Newspaper Page Text
For the Christian Index.
Homans 8: 19-24.
The above has been regarded as a very
■difficult passage. And as might he expect
ed, various have been the interpretations’
given of it toy commentators. It would
■doubtless be presumption on my part, to
think that l understand it better than others;
oil 1 shall attempt, therefore, will be to im
part the light I have, and leave it for those
who make the Scriptures their study, to de
termine whether I am right or wrong.
The whole of the difficulty, as I appre
hend. in giving an easy and satisfactory ex
planation of this beautiful passage, atiscs
Irotp the word ktisis, which occurs three
times in it, and which the translators of our I
bible call creature, but perhaps creation
would he a better rendering. Some have
supposed that by this term, the inanimate
creation is to he nuderstobd; and hence, by
a figure of rhetoric, would represent the
whole mass ol irrational being ns looking
forward to the,rtiunifcs!ation of the sons of
God at the resurrection from the life dead.
I his is certainly a very beautiful view.—-
The figure supposed to he used by lire
Apostle, is similar to that of |*n. ini--. 12
•* 1 hen shall the trees 01 the wood rejoice;”
and 38: B—“L.et the floods clap their hands;
let the hills he joyful together.” Others
have thought that mankind nt large are in
tended, whilst ;* third class have contended,
and with their views my own coincide, that
the spiritual creation, the Church of the
Living Cod, in even/ age of the world, is
to hr understood.-
-It is true, that in Horn. I :. 20-25—.8:
•I'd, Ileh. -1 : I,'t, Ictisis means cication sim
ply ; in Mat. ft) : 16 —13: 10—2 pet, :t .
>l, this term is used to signify the creation
of the universe; and in Col. I ; 15 the dif
ferent orders of men lion nw expressed by it;
but the-verb klizo, from which the 1101111
ktisis comes, means according 10 Robinson,
to create, to become, to form anew. Rph.
2 : 15 is given as an example. “To make
(klise) in himscll of twain one new man, so
making peace.” See also v. 10, “For wo
arc his workmanship created (ktisthentes)
til Christ Jesus unto good works.” In
chapter 4 ; 24 we have (his very striking
passage, “And that ye.put on the new man,
which after God, is created, (ktisthentu) in
righteousness and true holiness.” The!
new 1:1 cation then",'in Christ Jesus, is that
which is looking forward with earnest ex
pectation to the manifestation of the Sons ■
of God.
. •
Neither the inanimate creation, nor the
universe of living being, nor any object of
God’s visible creation, entertains the hope
of a Christian with respect to the glorious
manifestation now tn question. Hope—
that cordial of (lie soul—that anchor, sure
anil steadfast—especially the Christian’s
hope, belongs not to the whole creation—-
to sinful as well as to holy men. No un
sanctified heart pants to be delivered from
the bondage of corruption, into the glorious
liberty of the children of God. The high
er efforts of God's creating power, il it is
proper so to speak—the efforts made in
creating anew the soul, arc they, which ex
cite the groaning,and the tni’vniling.aml the
waiting for the adoption—the redemption
of the body.
The. Church of the living God in com
mon with their fellow men, were not made
subject to vanity; i. e. to mortality and af
fliction, by their own conduct; but by rea
son of him who hath subjected them to this
state ; by Adam, as 1 suppose, acting under
the temptation of the Devil. Hut this sub
jugation is not without the mitigation of
hope. Divine mercy has interposed. And
they, to whose souls the lost imago of God
has been restored, in righteousness and true
holiness, ate looking forward to that bless,
ed ltopo, (i. c. to the object of the Christian’s
hope) and the glorious appearing of the great
God even our Saviour.
“Blessed he the God and Father of our
Itprd Jesus Christ, which, according to his
abundant merry,.hath begotten us again un
to a jiving hope by the resurrection of Je
sus Christ from the dead, to ail-inheritance
incorruptible, and tindcfiled, and that fadeth
not away, reserved in heaven for you, who
are kept by the power of God through frith
unto salvation, ready to toe nutrified in the
last time.” So says the Apostle iYtcr in
diilicipatioH of heavenly blessedness.
