Page:Brief sketches of Siam (Smith, 1909).pdf/9

 Siamese captives in whom she became interested and tried to lead them to Jesus Christ.

The missionaries of Burmah felt that they ought to do something for the spread of the Gospel in Siam. There were then in Maulmain the Rev. Adoniram Judson, John Taylor Jones, Jonathan Wade, Eugene Kincaid, Messrs. Cephas Bennet and Cutler.

These gentlemen in 1832 met and decided that the Rev. John Taylor Jones and wife should forthwith proceed to Bangkok and labour for the betterment, upliftment and Christianization of the Siamese people. They forthwith started for Siam, taking with thein a little twelve year-old lad whom they had begged from his parents to rear and bring up.

Enroute for Bangkok this little company stopped at Pulo Penang, Malacca, Singapore, Tringanu, Singora, Kalantan, Patani and anchored off the Menam Bar in the latter part of March 1833.

There was then at the bar the U. S. Sloop of War "Peacock". Mr. Roberts, the American Ambassador was up at Bangkok negotiating a Commercial Treaty with Siam, this was its first treaty with this country.

Dr. Jones and his family proceeded up to Bangkok and rented a small piece of land in the rear of the Portuguese Consulate where they built a temporary house and commenced their work.

This was the commencement of American mission work in Siam.

Prior to this the Rev. Mr. Gutzlaff resided here for a short time and did Christian work. His wife died and was buried by special permit at the upper side of the Portuguese Consulate gate.

A little while before the arrival of Dr. Jones, the Rev. David Abeel, an American missionary and the Rev. Mr. Tomlin, an English missionary had visited