Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1853-09-01

"'""y vi HO uIts anu Sciences. ney were
even employed in difficult and delicate missions.
In the reign of Hang-hv, from 1862 to I7l2, the
influence of the Jesuits was at its height. They
had many converts, including some members of
The royal family, and erected several places Of
worship in Pekn as we'll as in other of the large
cities.
Yong-tching the successor of Kang-hy, was
less tolerant. He baaished the Jesus from the
country, prosecuted the Christian converts, de-
siroyed their churches, and even ex,led those Of
hisown relatives who had professed the Chris.
'ian religion. YoDg-tching was succeeded by
KEN long who ascended the throne in 1885, He
recalled the surviving exies. and for time tol-
Grated the preaching of the missionaries who
had presumed upon his ascension to the throne
to return to China. Through the influence of
the Msndarins, however, who dreaded the ex
tinctlon Of their ancient religion. the emperor
was Induced 70 banish the missionaries second
time from the country, and 10 demo,ish ,,a,,
churches The Cahollcs have again succeeded
| in establishing missions in China, but we cannot
learn that they have been very successful in
making converts. According to the authentic
stale recently obtained, there are moi more
than 2l5 600 Roman Catholics in China.
The first Protestant mission to China of which
we can find an account, was established early
in the present century The Rev. Mr.. Morrison
was The earliest missionary. He went from Eng.
land to Canton in 1907, where he studied the
language in secret, and labored for several years
surrounded with difficulties, and in constant fear
of expulsion. He translated portions of the
Holy Scripture and The Book OF Common Prayer
into the Chinese language, at an earlier period
Of mission, and in 1919 completed the transa-
ton of the whole Bible. He also compiled a
Chinese grammar and Chiuese and English
dictionary, thus smoothing the way for future
labors in the field. The latter was completed
in 1929 10 the meantime he labored privately
for The conversion of souls, but until 1914 no 10.
dividual had sufficient resolution TO seek admis
sion by baptism into the Christian church. H.
deed, in 1912 formal edlct was issued against
Christianity, which probably deferred many con
vers from making an open avowal Of their be-
lief in Christ. The earliest Chinese convert,
who Joined lhe church in 1913, was Tsae a-ko
who died in the faith in 1878. The first native
evangelist was Leang-Afa, remarkable man.
whose labors among his countrymen we're atten-
ded with great success. He accompanied Dr.
Milne from Canton to Malacco in 1915, as a
printer, and in 1916 made public profession Of
Christianity, was baptized, and was subsequent
fitted for the ministry. He was ordained at
Canton by DR.. Morrison in 1923 as an evange-
mission cause OF inestimable value. He devo-
ted the whole energies of his mind to the work
OF spreading the gospel among his countrymen.
The principal means adopted by DR.. Morrison
and his fellow laborers to spread Christianity
was the circulation, through the agency of LIE
ang- Ala and other native converts OF bibles and
religious tracts. These were dlffused in i'm
mense numbers, not in Canton alone, but far In
to the interior. On one occasion, it is stated
the native converts itineratcd about two hundred
and fifty miles into the interior, for the purpose
of distributing religious tracts among their coun.
trymen, and at another time they distributed
more than two thousand five hundred in the
streets of Canton, among twenty four thousand
literary graduates who had assembled in that
city for examination, and who received these
books willingly!
Dr. Morrison continued in the missionary field
until his death. which occurred in 1884 Dr..
Milne, another of the earlier English missona.
res. landed in Maco in 1873 but was forced to
leave by the Portuguese governor. He went to
Canton where he abored for awhile, when jeal-
ousy OF the Chinese government rendered 1t i'm.
prudent for him to remain. But he did not aban-
don the field entirely. He went to Malacca,
where he to'nd mixed population, including a
large number of Chinese. Here he labored tor
some time, establishing missionary station.
from which great number OF books in the Chi
nese language have since been issued. ln 1879
he established another station at Singapore, and
continued his labors among the Chinese whom
he found in that vicinity until his death in 1922.
At the Singapore station printing office was
established, from which an immense number Of
copies of the Scripture and of tracts have been
dlffused among the Chinese, who annually visit
that port in junks for the purpose of trade. One
of the missionaries recently remarked in relation
to this great work:
"Perhaps not less than one hundred junks Of
various sizes, pay at least an annual visit to
Singapore, which afford abund Mt facilities for
sending the Sacred Scriptures into the empire
of China, and to almost every important Chinese
colony in he Indian Archipelago. The large
Flunks from China are chiefly from two places
Canton and Annoy. They arrive early in the
year, and as they stay some months, we have an
opportunity OF paying them several visits. and Of
holding conversations with the people. All the
readers on board each junk are supplied with
books, and then small export cargo is intrusled
to the captain or other intelligent and well dis.
posed person among the crew, to be given to
their friends on returning home. A complete
copy Of the Scriptures has usually been given to
the captain for his own use. In all our inter.
course with these visitors, as well as those from
other parts. we have uniformly met with friend
ly, and even kind reception; and the books ar,
generally received ,sith cheerfaness, and not ure
q,.eniIy ,oith strong feelings Of gratitude"
Our limits will not permit us to refer even
briefly to the labors Of other missionaries, o.
whom several have been sent out by the London
Missionary Society, and many have labored IN
China under the auspices Of the A. B. C. F. M
and the American Baptist Board.
The names Of DR.. Parker, Messrs. Roberts