FROM TONKIN TO INDIA 



marked his administration of his subjects, his help for the 

 unfortunate, his care of the sick, and saw him supervising the 

 harvest, laying by food for the improvident, and giving instruction 

 to the young, he seemed to me to resemble some bene- 

 ficent over-lord of the Middle Ages ; or rather, in the finest 

 sense of the word, from which no reader need shrink, to be a 

 true socialist. For is not he the perfect socialist who lives the 

 life of his people, in their prosperity rich, and in their poverty 

 poor, who shares their joys as well as their sorrows, and enters 

 into all their fears ? Here we had before us a picture of ancient 

 Christian communism ; and if, during the period of our sojourn 

 in Tsekou, we were strongly impressed by the cordial co-operation 

 between the pastor and his flock, if we marvelled at the mutual 

 trust and amity that each reposed in the other, this state could 

 only be attributable to the existence of a common bond, the 

 sustaining power of one thought — the Christian faith. Charity has 

 smoothed the roughnesses, and " the cradle song of human misery " 

 has lulled its children into forgetfulness by showing to every- 

 one the ideal of an earthly life. Father Dubernard was venerated 

 throughout the country-side, and looked up to, at once for his 

 wisdom and his care, as the benefactor of the land. His reputation 

 for healing power was widespread. When smallpo.x ravaged the 

 district, he vaccinated more than nine thousand persons ; and he 

 told me with what success he had combated the prevalence of 

 goitre by treating those afflicted with iodide of potassium. And 

 yet, notwithstanding all the good that has been wrought by the 

 mission, there is perhaps none that has suffered fiercer per- 

 secution. 



It is no part of my purpose to enter here into the heroic 

 struggles of the Thibet missionaries, so ably set forth by Father 



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