CHU CHIA TBAI, LAOU LING,

March 26th, 1867. We have now entered upon a new and important æra in the history of our Mission in this country, under auspicies generally favourable. The Lord has been pleased to grant such success to our labours that we have judged it expedient to become "two bands," and to form two stations, to be separately and independently worked. Such a plan will we trust be more economical and more efficient than that we should have been obliged to adopt, had we continued to work the outstation by native agents and occasional visits of the missionaries. The time we are able to spend at the station by a mere trip does not afford a favourable opportunity for forming a full and correct estimate of the character of the persons who are either admitted to church-fellowship, or recommended as candidates. To a respectable stranger the Chinese will only show their better qualities. From their training they have a wonderful tact of adaptation, and can, with a species of politeness, make themselves one with persons of every taste and opinion. To the missionary and religious teacher they often evince the greatest apparent interest in the truths of the Gospel for awhile, yet suddenly disappear, or some one gives private information which proves them to be villains, and so cuts them off from all further intercourse with us. There is nothing so difficult as to ascertain the true character of a Chinaman. Cunning

and deceit are so deeply seated in his heart and interwoven with his habits, that even :: those who hate him will, from politeness, praise him before his face in the presen ence of others. Great pressure and much private enquiry are often necessary before: anything approximating truth can be ob tained. This is not surprising in a cour try where justice is sold for opium of money, and rulers dispense their favou to the highest bidders. Any man can shut the mouth of his foe with a bauble present, or buy the good opinion of his fellow for a string of cash. One would think such expedients would not be re sorted to in relation to the Church Christ, but unhappily some men have sought refuge therein to redeem a lost character instead of saving a lost soul. and have borrowed the name of Christin in the hope of averting a justly deserved imprisonment. Others have the impres sion that the missionary has considers influence and something of civil or legal authority, and that by joining the Cris tians they may secure his help in some pending or contemplated law-suit, and thereby save their purse and gain their cause at the same time, whether it be just or unjust. In this rural district there have been several such cases. The poor people are so unjustly treated by the mandarins, and they think foreigners have such power in high places, that no mandarin would dare to disregard any request they may make, and therefore annoy us constantly with all sorts of peti

tions for help. We uniformly refuse any interference in their legal difficulties, but often assist them in making peace between enemies whose feuds and hatred threaten most serious consequences.

There is another class which supposes that union with the Church will be a stepping-stone to profitable employment. They have no work, or, perhaps never could work, but maintain a respectable poverty. They attend most regularly the preaching services for months, and are regarded as sincere inquirers, but as soon as they are baptized they ask for some employment, and hang about the missionary pleading their poverty and claiming his pecuniary aid, or asking his influence to get a situation.

The difficulty of raising a Christian Church in China cannot be exaggerated, and the presence of a foreign teacher in any place where there is the least promise of success cannot be dispensed with. Even our native preachers cannot safely be left alone for any length of time, but need the constant supervision of the missionary. Such are some of the considerations which have led us to establish this station in the interior, where the work of the Lord seems so distinctly to

call us.

It is possible that we may find, by a close investigation of the work here, that there is much to be deducted from the estimates formed by casual observationnot improbable that some of those who seemed to give earnest attention to the Word of Life during the season of revival may become cold and negligent and fall back into their old errors. But even if such should be the case, there will be a good nucleus left, which, under Divine influence and careful culture, will grow and spread into a church of living beauty and noble proportions. We must not expect the acorn to grow into the sturdy oak in a few months, especially in a strange soil and in a foreign clime. Neither can we expect a mature Christian faith in a people who, a year ago, were totally ignorant of its doctrines and strangers to its influence. Whatever business ability, or intellectual culture, or social status our converts may have in this country, it must not be forgotten that, in

Christian knowledge, the best of them are but babes. Looking at them from our stand-point of religious knowledge and life, we find it difficult to tolerate their errors and weaknesses, because, while in every other respect they are men like ourselves, in this respect they are but prattling children, requiring the constant watching and careful feeding of the nurse. If they stumble and fall, we must not leave them, but help them up again. If in their childish ignorance or carelessness they make some serious mistake, we must not rebuke them harshly, but admonish them gently. A missionary, of all men, needs the power of patience and the spirit of wisdom. He must become all things to all men that he may save some. If his Master will not quench the smoking flax, nor break the bruised reed," he must often be content to keep the flax where it will smoke, and uphold the reed which is already bruised, lest either should be lost, and sometimes with scarcely any hope that the smoke will burst into a blaze, or the bruised part ever be healed. As in some children we find more precocity than in others, and different degrees of early mental activity, so we find among these new converts some who appear to have a special gift for apprehending the precious truths of the Gospel and reducing them to practice, who dwell with delighted interest on the Word and drink in its life-giving influences, and so grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour. These leave their compeers far behind. Several of them cheer our hearts and encourage our labours, and we hope that God has raised them up to be instructors of their more ignorant neighbours. Of many, some pleasing incident might be narrated which would show how the work of grace is progressing in their souls, but I will only mention two. One is an elderly man, at Chu-Chia-Tsai, formerly teacher of a village school, but who this year has not opened his school in consequence of having embraced Christianity, and being wishful that his pupils should make their chief text-books those of a religious character, and allow him the free use of his Sundays for Christian worship. This

