LAST month very joyful news arrived at forty years, from thousands of his people, the mission-house in London from China. and allowed them to enter that great emIt announced that China was opened to the spread of the gospel; and told us that God had at last heard the prayers that had been ascending to his throne for above *Sinim is generally understood to mean China. October 1845.

pire. Hitherto the profession of Christianity has been forbidden in that country, and the missionaries prevented from labouring as they wished; but now the emperor has published an edict, allowing us to

establish missions in the five principal com- have not openly attempted to re-enter mercial cities; and though our missionaries China. A few priests still remained in may not travel up and down the land, yet the secluded parts, in order to supply their through the help of native teachers and converts with their instructions and help; books, we can now send the gospel through but if any were discovered in the counthe length and breadth of the empire. try they were cruelly treated. Others have Churches may now be built, and full liber-gone since; and every year two or three have ty enjoyed to worship God as the Chris-secretly proceeded to the mission in the tians may think right. It is delightful to interior. The native Christians, too, have know all this; and it seems to me to make kept up their profession; and native Cathis really a year of jubilee, since liberty tholic communities still remain in all the has been proclaimed in China, and the way provinces. They have also retained many been opened to save the vast multitude of of their chapels, and have service performits inhabitants. ed in them; while in Peking they had a community, a few years ago, of above 26,000 members.

The opening of China carries back my thoughts over many years, in which we have tried to introduce the gospel there without success; and I am going to give you a little history of what we have been doing.

I cannot tell you how many Catholics still remain in China; but a statement was published in 1810 by them, which shows that they then had,

Of MISSIONARIES,

6 Bishops.
2 Coadjutors.
23 Priests.

80 Native Assistants.

Of MEMBERS, 215,000 Native Christians.

You must know, I should think, that in China, is one half of the heathen world, or about three hundred and thirty-three millions of people. All these speak one language, and almost all can read, so that when a missionary has learned Chinese, he can speak the tongue of half the heathen; and when he has written and printed a Their numbers, however, in some parts tract, it can be read and understood by the have since increased, and hence, there may same vast multitude. China, too, is all be many more at present. Thus, in the under one government, so that if laws are bishoprie of Macao, in 1810 there were made favourable to Christianity, every dis-only 7000 members; but in 1833 there trict is at once more or less open to its were 13,000.

spread. On these accounts, and for many Besides these stations, they have two other reasons, China has always been look-seminaries for training priests: one at Maed to as a fine field for missionary effort. cao, and the other in Tartary, beyond the Accordingly, very early efforts were made wall of China. by the Roman Catholics to convert the Since the Chinese war, within the last people to their religion; and for many two years, they have found it more easy to years they had large and prosperous mis-enter the country; and sent over many sions, but bitter persecutions broke out, missionaries, and excited a great interest and in 1723 all the Catholic missionaries in behalf of the work; while the present were banished from the land. By the opening, which makes us so glad, has been same edict no fewer than 300 churches brought about by their efforts with the were destroyed, and 300,000 profess- government. ing Christians deprived of their pastors. Their activity just now is very great, and From that time till lately the Catholics we should learn a lesson from it; and

with what we think a purer faith and holier | ners made his countrymen suspect him, principles, should go up with even greater while it did not gain him the favour of the energy to take possession of the land.

natives. He therefore changed his way of
life, and lived in both better quarters and
more like others. In 1808 some misunder-
standing arose between our government
and that of China; and Morrison had in
consequence to retire to Macao. Here he
acted with great caution, as both the bigo-
try and ill-will of the Romish priesthood,
and the suspicions of the government re-
quired it. The first time he ventured out
in Macao was on a moonlight night, with
two Chinese, who acted as his guards.
In 1810 he finished and printed the

