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 MARKS 
 
 VISIT TO THE KING OF 
 BURMAH ATMANDALAY, 
 IN OCTOBER, 1868
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 A VISIT 
 
 TO THE 
 
 KING OF BUR M AH 
 
 AT MANDALAY, 
 
 IN OCTOBER, 1868. 
 
 WITH REMARKS ON THE PROSPECTS OF 
 CHRISTIANITY IN BURMAH. 
 
 BY THE 
 
 REV. J. E. MARKS, 
 
 MISSIONARY OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE GOSI'EI. 
 AT RANGOON. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 BELL & DALDY, 4 & 5, YORK STREET, 
 COVENT GARDEN.
 
 LONDON : 
 
 R. CLAY, SONS, AND TAYLOR, PRINTERS, 
 BREAD STREET HILL.
 
 BURMAH. 
 
 INTERVIEW WITH THE KING. 
 
 THE following important letter from the Rev. J. K. MARKS has 
 just reached the Society. Never before was so good an oppor- 
 tunity offered to any Christian Church for the propagation of the 
 Gospel in BURMAH as this which the Society is now invited to take. 
 Some of our readers may remember the striking letter n-hich the late 
 Bishop of CALCUTTA wrote in October, 1862, urging on the Society the 
 extension of Missions along the east side of India ; which was followed 
 in 1866 by an appeal on the subject from the Missions Committee and 
 the Standing Committee. Since then, through the energy and zeal of 
 Mr. MARKS and his fellow-labourers, the Missions of our Church have 
 been gradually pushed forward beyond Rangoon and Moulmein, 
 until they have now reached the capital of Burmah. In the present 
 state of the Society's funds some special effort seems necessary if 
 this advantageous post is to be secured to Christendom, and to be 
 made a base for farther operations. Our Missions and schools are 
 insufficiently manned, and we have no resident Bishop in Burmah. 
 
 "The British Residency, Mandalay, Upper I'urmah, 
 
 2oth October, 1868. 
 
 " IT is now my duty and my pleasure to address you with regard 
 to my Mission to the King of Burmah. My former letters have 
 put you in possession of the first stages of this attempt, but I 
 think it better that I should here briefly recapitulate them. 
 
 In 1863 I met, in Rangoon, the Thonzay Mintha (prince), one of 
 the sons of the King, who had fled from the capital. I gave him 
 several Christian books in Burmese, and spoke to him about their 
 contents. He became reconciled to the King, and, on his return to 
 Mandalay, asked me to come and see him at the capital. He has 
 several times since sent me kind messages, but, as you know, my
 
 4 Bur mah. IntcrricK 1 -idt/i the King. 
 
 work and absence in Calcutta and England left me no leisure to visit 
 the capital. 
 
 After the Bishop of Calcutta's visitation last year, the way seemed 
 open to establish Mission schools and stations along the Irrawaddy ; 
 and accordingly, in two Missionary journeys, schools were formed 
 at Zelloon, Henzadah, Myan Oung, and Thyet Myo. 
 
 At this time I received several letters from Captain E. B. Sladen, 
 the British political agent at the Court of the King of Burmah, telling 
 me of conversations which his Majesty had had with him on the 
 subject of Christianity, and his (Captain Sladen's) belief that a Mission 
 of our Church in Mand.alay would not only not be opposed, but would 
 (under GOD) effect much good. One of these letters I forwarded to 
 the Bishop of Calcutta, who directed me to proceed to Mandalay 
 with the twofold purpose of ministering to the English residents, and 
 endeavouring to pave the way for a Church Mission. I met in 
 Rangoon Mr. J. S. Manook, an Armenian Burman, who is the King's 
 Kulla Woon, or minister for foreigners. I told him of our wish to 
 have an S.P.G. Mission in Mandalay, and he promised to lay the 
 matter before the King. Shortly afterwards I received from him the 
 letter, a copy of which I sent you, in which he said his Majesty the 
 King of Burmah was pleased at our proposal to establish in Man- 
 dalay a Christian church and school for the benefit of his people, 
 that he would give every possible assistance, and entrust the children 
 of the officials to us for education. I showed this letter to the Chief 
 Commissioner, Colonel Fytche (in 1865 a member of your Standing 
 Committee), and I sent it to the Bishop. Both agreed that it was an 
 opening of which the Society ought to avail itself, and that I should 
 proceed to Mandalay, and there ascertain what could be done. 
 Colonel Fytche furnished me with a letter to the King. It was, 
 however, advised that I should not enter Mandalay until I had heard 
 of the return to that city of Captain Sladen, who had been appointed 
 to lead an exploring expedition to reopen the old trade route through 
 Burmah to Western China. 
 
