood in great fear, that I paid but little attention to it. Again he called out,'Teacher, the robbers.' I looked out, and sure enough there was a
boat full of armed men. I told one of the boys to
hold up the musket, the only arms we had in the boat,
and we carried this by the order of government, ro
boat being allowed to go up or down the rivers without a Burmese musket. The robbers, seeing that we
were armed went back towards the shore shouting.




The Hero MIissionary.         105
I sat down again unconcerned, and supposed that we
should not again be molested. In a few minutes,
however, my boys told me that more robbers were
again approaching. This time I showed myself, and
held up the musket, when they wheeled about with
boats, and with loud shouting returned again towards
the shore. I still had but little uneasiness, and was
soon engaged with my book; but only to give it up
for increased and fearful danger. With a countenance
manifesting great agitation, one of my boys cried-' 0 teacher, teacher, the robbers, the robbers!' and
when I stood up, to my surprise I saw five or six
large boats full of armed robbers, coming down upon
us with great rapidity, yelling in the most awful and
terrifying manner. I began to feel now that danger
was indeed near, that I was unarmed, and all alone,
for my affrighted and cowardly crew had laid themselves down in the bottom of the boat on their faces,
crying in the most piteous manner, and I knew that
I could obtain no help from them, and that resistance
under such circumstances would be madness. When
the robbers were within hailing distance, I said to
them in Burmese, their own language, at the same
time spreading out my hands-' Come, and take all
we have got.' The. only reply was —' Set down, set
down,' and by this time there were not less than
thirty musket pointed at my boat. I told them with
as much firmness and apparent indifference as I could




106                 Kincaid:
summon up in so trying a situation, that I would not
set down, for I knew that if I attempted to sit down,
they would have riddled me with their bullets. I
told them not to fire, that I was a foreigner, and the
Governor had promised his protection to me, and
that if I was injured it would be at their cost. But
I discovered that they were not to be intimidated
either by threats or by the presence of a foreigner,
for I had scarcely spoken the last sentence, when thirty
or more bullets from their muskets were fired into my
boat, but through a merciful and wonderful providence, without doing any of us the slightest injury.
I heard some of the balls whiz past my ears, others
struck the boat, and some fell into the water. The
discharge of this volley of musketry was followed by
the most piercing and horrid cries, and before I had
time sufficient to recover from the shock of their fire,
my boat was surrounded by these villainous robbers
and more than seventy spears encircled almost
every part of my body, so that I was completely encased by steel points touching me. I could not move
without feeling the points of their spears, but God
was with me and sustained my courage. I did not
lose my presence of mind. I was ordered into their
boat, and they immediately commenced beating my
four men and plundering the boat of its contents,
calling out to me,' Where is your money?' I gave
them all I had. This, however, was not satisfactory,








i~iI-~~r271x:.uffi-.        - -     ------ --  --------.............,..~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.   
g  M.,Principle:                             o" I~~~~~~~~~~~~~:iiii~i~i iia:::::...................




The Hero Missionary.          109
They immediately commenced stripping me. They
took my hat, and shoes, and jacket, and vest, and were
about to take my shirt and pantaloons, when I made
some resistance, and told them that I would not be
thus treated, but that they must take me before their
chief man. By this time the boats had reached the
shore. An armed guard of several men was placed
over me; I was ordered to lie down, while the robbers went on shore to divide their plunder. Nor
could I keep from smiling to see the ludicrous appearance that many of these wretched men presented.
One had on a shirt, another a vest, another a jacket,
and another a pair of pantaloons.
There had been many boats robbed during this and
a few preceding days, from which they had secured
a large amount of plunder and a great number of
prisoners. Their deliberations turned, however, upon
their foreign prisoner, and the course they should
take with him gave them very great uneasiness. I
could see from where I lay in the boat, that they were
under considerable excitement, and that they contemplated getting rid of me in a manner that would
cause the least trouble to their future security. I
was not without my fears of the consequences, well
knowing that they were in the habit of destroying
their prisoners, whenever they had a suspicion. that
their escape would involve them in trouble. At the
same time I felt that the superintending providence




110                 Kincaid:
of God had faithfully preserved my life amidst scenes
and dangers quite as fearful as the one in which I
was now involved, and I had a faint hope that I
should be preserved. In these trying circumstances, I
lifted my heart to God in prayer for his continued
protection. And his love and care were in a most
wonderful manner exemplified.
After the robbers had divided their spoils equally,
I was sent for to appear before the great man of the
band, their chief. Not the least intimidated by the
presence and the near contact of these wretched outlaws, these men of blood and carnage, whose very
countenances were enough to cause the heart to sink,
I passed with great apparent indifference through
their numbers, until I came near to the chief, who
was seated on the ground in the centre of the circle
his men had made around him, and under a temporary awning, made by the large boat sail of coarse
cloth, which was supported in the centre by a pole
and secured at several points in the ground by their
spears.
I sat down by this chief, and he entered into conversation with me freely as to who I was and where
I was going, and what was my business; to these and
many other questions of a similar character, I gave
him correct answers, and solicited him to allow me
and my boat's crew to go on our way, now that he
had obtained all our property. I was buoyed up with




The Hero Missionary.          111
the hope that he would grant my petition, as he listened very patiently to my conversation. He was a
man dignified in his appearance, and possessed an
open and benevolent countenance; and several times
while I sat by him, he betrayed, but for a moment
only at each time, his sympathy for my condition.Noticing this trait in his character, and knowing that
he had the fullest confidence of his men, that his word
was respected and his command supreme among them,
I thought I would try how far I could gain upon him
in order to obtain my liberty. Having been already
deprived of my hat and jacket and shoes, and knowing how much I should suffer during the night from
the cold dew and dampness of the weather, for I expected to remain out all night, I put my hand on the
knee of the chief, and represented to him my destitute and exposed condition, and how I should suffer
from the dewy and chilly night without sufficient
clothing, and asked him to give me back one of my
jackets; and he immediately ordered one of his men
to give me up a jacket, which order was promptly
and without the least murmur obeyed. Finding some
success, and sensible that this would not be enough
to protect me during sleep, I again solicited him to
return me a cloak, of cloth of a coarse material, but
very comfortable and well made, which I had ordered
from Bengal expressly for this journey just before I
started, and which had not been much worn. Feel



1:12                Kincaid:
ing satisfied that if I could obtain this I should be very
comfortable at night, I looked around for it and discovered a fellow of most desperate appearance, having all the villainy of a cold-blooded murderer in his
countenance, to whose lot it had fallen, sitting with
it under him. When the chief asked for it he drew
it still closer underneath him, as if to hide it, but I
pointed it out to the chief, and he bid him give it up
to me. The fellow, cursing, took it out, and it being
enveloped in a piece of coarse stuff, he took hold of
one end of the cloak, and finding that it was an article of more value than he at first supposed it to be,
muttered dissatisfaction, and again placed it under
him, and drew his sword with an apparent determination not to give up his prize and his share of the
plunder without a struggle, at the expense of blood,
and several of his wild comrades appeared to rally
around him. I was not, however, to be deterred
from my purpose with these threats; I again called
the attention of the chief to my cloak, but he turned
away his head, as I spoke, which appeared to be a
signal of dissatisfaction, as in a moment, a hundred
swords were drawn, and with dreadful imprecations
and yells, they rushed towards me, in great passion,
as if to destroy me. This was enough. I saw that
further entreaty was vain, and that I had created the
dissatisfaction of the chief by my earnest and repeated applications for his clemency and favor. There




The H:ero Missionary.          113
appeared now to be great confusion among the robbers, who were walking about in terrible fury. Soon
after this I was ordered to the boat under a strong
guard, and was informed that the robbers were sitting in council and deliberating on my case whether
to kill or release me.
It was a state of considerable anxiety and suspense
to me, but I was relieved only to make uncertainty
certain; for when the council broke up, the youngest
of my Burman boys, a lad about sixteen, approached
me, overwhelmed in tears, and told me that the robbers had decided to behead me at sundown, the time
of day when all Burman executions took place. The
knowledge of my sentence was almost more than I
could bear. For a few minutes I was completely
overpowered, a cold perspiration came over me, my
breathing was short and interrupted, my mouth became parched, and my tongue seemed to cleave to
the roof of my mouth. It was not so much the fear
of death, but the character of my death. I looked
upon the dreadful place in which I was called to die,
and the nature of the circumstances by which I was
surrounded,-alone, among a band of fierce robbers,
outlaws, and murderers; their cold-blooded determination to take my life without a single exciting cause
for convicting me; no friend to communicate with,
and to tell the state of my mind, none, perhaps, to
carry the tidings of my death to Ava, to the mission,




114                Kincaid:
and to my family-for it was very doubtful then
whether any of the Burmans who were with me would
ever escape-the sensations were dreadful, and I can
scarcely bear even now to think upon them. However, I recovered in a very few minutes from this
state of mental despondency, and thought-what is
this? it is nervousness, it will never do, I must rally.
If this is death, I must meet it with Christian firmness. I am still in the hands of my heavenly Father,
who has oftentimes preserved me, and why need I
fear what man can do unto me; they can kill the
body, but they cannot destroy the soul. I know I
must die, and if this is the time and the manner
which God has appointed for my departure, I do resign myself into his Almighty hands, and I trust, come
what may, it will all be for his glory. Thus I struggled with my feelings, and reasoned with myself, until I gained the mastery, and until entire composure
and reconciliation to my fate settled over my senses.
I had nothing now to do but wait the time fixed upon,
which was within two hours, for my execution. But
man appoints, and God disappoints. I watched the
fleeting moments as they sped by, and I could not
keep my eyes off my executioners, who appeared
to be engaged in an angry war of words; they became louder and louder, and I found, by catching a
word now and then of their conversation, that they
were divided in opinion as to my sentence of death.




The Hero Missionary.           115
A faint hope stole over me that the hand of God was
about to be extended for my preservation, and I uttered a prayer for relief. The robbers drew their
swords, looked fierce, and seemed ready to plunge
them into each other, so violent was their anger.
In a little while, from some strange circumstance,
they resolved among themselves, after having reversed the decision of my death at sundown, to go to
a village a few miles above and plunder its inhabitants. Before nightfall, to my great relief, there was
not a single man of the bandit on the ground, and
their prisoners were left alone unsecured. No sooner
had they departed than I determined, feeble and exhausted as I was, to make my escape, and told my
men that as soon as we could get something to eat,
for there was plenty of rice left in the boats, we
would take our boat, get it into the current of the
river, and in the darkness of the night make our escape
beyond the fear of detection."




116                    Kincaid:
CHAPTER XI.
DANGER  AND  DELIVERANCE.' Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee." —Dan. vi. 16
"Just in the last distressing hour,
The Lord displays delivering power;
The mount of danger is the place,
Where we shall see surprising grace."
AFTER effecting an escape, as described in the last
chapter, nothing occurred to interrupt their security
until just at the dawn of day, when they saw a village
about a mile ahead, and as they approached it their
ears were assailed with the most terrific yells, and a
number of armed boats were seen putting off from
the shore, to head them  as they came down the
stream. They were again in the hands of robbers.
They soon overhauled them, and four young men well
armed jumped into the boat, and each one seized like
young tigers upon their prey.  They got hold of Mr.
Kincaid's stock and collar, and dragged in every
direction so furiously that he was almost choked, and
became so far insensible that he could not tell what




The Hero Missionary.          117
he was doing. In this state, and perhaps with a
death-struggle, he threw up his arms and released
himself from their grasp. This, however, only added
to their fury, and, seizing him again, they tore off his
stock, his collar, jacket, shirt, pantaloons and shoes,
leaving him without a vestige of clothing. Recovering from the shock of this brutal treatment, he
stood on his feet before his fierce and cruel enemies.
They then commenced tying his arms after the manner of Burmese criminals. Mr. Kincaid was determined, however, to resist this treatment, and told
them that they should not tie him, that he never had
been tied, and that he should resist being tied until
death. With this they set up a loud laugh and
grinned awfully at him, but did not persist in tying
him. When they reached the shore, they dragged
him along some yards from the place of landing, and
there made a ring in the sand around where he stood,
and told him for his life's sake not to step beyond it.
A guard of armed robbers, numbering from fifteen to
twenty, surrounded this ring, and thus left him
scarcely any chance for escape.
One of his Burmans, who saw and felt for his exposed condition, took off his waist cloth, tore it in
two, and handed him the one half, which he secured
around his waist, and in this dreadfully exposed condition, without an article of food or drink except what
he begged from the women of the village, as they




118                Kincaid:
passed and repassed down to the river for water, did
he remain six days and six nights, without any shelter from the scorching heat of the midday sun, or the
cold damp air of the night. But besides this he did
not know what would be his fate from day to day,
or from hour to hour, and he was continually harassed
by impertinent questions and the cowardly threats
of his cruel tormentors, who left -no means unemployed to make his situation as miserable as possible.
During the time that he remained a prisoner here,
all his four boatmen and three of his boys made their
escape in the night. The fourth and last one, Thaoung by name, came to him on the third day, and observing him casting his longing eyes in the direction
of Ava, Mr. Kincaid knew that he wished to inform
him of his intention to run away. He would walk all
around him at a distance, and then would come near,
appearing as if he wished an opportunity to speak to
him, and yet it seemed as if he could not bear the
idea of going away and leaving his teacher to die by
the hands of the robbers. At last, making his way
to him, he sat down by his side and wept like a child,
telling him that he intended to make his escape that
night, that the others had run away, and it was the
only chance he had to regain his liberty. Mr. Kincaid told him to go, and that if he ever reached Ava
and the mission station, to give all the information
he could about him. He gave him also good council,




The Hero Missionary.          119
told him never to forsake his profession, to be a good
boy, and then they might hope to meet again. It almost broke his heart when he was leaving, and, after
going a short distance he stopped, and returning,
said-" Teacher, I will never leave you, but will stay by
you until I die." This resolution Mr. Kincaid endeavored to dissuade him from keeping, but it was
of no avail, his mind was made up to remain as a prisoner. On the very next day, however, this faithful
boy was selected, from among the prisoners to go into
the interior, as the servant to one of the petty chiefs
and a number of the gang. Nothing more was heard
of him until two or three months afterwards, when
he returned to Ava. Mr. Kincaid now thought seriously of making his escape, but not without counting
the cost of the hazard. He knew that he was about
two hundred miles from Ava-that he should be
obliged to avoid the river and the villages lying along
its margin, as the whole country was in a state of anarchy and confusion-that the whole way dowvn,
indeed all the region around, was infested with
hordes of banditti, and that he should be obliged to
take to the mountains and the mountain passes,
through an unbroken country, which had perhaps seldom, if ever, been trodden by a human being. Hour
after hour he watched the mountains in the distance,
to see if he could possibly discover any path or any
hope of relief. But while dreading the perils to be




120                 zincaid:
encountered, he thought if death had any preference,
it was in the effort to escape, rather than by remaining to die by the hands of his. cruel captors. After
much reflection, therefore, his mind was made up to
leave, and he set about making some preparation for
the journey. Being altogether destitute of clothing,
and beginning to feel sadly the effects of this constant
exposure, he endeavored to single out that man of all
his guard whose countenance displayed the greatest
amount of benevolence, determining to make advances,
and, if possible, obtain his favor. Having selected his man, he spoke to him and reasoned with him
about his exposure, telling him how unaccustomed he
was to go without clothing, and to sleep without a
covering at night. In this way he soon won upon
him, so that he went and brought him an old piece
of sail-cloth, and afterwards the pantaloons of which
they had stripped him when first taken a prisoner.
Mr. Kincaid was now made up, and, fearing lest his
requent importunities would awaken suspicion, he
ieemed it best not to ask for any thing more, and re-.olved to start on his perilous journey the first convenient moment that offered for making an escape.
During the six days that Mr. Kincaid was detained
among these robbers, parties were sent off every day
to plunder travelers and to rob in the neighboring
towns, and often, in the night, the sky would be lighted up from the flames of burning villages. These




The Hero Missionary.           121
parties, after robbing and burning the houses and
barns, would drive into their haunt large flocks of
cattle, and roast them, and feast, and drink, and smoke
the whole day.
He was not imprisoned more than twelve feet from
where the robber chieftain sat, and from morning until night parties of the bandit were bringing in women and children, and the chief would examine them
in order to learn where their valuables were buried
-it being the custom of these people to hide their
gold and jewels in jars in the earth, for fear of fire
and thieves. If these women refused to tell where
their valuables were buried, they were shamefully
treated and cruelly beaten. They would strip them,
throw them on the ground, tie their hands and feet
together, and then, with large rattans, a robber would
scourge these females in a most unmerciful manner.
Sometimes, even if they would yield from their intense
suffering, and tell where their gold was hid, they
would go on beating them because the robbers would
say that was not all. Many of these women, though
their sufferings were dreadful, bore the scourging
with astonishing fortitude. The robbers did not wish
to put them to death, but to inflict torture; and after
whipping them until their backs were torn and lacerated, they would take their spears and pierce holes in
their bodies half an inch in depth, and after
making thirty or forty of these stabs, they would
6




1 9.'9             KFnaid:
take pieces of split bamboo, and dip one end in melted sulphur and stick the other end into the punctures
they had made in the bodies of these poor captive
women, and then light them as tapers, and this they
seemed to take great delight in doing. During these
horrid cruelties, Mr. Kincaid was obliged to sit and
witness them. He would close his eyes, but he could
not shut his ears to their lamentations, and the cries
of their children, who had to look on and behold these
monsters beating and abusing their mothers.
On the sixth day he witnessed a scene of cruelty
far surpassing all the others. It was a case of scourging of a female who had with her seven children.
She was taller than most Burmese women,-of slen.
der frame, and had a fine, intellectual countenance.
With a dignified nobleness she stood before her captors, and with an expression of defiance refused to
answer their questions. He could not help looking
upon her and her seven children clinging around her,
but with intense interest. She was then beaten by
a robber-a thick, muscular man, who could strike
with great power. The chieftain would cry out"Strike quick," and then he would lay it on with vengeance. Her hair falling down over her back, which
was bare, was clotted with blood and her face was cut
unmercifully. Every blow, Mr. Kincaid expected,
would be the last. Finally her head fell on her
shoulder, her eyes were fixed, her lips pale, and she




The He, Missionary.           123
rolled over on the ground. Death had at last released
her. Her eldest child, a beautiful girl, who held the
infant in her arms, and her five brothers and sisters
wept bitterly, when they found their mother was
dead. This girl laid the babe at her feet, and fell
down upon the body of her mother, uttering the most
piteous and piercing cries of anguish-repeating again
and again, " Mother, don't die and leave us."
Looking around on these fiends in human shape,
Mr. Kincaid waited to see if there was one who would
speak a kind word to these orphan children, but
among them all there was no one to pity. Indeed,
one of them violently kicked the poor child, to get
out of the way, and she fell over speechless, on the
ground.  This was too much, he could bear such
brutality no longer-the feelings of his nature were
aroused; he was overcome with revenge; he was
conscious of but a single maddening sensation, and
that was to get the life of the monster. But, rising
to his feet, and finding himself tied, in a sort of despair, he called him by every epithet that human language could invent, wholly indifferent as to what
might be his fate.  To tantalize him the whole band
burst out into a loud laugh. His mind was now made
up to escape that night. The remainder of the day he
kept a close watch on his guard and on the mountains.
The night drew on, and as usual the guard took it
in turn to sleep. But there was no rest for him. Hie




124                 Kincaid:
was between hope and fear as to the success of his
escape, knowing well that if detected his life would
be the forfeit. It was long after midnight before he
ventured to stir, and when he did so, it was with the
utmost caution. He listened-they were all quiet.
He rose on his hands and feet-he crept slowly and
softly to where they lay. Nothing caused him to
startle but the heavy snoring of one of the guards.
He moved carefully around him, scarcely breathing.
Now he was outside the guard, and quickening his
pace, he hurried on, and on, until he was beyond the
precincts of the village. Soon he reached the skirts
of the forest.  He entered the jungle-and now
breathing more freely, he felt that he had escaped,
and that, before morning, he should be far beyond
their reach. A heavy fog arising in the night facilitated his escape; and about the dawn of day he
reached the mountains. By this time he was much
exhausted; what with anxiety, and loss of sleep, and
hunger, and exposure, and the fatigue of traveling,
he felt it impossible to take another step, and after
returning thanks to God for his great deliverance,
and asking his protection on his journey and while he
rested, he threw himself on the earth, and soon fell
into a sweet sleep. When he awoke, to his surprise,
the sun was near meridian; and starting up, he hurried on as fast as possible, through a dense and tangled forest, which had never before, perhaps, been




The Yero Misswnary.           125
trod by the foot-steps of man. That day he traveled
without water, but about sundown he espied a little
ravine, and traced it, until at last he came to a muddled spring of water, the top of which was covered
with a dark red-colored scum; but being thirsty and
exhausted, it was not a time to be particular, and
after partaking of the remaining stock of rice, he
laid down on his face, pushed away the scum with his
hand, and putting his mouth into the water, drank,
until his burning and raging thirst was entirely
quenched. Without rising, he rolled over, fell into
a deep sleep, and never awoke until the sun was up.
Stiff in all his limbs, and with feet blistered and
bleeding, he urged himself to move on again, but it
was a painful task; for an hour or two he was obliged
to move slowly and with great care. More than once
he felt as if nature would sink, and that he must give
up, and lay down and die in the deep recesses of the
forest, far away from friends, alone, unbefriended,
and beyond the reach of man. The idea of so awful
a death preyed upon him, and he was driven to make
another effort-a deep struggle took place between
his two natures, and forcing himself to a desperate
resolve, he seemed to be clothed with new strength,
and was nerved to go forward. Toward the latter
part of the afternoon, having descended a mountain
pass, he came into the plain, and saw, at a distance,
the hamlet of a Burmese peasant. He was not long




126                 Kincatw
in reaching the cottage, and making his situation
known by telling his tale of sorrow. The old man
invited him into the house, and his wife sat before
him a large dish of cold boiled rice. After this welcome meal, he laid down on a mat and slept. In the
morning he again resumed his journey-traveling
nearly all day before he came within sight of any
village. At last he reached a spring, and after drinking he laid down, waiting with much anxiety for the
women of the village to come and fill their jars. He
had not laid long until he saw a woman coming with
her jar for water, and as she approached, he spoke to
her kindly and bade her not to be afraid, telling her
that he had been taken by robbers, and had made his
escape, and all he wanted was a mouthful of rice.She told him to remain where he was, that there were
many robbers around the country, and should he
enter the village, suspicion would be created. Filling her jar, she returned, and in a short time came
back with a meal of cold boiled rice. After giving
thanks, he partook of his solitary meal, and again laid
down and slept undisturbed until morning. On resuming his journey, it was several hours before he
could walk with any-degree of satisfaction, owing to
his stiffness and the soreness of his feet. Nothing
particular occurred on that day's journey, until about
the close of the day, when, as he reached the brow
of a hill, he came suddenly on a banditti, who were




The Hero Missironary.          127
taking their evening meal. They were horrid looking men, and he was much alarmed at the unexpected sight. But, preserving his presence of mind, he
determined to walk on as if wholly indifferent to the
surrounding scene. As he neared them, and when
abreast of them, one and another stretched out their
necks and looked at him with a fiendish grin, but no
one seemed willing to leave his meal to approach
him. Thus he passed on, not venturing to look back
lest he might attract their further notice and suspicion; and, when out of sight, he fell on his knees,
and returned thanks for another merciful deliverance.
He pursued his course, after another night's rest,
through a country only partially settled with Burmans, and would here and there meet with a cleared
patch of ground, tilled by some poor natives, who
would hide themselves as he passed, as though they
were afraid of the very sight of man. He had until
now been pursuing his journey eastward toward the
Shan country, and, having been five days on his
journey, he took a circuitous route and struck for the
Irrawaddy, coming out just at nightfall near a little
village about thirty-five or forty miles above Ava.
He did not dare to approach the village, but avoiding
it, he soon found a path that led to a point in the
river where the females came for water, and as he
knew they would soon come down with their jars,
and remembered that he had never been refused food




128                Kincaid:
from the hand of a Burmese woman, he laid himself
down in the sand, exhausted with fatigue, and pressed with hunger, near by where they would have to
pass. He had not been long in this situation, when
he saw approaching two females, from whom he obtained a large pan of boiled rice. After making a
rich meal on this, he laid down, once more, and slept,
unmolested, until the break of day. Upon awakening he immediately started on his way, and had not
gone far, when he met with a man whose face he had
seen before in some of his excursions along the river,
and, with the promise of an exorbitant price, he was
induced to carry him in his boat to Ava.
The four native brethren who had been taken
prisoners with him, but who had contrived to escape,
returned some weeks afterwards.  They reported
that they had suffered much for want of food, and,
when driven by want into a village, they had been
captured by another horde of banditti, and even after
escaping from these had passed through many privations and dangers. They had mourned for Mr. Kincaid
as dead, and no language could express the joy and
astonishment they felt at again meeting him.




The Hero.Missionary.                129
CHAPTER XII.
LABORS IN  TENASSERIM.
"Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ,
and maketh manifest the savor of his knowledge by us in every place."
2 Cor. ii. 14.
" In the deserts let me labor;
On the mountains let me tell
Iow he died-the blessed SaviourTo redeem a world from hell."
AFTER passing through the fearful perils narrated
in the two preceding chapters, Mr. Kincaid reached
Ava on the 11th of March, and found the city filled
with the most distressing alarms.  Prince Thur-ra-wadi had risen against his brother, the king, and, after a
terrible struggle, he succeeded in dethroning him.
The whole country now presented a scene of desolation  and misery  truly  heart-rending.  The whole
length and breadth of the empire was laid waste.
Half of the population had been robbed, and war was
raging in all the distant provinces. The capital and
neighboring cities, moreover, had by this time been
invested with his armies, and such was the danger
6*




130                 Kincaid:
which threatened the mission families, that it was
deemed prudent to accept the invitation of Colonel
Burney, the British Resident, and take up their temporary abode under his roof; here they remained for
the space of six days.
During the continuance of the civil war, and after
the new king ascended the throne, sanguine hopes
had been cherished that the prospects of the mission
would become more than ever encouraging. The
character of the Prince seemed to warrant such expectations. He had always sought for intercourse
with foreigners, and had been remarkable for the liberality of his opinions. He had expressed, also, his
disapprobation of the exclusive, jealous policy of the
Government, and, whenever it came in his way, had
spoken disapprovingly of its harassing and vexatious
course toward Mr. Kincaid.
But, alas! with all these grounds of hope, they
were doomed to a sad and sudden disappointment.
About the middle of May intimations were given that
the king had expressed himself averse to the American teachers, and that he should order a discontinuance of their labors. Hearing this, Mr. Kincaic
sought, at once, an interview with the king. His
majesty received him with evident marks of kindness,
and gave him to understand that he was not personally unfriendly to him. "But," said he, " I am now
king of Burmah, and am, therefore, tha t7ca na da ya




The Hero Missionary.          131
ka, (defender of the faith) and must support the religion of the country. You must give no more of
Christ's books." This he said before the whole assembled court, and added many expressions signifying that the royal will must not be trifled with.
Under these embarrassing circumstances, and apprehending war in consequence of difficulties between
the English and the new Burman authorities, it was
determined best to leave the capital for a time, and
wait patiently until things should become more settled and quiet.
Leaving Ava on the 17th of June, they reached
Rangoon on the 6th of July. Upon their arrival
there, it was found that the missionaries of that station had already gone to Maulmain, in consequence
of the threatening aspect of the revolution, and the
decrees which had been issued by the viceroy of the
province.
Early in the following month, Mr. Kincaid proceeded to Maulmain, and thence to Tavoy, with the
intention of laboring in the Tenasserim province, until
the state of the country should warrant his return to
Ava. From Tavoy he hastened to the city of Mergui,
the place which he had selected as an inviting field
for temporary labor. While making this his home,
however, the greater proportion of his time was employed in visiting and preaching at points of interest
in the surrounding country, and, wherever he went,




132                 Kincaid:
a blessing seemed to attend his efforts. In one village, for instance, twenty-five miles distant, he found
the people eager to listen to the word of life, and
during his sojourning among them, a congregation,
numbering from sixty to one hundred souls, would
usually gather and join with interest in the exercise
of worship. At every successive visit made to this
place, he was permitted to see the fruit of his labors,
and, in a short time, he had the unspeakable privilege
of breaking bread to a church numbering thirty-six
rejoicing converts. Among other excursions, he
made a visit among the islands some thirty miles
from the Tenasserim coast, and about one hundred
and fifty miles south of Mergui. Here he found a
people in the most abject poverty and degradation.
The account he has given of his brief sojourn among
them cannot be read but with feelings of the deepest
interest and pity.
"The islands," says he, "are all densely wooded,
and of all sizes and forms. Some of them are low and
very level, others have bold rocky shores, and rise
into mountain ridges. The climate, too, must be delightfully pleasant. One cannot help exclaiming-' This is a beautiful world.' The ocean, on every side,
spotted with a thousand green islands and islets, all
beaming with existence-' Man alone is vile.' Those
modern infidels, who dream of perfection if they can
only wipe out all systems of religion, might find a




The tero Iissionary.           133
splendid field here, all cultivated to their hands. I
am now surrounded by about three hundred souls,
men, womhen, and children, entirely free from all religion. They have no God, no temple, no priest, no
liturgy, no holy day, and no prayers. In their domestic habits they are free from all conventional rules.
They are very poor, too, have no house, no garden,
no cultivated field, no domestic animals but dogs. I
never saw such abject poverty, such an entire destitution of all the comforts of life.
I have remained on this little island five days, and
every morning and evening, sitting on the sea-beach,
have taught this poor, degraded people, the knowledge of God. I have resorted to every method of
instruction, in order to reach their understanding;
with how much success, is known only to the Great
Teacher, who is the true light. Of God and immortality they had never heard; so much the more they
appeared to be interested. Two evenings a large
number of them remained till after 9 o'clock. Last
evening I urged them to pray to the living God, of
whom they had now heard, and in doing so, uttered
several short prayers, or rather sentences, that they
might the better understand me. Their attention
was greatly arrested, and several immediately asked
to be taught to pray. I taught them a short prayer,
containing three or four sentences, and then asked
them if they would forsake all sin and serve the great




134                 Kincaid:
God, who made heaven and earth. Some eighty or a
hundred immediately replied,'I will' —'I will.' I
told them about the Karens, their conversion to God,
and learning to read. They urged me to come and
live on one of their islands; said they would all learn
to read and become Christians."
Not less remarkable is the narrative he has furnished of his passage over the Tenasserim Mountains.
Starting from the village before alluded to, where his
labors had been so signally blest, he arrived, after a
march of six hours, at the foot of the mountains, and
put up for the night. Here he found two families,
living in solitude, and among: them, to his great joy,
were four persons whom he had previously baptized.
They gave him a most cordial welcome, spread a mat
in an open veranda, brought water for washing and
drinking, dressed a fowl for his dinner, and did every
thing that kindness and Christian courtesy could dictate. The next morning he ascertained that while
only four in these two houses had been baptized,
there were not less than sixteen who believed in
Christ, and gave satisfactory evidence of a change of
heart. After taking an affectionate leave of these
families, Mr. Kincaid thus describes, in graphic language, their toilsome journey, with some of its incidents:
"We set off in Indian file, for more than three
hours wending our way along the bed of a mountain




The Hero Missionary.          135
stream, sometimes only two or three feet deep. On
either side the mountains rose up to a great height.
In many places the stream is filled with brush and
fallen trees, over which we had to climb; though this
was not always practicable, and we were obliged to
creep on our hands and feet for fifteen or twenty
yards together. After leaving this stream, or rather
getting to the head of it, we ascended the high range
of mountains which stretch along from north to south
between the Tenasserim  and the ocean.  I was
obliged to lie down on the ground several times,
completely exhausted, before I got to the top. The
mountains are irregular, precipitous, and covered
with a dense forest. We traveled about four hours
amidst these wild ragged mountains, often having no
other path than that made by wild elephants and
tigers. This is their own undisputed territory, and
if one may judge by their tracts and paths, they are
very numerous. Monkeys too range these wild regions in countless numbers. There is one kind very
large, and without tails. The Karens tell me.they
are bold and savage, often attacking travelers, if not
more than two together. When surrounded by great
numbers of these animals, urging each other forward
to an attack, by the most deafening yells, the only
security is in setting fires, of which they, like other
wild animals, are afraid. For ten or twelve days past
we have had thunder storms every evening, preceded




136                 Kincaid:
by heat that is nearly suffocating. The thunder is so
loud and so constant, that it is difficult making a
person hear only a few feet distant. About 4 o'clock
the clouds began to gather in dense black masses;
and, as the Karens tell me the storms are much more
severe in these mountains than on the plains below,
we concluded to halt for the night. Every effort was
made to provide a shelter from the rapidly gathering
storm. I was so weary it was impossible to render
any assistance. We had a very comfortable shelter
in less than an hour. Before our dinner was prepared, the storm came down, and except on one or
two occasions, I never saw such a storm before. The
whole atmosphere appeared to be a living mass of
fire. There was a continued roar of thunder, mingled,
almost every breath, with sharp, deafening peals, like
the discharge of heavy artillery. The rain too was
poured out in torrents,from which our leaves afforded
us but a partial refuge. The awful grandeur of the
scene, however, banished all thought of inconvenience
and discomfort.  Time passed unnoted; hours appeared to be minutes; there was no room for levity,
and no room for sadness. The huge masses of clouds,
hurrying on, and rolling up and down the sides of
lofty and ragged mountains, the blazing atmosphere,
the incessant roll of thunder, and the torrents of rain,
accompanied with strong gales of wind, altogether
formed a scene most impressively sublime.