The Christian—tire new man in Christ
Jesus—in the very midst of his warfare here
below, is the joyful expectant ol a ciown.al
God's right hand. When the “good fight”
shall have been fought, and the “race” run,
the Lord Himself, in the presence of adoring
angels, will pronounce the well done, and
eternal life be in full fruition. Well
may the Sons ol God anticipate with strong
emotion so glorious a consummation. Well
might the beloved disciple exclaim with ec
stasy. “Beloved"—ye who arc the sons of
God—it doth not yet appear what we shall
iie. bu| we kuow, that when He shall ap
pear we shall be Jikc Him, for wc shall sec
. ‘,H;pi aslie is! To be like (’lirist! To
,be Jike Him! ! Oit is worth a lifetime of
groaning, and travailing, and waiting, and
graying!! Though our years shall tie pro
longed ,ac .were t)rose>of Methuselah ana we
should liaye i tpgp.vwvej>ingtlie whole length
.pl'ourpilgrimage, U. jt,vvakc in the likeness
of Jesus would outweigh all,. Let it be
the first object of every heart, <u Jure the
hope of the Christian, that., at the great
imnilcaiaiion,Christ mavown tts aH asHis!
mWGHMAN.
For the Christian Index.
11 Let us lay aside every weight, and the
sin which doth so easily beset us.”
Does not a single glance of the eye upon
the church al the present day, bring us to
the conclusion, that if one who knew noth
ing of the injunctions of God's holy word,
were to form an idea,'according to the prac
tical comment, of many of the professed
followers of our Lord Jesus Christ, he
would suppose, that the apostle’s exhorta
tion read thus, I,cl us take upon us every
weight, and every encumbrance, and con
stantly expose ourselves to be,tempted with
the sin which doth so easily beset ue. It
does seem to me. that a large portion of
professed Christians now-a-day’s act pre-r
cisely as the Devil wished the Saviour to
act, when he tempted him in the wilder
ness,-where wc-are laughmuch a glorious
lesson. I would to God that every profes
sor of religion, might feel the force of this
bright example of the Saviour, and consul
| cr the weapon by which the Devil was re
i pelted, and the most illustrious victory ob
-1 ained, that ever- tire hit of man to |
contemplate, ; ,nd by .which the lying intru
der was so completely vanquished. This
‘is 1/10 t'uem hJ.i M,; u/vxptut “Jt is written. 11
It is a fact iimcli to lie lamented, that ma
ny, very many aie endeavoring’to cairy as
much weight as they can move with in this
world, apparently satisfied with adopting
the principle and sentiment of Balaam.—
“II I can at last die the death of the righle
• ous, it will be enough.” Oh ! vvliat a fatal
delusion this will prove, to many
members of our churches. Header under
stand me when I talk about professors, men
may have a name that they live, and arc
dead, Rev, 3.1, The appellation of Chris
tian is not intended for them, in that eondi
j lion. I wish to he distinctly understood, as
not holding forth an idea that they only are
christians, who live up to the commands,
and precepts ol God’s word, 01 in oilier
words keep dear of sin. If so this title
never would have been applicable to the
great author of the epistle in'which we find
recorded, the passage placed at the head of
this article, (see latter part of the 7th chap
ter of Homans,) hut would say, that men
give evidence that they are Christiana, no
1 farther, than they obey the commandments
of (Jod, or arc found striving so to do, at
least. And at the same time would say, 1
know not how far a man may fall short of
this, and yet he a chosen one. The bless
ed Saviour has laid down a criterion by
which ye must he guided in this matter.
“Ye shall know them by their fruits” Malt.