 Whilst waiting to hear of Captain Sladen's return, I received from 
 the Governor-General in Council, on the application of Colonel 
 Eytche, through the Bishop, an appointment as visiting minister of 
 Henzadah, Myan Oung, Prome, &c. 
 
 Mr. Chard, of St. Augustine's College, having opportunely joined 
 our Mission, I was enabled to leave Rangoon on my pastoral and 
 Missionary tour. Accordingly I left on the 28th of August, accom- 
 panied by six of my best first-class boys from Rangoon. 
 
 We passed without stopping at Zelloon and Hen/.adah, and arrived 
 
 at MYAN OUNG late on Sunday evening, the 3oth. On the following 
 
 schools ^ a y ^ examined your Mission-school, which is under the 
 
 care of Moung Bah Glay, one of my pupils from Moul- 
 
 mein and Rangoon, whom I baptized at the latter place last year. I 
 
 had every reason to be pleased with the state of the school, helped 
 
 and fostered as it has been by the kind interest and liberality of the 
 
 Christian residents of the station. On the Wednesday evening we
 
 i. Inti'rriw with tin" Kin^. 5 
 
 had divine service in the Court House, and there was a large atten- 
 dance. It was thought better that 1 should visit HKNZAJMH ; so on 
 the Saturday I left at eleven and arrived there at six. On Sunday I 
 held service in the Sessions Court in the morning, and in the evening 
 taught a large number of the Burmese boys. Our school there is 
 doing remarkably well. I left Henzadah on the Monday, and 
 arrived at three o'clock on Wednesday at MYAN OUNG. At half- 
 past five we had divine service attended by nearly all the Christians 
 at this happy little station. We left at three o'clock on the following 
 morning, and on Friday arrived at PKOME. On the Sunday we had 
 early morning service, with sermon and Holy Communion, in the 
 (Government school house. In the afternoon I gave religious in- 
 struction to my own and other Burmese boys, and in the evening we 
 again had service, with a very large congregation. I hope to be able 
 to build a church at Prome, shortly. The steamer came in on the 
 Monday, and I left at daylight on Tuesday, arriving at THYET MYO at 
 two o'clock. At the wharf I was met by our teacher, Arthur Moung 
 Tsway (who was baptized by Rev. C. A. Berry, from our Rangoon 
 school, in 1865), and twenty-seven of his pupils. I remained at 
 Thyet Myo from the i5th to 3oth of September, teaching our school 
 there, and endeavouring, by my Sunday help, to repay in some mea- 
 sure the kindness of the station chaplain, the Rev. J. R. Ward, who 
 has most energetically and successfully maintained our Mission-school 
 in efficiency. Whilst I dreaded to think of its finances, he had 
 managed, through the exceeding liberality of the good people of 
 Thyet Myo, not only to keep it solvent, but also to keep a balance in 
 hand. 
 
 We left Thyet Myo on the ist of October, in the steamer Lord 
 William Bentinck, which, with the flat Prome in tow, was crowded 
 with Burmese passengers. I need not detail all the incidents of our 
 voyage. I enjoyed it greatly, as I was going through a country 
 which I had not visited before, and the scenery was beautiful and 
 the weather pleasant. 
 
 We passed Ava and Amerapoora, and reached the capital city of 
 Mandalay on the 8th October, where we were most hospitably received 
 by Captain Sladen, who had but recently returned from his expedition. 
 On the following day the Kulla Woon came to tell me that the King 
 had been very impatient about my coming ; was very glad to hear of 
 my arrival, and would appoint an early day for an audience. On 
 Saturday I went out to see the city. It is large and well laid out, 
 the streets wide and at right angles, but the houses mean and 
 irregular. The city is inclosed by an embattled high brick wall, 
 with several imposing gateways. Both wall and gate appear to be 
 more for show than for use. The suburbs appear larger than the 
 city. A hill on the N.E. is completely covered with Buddhist 
 buildings and emblems. There are in Mandalay more than 20,000 
 yellow-robed Buddhist priests, iS;c. On Sunday we had English 
 senice at the Residency, but very few people attended, the notice 
 having been imperfectly circulated.
 
