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

tercourse with that empire. He was escort
ed in great state by a squadron of the
American navy. But he was utterly power
less to accomplish the great object our gov
eminent had in view till he obtained at
Canton the services of DIR. Peter Parker,
a medical missionary, and Rev. DIR. Bridge
man. an accomplished Chinese scholar, both
of the American board OF missions. These
two gentlemen were made secretaries of
the embassy and through them the negotia-
lions with the Chinese plenipote1tiaries were
wholly carried on to successful complexion
Mr.. Gushing returned to America to re-
ceive the plaudits of his countrymen for an
achievement due in large measure to the
humble missionaries DR.. Parker became
so useful to the government that for severai
years he acted as charge of the legation
and later became minister of the United
States to China.
One of the best known of Americans In
China was DIR. S. Wells Williams. He mas
tered that most difficult language and came
to be recognized the first scholar ana
linguist of all the foreign residents. When
our government determined to force an en-
trance into Japan, which had been hermet-
icaIiy closed against all foreigners for CEN
turies Commodore Perry was dispatched
with formidable fleet. and both Americii
and Europe were laid under tribute to fur-
nish men of learning and fitness to make
the expedition success. But before Conn
modore Perry could venture on the first
diplomatic step in his work he had to repair
with his feet to Canton to take on board
DR.. Williams as his Interpreter and ad-
wiser: and the narrative which the commo-
dore has left of his expedition shows that
in securing intercourse with the authorities
and in the details of treaty negotiations
DR.. Williams WAS his main support. and to
him more than to any other person was the
commodore Indebted for the complete sue
cess OF his expedition which has brought
so much fame to American diplomacy and
which has given to the United States such
prominence in the affairs of the far east.
When the allied British and French fleets
went to Iientsin in 1s5S to exact treaties
from China the American minister took
with him Dr. Williams as his counselor and
Interpreter, and he played a very important
part in those negotiations. The minister re-
ported to his government: II could not but
for his aid have advanced a step in discharge
of my duties" Years afterward. when DR..
Williams was leaving China to return to
America to spend the evening of his lie
the Secretary of State, Mr.. Fish, wrote
him: above all, the Christian world VIII
not forget that TO you more than to any
other man is due the insertion in our treaty
with China of the liberal provision for the
liberation of the Christian religion" For
many years after that event the doctor
continued as the trusted adviser of our
government in all Chinese questions. He
learning the Chinese Dictionary. and he
gave to the world in his Middle King
DOM the most complete work on China,
which is to this day the standard authority
on that country.
Another person took a prominent part as
the associate Of DR. Williams in the ITEM
tsin expedition and negotiations of 1855
DR.. w. A. Z. Martin, who went to that
country as a missionary of the Presbyte
rian Church of the United States. He be-
came proficient in the Chinese language
and literature and was called into the serv-
ice Of the imperial government For thirty
years he held the post of the head Of the
Chinese educational system in the foreign
course of study, and has acted as an adj,
wiser to its foreign office in international
affairs. He has translated into Chinese our.
own STANDARD author on International law.
Wheaton, and other western pubIiciSts He
has been of inestimable service to the i'm
perial government and has been character
lied by Minister DENLY as the foremost
American in China
Such are some of the services which
Christian missionaries have rendered to the
western nations and to China in their po-
liticaI and diplomatic relations. 1t is not
too much TO say that up to the middle of
the last century the governments of Europe
and America were almost entirely depen-
dent upon the missionaries for the direct
conduct OF their intercourse with Chinese
officials.
My object in this brief review has been to
show the relations which exist in the non
Christian countries between the American
diplomatic and consular representatives and
the missionaries. how necessary and init
mate must be this relation and what it has
accomplished In classes of representa- ives
of America in the past Let us hope that
these two heather lands may continue 10
work in harmony with the honor OF tne;r
own country and for the enlightenment
and blessing of the hundreds of millions of
the people of Asia.