New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-09-12
A Remark able Missionary Printer.

One of the most eminent of her sons re.
turned yesterday, after long absence, to
visit his native city, Utica. Samuel Wells
Williams was born in Utica in September
1872, and for more than a generation nov
has ranked among the foremost of Chinese
scholars. until it is no exaggeratiOn to rank
him at the head of them. He attended the
Rensselaer, Institute, in Troy, but much Of
his training was in the printing office of bis
father, William Williams, in this civ from
which graduated some of the brightest and
most useful men that this community has
ever known. He was early imbued with
the missionary spirit, and went to Cantor
as missionary printer under appointment Of
the American board, landing in the foreign
land he was SO much to serve on the day
before he became twenty-one years of age.
knowledge Of the Chinese language was
essential TO him, and he devoted himself
enthusiastically to its study. lie assisted
DR.. Bridgman in editing the Chinese Repoi-
tory, monthly publication, and Chimes
Chrestomathy," OF which he wrote about
one.third. He published easy Lessons in
Chinese" an English and Chinese vocabu-
larry ana a Chinese commercial guide. Ali
this he accomplished within about ten
years, besides making excursions into the
study of Japanese, and translatlng into that
language the book of Genesis and Matthews
gospel.
In 1874, he started upon a visit to Amer
lea by way OF Egypt, Syria and Europe
and in this country delivered series of
lectures, for the purpose of paying for d
font Of Chinese type, to be cast in Berlin.
These lectures attracted general attention
and became the basis of the standard WORK.
the Middle Kingdom" which substituted
accuracy and veracity for romance and
fiction in Western views of the Celestial
Empire. The work earned for the authoj
tho title of LII. D. from Union College, and
gave him an enduring literary reputationl
In 1913 he returned to China, to his position
as missionary printer. and to the editorshlp|
of the Chinese Repository. Wren CONNIE
dore Perry made his famous visit to Japan
Mr.. Williams was the American best quail
fed to serve as interpreter. and in that
capacity he accompanied the expedition
and won high Recommendation for his ski
and fact and fidelity. This service SO imi
pressed our government that he wss1
ut once commissioned as secretary oil
legation to China, and he still holds to that
position, under the oldest commission in curl
diplomatic corps. During twenty years oil
labor. inadequately paid, he has been Of
more value to our country than any OF our
ministers to China, and in the three treated
with that country, which bear the names Of
Gushing, Ward and Burlingame, respectiye1
ly, DR.. Williams Was the intelligent advised
and agent, and without his acguaintanOd
with the country and the government and
the people, probably our diplomacy would
have been in vain. During the absence u
persons appointed to the place, he has nlDd
times, for longer or shorter time, performed
all the functions of minister as charge d
affairs, and it would be the tittest thing
the world for our government to recogniS
his services by appointment as minister
China, where indeed our diplomacy bsl
long been what he has made it.
During his diplomatic service he has no
neglected his linguistic studies. In 1856 b1
published "TOhic Dictionary of the Chi
nese Language" and he has Just completed
monument to his industry and scholarship
in syllable Dictionary of the Chimes
Language" great quartz of 1900 pages
embodying 1900 characters of that con
plex and difficult tongue. This vast under
taking has compelled notice and admiratiod
from scholars in all lands, and rounds 0,
to wonderful completeness the lAbOrs of Dr.
Williams for the Language OF the land
his adoption.
For DIR. Williams has become identifs
with China. For score of years he
bored there with rare fruitfulness as Mi
'siOnary printer. For twenty more he BIZ
held mp the interests OF America, an
striven to impress its influence upon the n
latiOns of the old East and the young Wed
For the entire forty years he has never fol
gotten the story and the philosophy d
Christ, and has told them to those childre
Of the Celestial Empire, and ILLUSTRATED
them in his life. In. the meantime he bal
applied his Western zeal and toll to tha
Chinese problems, and has expounded then
and has strivtn to create equations betwee
the Chinese language and our own, en-
bOdying his labors in q permanent an
standard form. 1t is not strange that be
recognized in Europe and America as prot
ably the best authority ON Chinese affair
for he has resided longer in China than az
foreigner now living
Forty-two years ago last May he le
Utica, with the hopes of youth, as q mi
sionsry prib ter. He returns now in rip
and successful manhood, with the donors
diplomacy and authorship, to the scenes
his childhood. He came In good health,
his tour Of four months in Europe has \
stored the strength much worn by labor
his great dictionary. He will remain SON
months In this country with his he's
quarters in Utica, but expects some time
1875 to return again to the field of lab
yhioh be has made hia ovn, in China
Unca Herald. 4sAf T"l'D7
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