man and his son, a youth of nineteen, spend the greater portion of every day in reading the New Testament, the father being teacher. Their conduct is most exemplary, and their hearts seem fully under the influence of Divine grace, while both in Christian intelligence and religious devotedness the father, at least, gives promise of being the leading character in this church. Another pleasing feature in this case is, that the whole of his family walk in the fear of the Lord. None of the means of grace are neglected by them, but they give "all diligence to make their calling and election sure." Surely the conduct of this man shows that his religious views have taken some hold on his conscience, and that the root of the matter is within him. In HanChia-Tswang, one of our members who has shewn a very warm interest in our cause from the first, and who always greets us with the greatest cordiality on our visits, said to me the other day after preaching, "Really! what darkness we Chinese have been living in until now, but, thank God, you have brought us the light." The old man had listened with the profoundest attention, as he always does, to our discourse, and his heart warmed under the precious truths he heard, and with unaffected earnestness he exclaimed,— "Thank God, you have brought us the light!" Let this be told to the friends of Missions, who know that "light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun." Let them conceive this poor soul just struggling out of the thick gloom of heathen superstition and his eyes catching a few gleams from the Sun of Righteousness, through the agency of your missionaries preaching the Gospel, and as he begins to apprehend the nature, power, and blessedness of the truth joyfully exclaims, -"Thank God, you have brought us the light!" Who, "that has been brought from darkness to light," on hearing such an expression as this, would not have felt deep in his heart a cord of sympathy touched and vibrating with joy and gratitude? God grant that not only this man, but thousands more in this province may experience the saving power of that light which is beginning to dawn upon them.

The demand for labour here is very great, not only in the places where we have chapels, but in surrounding villages. Many urgent requests are presented to us by persons coming from various distances to our chapels. We have given them distinctly to understand that in no place will we expend money either to rent or furnish rooms as chapels; but if they provide rooms, we may arrange for periodical visits. We have found it needful to come to such a determination, and in all places of convenient distance from our centre must carry it out. With this understanding we may have about ten places at once, and shall take most of them up almost immediately. But we suffer very greatly from the lack of suitable native helpers. Of course there are yet no native converts whom we can engage in this capacity, and what is to us a matter of deep regret is, that com petent men in Tientsin either decline coming into Shantung to labour, or, the few who are willing, impose such condi tions that it is either difficult or impru dent to engage them. This is a great grief and disappointment to us, and interferes with our conducting this mission on that large and effective scale which we had proposed. Our chief attention therefore, for the present, must be given to the building up of the churches already formed, and from them train men to help us in extending our borders. May the Lord help us, and so endow these men with the love of Christ that they may be constrained by this Divine prin. ciple to labour, and not by the consideration of either worldly gain or social comfort. While prosecuting this object, we shall nevertheless take advantage of every suitable opening which can with any possibility be worked.

At the present time we have not such large numbers crowding our preaching rooms as we had five months ago. The novelty has passed away, and most of the people in the district are aware of our object and of the doctrines we teach. Those who have received baptism, for the most part, are very regular in their attendance on the means of grace, though in some of them there are signs of coldness and inattention. Considering the num

bers baptized, and the circumstances under which their baptism took place, it is encouraging to find the greater portion of them still manifesting unabated earnestness in the service of God.

I have thus given you a faint representation of the dark and the bright sides of our work here, as I think it right to do so, lest you should wrongly estimate its character, and in the end be disappointed. I might introduce many particular lights and shades into this representation, but enough is written to indicate the true state of things. Brother Thompson and I are now living at Chu-Chia-Tsai, and being among the people, ean watch and encourage the cause of Christ in their midst. My beloved colleague is plodding most vigorously at the Chinese language, in addition to which he is acting as medical practitioner. We have established a dispensary or hospital, and treat as many cases as our limited knowledge and supply of medicines will admit. We have a great number of patients every day, and some of them come from long distances. In this way we are sure to gain the hearts of the people, and make our safe resi dence amongst them quite certain.

We have succeeded in renting a commodious old house and are living in it, though it is yet far from being a comfortable residence. We shall only make such repairs and alterations as are absolutely necessary, until we know more about the extent and nature of the work here, and also whether the officials of the district will tolerate our residence.

Brother Thompson came over here with me in the beginning of February, when I succeeded after much difficulty in renting this house. I then returned to Tientsin at the end of the month, leaving Mr. T. behind, as he was wishful to remain. A fortnight ago I brought my family hither, and we are now established in our new circuit, quite away from foreign intercourse and influence, amongst a rural population on the northern border of Shantung. We have no need to fear any thing from the people, for they treat us with the greatest respect; if only the Lord preserve us in health, and prosper our labours, we shall be very happy. We have felt it hard to leave our dear breth

ren and friends in Tientsin, and find the change to this place a very great one indeed, but we have come hither in obedience to the Lord's call, and to promote his glory; to him, therefore, we commit ourselves and all our concerns. We are also confident in your prayers for us that the word of the Lord will have free course, and be glorified. Our position is only two day's journey from Tchi-nanfu, the capital of Shantung, and we trust that erelong our cause will be established in that large city.