7. 16. Sin will hanker about the Christian,
But, though it may and will be percepti
ble to liinyjt all times, through the knowl
edge lie has (by grace) of the corruption
of'his nature, it will not be allowed on eve
ry ‘otlt’lltf’ pestiferous
fumes, to the prejudice of his own peace,
and the annoyance ol the church, and
thereby throw a blot upon her fair escutch
eons I Gor 9. 27-
I will tell you reader what I think.—
W hen I see a professor of religion, fre
quently leave the society of his family, and
go out and mingle with the wicked where
lie lias not particular business, lain con
strained lo think, that he is heaping upon
his shoulders a weight, produced by omis
sion of duty, and unbelief, that will serve
the purpose of a threefold cord, for the De
vil to pinion the faculties of his soul, and
keep him bound down in a state of carnal
security ; and in this situation, he is fully
prepared to hear the blasphemy, and im
precations lumped upon the name which-hc
professes to hold most sacred and dear.—
If lie had made the Bible his companion
and the closet iiis place of retreat from his
family, the light reflected from that “Bless
ed voluino” would have taught him the im
pressive lesson, I .ay aside every weight
&o. When I sec a piofessor doing well
upon his farm, ajul receiving ample support
for himself and family, “in the sweat of hie
face,” become discontented, and enter into
speculation, I think he is in danger of be
ing tempted at least to keep back the truth
if hr goes m> farther. He will be suspected
and will destroy liis religious influence,
whether he be guilty or not, and'this is a
great weight. When I see a servant be
longing to a professor ot religion driving
his owner’s team to or from market on the
Sabbath day, particularly when the dis
tance does not require more than four or
five day’s journey, 1 think that is a weight
lie might and ought to dispense with.-
When 1 see a minister of the gospel who
already has a large store of the goods of
this world, involve himself in debt to pro
cure more, 1 think lie must have a capa
cious brain and an enlarged soul to main
tain his equilibrium. The love of liis Bible
or the love of riches one or the other will
preponderate, and if be is not careful itwill
lie the latter, “Ye cannot serve God and
Mammon” Matt. 6. 24’ When.l know a
professor who is a sportsman repeatedly
neglect family player to pursue the chase,
i think this is a besetting sin ; and when
I sec a professor ol religion whose family
never hear him pray, I think he is a weight
to them.- Whan I see a member of the
church repeatedly neglect his conference
meetings because he is a I raid liis business
will not go on at home, I think that if he
has so much weight that it keeps him ftom
the.church it is more probable it will keep
him from heaven. When 1 sec a ; Baptist
goto a Methodist church or that of any -otli
! er persuasion called orthodox and sit out of
doors or in a remote part of the house and
carry qii a conversation in time of service.
I think he is in the direct road to become s
weight to hi£ own church. When I sec;
members of the church goto their own
.place of worship, and'stay out of doors till,
the minister begins to read his hymn, and
then come in to his great annoyance and
confusion, I think they accumulate a weight,
by worldly conversation and throw it upon]
his shouldeis. When I see a church mem
ber draw his purse strings so tight that the;
deacon can hardiy get one dollar from hunt
for his pastor, I think it is no wonder that It
have seen in the course 6f this year receipts,
of from five to ten dollars acknowledged inf
the Index, being arrearages for. past yjfyte
which was due the Editor in advance, -j
A Columbian-:
June 25th 1844. . 1
—"— • * *
For the Christian Index.
Uro. Baker, In No; 20 of Index, Mnyf|7j
1844, in “an essay on the Christian Reli
gion, Sec. 5,” are these words, “ God’in
llis infinite wisdom and goodness has con
ferred upon men the honor of being iustri
ments in His hands by which tbe.,jvor|v'pi
salvation is carried forward—they are The 1
tools used by the Great Architect in rearing 1
the structure of the Temple of Christianity.”
&c. “No country has ever been christian
ised except by these means, no people
been changed from idolatry to the worship
of tjic living and true God except by the I
means and through the instrumentality of
lilt Minister's. Hence the Minister of t|m
Gospel may he said to-occupy the.ipost re
sponsible, the most honorable and the most
useful office among men; he receives 11 is
authority from God, and goes forth in the
•power of His might’ to do battle in llis,
cause against the enemies of Truth, &c.— 1
Then, as instruments in His hands for the
enlargement of His dominions, are they not !
bound by gratitude, by love and by their
interests, both temporal and ctcrrul, to be i
ever actively, universally engaged in the
great work.” Now I have objections to
the above, for it seems to me, though true,
by no means all the truth. Surely there
arc no antimissionaries near the writer, or
he would write more guardedly. It is alto-j
gethcr inexplicable to me, how the office of
a minister can he said to be the most re
sponsible, the most honorable and the most
useful among men. If lie lie only an in-.
