The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-08-03 00:00:00

FRENCH MISSIONS IN CHINA.

The following intelligenze is contained in a letter from
• M. Fontana, Bishop of Sinite, and Apostolic Vicar of Sue-
techura is China:—
Persecution, which raged with great violence five yearsl
and which has never entirely subsided, bad never-
theless C
Callosity diminished; but in 1821 it was renewed
In seVirll places, on account of a conspiracy formed against
the kmperor by a sect of Pagans, but happily discovered.
The examipationa relative to this affair served as a pretext
to call the Christiahs to in account. Most of them escaped
by friviog money ; I k* yiehled to fear, and placed super-
stiuous tablets in theii houses ; others, however, resisted
with great courage, and made a noble profession of the
faith for which they suffered.
Among the latter, the Christian!' of two towns called
Lo-Tcha-hien and Telioung-Kish-hieh distinguished them-
selves by their constancy. Efforts *ete made to constrain
them to apostatise, but nearly all, both then and women,
showed themselves disposed to suffer death rather than re-
nounce their faith. This conduct drew upon them all sorts
of insults, ill. treatment, and vexations • at length they
were left quiet, but nine Christians of LO-Tcha-hten who
by their exertions encouraged others, were conducted bedew
the Governor, who omitted neither musses nor punish-
ments to induce them to renounce their faith. Finding
them immovable, this Mandarin caused them to be con-
ducted to the principal town, that they might there be con-
demned to exile ; he went there himself to support the ac-
cusation, but was very ill received, neither the Viceroy
nor the superior Mandarins having given orders to perse-
cute the Christians ; however, at his solicitation, the nine
confessors were brought before the judges, who laboured
in vain to make them apostatize. They were next conducted
before the Viceroy, who first treated them with mildness,
,and/hen threatened them with capital punishment. These
sehte believers throwing themselves upon their knees, de-
eland that they would voluntarily suffer death for the sake
of their religion. The Viceroy, affected by they firmness,
-tie not condemn them to death, but to perpetual banish-
lent in Tartary. The Emperor confirmed the sentence,
and the nine Christians departed for the place of their
exile, in May 1824, with their wives, who resolved to fol-
low them.
The Christians of the other; town, Tchoung-Kiang-hien,
were likewise ill-treated ; and here, also, there were nine
who distinguished themselves by more courage than the
rest. The Governor, seeing that the conduct of the Gover-
nor of Lo-tcha-hien had not been approved, would not con-
duct these Christians to the metropolis, but condemned
them himself to carry the cangre• until they should re-
nounce their religion, but although they ever refused to
yield,- they were successively set at liberty, notice being
given them to appear whenever required.
Notwithstanding these occurrences, and although the
Christians acre extremely ill-treated in many places, the
exercises of religion were no where interrupted, and the
missionaries were able to visit almost all the Christian in-
stitutions, and administer the sacrifice to the faithful. The
Christians who, at the beginning of the persecution, had
been condemned to carry the cengue until death, constantly
displayed the same firmness. The Emperor, upon his ac-
cession to the throne, remitted the punishment of those
under condemnation. The Christians condemned to the
cangue were also to return home, but upon condition of re-
nouncing their religion. In 1894, all those who carried the
cangse were brought before the Governors, and urged to
make abjuration, in order to enjoy the grace promised.
All of them, except one, confessed the faith anew, and
consequently continued to carry the cangue voluntarily.
These niagnanimous Christians are not more than twelve
in number, all the others having died before the expira-
tion of ten years. As to those who have been exiled into
Tartary for their attachment to the faith, and who were
very numerous, two only returned ; of the others no in-
telligence has been received, but there is reason to believe
they persevered.
Monsieur Thadee Lieon, a Chinese priest, was con-
demned to he strangled or exiled for life, as the Emperor
should ordain. His crime was having constantly refused
to renounce the Christian religion, and having confessed
that he was a priest and preacher of the said religion.
The Emperor's order was delayed for two years, and the
priest remained in prison ; but in 18'23, as he ever per-
sisted in his first declarations, and protested his attach-
ment to the faith, his sentence of death - into
execution. This pious minister
consummated his - -
the same year.
In 1824 the establishment of a seminary was com-
menced, in which are collected twelve pupils, who study
Latin and are formed in the practice of piety, under a
Chinese priest. Many others solicit admission, hut the
difficulty of the times and the poverty of the mission pre-'
vent the reception of a greater number. The Bishop of
Maxula, assistant to the apostolic vicar, is superior of this
seminary, but he has been unable hitherto to reside there,
and has committed the care of the establishment to a
Chinese priest educated at Poulo-penang. This priest is
very learned, and by his presence the Christians are less
exposed than by that of an European priest.
Moreover, the Bishop of Maxula is required to superin-
tend the labours of some new priests in the east. There
are in the mission no other Europeans than the two bishops
and M. Eseotleca : the lager is in bad health, and cannot
visit, the Christians. The Bishop of Maxula has his
health better than for several years, and labours with
much zeal. Mons. Inibert, who is at Tongking, has been
expected for several years. and couriers were sent out to
meet him, but apprehensions are entertained that they
died iu a rebellion which broke out in the contiguous pro-
vinces of China.