The Hero Missionary.           137
In the morning I found two of my people suffering
with a burning fever. One of them, a fine young
lad, after making two or three efforts sunk down upon
the ground, quite unable to walk. I had slight fever
all night, but was very well in the morning. We set
off at an early hour, and after eight hours' march,
reached the Tenasserim, one hundred and forty or
one hundred and fifty miles above Mergui.  Our
journey to-day, as yesterday, has been amidst the
wildest scenes of nature, most of the way without the
least evidence that any human being had been there
before us. I suppose one-half the distance we walked in the channel of a stream, having, some part of
the way, a most welcome sandy bottom, with only a
few inches of water; then again, rocky and precipitous, with occasional deep basins, taking us nearly to
the chin in water. Tracks of the rhinoceros, elephant, tiger, deer, wild hog and monkey, are everywhere seen. Their hard-beaten and frequent paths
give one a fearful idea of their number. There is
here no spot of barren earth. Vegetation is every
where seen, in all its wildest luxuriance. We are
all quite happy to get over the mountains to this
pleasant little village. Our reception has been so
cordial that we quite forget the hardships of the past
three days.
This village, or rather hamlet, stands on the west
side of the river, on high level ground, with an ex



138                 Kincaid.,
tremely fertile soil. The river is about three hundred yards' wide. The chief has visited me two or
three times in Mergui, and for a month past has been
expecting my arrival. Some time since he built a
zayat, in which himself and neighbors meet on the
Sabbath and worship the Christian's God. There
are five houses, having thirty-two or thirty-three
souls. But two or three miles distant, are other hamlets, sitting in the shades of death, and either enemies
or ignorant of God.  At early candle-lighting all
came to hear the gospel. I preached from' And as
Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even
so must the Son of man be lifted up.'
The next day was the Sabbath, and having met early
to spend a little time in prayer and singing, messengers were afterwards sent off to inform two or three
distant hamlets of my arrival, and try to bring them
out to hear the blessed gospel. After breakfast spent
some time in examining candidates for baptism.
Preached at half past ten, and then resumed the examination. Four were received and baptized in the
Tenasserim, about four o'clock.       *    *
After commending this little church to the care of
God and to the word of his grace, and promising, if
possible, to send them a school teacher, and also to
visit them again myself, I turned away most reluctantly from this bethel. During the day visited two
hamlets, with, I believe, nine or ten houses, and




The Hero Missionary.            139
preached Christ to the people. Put up for the night
on a sand-bank, as the men dare not fasten to the
shore on account of tigers. The day before yesterday, a poor Karen near us, was seized and carried off,
though seven or eight men were with him and made
every effort to save him. The whole country is wild
and mountainous, covered with forest trees of great
size.
Yesterday saw about thirty Karen houses, and in
two places spent some time in preaching the gospel.
To-day found about as many more widely scattered
houses on the bank of the river, and in one place
found a pleasant little zayat, built for the service.
Here are two persons baptized by Br. }Mason, and
four or five more who keep the Sabbath and pray. I
read and explained the scriptures for some time.
Three of them can read a very little, and I supplied
them  with the gospels of Matthew and John, and
with hymn-books. They besought me earnestly to
come and spend a week with them, so that many
more might hear the way of life.  God is surely
among this people.  They are the'good ground'
spoken of by the Saviour, while the Burmans are the'way-side.
Several miles from this zayat, lives the greatest
Karen chief in this province. I visited him. He
has a very large house, and, for a Karen, is wealthy.
He soon learned who I was, and affected great indif



140                Kincaid:
ference to my message; put on haughty airs; said
that Christ's religion was turning the heads of his
people, and hinted that he was not so insane as to
forsake the old paths trodden for ages by his fathers.
He spoke Burman fluently and correctly, which is no
small attainment for a Karen, as they can never pronounce a word that ends with a consonant. I heard
him patiently, and commended the principle of adopting new sentiments with extreme caution, and never
without clear evidence of their truth, and then added,'Your fathers were more enlightened than mine,
for they knew the name Jehovah, and in every age
rejected idolatry. I preach to you now the Jehovah
of your fathers, and offer you instruction from the
book He has given.' Without allowing him to reply,
I read from several places in the New Testament, and'appealed to his own apprehension of truth, if these
things did not commend themselves to his conscience.'
His airs were gone; with altered tones of voice, he
acknowledged that he often thought the religion of
Christ was true. He said, that some months since,
he had a child very ill, and made offerings to the nats,
but his child died. He made a solemn promise then,
that he would never make such offerings again; but
said he had tried to give up drinking spirits and
could not, and so could not be a disciple of Christ.
I urged on him the importance of believing in Christ,
as the only way to obtain eternal life. He followed




The Hero Missionary.          141
me down to the waters, with many invitations to
come again."
In the autumn of 1838, Mr. Kincaid began to feel
very desirous of returning to his labors at Ava, and
having succeeded in supplying his place at Mergui,
he hastened to Maulmain, with the hope of finding it
practicable to proceed at once to the Royal city." I long," said he, " to be there. My whole heart is
there, and if I had consulted my own judgment exclusively, I should have been there some months ago."
As it did not appear judicious, however, for him
to return, he sent up two of the disciples-Moung
na Gau and Moung Tha Oung, to visit the church at
Ava. Shortly after this, Mr. Kincaid received the
subjoined letter from one of the converts who had
remained at the capital; and though the intelligence
it brought-was in most respects exceedingly cheering, still it awakened no little sorrow from the fact
that it revealed a state of things which compelled a
longer absence from his chosen field.
"MY BELOVED TEACHER KINCAID- After reaching
Ava, and finding my parents, I lost no time till I had
found out the residence of all the disciples. Some of
them have removed to Amarapura, and they are so
scattered that they do not meet oftener than once in
a month, some once in two months. Soon after getting to Ava I wrote a letter, and on desiring to take
it to the English resident's, the Burman officers for



142                  Kincaid:
bade me, saying,'there was no permission to go or
send a letter. Besides this, a priest went merely to
see the English, and was seized and taken away to
execution, so that I did not dare to send you a letter.
Now, feeling a great desire to write you, I have gone
secretly to a foreign merchant, and he will send the
letter-after this I hope to be able to send you letters
often. Not long after getting to Ava, Ma-ee,* the
daughter of Ko Shwa-nee, died. After this, Moung
Moungt died of a fever, and was ill only three days.
The disciples here are like sheep without a shepherd,
and are anxiously looking for the time when the
teachers can come. I wish much to return to you,
teacher, but my father and mother are old and very
infirm, and cannot get about well, so that I must remain and support them by my labor. When the disciples meet, they consult together about fleeing from
this city to Maulmain, but as yet dare not make the
attempt. The disciples remain strong in the faith
of Christ, and pray to God continually. The writer,
Ko Shwa-nee, is perseveringly preaching the gospel.
Men-dong-gee and Moung You come to Ko Shwa-nee's
house every three and four days, and reason with
him about the law of God.
To the beloved teacher,
From       MOUNG Oo DouNG."
* Ma-ee was one of Mrs. Kincaid's school girls.
f Moung Moung was a brother of great promise




The Hero Missionary.              143' I, MOUNG o0  DUNG —How much I remember, and
how much I love the teachers and their ladies, I cannot fully express. In the night season I dream about
them, and weep much.  Thus ardently loving each
other in this world, although separated, when we remove to the future world, in the heavenly kingdom,
and meet face to face in the presence of God, all
former anxiety will be forgotten. Whether enjoying
much prosperity in this life, or suffering much adversity, let not the mind be elated with the one, or cast
down at the other, even as by diligent perseverance
in divine things we have hope of eternal bliss and
happiness. My beloved teacher, I purpose to write
in this letter about worldly events and about the
heavenly religion in the city of Amarapoora. Concerning the intelligence which a foreign merchant in
this city gave you,-if you credit what he wrote,
then you think we have gone astray.* Although he
is of the English race, who gave you such intelligence, yet, teacher, even as your wisdom teaches you,
reason on this subject and believe only what is worthy of belief. 0 teacher, give great heed to this
business.  *  *  *  Since the arrival of Moung Na
Gau and Moung Tha Oung, and having heard from
the teachers, I think much about returning with them.
* This has reference to an infidel foreigner, who wrote that the Christians
had all turned back to their former religion, when, in fact, he was personally acquainted with but one of them, and knew nothing of their situation.




144           The Hero Misionary.
Although I am a young man, and have no wife, yet
up to this time it has been more difficult for me to
go to you, than for a married man. My father and
mother have great age and cannot labor. It is very
hard for me to leave my brother, Moung Too, alone,
as he is not able to support them. When I reflect
on our present situation, I have no desire for earthly
happiness; neither do I desire afflictions; but if it
was the will of God, I should be willing to leave this
world. We have hope that this time of great distress
and fear will not continue much longer. Our hope
is in God."
After perusing this letter, Mr. Kincaid was led at
once to direct his attention to another field of labor;
and having carefully surveyed the ground, and finding it impossible to enjoy the facilities necessary to
successful missionary work at either Maulmain or
Rangoon, he at length decided to turn his face toward Arracan.
The remarkable and cheering results which there
followed his devoted efforts, I shall attempt briefly
to sketch in the succeeding chapter.




The Hero MHssionary.                 145
CHAPTER XIII.
A  GREAT  WORK  IN  ARRACAN.
" He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass; as showers that water
the earth. They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him."
Ps. lxxii. 6, 9.
" Rich dews of grace come o'er us,
In many a gentle shower,
And brighter scenes before us
Are opening every hour."
WRITING from  Maulmain, under date of January
20th, 1840, Mr. Kincaid gives the reasons which influenced him in deciding to go to Arracan. Prominent
among these was that nothing worthy of being called
missionary work could be accomplished.  "Like the
merchants," said he, "we could sit in our houses, and
if this were all that was necessary, we could keep the
ground.  There is no difficulty about living in Burmah, but we could not teach the people, for the people dare not come near us."  While this state of
things existed, and there were other large fields open
to our efforts, it seemed not the part of wisdom to
remain in Burmah.  The command is plain, " If they
I




146                 Kincaid:
persecute you in one city, flee to another." These
very circumstances, however, God was pleased to
overrule for his own glory.
Paul, at one time, was forbid of the Spirit to preach
the word in Asia, nor was he suffered to go into
Bithynia, because, in the divine arrangement, he
must first preach the gospel to a people made ready
in Macedonia.
Judging from results, we might infer a similar purpose in the providences which compelled Mr. Kincaid
to retire from Burmah, and led him to seek a temporary location in Arracan.
Fixing his residence at the city of Akyab, we find
Mr. Kincaid, as in other instances, zealously prosecuting his work at all the points to which from this centre he could possibly gain access. And in these scattered fields he was soon permitted to witness some
of the most wonderful displays of God's grace.
In a letter dated May 4th, 1840, he writes of his
plans and prospects as follows:
" I preach three times on the Sabbath in my own
house, and four times during the week in three different places in the town. My assemblies vary from
twenty-two to twenty-three to more than one hundred
hearers. Few come to the house, though every day
from five or six to twenty. The heat is very great;
the thermometer rarely falling below 90~, and much
of the time during the day it is up to 95~ and 970, in




The Hero Missionary.           147
the coolest part of the house. My two native assistants are every thing I can wish. They labor hard,
and really try to win souls to Christ.
We have three hopeful inquirers. One is Moung
Loon, a man about forty-five years old. He came in
from the country after medical aid, and the first time
he heard the gospel, it made a deep impression on his
mind. Every day he comes and listens, and appears
to have correct views of God and the way of life
through Christ. I have no evidence, however, that
he has yet felt the renovating power of the Holy
Spirit, but his mind is rapidly passing from the delusions of heathenism to the clear light of the gospel.
Another inquirer, is Moung Yau That, a young man
seventeen or eighteen years old-his father and
mother were baptized more than twenty years ago
near Chittagong, and are the only consistent Christians in this little church. He appears to be truly
awakened to a sense of his lost condition as a sinner.
Ma Pong, a young woman, nineteen years old, is the
wife of Moung Na Gau,-she listens with eagerness
to the gospel, and gives us encouragement to hope
that she is not far from the kingdom of heaven..
There are three or four other persons who manifest
more than usual interest in listening to the instruc
tions of the word of God, but as yet they appear stupidly indifferent about the state of their own souls.
Between my own labors and those of the two assis



1 x3.Kincaid:
tants, from one to two hundred persons hear the gospel daily. Many dispute with an ingenuity and
earnestness which rnight well put to shame idle and
ease-loving ministers of Christ. It is often truly
affecting to see the deep workings of the Spirit, and
the anxiety, in mustering arguments to sustain that
religion which they and their fathers have revered,
and around which have centered all their fondest recollections and their most cherished hopes. All false
religions will walk together in fellowship, but the
uncompromising claims of the gospel, when they do
not compel respect and attention, awaken the most
bitter opposition. The heathen are accustomed to
respect all religions, because, like civil institutions,
they regard them as adapted to the various circumstances and wants of different nations. They are
often pleased, therefore, with the gospel, at first, but
when they come to understand its fearful denunciations against idolatry and all unrighteousness of men
-that it pronounces the whole world in a state of
apostacy from God-that all men without faith in
Christ are without God, and have no hope, and in the
end must everlastingly perish,-when they understand these things, and that the gospel is the only
system of truth and the only refuge for the whole
race of man, they either become patient hearers, or
bitter opposers, or, as is sometimes the case, they
tate refuge in infidelity"




The Hero Missionary.           149
Among a number of inquirers who frequently called
upon him, was one who awakened unusual interest,
owing to his peculiar sentiments and high position in
society. He was called M'ha-don, a title given him
by the king of Ava, and may be regarded as furnishing rather a striking case of heathen transcendentalism:
" He called on me," says Mr. Kincaid, " because I
had lived in Ava, and from that time onward he appears to have felt a deep conviction that Budhism has
more falsehood than truth.  He has continued his
visits and attended public worship. For many years
past he has regarded outward Budhism-that is, prostrations and prayers and offerings before pagodas and
idols-as adapted only to the ignorant, unthinking
multitude; and like many others of a contemplative
turn of mind, had taken refuge in Pantheism, or the
abstract, mystical doctrines of Budhism. All objects
recognized by the senses are to be regarded as illusions, alike degrading to the mind and destructive of
happiness; and therefore, every thing which is pleaing, harmonious, and beautiful, is to be avoided, and
the outward senses to be blunted and crushed, to the
very utmost. The highest possible virtue, and so the
most perfect happiness, is indifference. Praise and
blame are alike; nothing pleases, nothing offends;
nothing gratifies, nothing disgusts. You are neither
to like nor dislike; the mind is to be in a state of




150                 Kincaid:
perfect equilibrium. Then all idea of one's self, or
individual identity, is lost or absorbed in the divine
essence, as a drop of water loses its form and individual character vvhen cast into the ocean.  Connection with matter, or material substance, therefore, is
the cause of evil, and the gratification of the senses,
is to commit sin. Neither the eye, nor ear, nor taste,
nor feeling, should be gratified. Even conjugal, parental, and filial affection are only so many forms of
selfishness. To own any thing which affords pleasure, or to which any relative value can be attached,
is only to gratify sef, or the individual being. While
the highest efforts of virtue consist in rooting out all
idea of self, or individual existence, and so bringing
back the soul to an eternal, though unconscious repose."
One day, on the occasion of a baptism, this learned
and venerable man was at the water, and united with
them in singing two hymns, and afterwards paid the
utmost attention to all that was said and done.
When the converts came out of the water, in answer
to a question which some one put to him, he replied
in an earnest and elevated tone of voice, " This is the
true religion, and I must be baptized and be a disciple of Christ." His constant attendance at worship
created a great sensation all over the city. The
priests had a meeting to inquire into the cause of his
extraordinary conduct, and to them, in the most frank




The Hero Missionary.          151
and open manner, he said-" I have found the true
religion after worshiping idols and pagodas for more
than ninety years."
Another case of peculiar interest was that of iMoung
Loon, a young man of great promise. The day following his baptism he came very early in the morning, saying that he had not slept during the entire
night, and such a deep sense had he of the love of
Christ in bearing in his own body the sins of men,
that he could only pray and weep for joy.
About this time Mr. Kincaid was greatly encouraged by the intelligence which reached him of the
wonderful triumphs of the gospel among the Karens of
Bassein province. This great rejoicing had its beginning in the latter part of 1837, and its influence continued to spread from village to village until converts
were counted by thousands:
" All the men," writes Mr. Kincaid in his journal,
" who have come over the hills, represent the work
as still going on; spreading from village to village,
in every direction. Moung Shway Moung, who was
baptized the latter part of 1835, was appointed by
the king, governor of all the Karens in the Bassein
province. He was sent down from Ava the latter
part of 1837-the Karens soon found he was a disciple of Christ, and that he would shield them to the
utmost of his power from oppression and persecution.
The Karens testify that' he was a just man, and




152                 Kincaid:
would never take bribes,'-' that on the Sabbath he
closed up his house, and remained alone.' About
this time, the conversion of the celebrated young
chief took place. He is a young man of great energy
and powerful intellect, and all his influence was thrown
into the work of publishing the knowledge of God
among his countrymen. The full extent of this revival we do not know, but enough has been learned to
convince us that it is an extraordinary display of
divine grace. Probably more than two thousand souls
are turned from the worship of demons to the service
of the living God. This too has taken place under
the jealous and intolerant reign of the new king. It
is God's glorious work."
In the early spring of 1841, the lamented Comstock,
with his family, made a visit to Akyab, and during a
stay of about sixteen days joined Mr. Kincaid in an
interesting preaching excursion.  They visited a
number of villages, and went as far as the old town
of Arracan. Here they preached to large and solemn
assemblies, both in private houses and in the open
air. A few were found disposed to revile the truth,
but the great mass would honestly acknowledge
they were in the dark, and knew of no way to escape
the pains and punishment of hell. "I have lived
seventy years," said one, " and have labored to keep
the five great commands, and have practised the austerities, but have not found peace."  "The power




The Hero Missionary.          153
and glory of our religion," said another, "has long
been waning and must entirely vanish."  Such impressions seemed to prevail at this time among the
people. Some of the villagers who received tracts and
heard the gospel during this excursion, soon afterwards came to Akyab, and were able to repeat much
of what they had heard, saying also, that they had
almost every evening read what had been given
them, and having found in them wonderful words, they
had come for more.
In the city of Akyab, many interesting cases of
inquiry occurred. Among these was a man of great
wealth and influence. He had for two or three years
been making arrangements to build a large Kyoung
(monastery) and had already expended many hundred
rupees, when, for the first time, he heard the gospel.
So affected was he by the truth that he dismissed his
workmen, and resolved to let the building alone till
he should examine fully the claims of the new
religion.
Another very intelligent man, after being a diligent
inquirer for several months, came saying that he had
been proud of his ability to dispute, and had confided
in his own wisdom, instead of receiving like a little
child the word of God. This man after being driven
from all the strongholds of Budhism, and acknowledging there was an eternal God, rejected the doctrine of substitution.  Reformation, he thought,




154                 Kincaid:
would secure the Divine favor, and especially if con.
nected with sincere endeavors to keep the law. How
it was possible for the suffering and death of Christ
to satisfy the claims of justice on behalf of millions
of the human race, he could not understand, and
therefore the miraculous birth and deity of Christ he
regarded as a fable, appended to the Christian religion. He was led to take this view of the subject by
the Mohammedans, with whom he associated a good
deal. His mind, however, was not at rest,-truth
had taken too deep a hold of his conscience. One
day Mr. Kincaid read and explained for several hours
the first chapter of the epistle to the Hebrews. The
next day he told Ko Bike that he had read and prayed nearly all night, and felt very unhappy, for he
thought he was not to live long, and must certainly
go to hell. In this state of feeling he remained for
several days, when he came with a joyous countenance, and said he had obtained peace. "Now I
know," he said, "what it is to believe in Christ, for I
have the evidence in my own heart."
It is characteristic of the Burmans frequently to
interrupt those who are preaching, for the purpose
of asking questions; and an instance or two of this
kind, as recorded in Mr. Kincaid's journal, may serve
to give a general idea of what is sometimes witnessed
under such circumstances:
" By the request of a respectable man," he writes




The Hero Missionary.           155
"I went to preach in his house, but the heat was suffocating, and we went into the street, where mats
were spread for the people, and a chair brought for
me. The moon shone brilliantly, so that I could read
the large Burman characters with ease. After preaching about thirty minutes, so many questions were
asked, that it was quite impossible to pursue my
subject further. Questions, however absurd, must
be answered, and if they are not proposed too often,
are useful in fixing the attention of the people. This
evening I was overwhelmed. Many persons, however, remained silent and attentive, and perhaps
have not heard in vain.
In the evening I preached in the same place to a
still larger assembly, and with less interruption.
When I closed the book, one man tookup manfully
on the side of Gaudama, and a discussion for nearly
two hours followed. One man who had been a great
opposer, occasionally threw in a word to confirm the
statements I made, and as he was a man of acknowledged ability in explaining the legends of Gaudama,
my adversary forsook the sober field of argument,
and began to ridicule and revile this heretic, as he
called him.' You have become a disciple of Christ,
have you? You join with this foreign teacher, do
you, to prove that our god is no god, and that our religion, which has stood a thousand years, is only a




156                  Kincaid:
cheat and a fable? Who will carry you to the grave
when you die? Your own father and mother will
despise you, and your brothers and sisters will shun
you as they would a leper. You are like a dog that
is coaxed away by a thief-you may as well lick
honey from the edge of a razor as to listen to this
foreigner.''Very well,' replied my new ally,'I
have reviled this religion and this teacher more than
you have, but I was a fool with both my eyes shuthis religion is true, and everybody would believe it
if they knew what it is. We make a god of wood,
and then put a rope round his neck, and carry him
off to his own place, and then put a fence around
him, and keep him there till the white ants eat him
up. We would not serve a thief as bad as this.
There is as much evidence to prove that Gaudama
was a monkey, as that he was a god.' Some of the
people with rage at this bold assertion from one of
their own learned men, put their fingers in their ears
and went away-but still a large number listened to
the very last. It was eleven o'clock at night."
But the most interesting occurrence, perhaps, that
marked the history of Mr. Kincaid's connection with
the Akyab Station, was the visit of Chet-za, the
" mountain chief."  His first interview with this man
took place in the month of May, 1841. Early in July
following, he received from him a very interesting




The Hero Missionary.           157
and earnest letter, in which, after giving his own
name and title, " Chet-za, the great mountain chief,"
he added the names of thirteen petty chiefs, who
were his neighbors, and then went on to state that
they and their people for ages have been without
the knowledge of God and his law-that they have
no books, and, therefore, can neither read nor write
-that in ancient days, God gave their fathers a good
book, written on leather, but being careless, a dog
carried it away and destroyed it, and thus the divine
displeasure appeared against them-that they are
anxious to know the true God, and be taught the
true book, though no one has ever appeared till now,
"bringing the good book."  " Our sons and our da.ghters we shall deliver over to you to be taught, if yen
will have compassion on us." Then followed a list
of two hundred and seventy-three names of boys and
girls whom they wished to place in school, if the
teacher would come to their mountains.
"There is," writes Mr. Kincaid, " something singular, as well as deeply interesting, in this request.
From time immemorial they have had intercourse
with Burmans, but hav3 resisted idolatry.  They
have looked with apathy, if not with contempt, upon
the imposing ceremonies of Budhism-its temples.
pagodas, monasteries, idols, shaven-headed priests,
its ten thousand burning tapers, its prostrations, its




158                Kincaid:
beads, its celebrated shrines, and its pilgrimages.
Like the Karens in Tenasserim, and in Burmah, they
appear to be looking for the'good book' which will
tell them of the true God. There is an overruling
Providence in this, and the request of the Mountain
Chief and his friends, sounds to me like the Macedonian cry,  Come over and help us.'"




The Hero Missionary.                 159
CH APTr R X. TY,
VISIT TO  THE  MOUNTAIN  CHIEF.
"The mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing."
Isa. Iv. 12.
"The dwellers in the vales and on the rocks
Shout to each other, and the mountain tops,
From distant mountains, catch the flying joy."
TOWARD the close of the year 1841, and just as Mr.
Kincaid had perfected his arrangements for a visit to
the mountains, Chet-za, fearing he was to be disappointed in his hopes, made another visit to Akyab,
urging him to come at once, and teach his people the
true religion. Accordingly, on the 29th of December,
accompanied by the Rev. L. Stilson, he set out on
his interesting tour.
The graphic account given by him of the journey,
of the population, and of their reception among that
remarkable people, will be found replete with interest:"We crossed the spacious harbor," says Mr. Kincaid, "and entered the Ko-la-dan, a broad and noble




160                  7incaid:
river which has its sources in the Yuma mountains
far to the north. After ascending the Ko-la-dan between seventy and eighty miles, we left all Burman
population, and entered the Kemmee country.  The
change in the scenery is not less striking than the
change in the character, habits, and manners of the
people. For the last seventy miles before it empties
its waters into the Akyab harbor, the Ko-la-dan flows
through a vast tract of level plain, dotted with villages
in every direction. Rice fields are extensive,-in
many places as far as the eye can reach. Here and
there are dark tangled forests. There are no fences,
no hedges. Occasionally we see small patches of tobacco, and a few gourds and plantains, and besides
this there is no cultivation, although the soil is exceedingly rich, and capable of producing every kind
of plant and vegetable peculiar to warm latitudes.The delta for twenty-five or thirty miles inland is intersected by innumerable creeks, lined with various
kinds of mangroves, which give the country a sombre
aspect; and is a great laboratory of the most deadly
fevers. When about thirty miles from the sea there
is a slight elevation of the land, and mountains appear
in the distance, but still there is little change in the
aspect of the country. When we leave the plains
we leave also the Burman, or as they are called in
Arracan, the Mug population. First we came to low
ranges of hills, but every ten miles we ascended, the




The Hero Missionary.           161
hills became larger and were clothed with dark tangled forests to the very summit. The river is still
broad and deep-it makes a few curves, but its general course is exactly from north to south. As we
were anxious to reach the village where the chief
lives, with as little delay as possible, we visited only
one of the numerous Kemmee villages along the river.
It was about ten in the morning; the boatmen were
cooking their rice on the bank of the river-the forest came down to the very water's edge, and the only
indication of their being a village at hand, was a
small landing-place up the steep bank. Mr. Stilson
and I found a path, and after walking about four or
five hundred yards, came to a village of seventeen
houses, surrounded by a neat and well constructed
stockade. The gate was open and we went in, but
saw no human being. After standing a few minutes
in order to'give no unnecessary alarm, and admiring
the peculiar structure of their great houses,-the neat
and orderly manner in which they were placed,that is, in two rows, so as to have a broad street running through the centre,-we passed on, and finally
went out at the gate on the opposite end of the village, and found ourselves standing on the bank of a
noisy little brook-an object of great interest to us,
as it was the first of the kind we had seen in Arracan.
We saw abundance of pigs, goats and fowls, and began to wonder where the inhabitants could be, as we




162                Kincaid:
saw none and did not hear a human voice. We suspected, what in the end turned out to be true, that
the men were in their fields at a distance, while the
females and children, ascertaining that extraordinary
looking strangers were at the landing, had fled in a
panic to the jungles. We were sorry to alarm them,
but still did not feel willing to go away till we could
see them, and give them every assurance that we
were friends. While examining two or three peculiar trees which grew on the margin of the brook, a
female with a child slung on her back, rose up out of
the grass but a few feet from us. She appeared to
be paralyzed with fear, and the poor little urchin on
her back was afraid to look up. We could not help
reflecting on the wrong and outrage which have induced such a feeling of dread at the appearance of
strangers-more terrifying than the midnight growl
of the most ferocious beasts of prey. We stepped
back and spoke soothingly to the poor woman, assured
her, again and again, that she had nothing to fear;
and she evidently believed us, for in a little time she
went into the village. Probably on the first alarm
one or more had been despatched to give intelligence
to the men, for they soon began to come in, and then
the females came from their hiding places, each one
with a child slung on her back, and many of them
with three or four or half a dozen older children following them. The men came and sat down around




The Hero Jiissionary.         163
us, while the females and children remained at a distance, or went up into their houses. Some of the
mnen could understand Burman, and speak it tolerably
well. We soon perceived, however, that they could
not sound the final consonant, or the th, to which they
always gave the sound of s. We explained to them
our design in coming into their country-that it was
in obedience to the command of God, to visit all nations and instruct them in his holy word. They appeared to be much interested; said they should be
glad to have books, and understand those things of
which we told them. After returning to our boat,
several of the men came down and wished us to accept of a fowl which they brought.
The next day, in the morning, we came to the
mouth of the river Moe, a fine stream which comes in
from the north-east, and is from fifty to sixty yards
broad. Up this river about six miles, we came to the
village where the Mountain Chief resides.  This
village is situated in a large bend in the river, on a
fine elevation, one hundred feet above the present
level of the water, and commands a beautiful prospect in this wild and picturesque country. Three
other villages are in sight, and the fourth is not a
mile distant. There is apparently but little level
ground, it being a perfect contrast to all we had seen
for seventy miles above Akyab. Here are lofty hills
and deep vallies, and all thrown together in the ut



164                Kincaid:
most confusion.  The hills as well as vallies are
covered with tall forest trees, interspersed with
bamboos, various kinds of creepers, and occasionally
with a coarse grass that grows from ten to twelve
feet high.
From the anxiety which the chief had manifested
to have us visit him and his people, we had every
reason to expect akind reception. For the last eight
or ten months it had been his constantly expressed
wish to have us establish schools among them, and
teach them the knowledge of God, but still we had
not anticipated so much attention, or rather, so much
forethought in reference to our comfort. To our
surprise we found a new and well constructed zayat
about fifty feet above the present level of the river,
sixteen feet by twenty-one, and the ground cleared
away so as to make a pleasant walk, and a verandah
on one side. But what surprised us most, was two
very neat bamboo bedsteads, surrounded with curtains. The chief must have seen a bedstead in
our house at Akyab, and so got the idea that this
was our manner of sleeping. He returned only four
or five days before we left, and during two of these
days, there was a very severe storm of wind and rain,
which made us wonder how he could possibly have
put up such a building. On inquiring of him, he
said the whole, from the foundation to the roof, including bedsteads and all, were made in two days.