xtTtmrtifirtirtiv toiftf lie tie reafiflntfltirsT -fir
the plough responsible for ploughing up the
corn, or is the axe responsible for cutting
the laborer’s foot ? To do battle in the ser
vice of God against the enemies of Truth
scents to me to imply aclivtiy as well as
aCCmmlirtriUty. l*mi urcm\ lo lUmk Uc
was more than a simple instrument when
he said, “Wo is me if I preach not the gos-i
pel. 1 have begotten you through the gos
pel. We are workers together with God.” 1
And in his instructions to Timathy.he says, i
“take heed unto tlivsclf and unto (lie doc
trine, continue in them, for in doing this j
thou shall both savo thyself and them that
hear thee.” Scriptures of this kind might
lit: multiplied—but it is timiecessnrv—-these’
seem to teach, as. every rcadet must per
ceive, that the minister of the gospel in.
some sense is an agent itr the sinners con*
version. This truth seeiiis to he taught in
Hauls instructions to his son Timothy, that
if lie should not take heed to'himself, and
should act unbecoming the gospel ofChri.-U,
although he might pieacli,the truth it would
be of no avail. On the other hand, should
lie take heed to his ways and act as became j
the gospel of Cluist, and preach what was
false, he should not save himself nor those
that heard him ; ami this from the obtious
fact that he would be workfng with the
• wtong tools. There are not wanting min
isters who when they get’ up to preach tel!
their hearers that they rise without an, pre-,
meditation, that they will say just whit the
Lord directs them to say. Audi never
knew such an one to fail to preach Wlmt he 1
called the doctrine of election. Tluy arc
generally disorderly walkers, and when
told of their disorderly conduct,justify thein
selvcs bv saying the new man caninl sin,
that they are not under the law but under
grace. And whence came all tliCs ? false
notions if it be not that they are tawht that
they are only instruments. Such reason
thus, I atn but an instrument in theliand of
God, and I know that if an instrument does
not cut it is not the instrument’s fruit, hut
his*who wields il. lam a Calvinist but
such doctrine 1 do not believe, and such
practices 1 do not fellowship.
The above was written some tea days or ;
two weeks since-’ Since that time 1 have’
been much occupied iti more important con
cerns, in trying to proclaim “ the glad ti
dings” to perishing sinners. I will not add
i a word to the above, but will tellvqiu some
thing more cheering. At the closepl a live :
days meeting 1 made an eflort sub
scribers to the Index.- The effort was made
solely upon the ground of usefulness, when
fifteen came forward and gave me their 1
names. Ffteen united with us during thej
meeting. This church enjoyed the greafc
est revival last year I have ever witnessed.
II commenced at the meeting in May, 1843,
and continued until the end of last year.—
For three months there we had do acces
sions when - the work commenced again, I
ami we received ten before our June.meet- ‘
ling. The signs were very encouraging ]
I when wc broke tip the meeting, We hope
I to receiveimore at our Jnly, meeting than at
our last. L tried last year to serve five
churches, year I would ijot consent to
serve but four.’ It is not yet a year and a
half since my ordination. I have baptized
. jwo hundred and fifty willing subject; fifty
1 of lliefn Poedobqptists. In these four church
es we have four licensed . Preachers,.all
considered as my children. Three of these
churches receive more or less every- meet
\irtg toy baptism. My dear Sit, pray that
Jjie'Luul may continue with’ us until this
■whole region, once’ noted for wickedness,
fmay be regenerated. I intend to make an
, effort for fifteen more subscribers to the
* Index this year. •.
i Excuse; if you please? his lengthy and j
I badly .written letter. If iny lile.is spared!
I you shall hear from pie agajn this summer.l
Yours, &c. *
5 ‘ HAMPDEN S. LINTON.
! ‘ Aladison Cos , Fa., June 6, 1844.
P. S.—l am very sorry the form of the
‘lndex is changed, V IL S. L,
Some'lialf dozen brethren have said to us j
j lately, I ordered my paper stopped some I
time ago, but I am pleased with the change!
