The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1871-12-13
Letter from the Chinese Mission.
HANccHow. CHINA, October 3, 1871.
e Officers and Menbers Of the Rresbgterian

|
Beloved .1isels 10 o,..>.. VAC nsse
been sent by you to preson the gospel OF our Lord
Jesus Christ to the people of China, desire to lay
before you some facts which relate to the field IN
which we have been set to labor. The facts OF
which we speak concern a populous district OF
country lying to the north and east of the city OF
| Hangchow-a district embracing the walled cities
If Sung kiang, Kis-hing and Huchow. beside
other cities and towns of less importance. Through
out all the cities of which we speak there is not
as lar as we can learn, one preacher of the gospel
If Christ.
In bringing this region to your attention as a
! populous district, we desire to avoid conveying
any such exaggerated impressions of the numbers
IF this people as have heretofore commonly pre-
vailed As the land Of China opens up more and
more to foreign observations the opinion strength
ems that its population has been greatly over est-
mated. Instead of the four hundred Millions Of
whom We have been accustomed to hear. it is now
the opinion of those who have bad the best oppor
| tunity OF judging, that the population of the En-
| Dire does not much exceed one third of this num-
ber The province OF Chekiang, OF which Hang
chow is the capital, was estimated according to the
Chinese census of 1872, to contain twenty six mil
ions of people; yet, according to report recently
made to the Shanghai Chamber Of Commerce, by
gentleman who had just made careful explOra
ZION Of the province. with view to ascertain its
population and resources, the whole population OF
| The province scarcely exceeds eight milliOns-a
discrepancy which the havoc of the Tapping insur
recton, terrible as it was, would not seem adequate
70 account for. Ii seems evident, therefore, that
the views heretofore held by foreigners as to the
density Of the population OF China need to be cor
'rected. While guarding, however against erro
neous opinions this point, it still needs to be
stated that the population Of the district Of which
we speak is great. Though Chekiaug province has
ouly eight millions OF people, it is to he remeM
Oered that its area is only about that of the State
II Kentucky. OF the three walled cities which
we have mentioned above, Sung kiang is believed
10 contain huRdred thousand souls; Kla hing
contains probably, more than seventy FIVE thous
and while Huchow, which was lately visited by
members of the Mission for the purpose of verify
ing the reports which we had heard of its size and
Importance, we estimate to contain not less than a
! hundred thousand. These cities are all within
easy reach Of Hangchow by water Huchow being
about 45 miles distant Kia hing about rs, and
Sung kang about 40 As they are now recover
Ing from the effects of the Tapping war their pop.
uation is increasing, They are situated IN rich
| and we'll cultivated region, which embraces a few
uther walled cities and ise detled here and there
with thriving towns, villages aud hamets. They
are centers of trade, and as the country in which
| they lie is lnterseced in every direction by canals,
| they are In constant communication with all the
villages around These cities thus present great
advantages to those who are commanded to carry
the gospel to every creature; and yet, in them all,
as we have just said, no preacher OF the gospel Is
found.
1t is in view of these facts that we have felt
constrained, by the love which Christ bears to per-
Shlng men, to declare, far as in US lies, through
all our churches the condition of these Chinese
We see no reason why the gospel is not borne to
them at once, save that no man has yet come forth
TO the work. Ii 1t be asked, why do not those al
ready in the field go through all these towns and
villages, preaching the gospel of the Kingdom,
even as did Christ and his Apostles, the reply is,
that, apart from other conditions of the work
which are different, there is here such variety of
local dialects that foreigner who would labor to
the best advantage. must cOn6ne himself to linn
lied section Of country. If he speaks the Hang
chow dialect, he will have considerable difficulty In
making himself clearly understood in Huchow, still
more difficulty in speaking intelligby at Kia-hing,
and at Sung kang 1t Is probable that he will
scarcely be understood at all. 1t is obvious, there.
| FORE that these cities require that evangelists
should be sent expressly to them. Need we add
that 1t Is our earnest hope and prayer that these
evangellSts may come from our own Church?
As this is the first occasion, fathers and brethren,
that it has been our privilege thus to unite in ad
dressing you directly, we beg you to indulge US In
few words We desire that no one should sup
pose that it is from any contracted regard for the
region In which We ourselves are laborers, stl less
| rom any want OF consideration of the need which
exists within the borders of our own Church, that
We here make an appeal that laborers be sent to
China We arc sure that we need not tell any
among you, to whom we are known, that it was
not from any want Of love to our own Church and
people that We came forth to preach the gospel to
the Chinese. On the contrary, it was the earnest
desire which we have had for the welfare Of our
own u on, that gave us a leading motive to take
this STEP We have long been persuaded that the
prosperity, the lie, the glory Of our Church, de
ponds upon her faithful execution Of the parting
command OF our Saviour, to go into all the world
aud preach the gospel to every creature. We be
ieve that no Church has ever suffered within her
own borders by giving freely Of her men and her
resources to the heather; but, on the other hand
we believe that there are Churches which have
fallen into decay and death because tsey withheld
lrom this work. There that scattereth and yet
increaseth, and there is that wthhodeth more
than Is meet, but 1t tendeth to poverty 1t Is not
then merely our pity and concern for the perishink
multitudes around us, but. also our love and zeal
for our own Church that leads us to desire that
more evangests should be sent forth Through
rhe grace given unto US. we feel that our affection
FIR cur Church has constantly deepened since we
came to this land. Again and again have we
bowed our knees to the God and Father Of our
Lord Jesus Christ, and prayed that all the riches
oil his grace might be bestowed on those with whom
we are one; and, we can truly say that we have
had no greater JOY in this land than to hear of the
fruits of this grace with which our people are en-
rched We therefore long to hear it said of our
own Church, as we find it recorded Of that feeble
Church to which the command first came to go
forth And they went forth and preached every
where, the Lord working with them" 1t is when
the feet Of those who bring glad tidings shall thus
be seen upon the mountains, when our evaDgeists
shall be reckoued not by twos and threes but shall
EN- as great cloud OF witnesses, then it is that
we shall expect to see the waste places of our
| Church all blossom as the rose 1t is when all the
tiheS shall thus be brought into the store house,
that the windows of heaven, we believe, will be
opened, and the Lord of hosts will pour out
blessing upon our Church. that there shall not be
rOom enough to receive it,
We know that as regards many whom we now
address, It is only meet that we should receive and
not give words of counsel and exhortaton. Had
we thought only of these, to whom We ever look
with confidence for encouragement and support,
these lines would scarcely have extended beyond
bare statement of facts. But, We learn from the
resorts of our venerable Assembly that in some
portions OF our Church there seems to be but lit
tie if any concern for the work OF sending the Cos
pei into all the world. In this great cause they
m Ike no effort to help, To all those who ha, e
been thus ind ferent, whom these lines may reach,
We would now put the case Of these pershing PEG.