Ii
i I   -----:~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ —------- -:AZT,,~~~~~~~~~
Of~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.f
-:~K~           _________:i_
r:::      I~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~i %  ~             lana:,
SII
i                                                                                 L~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~i
- --- - -----------------
-- -- -- --   - -- --   - -- -- --   - -- -   -- - - --




Thle HIe  AI issionary.         167
When he saw we had a small folding-table and two
chairs, he felt greatly relieved, for he had felt very
sad, he said, to think he could construct no such articles for us. I mention these facts to shew the kindheartedness of the chief and his people, and their
anxiety to make us comfortable.  Our zayat was
about fifty yards from the stockade which surrounded
the village, and in a delightful situation. After getting everything arranged in our new home and ready
to begin work, we went up into the village and were
taken directly to the house of the Mountain Chief
(as he is called). It is certainly no mean specimen
of a palace, for though constructed on the same general plan with all the houses of this peculiar people,
yet its dimensions and neatness of construction would
point it out as the residence of a great man.  Like
all the houses, the floor is between five and six feet
from the ground. After passing across a very large
open verandah, we entered, immediately in front, the
great hall of audience. It is certainly a fine room,
and from the north end we have a most delightful
view of the country in all the wildness of its native
grandeur. We spent some time in conversation, but
most of the time in getting words and sentences expressed in their own language. I left the company
at length, and went to take a view of the domestic
arrangements.  On the left of the great verandah is
a very large apartment, and on the right is one of




168                 Kincaid:
smaller dimensions; these belong to the females and
children.  His wives-nine in number-were all
busily at work, except one. Some were cleaning
cotton, some spinning, some weaving and some were
cooking; and each one had a child slung on her back,
whatever the work might be in which she was engaged. All appeared to be cheerful. It was easy to
perceive that the female who was not at work, was a
person of no ordinary rank among this people. There
was a gracefulness and dignity in her manners which
could not fail to impress the most casual observer
that she was one of " nature's noble women." Her
countenance is intelligent, and her features would
indicate a mild and amiable temper. Her face was
covered with smiles, so that she appeared to be
pleased with herself and pleased with all around her,
She was the only one of the females who appeared to
have any knowledge of the Burman language, and
hers, I imagine, is very limited, for though she betrayed in her countenance no signs of ignorance, yet
she was able to reply to me only in a few half-formed
sentences. We were struck with the order and neatness of the apartments. There were no articles
lying about the floor, as is always the case in Burman
houses, whatever may be their rank. True, there
was no furniture for mere show, and little which we
regard as necessary to comfort in civilized life; still
they have many articles for the manufacture of cloth,




The Her;o J3Iw;onary.          169
for cooking, for holding water, and for eating, and
though they be of the most primitive kind, they all
had their appropriate place. The internal arrangements of the apartments and the furniture, no less
than the neat and comfortable manner in which the
houses are constructed, as well as the orderly arrangement of the whole village, certainly struck us
as indicating, in a more than ordinary degree, an innate sense of neatness and regularity. The posts
which supported the roof are formed by binding together ten or twelve bamboos, so that at first they
might be taken for fluted columns. The roofs of the
houses are made of long coarse grass. The walls are
double; the outer extending from the ground to the
roof, and the inner from the floor to the roof. The
outer wall is formed by placing perfectly straight
bamboos, and all of the same size, horizontally one on
top of the other, till they reach the top; these are
kept together by upright posts at suitable distances.
This wall gives the house avery substantial and pretty appearance. The inner wall is made of split bamboos woven into mats. The stairs for going up into
their houses are of the same material, and are broad
and well formed, while the people of Arracan have
only a large pole, with notches cut in it. In fact,
everything pertaining to the houses and villages of
the Kemmees indicates an attention to comfort
8




170               KEiYcad 
which we have seen among no other class of people
in these countries.
Their clothing is scanty and peculiar. Besides a
small turban on the head, the only garment ordinarily
worn by the men is a belt about four inches wide,
fastened round the hips and between the legs; one
end of the belt hanging down before, and one behind.
The females have two garments-the upper, a short
jacket about ten or twelve inches long, without
sleeves and open under one arm; the lower garment
is fastened round the hips and reaches half way to
the knees. It is remarkable that a people who consult neatness and comfort to so great a degree in the
construction of their villages and houses, should have
adopted so scanty a covering for their persons. It
cannot be for want of material, for they grow a fine,
beautiful species of cotton on their hills, and in exchange for cotton procure salt and dried fish from the
coast.    IN      *      *
For some wise purpose God has preserved them
from idolatry, and kept alive among them the tradition, that in ancient times the Supreme Being gave
to their fathers a Good Book, which through their
carelessness was destroyed by a dog, but which in
time will be restored, when they will become a wise
and happy people. We preached the gospel every
evening in the most plain and simple manner, and
they listened attentively; but few could understand




The Hero Missionary.           171
Burman well enough to receive much instruction.
Those who could understand, said they believed what
we taught, and that all the Kemmees would believe
when they came to hear and understand this doctrine. From morning till night we spent nearly all
our time in collecting words and sentences so as to
learn the structure of the language, but still embraced
every opportunity to learn the extent of their country and the probable number of the inhabitants. All
we could learn, however, on this last subject was,
that for several days' journey (two hundred miles or
more,) up the great river, and on all the tributary
streams, the inhabitants are Kemmees. The Ko-ladan, and all its tributaries, are thickly studded with
their villages, which vary from ten to fifty families in
each. They are certainly a numerous people, and,
without doubt, I think, one of the greatest branches
of the Karen family. The Khyiens inhabit all the
hill country and the great ranges of the Yuma mountains to the south, as the Kemmees do at the north.
After getting about eighty miles north of Ava, I
found all the hill country for more than three hundred miles, that is, to the Hu Kong valley, inhabited
by Ka Khyiens, a people in all respects like the Karens; so that we have Karens, Ka Khyiens, Khyiens
and Kemmees, four branches of the same great family,
formerly the sole occupants of this vast country, but
who have been gradually driven by the Burmans from




172                Kincaid:
the valley of the Irrawaddy and from the sea- coast.
On the fourth day after our arrival at the village of
the chief, the path of duty appeared to be plain.
We accordingly intimated to him, and some of his
people, that we should study the language, adopt an
alphabet, and as soon as possible give them books
in which they could learn the knowledge of God.
As might have been expected, they were greatly
pleased. In a short time word was brought to us
that the chief was going into the neighboring villages
to call together the principal men, and would immediately commence building us a large house. We
were obliged to hold him back, or the house would
have been begun that very day. We told him we
must return home and make arrangements for this
work, for it was not a small thing to study their language and get ready to give them books; however,
they might expect Mr. Stilson and his family in about
twenty days, and that I should, probably, be up again
in a month after that. We selected a place for building, and told the chief he might collect the materials
at his leisure, that on Mr. Stilson's arrival a house
could be put up in a few days. He told Ko Bike that
our decision gave him more joy than if he had received
thousands of gold and silver, for, said he,'The gold
and silver would soon be expended, and neither my
children nor my people would be any the better for




The Hero Missionary.           173
it; but if we have the knowledge of God, I shall die
in peace.'
This indicates a degree of intelligence and earnestness which we did not expect to find, and which goes
far to encourage us that it is the Lord's work. This
village, which we have resolved to make the headquarters of the Kemmee mission, possesses all the advantages we could desire,-its location is beautiful
and healthy,-it is not too far in the interior, and
still is far enough to be the centre of a number of
villages, embracing, at least, about three thousand
inhabitants. It is two degrees north of Akyab, and,
therefore, distant on a straight line, one hundred and
thirty-eight miles. There are a few curves in the
river, so that the distance, by water, is one hundred
and fifty miles. Mr. Stilson took the latitude of the
village, and made it 22c 3' north, which would make
it twelve or thirteen miles north of Ava. No foreigner has ever been up the river beyond the boundaries of Arracan, and Burmans are afraid to penetrate; so that the extent of the Kemmee country
north, can only be conjectured from the statements
of the Kemmees themselves. They speak of two
powerful bodies of people far to the north, called
Lung-khe, and Tsein-du, who differ somewhat from
them in language. I would remark here, that Kemmee is the generic name of this people, though they
have a great number )f local names. This extraor




174                 Kincaid:
dinary variety of names for one and the same people,
originates partly from location and partly from clanship; in some cases, the name of a stream gives a
name to the people; and, in other cases, the name of
a chief to whose authority they submit. Our intercourse with the Kemmees has been too limited to say
much in reference to their national manners and customs,-their vices and their virtues. Polygamy, I
should think, does not prevail to any great extent.
They have learnt how to make an intoxicating drink
from rice, which is used on extraordinary occasions.
They regard evil spirits as the principal cause of disease, as also of all other calamities, when they cannot
trace them to human agency. This belief in evil demons leads them to offer, on certain occasions, propitiatory sacrifices. They have no religious services,
though they believe in a Supreme Being,-in the immortality of the soul, and in future rewards and punishments. Murder, adultery, stealing, and falsehood,
are regarded as great crimes, and there is much reason to suppose that these are not their national vices.
They are, proverbially, a people of one word.
It is very possible that many might get the impression, from the preceding remarks, that the Kemmees
are a harmless, unwarlike people, but such is not the
case. Broken up, as they are, into clans under different chiefs, who are supreme among their own people,
serious difficulties are rarely, if aver, adjusted in an




The Hero Missionary.           175
amicable manner. Feuds are frequent, and often end
most disastrously. When one clan nourishes revenge
or hatred against another, from whatever cause, an
opportunity is sought to fall upon their enemies at a
time when least expected. An open declaration of
hostile intentions is never made. The triumphant
party kill as many men as they can, and all the females
and children they can seize are carried away for slaves.
Those clans located within the limits of Arracan, are,
of course, subject to British rule, and they appear to
appreciate the advantages of living in a state of security under the protection of law. Depending for
their subsistence almost entirely on the cultivation
of the soil, war is not the natural element of the Kemmees; it is rather a circumstance growing out of
their peculiar condition.
The introduction of books, and the establishment
of schools, will lay the foundation of their civilization
and happiness, because the first lessons they learn,
will be the knowledge of God. This knowledge will
spread over the whole length and breadth of the land,
and convert this wilderness into a fruitful field."
Subsequently Mr. Kincaid made several visits to
this people, and Mr. Stilson, in the course of a brief
residence, studied their language, and having reduced
its elements to writing, was the means of supplying
them with a number of books. At a still later period,
they were visited by Mr. Ingalls, whose labors among




176                Kincaid:
them, under the divine blessing, resulted in a number
of hopeful conversions. Among those baptized was
Paiting, son of the Mountain Chief, a-young man of
marked piety, who often, in his private devotions,
would be heard pleading with God for his countrymen, and in every prayer his fervent cry was-" Oh,
Lord, send a teacher from America for the Kemmees."




The Hero Missionary.                 17I
CHAPTER XV,
VISIT TO  AMERICA.
" For not he that oommendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth." —2 Cor. x. 18.
" The man of God, 0 give him welcome home!
For many long and weary years he's roamed;
And now, once more, he hails his native land;0 give him greetings warm, a brother's hand."
MR. KINCAID had now been in Burmah more than
twelve years, and the health of his wife requiring a
change of climate, it was determined that he should
make a visit to his native land, which he did in 1833.
The reception which he here met, afforded striking
proof of the hold which he had upon the hearts of
his brethren, and the results which, followed his
efforts to awaken a missionary spirit in the churches,
were regarded as quite astonishing. During his sojourn in this country he traveled through nearly
every State in the Union, making his thrilling appeals
to the people, and awakening, every where, a new
and marvelous interest in behalf of foreign missions.
8*




178                 Kincaid:
To follow him through all the remarkable incidents
connected with this visit, is more than I am prepared
to attempt, nor will the limits of a single chapter
allow of any thing beyond a brief reference to a few
of the leading features of this memorable period in
his history.
The character and intiuence of nis public addresses
may, to a degree, be inferred from reports which, in
some instances, were attempted to be made for the
press, and yet to those who have never heard him,
these must necessarily convey a very imperfect idea
of their effect as they fell directly from his own lips.
To appreciate them fully, the reader must have before
his mind the person of the speaker; he must be able
to call up his peculiar intonations, but especially
must he remember his lofty and impassioned strain
of utterance when, all aglow with his subject, every
fibre of his frame appeared to tremble with emotion,
and every sensibility of his soul seemed stirred to its
depths and roused to its intensest activity.
Never, while memory remains, can any forget the
impression made on the heart in listening to the
account given by him  of the parting interview
of the lamented COMSTOCK'S with their two children,
and of the last words Mr. Comstock uttered to Mr.
Kincaid. Owing to the difficulty of educating them
in a heathen land, they were entrusted to Mr. Kincaid's care, to be taken to America, and the following




The Hero Missionary.          179
extract from one of his addresses gives an affecting
view of their painful separation:"We were together one day, at their house, when
word came that the ship was ready to sail, and we
must prepare to embark immediately. Upon the arrival of this message, which we had been expecting,
Mrs. Comstock arose from her seat, took her two
children, one in each hand, and walked with them towards a grove of tamarind trees near the house.
When she had walked some little distance, she paused
a moment, looked at each of her children with all a
mother's love, and imprinted an affectionate kiss upon
the forehead of each. She then raised her eyes to
heaven, silently invoked a blessing on their heads;
returned to the house, and delivering her children
into my hands, said,' Brother Kincaid, this I do for
my Saviour.'
Brother Comstock then took his two children by
the hand, and led them from the house towards the
ship, while that tender mother gazed upon them. as
they walked away, for the last time. She saw them
no more on earth. God grant that she may meet
them in heaven! Brother Comstock accompanied
his two children to the ship, which lay about two
miles off in the bay. When we had descended to the
cabin, he entered one of the state-rooms with his children. There he knelt with them in prayer, laid his
hands upon their heads, and bestowed a father's




180                 Kincaidc:
blessing upon them-the tears, all the while, streaming down his cheeks. This affecting duty over, he
resumed, at once, his usual calmness. He took leave
of me with a gentle pressure of the hand, and I followed him to the side of the vessel, as he descended
into the small boat which lay along-side, and which
was to convey him to the shore. Never shall I forget
the words, or the tone in which those words were uttered, as he turned up his face, still bedewed with
tears, and exclaimed, as the boat moved away,'REMEMBER, BROTHER KINOAID, SIX MEN FOR ARRACAN'
I never saw brother or sister Comstock after that.
The very day that we took a pilot on board off Sandy
Hook, April 28th, 1843, was the day that sister Comstock died, and in one year afterward, lacking three
days, that is, on the 25th of April, 1844, brother Comstock followed her. Now they sleep side by side in
the grave-yard at Ramree, under the tamarind trees;
and sister Abbott and her children are buried in the
same ground.
Ah, my Christian friends, could you have witnessed
the parting of these beloved missionaries with their
children;-could you have stood with the survivors
by the graves of the loved ones who lie buried on
those heathen shores, you would then have known
something of what it is to make sacrifices for the
missionary cause.
Once more let me call upon this audience to re



The Hero  Missionary.                       181
member the last parting words of the beloved Comstock! and then let me ask, in the name of my departed  brother, and  of Jesus, the Master whom  he
served-shall we go back to that heathen land without'SIX MEN FOR ARRACAN? "
It was this noble illustration of Christian heroism,
so  touchingly  related, that called  from  the pen  of
Charles Thurber, Esq., the following beautiful lines:
SIX MEN FOR ARRACAN.
THE mother stamp'd a burning kiss
Upon each little brow;
So dear a sacrifice as this,
She never made till now;
Go, go, my babes, the Sabbath bell
Will greet ye o'er the sea;
I'll bid my idol ones farewell,
For Thee, my God, for Thee.
But off they'd gone-those little onesrsaw them gaily trip,
And chatter on in merry tones,
To see the gallant ship.
The stricken sire-he'd often drank
Sad draughts at duty's beckIHe leads them calmly o'er the plank,
And stands upon the dock;
As pale as polished Parian stones,
As white as Arctic snows,
Beside those young and cherished ones
The stricken father bows.
He breathes one prayer-he prints one kiss,
And turns him toward the shore



182                          Kincaicd:
He felt, till now, the babes were his,
But they were his no more;
The silken tie, more strong than death,
That bound their hearts was riven,
And floating on an angel's breath,
/Rose up and clung to heaven.
Why lingers he upon the shore 7
Why turns he to the deck?
Perhaps, to say farewell, once more,
Perhaps, one look to take.
0! no; but calm as angels now,
That kneel before the throne,
Where twice ten thousand thousand bow,
And say, " Thy will be done"
He said-" My brother, when you stand,
Beyond the raging deep,
In that delightful, happy land,
Where all our fathers sleep,
When you shall hear their Sabbath bell
Call out their happy throngs,
And hear the organ's solemn swell,
And Zion's sacred songsTell them a herald, far away,
Where midnight broods o'er man,
Bade ye this solemn message say,
"Six men for Arracan."
While in that happy land of theirs,
They feast on blessings given,
And genial suns and healthful airs,
Come speeding fresh from heaven;
Tell them, that, near yon idol dome,
There dwells a lonely man,
Who bade ye take this message homt
$',ix menfor Arracan.




The Hero Missionary.                       183
Sweet home-ah, yes! I know how sweet
Within my country, thou,
I've known what heart-felt pleasures meetI've felt-and feel them now.
Well, in those lively scenes of bliss,
Whore childhood's joys began,
I'd have ye, brother, tell them this,
" SIX  EN FOR ARRACAN."
0! when the saint lies down to die.
And friendship round him stands,
And faith directs his tearless eye,
To fairer, happier landsHow calm he bids poor earth adieu!
With all most dear below!
The spirit sees sweet home in view,
And plumes her wings to go.
Stop, dying.saint-0! linger yet,
And cast one thought on manBe this the last that you forget"SIX MEN FOR ARRACAN."
In the month of November, 1843, a number of missionary meetings, remarkable for their interest and
results, were held with the various Baptist churches
in Philadelphia. At one of these gatherings, in the
large round house of the Sansom-St. Church, after
the reading of an able report by the Rev. Dr. Williams, on the Duty of Churches in reference to the
Mission Cause, Mr. Kincaid  rose to  move its adoption. " There are a great many intelligent people,"
said he, "who have seriously made it a question,
whether we, in this day, are to expect the same suc



184                 Kincaid:
cess as marked the history of primitive Christians,
in their efforts to furnish the heathen with the precious Gospel.
My brethren, if I had never read a single missionary letter, if I had read nothing but the acts of the
Apostles, I feel well satisfied, that if we preach the
Gospel in all its length and breadth, and richness, and
in the same spirit and labor to win souls as did the
primitive Christians, we should have in some degree
the same success. If at present, we do not meet with
the same or like success, the reason is, that we do not
preach in the same spirit, and have not the same love
for souls as they had. I would inquire whether we
have not had success; and would reply, look to our
brethren on missionary ground, and look at the results of their labors, and we have great reason to
take courage. Why, just as we are beginning to
think about doing this great work, the windows of
heaven are opened, and a blessing is poured down
upon us.
In 1830, how many missionaries had we in Burmah?-only three, and of these only two were qualified to preach the Gospel. Brother Bennet was engaged in printing, while brethren Wade and Boardman had only been a short time able to preach in
their language. It took two years before either of
them could be prepared for preaching in Burmese.
It was not until 1834, that the missionaries were rein



The Hero MsQionary.          1 5
forced; and from that time down to 1836, and. to the
present time, we have nnly had about seven or eight
men actually employed in preaching; but much work
has been done besides preaching the Gospel. The
Bible has been translated, a dictionary and grammar
prepared, tracts have been written and printed, and
widely circulated, and the Karen language has been
formed and reduced to writing; and now the New
Testament has been nearly translated in the Karen
language, a hymn-book containing about five hundred
hymns, also a grammar. Now the accomplishment
of all this important work, devolved on the missionaries, so that there had not been more than seven
missionaries at any one time engaged in preaching
the Gospel, and yet our labors have been blessed.
*      *      *     *      *       *
In looking, therefore, at these facts, we may truly
say, that our preaching has not been in vain, and yet
our missionary brethren ail complain of want of faith
in preaching to these poor idolaters, and they are
striving for more of the faith of Paul and Barnabas;
now, when we can come up to the faith which they
possessed, we shall no doubt experience more, and
still greater, even, like success with them; and, I
think, the native preachers are rapidly arriving at
this state of feeling. There was one native convert
who fully believed-indeed, his faith was so strong,
that he had no doubt that Jesus Christ came into the




186                XKincaid:
world to save the lost. and that all who sat under his
preaching would be saved. This was, indeed, a wonderful instance of saving grace. He was a man taken
from among the very lowest orders. I cannot tell of
the bloody scenes he passed through. He became a
robber, and a robber in Burmah is always a murderer,
-and he was, therefore, a murderer. Indeed, I cannot tell of his wicked deeds. This brother, whose
name was Ko-tha-bu, was a robber from his early life.
Robbers in Burmah are men, who profess to execute
the most horrid deeds.  Their very countenances
look as if all the feeling and compassion they ever
enjoyed had been blotted out, and every trace of humanity lost in their character. This man, I say,
whose muscular arm had never trembled, when with
his drawn sword he stood over his victim-this man,
whose lips had never quivered as he looked upon his
slaughtered enemy-this man, whose eyes had never
filled and overflowed with the tear of sympathy and
compassion-this murderer, who, from early life up
to the period of his conversion, had had his hands
imbrued in the blood of his fellow-man-was, in the
providence of God, separated from his wicked companions, and became a humble disciple of Christ. He
heard the Gospel from the lips of a native preacher,
and it reached his guilty soul, and he was brought by
the power of God to submit to the cross of Christ,
and there his heart was softened-that heart which




The Hero Missionary.          187
could not weep over deeds of blood, wept over the
cross of Christ. But it. was a, long time before the
brethren could place confidence in his professions of
attachment to the Saviour; they could hardly realize
that the change was real. Judson was afraid of him,
and would not baptize him; and Wade felt afraid of
his connecting himself with the church; but finally,
Boardman had resolved upon going to Tavoy to proclaim the Gospel, and it was a new field, and he could
not obtain the consent of any of his converts to accompany him, they were afraid to go. At length
Ko-tha-bu came forward, and offered to go with him,
and rather than go alone, Boardman consented to
take him, as he had a little hope that the truth was
in him. On their way, he frequently conversed with
him on the subject of religion, and he saw so much
of the spirit of Christ in him, that he was induced to
baptize him, at the same time he feared lest he should
baptize an unconverted man and not a Christian.
After this, Ko-tha-bu insisted upon going to the hill
country of Tavoy, to carry the Gospel to his countrymen, and when he returned, he brought with him
thirty of these poor Karens, who had accompanied
him in order to see the foreign teacher. The memory
of the Karens is very tenacious; they remember almost everything they hear, having to depend on their
memory, as they have had no written language nor
any books, until very lately. Ko-tha-bu preached




188           stizncasat:
daily to them Jesus and him crucified, and they remembered all he said; and when Boardman saw
them he was surprised and delighted with their conversation, and at their knowledge ot divine things,
for it was wonderful in his eyes, and he talked with
them and was satisfied that they were the children
of God; but he was too weak to baptize them. In a
very short time Br. Mlason, who had just arrived in
the country, visited Tavoy, and Boardman got him
to baptize these Karen converts; and he was carried
to the bank of the river, and being too ill to sit up,
he was supported in the arms of Mrs. Boardman
while he witnessed the sight.
But the labors of Ko-tha-bu did not stop here; he
went on and preached Christ to his heathen countrymen. In 1835, brother Abbott and myself designed
going to Arracan, and who should we get to accompany us?  At last we obtained two Burmese and
two Karens, one of whom was Ko-tha-bu, who, on being asked to go with us about seven hundred miles,
made no objection. He seemed willing to go any
where, so that he might impart the blessings of the
gospel to his countrymen. He went with us; and in
less than ten days after reaching the province, he was
off searching out the villages, and going from house
to house, preaching the word. But in about one
year after this, he died there; not, however, until he
had been instrumental in giving the gospel to more




The Iero Missionary.          189
than three hundred. Now it may be said, that from
first to last this man was compelled by an overpowering conviction that he must carry the gospel to all,
and he seemed to have the impression that wherever
he preached, converts would be made and churches
would be organized. I was with this man enough to
see and to testify to his spirit. He was naturally one
of the most unamiable of men; but oy the subduing
power of grace, he ruled over his own spirit: he had
a burning love for souls, and that gospel which he
preached, he believed sufficient to save all. I have
been with him in the mountains, in cities, and on the
plains. I have heard him pray in the congregation
and in families, and I have overheard him in secret;
and invariably, whenever and wherever he would engage, he would commence his prayer with a confession to God that he had been a great murderer; and
the big tear would roll down his cheeks, and his language was that of a penitent seeking forgiveness.
Now who, in looking upon this instance, can doubt
the power of God in Burmah I In this, as in other
instances, God has shown us that the gospel has lost
none of its power, and all that is wanted, is to carry
the gospel believingly, and come with it to their villages and cottages-and their very doors-and publicly preach it, and God will bless it. * * * *
When I was about to leave India, I wrote brother
Mason, and asked what'should get for him in Ame



190                 Kivcaid 
rica. His answer is,' among all other things, remember, first, good preachers for Burmah; revivalist
preachers-men who like nothing better than preaching and praying;' and then he breaks out and says
—' Oh  America! with all thy treasures, there is
nothing I wish but some of your men who are prepared of God for pentecostal seasons;' and as yet, not
a single man has offered to go to the Mountain Chief,
or to the other opening fields of labor. Now, I wonder whether, in the days of Paul, when the churches
were small and few, whether there would not have
been dozens to have said,' Here am I-send me,' if
a call like the present had reached them. It does
appear to me, my brethren, that we have not begun
to look at this subject as we should, to make it our
duty morning and night, to pray over it, until the
heart of every pastor and every church member is
deeply imbued with the spirit of missions."
Being present at the special meeting of the Baptist
General Convention, held in New York city, in the
month of November, 1845, Mr. Kincaid was called
upon during one of its sessions to speak. Dr. Judson, in his powerful plea for Arracan, had already
awakened in the minds of the assembly an extraordinary degree of interest; but, notwithstanding this,
the words of Mr. Kincaid contributed, if possible, to
carry the feelings of the meeting tc a still higher
pitch of excitement:



The Hero  fisssionary.        191
4' I bless God," said he, "for this day and the days
that are past. I have never supposed for a single
moment that one of our missions would be abandoned.
So far as my experience goes-though that is but
very limited, being confined to the Burman and Karen
missions-but so far as it goes, no missionary in that
great and idolatrous empire has ever labored for any
considerable time, in any single place, without seeing
the gospel take root in that heathen land. In every
single place where they have gone and preached for
any length of time, they have seen churches raised
ap there.
I never understood, as I now understand, a great
many portions of the Holy Scriptures.' Ask of me
my Son, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine
inheritance.' I recollect the very first time I landed
on the shores of Burmah. It was about one o'clock at
night, on the wharves of Rangoon. Brother Mason
and I came up the Salwen River in Burman boats.
A large crowd thronged around us, and among them
were brethren Bennett and Wade. They welcomed
us, but the natives with smiling faces thronged round
us, and reached out their hands, almost every one of
them uttering words as rapidly as possible. I asked,' What do they say?'' They are saying,' replied one
of the brethren,'welcomne, welcome to this land.'
This was on a Saturday night about one o'clock.
The next morning I heard Brother Wade preach,




192                 Kincaid:
and in the evening these native converts held a prayer meeting. Some fourteen or fifteen, almost every
one of whom I could name, prayed one after the other.
In their prayers I heard one word which was familiar
to my ears, it was' America, America.' Every one of
them, in their prayers pouring out their full hearts
before God, had something to say about America.
After the prayer meeting was over, I asked,'What
is it that they were all praying for about America?'
and Mr. Wade's reply was,'They were blessing God
that their brethren in the great country of America
had remembered them, and had sent out two more
teachers to bring the gospel to their countrymen, and
praying that the blessing of the Most High might
rest upon those brethren and sisters in America.'
Well, I said to myself, this is what God means.' I
will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and
the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.'
From that day forward I felt as I had never felt before. Long had my heart been set on carrying the
gospel to the heathen, but after that day, I seemed
to live by sight and not by faith."
The great object of Mr. Kincaid in all his journeyings and labors in different parts of the land,, was to
awaken in the churches a deeper interest and more
enlarged liberality in behalf of the work of missions.
This pressed constantly upon his mind,-to promote




The Hero Missionary.            193
it he felt was his peculiar work, and he would not
rest until he saw it, in a measure, accomplished:
"It is time," said he, writing from Kentucky to the
late D)r. Cone, " to awake as we never have before,
that the reapers may overtake them that sow, and
gather in the precious harvest. More men must go
to Arracan, and one more to Mergui. The seed sown
is taking root and thousands are turning to God. It
cannot be that the churches, will slumber over these
clear indications of divine providence, to go up and
possess the land."
Nor was he mistaken in this opinion; for the
churches did begin, in a measure, to awake to their
responsibility, and throughout the country, but especially in the large cities, a liberality was exhibited in
behalf of foreign missions surpassing any thing that
had ever before been known in the history of American Baptists.
In addition to the efficient efforts of Mr. Kincaid to
enlighten the churches with reference to the real
state of the heathen, and to impress upon them their
duty to the missionary enterprise, he was, also,
chiefly instrumental in starting the new University
of Lewisburg, and, with the assistance of the Rev.
W. Shadrach, D.D., succeeded in securing a subscribed endowment of $100,000. Thus, while he had
been signally successful in bringing the churches up
to increased activity for the world's conversion, he
9




194                 Kincaid:
was permitted, at the same time, still farther to promote that great end by laying the foundation of an
institution from which, doubtless, many a young man
will go forth to reap the precious harvests that are,
even now, whitening every field of Christian effort.