No Protestant mission was begun in China till about forty years ago; and the honour of this work lies with the London Missionary Society. The directors of that Society, after much thought and prayer, resolved, in 1805, to attempt to translate the Scriptures into Chinese, and commence a mission to that country. Many difficulties lay in the way; but they felt the Lord called them to it, and they could not refuse to attempt it. In 1806 they appointed two missionaries, Messrs Brown and Morrison, and wrote to Dr Vander- translation of the Acts of the Apostles. It kemp, then in Africa, to go with them to was a prohibited book, and had to be printPenang. Mr Brown, however, soon re-ed at a great risk. This made it very extired, and Dr Vanderkemp declined to go, pensive, but when the British and Foreign so that Morrison was left to go alone. Bible Society heard of it, they voted him There was then a native of China in Lon- £500. Other publications followed, and don, Yong-sam-tak; and under him, and other books of the New Testament, till in with the help of a manuscript translation 1814 he could announce that the entire of the gospels and Paul's epistles, originally book was completed; and by November 1818 made by the Jesuits in China, and then the whole Bible was translated into Chinese. lying in the British Museum, Morrison In this great work Morrison had been began to study the language. By January greatly helped by another devoted mission1807 he was able to set out, and proceeded ary, Mr Milne, who had been sent to join to Canton by way of America, and arrived him at Macao in 1813. Mr Milne transin China, the 4th of September of the same lated Job and the historical books: the rest year. As soon as he arrived in Macao, was Dr Morrison's. his object was discovered by the Catholic During all the period that passed before missionaries there; and he found it would the Bible was translated, Dr Morrison embe necessary to conduct his movements ployed himself as far as he could in preachwith great secrecy. He accordingly hired ing the gospel and distributing such books a lower room in a retired part of Canton, as he had printed in Chinese. He had to and there, with no light but what shone preach in the most secret manner to a few from an earthenware lamp, the rays of natives in his own room and with locked which he screened by a volume of Mat-doors. In this way he laboured for many thew Henry's Commentary, he pursued his years before he saw any effect in the constudy of the language. He adopted the dress version of souls; but in 1814, he was enand manners of the natives, allowed his hair couraged by one of the printers giving signs and nails to grow, ate with chop-sticks, that his heart was changed. The name of and walked about in thick Chinese wooden this man was Tsae A-ko. He was first shoes. In all this he afterwards found out brought to think about Christianity by he did not do well. The confinement in- reading the New Testament he then was jured his health; and his habits and man-printing, and by degrees was led on to give

himself to God. When his mind was made up to be baptized, he told his wish to Dr Morrison, who, after proper examination, granted his desire. His account of it is as follows:

"At a spring of water, issuing from the foot of a lofty hill, by the sea side, away from human observation, I baptized, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Tsae A-ko. May he be the first-fruits of a great harvest; one of millions who

shall believe and be saved from the wrath to come."

The cut at the top gives you the scene. It was one of great interest in more worlds than one, Devils no doubt looked on, and, felt that now Christ was spoiling them of China. And angels looked on too, and struck their harps and sang their song above the spot.

I will, if all be well, go on with my accounts next month, but my room forbids my adding more to-day.

THE HINDOO SCHOLAR.

How happy is the condition of little girls | in a Christian land, compared with their state among the heathen! The laws of the Hindoos declare, that it is not proper for females to learn to read; and they are mostly left to grow up in ignorance. When a missionary offered to begin a school for the young in a Hindoo village, some of the people said that he might set up one for the boys. He then told them he was willing to set up one for girls also, when a Hindoo replied, "What have we to do for them? et them remain as they are." The missionary said, that they had souls as well as men, and must be saved, or lost for ever. i The Hindoo added, They do not know how to go to heaven, then let them go to hell!" But since this shocking reply was given, many schools for females have been set up in India, and God has richly blessed the labours of the Christian teachers. Many pleasing accounts of the piety of Hindoo girls have been sent to us, and one of them will now be given.

