Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-25

1t has taken in securing the free exercise
of their labors and In marking out their
duties and those Of their converts to the
local authorities, constitute certain over
sight by our diplomatic representatives In
those countries and of obligation and privi-
lege on the part of the missionaries which
neither can disregard.
am happy to say that with a few unirn-
portant exceptions. the American repre-
sentatives in the orient and in the far east
have properly interpreted the spirit of their
government. and in their relations with the
powers to which they have been accredited
and to their countrymen engaged In the
mission work they have shown that they
were the representatives of a Christian
nation. Judged by the results accomplished
Commodore Perry was the most distin-
guished American diplomatist in the east.
When he steamed into the Bay Of Yeddo
with his formidable squadron which filed
the subjects of the shotgun with fear and
amazement, he gave them their first lesson
In Christian institutions. When Sunday
came the free intercourse which had been
maintained with the shore was entirely sus-
pended and public service, as was the COM
modore's invariable custom was held on
the open decks of all his vessels One Of
the most useful of all our ministers to
Japan was Townsend Harris. During that
unique negotiation with the then mex
perienced and simple Japanese which re-
suited in the treaty of 1853 he records in
his dary: II shall be both proud and happy
If / can be the humble means of once more
tanity. You are familiar with the good
work done by the late Col DENLY, one of
the most able and useful of our diplomats
and of Mr. Conger recently returned from
Picking ladened with hono.s: both of whom
were the stanch friends and supporters of
the missionaries. | might enumerate 9th
ers If time permitted.
L am doubtless addressing some young
men who aspire to serve their country
in diplomatic capacity. 1t is a laudable
ambition and | hope you may attain your
desire. | am glad to assure you that there
opens up in the far east wide field of
usefulness and honor fer the Christian citi-
zen of our republic who is so fortunate as
to go to those lands the official repre-
sentative of his country But | address
still larger number of young men who are
resolved to enter the great mission fields
of Asia and to devote their lives to this
most noble of all causes. 1t will be a
sa tisfa ction to them to know that many of
their predecessors in their humble avoca-
ton have been able to render most valuable
service TO the world aud especially to our
own government, in connection with the
diplomatic intercourse of the western ma
tons with the far east.
y
In the negotiations which resulted in the
first treaty ever made III China with
Christian nation-that of Russia in 1853
the Catholic missionaries were Invaluable
participants both as interpreters and adj
visers. And all through the eighteenth
century the Christian fathers were an in
dispensable part of all diplomatic missions
which visited Picking. When the British
government was making arrangements to
send the famous Lord Mccartney embassy
to Picking In 1902 to open up political In
tereourse with the Emperor of China,
search was made for a competent person
to act as interpreter. and the secretary of
the embassy records that lin all the British
dcminions not~-one person could be pro
cured properly qualified. and that after
much inquiry two Christian Chinese stu
dents were found in the mission college at
Naples. Italy. who were engaged for that
service
The we'll known English missionary and
interpreter DIR. Morrison. who first trans
lated the Bible into Chinese, the chief
il terpreter of the second British embassy
in 1916 and he acted as the official inter-
prefer and trusted adviser of the British
government and of the East India Company
at Canton for twenty-five years. During
the opium war of 1910 and in the peace
sienary and historian, was in the employ
OF the British government as Interpreter
and adviser, and was most useful in the
negotiations. He was also of service to the
United States In a similar capacity at
later date.
When the first American diplomatic en-
voy that was ever sent to the far east by
the American government. Mr.. Roberts,
was appointed in 1892 to negotiate treaties
with Siam and other oriental countries.
he had first to go to Canton, and there pro-
cured the services as interpreter of Mr..
J. r. Morrison, a son of DIR. Nor
rison A similar service was rendered
for Mr.. Balestier. the American repre-
sentative. the negotiator of the treaty with
Borneo in 1850 by Mr.. Dean, an American
In 1914 Mr.. Caleb Gushing was sent to
China to establish our first diplomatic in