I in the form and wish to take it again. Here |
)la the Hiihsia ijitioii price. Send mo the pa
! per: It is impossible for us to ascertain ■
with any precision the proportion of our
brethren who desire the one or the other
form ; but one thing we do know. Wc
know that the Index once involved tlicCon
i v'cnlion in debt, biit is now defraying ex
penses, and, if our. brethren continue their
kind agency, will soon prove a source of
profit to it -We are* now doing well. Let!
us he careful hosv wc piakc r.\-periinents,j
lest we assimilate ourselves io the man who ;
was well, wished to be better, -look phv-sic
and— died. ‘
:. —
1 lloxokono, ’February, 1841. •!
The commencement of anew year is a \
l fit occasion for sending you our Christian j
salutations, and communicating some par-
J iicuhra concerning our doings and Mission-!
! ary operations (luring the pas! six months. !
You have heard of the sickness and mor-1
tidily which, until recently, have so exlen
■ sively prevailed on this Island ; and yet in
! the midst of all, every member ol this Mis
! -“ion, has, under the blessing of an ever:
j watchful providence, uniformly enjoyed j
good health, except Mr. Roberts who is j
occasionally indisposed. .We have, how
! ever, been called ‘o inouin the death ofen
| deared brethren connected with usin cliurcli
fellowship, though not in a Mission eapaci-:
tJK—■ fre*air*(ddiere, mem
ber.s of the Church under Mr. Shuck’s care,!
have been consigned to the tomb during the
past six months, all victims of the prevail
ing epidemic. We have reason to believe
that these brethren died in the faith, and
liaye gone to their reward. The apoetacy
<il'tvv<> others, one a foreigner and llic’otlier
a native, members of the same Church,
was attended with circumstances of such
an aggravated nature as to fill us all with
the deepest anxiety anil grief. Mr. Shuck
has continued to hold religious services in j
1 Chinese cvcrv day, twice on Tuesdays and
Fridays, and three times on each Sabbnlh.
Three of these services arc held at the 15a- j
zaar Chapel. lie preaches in Chinese reg
ularly every Sabbath in the Queen's Hoad
Chapel at 11 a. m. to large and attentive
congregations. His Teacher, Yang seen
sang, who however, has not yet been bap
tized, usually takes part in the services.—
Leatig Afat lias also preached with good
acceptance a number of times in tlieQeen’s
Hoad Chapel during the past few months.
Mr. Shuck lias several interesting inquirers
under his charge, two or three of whom lie
has reason to believe are really taught by
the Spirit, and one of whom, Lull seen
j sang is now on his final trial preparatory to
, his being baptized. There is every pros
! peel of his being unanimously received by
; the Church in a week or two, and as he is
an intelligent man, a fluent speaker, and a
! ready writer much is hoped from him.—
At the close of the Chinese services, on the
Sabbath Mr. Shuck makes it a point to place
; a tract or book hands of each person
; present. The English Preaching is now
! conducted, in the Queen’s Road TANARUS) ha pel c"v
cry Sabbath evening,(and the services of the
| Pulpit are shared with the brethren of all
the Missions. The” miming expenses of
the Chapel are liberally defrayed by mem
bers of the Foreign community in month! v
. subscriptions, in con junction with the mem
j hers of Mr. Shriek’s Church. A friend
! has offered to defray the salary of a Teach
er provided we would start a Chinese
school of not less than fifteen boys, and
we are endeavoring to open a school, if pos
sible, of not more than twenty scholars, in
the byck schodl room belonging to the
Mission on the side of the Island. A sim
ilar offer has been made to Mrs. Shuck for
a girls’ school, bnt it is at present doubtful
whether it is practicable fully to cairy out
such a measure. Many visits have been
| made by different members of our Mission
i to the mainland and to the surrounding.ls
’ land. .