66

Pannachi was a lively little girl, with a smiling face, and of simple manners. As her father had given up his idols, he brought her to a school to be taught. She was very diligent, and got on nicely in her learning. She took great delight in reading, and sometimes went to the missionary's house, and standing at his study door, would make a courtsey, and with a pleasing smile her face, used to say, "Good morning,

sir," which was almost all the English she knew. To encourage the little learner, he would lend her the Bible, or some other book, for her to take away with her to read.

It was the practice of the missionary to have morning prayer with the school girls, to whom he explained, in a plain way, a few verses of the Scriptures. The girls who could read took their books with them, and questions were asked, to see if they understood what had been told them. Little Pannachi did not trifle and play, as many English girls often do when the Bible is read; but she looked at the missionary, and tried to make out what he was reading, so that she was able to answer the questions better than any other girl in the school. When the evening came, she was always glad to join in the prayers that were offered, and to hear the Scriptures again explained. One or two of the girls had to stay in the school-room, to take care of it, while the rest went to join in family prayer; but Pannachi, when it was her turn to stop behind, used to beg very hard that she also might be allowed to go. She said she did not like to lose any part of her instruction.

One morning little Pannachi was taken ill; in the afternoon, she became much worse; at night, she was in great danger ; and at day break next morning, she was dying. When she was seized with the illness she seemed afraid, but soon became calm. Turning to her schoolmistress she

GEORGE SCHMIDT.

said, "Do not be troubled about me; I am not afraid the Lord lives, and I trust in him." As Pannachi appeared in great pain, she was asked how she felt, when she said she was trusting in the Lord Jesus; and added, "The Spirit of God is mighty in me." When the mistress saw her little scholar close her eyes in death, she wept, and said, "That was a dear child-a child that loved the Bible, and dearly loved the Saviour."

The history of this little Hindoo girl is a call on the young-" Be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son

77 of man cometh," Matt. xxiv. 44. Ile comes to call you to give an account of how you have lived-how you have improved your privileges; and whether or not, you have loved him. Prepare! you may die young; you may die soon; you may die after only a few hours' illness. Take care, then, like Pannachi, to improve the days of your youth; seek to understand the Bible, and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, that you may obtain the forgiveness of your sins, through the riches of his grace.--Missionary First Fruits.

GEORGE SCHMIDT,

THE FIRST MISSIONARY TO THE HOTTENTOTS.

(Concluded from page 70.)

Schmidt was much distressed to be kept from his Hottentots; but he was obliged to yield to what seemed to be God's will. He lived forty-two years after his return, and never forgot Africa; but every day retired at a certain hour and spent some time in prayer for it. One day he had retired as usual to pray, and did not come out of his room at the time expected. His servant waited long; but as he was not heard to move, the door was opened, and there Schmidt was found upon his knees in the attitude of prayer, but a cold and lifeless corpse. lie had died, it would seem, praying for Africa; and he did not pray in vain.

THE news that Schmidt was baptizing permission to go back. You may be sure the Hottentots soon reached Cape Town, and a number of persons began to find fault. Amongst these were several of the Dutch clergy, who complained that Schmidt was not a properly appointed minister, and had no right to baptize any one. For some time he bore their opposition with great patience; but as they tried to destroy his influence with the people, and so hinder his work, he felt it very difficult to endure. At last his position became so unhappy that he obtained leave to return to Europe for a time. This was readily allowed by the Government, and on October 30, 1743, he took an affecting farewell of his Hottentots, and delivered an address on the words of Paul to the Ephesian elders. Many tears were Not long after this the opposition to the shed; for Schmidt was much beloved by his Mission gave way, and the Brethren sent little flock. The number of Hottentots out their preachers once again. These under his care when he left was forty-good men, on reaching the IIottentot country, went to the spot where Schmidt had As soon as his health allowed, he expressed laboured. They found part of the walls of his wish to return; and Count Zinzendorf petitioned the East India Company to allow of it. The petition, however, was refused; and poor Schmidt could never after obtain

seven.

his hut still standing, and several fruit trees of his planting. They found also one of his converts, Magdalena, still alive; and though bent down with extreme old age,