This market-town owed much to the earnest labors of Rev. W. C. Burns, whose words and manner of life are still a fragrant memory among the brethren there.  He was the first English Presbyterian missionary to China.  He arrived in 1847.  For the first four years he carried on evangelistic work at Hongkong and Canton.  He came to Amoy in 1851.

Mr. Talmage alludes to a family at Peh-chui-ia who had endured much for Christ’s sake.

“This family have been twice plundered.  Once their house was set on fire by a band of robbers, and everything was destroyed, themselves only escaping with their lives by a remarkable providence.” (So intense is the hatred of some of the officials against Christianity that bold robberies will take place with their connivance, sometimes at their instigation.) “These afflictions seem to have been employed by the Spirit of God in preparing their hearts for the reception of the Gospel.  On the first announcement of the Word, they were deeply impressed with its truth.  The father, however, had a hard struggle; and the opposition from his neighbors was too much for him at the first.  At one time, he resolved to run away from the place altogether.  At another time he meditated drowning himself.  While in this state of mind, he derived much benefit from the counsel and earnest entreaties of his wife.  She exhorted and besought him to exhibit the meekness and endurance taught by the meek and suffering Saviour.  He who never suffers His people to be tempted above that they are able to bear, at length raised him above the fear of man, and established his goings.  On one occasion, when we were conversing with him, it was suggested that he might again be robbed.  He replied that he did not believe he should be, for he now trusted in God.  We suggested, ’Perhaps the very fact that you have turned from idols to the service of the true God, may lead the enemies of the Gospel to band together and plunder you.’  He answered, ’I do not believe that they will.  They will not, except it be the will of God.  If it be His will, I also am willing.’  On one occasion it was suggested that he might even be brought before magistrates because of the Gospel.  He answered that he had no anxiety on that subject.  When the time came the Holy Ghost would teach him what to speak.  He has since had his faith put to the test, but his confidence was not disappointed.  The enemies of the Gospel banded together to demand of him money as his share of the expenses of some idolatrous celebration, resolving, if he refused to pay the money, to plunder his establishment.  A crowd collected at his door to carry the resolution into effect.  They made their demand for the money.  But he was enabled to speak to them with such power that they trembled in his presence, it is said, and were glad to leave him alone.”

Mr. Talmage writes of the great change in a man notoriously wicked, who at fifty-one years of age yielded to Christ.