Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1883-12-01
A Doctor Among the Nlongols.


When foreign missionary, speaking
nlongolian and carrying medicine
chest, appears on any part of the plain,
the news spreads far and wide. The
story, too, gathers as it rolls, and in q
few days he is credited with the most
extraordinary powers of healing, the
exaggerated stories about his abilities
being equaled by the exaggerated
stories OF the virtues of the medicines
and appliances. 1t is in vain that the
missionary insists that he has come not
merely to heal, but to teach Christian
ity. Christianity they can do without;
they don't feel the need of it, They are
eager to get rid of their pains and
aches. They apply to the missionary
IN his capacity of doctor, they talk Of
him as doctor, and the real truth of
the matter is that they want him only in
80 far as he is doctor. In the case of
some places where Mongols are numer-
GUS, such as at populous temples, Gov
eminent gatherings and religious festi-
walls, the number of patients that pre-
sent themselves in one day is SO great
that while attending them very little
religious instruction can be impaired.
Some of them, have come long way
and can Ill spare time, and are in q
hurry to get home again; some of them
have run out in the interval between
services, and must be back in time;
some OF them have waited long and pa
tiently, or impatiently, as the case may
be, While earlier corners were being
treated, and are eager to be attended to
when their turn comes, and in these
cases the missionary is in danger of
being swamped in the doctor.
But the reception accorded to the
missionary is not the same in all places.
In most cases when locality is visited
for the first time there is great crowd
of people eager to be patients; but as
great proportion of them have diseases
which are incurable, they soon learn
that the report that the foreigner can
cure everything is not true, and, finding
he can do little or nothing for them,
they gradually drop off. The second
time the place is visited matters mend a
little, and by the third visit the peoples
ideas have become pretty correct, and
Tor the most part only such cases as can
be helped are pressed upon his atten-
tion.
For man who carries medicines and
can cure few diseases, and who lays
himself out patiently and attentively to
benefit his patients, for one especially |
who cleans and attends to neglected, |
loathsome sores on dirty unwashed per-
sons, showing the same attention to the |
poor as to the rich-for such an one the
Mongol admiration is unbourded. tits
long before they can convince them
selves that money or recompense is not
wanted, and if they could only believe
that these things were done, as they
profess to be, for nothing else but for
Christ's sake, those who saw them would
be doubtless inclined to think highly of
religion which produced such fruits.
But, in the opinion of the Mongols, it is
too good to be true; they cannot believe
It. That men should be sent out from
distant lands, fitted out with travelling
appliances and furnished with medi-
cines, and 60 about sready and willing
10 cure and heal, and want no money
for it, no reward of any kinda Mon
yors faith staggers at that. Explain to
him the religious sanction and motive
for it all; the theory of such thing he
,ould understand, but in practice it
'taggers him. If he read it in his sacred
books as a thing related of old Buddhist
saints, who lived in distant countries
and in old times, he would accept it;
but to see it with his own eyes, in this
his own time and in his own country
hat is too much for his faith; so he sets
himself to invent a reason. If he is near
china, or if himself or friends have had
much intercourse with China, he per-
laps has. heard the stories of foreigners
iigging out peoples eyes to make pho
ographic chemicals, or perhaps he has
'eard OF the operation of COUGHING for
ataract, perhaps he has seen it per-
ormed; and though he himself may
now and believe that it is all right, the
riends and neighbors who did not see
ne operation, but only heard his report.
nd in it plenty to confirm their suspi-
ions Very great care is needed if
longol missionary wishes to avoid Civ
q rise to rumors among the Mongols
hich will prove prejudicial to his in
uenee and work.-"Anaomg the Mon
,ts."
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