A half century among the Siamese and the Lao : an ... - Khamkoo

80 AMONG THE SIAMESE AND THE LAO
the bell is rung, that the people assemble in orderly
fashion, and take their seats, that a hymn is sung,
prayer offered, the Scripture read, a sermon delivered,
and the congregation dismissed with the doxology and
benediction,—they are very much mistaken. All that
comes in time. We have lived to see it come in this
land—thanks to God's blessing upon work much more
desultory than that. Long after the time we are now
speaking of, one could talk of religion to the people by
the hour, or even by the day; one might sing hymns,
might solemnly utter prayer, in response to inquiry as
to how we worshipped—and they would listen respectfully
and with interest. But if public worship had
been announced, and these same people had been invited
to remain, every soul would have fled away for
fear of being caught in some trap and made Christians
without their consent, or for fear of being made to
suffer the consequences of being reputed Christians before
they were ready to take that step. Forty years
later than the time we are now speaking of, I have
seen people who were standing about the church door
and looking in, driven quite away by the mere invitation
to come in and be seated.
In one sense our work during the first year was very
desultory. I had always to shape my instruction to
the individuals before me. It would often be in answer
to questions as to where was our country ; in what
direction; how one would travel to get there; could
one go there on foot; and so on. Or the question
might be as to the manners and customs of our nation;
or it might be directly on religion itself. But
as all roads lead to Rome, so all subjects may be turned
to Christ, His cross, and His salvation.
Of the friends found in those early days I must