HUDSON TAYLOR The man who believed God by Marshall Broomhall

IT IS THE LORD 147
lowed, or of the anguish of the actual riot. Most things
must be experienced to be appreciated. By means of
vile and evil reports the minds of the people were inflamed
against the strangers in their midst. On August
22, it was stated, and believed, that as many as twentytwo
Chinese children were missing, with the result that
the Mission premises were besieged by an infuriated mob.
All through the night that followed, and the next day
as well, every moment was full of acute suspense and
mental anguish, not to speak of much physical pain.
Hudson Taylor and George Duncan had, under cover
of darkness, evaded the howling multitude, and, though
badly stoned, reached the Yamen, more than a mile
away, in an exhausted condition. But there they were
detained, in an agony of suspense, for hours, while they
could hear, in the distance, pandemonium let loose
around the Mission premises. Whether their loved ones
were alive or dead they did not know, and neither did
those left in the Mission House know what had befallen
those who had ventured forth.
But the maddened people were not satisfied with
cries and threats, and the cowardly inaction of the official
emboldened them at length to fire the premises. To
escape became now a necessity, but a perilous under-'
taking. Mrs. Taylor and Miss Blatchley both had to
jump from the upper storey, and both were injured in
so doing, while Mr. Reid wfien endeavouring to break
their fall was struck in the eye with a brick which left him
almost blind with pain. For nearly forty-eight hours
this typhoon of human fury raged, Jar more terrible than
any storm at sea, and only the infinite mercy of God
brought the party through, though wounded and bleeding,
without serious loss of life.
The spirit in which these indignities and sufferings