The iero Missionary.                      195
CHAPTER XVI.
REOPENING OF BURMAH.
" BE wise now, therefore, 0 ye kings; be instructed, ye judges of the earth
Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he
be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little."
Ps.ii: 10-12.
" Trust, trust the faithful God;
His promise is unfailing;
The prayer of faith can pierce the skies;
Its breath is all-prevailing.
Look! look! the fields are white;
And stay thy hand no longer;
Though Satan's mighty legions fight,
The arm of God is stronger."
THE  chief cause of Mr. Kincaid's prolonged visit
in this country was the distracted state of the Burman
empire. After the ascension of Thur-ri-wa-di to the
throne-whose  arbitrary  policy was the  immediate
cause of Mr. Kincaid leaving Ava-the condition of
the country, for a long time, was such as to render it
impossible to occupy it as a field of labor, at least
with any hope of extensive usefulness.
But, beside the contracted views of the govern



196                Kincaid:
ment, so unsettled was the whole state of their political affairs, that it was impossible to calculate what
would be the developments of the future, and the
only course left, therefore, was patiently to wait the
unfoldings of Providence.
Very soon, however, events began to transpire
which awakened confident hope-that the day was
near when that dark land would again be thrown
open as a field for missionary effort.
The history of the revolution under Thur-ri-wa-di,
his success, and the subsequent inglorious termination of his cruel reign, together with the encouraging
prospect which it afforded of the reoccupancy of
Burmah proper, was most graphically sketched by
Mr. Kincaid immediately upon receiving intelligence
of the overthrow of the revolutionists.
" The emperor of Burmah," he wrote, " is dethroned, and an entire revolution has taken place in the
government.  Prince Mekara is made regent, and
the Woon-gee, who signed the Yandabo treaty, is
associated with him in the new administration.
This change in the government will be hailed with
rapture through all the provinces in the empire. No
two men could be more unlike, than the Mecara
prince and the deposed monarch-the one by nature
a tyrant, and the other amiable and unambitious. I
became acquainted with both these princes in 1833,
and by both was treated with great kindness.




The Hero Missionary.            197
Thur-ra-wa-di manifested no interest in any c6nversation but such as related to the power, wealth, and
political influence of nations. He pretended to admire France, Persia, and China, and never concealed
his dislike of the English. No one could be with
him long, without perceiving that his hatred of the
English arose from his dread of their power. He
took one of the daily papers printed in Calcutta, had
it translated, and when he could fix upon any reverse
or disaster, it seemed to afford him the highest gratification. He is five feet four inches in height, and
well formed. His forehead is remarkably high and
retreating, and his eyes brilliant and piercing. When
pleased, his eyes are peculiarly fascinating; but when
angry, they are lighted up with dreadful vengeance.
The Mek-a-ra prince is somewhat taller, but less
muscular, and has a high, full forehead, with large,
intelligent, and smiling eyes. When thoughtful and
studious, there is a slight tinge of melancholy in his
countenance, but in conversation there is a glow of
kindliness spread over his whole face. His inquiries
always turned upon religion, science, and literature.
The philosophy of religion, or the great principles
brought out and inculcated by different systems of
religion, interested him deeply. Next, mathematics,
astronomy, and languages, interested him. He is the
most learned Burman in the world. To gratify his
thirst for learning, he procured Rees' Cyclopedia




198                 Kincaid:
and other works, a pair of large English globes, and
a telescope, in which he can see the rings of Saturn,
and the satelites of Jupiter. I gave him a copy of
the Bible, and a copy of Gallaudet on the Soul, in the
Burman language. Paul's epistle to the Romans interested him more than any other book. He often
remarked on its profound reasoning, and on the great
principles there brought out. Dr. Price had taught
him to read English, but he was not able to speak it.
At his request, Dr. Price commenced an English and
Burman dictionary; and after his death, it was taken
up and finished by Mr. Lane, an English merchant,
and printed at the expense of the Honorable East
India Company.
The amiable and humane character of the Meikara
prince is proverbial in Burmah.
Ko Gway, a venerable old man, who became a
Christian, and afterwards deacon of the church in
Ava, told me he was an eye-witness of a successful
act of the JIelcara in behalf of two state criminals.
The men were leaders in a rebellion in one of the
frontier provinces. They were brought to Ava and
sentenced to be crucified. This sentence was carried
into execution without the walls of Ava, a little after
sundown. The next morning, very early, the prince,
then about twelve years old, went out with his attendants and passed near where these two men were
-rucified. Hearing their agonizing cries, he inquired




Thle Hero Missionary           199
what it meant, and being informed, he directed his
attendants to hasten with him to the palace. lHe
threw himself at his father's feet, and with bitter
tears, implored him to have mercy on the men. The
king gave orders, instantly, to have them taken down.
It was a little after sunrise when they reached the
place, and their groans had become feeble, as life was
fast ebbing away. The wood was sawed off each side
of the feet and hands, and then the wood split, in
order to draw out the great iron spikes; the young
prince all the time standing by, weeping and hurrying the men. The older of the prisoners was too far
gone to be restored, and soon expired. The younger,
being about thirty, revived, after all that horrible
suffering, and in a few weeks was entirely cured.
This act of humanity procured for him the respect
and veneration of the whole empire.
Thur-ra-wa-di was proud, haughty, ambitious and
cruel. It was well known in Ava, that persons whom
he disliked had been betrayed within his compound,
and murdered by his orders. Some of the most distinguished robber chieftains in the empire were
known to be in constant communication with him,
and had his protection; but the fact that he was the
king's own brother, and shared largely in the king's
confidence, was a sufficient reason why no officer of
government should venture to impeach him. It is
true, this prince had some interesting traits of chia



200                 Kincaid:
racter, which, among a people like the Burmans,
atoned for many faults. He was enterprising, enthusiastic, and generous in his temperament. Those
whom he esteemed, he loaded with favors, and met
with fascinating smiles. In February, 1837, a notorious robber chief, who had received for himself the
title of Kea-gee, (the great tiger) was pursued by the
government, and it was currently reported and believed, that he had taken shelter with the prince
Thur-ra-wa-di.  A messenger was sent from  the
Lhoot dau (the king's high court) to the palace of
Thur-ra-wa-di, to inquire if Kea-gee was there. This
was an insult which the prince could not brook. He
took fire instantly, and used insulting and threatening language towards the court, at the head of which
was the queen's brother, whom he hated, as he did
the queen, with a deadly hate. The messenger fled
back to the Lhoot dau, and without loss of time, an
officer, with some eighty or a hundred men, was sent
to search for the robber chieftain. The prince,
aware of what was going on, armed between one and
two hundred of his men, and when the police arrived
at his gate, and demanded admission, the prince ordered his men to fire. Two or three were killed,
several wounded, and the rest fled precipitately to
the Lhoot dau. This was open rebellion; the whole
city was in an uproar.  Thur-ra-wa-di, taking his
family and about three hundred men, forced one of




The Hero Missionary.            201
the gates of the city, and seizing whatever boats they
came to, crossed the river to Sagaing. Taking the
governor of that city and a few hundred men, the
prince went, by forced marches, to Jloke-so-bo, a
strongly fortified city, about fifty miles west of Ave.
He next sent messengers through all the provinces
to report that the queen's brother had usurped the
throne, imprisoned the king, murdered the heir-apparent, and was seeking to take his life; and he called
upon all to rally around his standard, and assist in
putting down the queen's brother. The robber chieftains were despatched to collect their hordes of outlaws together. In a few days, he had about ten thousand armed men, and these were so placed as to cut
off all communication between Ava and the provinces.
He had his spies constantly circulating reports in
Ava, magnifying the number of his forces, and repeating the solemn oaths he took before pagodas,
that his only design was to put down the queen's
brother, and restore the king to his rightful power.
As the queen's brother was odious to the people generally, they were ready to believe any such report.
This paralyzed the government; for though the king
soon had some thirty thousand troops, and the walls
of Ava bristling with cannon, it availed nothing. The
people thought that in fighting Thur-ra-wa-di, they
were really fighting their king. So there was constant defection in the king's army. Early in May,
9*




202                 Kincaid:
Ava was beleagured. On every side was a large
army intent on plundering the capital. The Jlekcara
prince was sent to intercede for the city.  Thur-rawa-di insisted on giving it over to be sacked by his
armies. Col. Burney, the English Resident, was requested by the king to use his influence to save the
city from the awful calamity threatened. Nothing
can exceed the anxiety and gloom  that reigned
through the city. All business ceased. Old men
sat in groups, here and there, conversing mournfully.
Mothers sat in their doors with their children nestled around them, listening to the thousand tales of
outrage and cruelty committed without the walls the
night before. The gayety of the Imperial city was
gone. The walls were covered with troops, but no
confidence was placed in them. All dreaded the approach of night, fearing an attack before morning.
The appearance of Halley's comet, at this time, greatly increased the consternation.
The king was urgent for Col. Burney to interpose
his kind offices. Thur-ra-wa-di himself, was still at
oJoke-so-bo, and Col. Burney proceeded to that city.
He persuaded the prince to come and take charge of
his armies, and after many interviews, he consented
to spare the city. The keys of Ava were delivered
to him, the king's troops were disbanded, and the
whole empire was prostrate at his feet. To Col.
Burney, under God, must probably be attributed the




The Hero Missionary.            203
deliverance of Ava from one of the most fearful calamities that can befall a great city.
In a few days, the prisons of Ava were crowded
with noblemen and officers, who had been attached
to the old government. In violation of oaths and
promises, the king was placed in confinement; the
queen and her only daughter, about fourteen years
old, were trampled to death by elephants; the queen's
brother, after suffering the most horrible tortures,
was put to death. Public executions took place almost daily, and hordes of robbers overrun the land.
Thur-ra-wa-di tore in pieces the Yandabo treaty, and
told Col. Burney that though he respected him as a
man and as a British officer, yet as a Resident at the
court of Ava, he did not know him. About the same
time, he sent a special messenger to me, to inform
me that I must neither preach nor give my sacred
books to the people. The next day I waited on the
new king, to learn from his own lips his intentions on
a subject so momentous as the closing of his empire
against the diffusion of Christian knowledge. I was
received, as formerly, in the kindest manner, and he
introduced the subject himself, in the presence of his
whole court, by saying,'The fates have made me
king, and, therefore, I am  Tha-tha-na —da-ya-ka, (defender of the faith) and must sustain the religion of
the empire.' Much more to the same import he said
as a reason for the course he had marked out for his




204                 Kincaid:
government. It would require too much space here,
to give in detail the conversation, which filled up
more than an hour. The next day I called, taking
with me the Burman Bible, in four volumes. Some
three years before, I had given the prince a copy of
the New Testament. The king inquired, very pleasantly,' What have you there?''The only book which
the Eternal God has given to mankind,' I replied. He
called an officer and directed him to take it to his private apartments. He went on to say, that he wished
me to remain at Ava,-that I could teach science, and
that he wished me to translate for him the History of
England. I replied, that it was impossible for me to
lay aside the office and work of a teacher of religion.
The king's mind appeared to be made up that the
Christian religion should not be taught, and my mind
was equally made up to remain in Ava only as a
teacher of Christianity.
To act covertly, and try to accomplish something
secretly, was foreign to my feelings and in opposition
to all my views of the spirit and genius of Christianity. We left Ava in sadness. We had seen a little
church grow up within the walls of that ancient and
proud city,-large numbers had become partially enlightened, and their minds favorably impressed with
the principles of Christianity. Mrs. Kincaid was
almost daily surrounded with females, who called to
converse with her, and listen to her instruction. And




The Hero Missionary.          205
the morning we left, a multitude of our old and familiar friends, as well as the church, thronged the shore,
and when the parting words were uttered, not a few
of them wept, bidding us not to forget them. The
flood bore us on, and soon nothing was to be seen of
the great city but the tall, glittering spires. The
thoughts and feelings of that hour must remain unrecorded. Ko Gway and his wife, two aged disciples,
who had endeared themselves to us by their amiable
manners and tender solicitude for our happiness,
spent a large part of the preceding day at our house,
rendering whatever assistance they could. Several
times they said,'Teacher, we shall pray that God
will change the mind of the king, or else take him
away.' Such were the feelings and prayers of many.
Tlhur-ra-wa-di had put to death the heir-apparent,the queen,-her brother,-and a large number of the
nobility and officers; all on whom there was the
slightest taint of suspicion that they were favorable
to the old government. He was not satisfied with removing the governors of provinces and cities,-the
greater number of them were brought to Ava in irons
and then beheaded. One with whom I had been a
guest, the governor of Mio Nheen, a province near the
borders of China, was brought to Ava in chains, and
then fastened up to posts, and embowelled near a
great thoroughfare just without the walls of the city;
and when we left Ava, the 17th of June the bones




206                 Kincaid:
were still hanging there, rattling in the wind. He
was a venerable old man, and highly intelligent. I!
the preceding February, when on a tour through the
northern provinces of the empire, I spent a night and
a day in his house, and it was hard breaking away
from him. His urbanity and kindness would do honor to a man in any country. On reaching my boat, I
found his lady had sent a variety of articles for my
journey. His only crime was attachment to the old
king. Neither faithfulness nor fitness for office was
regarded,-nearly all were swept away. Every thing
indicated that Thur-ra-wa-di would secure to his family an undisputed throne. The Governor General of
India took no notice of his spurning the English Resident from his court, and his trampling under foot
the treaty of Yandabo; but, after some months, sent
up another officer of high distinction, Col. Benton,
with a large amount in presents. The forbearance
of the Governor General only increased his insolence.
Col. Benton could not obtain an audience, and the bazaar people were punished for selling provisions to
Col. Benton's servants, so that they were in danger
of being starved. Col. Benton, with his suite, was
obliged to leave. After this he raised an army of
100,000 men, and all well armed, proceeded to Rangoon, 500 miles from the capital. With such a vast
army hovering near the provinces ceded to the English, and led on by the king himself, no small anxiety




The Hero Missionary.         207
was felt. To watch the movements of this army, cost
the Indian Government about half a million. After
a few months' stay in Rangoon, the king, with his
army, returned to Ava. A large part of his army
was disbanded, but soon after he raised another of
100,000, and when about ready to march, the cholera
broke out, spreading death and desolation through
the empire.
Last summer the king appointed a successor to the
throne. Passing by the prince of Prome, a young
man of great energy and influence, but inheriting, in
no small degree, the sanguinary temperament of his
father, the king selected and installed as his heir, a
son of feeble intellect. The prince of Prome was offended, and the Prime Minister, Moung Dau Gyee,
manifesting too openly his partiality for the prince,
was called to the palace. The king inquired if he
was aware of the disaffection of the prince of Prome;
the venerable old minister replied that he was. Instantly, the king rose and stabbed his minister to the
i&art. Losing all self-control, and apparently becoming insane, he killed a large number of his principal
officers. The prince of Prome fled to the Shan provinces, east of Ava, but soon returned and was executed. Among the ministers murdered, is 2ooung
Gulla, a young man of rare talents, and the most distinguished military man in Burmah. The remaining
ministers and officers, fearing for their own safety,




208                Kincaid:
and regarding the king as insane, seized and confined
him, and appointed a regency in which the Mekara
prince has a conspicuous place, as also the old nobleman who signed the Yandabo treaty. Thus has fallen
one of the proudest monarchs, and one of the greatest
tyrants that ever sat on the throne of Ava. In eight
short years he, with all his family, have passed from
the summit of human ambition to a felon's home.
The probability is, that the pacific and enlightened
principles of government pursued before the revolution in 1837, will be restored; that friendly relations
will again be opened between Burmah and India; the
odious and crushing monopolies removed, and commerce again flourish. The MeJkara prince is not a
statesman; but he is highly intelligent and enlightened, and withal, humane and generous. He has
more knowledge of Christianity than any other prince
in the empire, and is it too much to hope, that in
mercy to the millions of Burmah, God has raised him
to power? To me it seems to be a most merciful interposition of Divine Providence, and that the way is
opening to publish in the great and beautiful valley
of the Irrawaddy, the tidings of peace and salvation.
Then over all the mountain districts of Burmah are
thickly scattered the Karen villages, a people prepared, in a remarkable degree, for the reception of
the gospel. Will the churches awake to more earnest
prayer and vigorous effort? Will heralds of salvation




The Hero Missionary.                        209
say,'send us?'  I wish  to  return, and  I cherish  the
fond hope, that at no distant period, I shall be
preaching the blessed gospel in the language of Burmah."
" Swiftly, on wings of love,
Jesus, who reigns above,
Bids us to fly;
They who his message bear
Should neither doubt nor fear;
He will their Friend appear;
He will be nigh.
When on the mighty deep,
He will their spirits keep,
Stayed on his word;
When in a foreign land,
No other friend at hand,
Jesus will by them standJesus, their Lord.
Ye who, forsaking all,
At your loved Master's call,
Comforts resign,
Soon will your work be lone f
Soon will the prize be won;
Brighter than yonder sun
Ye soon shall shine."




210                          Kincaid:
CHAPTER XVII.
OFF &GAIN FOR  BURMAIH.
HE is a chosen vessel unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles, and
kings."-Acts ix. 15.
"Yes! we would not here detain you,
But our daily prayers shall rise,
Earnest with the love we bear you,
While you toil where error lies.
Fervent pleadings,
For rich blessings from the skies.
Man of God, once more departing
Henro, to preach a Saviour slain,
With a full, warm heart, we give thee
To fhe glorious work again!
Faithful servant!
Thou with Christ shall rest and reign "
TuouGH anxious again to engage in his loved work,
serious doubts were entertained by many as to the
practicability of encouraging Mr. Kincaid to reenter
Burmah, or of making any direct effort, at that time,
to regain the ground which apparently had been lost.
For several years  it had  been  confidently asserted




The Hero Missionary.           211
and published, that Burmah was closed, and that
missionaries would not be allowed to labor there.
Mr. Kincaid, however, believed that the time had
fully come for resuscitating this mission, and, under
a deep conviction of duty, he was led, in 1849, to ask
from the Executive Committee, an appointment as a
missionary to Ava. This request having been complied with, they were subsequently solicited to send
a missionary-physician to the same field and at the
same time. The brother who applied for the appointment, Dr. Dawson, besides the qualifications
which might ordinarily be looked for in a candidate
lor such service, had the advantage of an intimate
knowledge of the Burmese people and language.
His appointment was urged on the ground that his
medical skill would be likely to prove a shield to the
mission, and was strongly pressed by nearly every
pastor and many influential laymen in Philadelphia;
the Committee, however, were unwilling to incur the
expense and hazard of the experiment without special
authorization from the Board. Accordingly, at the
Annual Meeting of the Union, held at Buffalo in 1850,
the whole subject was presented to the Board, and
by them referred to a special committee who, through
the Rev. Dr. Williams, made the following able report:"The subject," said they, "is one of grave import,
and is not without its peculiar difficulties. The re



212                 Kincaid:
newal of aggressive operations on the part of our
missions against the heathenism of Burmah proper,
has been for some years the theme of solicitude, discussion and prayer. It seemed a reproach on American Baptists, that whilst their labors had been drawn
off or excluded from these territories, some members
of the much older Romish missions remained in comparative security: although it was understood they
so remained in virtual inertness, mute and bound, as
to any efforts at proselytism. Our own labors among
the Karens, a noble though a subjugated race of the
population of Burmah, had been and yet are crowned
with signal benediction. And the recent journals of
Roman Catholic missions show, that to this field, in
which our triumphs have far outstripped any Burman
results of their labors, our success has provoked them,
and in consequence, Romish priests are now going
thither to rival, to thwart, and, if it may be, to supplant us.
A brother beloved, who, after long toil in the East,
had been spending years amongst us, feeding and
kindling missionary zeal in this his native country,
finds himself now in a state to attempt the resumption of his eastern tasks; and his heart yearns to
preach Christ at Ava itself, the imperial capital of
Burmah. A large portion of his family will accompany him; and it is thought that their very presence,
with the husband and father, will be to Burman suspi



The Hero Missionary.            213
cion a pledge of the honest and unworldly character
of his mission. But, severed there, as this family
would be from such medical relief as is accessible at
many other mission stations, it seems desirable that
they should not be sent out so unprovided in their
perilous loneliness, and where sickness, so likely to
befall them would, become doubly fearful and needlessly fatal. A brother who was in youth long a resident of that country, speaking several of its tongues,
of approved medical skill, and a kinsman of the missionary, and himself of allowed piety and devotion,
offers himself and family to attend the venture.Brethren in Philadelphia, long the city of his residence, urge his appointment and most forcibly.
On the other hand, the Executive Committee at
Boston find themselves surrounded by peculiar embarrassments. Recognizing the worth and medical
skill and disinterestedness of the missionary physician,
thus nominated for appointment, the brethren left in
the keeping of our Mission Rooms are like Paul the
Apostle,burdened with that charge, so anxious though
so blessed a one:'the care of all the churches cometh
upon' them. They must look with earnest solicitude
to the effect of every new station, established or reoccupied, upon the churches at home, as winning their
decided sanction and support; and upon the missionary churches and laborers abroad, as it may propitiate
their judgment, and as it may aid their work on the




214                 Kiwcwd:
one hand, or on the other hand lessen and divide
their resources.
Our churches in this country have spoken with
some distinctness their opinion, that the press and
the school and the tract may have sometimes crowded disproportionately on the old apostolic methodthe simple preaching of Christ's word; and that the
Executive Committee should therefore sedulously
seek to restore the balance that may have been disturbed, between such ministerial and other forms of
missionary labor. The physician in the present case
would not go out as an ordained minister. Again,
whilst opinions expressed on the part of some brethren, as our excellent brother Kincaid himself, and
others more or less conversant with Burmah, favor
the conclusion that Ava is open as a missionary station, several of our missionary brethren in Burmah
itself seem to hold an opposite sentiment. If the
doors of the imperial capital be found yet hopelessly
sealed, the casting of the missionary enterprise which
makes the experiment into so large and costly a shape,
would be occasion hereafter of some regret if not
complaint. It is allowed that, if the gates be found
open, a physician may be himself one of the strongest
commendations and safeguards at Ava to a preaching
missionary. The Luke, " the beloved physician," may
not only minister to the bodily infirmities of the Paul,
but be the usher and defender and patron of the Apos



The Hero  fissionary.          215
tie. But this is an uncertain result, remote and problematical; whilst the pecuniary burdens consequent
upon the measure would be certain and immediate
and permanent. The Executive Committee are willing that our brother Kincaid should go forward; and
if on trial he find his hopes as to the accessibility of
the capital to be warranted, that, upon his sending
back the requisite statements, the appointment ot
the missionary physician should be made, and the
entire missionary staff required at the capital be thus
completed.
Now it is the duty of the churches of Christ to cultivate a holy spirit of enterprise, and a generous, trusting faith in the God whose promises were never
small, and whose strength is not yet spent. But he
is also a God of council, and would have his people
walk wisely and in lowliness before him. Whilst he
blesses the simple trust that is the best basis of missions, he does not approve the kindled imagination
and the glowing and self-reliant impulses that are
often mistaken for simple faith, but which may be
more truly entitled the romance of missions. Ava
must have great influence; and deserves from us
great remembrance and greatest prayers.  In the
first preaching of his gospel, Christ bade the apostles
begin at Jerusalem, the Ava of Judaism; and Paul,
Christ's great apostle to the uncircumcision, yearned
through weary years to visit Rome, the metropolis




216                 Kincaid:
of that Gentilism which he especially sought to convert. To that Burman race for whom your missionaries have translated the Bible, and so long prayed
and toiled-the imperial Ava is both a Jerusalem and
a Rome,-the seat of civil dominion and the proudest
fastness of spiritual delusion and despotism. But as
God in the early ages of the church soon scattered
the apostles from Jerusalem; and made some of the
greatest triumphs over Gentilism to be won far away
from Rome; so it may be in the labors of the nineteenth century upon heathen Burmah. The capital
having early repelled, may long and obstinately exclude what the nation is yet to receive at other points
more vulnerable, and through channels which no despotism can always guard and close. And while Faith
is daring as against the world, she must be docile and
submissive as before the Providence that wields the
world and guides the church.
Your committee have felt the solemnity, the special difficulties, and the vast responsibilities that cluster around a wise decision of the pending question.
Apprehending in the expected larger expenditures
of the coming year requisite for existing appointments, a very heavy draught upon your treasury, they
yet desire to extend, where God seems to beckon us
to the work, the cords of the missionary enterprise.
But if in stretching out these cords the churches do
not actually lengthen them by enlarged zeal, con



The Hero Missionary.         217
tributions and prayer, then the cord so extended at
one spot will be only tightened at another, and peihaps with the result at this latter point to cripple,
and it may be to strangle, other branches of our missions where the station is less than the present, one
of uncertain enterprise, and where the demands for
help are loud, imperative and unquestionable.Strongly as we may be attached to new enterprises
of high adventure and large promise-and we are
bound to them by every tie of Christian sympathy
and pious hope-yet we must not forget that to the
existing stations we are held not only by all those
above-named ties, but by the added and stronger
bonds of the explicit, solemn and repeated pledges
we have given-pledges we can neither easily discharge nor innocently forget.
Some of your committee have leaned, therefore,
to the recommendation of the Executive Committee,
that our brother Kincaid's experiment be first made;
and that the appointment of a physician be reserved
as a contingency to depend on the success of the experiment at Ava. But to conciliate as far as possible
the wishes of all, your committee have concluded to
unite in recommending yet another modification. It
is, that the Board now recommend to the Executive
Committee, to appoint a missionary physician: but
that, from a regard to the growing demand of the
churches at home for preachers as laborers in the
10




218                 Kincaid:
missionary field, this appointment of a physician be
with the explicit condition, that if the attempt to
plant a station at Ava should be in Divine Providence
frustrated, then such physician's relations to this
Board cease.  In suggesting this, the committee
would expressly protest against any misconception.
They have formed from concurrent testimony a high
estimate of the worth of the brother. of his medical
skill, and of his pious consecration. But they understand that he would be at no loss to secure, in the
British colonial or consular establishments, an appointment with higher remuneration than we can
offer, and would not therefore incur pecuniary loss
or wrong. On the other hand, our missions in the
ceded provinces, apart from Burmah proper, do not,
it is understood, require the increased burden of such
medical laborer to be attached to the mission.
Your committee make, with great distrust and
after protracted and anxious discussion, the preceding
suggestions as affording what seemed the most feasible, harmonious and safe disposal of the question."
Following the reading of this Report, it was" Resolved, That the Board will sustain the Executive Committee, in vigorous efforts to resume missionary operations in Burmah proper, and will justify
the Committee in the appointment of a medical
helper, to accompany the Rev. Mr. Kincaid in his
attempt to reenter that field, on such conditions as




The Hero Missionar y.          219
are suggested by the Report of the Committee of five
on the part of this Board."
These instructions the Executive Committee, at
once, complied with, and in the following July Dr.
Dawson with his family, together with Mr. Kincaid
and his family, embarked at Boston, on board the
Washington Allston, arriving at Maulmain early in
the year 1851. Writing from this point, under date
of February 21, Mr. Kincaid reported, in substance,
that with respect to the prospect of planting a mission in Burmah proper there seemed to be nothing
which could be regarded as, on the whole, unfavorable. "There are difficulties," said he, " but they do
not appear to be insurmountable."  The reigning
king who ascended the throne about three years previous to their arrival, manifested but little interest
in the affairs of the government, and his Prime Minister was reported to be a " peculiarly bigoted Budhist." On the other hand, all persecution on account
of religion had ceased, and the Christian Karens residing within the jurisdiction of Burmese authority
were permitted to enjoy a comfortable degree of security and quietude. It was also rumored that there
were, at that time, fifteen Burmese Christians at the
capital, one of whom was an officer of the king, with
a thousand men under his charge, and another connected with the king's household; which seemed to




220                Kincaid:
imply, if the king was acquainted with the facts, that
he was not particularly hostile to Christianity.
Leaving Maulmain, the missionaries proceeded by
the earliest conveyance to Rangoon, and writing from
thence under date of March 10th, Mr. Kincaid says:
"After remaining eleven days in Maaulmain, Dr.
Dawson and I took passage in a schooner of thirtyone tons, manned by Mussulmans, and on the morning
of the 5th reached Rangoon, now little more than one
wide ruin. The fire last December destroyed about
three-fourths of the old city. Not only so, but a
great number of boats and several ships were burned.
Many hundreds of families barely escaped from their
houses with their lives. Building is rapidly going on,
and hence all sorts of material and all kinds of workmen are in demand.
It being exceedingly doubtful about our being able
to procure a house, we left our families in Br. Simons's
house and came on to see what arrangements could
be made. One street called Ko-la-don, that is, Foreigners' Street, was saved entirely from the fire. The
buildings are owned and occupied by Armenians,
Mussulmans, and Hindoos. We called at once at the
house in which I had lived nineteen years ago, owned
by a Hindoo. The old man is dead, but his son received me with great cordiality, and gave us a room
to occupy while in the city. When we first landed,
we showed ourselves at the custom house and got our




The Hero Missionary.          221
baggage passed. A few hours after, we were sent
for and questioned relative to our business; where
we came from; the name of the ship; the name of
the captain; what places we stopped at, if any; how
many days we were in reaching Africa; how many
days we remained there; how long in reaching Maulmain; how many days we remained there; how many
languages we understood; and many other questions
of a similar character;-and all was written down
with great minuteness. The next day we were sent
for again, and questioned relative to our object in
coming into Burmah, and if we were'Jesus Christ's
men;' all of which was written down, and then read
to us, and the inquiry put if it was written correctly.
On Saturday we were sent for again, and questioned
relative to Dr. Dawson's knowledge of medicine, and
how many kinds of diseases he could cure. Upon
this, Dr. D. brought a volume on Surgery, full of illustrative plates; this the officers examined with care,
and another record was made.
On Sabbath morning the viceroy sent for me. I
told the secretary to inform his Excellency that this
was a sacred day and I could not attend to any worldly
business. This, it seems, was satisfactory, but Lord's
day evening, between 9 and 10' o'clock, the secretary
came and said I would be called early in the morning,
and was to be questioned in reference to my former
residence in Ava. He manifested no small degree of




222                 Kincaid:
anxiety, thinking they were contriving a plan to get
me into difficulty. He is a fine young man, and appears to be a true friend, but he is very timid. Not
long since, however, an English merchant was imprisoned and his feet put in the stocks, because his father had, as they alleged, written a letter against the
government in one of the Calcutta papers. It cost
him between five and six hundred rupees to get out
of prison. Several foreigners have been imprisoned
during the last six months on the most frivolous pretences, and money extorted from them.
Early this morning, I was called to the custom
house and questioned in reference to the year I first
came to Burmah, how long I lived in Rangoon, and
how long in Ava, and other points of a similar character; and my answers were all written down. One
could almost fancy himself before a set of inquisitors.
One of the officers afterwards came and apologized;
he said it was the order of the viceroy, or governor,
and his authority was supreme. I replied that we had
no objection to answer any questions the government
was disposed to ask. All the officers whom I had
formerly known, treated us with civility. The viceroy is a new man, as are also all the high officers of
the empire. The temper and policy of the government have changed amazingly since the revolution in
1837. When I have had more experience I will write
more definitely.