The Tie chew department of the Mis
sion, under the care of Mr. Dean, affords
; increasing encouragement ol good. Daily
religious worship is held with a number
jof Chinese both morning and evening, a
; special prayer meeting on Saturday even
ing, the monthly concert on the first Mon
day of the month, and two services on the
Sabbath are conducted in the dialect of this
j people. At the first of these held at the
I Bazaar Chapel at 10 a. m. about, thirty or
forty’ Chinese are in te'gulai attendance and
at- the second held at the Queen’s Hoad
Chapel at 1 v. m. from jifty to seventy, and
sometimes one hundred are present, who
generally pay a respectful attention to Chris
tian instruction. In conducting these ser
: vices, Mr. Dean is aided by Kok-lre/ig, a
’ native assistant, who generally takes every
alternate service. The members of the
! Pie Church, organized in Hongkong in
1 .
i May last continue to walk worthy ol their’
[■ high calling and affordjcvidence ol*a growth
! in grace and knowledge ; no additions have |
j yet been made to the number of those i
| which constituted the Church, who Lave of j
\ their penury contributed duriug the past;
; year $32 for Missionary purposes. Among !
j those who have been brought undet daily .
] religious instruction are two who have for’
; two or three months afforded usenemrrage
! inentto believe that we.should be author-!
j ized to grant their request lo become mern
i bers of the Church. Weekly visits have
-I been continued by the assistant to Chiaihl
chew, Pesry-chew, and Tu-kiu.wan, the
latter a place on the mainland and the two
former on some neighbonng islands where
the people speak this dialect. A dwelling;
| house has been commenced for the accom
-1 modation of this department of the Mission.
] The people speaking this'-dialect are in-’
| creasing on the Island,- and several shops
have recently been opened by them.
Mr. Roberts continues’his efforts’ among-;
•the people as usual, wlien in health, -aided!
by his Teacher Cliow teen sang, whom lie •
i has baptized. He preaches in Chinese to j
; good congregations every Sabbath evening
jat the Bazaar Chapel at 7 o’clock. . lie ■
lias family worship in Chinese at his own
’ house twice a day, and holds occasional ■
! ineetiugs at Chek-clrcw and elsewhere.—
Mr. If. has two or three inquirers under his
care whom he supposes to be sincerely de
sirous of becoming disciples. He contin
ues to put into circulation huge number of
Tracts both native ami foreign. A native ‘
whom he baptized at the same time with
Chow seen sang has been excluded from
the Church, and Chun, who was sometime
since suspended, Ita3 been restored to lel
iowsliip, and both lie and Cliow seen sang,
seem to be. walking in the truth, and afibrd
j much aid in religious services.
Hongkong continues to.increase'in pop
j ulation and buildings bolhjforeign aif:! native,
j The .Maliontedans have built a Mosque and
j the Chinese are erecting a Temple. This
Temple will not be far Irmn the Queen’s
i Hoad Chapel, and u ill affmd a fine and slia-.
! ily place for holding friendly religious tlis
i cuss ions with the natives in the hot season.
, The.school of.Chinese boys connected l
I with the Morrison Education Society nil
dei the efficient and judicious instruction of
! lfev. Mr. Brown and Mrs. Brown enntin
! si flourishing condition. Air. and Mrs.
Brown have recently been deeply bereaved
by the death of their promising little sou
aged ten months. In this connexion wc
, may mention tlic lamented demise of the
1 Hon. J. It. Morrison which took place in
| August last in the 29tli year of his aoe.—
Mr. -Morrison was a man of sterling prin
ciples, was a friend to all the Missions, ami.
in his death-wc all feel that we have lost a
1 brothci indeed.
I Dr. Hobson of flic Lon, \jiss_. So. has n_
fMissionjry Hospital in successful opera
tion, and aided by a. naive assistant con
j ducts daily religious worship with his Pa
! tients, thus carrying out the genuine plan
of a Missionary Hospital. Rev. J)r.
Leggc of the same society holds religious
services in Chinese in his own house, and
has recently ntuAitt'J. a. place in.the Lower
Bazaar where Lvvng Ata preaches to bis
countrymen every sabbath at II A. M.—
The Missionaries of this Society ate erect
ing ton thousand dollars worth of buildings
at Hongkongjaiul are expecting additional
laborers. Tire expenses of Dr. Hobson’s
Hospital are defrayed by the Medical Mis
sionary Society.
