National Republican., 1883-09-03
M1ss1oNAnY wonN IN cmNA.
Junior Foreign Missionary Meeting at the
Fourth Presbyterian church.

Junior Foreign Missionary Meeting ot the
Fourth Presbyterian Church.
IL was foreign missionary evening at the
Fourth Presbyterian church last night and
the exercises were varied by some very fine
selections of music by Mr. Warren $. Young.
Tho following letter, from tho society's field
in China, was read by the pastor, Rev. J. I.
Kelly:
CANTON, CHINA, July 2, lsss.-Jfy Dear Friend;
Absence in the county on mission work pro-
vented me from answering your letter by the lnst
mail, as should have done, | am Teloleed az thS
for the Lord, and hope IL VIII always DO so with
you that the results exceed your expectations;
Your young people have certainly done well ana
should be encouraged to do still better
The schools at True -ha.toen arc doing very We'll
A Bible woman, the wife OF one OF our elders,
has been spending a week in tho village and was
much encouraged by the opportunity she hud TO
reach the women. The scn0os are opening the
way to reach the older people well as the chill
dron, by the way wonder II you young people
would be willing TO send some appropriate pictures
to hang on the walls OF the school rooms. They are
very fond of pictures but being unable TO secure
good ones themselves, sometimes take rather
peculiar ones as substitutes. For instance, on the
wall OF tho girls school room was hung a portrait
tached-not very good selection you VIII agree
for mission school. IL you could send four or
them framed here for about fifty cents each. In
my journey into the country visited the stations
OF our mission TO the southwest, which were
formerly under my care. One Of these is in the
country from which so many Chinese go TO
America. 1t was opened by me six years ago, and
the work has grown until there Is now flourish
ing church, which Is almost entirely self
sustaining. The present chapel is in a bad
part Of the town, and much trouble Is sometimes.
caused by the rabble of the lowest Characters
Our meeting at this place was very interesting,
and we expected about thirty at communion but
the low people near began to make trouble on Sat-
urday filling the chapel full of rude boys and mon,
who Interrupted the services by the vilest talk.
There were five women Christians az the prepara-
tory service, and the hrmness with which they
bore all reproach OF these wicked men was worthy
| OF praise,
some Of the Christians who returned from Cali
| fornia were frightened and leh and did not re-
turn on sunday After the prayer meeting on satur-
day night tho mob gathered about the chapel door,
threatening to kill the foreigners and the two
native preachers. We appealed to the magistrate,
and the mob was dispersed. on Sunday morning,
however they began early to make threats of
| we thought IL best that they should not come TO
the service. We procureda guard from the officer,
so that the service might ,,l not be inter; inter;
when we began tho service, A hymn was
sung, and offered the opening PRAYER,
witha that we could not proceed, so that nothing
was left hut TO put them nll ont of the chapel and
station tho guard at the door, after which we held
our meeting without interruption. The Chris.
tlans behaved themselves we'll under the storm Of
abuse that these wretched people heaped upon.
| them The reproach Of Christ which many of
these Christians in China have to bear is some
| thing we often fail to appreciate. This disturb
ance was simply local, and If they succeed in
finding suitable building for chapel in better
| locality will cease.
Just before leaving the place heard of one OF
the women who attended Saturday and was pre-
pairing to come to the communion OH Sunday
| being beaten by her nephew, and treated in the
most brutal manner. She anu her little son, who
is also baptized fled to another village, and up TO
the present, have not dared to return. In such
cases we have the right TO appeal to the officers for
protection, but 1t does little good. IL the officer
iails to protect them and secure their rights, the
people say there Is no fear. we can treat them as
We please aud no one will call us to account.
| IT. on the other hand, the officer exerts himself
and the offenders are punished II is always treas,
ured up as grievance and made the pretext of
secret assaults, so that they are placed between
| two fires and must meekly bear this reproac for
| the sake of Christ and their souls salvation.
| have known of men who had their oxen and fam
| lily utensils stolen, but did not dare to seek re-
| dress lest all they had should be taken.
| Our new church building is progressing
and we hope to have 1t ready for dedlcn-
ton on the thirteenth Of September, at which time
| you can think of the Second Presbyterian
church of Canton, provided with n comfortable
and spacious place OF worship. Our congregation
for some years past has been the largest in Canton
| and our church building one of the smallest The
new one will be the largest in Canton, and Will
seat easily 600 or 700 people. We hope 1t will
| soon be filed with worshipers of the true God.