The Hero Missionary.          223
Ko Thah A, the venerable old pastor, has called on
us two or three times; also two other members of the
church. The news of our arrival spread rapidly over
the city and into the neighboring villages, and many
with whom I had formerly been acquainted called,among them two young men who had been educated
in Mrs. Kincaid's school at Ava. Armenians, Mohammedans, and Hindoos have visited us. A Jew
from Bagdad has spent two evenings with us, listening to our account of the Messiah.    *    * 
I have as yet obtained no information about the
church in Ava. There cannot be many members
there; some have died, and I find eight of the Ava
disciples now members of the churches in Amherst
and Maulmain; one is in Arracan."




224                    Kincaid:
CHAPTER XVIII.
RESUMING  LABORS.
"What man is he that feareth the Lord? him shall he teach in the way
that he shall choose."-Ps. xxv. 12.
Then on!-his joys cannot be dim,
Who, trusting, goes to seek the lost:
0 there are coronals for him,
Who toils for Christ, nor shuns the cost."
THE special object of Mr. Kincaid's visit to Rangoon was to ascertain whether it was possible to secure a house there for the accommodation of his
family.  And having succeeded in his design, he re
turned at once to Maulmain. Soon after this, reports
reached him and were extensively circulated through
the city, that the Governor of Rangoon had proceeded with great severity against several persons who
had shown him special favor during his brief stay
there. These reports were generally regarded as
true, and soon they were confirmed by letters from
two English gentlemen.  The young Hindoo who had
given him a room in his house, had been thrown into
prison and compelled to pay a fine of two hundred




The Hero Missionary.           225
rupees. A writer had also been fined one hundred
rupees; while an interpreter, Moung Poh Gyau, had
his life threatened for daring to speak in his favor
after he had left.
Under these circumstances, various opinions were
entertained about the propriety of going to Rangoon
in the face of such hostile measures.
To Mr. Kincaid's mind, however, this opposition
did not appear sufficiently serious to interfere, in the
least, with his plans; and, accordingly, he hastened
his preparations to leave, and having engaged a
schooner, they sailed on the 12th of April, and on the
morning of the 16th were at anchor before the great
wharf. The consternation consequent upon the arrival of the missionaries at Rangoon, and the difficulties
that there immediately beset them, are thus related
by Mr. Kincaid in his journal:
"It was thought extremely doubtful," says he,
" about our being allowed to land. On learning this.
I was anxious to get all on shore before there could
be time to issue an order prohibiting our landing. I
hastened back to the vessel, and in a short time both
families were in the house of Captain Potter. We
returned as soon as possible, sent our beds, chairs,
and a few boxes of clothes to the custom house, but it
was near evening before they were passed. Coolies
were sent off with them to the house of Joe Alley,
which we had rented before leaving Rangoon. When
10*




226                Kincaid:
the old man saw the coolies loaded with baggage rushing into his compound, he and several servants raised
a cry of alarm and forbade a single article being put
into the house. I came just in time to prevent the
coolies and baggage being thrust into the street. I
remonstrated, told him that he could not break his
promise, that it was now nearly dark, and that our
ladies and children could not remain in the street.
The poor old Mussulman stroked his long white beard
and trembled like an aspen leaf. He was so agitated
that he talked half Burmese and half Hindoostani, and
kept saying, over and over,' I am afraid,-I am afraid
of the Governor,-Moung Kinge has been imprisoned
and fined two hundred rupees, a writer has been fined
one hundred rupees, and Moung Poh Gyau has had
his life threatened and has gone mad, —and all on
your account,-I am afraid, sahib." His looks, his
actions, his voice, all told how dreadfully frightened
the old man was. I told the coolies to put the things
down and bring the remainder. The poor old man
took hold of me in the most imploring manner, and
begged me to have compassion on his grey beard. I
told him I would stand between him and all harm. I
was now here and the governor would harm no one
on my account. At length he gave a sort of consent
to let us sleep one night in his house. Long after
dark we had all assembled in the house and spread
our mats on the floor.




The Hero Missionary.          227
Early on the morning of the 17th I went with Dr.
Dawson on board the schooner, and began sending
our boxes of books, medicine and furniture on shore,
fearing, from all we heard, that an order might come
prohibiting the landing of the baggage. We were
delayed about boats and coolies, so that our baggage
did not reach the custom house till five o'clock, and
but little of it was passed. Joe Alley was more
frightened than ever; he sent his son in the evening
with two bottles of rose-water, and told the governor
that we had come into his house and he wished to
get rid of us. The governor replied that he must
send us off.
Early on Friday morning, the 18th, the governor
came to the custom house with a large retinue, and
we were summoned before him. There was a dense
crowd, for his stern, oppressive course against every
one who had rendered us any little service, had
awakened the greatest interest to know how he
would proceed now that we had come back with our
families and baggage.. Besides Burmans there was
a large number of foreigners,-Mohammedans, Armenians, and the few English in the place. Without
ceremony the governor began, in a loud, harsh tone,
to question me about coming to Burmah.'What
have you come here for? Who invited you? Your
object is to overturn the king's religion. You have
been driven out of Burmah before. Who gave you




228                 Kincaid:
permission to come here?' IHe went on in this style
for several minutes.
As soon as he gave me a chance to speak I replied:' Your excellency must be aware that when I lived
in Ava I was on the most intimate terms with nearly
all the officers of the government, and was treated
with the utmost kindness by the Mekara prince and
prince Thur-ra-wa-di. When I left Ava the king
urged me to remain, or if I left, to return as soon as
I could and bring a printing press and a physician.
I promised to do so, and have now returned as the
king directed. So far from being driven out of Burmah, the king urged me not to go away.'
His manner was at once changed. He began to
expatiate on the beauties of Budhism, and said that
my object was to overthrow it. After a good deal
of this sort of thing, he said,'You can remain hero,
but you must keep in the house and do nothing till I
get word from Ava.' He then called a man who
speaks Hindoostani as well as Burmese and understands a little English, and said,' You must not enter
a single house, or go abroad any where, without having this man with you.' I was told by several persons, not an hour after, that this man was one of the
worst spies about the court, detested by all foreigners. Things looked dark, much worse than I had anticipated. As I had been requested to attend a fune



The Hero Missionary.           229
ral and conduct the services, I went away to put myself in readiness.
After we left, the governor expressed himself
rudely and violently against me. He was much
pleased to have Dr. Dawson remain, but before the
whole crowd of people, foreigners and all, lie said he
would not mind putting me in irons. This threat ran
like fire over the city. In a short time it reached
me, and I do not know when I have felt such a rush
of indignation. If he had said it to my face it would
have been manly, but it was coward-like to stab me
in my back. My first impulse was to go and tell him
to his face how much contempt I felt for cowards and
unprincipled tyrants. Then the funeral, with all its
solemn lessons was before me, and the thought of the
resurrection of the just and the unjust calmed my
spirit. My second thought was to pass his cowardly
threat in silence.
Poor old Joe Alley heard the news and was thrown
into a paroxysm of fear. His beard seemed to become
whiter, and he looked as pale as death. All he could
say was,' Go I go I go!' so piteously that I could not
withstand him. So, promising to get a place for our
baggage, and to bring no more to his house, I started
off at once. Of course I paid no attention to the governor's order to take his interpreter with me. It was,
in fact, making me a prisoner, and I would recognize
no such relation.




230                Kincaid.
From an early hour a highly respectable Mohammedan had been aiding us in every way he could.
The governor noticed this in the afternoon and ordered him to be beaten. Instantly some three or four
fellows pounced upon him, beat him in a savage manner, and kicked him out of the compound,-two hundred people looking on.
I went to five or six places to procure store room,
as our baggage was being rapidly overhauled and
tumbled unceremoniously out of the custom house.
On Saturday it was all passed and stowed in Captain
Potter's godown. During the day a number of respectable persons, Burmans and foreigners, urged us
to go to the governor and' speak sweet words to him,'
but I resolved to seek no interview. On Monday,
however, at the urgent request of many, we concluded
to go, and started off, but learned on the way that the
governor was in a terrible passion, and had that morning beaten a Mussulman terribly. At 5 o'clock, P. Mt.,
we set off again, but being informed that about an
hour before the same man was beaten again so dreadfully that he was carried off to die, as all supposed,
we postponed our visit. The next morning we
started off again, and again turned back, having
learned that the governor, that very morning, had had
a serious quarrel with his principal wife. A report
was current in the city on Monday evening and
through the following day, that the governor had




The Hero Missionary.          231
publicly threatened my life. I did not then, and do
not now, believe there was sufficient ground for such
a report. But, true or not true, I was fully satisfied
tnat he was too cowardly to commit such an outrage,
and would have cared little about it had it not reached
my family.
We now relinquished altogether the idea of going
to him, but about 7 in the evening word came from
the governor requesting us to call. We resolved at
once to go, though it was very dark and nearly two
miles off. We found him in an inner apartment with
two or three officers and a few servants. He treated
us courteously and showed us several swords made by
a Burman. He wished us to praise them, and really
the workmanship was praiseworthy. He made many
inquiries about my former acquaintance in Ava.
After a little time we got into an animated conversation about men and things in the Golden City. I
told him it was my intention to go up to Ava after
the rains, to which he made no reply. We remained
about an hour. When we were about leaving he said,' I shall write to the king and make strong representations in your favor; but there is one thing you must
promise, that is, to give no tracts to the people.' I
did not ask him for permission to remain, I did not
ask him to write to the king; still, I thanked him for
his offer to write.
We had that very day rented the house formerly




232                 KiTncaid:
occupied by Col. Burney, now owned by Moung Sa,
an aged Woon-gee in Ava. Without our knowledge
the agent came in to obtain the governor's sanction,
which was given promptly. Then turning to us he
said,'That is a very suitable house for you.' All
passed off very well. After spending,a week of extreme anxiety the storm seemed to have spent itself.
On the 3d of May a Sera-dau-gyee came, by order
of the governor, to inform us that a royal message
had that day arrived, that the king had heard with
pleasure of the American teachers who formerly
lived in Ava; he expressed a wish that they would
be disposed to remain in Burmah, and that they
might enjoy every possible favor. The Royal Secretary was attended by a, large retinue, and he seemed
much gratified that he was the bearer of such news.
The large hall in our house having been put in order, I preached in English and in Burmese the first
Lord's day in May, and had about thirty hearers.
The second Lord's day had about forty hearers;
among them were three Karens residing about two
days' journey from Rangoon. One of them has been
trwo years in Br. Binney's school, and is an intelligent
young man. He is the pastor of a church in the village where he lives. He inquired earnestly and affectionately after Br. Binney and Br. Vinton. In the
evening we had a prayer meeting, —four prayers in




The Hero Missionary.          233
Burmese, one in Karen and one in English, also singing in the three languages.      *    *    *
Poor Moung Kinge died three days ago, and on
the following day was followed to the grave by a
large number of people. He was much respected by
the entire community. This is the second man murdered by the governor since we came to Rangoon.
One was whipped to death, and Moung Kinge was
frightened to death. Since the day he was imprisoned, his life menaced, and the threat ferociously made
that his wife and children should be made slaves and
sent in chains to Ava, Moung Kinge has been sinking
to an untimely grave. He had no fortitude, and the
shock was too great. The bitter tears of his widow
and children awaken in me emotions of unutterable
detestation toward the brutal tyrant who has been
the cause of so much suffering. Moung Kinge was
guilty of giving Dr. Dawson and myself the use of a
room seven or eight days; for this he has been
frightened to death.  Moung Poh Gyau has only
just survived the savage treatment he received.
Gladly would I have been in the place of those young
men, and suffered all the indignities and 3ruel threats
of the governor.
Ko A, the venerable old pastor, calls occasionally.
He is in good health, but feeble with age. The members of the church are scattered in different villages,
except a few superannuated members. Ko A is too




234                 Kincaid:
feeble to labor. As yet I can write nothing very
definitely with reference to the Karens in this and
the neighboring province of Bassein. The greater
number of the Karen churches are from forty to one
hundred miles distant.
Thus I have given you a brief outline of events
since we landed in this city one month ago. You
will perceive that a great change has taken place
toward us on the part of the government, much to
the astonishment of all, Burmans and foreigners. We
may meet with opposition, we may expect it, but
still, with the Divine blessing, nothing is too great
to be overcome. I preach just as openly as I ever
did in any land. So far, we feel encouraged to hope
that the Lord has heard our prayers, and the prayers
of his people, in behalf of these millions. Pray for
us that we may be wise in winning souls to Christ."




The Hero Missionary.               235
CHAPTER XIX.
HAVING  FAVOR  WITH  ALL  THE  PEOPLE.
"When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at
peace with him." —Prov. xvi. 7.
*        *    *    "Seeking this
Alone-the approbation of his God,
Which still with conscience witnessed to his peace."
IN addition to the order from  Ava which reached
Rangoon on the third of May, and to which reference
has been made in the preceding chapter, the governor subsequently received another communication
from  the king, and Mr. Kincaid was immediately
summoned by the viceroy to listen to the reading of
the royal letter. When he presented himself before
him there was a full court assembled, and all business
was at once suspended, while a secretary, by the
governor's direction, read the paper aloud. The
substance of the document was that, " the American
teachers should be allowed, if they wished, and at
any time that they might choose, to come up to the
golden feet; or, if they preferred remaining in Rangoon, they were not to be molested."




236                 Kincaid:
After the reading of this royal order, the misslonaries at once commanded universal respect. " You
can hardly fancy," says Mr. Kincaid, "the altered
tone of the officers and people towards us. Before
these orders came down they were proud, haughty,
and insolent. Even the coolies in the street would
take pains to jostle us, and the underlings in office
were insolent in the extreme. Nothing of this now.
This order from Ava was unsolicited and unexpected.
VWe cannot regard it in any other light than as a special indication of Divine providence to go forward in
our work.
Our object in coming to this country," writes Mr.
Kincaid, "is well understood. The governor himself said, last April, that he had formerly known me
in Ava, and that I was laboring to overturn the king's
religion. On the first of July, when we went to the
governor's, we found some twenty-five or thirty officers and servants sitting in the audience hall. They
began conversing among themselves on the subject
of our mission, the character of our books, and the
peculiarities of our religion; and, certainly, they
said much that was very true. After this they began to ask questions, and one was, if we were not' Jesus Christ's men.'' We are,' I said,' and now I
will give you the reason;' and I went on for some
twenty-five minutes giving them an outline of the
Christian religion, no one interposing.




The Hero Missionary.           237
On the 29th of July we received a message from
the governor, which gave us no little solicitude.
Very early in the morning, one of the government
interpreters came and said the governor expected to
see us.  What,' I inquired,' does the governor
want?''He says, sir, that he has been very kind
to you, in sending up a petition to the king, and at
great expense in bringing the royal order from Ava,
and you do not visit him nor say anything about the
expense of getting down the order.''Indeed,' I said,'this is strange. If the governor sent a petition to
the king he did it without our request; and who supposes it has cost anything to bring the order from
Ava? It is an outrage to speak of expense, and you
may tell the governor so.''No, sir, I would not dare
to speak such words, for he is the governor, and you
had better come and see him.''Very well; we will
see him, but not to-day.'
Every one supposed that a demand would be made
for some two or three hundred rupees-this would
be treating us as he treats other foreigners.'What
will you do?' was the inquiry of every one.' Refuse
to pay any such demand.''But he has power to
compel you.'' He has power to send us out of the
country, but he has not power enough to compel us
to submit tamely to extortion and oppression.' We
remained quietly at our work till the 31st, thinking
it not best to be in haste to see him. Many persons




238                 Kincaid:
who are very friendly, urged that we should go with
S present worth thirty or forty rupees, tell him that
ve were afraid and that we were poor, and so throw
ourselves upon his clemency. To this I replied that
neither was true. We were not afraid, neither were
we so poor as to beg. If the governor had any just
claim we would pay him, but would never tamely
submit to extortion and tyranny. For in submitting
to one act of tyranny we were only inviting outrage
and oppression.
We took along with us a small present worth about
eight rupees. We were received in a bland and
gentlemanly manner.  The governor made several
inquiries, and among others when we intended going
to Ava; to which I replied,' As soon as the rainy
season is over.''You are right,' he said,' it is dificult and dangerous to go up during the rains. When
you are ready to go, I shall furnish you with the ex
pense of the journey.' None who saw and heard
him on this occasion, could fancy him the governor
we had to deal with last April."
While disposed to be somewhat conciliatory in his
personal relations, he seemed anxious also to convey
an impression that his views were, to a degree
changed respecting Christianity; and speaking tc
Mr. Kincaid one day on this subject, in the presence
of the court, he said:
" One thing about your religion I do not like; it aims




The Hero Miss&ionary.          239
like; it aims to destroy every other, and this is uncharitable.  They allowed our religion to be good,
but we would not allow theirs to be good;" this was
his great objection. To this Mr. Kincaid replied,
"That the whole design of Christianity was to
bring the race of man to love God supremely, and to
love others as themselves, and that this doctrine does
certainly make men wise and good and happy."
" You are getting all the people over to your side,
said the governor, " for you make them think well of
yourselves, and of your doctrine."
One of the highest in rank among his officers said,
"These teachers have all sorts of books; and then
they have maps of all the countries in the world, and
globes that represent the earth as round as an orange,
and that it turns round every day, and that the sun
stands still. Does not this go to destroy Gaudama's
religion?"
"True," said the governor; "this makes our religion false."
" Whether the sun goes round the earth," Mr. Kincaid replied, " or the earth round the sun, is a question that belongs to science and not to religion."
Everything, now, seemed to favor Mr. Kincaid in
his work, and, full of faith, we find him engaging, at
once, in active efforts not simply for the evangelization of Rangoon, but for the spread of the gospel
through the whole length and breadth of the empire.




'240 -Kincaid:
The scattered members of the Burman church now
began to gather round him-numerous cases of inquiry began to appear-representatives of churches
from distant towns came in to express their congratuations, others called to solicit books, and on every
hand, he was permitted to see the most cheering
tokens of the Divine favor.
Having sent off two of the native brethren to visit
the Karen churches east of Rangoon, and also to the
north and northwest, they zealously fulfilled their
missions, and returning brought the most cheering
intelligence of what they had been permitted to hear
and witness of the grace of God.
Among other matters of interest, they reported
that in every Christian household they found them
maintaining family worship morning and evening,
and on each Lord's day they met four times for public service.
The news of Mr. Kincaid's arrival in Rangoon, they
found had preceded them, and hearing of his rough
treatment by the authorities, prayer was made incessantly for him that he might not be driven from the
country. In one village they spent a Lord's day
with a church numbering over four hundred members,
and when they met with these brethren and read to
them the letters containing assurances of being affectionately and constantly remembered in the prayers
of the teachers, all were affected to tears, and many




The Hero Missionary.           241
wept aloud for joy. From the pastor of this church
they bore to Mr. Kincaid the following simple and
touching letter:" May the grace and fellowship of the Father, Son
and Holy Spirit be with you, with my love, and the
love of all the sons and daughters of God in this
church. I am one of the least of all the disciples, and
know but little of the divine word. Divine grace
has made me a teacher of the gospel, and by the
sacred imposition of hands I am made a pastor.
Daily I study the Bible, and pray for a larger measure
of the Holy Spirit, so as to teach and guide this flock
of little ones. I have but little knowledge and can
teach only what I know. I, the pastor, and all the
church rejoiced greatly when we heard that you had
come into this Burman kingdom, and cease not to
pray for you. Our Father who is in heaven will
hear our prayers. We all desire greatly to see you,
and to hear more fully the deep things of God, that
we may grow and be established in every virtue."
The ardent love of the Karens for the gospel was
never more strikingly illustrated than in the efforts
and sacrifices which many made, about this time, to
possess portions of the word of God. Some came
from a great distance, through districts infested with
robbers and amidst almost incessant storms. Among
these, Mr. Kincaid makes special mention of two
Christian boys from the province of Pautanau, one
11




242                 Kincaid:
hundred and thirty miles distant. They had been
sent by the church with a letter requesting ten New
Testaments, a copy of Pilgrim's Progress, seven tracts,
and two hymn-books. The books were carefully rolled up and put in the bottom of a basket, and then
the basket filled with rice and dried fish. This done,
they gave the parting hand, and in a tremulous voice
said-" Pray for us that we may be delivered from
the calamity of falling into the hands of officers with
these books."
Toward the close of this year, cases of inquiry began to multiply, and a number of hopeful converts
soon presented themselves for the ordinance of baptism. One of these, in relating the exercises of his
mind, said that about three months previous, his
heart had been very much perplexed through a
dream; he imagined himself going toward Shway
Dagong, and when not far off, it crumbled down into
a mass of ruins. He woke up in great distress, feeling that all his life long he had been rendering the
homage, due only to God, to that senseless mass of
ruins. He betook himself to prayer and the reading
of the New Testament. The light of truth shined in
upon his soul and he found peace in believing.
"Our baptism," says Mr. Kincaid, " took place between three and four in the afternoon, in the royal
tank. a beautiful, clear sheet of water, nearly four
miles in circumference. It has several finely wooded




The Hero Missionary.           243
islands, and is surrounded on three sides by groves
having a park-like appearance. Under the deep,
dark foliage of a clump of aged trees, on a green bank
sloping down to the water's edge, with the glittering
spires of a hundred pagodas before us, we kneeled in
prayer to Him who said,'Lo, I am with you.' I
cannot express to you our feelings when these redeemed ones, four Burmans and five Karens, went
down into the baptismal grave, rendering homage to
Him who is' the resurrection and the life.'
We have a number of very earnest inquirers.
Three of them, we think, have received the word of
God into their hearts. There are, besides, a large
number who no longer attempt any defence, but listen and are thoughtful. Just now, while I write,
three men from Dalla are sitting by me in conversation on the character of Christ's religion. I have
been reading and explaining to them for an hour.
They are saying,' Gaudama cannot stand, and what
is the use? We are a poor, ignorant people, after
having Gaudama's religion a thousand years.' An
intelligent young priest, who has visited us repeatedly during the last three months, and has borrowed
books of us, said the other day, that he was disgusted with the yellow robe and must throw it away.
The fields are white for the harvest on every side of
us. There is no serious opposition. People of all
ranks and ages come to us. A few days since, an




244                          Kincaid:
officer of high rank, with his lady and some twentyfive or thirty attendants, spent the evening with us,
and gave us a very urgent invitation to visit them."'Tis now the time of strife and war,
The contest sounds on every side;
Nations are bound to Satan's car,
And who shall meet him in his pride?
Is there no arm his power to break?
Are there no hearts that deeply feel?
Sons of the kingdom! rise, awake!
Obey at length your Saviour's will.
Hark!'tis the trumpet's warning cry!
Lo, o'er the earth the banners wave;
The Lord of glory comes from high,
To rule, to oonquer and to sato.




Tle Hero  Missionary.                       245
CHAPTER XX.
LABORS INTERRUPTED BY WAR.
"In the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his
tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. And now shall
mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I
offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto
the Lord."-Ps. xxvii. 5, 6.
"Labor! Wait! though midnight shadows
Gather round thee here,
And a storm above thee lowering
Fill thy heart with fearWait in hope! the morning dawneth
When the night is gone,
And a peaceful rest awaits thee,
When thy work is done."
DURING a residence of more than six months in
Rangoon, Mr. Kincaid was cheered by scenes and incidents of extraordinary  interest; but in the midst
of these encouragements, and when he had nearly
completed his preparations for proceeding to the capital in pursuance of his original purpose  and under
favor of the royal invitation, a new aspect was put on
the posture of things by the arrival of war steamers




246                 Kincaid:
at Rangoon, demanding on behalf of the East India
Government redress of grievances. For a long time,
British subjects had suffered from the Burman Government the greatest injustice. Without cause, they
had often been fined and imprisoned, and, such was
the terror under which they were living, that they
were compelled to endure, these wrongs in silence,
knowing that the slightest whisper of dissatisfaction
would only be visited by ten-fold greater outrages,
and even with cruel tortures and death. At length
tidings of the doings of the government towards British subjects reached the ear of Commodore Lambert,
and, after taking the necessary steps to satisfy himself of the truth of these reports, he came to demand
redress of the Burmese authorities.
On the evening of the 24th of November, 1851, a
frigate and four armed steamers came before the city
and immediately every thing was thrown into the utmost state of alarm..The governor threatened to set
the city on fire, and in every house the foreigners
were at work securing their papers and property.
Great gongs were beating in every direction. A report was current that all who wore hats (Europeans)
would be seized and carried off as hostages. Near
midnight Mr. Kincaid was sent to go to the governor's, nearly two miles distant. Without hesitation
he set off, but was met by messengers countermand'
ing the ordei




The Hero Missionary.           247
On the ollowing morning the governor with a large
guard appeared on the wharf, and there issued an order that any person, foreigner or native, who should
come down to any of the wharves, or appear on the
bank of the river, should be instantly beheaded.
This order was published through the city by beat of
gong and public crier. On hearing this Mr. Kincaid
went immediately to the main wharf, where there
were several distinguished officers and a guard, and
remonstrated with them in strong terms on the insane
course they were pursuing,-working themselves and
the people into a panic, when there was all possible
evidence that the ships were come on a peaceful mission,-to prevent, not to make war. They felt it, but
were disposed to be blind to the innumerable acts of
injustice and cruelty inflicted on all classes of people.
Corn. Lambert having sent a deputation of four officers with a communication to the viceroy, he immediately called for Mr. Kincaid; and in the presence of
some fifty of his great chiefs, ho desired to know from
him whether the translation of the commodore's letter was correct. After carefully reading both he was
assured that it had been faithfully rendered.
" What does it mean?" said the governor. "I am
accused of being a bad man, committing outrages on
her Britannic Majesty's subjects, and yet the letter
does not specify in what way I have done this: Tell
me what I should do."