 Bur malt. Interriav with the A'ing. 7 
 
 On Monday, October n, we had our first interview with the King 
 of Burmah. I went to the palace (which seems to occupy 
 about one eighth of the city, and is itself fortified by a 
 stockade all round) with Captain Sladen and the Kulla 
 Woon. The accompanying photographs will, better than any descrip- 
 tion which I can give, convey an idea of the King's palace. On 
 reaching the steps we all had to take off our shoes, and then walk a 
 considerable distance to the apartment in the garden where the King 
 was receiving. We entered the room, in which were very many 
 of the Burmese high officials and ministers seated on the floor. We 
 too seated, or rather squatted ourselves down. In a few minutes the 
 King came in attended by a little boy, one of his sons. The King 
 is a tall, stout, thoroughly Burmese-looking man, about fifty-five years 
 of age. He had on only one garment, the pulso or beautiful silk 
 cloth covering from his waist to his feet. He reclined on a velvet 
 carpet, near which the little prince placed the golden betel-box and 
 water-cup, and then reverentially retired. As the King entered every 
 Barman bowed his head to the ground and kept it there. His 
 Majesty, according to his usual custom, took up a pair of binocular 
 glasses, and had a good stare at us. He then asked if I was the 
 English Poongyee ? when did I arrive ? how old was I ? &c. &c. He 
 then asked me what requests I had to make to him, assuring me that 
 all were granted before 1 spoke. I said that I had four requests to 
 make : i. Permission to labour as a Missionary in Mandalay. 
 2. To build a church for Christian worship according to the use 
 of the Church of England. 3. To get a piece of land for a cemetery. 
 4. To build, with his Majesty's help, a Christian school for Burmese 
 boys. With regard to the first, the King said very courteously that 
 he welcomed me to the royal city : that he had impatiently awaited 
 my arrival, &c. &c. I was to choose, with Captain Sladen's advice, 
 a piece of land for a cemetery. That with regard to the church and 
 school his Majesty would build them entirely at his own cost. I told 
 him that the Bishop of Calcutta had most .liberally offered zoo/, 
 towards the church. The King replied, ' It is unnecessary, I will 
 do all myself.' He directed me to prepare the plans, adding that 
 the school was to be built for 1,000 boys. The King said that it 
 was his wish to place some of his own sons under our care, and he 
 sent for nine of the young princes, fine intelligent-looking lads of 
 about ten years of age, and formally handed them over to me. He 
 handed me a hundred gold pieces (worth 5o/.) to buy books, &c. for 
 the school. The King talked about his high regard for Captain 
 Sladen, whose word he could so implicitly trust ; of his desire to do 
 all the good in his power, and especially to be friendly with the 
 English. He asked me whether I would procure machinery for him 
 from Europe. I said that, with every desire to oblige his Majesty, 
 I must decline all commercial or political business; that my province 
 was simply that of a religious teacher. The King was evidently 
 pleased with my answer. The interview having lasted over two 
 hours, his Majesty concluded by inviting my boys and self to break-
 
 Bur niah. Intenriew with the King, 9 
 
 fast in the palace on the following clay. He kindly accepted the 
 presents of beautifully bound books which the Calcutta Committee 
 had been good enough to forward to me for him. 
 
