at the pagodas, and conformed
to national observances. The second time he came the conversation seemed
to have made "no impression on his proud sceptical heart, yet he promised
to pray to the eternal God, through the Saviour." It appeared that,
about eight years previously, it had come before him that there is indeed
One Eternal God, and that this thought had been working in him ever
since. A copy of Mr. Judson's tract which fell in his way chimed in with
this primary belief, and next came the question of the Scripture
revelation, which he argued over with much metaphysical power and
acuteness, being a very powerful reasoner, and well trained in the
literature of his own country. Meantime three simpler minds--Moung
Thaahlah, Moung Byaay, and Moung Ing--had been thoroughly convinced, and,
though aware that they would expose themselves to considerable danger,
resolved to become Christians.

The Viceroy had remarked the zayat, and notice was taken that men were
there led "to forsake the religion of the country." The alarm cleared
the zayat of all the audience, and emptied Mrs. Judson's class of women,
but Thaahlah {f:133} and Byaay sent in a letter, entreating to be
admitted to baptism, and Ing would have followed their example, but that
his trade as a fisherman carried him off to sea. They begged not to be
baptized openly, as Nau had been, in a piece of water near the town and
presided over by an image of Gautama; and Mr. Judson yielded so far, that
he conducted the preliminary devotions in the zayat, and baptized them in
the same pool two hours after dark. Shwaygnong had in the meantime taken
alarm at being interrogated by the Government, had apologized, and
apparently fallen away; but he could not keep aloof, and soon came back
again. After a good deal of fencing and putting forth metaphysical
cavils, he allowed that it was all for the sake of experiment, and
declared that he really believed both in God and in the Atonement.

"Said I," writes Mr. Judson, "knowing his deistical weakness, do you
believe all that is contained in the book of St. Matthew which I gave
you? In particular, do you believe that the Son of God died on a cross?"

"Ah!" he replied, "you have caught me now. I believe that He suffered
death, but I cannot admit that He suffered the shameful death of the
cross."

"Therefore," said I, "you are not a disciple of Christ. A true disciple
inquires not whether a fact is agreeable to his own rea