248                 Kincaid:
"I am not competent," said Mr. Kincaid; "to advise
in these matters."
"Do not tell me so," he said; "you have more
books and maps than all the other people in the city,
and you know what the English want and what I can
do."
To get rid of his importunity Mr. Kincaid said," You can write to the commodore and ask for an explanation." This struck him favorably. Then he inquired whether the English had come for peace or
war.
"For peace, undoubtedly," Mr. Kincaid replied.
"If they had come for war, instead of three ships they
would have had twenty-five or thirty."
"After a few days," says Mr. Kincaid in his journal," the governor recovered in some measure from
the panic into which he was thrown, and commenced
hostile preparations, buying up all the muskets in the
city, collecting guns from all the neighboring cities
and fortifying the heights of Shway.Dagong, and
building stockades at Kee-nen-ding, four miles above
the city. He has collected from the surrounding villages about ten thousand men, and has invited to his
aid a celebrated robber chief with all his followers,
thus getting together all the desperate characters in
the lower provinces. As yet we had felt safe in the
old city, as the majority of the inhabitants are foreigners, but on the 4th and 5th of December. orders




iTe Hero Missionary.           249
were issued, it was reported, to attack the foreigners,
plunder them, cut their throats, and burn the city.
Bodies of armed men and of desperate character were
constantly parading the streets. Foreigners were all
armed and keeping ceaseless watch in their houses.
Corn. Lambert very kindly gave me an invitation to
place the ladies and children on board of one of his
vessels, and the stern cabins of the steamer'Tenasserim' were prepared for them; but Capt. Barker, of
the'Duchess of Argyle,' a large merchant ship, invited us to take refuge on his vessel, which seemed preferable, as the ships of war were threatened with an
attack by fire-rafts. On the evening of the 5th we
took Mrs. Kincaid and Mrs. Dawson, with the little
children, to a private wharf, where a boat was ready
to take them on board the'Duchess.' The next day
the young ladies went on board. Dr. Dawson and
myself remained on shore npost of the time. We
packed up our books and the most valuable part of
our baggage, and placed them in fire-proof godowns
belonging to Mr. Birrell. The ladies and children
were now safe and there was little danger to our property from fire, but it was necessary to keep a constant watch, especially by night, as the governor
threatened to let loose the robbers, now about 500
strong. He had openly and repeatedly declared his
intention of taking the lives of eight persons whom
he named, among whom I was included. We regard11*




250                 Kincaid:
ed his threats as the ravings of a maddman; still I kept
away from the new city, for I knew if he should muster courage to commence hostilities he would be
anxious to have me for a translator and interpreter.
A little after dark on the 10th of December, as I
was passing along one of the principal streets, I was
suddenly seized by some eight or nine Burmans, who
partly carried, partly dragged me into a dark, narrow
lane. There I was surrounded by forty or fifty armed
men. A long and not very pleasant altercation followed,-they threatening me, and I in turn threatening them; they insisting on taking me to the governor, and I insisting on going to the custom house.
At length I got to the custom house-I hardly know
how. A bundle of clothes from  the washerman,
which a Burman carried after me, was the excuse for
this outrage. The custom house officers interfered,
and after a long dispute these guards went to the
governor for an order to take me out. It was nearly
two miles to the governor's, and while they were gone
the custom house officers hurried me off on board
ship.
This, it seems, annoyed his excellency, for the next
afternoon he sent an officer to the commodore, complaining that I had taken my family on board ship
without his permission, and so had broken the laws
of Burmah. Com. Lambert replied that that law




The Hero Missionary.            251
might hold in reference to Burman subjects, but not
in reference to British subjects or persons claiming
British protection. He drew up a letter and sent it
to the governor by one of his officers and Mr. Edwards,
his translator, in which he stated, that the amity existing between the government of the United States
and her Britannic Majesty rendered it imperative on
his part to demand of his excellency the punishment
of those men who had seized and maltreated me the
evening before in the streets of Rangoon. The governor expressed much regret at what had taken place,
and said the men should be punished if I would point
them out. Of course this was impossible, for the men
were withdrawn from the old city.
On the 12th I went on shore again. I have learned
that two Portuguese, the tools of a Jesuit, have made
the governor believe that I am at the bottom of the
English expedition. This is the secret of his hostility to me. Within a few days the governor of Dalla
has received orders from Ava to place his troops at
the disposal of the Viceroy of Rangoon. Accordingly, fifteen hundred men crossed the river early on
the morning of the 19th, uttering the most savage
yells.  Yesterday one thousand men arrived from
Prome. After all, the only men the governor can
depend on are the robbers. The peasantry, that
make up four-fifths of his army, will throw away their
muskets and run at the firing of the first gun. The




252                 Kincaid:
officers threaten the Karen Christians that they will
place them'in the fore front of the battle' if the
English come on shore. Three hundred of the disciples are now on duty at the great pagoda. The
churches are sending messengers to us almost daily
to inquire how things are and to let us know their
situation. Few of them sleep in their houses for fear
of robbers. Our hearts bleed for them. We can
only say to them, Look up to Him who took care of
Elijah in the desert. The Burman peasantry, heathen as well as Christian, are also sending messengers to us, expressing the hope that the English will
put an end to the brutal tyranny under which they
have so long suffered. Among our more than ten
thousand disciples, besides hundreds who are'almost
Christians,' there is earnest prayer to Him  who
ruleth over all.
It is a merciful Providence that we had not left for
Ava. We had procured one boat and were just settling the price of another, when the war ships arrived.
The Lord hath ordered all things well."
Allefforts to bring the Burmese authorities to terms
having failed, hostilities ensued, and the mission
families, in.imminent peril, were compelled to hasten
their escape from  the city.  "We had only one
hour," says Mr. Kincaid, " to abandon our house and
take refugeon ship-board. With hardly a change of
clothes, we fled. One hour more, and we would have




The Hero Missionary.           253
oeen prisoners. Many foreigners did not escape, and
they were loaded with irons and crowded in a loathsome prison. Some died under their sufferings, and
the others were repeatedly ordered out for execution
and then remanded to prison."
As it was impossible to calculate how long these
hostilities would continue, the missionaries deemed
it prudent to seek a refuge in Maulmain. After remaining there about three months, however, Mr. Kincaid, leaving his family behind him, determined to
return to Rangoon. The very day after his arrival
the war was virtually terminated by the destruction
of the great fortress which had been defended by
30,000 Burmans with over two hundred mounted guns.
"From seven o'clock in the morning till evening of
that day," says Mr. Kincaid, "I spent in the fieldhospital among the wounded and the dying.  At
night I walked back two miles to the ship, among
the dead and dying Burmans strewed over the battlefield. That was a terrible day, and I thought continually of our suffering disciples. After all, their
sufferings had hardly begun.  The great Burman
army was shattered into fragments, and now, in
groups of from one to three hundred, they were
ravaging the country, burning the villages, slaughtering the cattle and robbing the people. I took up my
abode in an old building, having a great number of
idols in it. Having cleared out the idols and cob



254                 Kincaid:
webs, one large room was converted into a chapel.
A Karen deputation found me the third day after the
great battle; and then there was coming and going
in one continued stream.  The Burman disciples,
also, came in from their various hiding places, and
with them many other Burmans took refuge under
my building."
In the following June, Mr. Kincaid was again
joined by his family from Maulmain, and, having set
things in order, every department of missionary work
moved on as they never had seen it before. The
people's hearts were softened like wax. The arm
of the Lord was made bare, and they had Pentecostal
seasons almost every week.
"In our missionary work," said Mr. Kincaid, "we
have every encouragement to labor in season and out
of season. We have baptized every Lord's day since
the middle of July, and -the whole number up to the
present time is sixty.- From several villages where
we sent preachers and school teachers, we have cheering accounts. Two entire villages have sent off their
poongyees, turned their buildings into chapels and
school-houses, and sent to us a request to be taught
the ways of God-more perfectly. As soon as the war
closes, there should be missionary stations at Danabo
and Prome, two families for each.
Within a few days past we have buried two of our
Christian women, one of them the oldest member of




Thle Hero Missionary.         255
the church. As near as we can learn, she was ninetythree years of age. Till the very last she retained
her mental powers remarkably. She possessed much
faith, and spoke often of her desire to depart and be
with Christ. At our last communion season she was
borne to the chapel, and at the close expressed her
joy at being once more permitted to unite in this
holy service. Five members of the church have died
within the year."
Writing about this time to Mr. Marshman, of Serampore, editor of the Friend of India, he said:" The principles of Christianity have taken deep root
in the hearts of some 12,000, and through these a
large amount of moral influence is brought to bear on
some 20,000 more. Our churches are found scattered all the way from the seaboard to Prome. We
have now at school in this city two hundred and fifty
young persons preparing to go back to their villages,
some to teach school and others to labor as evangelists among their countrymen. About forty native
preachers are now supported by congregations over
the country. The intelligence of recent events in
Burmah has aroused to new energy the friends of
missions in America, and I have no doubt but we
shall be well sustained by having true and faithful
men sent to our aid. I hope to see churches raised
up along the whole line of this river to the Hukang
valley. Then we shall stand on the borders of west



256                 Kincaid:
ern China and on the upper waters of the great
Cambodia, and can reach by our books and our
preaching untold millions in the centre of eastern
Asia. I almost wish that I had been born thirty
years later in the Christian era, so as to see Christianity pouring its light over these vast regions.




The Hero Missionary.                 257
CHAPTER XXI.
SETTING UP THE STANDARD AT PROME.
Go through the gates; prepare you the way for the people; cast up, cast
up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people."
Isa. lxii. 10.
" Fear not, shrink not, though the burden
Heavy to thee prove;
God shall fill thy mouth with gladness,
And thy heart with love."
FOR many years the city of Prome, occupying a
position midway between Rangoon and Ava, had been
regarded as one of the most promising centres of missionary labor in the Burman empire.  The gospel
was first preached there by Dr. Judson, in 1830, and
with an encouraging prospect of success, but after a
residence of a few months, he was peremptorily ordered away.  From that time to 1853 but little effort
had been made to spread the knowledge of Christ
among its 50,000 idolatrous inhabitants. In the beginning of that year, we find Mr. Kincaid taking up
his abode there, and, in strong faith, laying his plans
for its evangelization.  By the kind assistance of the




258                 Kincaid:
quarter master general of the army, he succeeded in
obtaining possession of two monasteries, with a zayat
immediately contiguous to the highway, and on Lord's
day the 22d of January, he held his first public religious service. Much to his joy he soon ascertained
that a Burmese Christian had anticipated him, and
was already " holding forth the word of life," having
nightly gatherings of the people at his house, to whom
he read and explained the Scriptures. This man was
one of the converts baptized ten years previously by
Mr. Kincaid in Arracan, and was now in the employ
of the assistant commissioner at Prome. He had entered into this service on the express condition that
he might be allowed to spend a part of his time daily
in giving religious instruction to his countrymen.
From him Mr. Kincaid received a considerable amount
of important information relative to the state of the
public mind, and the best means of presenting before
the people the claims of Christianity.
" Religious services," said Mr. Kincaid, " are held
every Lord's day, at 11, A. M., in the chapel in the centre of the city. The congregation numbers from one
hundred to one hundred and fifty, who are attentive
listeners. Besides these, there are sometimes nearly
a hundred comers and goers, who listen outside all
around the chapel. After the regular services have
closed, many of the hearers usually remain, and others also come in  The disciples scatter themselves




The Hero Missionary.           259
among them; and, collecting in little groups of five
or ten, commence, in a conversational way, to lay before them the claims of Christianity; there they remain for an hour or two. This is often a time of
great interest, and much excitement, as all are engaged in conversation. Sometimes a reference is
made to the'law and the testimony;' and the large
quarto Bible is taken from the bamboo stand and
placed on the floor, where, it is read, passage after
passage, by some one of the native assistants, and
then explained in the hearing of all.
The assistants occasionally have meetings at their
houses, in the north part of the city, and by this
means the light of the gospel is spreading in their
neighborhood."
The first fruits of the gospel at Prome were three
converts, baptized February 22. In July, the number
had increased to thirty-eight, and there were very
many inquirers, not only in Prome, but in the neighboring towns and villages. In one village, ten miles
distant, there were seven converts, and the entire
village had abandoned their Budhist priests. Applications for preaching were received from other directions. Excursions had been made to large cities,
sometimes by the missionaries, accompanied by the
assistants, and sometimes by the assistants alone. At
Keaugen, forty miles below Prome, with a population
of sixty thousand, multitudes gave ear to the gospel.




260                 Kincaid:
In January there were four churches, including two
Karen, and the near promise of a fifth, where five
converts had been baptized, and there were several
hopeful inquirers. The whole number received to
baptism was about eighty, residing in ten or twelve
localities, distant from Prome, in opposite directions,
from twelve and thirty-eight, to ninety miles. Two
of the baptized were from Ava, who came for the
purpose of learning more of the way of life. Seventy
members were enrolled on the records of the Prome
church, of whom, twenty-one were Karens.
In a letter dated Prome, February 7, 1855, Mr. Kincaid says:
" We intend soon to make Tau-yet, forty-five miles
north of Prome, one of our principal stations. It is
four miles below Meaday, the frontier English fortress,
and is rapidly becoming a large town. Innumerable
villages cover the country in the rear of Keyau Gen.
This we shall also make an important centre. We
have encouragement to hope that three men, a short
time since baptized, will become laborers in the Lord's
vineyard. They are men of fair natural talents and
a good education, and are studying the Scriptures day
and night, so as to be able to teach others the things
of the kingdom. One of the most encouraging features in the work of grace in Prome is the large proportion of gifted men and women, who are hopefully
converted. There is one, and often there are two




The Hero Missionary.          261
public meetings every evening in the city, conducted
mostly by Ko Dway and Moung Pau-te. Very often
the place is crowded, and not unfrequently some are
obliged to go away for want of room. Moung Kauye,
Moung Myat Poo, and Keyau Gen are almost constantly going from village to village, and from city to
city, preaching Christ. If, within a few months, the
Lord gives us three more evangelists, we shall be able
to enlarge our field of active labor. In a few days I
intend going north, and I hope to preach Christ'in
every city and village as far as Ava. Every week we
have inquirers from northern cities, and we must
heed the Macedonian cry.
Our hope and prayer is that the Lord will raise up
laborers to reap this great harvest. I feel oppressed
beyond utterance, when I look over this wide field
and see what is to be done. It is important that we
employ all the sanctified talent within our reach, for
evangelizing these cities and villages."
Writing six months subsequent to this, he says" The word of grace is still onward. Several have
been baptized within a few weeks, and among them
one Chun, the first Christian of his race. Another
Chun is a candidate for baptism. The Yoma mountains are inhabited by this people for hundreds of
miles. They are evidently a branch of the great
Karen family.
Our congregation on the Sabbath varies from one




262                 Kincaid:
hundred and fifty to two hundred. The church is
preparing to build a good teak chapel during the
coming dry season. They are subscribing liberally
for the purpose.
Our Karen field is large to the northeast and southeast; and the spirit of inquiry is increasing. We
have baptized over forty Karens, and are instructing
eight for teaching schools in the villages, and two for
assistants more particularly. Karen chiefs are often
coming in and asking for school-teachers: but we
have only one man who can read his own language.
We hope to have ten more soon. There is a wide
spirit of inquiry among this people, and the coming
cold season I intend visiting two or three scores of
their villages. We have disciples now in four cities
between this and Ava."
But this religious prosperity was not confined to
Prome. In every direction the influence of the gospel was spreading, and converts were multiplied in
all the adjacent towns and villages. That which
gave special and preeminent interest, however, to
the work of grace at Prome, was that it included an
unusual number of Burmans. Thus while the aggregate of baptisms at the close of the year was one hundred and sixty-one, more than one hundred were reported as Burmans.
"FULL many a day in faith and prayer
Where heathen feet have trod,




The Hero  MJIissionary.                      263
Thou'st labored with a father's care
To point their souls to God.
And 0 what joy thy spirit folt,
When at the Saviour's feet,
With thee the anxious heathen knelt,
God's mercy to entreat;
Or when beneath the yielding wave
Of Irrawaddy's tide,
Burmah's dark sons allegiance gave
To HIMi, the crucified.
Go on, dear servant of the Lord,
And still his love proclaim,
Till Burmans all may read his Word,
And praise his holy name."




264                    Kincaid:
CHAPTER XXII.
IN  FAVO R  WITH  THE  KING.
" Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings."
Prov. xxii. 59.
" Let us then, be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait."
THOUGH Ava was the field to which Mr. Kincaid
had been specially designated, various circumstances
conspired to delay his going thither, and, while waiting for a favorable opening, he had been led, as we
have seen, to devote himself to missionary labors in
Rangoon and Prome.  During the month of September, 1855, however, he. was called upon by a messenger from the king and heir-apparent to ascertain
when he intended to make his visit to the Royal
City.  Subsequently he received repeated messages
from  the court, which had now  been removed to
Ummerapoora, offering boats and men to take him
and his family up, and also to furnish him with a
house.  Encouraged by this indication of good feel



The Hero Missionary.           265
ing on the part of his majesty, Mr. Kincaid, in company with Dr. Dawson, decided to make an experi
mental visit to the Capital in the early part of the
ensuing year,-this time being selected in view of
the fact that they would then meet the Chinese and
Shan caravans, and thereby have an opportunity of
sending books widely over the northern and eastern
provinces.
The journey to the Capital was begun on the 24th
of March and accomplished on the 11th of April,
some time having been spent on the way in visiting
the most important villages and towns. Ummerapoora is situated a short distance above Ava, containing a population of 300,000 souls, and may be regarded, perhaps, as one of the finest cities in the
Empire. The streets are broad and clean, and some
of them are five or six miles long. On the north
side of the city is a beautiful lake, and the cocoanut
tamarind, mango and other trees, are to be seen in
abundance.
One of the first things Mr. Kincaid did after getting his things out of the boat, was to dispatch the
two native assistants, Ko En and Moung Pau-te, to
seek out the members of the little church which was
formerly in Ava. After a search of more than half a
day, they found one individual, by the name of Ko
Shway-nee,-and no language could express the feelings excited both ir him and his teacher at again
12




266                 Kincaid:
meeting. "Amid all the trials and struggles," says
Dr. Dawson, "to which he had been exposed, during
the long period of seventeen years, his faith and hope
as a Christian have remained unshaken. Many a
bitter blast of temptation, of persecution and of
worldly scorn has swept over his soul, and in the
loneliness of his lot he supposed that God had forsaken him. But, casting away all fear, he has fought
the good fight of faith and remained steadfast in
Christ. When he heard that teacher Kincaid had
arrived, his heart was filled with.gladness, and down
ais furrowed cheeks flowed tears of joy! Of the old
nembers of the Ava church, three of the venerable
and aged had gone to their home in heaven.  Others
had left the city and settled elsewhere. A brother
of Ko Shway-nee's wife had for a long period been
an inquirer, and by gradually receiving instruction
from his relative and looking to the Saviour for guidance, he finally settled down in the conviction that
he was a Christian. His case.was particularly interesting, inasmuch as it showed that God sometimes
honors a very humble instrument to convert the
heart of an unlettered Burman. This man proposes
to accompany us down the river to Prome, where he
wishes to be baptized. We rejoice in this first trophy
of redeeming grace which has now become known to
us, in the golden city of Ummerapoora."
At first considerable effort was made on the part




The Hero  fissionary.           267
of a Jesuit priest and some of the officers to awaken
prejudice in the king's mind against the missionaries,
but all their devices signally failed, and in a few days
they were sent for to go up to the palace. " To attempt any description of this magnificent establishment," says Dr. Dawson, "would require more time
and space than I am now able. to give it. It will
suffice to say that it is built almost entirely of teak
wood, lacquered, carved and gilded in a manner to
make it an exceedingly imposing structure in the
eyes of a stranger. Over the throne-room projects
a spire, at once gorgeous and attractive. The height
of it is probably about two hundred feet. The wings
of the main building represent the figure of a cross.
Next to it is the treasury, containing the crownjewels; back of it is the garden; on one side is the
royal tower, surmounted by a cupola; farther on is
the royal stud, and at its side stands the palace of
the'white elephant.' Within the same enclosure
are the arsenal and sheds for a great many guns. In
front is a spacious building, constructed in the same
style as the palace, known and occupied as the king's
court. Here sit the woongees, or ministers of state,
hearing and deciding cases, and administering laws
which affect the entire kingdom. Surrounding the
whole establishment are three walls, the outermost
being a wooden palisade; the others are of brick.
Our first interview was with two of the At-wen



268                  irncaid:
woons, or privy councillors, to whose private office
we were led by Mr. Anthony Camarata, the collector
of government customs.  These functionaries received us with much friendliness, bade us sit down
on the floor, and inquired into our business with the
king. Mr. Kincaid mentioned that he lived in Ava
during the reign of Noung-dau-pra, and left the capital soon after the accession to the throne of Thur-rawadi. We had now come simply to pay our respects
to his Majesty, and to ascertain whether we might
come up hereafter, and take up our abode near the'golden feet.'  Several other inquiries were then
made of both of us, as to our particular professions,
the kinds and cures of different diseases, surgical
operations on tumors, on the limbs, and on the eyes;
and other things pertaining to medicine. Appearing
rather pleased, the two privy councillors rose, and,
after adjusting their dress, said they would go up into
the palace to see whether the king was at leisure, and
requested us to remain for the present where we
were. A crowd of people that thronged the office
now broke away, and the officials passed out.
At half-past twelve, the collector called for us, remarking that the king was unengaged. Dropping
our shoes at the bottom of the steps, we walked up,
and were at once ushered into the royal presence.
His Majesty, the king of Burmah, was now before
usI




The Hero MJisseonary.         269
His age is about forty-one; his height is five feet
seven inches. He is full and fleshy, without being
fat, has a large, well developed head, particularly in
the frontal region, and a noble brow. His countenance is pleasing, expressive of a thoughtful mind,
cheerful temper and benevolent heart. He wore a
rich silk' patso' round his waist, but he had neither
jacket nor head dress. His long black hair was rolled up into a knot at the top of his head. His features
and complexion are of the ordinary Burman type.
Seating ourselves on the floor, as did everybody
except His Majesty, and throwing our feet back into
a most awkward and painful posture, with our hands
upraised, we made our bow in the usual fashion ob
served at this court. The king nodded,as indicative
of recognition. About thirty persons were in the
chamber, who sat around in a semi-circle, and four
sword-bearers, with their swords before them. The
monarch was seated on a crimson velvet carpet,
fringed with silk, and spread out on the elevated
floor of the adjoining, but open apartment. A bolster reposed against one of the gilded posts of the
room, against which the king reclined as he saw fit.
We were formally introduced by the privy councillors as two American sayahs, (teachers,) one of whom
(pointing to me) has some knowledge of medicine.
His Majesty opened the conversation by inquiring
our object in coming to the capital. Fearing some




270                 Kincaid:
impropriety in the expression of court terms and
mode of address-words which are seldom or never
pronounced in free America-we replied, mostly
though not entirely, through Mr. Collector Camarata,
that we had come up to present our respects to the
king, and to get his authority to move up to the capital by-and-by with our families. He asked what we
proposed doing? Our answer was,' To instruct the
people, to have a school for children, and to open a
medical dispensary for the sick and suffering.' He
then inquired how far America is from Burmah, how
long it takes sailing vessels and steamers to make the
passage out, the geographical situation of the continent of America, of Europe, and of various countries.
He next spoke about the political relations existing
between France and the United States, between
France and England, and between England and
America. Had England and America ever been at
war?'Yes, twice.'' What was the result of those
wars?  We replied,' The American people got what
they wanted. The first war obtained for them their
independence; the second procured for them justice
in regard to their commerce on the seas.''Have
you a king in America, or what form of government
have you there?'' The government of the United
States is a republic,-all the officers being elected by
the people. The president, or chief magistrate, is
elected every four years.' He shook his head, when




The Hero lissionary.            271
told that the president is so frequently changed, and
remarked that it was not a wise arrangement. He
wished for information about the war now in progress
with Russia, and the views entertained concerning it
in the United States,-' because,' said he,'not being
mixed up in it,they would speak the truth.' He
next asked, whether our coming up to his capital,
and residing in it, would affect our political relations
with our own government, or our right of citizenship
in the United States.'Not in the slightest,' we replied. He then inquired,'Whether, if he wished us
to go-one or both of us-to America upon his business, we would be willing to do so.' We answered
that if his Majesty urged us to proceed to the United
States on any important national business, for a short
season, we could hardly refuse: that we would of
course go; but we hoped the king might have no
reason for such a step.
He now repeated his question about the object of
our visit to Ummerapoora, intimating  somewhat
pleasantly, that merchants, he knew, wished to acquire
property and riches —that scientific travelers passed
through the country to observe its formation, and to
notice curious and striking natural phenomena; there
are others, whose design is not quite so clear, or creditable. By the latter class he evidently meant to
say'spies'-whose object is disreputable. This was
the hardest remark that he made, and we could not




272                 Kincaid:
fail to allow the credit of it to the wily Jesuit. We
answered as before.'But,' continued the king,'Burmese children-do not desire to study English.' We
replied, that we never intended to teach them English; that there were a few foreigners' children who
might wish to study it, but the Burmese ought to be
taught knowledge; and there was a great deal of useful knowledge to learn. He then wanted to know
when we would come up. We informed his Majesty
that we could not leave our present stations at Prome
and Rangoon, before other men from America should
come to take our places. We hoped it would not be
long, and that we should certainly, if Providence permitted, return again, at least to remain for a short
period, during the next cold season. Turning to his
officers on the opposite side, he observed,' The white
races are generally learned people; they are fond of
books.'
The king now spoke about commerce, and said that
he wished to encourage trade as much as possible.
He requested us to write to the newspapers in America, and to inform our fellow-citizens, that he would
do every thing in his power to promote trade. He
hoped merchants would come and settle in his kingdom, that he would afford them every opportunity to
obtain riches. We promised that we would make
known his Majesty's sentiments. Mr. Kincaid offered
to send him regularly the'New York Weekly Tri



The Hero Missionary.           273
bune.' There are foreigners here who can translate
it for him.' He would be glad to see it, for,' said he,'we can rely on it for particulars about the Russian
war.'
His attention was next directed to a' free-will offering' of books, which we had taken for the king's acceptance. He inquired what they were?  We told
him, calling out the names,-the' Historical Instructor,' translated into Burmese by Mr. Stevens, for the
government schools at Maulmain; a copy of Mr. Stilson's arithmetic in Burmese; a work by the same author on geometry, also in Burmese;-a little book on' Human Anatomy,' translated by Mrs. Bennett,-and
a richly bound copy of the Bible in Burmese. Speaking about books, he advised us to give no tracts or
books to the Burmese; it would, he thought, be labor
in vain. Some observations were now made respecting Burmese books, when the king remarked, that no
man could read them all, they were so numerous, and
not one in fifteen thousand could comprehend half of
what he did read. His grand uncle, who was the
most learned man in the empire, the celebrated Mekara prince, had read all the Burmese sacred books but
one; though a most devoted student, he could not
accomplish so great a task.
Our interview had now lasted nearly two hours,
when his Majesty rose, and throwing his arms across
his chest, and looking towards us, he said,'If you
12*




274                 Kincaid:
have any feelings of regard for me,-in short, if you
love me, come soon, come soon, and I will pay all your
expenses.' He then turned, and retired into his private chamber.
Immediately the officers gathered round to look at
the books; but they had scarcely opened them, when
a lad came out and said,'The king has sent for the
books.' Before leaving the palace, we were informed
that the king was engaged in reading them."
After remaining at the capital about a week, they
returned to their homes atProme and Rangoon, greatly
encouraged with the prospect of reestablishing the Ava
mission, and rejoicing that the time had come when
the gospel might be carried without hindrance to all
the cities and towns of Burmah.
On the 24th of January, 1856, accompanied by their
families, Messrs. Kincaid and Dawson again left
Prome, on a second visit to the capital, where they
arrived after a passage of twenty-five days. They
were again received by the king in the most friendly
manner, and strongly urged by him to take up their
abode in the royal city. At their first interview with
the king's brother he proposed committing to the care
of Mr. Kincaid ten or a dozen young men, selected
from some of the first families, to be taken to America
for the purpose of acquiring an education in the
higher branches of mechanical science; subsequently,
however, it was thought best to abandon this scheme,




The Hero Missionary.            275
and substitute a literary course at the "Doreton College," Calcutta.
But while that subject was engaging the thoughts
of his royal highness, the king's mind was occupied
with the project of despatching an official embassy
to the government of the United States. For this
service his Majesty was pleased to select Mr. Kincaid,
engaging to pay all the expenses of the overland passage and,back to Burmah. After some hesitation,
Mr. Kincaid consented to the arrangement, and, a
council of State having been held to consider the
matter, a royal letter was at once prepared, and committed to the hands of Mr. Kincaid to be borne to the
government at Washington.
In taking their leave of the court, Mr. Kincaid and
Dr. Dawson were each presented with a silk patso, a
ring, and a drinking cup, as marks of personal favor
from his Majesty; while Mrs. Kincaid and Mrs. Dawson and the children were introduced to the queen
and ladies at the palace, and were received with much
cordiality. They gave a copy of the Burmese Bible
to her Majesty, which was graciously and gladly accepted.




276                        Kincaid:
CHAPTER XXIII.
ON  THE  KING'S  BUSINESS.
" I rose up and did the king's business."-Dan. viii. 27.
"Down the dark future, through long generations,
The sounds of war grow fainter, and then cease;
And like a bell with solemn, sweet vibrations,
I hear once more the voice of Christ say' Peace.'
Peace! and no longer from its brazen portals,
The blast of war's great organ shakes the skies:
But beautiful as songs of the immortals,
The holy melodies of love arise."
HAVING consented to further the king's wishes with
reference to the opening of friendly and commercial
intercourse with the United States, Mr. Kincaid began at once to make his arrangements for another
hasty  visit to America.  The  opportunity  of thus
serving his Majesty was the more cheerfully embraced
from  the fact that the precarious state of Mrs. Kincaid's health seemed, again, imperatively to demand
a change of climate.  But for this consideration, his
duty to the interests of the Mission would have been
regarded  as altogether too  sacred to  be neglected
merely for the performance of a service not likely to




The Hero Missionary.           277
result in any practical importance. Hoping, however, that a visit to his native land would restore his
companion to her wonted health, he was induced to
accept the king's appointment; and, accordingly,
accompanied by his family, he left Rangoon, and was
again on his way to America.
Shortly after his arrival here, he proceeded to
Washington, and delivered into the hands of the President the Royal letter with which he had been intrusted, and of which the following is a literal translation. It was sealed with the king's seal, and inclosed
in an elegant ivory box, lined with crimson velvet.
"His Majesty, whose glory is like the rising sun,
ruling over the kingdoms of Tho-na-pa-yon-te, Yonpa-de-pa, and all the eastern principalities, whose
chiefs walk under golden umbrellas-Lord of Saddan,
the King of Elephants, and Lord of many white Elephants-whose descent is from  the royal race of
Alompra,-also the great Lords and officers of State,
ever bowing before his Majesty, as water lilies around
the throne, to direct and superintend the affairs of
the EmpireSend salutations to the President and great officers
of State residing in the city of Washington, and
ruling over many great countries in the continent of
America.
His Majesty, whose shadow, like that of his royal




278                 Kincaid:
race, falls over the entire kingdom, desires to govern
so as to promote wise and useful regulations, such as
the greatest of rulers has ever made it his study to
accomplish. His Majesty is aware that it has always
been the custom of great rulers to be on terms of
friendship with other nations, and to pursue measures
tending to perpetual amity.
As the American Teacher, Rev. E. Kincaid, has
come to the royal city, without hindrance, and he has
permission to go in and out of the Palace when he
pleases, and has permission to look on the royal countenance, he will be able to address the President of
the United States, and the great officers, on all subjects pertaining to the government and kingdom of
Burmah. Should this royal kingdom and the great
country of America form a friendly intercourse, there
is on our part the desire that the two great countries
through all coming generations may cultivate friendly
relations-and that the merchants and common people and all classes may be greatly benefitted. Foi
this purpose this royal letter is committed to Mr.
Kincaid. Should he be charged with a letter from
the President and great officers of State, to bring to
the royal city of Ava, for his Majesty and the court,
and should the President and great officers say, Let
the two countries be on terms of friendship, and that
our children and grand-children, and all merchants
and the common people, may through all generations




The Hero Missionary.              279
reap great advantage-should such a message come,
it will be heard with great pleasure."
To this letter the President prepared a respectful
and appropriate reply, committing the same, with a
large number of valuable national publications, to the
care of Mr. Kincaid, to be delivered to the king.
The duties connected with this civil service were
soon and easily accomplished.  There were other
matters, however, of an ecclesiastical character, which
demanded his attention, and which were not so easily
adjusted.
For a number of years serious difficulties had been
known to exist between some of the Executive Committee, at Boston, and a large number of the Missionaries. These difficulties had now become so involved
as to require a full and clear statement of all the facts
in order that the integrity and honor of brethren in
the foreign field might be vindicated. As one of
their number-bound to each by strong fraternal
ties, and familiar with all the points involved in the
several cases-Mr. Kincaid came forward and stood
nobly for their defence.
In his earnest vindication, as published,* will be
found the principles for which Mr. Kincaid contended, as well as the motives which prompted him  to
* This vindication appeared originally in the form of letters in the columns
of The American Baptist and Christian Chronicle. These letters were subsequently issued in the form of a pamphlet.