 Tuesday, i3///. Captain Sladen being too poorly to accompany 
 us, my five boys (Moung (lyee, Moung Hpo Too, Moung Bah Ohn, 
 Moung Tsan Hlah Oung, and Moung Hpo Ming) went with me to 
 the palace at nine o'clock. We travelled in covered bullock-carts, 
 as it is considered very wrong for a poongyee to ride on horseback. 
 We found the King in the Hman nan dor (or glass palace) attended 
 by several of his queens and daughters. My boys prostrated them- 
 selves, as did the other Burmans, whilst I squatted down in a cramped 
 position, being obliged to keep my feet out of sight. The 
 King was seated on the highest of a flight of six steps. uS^ieV 
 He began by asking if I was comfortably housed and 
 cared for. He reiterated his promises of yesterday, and expressed 
 his hope that all would not be in vain. He made me tell him about 
 each boy, and he addressed some kind words to them. I presented 
 him with a pretty telescope, and the boys gave a lot of English toys 
 to the young princes. In return the King gave two pussoes (silk 
 cloths) valued at 3/. to each boy. I also presented to the Queen, 
 through his Majesty, a box of beautiful needle and crotchet work 
 made and presented by the Burmese girls in Miss Cooke's school. 
 The King pulled out two or three pieces of work, but did not seem 
 to know much about them. He tossed them to the ladies behind 
 him, who evidently valued them highly. The King began to speak 
 to the boys about religion. He told them that they should not 
 lightly forsake their ancestors' creed. I interposed, when he laugh- 
 ingly said, 'Oh, Pone-dor-gyee' (high poongyee, the name he always 
 gives me) ' I and you will talk about these matters alone by ourselves. 3 
 I replied, that I should be delighted to converse with his Majesty 
 on those subjects which were of the highest moment to all mankind. 
 The King said that he only wanted to guard the boys against being 
 rash and foolish, or changing their religion to please men ; that he 
 was perfectly tolerant ; that he had never invited a Mussulman, 
 Hindoo, or Christian to become a Buddhist; but that he wished all 
 to worship according to their own way. He told me to make what 
 use I pleased of his steamers between Rangoon and Mandalay. and 
 to grant passages to and fro to any boys whom I might wish to send. 
 W r e were then conducted to another apartment, where a sumptuous 
 breakfast was served to us in English style. My boys and I sat down 
 to table, the Burman attendants wondering to see our lads freely 
 using knives and forks instead of the orthodox fingers in eating. 
 Suddenly my boys and all slipped off their chairs on to the ground, 
 and when I looked up to see the cause, I found that one of the elder 
 princes, a lad of about seventeen, had entered, having been deputed 
 by his father to see that all was right. More than thirty different 
 kinds of sweetmeats, all made by the Queen's own hands, were 
 offered to us. After breakfast we were conducted by one of the 
 woons or governors over the royal gardens, which are unlike what are
 
 io Bunnah. Interview with the King. 
 
 generally known as gardens elsewhere. There were very few flowers, 
 but a number of shrubs and young trees, planted in no order as far 
 as I could discover. The place is neatly kept, and is divided into 
 two parts by a canal of stagnant water. 
 
 I went again to the palace by appointment, with my boys, yesterday 
 morning, to take the plans for the school and teacher's residence. I 
 send you a rough copy of the plan for the school ; that for the 
 teachers' houses is in the same style, but smaller. The King was in 
 the same part of the palace the Hman nan dor. He approved of the 
 
 MANDALAY. THE KINGS BARGE, OR WATER PALACE. 
 
 Flans for 
 building. 
 
 plan with one exception, viz. that the school must not have a triple 
 roof, such being only for princes and poongyees. My house is to be 
 so honoured. The King's minister for Public Works was called into 
 the presence, and ordered at once to commence the work, and to use 
 all expedition in its completion. The King gave me ioo/. 
 towards school furniture. I told him that I would pro- 
 cure a plan in Rangoon for the church. He repeated 
 that it would trouble him very much if no English poongyee came 
 to Mandalay. I assured him that his liberality would not so be 
 despised, but that I really would myself return and open the school. 
 After some further general conversation the King spoke to the boys, 
 and especially to one Arracanese boy whom I adopted in 1863. He 
 repeated what he had said before about not forgetting the religion of 
 his ancestors. I said that the boy's ancestors had not heard the 
 good news which I taught him. The King took no notice of what
 