Residence in some neighbouring city would afford us many advantages with regard to social comfort and facilities for intercourse with Tientsin, it would also give us a larger population to work upon in one spot, but it seems necessary to remain here for some time, to confirm the believers and to wait the leadings of Divine Providence in the direction of the city. If the way open, we shall go and seek to plant the banner of the Cross, and even before the way is open, we hope to visit some of these cities, to scatter the word of life. The prospect before us is very encouraging. From all sides the hands and voices of the people are imploring us to go and help them. We are responding so far as we have ability, but we want more labourers. "The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he would send forth labourers into his harvest." J. INNOCENT.

TIENTSIN, April 16th, 1867.

I WENT down to our Laou Ling Station with Mr. Innocent about the close of January, and found that one of the hardships of a Missionary in the interior of China is to live in a temperature considerably below freezing point, without fire, or to inhale the poisonous vapour emitted from charcoal when burning upon a chafing dish. Day and night my fingers and feet were stiff and swollen with cold, but I found also that the retirement of my little room away from the settlement was so favourable to study, and the features of our work there were so full of encouragement, which warmed and animated my heart, that I resolved to stay there alone when Mr. Innocent returned

to make arrangements for the removal of his family to Chu-chia-tsai, where he now resides.

Two months' residence in the village of Chu-chia has enabled me to form some idea of the unspeakable benefit the Gospel has conferred upon its inhabitants, and especially upon those who having received the word hide it in their hearts. One feature of reformation is very evident. A Chinaman has a passion for litigation which leads him to go to law upon very slight provocation, and to regard a lawsuit as a proper sphere for the exhibition of his abilities. Hence Tchu-chia has had its famous cases, and been rather celebrated for the zeal with which they have been prosecuted. But for six months there has not been a single application to the mandarin, as all quarrels that have arisen have been settled by arbitration, much to the peace and advantage of the parties concerned, and the credit of our native helper, who has generally officiated as mediator. A few days ago, a man who came from an adjoining village, to beg Mr. Innocent and me to return in his cart to see his sick mother, pointed to the villages scattered upon the plain across which we travelled, and said, "Sirs, if you stay long in Laou Ling all these villages will become as famous as Chu-chia is now." Upon our enquiring, "What is the reputation of our village?" he replied, "Before your doctrine was understood it was famous for its quarrels and lawsuits, but now, to the surprise of all, there is nothing of that sort. Your teachings must be good." This then is one thing accomplished; and if the blessing of our Lord is vouchsafed to us, we shall be enabled to record reformations in the homes, habits, and hearts of the people more desirable than this.

I take some degree of interest in the idol temple of the village, across the threshold of which I often step when I turn out of my study for an evening ramble. It preaches me many a lesson. When my heart is growing cold, I look at it, and think of its past history, until indignation and pity stimulate me to healthy activity; and when depressed, I find encouragement in its condition. It has six halls, all of which till lately have

been kept in good repair, but the neglect of which affords me satisfactory proof of the progress of our work. The queen of heaven still smiles from her lotus throne, but one of her attendants is falling over into her lap, and the oil is dry in the lamp that once burnt daily before her. The dust is gathering thickly upon the white beard of the god of wisdom, and no reverent hand brushes it away; whilst the god of war looked so fiercely at me the other day that I sent him over against the wall, from which humiliated position none of his votaries have raised him. This may be accounted for by the fact that the priest of the temple, whose home was beneath its roof, and whose living was principally derived from the offerings of the people, was amongst the first to read the New Testament and embrace Christi. anity; he now supports himself by working as a carpenter, and is amongst our most zealous and consistent members. Let this be told for the encouragement of our kind friends at home. With such a fact before us, may we not hope that the day is coming when the idols shall be turned out, and their old shelter consecrated to the worship of the Lord of Hosts, and when the fine bell of the temple shall ring out on Sabbath mornings to call the people to the house of prayer. Though the darkness is dense and discouraging, yet our earnest eyes are looking for the morning which is assuredly nigh. Come blessed dawning! Shine upon us thou glorious sun. The hills and valleys are waiting thy divine light, and the wide waste shall at thy appearing blossom and bring forth abundant fruit!

Again and again my heart has been melted, and my lips have been filled with praise, when I have heard some of the most intelligent and promising boys of the village exercise reverently and appropriately in our prayer meetings; when I have heard some sweet old home-song, translated into the Mandarin colloquial, and sung to a familiar home-tune by the farmer passing with his team along the street; when I have seen a poor carpenter working away with his clumsy tools, and singing a translation of "Jesus, I love thy charming name "; or when I have stood in the moonlight, before retiring to rest,