280                  Kincaid:
take so conspicuous a part in this vexed and still unsettled controversy.
Let it here suffice to say, that the views set forth
in that vindication, were not reached in haste, nor
were they advanced in a retaliative spirit of controversy. From the beginning of his missionary life he
had boldly contended with all his prominent associates in labor, that the relationship subsisting between
God's ambassadors who are sent to the foreign field,
and the religious organization through which they
derive their support, is not that of "principal and
agent, employers and employed;" but strictly one of
" brotherly equality," a relationship requiring them to
look upon each other as fellow-laborers in the gospel.
Hence, when the claim was officially put forth that
" the authority of the Board is absolute," and when that
authority, through the Executive Committee, issued
instructions demanding  "acquiescence"  under the
claim of an "absolute" power-a power never conceded
by the missionaries, and which they could not comply with except at the costly sacrifice of their individual responsibility,-Mr. Kincaid felt himself bound
to protest against such usurped authority, claiming
for himself and for his brethren the right of "reciprocal direction," and contending that no change should
be made by either party without " the consent of the
other."
In advocating this principle, Mr. Kincaid was led




The Hero Missionary.           281
to speak of particular instances in which he beleived
it had been openly violated. Alluding for instance,
to the case of Mr. Vinton, who was regarded as refractory, in having without authority removed from
Maulmain to Rangoon, Mr. Kincaid, after fully ex-'plaining the circumstances which led to that important change, concludes by saying-" Did' Mr. Vinton
go to Rangoon on his own responsibility?' One thousand Karen Christians called him to'come over and
help them.' Humanity with imploring voice called
him; above all, the Providence of God, in clear and
distinct language, called him to the work. Dare he
sit still, and say to these suffering Karens, and to
weeping humanity, and above all to the Providence
of God,' Let me first go and obtain permission from
those who claim dictatorial power over me?' Dare
he so insult the Providence of God, and mock the
entreaties of God's suffering people? Shall he say
that he is a hireling and careth not for the torn and
scattered flock? Did' Mr. Vinton go to Rangoon on
his own responsibility?' Shame, shame on such gross
and fabulous statements. Never, since the day that
Paul was called into Macedonia, has there been a
clearer case of duty to go in the name of Christ. Had
it been my case, under similar circumstances, no opposition on the part of man would have been regarded
as of the slightest moment. I should have brushed
them as cobwebs from my path. What power is that




282                 Kincaid:
which thrusts itself between the ambassador of Christ
in a heathen land, and the God of missions? What
power is that which claims to keep the consciences
of men who are planting churches on heathen shores?"
To the exercise of this power, claiming the right
to give direction, but resisted by several devoted and
successful missionaries, Mr. Kincaid ascribes all the
difficulty which has for years disturbed our missionary
operations. It is this, he contends, that has subjected
them to the grave charge of " disregarding regulations" and " setting at naught instructions"; and impressed with the danger and evil consequent upon
such an assumption of power, he says-" The cry of'insubordination,' disregard of regulations,''setting
at naught instructions,' is the cry of desperation.Oppression has caused a revolt, not against regulations, but against outrage and wrong. Regulations
are never knowingly disregarded. Oppression arouses,
in self-defense, all but abject slaves." And then he
adds-" Let any man or set of men be armed with
dictatorial power, and there may be the exhibition of
a strong government, to carry any measure, however
unwise, to silence every murmur, however reasonable,
and to crush all opposition, however just, as Louis
Napoleon put France under his feet. Let every subject of importance be thoroughly ventilated and sifted.
Let discussion, untrammeled by threats, be invited.
Let all the aids of testimony, and the lights of expe



The Hero Missionary.            283
rience and history be invoked. Let opinion grapple
with opinion. This will be the most precious guaranty for the avoidance of evil, the security of sacred
rights, and the preservation of truth. If infallibility
is ascribed to one set of men, in such a sense as to
require all their official acts to be sanctioned without
examination, then a principle has been adopted abhorrent to Protestant Christianity."
The fearless avowal of sentiments like these had
the effect, of course, to awaken, in some quarters, no
little opposition, and not a few were disposed to regard their utterance in the light of a crime worthy to
be treated as ecclesiastical treason. But neither fear
nor favor could for a moment influence him to withhold the declaration of his honest convictions; and,
with the same frankness and manliness which has
marked his whole life, he has not hesitated to speak
what he believed to be the truth, nor shunned the
responsibility assumed in resisting what he has felt
to be an encroachment on the Christian liberty of
himself and his missionary brethren.
As on his two former visits to America, Mr. Kincaid's earnest addresses were everywhere listened to
with the deepest interest, and his moving appeals in
behalf of the perishing heathen never failed to meet
with a cheerful and liberal response. But in addition
to the service rendered to the general cause of missions, he was successful, through the voluntary con



284                 Kincaid:
lributions made at the close of his last public efforts
in Philadelphia and New-York, in raising a fund of
about a thousand dollars, which was judiciously expended in the purchase of a large assortment of educational works, and also of a number of astronomical
instruments for the use of the Karen schools at
Rangoon.




The Hero Missionary.                 285
CHAPTER XXIV.
OVERLAND  TO  BURMAH.' Behold, the third time I am ready to come unto you; and I will not bo
curdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you."-2 Cor. xii. 14.
" 0 Burmah! shrouded in the pall
Of error's dreadful right!
For wings-for wings once more to bear
To thy dark shores the light."
ON the second day of August, 1857, Mr. Kincaid,
weaving his family behind him, again set out for Burmah.  With the view of visiting Mrs. Kincaid's relatives in Scotland, he embarked for Glasgow, arriving
there after a pleasant passage of fifteen days from
New-York.  Between four and five weeks were profitably spent in journeying through Scotland and
England, and in both countries he received a most
cordial welcome, and was frequently called upon to
address very  large  assemblies on  the  subject of
missions.
While in London, Mr. Kincaid embraced an opportunity of hearing the Rev. C. H. Spurgeon, at Surrey
Garden, and the following extract from a letter, ad



286                 Kincaid:
dressed to the Rev. N. Brown, D. D., will convey to the
reader his impressions of that remarkable preacher,
and, also, his views of church music-a topic at the
present time exciting no little interest.
" The great edifice," he says, " with its three galleries, one above the other, and running round the
entire building, was crowded to its utmost capacity.
The sermon was plain, deeply practical, and delivered with an earnestness and pathos that held that vast
assembly so still, that it seemed as if each one held
in his breath. He drew such a picture of man's
moral helplessness, and God's amazing grace and
power to save, and pointed out so clearly man's utter
ruin, and the revealed arm of Jehovah to save the
penitent, that he certainly washed his hands of the
blood of souls. The singing was almost overpowering. When that ocean of people rose and sung,'Grace,'tis a charming sound,' it seemed as if the
windows of heaven were opened. This seemed like
worshiping God, like making melody in the heart
unto the Lord. How unlike this is an organ and a
choir, making music for a sitting, silent congregation.
To me it seems anti-christian. The noblest and most
heavenly part of divine worship is handed over to a
machine and a few hirelings. Why not hand over
the praying to a few hirelings? It is time to amend
our ways, and come back to the simplicity of the
gospel."




Th/e Hero Missionary.          287
Upon leaving England, Mr. Kincaid took what is
known as the Overland, or Mail Route, to Calcutta,
and some account of this passage, abounding as it
does with information and incident, is here transferred from his journal:
Southampton, Oct. 20.-After breakfast I came on
board the Indus. Every cabin is full, and at Malta
we are to take on board two hundred or two hundred
and fifty soldiers. We have passengers for Malta,
Alexandria, Bombay, Ceylon, Madras, Calcutta, Burmah, Penang, and China. There are about thirty
ladies, and all the rest officers and civilians. Lord
Dalhousie with his two daughters are going to Malta
to spend the winter. He recognized me as soon as I
came on board, invited me to sit down, and we had a
long conversation. He had learned long since that I
had been to Ava, and that the king had been very
cordial. Captain Maxwell, from Prome, is on board;
he was engineer under Forlong. Several other officers have come up and called me by name. Some of
them knew me in Rangoon, and others in Prome and
Thayet.
Oct. 21.-Early this morning the mail steamer from
Alexandria passed us. We have had a strong wind
all day, with some rain; not more than half the passengers were at breakfast, and about the same at dinner. We are in the middle of the Bay of Biscay, and
the sea is high.




288                 Kincaid:
Oct. 22.-Still in the Bay of Biscay. The weather
is fine, but the sea is high. Only two ladies out at
breakfast, and about half the gentlemen. There are
four in my saloon, a room twelve feet square, and a
table in the centre. Very comfortable. Then we'
have a small room adjoining, with a table and two
couches. There are four rooms, with twenty passengers, all officers and surgeons but myself, and this
saloon is for our exclusive use. The dining saloon
above us is ninety feet long, and has two tables the
entire length, and still there is not room for all the
cabin passengers. We have tea or coffee at six in
the morning, breakfast at nine, tiffin at twelve, dinner
at four, and tea at eight. My health is excellent, and
I am able to read and write all the time. Just now
there is a heavy, rolling sea, and it is not very easy
writing. By morning we shall be on the coast of
Spain, and escape this heavy swell.
Oct. 23.-This morning at nine we were on the
coast of Portugal. A lofty range of mountains are in
full view. We do not stop at any port in Portugal.
The wind is strong from the land, and is cold. There
is but little sea, and the sun shines through a pale,
nazy atmosphere.
Oct. 24.-This morning we are close in shore, about
)ne mile distant, and are passing the mouth of the
ragus. About twenty miles up is Lisbon, the capital
)f Portugal. There is a fine, broad entrance, and




The Hero Missionary.            289
beautiful high hills on each side. Four ships are just
coming out to sea. One old castle is in sight, which
was formerly used as a summer palace.
Lord's Day, Oct. 25.-This morning about ten, we
were entering the Straits of Gibraltar. First we
passed Cadiz, only two or three miles to the west,
and soon the high coast of Africa rose gradually on
the east. At eleven o'clock we had public worship,
conducted by an Episcopalian clergyman. He did
not attempt to preach, onlyread the service. At
two o'clock we had the coast of Africa and of Europe
close to us. Tangier is the largest sea-port of Mlorocco, the kingdom of the Moors, who once governed
nearly all Spain. At half-past three we came to anchor in the bay of Gibraltar, about half a mile from
the vast rock, which is supposed to be the strongest
fortress in the world. The town is more than a mile
long, and now in the evening, lighted up with gas,
looks extremely well. The rock is so abrupt that the
streets and houses can all be seen, one above the
other. Vast excavations are made in the solid rock
at different heights, where batteries of the largest
sized guns are placed so as to sweep, with a whirlwind of balls, shot and shell, the whole bay and the
low sand plain which connects it to the Spanish mainhead on the north-east side. The town has a population of seventy thousand, who are nearly all Spaniards and Maltese. On the Spanish side are three
13




290                 Kincaid:
small towns in sight, built of stone, which look very
pretty among the distant hills. A few miles below
Gibraltar is the narrowest part of the straits, where
Europe and Africa come within eight or nine miles
of each other. We stop here six or seven hours to
take in coal, and put off the mail.
Oct. 26.-This morning about eight, the snowy
mountains of Sierra Nevada stood out in awful grandeur. They are said to be 12,000 feet high. The
snowy ridges glisten in the sun beautifully. I should
not think we were more than twenty miles distant
from the coast of Spain. The coast of Africa is not
in sight. Algiers is not far distant. This afternoon
we are nearly opposite Carthagena.
Oct. 27.-On getting up this morning I found we
were close to the African coast. Low ridges near
the water, and then a succession of higher and still
higher ridges back. Often we appear to be only two
or three miles from the shore. Here and there smoke
is curling up among the hills, and groups of cottages
are seen, and now and then boats in the bays. A
little after noon we pass the bay of Algiers, but so
intercepted by hills that the city is now visible. The
country along here for several hundred miles is now
governed by France. Algiers is the capital, and a
large sea-port. The country joins Morocco on the
south. For many generations Algiers was the greatest place for pirates in the world, and thousands of




The Hero Missionary.           291
Europeans and Americans were captured, held in
slavery, and made to work in irons. Popery and
Mohammedanism have been the curse of this country.
Before and after the Christian era, it was one of the
most enlightened and prosperous countries in the
world. A  pure Christianity spread over all the
coast of Africa, bordering upon the Mediterranean,
but Popish dogmas gradually extinguished the light.
Schools were declared to be a curse; ignorance,
superstition and priest-craft following in rapid succession.
Ten o'clock, P. M. —We are now getting near the
countries where Paul and his fellow-laborers toiled
and suffered. What a burning shame that our missions in Greece, and France, and Africa, have been
abandoned. Did we conduct missions in harmony
with the spirit and genius of the gospel, the windows
of heaven would be opened, and the churches at home
would be like an army with banners. As it is now,
we can expect little of the divine favor.
Oct. 28.-This morning we were still near the coast
of Africa, and the sea for two days and nights has
been as smooth as a pond. About sundown we were
leaving the coast, and at ten in the evening we passed close under the island of Geta, two or three miles
long, and having three or four islands much smaller
near by. They are said to be of volcanic origin.
The weather is becoming warm, and very fine; a




292                 Kincaid:
gentle breeze from the African coast, but only a ripple on the water.
Oct. 29.-To-morrow morning early we expect to
be at Malta, and there will be but little time for writing. I will dispatch this from that island, and write
again from Alexandria. At times a feeling of sadness
and gloom comes over me, but it does not last long.
The promises of God are precious, and in every exigency he will be a present help.
Evening.-About three o'clock we passed close
under an island called Pontenella. It is some thirteen or fourteen miles long, of considerable breadth,
and is cultivated like a garden, almost entirely with
grapes. It is the penal settlement of Naples. King
Bomba sends all his state prisoners here. It is supposed the larger part of the convicts are among the
best men of the State. A more cruel, brutal despotism does not exist probably in the world.
iMalta, Oct. 30.-I have spent seven hours on shore.
Viletta is the name of the town, built entirely of
cream-colored sand-stone. The streets are extremely
narrow, many of them not more than ten or twelve
feet broad, and most of them are named after some
saint, from the Roman calendar. The buildings are
from three to four stories high; the population is
about twenty thousand. The language is Arabic,
somewhat modified and mixed up with Italian. There
is a harbor on each side of the town, which is nearly




The Hero 2issionary.             293
surrounded by water, so that it is almost an island.
It is a vast rock, rising many feet above the water,
and above this rises a high wall of hewn stone, bristling in every direction with large guns. It is perhaps the strongest place in the world, after Gibraltar.
St. John's church, built by the Knights of Malta, is
the most remarkable edifice on the island. The roof
is one vast arch of hewn stone, and entirely covered
with paintings, intended to illustrate many events in
Scripture history. The walls also are covered with
similar paintings. The great altar in the centre
transept is a masterly work; it is built of onyx and
agate, topaz and lazuli. Behind the altar is a sculpture, as large as life, of Christ and John the Baptist,
made from one piece of marble. John the Baptist is
represented as pouring water from a large shell, on
the head of Christ. There are several small chapels
at right-angles with the main building, and all connected by a lofty arched way. All have their altars,
sculptures, paintings, candlesticks and candles. All
the candlesticks are of silver, and in the main building, before the high altar, they are about six feet
high. The floor is made of sepulchral marble slabs,
with various figures inlaid in mosaic work, in every
variety of marble. It is the most remarkable building of the kind I have ever seen. It was built by
the knights in the feudal ages, and is a monument of
the darkness and superstition of those ages.




294           The Hero Missio;naryo
AlexaMrria, Nov. 2.-All last night we had on only
half steam power, as we should reach the harbor before morning, but could not enter, as the channel is
intricate. I was up by the earliest dawn. At first
only a light from a lofty tower was seen, soon the
faint outline of the coast became visible, next the
palace buildings of the Pasha, on a point of land near
the light-house tower. Soon the sun rose from the
ocean and revealed the Nile, the city, the harbor
crowded with ships, the forts bristling with guns, and
several large men-of-war, and innumerable wind-mills
along the coast as far as the eye could reach. In the
distance Cleopatra's Needle, and a little farther inland Pompey's Pillar. After we entered the harbor
we had a near view of many objects of interest. The
anchor was no sooner down than large boats, filled
with Egyptians and Abyssinians, came on each side
of the ship, and began at once to carry off the baggage. Over these laborers were several grave, gentlemanly Turks and Arabs, neatly and even richly
dressed. These men took an account of all the baggage of the passengers, and all the cases of military
stores. After breakfast, the passengers took boats
and went on shore, about one mile, and repaired. at
once to the office, and obtained tickets for transit
through Egypt, across the desert to the Red Sea.
About 11 A. M., the cars started, a very long train.
The road for forty.milas runs along the Vilettta branch




The Hero Missionary.            295
of the Nile. Here we crossed that branch, and what
seemed to be a section of the bridge, worked by
steam. Soon after crossing we entered a town of
considerable size, where we had dinner, furnished by
the Transit Company. After an hour we started off
again, and every five or six miles passed through
large villages or towns. The country is a dead level.
Camels are seen in every direction; they are used
for irrigating the land and also for carrying the produce to market.
Every town, and almost every village is surrounded by a wall made of bricks. All the buildings of
the common people are made of sun-dried bricks, and
only eight or ten feet square, many of them much
smaller, and often made in the form of a bee-hive,
with a small entrance. The land appears to be extremely fertile. The buffalo, such as we see in Burmah, is extensively employed in farming, but they
are much smaller. Donkeys are used for riding, and
even for carrying loads. Frequently I saw a camel
and a buffalo yoked together ploughing. I saw vast
fields of Indian corn, but it seems to be sown and not
planted, and is small. The wheat harvest, and also
that of peas and beans, is passed long since. Oranges,
sweet limes, and pomegranates are in season. The
pomegranates are three or four times larger than I
ever saw in India, but the oranges are inferior. Cabbages and potatoes are abundant, lut inferior in




296                 Kincaid:
quality. Turks, Arabs, Greeks, and Armenians appear to be the great men, and to hold all the offices.
The Egyptians and Copts are the laboring classes,
and are in the lowest condition of servitude. There
are also multitudes of Arabs and Abyssinians equally
degraded. The distance between the high and low
classes in Egypt is vastly greater than in Burmah, or
even in Bengal. At 7 P. M. we entered Cairo, but
many miles before reaching the city, we saw the farfamed pyramids, that is, the four within the neighborhood of Cairo.  They are about four hundred
feet high. From the sea-shore up to Cairo there are
very few trees, except date trees, and these appear
to be only twenty-five or thirty feet high.
Cairo, Nov. 3.-There are three hotels in the city,
and they were nearly full when we arrived. The
steamers from Calcutta, Bombay, and Australia, had
come in to Suez, and all the passengers, or nearly all,
had crossed the desert, and filled the hotels. Large
numbers of us had to sleep on couches and benches
-some on the floor; and all the floors in Egypt are
flag-stones, and rarely even covered with mats.
About 9 P. M. we had supper, and then many of us
took a walk through several streets. The atmosphere is wonderfully clear, and the moon rose beautifully, almost light enough to read any print. I
slept on a couch without a pillow or a blanket, but
my Scotch plaid did me good service, for it became




The Hero Missionary.          297
cold before morning. Before sunrise scores of Arabs,
with donkeys saddled, filled the whole space around
the hotel. A very large number of the passengers
took each a donkey and rode off to see the bazaars,
the citadel, palace, and Pasha's Mosque. It was
ludicrous enough to see the large, tall officers mounted on those little animals, not much larger than some
of the goats I have seen in India. The fortress or
citadel stands on a hill some two hundred feet above
the town, and the view from its ramparts enables one
to see the great desert on each side of the Nile. Except the narrow valley watered by the Nile and the
canals, all is desolation, as far as the eye can reach.
I went all over the mosque and the palace. They
are built of Egyptian marble, unlike anything we
ever see in America or England. The bazaars are
much as we see them in Calcutta, only they are built
of stone, and the second and third stairs jut out so
that only a small opening is left for light to come into
the narrow street below. At every step almost I
met long lines of camels loaded with every conceivable article of use or of merchandize. Great numbers
were loaded with building stone, and I should think
each one carried five hundred pounds weight. They
lie down like an elephant, to be loaded and unloaded,
and I should think they were equally strong and docile as elephants. Carts and oxen are not used. I
saw officials, Turks and Arabs, riding in English car13*




298                 Kincaid:
riages with five horses and showy harness. There
are a considerable number of costly buildings, but
the great mass are low, dirty, miserable abodes. I
saw one school of about forty boys. The only light
and air came through the doorway; the boys appeared to be from eight to fourteen years old. Old mats
and gunny bags spread on the stone floor, made their
seats. They all sat cross-legged on their mats, each
one with a small coarse paper manuscript containing
a few passages from  the Koran.  Simultaneously
they all read in a peculiar sing-song tone, all as if by
machinery heaved their bodies backwards and forwards, their heads nearly touching their books. Islanism appears to be all that is taught, and fanaticism
of the worst character is fostered. The moral and
intellectual condition of Egypt is as low perhaps as
it can be. An iron despotism is everywhere visible.
Absolute power, unmodified by any public opinion, has
crushed out all sense of manliness; beings made
only a little lower than the angels are converted into
mere animals, like beasts of burden. The curse of
heaven rests upon this land.
Suez, Nov. 5.-I reached this place last evening
about midnight, and am in the only hotel in town.The waters of the Red Sea wash the stone steps on
the eastern side. Back of the hotel lies the town,
surrounded by a stone wall-one of the dirtiest and
most miserable looking towns I ever saw. We left




The Hero Missionary.            299
Cairo yesterday about 11 o'clock, A. M., in the cars,
and were soon in the Great Desert. The railroad is
excellent, and is completed to within thirty miles of
Suez. Nothing can exceed the utter desolation of
the country, after leaving the Valley of the Nile.No green thing is to be seen; there is no flower to'waste its sweetness on the desert air.' The desert
from the Nile to the Red Sea is not a dead level;
the railroad is occasionally cut through elevations
from five to ten feet, and in many cuttings I noticed
a fine brown soil, and in several places layers of clay.
This shows that only water is wanting to convert the
desert into a rich, fertile country. True, some parts
are only sand and pebbles. Occasionally I saw sand
ridges many miles long, and thirty or forty feet high.
These ridges all run east and west, and this shows
that the strong prevailing winds are north and south,
by the appearance of these sand-drifts. The strong
and terrible winds which sometime sweep the desert
are from the south, that is from Abyssinia. About
forty miles from Cairo is a palace of the Pasha of
Egypt, also several other buildings near it, and about
two miles from  the railroad. The Pasha with his
court retires to this desert-palace when the plague is
desolating the cities of the Nile. Every ten or fifteen
miles is a building, and two or three scores of Arabs,
with their small tents; these Arabs in case of any
strong wind clear the sand-drifts from the rail. Here




300                  Kincaid:
also is water in large iron tanks brought from the
Nile, and coal to supply the locomotive. We saw
several caravans of camels loaded, and moving on
over the desert. They are truly called the ships of
the desert; no other animal could live in such a desolate region. About 3 o'clock P. M., we came to the
end of the railroad; here are three or four tents
about sixty feet long and thirty broad, with tables
and chairs to accommodate one hundred and fifty to
sit down at their meals. Another tent to accommodate fifty or sixty second class passengers. There
were in all about three hundred passengers. One
freight train came in last night, and another will be
in to-night. The scene at this place is novel and interesting. Some three thousand camels with their
saddles on were lying or standing in groups, in every
direction, ready to be loaded with baggage, mails and
military stores. You may fancy the amount to be
carried on camels from this to the Red Sea, about
thirty miles, when these two hundred passengers
have from three to six trunks each, and these trunks
average one hundred pounds each. Then there are
all the mails for Bombay, Ceylon, Madras, Calcutta,
the Straits, and China. As the boxes lie on the plain
they seem to be enough to load a three hundred ton
vessel with the mails alone. Then there are fifteen
hundred boxes of silver, nearly one million pounds
ste-ling, for the army. It is said the silver alone will




Thle Hero 2Missionary.          301
load a thousand camels. There are sixty thousand
pairs of boots for soldiers, in fifteen thousand boxes,
one thousand rifles in two hundred boxes, and besides
all these, a vast amount of military stores. At halfpast four, a hundred and eight passengers were sent
off in eighteen vans, that is six passengers in each
van. Each van is drawn by a pair of mules, and a
pair of small horses. Two Arabs mounted on horses
go along to keep the vans together. Every five miles
the teams are changed, and at each place is a stone
building, with a large court in the centre, where
water, straw, and peas are kept for the animals. This
water and provender is brought from the valley of
the Nile. At half-past 8 P. M., one hundred and eight
more passengers were sent off, and I was one of them.
Till 10 o'clock it was very dark; then the moon rose
and shed a beautiful, soft light over the desert. On
our right, the whole distance to the sea, runs a broken
range of hills, said to be from three to four hundred
feet high, solid masses of rock. Our Arabs drove
furiously, exceptin low places where sand had drifted.
Occasionally for half a mile we seemed to be almost
buried in the sand, and then again we would roll
along on a smooth, hard surface, like a macadamized
road. In several places we saw caravans of from one
to two hundred camels. Each Bedowin has from four
to seven or eight camels. He rides or leads one, and
then the next, with a long cord, is tied to the saddle,




302                 Kincaid:
and so on to the end, all following in single file. An
Arab with eight or ten good camels will carry from
four to five thousand pounds weight. All these inhabitants of the desert call themselves the children
of Ishmael. For three hundred years they have been
the same people, unchanged except by becoming the
followers of Mohamet.  During some four or five
hours in the desert, waiting for the vans, I went
around among these Ishmaelites, sitting in groups
among their camels, to observe their features, the
expression of the countenance, their conversation,
and manners. I would have given anything to have
been able to converse with them. I saw some noble
features. Why is there not in all Christendom one
or two men to consecrate themselves to the work of
evangelizing this people? At first view it might
seem hopeless, but I do not believe there is any insuperable obstacle in the way. Human wisdom would
find difficulties enough and make mountains of molehills. In the promises of God there is no exception
made;'streams shall break forth in the desert, and
springs in the dry and thirsty land.'
Ten miles before reaching Suez, we saw lights in
the town and harbor, so level is the desert, and so
clear is the atmosphere. It was midnight when we
arrived, and one o'clock when we had supper, and
then some thirty or more passengers had no bed.During the night about two thousand camels loaded




The Hero Missionary.           303
came in, and passengers continued to arrive until
eight in the morning.
Nov. 7.-This is the third day we have been in this
place, and we are to go on board the Hindustan this
evening. The steamer for Bombay went off yesterday. The steamer for Australia that went off two
weeks ago ran upon a coral reef, about eight hundred
miles down the Red Sea, and stove a large hole in
her bows. Being an iron ship, and having watertight compartments, only the part that was stove
filled with water. After three or four days the tide
rising, she got off, and has got back to Suez. What
she will now do is uncertain. About thirty of her
passengers, and also a hundred soldiers, will go with
us, at least as far as Ceylon. So we have now in all
seven.hundred and twenty souls.
Nov. 8.-Just at dark last evening we steamed
down the gulf of Suez; both coasts are in sight all
day, and often a very narrow channel, only seven or
eight miles broad, About sundown we had a fine
view of Mount Sinai, on the Arabian coast. On the
other side was Nubia. When the wind blows from
the African coast the heat is fearfully oppressive.All is wild, desolate, and barren.
Nov. 13.-For three days we saw no land, except
two or three vast rocks rising almost perpendicular
from the sea. But yesterday and to-day we have
parsed great numbers of islands, and some of them




304                  Kincaid:
very high. This afternoon we passed along within
two or three miles of the Arabian coast, while the
African coast is only a few miles distant. In the narrowest part of the channel is Perim, a small island
where the English have sunk an Artesian well and
found water; their flag is now flying, and they are
building a small fortress. It is admirably situated to
command the entrance to the Red Sea. It is only
some seventy miles above Aden, where we expect to
be to-night."
Without following Mr. Kincaid in all the subsequent details of his journal, it may suffice to say, that
upon reaching Aden, one day was required to take
in coal. This afforded a very favorable opportunity
of seeing the town. It contains a population of
20,000, and is not particularly interesting, being
chiefly remarkable for its barren, bluish-colored hills.
The houses are built of bamboo, and on a foundation
of sand. Four miles in the interior is the Turkish
wall, where the British' military force is situated.
The next stopping place in the voyage was at Ceylon. Here, also, a day was very pleasantly spent.
This island is not only a bustling, business-like place,
but one of extraordinary beauty, and hence, styled
by the natives a " terrestrial paradise." It is situated in the Indian Ocean, near Cape Cormorin; is
270 miles long, 150 broad, and has a population of
1,130,000 souls.  In the interior there are several




Tle Hero Missionary.           305
cities and towns, one of which (Candy) contains a
public library, erected on pillars, and built in a lake.
Off the northwest of Ceylon is a great and valuable
pearl fishery. The natives are of Hindoo origin, and
under British rule, are fast advancing in cultivation
and wealth.
Once more on the deep, and four days brought
them before Madras. This is the capital of the presidency of that name, and is situated in the Carnatic,
on the shores of the Bay of Bengal. So low is the
shore here, that a landing can only be effected in native barges, called massoollah boats. These are well
manned, however, and so skillfully handled that
they dash with safety through the heaviest surf.
The population of the city is between four and five
hundred thousand.
Three days more on ship board, and they enter the
mouth of the river Hooghly, and after steaming 100
miles, they drop anchor before Calcutta-the city of
palaces, and the capital of British India. It is upwards of six miles in length, extending along the
river's bank. The population is about 600,000, and,
like the other principal cities under British rule, of
a very mixed character, affording the stranger no
small amount of amusement in the way of costume
and physiognomy. Many of the houses are tall and
stately, with verandas and Grecian pillars. Behind
the front lines of mansions is the native town, with




306                 Kincaid:
dirty, narrow streets, dirty natives-all more or less
naked-ghastly religious mendicants, showy marriage
processions, and sounds of creaking wheels and discordant voices. From the quay, built by Lord Hastings, we may see all this, and also the vessels of
every shape and size from all parts of the world;
while near the banks are hundreds of Brahmins, saying their prayers and washing in the deified river.
Mr. Kincaid landed in Calcutta late on Saturday
evening, the 5th of December. He says in a letter,
dated Dec. 8, " It was just three months from the day
I left New York to the day I landed in Calcutta, and
I spent thirty-three days in England, five days in
Egypt, one day in Aden, one in Ceylon, besides stopping a few hours at Gibraltar, Malta and Madras, so
that I made the voyage in little less than fifty days."
After spending two weeks in Calcutta, during which
time several interviews were had with Dr. Duff and
other missionaries, Mr. Kincaid again embarked, arriving in Rangoon toward the close of December. In
a letter from him, bearing date of January first, he
states that he was then about starting for Prome, intending, after visiting the churches there, to proceed
up to Ava. He had just learned that his Majesty
had been anxiously inquiring when he was to return,
and that a rumor had reached Rangoon that the king
had turned all the priests out of the city, and that he
was constantly reading Jesus Christ's book.