Rev. Dr. Bridgman and Rev. .Mr. Ball,
of the American Board of Comm., hold
Chinese service in their uivti house, and Mr.
Ball lias under his charge .-u’tlve priming
operations for the publishing of Christian
tracts and books in tile native language.—
Mr. Ball has done a good service in pub
lishing a large Christian Almanac in
Chinese for 1844, conformable to both the
English and Chinese dales. He also pub
lished one for 1813, ol a similar character. I
Rev. Mr. .Stanton (with Mrs. Stanton)
lias recently at rived at Hongkong to offi
ciate among his countrymen as Govern
ment Chaplain, and finds an important
field of usefulness. Mr. S. is also study
ing the Chinese language.
In September last l)r. Macgowan em
barked for the North having been delegated
by his colleagues to visit the various ports
for the purpose of collecting information
as to the most suitable place jlbr establish
ing anew station of the Baptist Mission,
(.’apt. Lock wood of the “Valparaiso” kind- j
ly gave him a free passage to Chusan.—j
Through this and other islands of the same’
group he travelled on loot visiting various :
villages and towns, prescribing for the sick
and leaving ttacts withal! wiio could read.
In October Dr. M. took up his residence
al Ningpo, deeming that city the most suit
able place for establishing the new station.
The Rev. Mr. Milne having left Ningpo
for Hongkong overland. Dr. M. was the
only foreigner there until die arrival of the
British Consul, R. Thom, Esq., in the lab
ler-part of December. A house having
been freely offered for the purpose within
the walls in the midst of the business part
of the city, a Missionary Hospital, but in
no way connected with the Medical Mis
sionary -So. was opened. If was soon
thronged by a suffering populace and al
though but a small portion offline could
be devoted to the Institution about seven
hundred patients were treated the first
quarter. The patients freely posted up
Christian handbills that were given them,
throughout the city and neighboring towns
and villages. Merchants from Nanking
and other distant parts were supplied with
tracts, some of which the Mandarins re
ceived, read them and pronounced them
good. A plan, first adopted at this Hospi
tal, of printing passages of Scripture on j
one side of the Surgeons’ memorandum of
Treatment, and which the patients kept in
possession, was an effectual means of dis
seminating much Christian truth. These
passages were committed lo meinorv by
the patients and recited lo the doctor. *
In December Dr. Macgowan visited,
Shnnghae in company with Rev, Mr. Med
hurst and Dr. Lockhart'of the L<m. Miss.
00. who hare since located themselves in
I‘‘ . i
I ibis city. ‘ Dr. M. represents Shaughae as
a point of great importance being piobably
i the graktetß commercial city in the Empire,
jlt is fire port for the great city of Hang
j chow-foo, and is_connected with Nauking
! by the Yang-lze-keang and also by canals.*
George Balfour, Esq., is the British Con
sul at Shanghae. •
’ TU Anidv Dr. Ctimming has a large ants
interesting” Missionary Hospital, not con
nected with the Mediqpl Missionary Socie
ty. By-the aid of the Rev. Mr. Abecl the
healing art and direct Christian teaching arc
most admirably combined in the Amoy Hos
pital, and evident good is being effected.—
Dr. Hepburne and Mrs. H. of the Pies.
Board have lately pioceeded to Aipoy.—
Henry Gribble, Esq., is the British Consul
at Amoy.
To the important and populous city of
Foo chow-foo no Consul or Missionaries
have yet gone. -
j’ ‘ At Canton the Hospital connected with
; the Medical Missionary Society, and under
; the charge of Rev. I)r. Paiker, continues to
! be crowded with patients, and vast numbers
! of Chinese can now rejoice in the relief af*
[ forded to their bodily sufferings by Dr. P.
j It does not appear that any religious servi
, ces are held in the Hospital or any where
else in Canton in the Chinese language, nor
: Christian Chinese books distributed nor any
i direct Missionary labor performed among
the natives. It is said that even tracts can
not be distributed witlioutdoingmore harm
than good, so strong arc die prejudices of
the Chinese. And yet Canton is a most
important missionary, position, a mighty
.city of fully half a million of inhabitants
wholly given to idolatry, and we should re
joice to scetliesamc missionary efforts car
ried on there as are’ so successfully prose
cuted at the olhei great cities which have
been thrown open, to foreign intercourse.