 Burmah. Interview with the King. 1 1 
 
 I said, but continued to the boy, ' Always remember the Yittanah 
 thon bah (the three objects of devotion), the Payah' (deity), Tayah' 
 (law), and Thingah (clergy).' I said, ' Christianity teaches us to 
 worship the everlasting GOD, to obey His law, and to receive instruc- 
 tion from the clergy.' The King seemed annoyed for a time, and 
 then repeated, in his usual good-humoured manner, ' I cannot talk 
 with you about religion in public ; we will talk about it privately on 
 your return.' He added, ' Do not think me an enemy to Toleratlon ^ 
 your religion. If I had been I should not have called 
 you to my royal city. If when you have taught people they enter 
 into your belief, they have my full permission ;' and then, speaking 
 very earnestly, ' If my own sons, under your instruction, wish to 
 become Christians I will let them do so. I will not be angry with 
 them.' I could not help thinking at that moment of poor Judson 
 and his associates in 1823-24. What a wonderful change has come 
 over the land since that time ! May it not be that GOD is even now 
 answering the fervent prayer of those devoted men in-the time of their 
 greatest peril, ' O Lord, open the eyes of the King of Burmah?' He 
 was brought up as a priest or poongyee ; is learned and devout as a 
 Buddhist. But he has not yet found peace. He is now earnestly 
 seeking to acquire merit by the performance of good deeds. He has 
 asked me to be his almoner ; to send his bounty to my brother at 
 Ceylon (the sacred island of Buddhism), and to other places. The 
 Kulla Woon told the King that on the previous day (Sunday) he had 
 been present at our service, and had heard me pray for his Majesty 
 and the royal family. The King was much interested, and told me 
 that he had ninety children. I gave him a copy of our Prayer-book 
 in Burmese. He read aloud the ' Confession/ and then read two or 
 three pages silently. He said that he would study it attentively. 
 
 I have now told you, at greater length than I fear you will care to 
 read, the result of my mission to this country. I have now to ask 
 for help to carry out this work, whose commencement GOD has so 
 blessed. I return to British Burmah (D.V.) in about a week, on my 
 way to Rangoon, having to start three new schools viz. at Shway- 
 doung, near Prome : at Kyangyin, a town of 10,000 
 
 \r /~\ J 1 T i Hew schools. 
 
 people near Myan Oung ; and at Yandoon, a very large 
 town on the junction of the Panhline, or Panlang river, with the 
 Irrawaddy. I wish to be in Rangoon early in December so as to 
 liberate Mr. Warren, who goes up to Calcutta for ordination. 
 
 I have written to the Bishop of Calcutta to ask you to send out a 
 clergyman, ordained before he leaves England, who, after a brief stay 
 at Rangoon, would come up here and relieve me. His 
 salary here should be 3oo/. per annum (Rs. 250 per men- c gj T g? 
 sem) of which I believe the English Government would 
 pay Rs. 100 a month for his services to the English residents. With 
 the Bishop's permission, I shall come back here and commence work 
 as soon as Mr. Warren returns to Rangoon. But very earnestly do 
 I ask your help. A great door and effectual is opened unto iis, and 
 GOD in His providence has called us to work for Him. There will
 
 be no expense except the Missionary's salary, and more than one- 
 third of that will be paid here. 
 
 The opening up of the old trade route to Western China via 
 Bhamo will give increased importance to Mandalay. Captain Sladen's 
 most successful expedition will doubtless produce great results, and 
 as these long dormant nations seem rising into new life and into con- 
 tact with the Western World, so let us avail ourselves of the opening 
 which GOD has made for us, and hold up the light of our Christianity 
 to those who have so long been enthralled in the gloom of Buddhism, 
 the religion which is ' without hope, without GOD in the world.' 
 
 The plan for our church I will try to procure in Rangoon or 
 Calcutta. It will be built of wood, but will, I hope, be a handsome 
 structure. I look for gifts. It may be that some of those kind friends 
 at home whom I met in 1865 may be inclined to help me in furnish- 
 ing our church for I can hardly allow the King to do more than 
 the building. For the altar and altar-cloths, communion-plate, font, 
 harmonium, &c, I must appeal to Christian liberality, and I hope 
 that I shall not ask in vain. 
 
 I have now only to apologize for this long letter, and most earnestly 
 again to urge this new Mission on your immediate attention." 
 
 Subscriptions or Donations to the General Fund of the SOCIETY 
 FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE GOSPEL IN FOREIGN PARTS, or for 
 any particular Diocese or Mission, are received at the Society's Office, 
 5, Park Plate, St. James's Street, London, S. W. 
 
 LONDON : R. CLAY, SONS, AND TAYLOR, PRINTERS. 
 
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