eft, I went on shore and
spoke to the people collected there, to whom Kuei-hua had been
preaching. The setting sun afforded a parable, and reminded one of the
words of JESUS, "The night cometh, when no man can work;" and as I spoke
of the uncertain duration of this life, and of our ignorance as to the
time of CHRIST'S return, a degree of deep seriousness prevailed that I
had never previously witnessed in China. I engaged in prayer, and the
greatest decorum was observed. I then returned to my boat with a
Buddhist priest who had been in the audience, and he admitted that
Buddhism was a system of deceit that could give no hope in death.

_January 12th._

In the afternoon we addressed the people on shore close to our boats,
also in one of the streets of the city, and in a tea-shop, books being
distributed on each occasion. In the evening we went as usual to speak
in the tea-shops, but determined to go to the opposite end of the town,
in order to afford those who lived there a better opportunity of meeting
with us. It was a long straggling place, nearly two English miles in
length. As Mr. Burns and I were accustomed to talk together in Chinese,
this conclusion was known to those in the boats.

After we had proceeded a short distance we changed our minds, and went
instead to the usual tea-shop, thinking that persons might have gone
there expecting to meet us. But this was not the case; and we did not
find such serious hearers as we had done on previous occasions. On this
account Mr. Burns proposed leaving earlier than usual, and we did so,
telling Tsien and Kuei-hua that they might remain a little longer.
Returning to the boats, we gave away a few books; but, singularly
enough, were left to go alone, no one accompanying us, as is so
generally the case. Instead of being a clear night, as it was when we
started, we found that it had become intensely dark. On our way we met
the boatman, whose manner seemed very strange, and without giving us any
explanation he blew out the candle of our lantern; we relighted the
lantern, telling him not to put it out again, when to our surprise he
deliberately removed the candle and threw it into the canal. He then
walked down along a low wall jutting out to the river's edge, and gazed
into the water.

Not knowing what was the matter with him, I ran forward to hold him,
fearful lest he were going to drown himself; but to my great relief