Thle  Hero  lissionary.                      307
CHAPTER XXV.
RETROSPECT AND PROSPECT.
" He hath showed his people the power of his works, that he may give them
the heritage of the heathen."-Ps. cxi. 6.
" Are there not signs,
Thunders and voices, in the troubled air?
Do ye not see, upon the mountain tops,
Beacon to beacon answering?  Who can toll
But all the harsh and dissonant sounds which long
Have been-are still —disquieting the earth,
Are but the tuning of the varying parts
F'or the grand chorus, which shall usher in
The hastening triumph of the Prince of Peace!
Yes; his shall be the kingdoms.
E'en now the symphonies
Of that blest song are floating through the airPeace, peace on earth, and glory be to God."
IN looking back over the period of Mr. Kincaid's
labors, how changed is the moral aspect of the people
among whom he has gone preaching the gospel!When he entered  the  field, Burmah  had, as it were,
but just heard the name of Christ, and the number




308.incatad:
of conversions from heathenism was comparatively
small. For several years, amid many privations and
bitter persecutions, the first devoted band of Missionaries had sought to prepare the way and to lift up a
standard for the people. At that time the measure
of missionary spirit in the churches was very limited,
and many felt but little confidence in the success of
the efforts that were making for the salvation of the
heathen. "They had but little to rest on," said one
of their number, "except the command and promise
of God." The faith of many faltered. The work
advanced but slowly, and so numerous were the impediments thrown in the way, both at home and
abroad, as almost to forbode defeat. Dr. Morse, in
his Universal Gazetteer, published about this time,
said, under the head of Rangoon-"The American Baptists have employed two missionaries here; but,
owing to the opposition of the Burman government,
it is supposed they will be obliged to leave the
country."
Amid all the trials and discouragements, however,
which beset those who were first in the field, their
faith did not fail them, and they were enabled to
prosecute their work with a joyful and unwavering
confidence of ultimate success.
Now, how changed is the aspect of things! The
government that then sought to banish Christ's ambassadors, desires to foster them; and, in the exercise




Thle Heqro lifssionary.        309
of his royal favor, the king extends to them the freedom of the empire!
At home, too, public sentiment respecting Foreign
Missions has undergone a radical change; and the
enterprise has now come to be regarded as one of the
noblest that can possibly enlist the sympathies and
efforts of the Christian church.
The influence of this work at home, as well as its
results abroad, are beyond all human computation.That our churches have felt a powerful reflex influence from the foreign field, cannot be doubted, and
it would not be difficult to show that the activity and
resources of the church owe their development more
to this enterprise than to all other agencies combined.
But within the last thirty years what an immense
amount of good has been accomplished on the field,
while, at the same time, deep and strong foundations
have been laid for the achievement of still larger results. The entire Bible has been translated into the
language of the people-books have been preparedschools established-churches organized-the Gospel
has been preached in almost every part of the empire,
and thousands of souls have there been brought to a
saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. With
these facts before him, and in the exercise of strong
faith in God, Mr. Kincaid might well write —" The
mission in Burmah cannot be overthrown; it is founded upon the Rock of Ages; the gates of hell cannot




310                 Kincaid:
prevail against it; the prayers of God's people have
been heard. The gospel of Christ in its blessed revelations has been preached in thousands of Burman
cities and villages, from the sea-shore up to the lower
Himalayas, and in thousands of Karen hamlets. God's
holy word is read not only by thousands of Karens
and Burmans of the common people, but in the palace
of Alompra. There is not only a shaking Among the
dry bones, but the Holy Spirit has been poured out,
and a great army is standing up on the side of the
Lord of Hosts. There are ministers of Christ standing on those out-posts of Zion's walls, and leading
forth those converts into the thickest of the war, and
teaching them how to work for God. No dangers
can alarm them, no opposition can discourage them,
and no persecution can crush them. He who said,' Be not afraid'' Lo, I am with you;' stands at their
right hand and girds them with strength."
But cheering as have already been the triumphs of
the Gospel inBurmah, the day, we are persuaded, is
not distant that shall witness still greater conquests;
and, though before that day dawn, the present race
of devoted laborers may te in their graves, their suc.
cessors will certainly see it, and, going forth with a
sublime faith in the Divine promises, and with hearts
fuli of love and zeal for the Divine glory, it shall be
their great joy to witness the gathering of all the
people unto Shiloh.




The Hero Miissionary.           311
Nor will this success be limited to Burmah. Tho
enterprise of Christian Missions contemplates not
the subjugation of a nation, but the conquest of the
world; and, looking into the future, we are permitted
to see cheering evidence that the victories of the
cross are.fast hastening to a glorious consummation.
Said Dr. Judson, in his farewell address" Judging from the past, what may we rationally
expect during the lapse of another thirty or forty
years?  Look forward with the eye of faith. See
the missionary spirit universally diffused, and in active
operation throughout this country,-every church
sustaining, not only its own minister, but, through
some general organization, its own missionary in a
foreign land. See the Bible faithfully translated into
all languages,-the rays of the lamp of heaven transmitted through every medium, and illuminating all
lands. See the Sabbath spreading its holy calm over
the face of the earth,-the churches of Zion assembling, and the praises of Jesus resounding from shore
to shore,-and, though the great majority may still
remain, as now in this Christian country, without
hope and without God in the world, yet the barriers
in the way of the descent and operations of the Holy
Spirit removed, revivals of religion shall then become more constant and more powerful. The world
is yet in its infancy: the gracious designs of God are
yet hardly developed. Glorious things are spoken




312                     Kincaid.
of Zion, the city of our God. She is yet to triumph,
and become the joy and glory of the whole earth.Blessed be God, that we live in these latter times,the latter times of the reign of darkness and imposture. Great is our privilege, precious our opportunity, to cooperate with the Saviour in the blessed
work  of enlarging  and  establishing  his  kingdom
throughout the world."
The promises of God are all pledged to his Son for
a universal triumph-the field of labor assigned to
the church covers the entire world, and the prayer
that is constantly ascending to heaven from the heart
of every true believer is, that the heathen may be
given to Christ for an inheritance, and the uttermost
parts of the earth for a possession. And when this
prayer shall be answered-when this field shall be
cultivated-when this pledge shall be redeemedthen " He shall have dominion from  sea to sea, and
from  the river unto the ends of the earth"-" The
mouth of the Lord hath spoken it."   And" May the hour
Soon come, when, all false gods, false creeds, false prophete,
Demolished, the round world shall be at last
The mercy-seat of God, the heritage
Of Christ, and the possession of the Spirit!;




A
CATALOGUE
TRAVELING AGENTS.
NEW-YORK: 
HI. DAYTON, PUBLISHIEER,
107 NASSAU-STREET.
W WESTERN BRANCH-DAYTON & ASHER: INDIANAPOLIS, IND 
J. J. Reed, Printer & Stereotyper, 16 Spruce-St., N. Y.
>94Qc44 ~T. S  A_ A 




H. DAYTON'S PUBLICATIONS.
" "TRUTH IS STRANGER THAN FICTION." I
IFIFTIY YEARtS  IN CHINS; 
I THE LIFE OF AN AIERICAN SLAVE,
I  WRITTEN   BY  HIM8ELF. 
"M y God! can such things he! i
Hast thou not said that whatso'er is done,
~,                   Unto thy weakest and thy humblest one,
Is even done to thee V'       WHITTIER.
(        430 IPAG1ES, CLOTH, GILT MACIhK, 1IC2 -I.
i  This is the title of one of the simplest, yet most intensely interesting biographies!
~ooff the day. It is the plain, homely history of an American slave in the far South, 
who, after two or three escapes and recaptures, finally, an old man, found freedom  i
and rest in one of the Northern States.
" The story," says the Preface, " is TRUE in every particular. Responsible citi- 9
i zens of a neighboring State can vouch for the reality of the narrative. The language I
of the slave has not atll times been strictly adhered to, as a half century of bond( age unfitted him for literary work.  The subject of the story is still a slave by the H
1 laws of this country, and it would not be wise to reveal his name."             P
O NI ON             O F TH  P3 
Few works are better calculated than that now before us to spread sound views  i!on the subject of slavery, as it deals directly with the fortunes of individuals, 
always more attractive themes with the mass of mankind than the ablest argu- 
moents that can be directed against the evils of a system. —Boslon Traveler.
P The story is told with great simplicity, but with much power and pathos. Who- It
ever takes it up will find it difficult to lay it down until it is finished. The merit (
of the work lies in its narration of personal experience. The writer does not stop (: to argue about slavery, and rarely to exclaim against it as a gigantic system of!
wrong, but contents himself with narrating his own experience while a slave and S~
1 the reader can rmake his own deductions. This is the way in which all such books 
l should be written. Leave the reader to reason, to moralize; lt the writer, the H, sufferer, tell his story! As a very interesting piece of self-history, this work has
1 high merit, and as a picture of American Slavery, higher still. —-National Era, 
W ~/ashic gton, D. C.'. This is an autobiography, written in an earnest, simple, and touching style. It i. will be read with deep interest by very many, and will make no converts to sla-: very. —-Christian Chronicle, Philadelphia, Pa.
" The nal ative wili be i found deeply interesting to all who sympathize with the op- W
l: pressed and down-trodden slave. —-Christian Secretary, Hiartford, Ct.
Sample Copies sent by mail, postage paid, to any part of the U.'! States, on receipt of the price.  Address,                                    ^
-17 DAYTON S, PN.ub her' 
107 NASSAU-ST.; N  Y, Y




II. DAYTON'S PUBLICATIONS.
I  A NEW RVIGIG-iOUS GIFT BOOK.                                      I
I A xw Nos G 
Lii
"i    The Publishers take great pleasure in presenting tlls 
The, vPublishmers take greatpleasure in presentinc  th's
I volume to the Christian pubhiec as one eminently calcu- I; atic treatise, but as an humble essay on the great, the inexhaustible subject of the,
1 love of Christ, as manifested to a lost worldc."  It is div-ided into fur parts, under U
I the following general heads: " The Love of Christ;" " Christ and Him Crucified;" 
g" Wanderings of a Pilgrim;' "Immanuel's Land."  These are subdivided into 
i some eight or ten chapters each.
I~                  ~o,,} IFronm the Nesa- York Chronzicle.' 
In coming to the pages of this good book, after noticing so many of quite a differ-'- ent character, we feel our souls refreshed like a, man who reaches a green, beautiful 
i rivulet-irrigated oasis in a land where no water is, a land which is as the shadow i
of death. It is much in the strain of Doddridge's'" Rise and Progress of Religion i
i in the Soul," or Baxter's " Saint's Rest,"' and like the latter book "was composed 
durino a long period of recovery from a chronic disease, which brought the author to [.
1 the gates of death, and well nigh terminated his life."  It offers Christianity to the -
l reader, not in any controversial aspect, not in any acute, metaphysical or philoso- o, phical form, not as gratifying curiosity by new revelations in reference to departed'
i spirits or their abode, not in any of the phases of it in which so many are solely ab-!
i sorbed, but Christianity as embraced by one who has been slain by the law and c
1o made alive by Christ, as the balm of a wounded heart, as salvation for the lost, as,; life for the dead. And as the matter of this work is thus purely evangelical, so its 
style is eminently simple, direct, appropriate. It is made to bear with great force;
I directly upon the conscience, and hence is hortatory, pungent and powerful, stirring yc
up the spiritual affections from their deepest fountains.  We could wish that what-'
ever books are given on the holidays, this one may accompany them as the crown- 
ing gift of all. 
T VHE HEAVENLY  TOKEN  will be sent by 2mail to any part of I
i the United States, on receipt of the price, ($1 25.) 
500 AGENTS W1,ANTED IMMEiIDIATELY to enngae in thie sale 
I of the above work.  One of ouLr Agents has sold 500 copies in two 
I months.  For terms address,
I  H. DAYTON, Publisher,    I
NIt.No. 107 NASSAU-ST., N  Y.
9/v9. ~iSP~~t.L~v r~l~ew.;./b?.x~~i L-X?;E-iXP~nE3SF~s? C5)? j}7




H. DAYTON'S PUBLICATIONS.
g   000 S,D, AS: THE BE EiA l]D GC'STADTLY  IDCtEBASI                      M
g.j1~.j~j g E
RINCE OF THE  HOUSE OF DAVID; 
IN  THE  DAYS  OF  PONTIUS  PILATE,
The book is a large  12mo. vol., of 500  pages, and  is
embellished with a steel plate Portrait of the
3 BEAUTIFUL JEWISH MAIDEN,
An Engraved Title Page, and seven large, splendid Engravings, from entire new
X designs, and executed by the first artists in the country, making altogether one of
the most beautiful and interesting books ever offered to the American public.
The Author and Publishers being anxious to place the book in the hands of
t every person that is able to read, have fixed the price at
THE LOW --                OF $125
1    The okisFroma the Christian Advocate and Jouurnal.
I This is cer tainly among the most delightful volumes we have ever read. It is
very ably and most eloquently written. No novel or romance could be more efficient in its effect on the imagination or the affections of the heart; while its facts
and incidents are in keeping with the evangelical records. It is a book which one
t would read again and again, for the delightful and sanctifying emotions it awakens
in one who feels and realizes his personal interest in the   story of the cross."
From the Dispatch, Richmnond, Va.
Jesus was nan, as well as God! In this book Ito is seen, conversed with, eaten
with as a man! The book presents him in the social and moral relations of life,
with exemplary fidelity to the Scripture narrative, and yet with a freshness which,
V falls upon the mind like a new and thrilling narrative, and a life-likeness in every 
~ lineament which we feel must be true to the original. In truth, the reader, no
matter how conversant with the sacred writings, is drawn along with breathless interest, and the very depths of his heart reached and stirred into uncontrollable' emotion.  Outside of the Holy Gospels themselves, we have never seen so moving
a picture of the life of the Ian of Sorrow, nor any representation of the wondrous
b t.,i  of the Divine character, so touching and so true.
THIE PRINCE OF THE HOUSE OF DAVID g
 WILL BE SENT BY MAIL, POSTAGE PAID, TO ANY PART OF THE UNITED STATES,
O RECEIPT OF THE PRICE, 81 25.
H AGE1NTS h  WcANTED in all parts of the country to engage in its sale.
Address,    ih:. Daytons Publisher,
No. 107 NASSAU-ST., N. Y. 
H   AGENTSc WASTED   ae agnitsl




H. DAYTON'S PUBLICATIONS.
A WORK OF INT                        INTENSE INTEREST.
gI                            JUST PUBLISHED,
1 [ADEL ON HAWXLEY;
Oil, THE JESUIT AND HIS VICTIM.   j
11                   A     l  den ation.s  of 1om1nallX m.I
l              BitBY WILLIAM EARLE BINDER. 
3i                              "'Would you pass within
The chamber of this mystery-and bow
i~Sg^   ~     Before the awful knowledge that is there?" —MELLEN. 
This is one of the most Thrilling Revelations ever published, and one that will 
I have an enormous sale. Our arrangements are such as will enable us to supply 
M at least 2,000 CoPIES PER WEEK, and we hope thus to be able to meet the demand.
The book contains nearly 300 12mo. pages, with several fine illustrations, and 0
sells at $1 00 in cloth, full gilt back. 
IFrom the Sentinel, Lawrence, MLass. 
l   This story, revealing, as it does, many of the dark spots upon the history of Pa- 
pacy in America, will be sought after and widely read by those who desire to be- 
hold the system of Romanism unmasked, and standing forth in all its hideous de~ formity.  The author states, in his preface, the incidents leading to his being put 
in possession of the facts, from the mouth of one of the principal actors in the sketch,
l a former Roman Catholic Priest. 
5,000 Agents Wanted Immediately,
y    To engage in the sale of the above work. In addition to the usual commission 
to Agents, we shall present the person who sells the largest number of copies of d
the above work before the first day of September, 1857, with a Library of ONE,
HUNDRED VOLUMES Of Standard Works, valued at One Hundred -Dollars.            )
H   The person who sells the next largest number, with a Library of FIFTY VOLUMES of Standard Works, valued at Fifty Dollars; and persons selling the third 
and fourth largest numbers, each with a Library of TWIENTY-FIVE VOLUMES, val- 
ued at Twenty-five Dollars.
H ere is a rare opportunity for engaging in a business which will pay well, with H
the chance of securing a valuable library, free of charge.
H   For terms to Agents, (or a sample copy, if you wish it, for which 81 00 must be 
M enclosed,) address,
1,. Dayton, Publisher, 
107 NASSAU-ST., N. Y.




H. DAYTON'S PUBLICATIONS.
L       A   Aewv Aniti-Slavery S tory of T"illl 2itt Ilaterest. t,
M i
THE CHATTEL CHILD.
K   A TALE OF SOUTI-HERN LIFE.  I
IS] BY VAN BUREN DENSLOW. 
820 pp., 12mo., gilt back.   Price  11 00. 
" Look once again! The moving canvass shows
[~S^  ~      A slave plantation's slovenly repose, 
II,~P Where in rude cabins, rotting midst their weeds,
IIn0  ~      The human chattel eats and sleeps and breeds; 
And held a brute, in practice as in law,. 
Becomes in fact the thing he's taken for."-W- HITTIER. 
I   This new contribution to the literature of human freedom  portrays, under a }
thin veil of fiction, one of the most startling, awakening, and impressive facts 
i connected with Southern slavery. It seizes upon one of those instances of not' unfrequent occurrence, in which the holy ties of parentage, after having been 
H acknowledged, are suddenly disowned, and the child, transformed by law into the I
H chattel, is subjected thenceforth to degradations calculated to make her in fact Ah
what she is in law. This great crime, and the just, though severe, retribution 
I with which, in the evolution of the plot, it is attended, form the warp into which,
as woof, incidental pictures of other forms of evil are interwoven into a web of 
deep earnestness and thrilling interest.
IS0                              CO NTEiTNil.
Chapter 1st, The Traveler; Chapter 2d, Modern Chivalry; Chapter 3d, The 
Covenant; Chapter 4th, Betrothed; Chapter 5th, The " Peculiar Institution;"'
/ Chapter 6th, The Council; Chapter 7th, The Brothers; Chapter 8th, The Biter 
Bit; Chapter 9th, Evil Company; Chapter 10th, Midnight made Darker; Chap- 
ter 11th, Ada at Sea; Chapter 12th, The Prisoners; Chapter 13th, The Sisters 
of Charity; Chapter 14th, Julia a Protestant; Chapter 15th, Sympathy; Chap- 
ter 16th, "Iasaacks;"  Chapter 17th, The Prisoner; Chapter 18th, In Prison; a
Chapter 19th, Sandy the Victim of an Unfortunate Attachment; Chapter 20th, 
The Time is Up; Chapter 21st, Philosophy; Chapter 22d, Festal Island; Chap- I
ter 23d, A Dream; Chapter 24th, the Veil Removed.; Chapter 25th, To the 
Slave Pen; Chapter 26th, Revelations; Chapter 27th, A Heroic Achievement; s
Chapter 28th, The Hero Returned; Chapter 29th, Poor Ada; Chapter 30th, An I
Eventful Day; Chapter 31st, The Capture; Chapter 32d, Souls at Auction; 
Chapter 33d, Conclusion. 
Agents wanted in all parts of the country.
I             Address,           H. DAYTON, Publisher, 
107 NASSAU-ST., N. Y. I
< 7 t > 9 -i~~~~~~ w~~ v - 9'n v    i 2.i  m~~~~~~~~~i~~ts4,




H. DAYTON'S PUBLICATIONS.
A BOK_ FO__ T H E TIMES,
JUST PUBLUESHED 
TIlE
tiLW1BE  01C~S  SUdlls. sMN
fi2                       WITH CHOICE SPECIMENS OF
e toqun cre, a D etincation of 1)iis OratrTicat    larctcer, I
AND 1Is
GR A T SPEECH ON KANSAS,.
3 BY D. A..HIAIRSHA,
Author of" ilEminent Orators and Statesmen," etc., etc.
WITHs   A    FiE               OFAtIT CS  Mi.  SU. N   IiP,
AND AN ENGRAVING BBPRESENSTING
I    THE ASSAULT IN THE SENATE CHAMBER. 
12mo. 350 pages. Price One.Dollar.
li~~.Fron the INew En gland Farmer, Boston, Mlass.                  -
This tribute to our noble and eloquent Senator is very neatly executed, and p
s will gratify the wishes of thousands, who desire to lnow more of the personal his- ~
tory of the man who has made so bold a mark upon his age. It is not a romantic
or eventful life that is hero recorded; but it is one full of instruction for the young,' full of encouragement to the timid, and full of interest to all. 
I            F           l bSoFrom the Salem Observer, oTass..    This is an excellent and timely book. It will find a host of readers. It is 
embellished with a portrait of Sumner, and a view of the assault upon him in the
HI Senate Chamber.r. r. Hasha is well known as the author of " Eminent Orators 
and Statesmen." 
1,              27 1Fromn the Worcester Daily Spy, Mqfass.
The reader cannot rise from a perusal of this volume without feelings of admiration for Charles Sumner, the ripe scholar, the able lawyer, the eloquent orator,' the accomplished statesman, and the noble champion of freedom.
From the N. Y. Chronicle.
I e are reglad to meet with a work like this before us, which presents Mr. Sumner as he is; and sets before its readers some of the gems of thought which have 
fallen from his lips and pen. 
y'   From the Boston lerald.
I Mr. larsha is an ardent admirer of iMIr. Sumner. He has given a neatly i
written sketch of the life of this hero, with choice specimens of his eloquence, a de- 
lineation of his oratorical character, ard his great speech on Kansas. The volume 
has attractions for, and will be appreciated by, the friends of -the Massachusetts 
I Senator.
~::;            2:~From the Amer'can, Lawrence, M~ass. 
Every lover of the chivalrous Sumner, ncd every admirer of his matchbless 
eloquence, should provide himiself with this volume.                          t
c    SENT BY MAIL, POSTAGE PAID, ON RECEIPT OF THE PRICE., 
IIEI        T AGENTS rWANTED. Address, 
II1, Dat17 N  PSblishler. 
107 NA SAU-ST., N. Y.,........ -.>4.>-o.-..-m,-a,-,..,>-q,,




H. DAYTON'S PUBLICATIONS.
Ic e Franks 
PLEASANT PAGE$S
FOR THE FIRESIDE..fi.   ~         A MISCELLANY OF
11^$m,  SheidJ^, lnbdi, Xlbriajg lijtroll 
FABLES, ANECBO TESDIAO                                     I
POETRY, ETO, 
BY
FRANCIS C. WOODWORTI H. I
l 12mo., cloth, beautifully illustrated  7 5 ets 
Mr. Woodworth has long been known to the juve- I
I nile world, and children will find their anticipations of g
a delightful treat realized in the above volume.  It is
~ filled with choice anecdotes, stories, instructive articles,
v poetry, &c., and we think is one of the most entertain-1
ing children's books that have been published for many
a day.  Parents will find it a most capital book for a
present.
From the New York Chronicle.
This is a book of all kinds of short articles and stories, illustrated by
wood-cuts, for the instruction and entertainment of children and youth. M
Even ifien and women would no doubt feel as much interested in it as 
the younger members of their family, as it is full of information about 4
a thousand things of which they probably never before heard. It is a
12mo., of 314 pp.
From the News, Lowell, Mass.
The matter embraced in the book before us is chaste and instructive, and of the right kind to be laid before young people by their 
parents.
Ha,}~  ~     From the Transcr.pt, Boston, Mass.
This is a capital work for juvenile readers. The author possesses the 
- rare gift of writing so as to secure the attention of young people. He S
is a genial and much loved " Uncle" to a wide circle of readers.
T 3   Sent by mail, postage paid, on receipt of 75 
cents in  ostage stamps.  Address,
1k                   5      a} 1. ]Dzyt*,    Publisher, 
No 107 NASSAU-ST., N. Y 
0.0.....usav Wlu~ wou~28o;




H. DAYTON'S PUBLICAI. ONS.
I  ( rv  farmner fi)oRutI l)ave a  Cop.                I
THE 
FA MEEe'S {AND  BOOK; I
OR) 
Chemistry  Applied  to Agriculture, 
THE ONLY PROFITABLE METHOD OF
TILLING THE SOIL.
BY
J. E. KENT, A. M. M. D.
I  m8o. Clothi Price 25 Cents.
We begin to find that the great question of the day in all our large H! commercial cities, is not so much upon stocks in exchange, as upon the I
l probable state of the crops this season. Therefore it may well be said, )
~ he who makes two blades of grass to grow where but one blade grew H
before, is a benefactor to mankind. This is the work of agricultural 
[ chemistry to perform; and without this chemical knowledge, the lands )
of the farmer will soon become unproductive, notwithstanding it may
be highly manured and laboriously worked. Still, in addition to being 
a practical man, in order to be a successful farmer he must understand,
X in a measure, the nature of the crops he raises, the character and constituents of the soil on which they are grown, and the different kinds of
H manures and compost most suitable to prevent exhaustion of different
kinds of land; thereby, with the aid of agricultural chemistry, the
wealth of the United States could be doubled in one year, were all that
saved which is now lost by bad management. In short, the wealth of
( all nations depends upon the rising generation of practical, chemical
-ifarmers, who will till the soil as much by the laws of chemistry as by
the sweat of the brow; and the simple facts and information contained H
in this little volume, for
o ONLY TWENTY-FIVE CENTS,
Cannot be estimated in dollars and cents, and should be in the hands of 
every man in this country as a book of reference, even if he improves
i nothing more than a garden spot of twenty-five feet square.
I,     Send us twenty-five cents in a letter, and we
will send you a copy by return of mail, post-paid.!I~~ Address                                                  I
H. DAYTON, Publisher, 
1i d~~~~~~~~107 NASSAU-ST., N. Y.




H. DAYTON'S PUBLICATIONS.
I   A BOOK3 THAT WILL PLEASE T>lE CHILD5 EN. 
III         g "V,.                 "'1     -       Y g             ^.1 Q;  4 t 2
A COLLECTION1 OF                                       I
I  HIEROGLYPHICAL REBUSES, PUZZLES,  I
RIDDLES, CONUNDRUMS, ENIGMAS
and QUESTIONS for the CURIOUS,
SELECTED FRO1M                                  I
I MERRY'S lUSEUUM   PARLEYS UMAGIAZIBlE 
I WITH LARGE ORIGINAL ADDITIONS,,
I    By ROBEiRT    _ER              e' $I.  LA   IIATCSiET. Q
Robert Merry to his friends              Now, if any of you wish
A kindly greeting sends,                     For a real spicy dish, 
With a general assortment of Questions, That will ticlle your palate like nectar~- 
Conundrums, Charades,                    That will serve for nuts and wine
Puzzles, Riddles of all shades,          When you sup, or lunch, or dine,
And Rebuses, as aids                     And your inner man refine[ To intellectual and social digestion.  Make " Merry's Book of Puzzles" your
II                                             reflector,                      pj
Every collection of children will want one-and some of the? older folks will be 
likely to glance at the curious pictures.-[TLournal, Portsmouth, N. H. 
It will furnish amusement for the young folks during a whole winter of evenings t
Z at home. —[ W'nig, Bangor, 11e.
There is no pleasanter and safer amusement for young people than the exercise 
of their wits on Conundrums, Charades, Puzzles, &c., and many a little coterie, to 
say nothing of the papas and mammas, will thank Mr. Merry for this abundant 
contribution to their festivities, which are an ever renewing plecuarse, as they will
never wear out, while the memory serves to return and reproduce them for suecessive audiences.-[Inquirer, lNantucket, rMass. 
Merry's Book of Puzzles will cause a wreath of smiles on the face of any juvenile ]: that may be the fortunate recipient. Such a fund of instruction and amusement.
I for the juvenile community was never published before. It will please alike the 
i old folks and the young ones,-and no one should be without such a cheap and i
pleasant source of amusement. 
I    The way to get " Merry's Boo, of Puzzles," is to send us 
( twenty-five cents, in a letter, and we will send a copy by re- 
I turn of mail.   Postage paid.-Addrdess, 
@I.:De B;"Y v$O,9 Publisher,
107 NASSAU-ST., N. Y.




II. DAYTONQ'S PUBLICATIONS.
JUST PUBLISHED,
A BOOK OF ASORIBNO INTEREST. I
I                    g 2e  Q  telY S   tl c  ieI
aI ii
A TALE OF TIHE DAYS  OF IIEROD.
I                         BT1BY  El. I-{. MNI.
One Vol., l1 uoo.,be autif             sPrice, %,- 00.
0-^
I  OPINiONS OF THE PRESS.I
Of course there is no lack of material for producing a deeply thrilling work, for }
the life and times of Herod were marked by the most extraordinary events in the 
world's history. The story is deeply interesting, and will be read, we have no
doubt, by multititude  ith absorbing attention. Several fiue engravings adorn the -
work, among which we notice a very beautiful one of lMariamne, and another of the s
sour-faced visage of -lerod.-Christiant Secretary, HIartforrd, ConLn. 
l  This is a tale of an awe-ar-ousing epoch in veritable history, presented in the!
o form, and with all the interest of romance. It is a narrative of scenes in the life p
and at the death of Maariamne, the favorite and most beautiful of King Herod's 0.
wives. It is written with much elegance and vigor, and while its interest is of 
i^ that unflagging kind which precludes the possibility of laying it aside unfinished,. it fixes in the mind indelibly a series of events of the wondrous era of the salvation 
1 of the human race, with which every Christian should be familiar. Who the 
author is we have no idea, but we should like to get hold of anything and every- W
i thing of hers which bears as powerful an impress of genius as does this work before {~
us.- Old Colony Memo rial, Plymnouth, i ass. 
We have reald with pleasure this thrilling story of the beautiful but unfortunate
Queen of Herod, the bloody tyrant of Judea. Every reader of the New Testament 
1 EHistory will be interested in this book, containing, as it does, a detailed narrative;
II of the lives of some of the most prominent actors in those great events which pre- I
ceded the advent of Christ and the destruction of Jerusaiem.- T/ig,o and CoLouries, i
H Basgo r, IFe. 
SENT BY MAIL, POSTAiGEI PAID, ON   RCEIPTT 07 THE PRICE. 
I  ^g AGENTS WAANTED. 
['.;I               AAddress I. DAYTON, Publsher, 
I6~~0~-2, a-a4..?. —T No. 29 Alnn Street, N. Y. X
~:/~a~SsoW~B~h   )BoX~ow7o;SBoioeo~Y/                                    AX




H. DAYTON'S PUBLICATIONS.
SEND  FOR  ONE  OR  MORE  COPIES,
PRICE REDUCED. 
(A USEFUL ORNAMENT FOR EVERY FAMILY. 
I,                                 THE                                          I
2 0 
(ELECTROTYPE EDITION,)
Just Published, is a Large and Elegant Plate for Framing, containing seven dis- 
tinctly engraved views-the memorable Prayer in large ornamental letters; also 
I                        Zi r 0voflogital Cahmlar,                             I
Or an arrangement of the Old Testament Scriptures in Chronological Order, for I
t the purpose of inducing the lovers of Divine Truth to a more faithful reading of 
them in daily, consecutive portions once every year-the whole surrounded by a
unique border, and covering a surface of nearly
FOUR HUNDRED SQUARE INCHES. I
It is a work that commends itself to all classes, Rich and Poor. It forms an
appropriate ornament for the cottage of the lowly and the cottage of the rich;
I and to bring it within the means of all, the price has been fixed at only
ITWBE1TYRIV    E C EN    A CO P 
Or FIVE COPIES FOR ONE DOLLAR, twelve Copies for Two Dollars, and twenty; Copies for Three Dollars, put on rollers, which will secure them from injury, and!
mailed to order,             F
Free of Postagee.
Money for one or more copies of the Lord's Prayer, enclosed in a letter, with
the name and post office address of the sender, may be forwarded at our risk.
A G ENTS WANBTE D.
In order to bring this useful ornament within the reach of the poor, any of our 
H friends who are willing to supply their neighbors with it at a price they can afford 
Ito pay, can have
ONE HUNDRBED COPIES
At the unparalleled low price of.I.;               aTEN DOLLARS.
This affords a rare chance for useful and profitable employment.  There is
not, probably, a single county in the Union but in which a thousand copies may
be sold; and in many counties several thousand copies may be sold.
The Fifth Edition ni Bow Biea,
I       Send orders to
I                          Lu IgHL    ~ Da n7 _ N  Publiszer, 
I  No. 29 Ann St., N. Y.