At Whampoa also, and the adjacent towns
there is a wide field for Christian exertion.
(J. T. Lay. Esq., is the British. Consul-at
Canton. Dr. Macgowan lias recently
returned to Hongkong,'a'free passages
. having been kindly given him by Capt.
Eyre, .of the ship “Oscar,” the first Amer
ican vessel that lias been totliel’oitol'Niiig
• go. I)r. M. is on his way to Calcutta,but
hopes to return immediately to Ningpo,
■ as his colleagues agree with him that that
city should be adopted as the new station of
ibis mission.
Mr. Cole, printer, with Mrs. Cole, and
Dr MacCartee of the Pres. Board have just
arrived in China from New York, lo join
Rev. Mr. Lowrie of the same Society : Mi.
Coie brings with him a ‘complete priming
establishment, both Chinese and English,
and alzo a Book bindery. Rev. Mr. Milne
is now at Hongkong and on the eve of em
barking for England, but hopes soon to re
turn to his station at Ningpo. In couijii
diug these brief notices we may remark that
under the wise I’rovTilt-iice 0? find the har
vest in China is now empliaticallv great,
anil numbering the Missionaries of all the
societies the laborers are verily few. Our
appeal is to the privileged disciples of our
native land that they would join lis in mak
ing unceasing prayer to Jehovah, the Lord
of the Harvest that lie would permit us at
no distant day lo greet more laborers to this
great land of heathenism", those who shall
come forth in the fullness of the blessing of
the gospel of peace.
In lichiilf of the American Bapii.-t
Mission in China.
J. LEWIS SHUCK, Sec.
From the /Imcrican Messenger.
Sketches of Colporteur Conversiitious.
It may not be amiss to give one or two
Uriel sketches of the dialogues which occur
between the Colporteur ami various classes
ol oppnsers. Tlvey will serve as an illus
tration ol the kinds of error prevalent', ami
the skill of the Colporteur in refuting'them.
Mr. Kiilner many interviews like
the following:
Colporteur, (entering the house) “ Will
you have good books J” . :.
1 oung Alan, (perhaps 22 years’of age)
“What kind of books are ihey
C. Religious hooks.
Y. M. Such bad books 1 don’t want:
they contain nothing but lies. .
('. (placing the books’ before him) Here
ate, if you will prove that they con
tain lies, 1 promise to cast them into the
lire.”
Y. M. (looking sternly at the Colpor
teur) Are these books belter than the Bi-
I blc ! and the Bible is a book of lies, which
; I can prove.*
1 take you al your word, (presenting
a Bible, with the remark,) be not deceived,
God is. not mocked.”
Y. M. (opening the Bible) Here it is
written, “In the beginning God created the
heavens and the earth.” &r. Who was
present when he did this-? Man was not
yet created. Here is a contradiction.”
(pointing towards heaven) There you
see heaven and here the earth : if 1 had no
revelation, as a rational being 1 must con
clude that they could not have created them
selves, and that consequently they must
have had a beginning.
Y. M. (very restless) “What did God do
before lie created the heavens and the earth?
C. He hell for the scoffers
who are not satisfied with bis word,
\ . M. Then lor me?
C. I leave yon to judge ; bnt admonisfi
xmu lo flee from the wrath An come.
After I toad given him a faithful admoni
tion, he began to turn over the pages of the
Pilgrim’s Progress and inquired the priee
of it; bought a copy; premised to. leave
the company of the rationalists and adead
church, which he has continued to do since.
Fuition 011 the Piano is advertised in
the newspaper printed at the Sandwich Is
lands, by Mr. J. A. Peseneui, “maker and
repairer of piano-fortes.”
Thirty years ago, the people of these is
lands were savages, cannibals. The mis
sionaries ol flic cioss went among them,
and now they-have civilization and arts,
schools and churches,a government nfltws,
industry, temperance, and happiness.