We are about to send other couriers to conduct M. Im-
bert, of whom the mission has great need. The number
of the Chinese priests is 46, of whom five are infirm, and
can no longer visit the Christians.

In the course of 1824 there were in Sutchaen 29,342
annual confessions, and 33.5 adults baptised. There are,
moreover, 1,146 old Catechumens, and 401 received this
year, without reckoning many other adults who have de-
termined to embrace religion, but who have not yet been
classed among the Catechumens. Baptism has been ad-
ministered to 837 children of Christians, and to 60
children of infidels in danger of death. The numbel of
Christians is 46.287, including the Catechumens and chil-
dren, but not the apostates; there are 27 schools for boys
and 2$ for girls.
• The cangue is a punishment In use in many countries of Asia.
la some, u in China, it is a large table, pierced aids holes for the
head and fret to pass through. In others, it is a triangular piece
I of wood which is fixed round the neck, and to width one of the
bands is attached.

Upon the 'loath of a worthy baillie of Edinburgh, his
relations resolved to erect a monument to his memory.
They accordingly applied to a mason, and among other
directions, desired that be would represent an angel, bearing
the baillie to Heaven. The mason set to work, and
chiselled out an alarming likeness of the deceased worthy ;
on the head of the angel, he carved a wig similar to the
baillie's (which was the largest wig in the Town Council).
One of his relations, on returning from London, went to
' inspect the subject of the sculpture. After musing some
time over it, he asked the mason who the lower figure was
intended for. " Oh, that the angel /Ong our Ruh!
friend to Heaven." " The angel !" (said the gentleman)
" who ever raw an angel wear a wig ?" " Did ye ever see
ane wit/lout a wig ?" retorted the artist. This was un-
answerable ; so the monument was erected, and may be
seen on the north side of the churchyard of the Greyfriars
to the wonder of all beholders.

On the emit instant, Messrs. Gilchrist, Coulson, and
Marshall, officers of the exciie, at Springfield and Annan,
seized, near Newcastleton, a hearse and two horses, the ve-
hicle, instead of a dead body, having within it a living
spirit, in the shape of thirty gallons of prime Scotch
whisky. which the cunning driver was merrily trotting to-
wards England, though bedizened in sables. On the same
day, while the officers were conveying the hearse to its new
destination, they also seized a horse and an additional thirty
gallons of whisky, in ten casks. The man who belonged
to this latter venture came boldly up to inquire who the de-
ceased was, and where he was to be buried ; and found to
Lis surptise, that an old acquaintance bad been drowned
whilst bathing, and the people bringing the hearse from
Newcantleton to convey hint to the place of interment,
thinking the opportunity an excellent one for outwitting the
oF7ers, concealA the whisky within it ! The ("trivet. of
the hearse is in Amen gaol, and the man be!onging to thel
" horse is in Carlisle gaol.—CaHisl• Paetht.