The Republican., 1889-08-24
End of a Noble Lite.

The Department of State at WASH
ington has received from the Lega-
ton at Pekin, China, under date of
the 3rd of July, an account of the
death and extraordinary Iifework of
the Rev. J. Crossett, an independent
American missionary in China. His
career appears to have been a very
remarkable one. characterized by alb
soIute self-devotion. He died on the
steamer Ell Dorado en- route from
Shanghai to Tientsin on the 21st June
last. He leaves a widow living at
Schuylersville, N. Y. In speaking
of Mr.. Crossett, Minister Derby cou-
pies his name with that of Father
Damien, the French missionary,w who
lately died on the Island of Molokai,
and says:
"Mr. Crossett's life was devoted to
doing good to the poorest classes Of
Chinese. He had charge Of a winter
refuge for the poor at Pekin during
several winters. He would 60 out
on the streets the coldest nieh and
pick up destitute beggars and convey
them to the refuge, where he pro.
vided them with food. He also bur-
led them at his own expense. He
visited all the prisons. and often pro-
cured the privilege of removing the
sick to his refuge. The officials had
implicit confidence in him, and al.
lowed him to visit at pleasure all the
prisons and charitable institutions.
He was known by the Chinese as the
Christian Buddha.' He was attach
ed to no organization of men. He
was missionary pure and simple
devoted rather to charity than prose.
lytism. He literally took Christ as
his exemplar. He travelled all over
China and the East. He took no care
for his expenses. Food and lodging
were voluntarily furnished him. Inn.
keepers would take no pay from him
and private persons were glad to en-
tertain him. Itmust be said that his
wants were few. He wore the Chi.
pese dress. had no regular meals.
drank only water, and lived on fruit,
with little rice or millet. He aimed
at translating his ideal' Christ into
reality. He wore long auburn hair,
parted in the middle, so as to resem-
BILE the pictures of Christ. Charitable
people furnished him money for his
refuge, and he never seemed to want
for funds. He eslept on board or on
the floor. Even in his last hours. be-
ing deck passenger, on the El Do.
RADIO, he refused to be transferred to
the cabin. but the kindly captain,
some hours before he died, removed
him to a berth. where he died, still
speaking of going to Heaven and en-.
treating the bvstanders to love the
Lord.
LAS an instance of the character of
the man, will state that when on
one occasion 1 gave my annual dinner
on Thanksgiving Day to the Ameri-
cans, Mr.. Crossett wrote to me be-
seechiug that would have no dinner
but would give the cost to the poor.
He attended the dinner, but touched
nothing but water and rice.
"In theology he could hardly he
said to have been orthodox. He
found good in all religions. After a
long conversation with him one day,
1 told him he was not Christian, but
a Buddhist. He answered that there
were many good things in Buddhism.
The last important work Of Mr..
Crossett was an effort to provide for
the deaf and dumb. To further this
project he travelled to Han-Kow and
thence to Canton, establishing every
where schools for these unfortunates.
He was successful wherever he went.
"This man taught the pure love of
God and OF goodness. He completely
sacrificed himself for the good of the
poorest ofthe poor. He acted out his
principles to the letter. He was as
poor and lived as plainly as the poor
est of his patients. On charitable
subjects he wrote well. The idea to
him was practical.
LET this American, then, be en-.
shrined, along with the devoted
Frenchman, in the annals of men