Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1837-09-20
.2lR GUTZLAFF's LETTER.
NR GUTZLAFF'S LETTER.
On the preparation Of Tracts for China.
"lIacdo, March 26, 1887.
"Rey. W.. 4 Hall ocK, Cor. Ser. Amer'
--- Tract SoCiety.

"Rev. W.. A Hall oCK, Cor. See. amer.
---- Tract Society. >.
Dear Sr-Since the generosity of Chris
tians has enabled us to perform on the coast
Of China successive voyages, it is now our
duty to concelt with you suoh plans as will
in fu:uret tacilAate the publication Of Chinese
! TrrctS. =.
Humanity speaking, much will depend
upon suitable publications. being put into the
hands ofthe Chinese, to promoc the cause
of the Gospel in this country. The care,
therefore, bestowed. for rendering: them as
perfect as possible can never be TOO great,
nor will the Labor be in vain. -.
As far as the subject TO be d1ceH upon IS
concerned, the choice can soon be made.
! The pure Gospel ofChrIst presents a,wide
field, whence, under diyine guidance, q
proper theme may be selected. The VIII.
ter Of Tracts, however, is not formed IN the
study. but amongst the people themselves
He must learn from their own mouths their
preiudices, witness their vices, and. hear
their defence, in order 10. meet them effect
ualy; hc.ought to behold The dctcstab!e rites
of iduIary, IN order 10 write about the living
God; he must learn TO feed the wretchcd
state of those VINO are without Christ, in Or
der 70 speak or compose a treatise upon the
unsearchable love the Reedemer with hqart.
! felt sympathy. Thus subjects will never
! be wanting: but they must be fixed upon in
this manner, or else they will no: engage
the attention ofthe readers.
10 style we ought to conform entirely to
the Chinese taste; for otherwise, five reject
this single rule, by displaying a superior
knowledge Of the art Of writing. we shall
not benefit our readers by our lucubrations.
This point has been contested, and the ad.
vocates for aGoptiong a foreign idiom in
our books will probably retain their opinion,
until they are. taught by sore experience
that works Of this description, how plain So
ever tor the foreign reader, are little read
and still less understood. To clo.he our
ideas in genuine Chinese style, is howey:
or, the study Of a whole life; and nolwi,h-
standing the. greatest zeal to expunge for
eiguisms, they cleave TO US until the last
Gladly should we leave the principal work
10 instructed natives, but their thoughts are
confined, their mind q stranger TO logic, and
their expressions often SAVIOR too much Of
paganiscl; they do not comprehend the
'chole Gospel, and are therefore not able to
wrije upon the subject.
Our great business in. this department will
consstin substituting genuine Chinese phr?-
ses for new coined expressions. 10 point
of orthodoxy you have nothing to fear
After having pcruscd nearly alLthe trea;ises
of the Protestant missionaries, do not re-
member to haze seen one single keterodor
sentiment; but | have found many passages
where the expressions, from want Of full
knowledge ofthe language. conveyed o;her
ideas than those intended. Those, there
fore, who are engaged in the revision
ought 10 be well versed in language; they
ought to correct and moi to reject. If a SIM
Gle expression is to be made the crlerisn Of
the suiIaJlcness Ola Trac.;n mo performance,
how excellent soever, will stand the test
Unsuitable Tracts are not to be printed,
but more Objectionable expressions ought
carefully to be corrected, and not the whole
on their account, condemned.
Tracts in point of style may be divided
into the follow ne classes.
l. Scriptural Tracts, which either contain
parallel passages upon the same doctrine,
with or without remarks; or the biography
of the holy men Of God. Of this descrip.
ton are most treatiscs now in the course
of publication at Singapore. They are, in
my opinion, the most important books, be.
! ing derived from the source of eternal truth.
3. Tracts in chsical sententious style Of
The arorks Of Chinese scgrs. Their execu.
ton is the most difficult One ought TO
have mastered The language, be we'll &C.
quained with the rythmus,and posses good
knowledge Of Chinese apothegms. This
style is mos! adapted for conveying senten-
tious mayims, but entirely unfit for discur.
sive rcatises. Only two Trac!s in this
style have hitherto been published by late
Chinese scholar, and even these require nu.
merous corrections. But as Works of this
descl ipton are much valued, We ought to
endcavor 10 excel in this species Of "riing.
3. Tracts in common style. In this, mos
Of Our produclIcnS are written, and it is the
most easy. After dilgen' pcSural of the
principal native historical woras, the code Of
laws, and other standard books we ought to
choose our model, and study variety. We
ought 10 have Tracts of every description,
which present our holy religion in the most
varied manner, in order to make it plain TO
the darkened heathen mind. This point
has not Yet sufficiently BEEN attended to, and
requires our earnest consideration.
4. Tracts IN the conversational style. In
this the greatest latitude is permitted, the
stiff language becomes more plant, and we