The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-11-14
A Doctor Among the MongoIs.

When foreign missionary, speaking
Mongolian and carrying a medicine
chest, appears on any part of the plain,
the news spreads far and wide. The
story, too. gathers as it rolls, and in
few days be 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
so 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 a
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
eases 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 q
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 6
little, and by the third visit the peoples
ideas have become pretty correct, anC
for the most part only such cases as car
be helped are pressed upon his atten
ton.
For man who carries medicines an(
can cure a few diseases, and who lay:
himself out patiently and attentively t.
benefit his patients, for one especially
who cleans and attends to neglected
loathsome sores on dirty unwashed per
sons, showing the same attention to thu
poor as to the rieh--for such an one tn,
Mongol admiration is unbounded. 1t i
long before they can convince them
selves that money or recompense is no
wanted, and if they could only believ,
that these things were done, as the,
: profess to be, for nothing else but TO
Christ sake, those who saw them woult
be doubtless inclined to think highly o
religion which produced such fruits
But, in the opinion of the Mongols, it i
too good to be true; they cannot beliey
. it. That men should be sent out iron
distant lands, fitted ont with travelin,
appliances and furnished with med
cines, and go about ready and willin,
II to cure and heal, and want no none
for it, no reward of any kinda Mon
COILS faith staggers at that. Explain t
him the religious sanction and motiv
t for it all; the theory of such thing h
could understand, but in practice
staggers him. If he read it in his sacre
e books as a thing related of old Buddhis
!; saints, who lived in distant countrie
and in old times, he would accept i
d but to see it with his own eyes, in tn
his own time and in his own country
that is too much for his faith; so he sci
y himself to invent reason. If he is mes
China, or if himself or friends have ha
N much intercourse with China, he pc
n haps has heard the stories of foreigner
y digging out peoples eyes to make pix
r tographie chemicals, or perhaps he hs
: heard of the operation of COUGHING fC
: cataract, perhaps he has seen it pc
e formed; and though he himself ma
know and believe that it is all right, IL
friends and neighbors who did not ST
the operation, but only heard his repor
find in it plenty to confirm their susp
cions. Very great care is needed if
Mongol missionary wishes to avoid gi
:. ing rise to rumors among the Mongo
= which will prove prejudicial to his il
in fluence and work. - among the Mo-
= | OOLS -