The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1877-07-11
FoR THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
THE SHANGHAI CONFERENCE OF
MISSIONS.
No. l.

the closing of this great Council, the frs
ever assembled within the Middle Kingdom
1t is now near the midnight hour, and the
mail leaves on the morrow. Il has now been
in session twelve days, and it may seem good
to tarry three days longer. I've taken rough
notes day by day, which may be able to
work into shape as time permits after my re-
turn to Soochow. There have been about
thirty subjects discussed, covering nearly the
whole ground of the science of Missions.
am at loss what thoughts to dot down
at this sitting. We all came up with great
hopes, but this Conference has gone SO far
beyond what we could hope or desire or in
our hearts expect that We are filled with joy
in the Holy Ghost. O! that you could have
been here My pen cannot tell Of this meet
ing l may write some ten or twenty let
ters about the matters discussed, but those
who read will little know what We have ex-
perienced.
trust some of these notes will do my
brethren in the ministry good; those who la
Dor so earnestly in the cause of Missions
And let every servant of the Lord Jesus, as
he reads, pray for China 1t will not be
easy amid the duties that daily press to find
time to write up this Conference, but the
task is cheerfully undertaken, if by this
means the hearts of Gods people may be
turned to Sinim's Land. AS the whole pro-
ceedingS, with all the papers read, which will
be published in book form, will not reach the
Libraries of many, perhaps these abstracts
might be clipped out week by week and put
together for reference in scrap-book, or
otherwise.
The number of disciples gathered together
in this upper room, both men and women,
the number of names together are about an
hundred and twenty. These all continue with
one accord in prayer and supplication. Eng
lish, Scotch, Americans, Germans, Baptists,
Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Msthodists,
Plymouth Brethren, all of one mind. From
Pekin, Tiew tsin, Chefoo, Tuug-chow, Ming
po, Hangchow, Soochow, Chinkiang, Nankin,
Hankow, Swatow, Foochow, Annoy, Hong
kong, Canton, and score of other places.
1t is a solemn thing for so many to leave
their fields of labor during almost the whole
month of May. For this time we must give
account at the judgment.
But the gospel does not always tellu to
be in haste. He commanded them that
they should not depart from Jerusalem, but
wait for the promise of the Father" But
ye shall receive power after that the Holy
Ghost is come upon you"
The Conference is presided over alter.
nately by Rev. DR.. Robert Nelson, of Vir.
ginia, of the Episcopal Mission, and Rev.
Castairs Douglas, LII. D., of the English
Presbyterian Church.
Besides the regular order of the subjects,
it might be well, in future letters, to speak
Of the social element in this gathering to-.
gether of isolated laborers; to introduce to
you the leading members of the Council, that
you might feel acquainted with those whom,
with their spiritual seed, you are to meet in
the Assembly and Church of the first born !;
to tell briefly of their mission fields; to
give you an account of the Presbyterian
meeting we had, and so on, as thoughts come
up in rambling way; but now I'll mention
only one point in reference to this first AS
sembly as at Antioch, and that is its spiritu-
ality.
We had prayed much for it. Christians
in all lands remembered US, and if God had
even wished to forget US, it were impossible.
Many who will read this had prayed for this
Missionary Conference, and God has an.
swered your prayers. Many brethren could
not come up to meet with US, but daily
prayer-meetings are being held at many Of
the stations. The native church is praying
for US.
No wonder, then, we mounted up on wings
as eagles. We were all as if our souls were
in balloons. We opened our mouths wide,
and God has filled them. Such words Of
wisdom have from day to day been poured
forth. Streams of knowledge to make glad
the city of our God in China.
have never witnessed Council so com
manded and controlled by the power of the
Holy Ghost, and all who have seen Synods
Assemblies and Conventions at home beai
the same testimony. Ia several neighbor
hoods prayer-meetings before breakfast arr
held. The first half.hour of both morning
and afternoon is devoted to prayer. No us'
for the leader to call on any particular one
as one after another, sometimes two, thre
' and four consecutively would lead in shor
feryent petitions. We've had grand singing
: such as would carry the soul upward.
Il is as the heart of one man. | men
,, toned the names of the chairmen, but ther
was one mightier than they, even the grea
i. Master of Assemblies, who presided W
: all long to be endued with power; not tn
; power of miracles, for that would be useles
with these stony hearts, but the power G
faith To be filled with the Holy Ghost
It is just FIVE years since I landed, and the
!. have not been years of ease, but feel ths
). all the toll has been repaid by the privileg
Q of being present at this great ConvOcation