Star.
London, England, 1822-01-10 00:00:00

ENGLISH MISSION IN CHINA.

Dr. Robert Morrison'proceeded to preach the Gos•
pel in this vast country in the year 1807. On his ar-
rival he immediately entered on the arduous task of
learning the. Chinese language, which in its form and
structure differs from every other, and mocks our at-
tempts to trace it to its origin, and assign the reason
why the alphabet, which forms the groundwork of
every other language, was here un known, or if known,
rejected. Amidst many difficult-e; and discourage-
ments, he persevered in his laborious efforts, and they
were crowned with complete success. Some years
afterwards, Mr. W. Milne, who has written the his-
tory of the Mission, was sent out to assist him ; and
by indefatigable industry, aided by Dr. Morrlson's
experience and counsels, attained also a considerable
knowledge of the native tongue. A mission in China
differs from all the others which the London Mis-
sionary Society has undertaken. To preach the Gos-
pel opedy is forbidden by the laws, and would be in-
stantly stopped : to attempt it would-be to injure the
cause. What remained then for Missionaries in the
furtherance of the %yea k, was to translate the Scrip-
tures into the language of the country, and to com-
pose catechisms. and tracts, and treatises, that by the
circulation of these, divine truth might find access
to the minds of the people, and an entrance into their
hearts. As the Chinese Government prohibited the
printing and circulation of Christian books and tracts,
and everything of this nature must be done in secret,
it was in such circumstances deemed advisable to re-
move their printing press to Malacca, then under the
dominion of England, where all their operations could
be carried on with publicity and safety. To that
place Mr. Milne departed, while Dr. Nlorrien I con-
tinued in China. Co-operating in their grand task
of translating the Scriptures, they completed the
work in November, 1819; and prepared for the in-
strnction of more than a fourth of the human race,
the Chinese Bible, which, it is hoped, has by this time
issued from the press. The New Testament has been
in circulation for several years, and some parts of the
Old Testament have been printed separately : but
now the inhabitants of China and of the neighbour-
ing countries will have the whole Word of GOD to
peruse. Facilities for its dispersion are furnished at
Malacca, to which ves,els from different provinces of
China come to trade, and carry back with them the
Sacred Volume. There are also multitudes of Chi-
nese resident at Malacca, and in the islands of the
Eastern ()cc:in, to whom there is free access. Vari•
ous other books, and also periodical publications on
religious subjects, have been printed by the Mission-
aries there, and circulated. Of Chinese converts, too,
both the MissionarieScan boast. The first Protestant
Chinese Christian, by the instrumentality of Dr. Mor-
rison, is, he hopes, now in Heaven. To enlarge their
sphere of usefulness, a College has been founded by
the Missionaries at Malacca, for the cultivation of
Chinese and English literature, ultimately with a
view to the dissemination of the Gospel of CHRIST.
The brief account which Mr. Milne gives of the
tory of China, its manners, its morals, and its rel
—of the attempts of irrolessors of Christianity
cient times to introduce the Gospel, and of the

mish missions hatter ages—is uncommonly wall
and compresses into a narrow compass a vast
important Information, w hich from his intim;
extensive acquaintance with Chinese authors,
sides himself would live been able to furnish.

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