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"THE CHINESE RECORDER." DEAR SIR: I am happy to say that I cannot agree with the writer of a paragraph in the last number of the RECORDER, who takes it upon himself as the oracle of the "Educational Association of China" to tell us how "a mission school ought to be conducted." The entire paragraph very much reminds me of an item I saw some time ago in the catalogue of one of our high grade schools of China. "Through the entire course of study one-half

hour is daily spent in the study of the Scriptures, under Christian teachers, as it is held that a knowledge of the Scriptures is indispensable to an understanding of the history and customs of the world." Is that the highest motive of a Christian missionary for teaching the Scriptures in a mission school? Spuriousness! Miserable apology! It is certainly a sad omen when a Christian missionary feels himself called upon to make an apology for teaching Christianity in a mission school.

What

would the patrons at home think if they knew the real status of such schools? What the effect would be upon the contributions is easily predicted.

I will not take up the space to point out the inconsistency in the whole paragraph. But I do wish to say that the writer's aim is far too low to represent the opinion of

the entire body of Christian educators in China. And the writer need not be troubled; for he will not "catch" many "unwary youths and make Christians and mission helpers of them," if his "aim is

to give Christianity under educational influences." No, my brother! Our first and highest duty as Christian missionaries is to bring to this people the Gospel of the Son of God and make Christ

ian disciples of them, and not simply give "a good education under the most thorough Christian influences." We will do well if we gain that which we aim for, but we certainly will never gain more than we aim for. The stream never rises above its source. Give to the children of China Christianity under educational influences and do this thoroughly is my motto. And I denounce the assertion of the writer that this aim "would be a cunning craftiness unworthy of the dinary scientific devotion to truth." highest Christian ideal or of an orIf it is "a cunning craftiness" to teach Christianity to a youth who did not fully understand the claims of the Gospel when he entered school, then it is also "cunning craftiness" for any missionary to go into a street chapel and sing a hymn to attract a number of “unwary passers-by and then preach to them the Gospel.

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If that is denominated "an ordinary scientific devotion to truth" when a man is sent as a Christian missionary by a devoted Christian Church, who expect him to bring to the heathen the word of life, and he, instead, teaches the sciences and paganism and makes an apology for what little Christiani he teaches, and teaches, and even pronounces a straightforward work, which is in accordance with the divine command, "a cunning craftiness," if the "Educational Association of China" holds such principles, then that such "scientific devopray

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tion to truth" be speedily abolished from its principles. For such truth will make no one free.

I have been closely connected with educational work for a number of years and am a devoted advocate of education; for I am convinced that it can be made a powerful factor for the evangelization of China, if all the schools breathe such a deep religious atmosphere that every scholar, who remains for a term of years in such a school, will find it impossible to continue in the school and resist the Christian influence. But I am just as strongly convinced that this department of mission work can become a great hindrance to the progress of the Gospel in China. A youth who has been in a mission school for a term of years and has

not become converted to Christianity during that time will not likely become converted afterward, and will doubtless be a greater hindrance to his associates than a man who never heard a word of the Gospel. Hence it is of the greatest importance to the whole mission cause that these institutions of learning be conducted in such an earnest Christian spirit that every pupil will not only be enlightened in the sciences of the material world but also in spiritual things. Every other method ought to be frowned down by missionary societies, by patrons of educational work and every evangelical missionary; for it will affect all in one way or the other, either for good or for evil.

A MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATION.

Our Book Table.

An Analytical Vocabulary of the New Testament, by F. W. Baller. Shanghai: American Presbyterian Mission Press.

This latest work by the wellknown author of the Mandarin Primer, An Analytical Vocabulary of St. John's Gospel, The Sacred Edict with a translation, etc., is a vocabulary or radical dictionary of the 2304 different characters used in the Peking Version of the Mandarin New Testament. It is the

first New Testament Vocabulary published in the mandarin dialect, and the work is so thoroughly done that it leaves very little place for a rival.

Mr Baller has, for many years, been in charge of the Training Institute of the China Inland Mission at Ngankin, in the province of Nganhui, where all of the young men, who are sent out to this mission, go to be initiated into the mysteries of the Chinese language.

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The characters, which have their tones marked and the pronunciation given underneath, are arranged under their radicals and tersely defined. After the definition of each character the tone, pronunciation and definition of its primitive or phonetic are given; and following this is a list of such characters as are derived "from what is left when the radical is removed." For instance the word "chan, to usurp, to take by force. Used for 占 Hence nien', to pick up; tient, to dis

grace; chan1, to paste up; tient, an innchan, to stand; Echan1, felt." We learn from the top of the page that the character is classed under the 9th Radical, A, and that it has five strokes. Or, the character 'p'an, to hope, to expect. From fen1, to divide. Hence fen, confused; p'en2, a busin; powder; pan, to dress up; fen, anger; p'in2, poor."

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fen3,

The attention of the student is called to such characters as have a general similarity by the word Compare," and those which differ from others by only a dot or a stroke by the word "Distinguish." To illustrate, under, liang, good, excellent, peaceful, we find "Compare shih, to eat." Under ch'ai, to send, etc., "Compare siu, shame; mei, pretty, etc.' Underpei, to carry on the back, Distinguish hot, goods. hsien, leisure, etc., Distinguish kien', among."

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Under each character is grouped a list of phrases beginning with it. Most of these are taken from the New Testament, but the author has very wisely introduced many which are useful in common, daily intercourse with the people. Under ts'o, wrong, etc., we find the following phrases:

wrong, mistaken, to make a mistake.

I in the wrong.

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"fault seams -a person's weak points; the "seamy"

side of his character. error, mistake.

greatly in error; mistaken. The whole is followed by an Index of Characters and an Index of Names of Persons and Places and a chapter of Brief Notes on Some Common Characters and Idioms, with reference to the chapter and verse in the New Testament

where they may be found.

No student of the language should be without this very useful little volume. It contains just the information which the young mis. sionary needs, and it could be very profitably introduced in the course of study of the different missions. It represents an immense amount of labor, carefully performed, and it is beautifully gotten up by the Press.

H.

SIN. A Hand-book of the Holy Scriptures. Vol. II. 60 pages. By Rev. N. J. Plumb. Methodist Mission Press, Foochow. For sale also at Presbyterian Mission Press, Shanghai. 20 cents, including Vol. I.

The author divides his work into four sections:

I. The Four Gospels. II. The Acts.

III. The Epistles of Paul, James,

Peter and Jude. IV. The Epistles and Revelation of John.

Under I. a presentation is made of the following themes: Evidences, Harmony, History, Connection of the Parables with Miracles, &c.

Section II. discusses: 1. Preaching in the regions beyond. 2. Principles.

3. Chronology of the Acts and Epistles.

Section III. suggests certain methods to be followed in the study of the Epistles and examines each separately.

Section IV. contains a review of the Pastoral Letters of John and explains the Revelation in so far forth, with the opinions of eminent commentators adduced. The book is a translation in easy Wên-li, which is both smooth and clear. A chapter is devoted to each Epistle, and those containing other subject matter are well defined and not too long. Although not extensive, even for a hand-book, the information contained therein will meet the demand of the Chinese Bible student of to-day. We heartily welcome the work to the bookshelf of missionary literature and recommend it to schools as a well written manual, both useful and instructive.

S. I. WOODBRIDGE.

*****, or Chinese Official Despatches re Sung-pu Massacre.

This is a little book of 73 pages in Chinese with 5 pages of Introduction and Table of Contents in English, just published.

It contains 45 despatches in all, besides the evidence of the Chinese witnesses. Anyone desiring to have what appears to be a complete and authentic record of this miserable business will find it here. As the Hankow correspondent has so ably summarised it in the Daily News it is hardly necessary to add anything about this long and horrible tale, first of foul murder and then of diabolical slander of the dead.

However we must say that it is a great pity that the name of the great and gifted Viceroy who labours so untiringly to introduce foreign industries for the good of his people should be handed down to posterity as one of the blackest on record in Chinese history, for who ever heard of the friends of the murdered ones being refused admission to hear the evidence in the trial of the guilty, as was done by him, and that deliberately from the beginning, except when there

has been foul play on the part of those in authority? Few high

mandarins have ever soiled the fair fame of China and brought it into contempt as he has done, first in the province of Kwangtung and now again in the repeated riots and massacres in Hupeh, all arising from his fatal obstinacy in believing that all Christians are bad.

It is to be hoped too that henceforth foreign ministers will firmly decline to accept these blood money compensations or mere heads for heads, but demand from the Central Government nothing less than the due and lawful punishment of the guilty, however high they may be and however numerous they may be, not in vengeance but as the only way existing in the world for effectually averting further massacre of the innocent.

A translation by Miss Ruth Marie Sites of Charles H. Yatman's Hints on How to Win Souls for Jesus. Printed at Methodist Mission Press, Foochow. Sold also at the Presbyterian Mission Press, Shanghai, at $1.50 per 100.

Those who are familiar with the very helpful little book prepared by Mr. Yatman will be glad to learn that it has been translated into Chinese. Our native pastor is very much pleased with it. The book is full of helpful and practical suggestions to those who would engage in the work of winning souls, and what Christian does not! Although a translation of a foreign book it is none the less helpful to Chinese Christians, and we trust will be much used of God to stir up and help many of our Chinese brethren and sisters to become intelligent and effective winners of souls.

J. A. S.

The Missionaries' Anglo-Chinese Diary for 1894. American Presbyterian Mission Press. Price 60 cents.

Those who purchased the Diary for 1893 will no doubt be glad to

know that the Mission Press has published one for 1894, and that too in an improved form. The Diary gives half a page for each day of the year, with the day of the week and the day of the month in both Chinese and English. The blank tables found in last year's diary, affording a convenient form for keeping a record of visitations, itinerations, baptisms, marriages, funerals, names of enquirers, addresses, school examinations, etc., are also found in this year's book. Pages for a monthly cash account and a summary for the year are also provided, and 49 blank ruled pages are added for memoranda. The postal information is much more complete, containing the rates for the British, American, Japanese and Local Post Offices. The pages are numbered from 1 to 316-and all this for only sixty cents. The book should be in the hands of every missionary. If the records are conscientiously kept it will aid greatly in systematizing the work of the year; and the time spent in jotting down the various items as they occur will save much time in the course of the year and give much satisfaction when the time comes for writing home letters and making yearly reports. This little book will be a good missionary and a valuable assistant to many who find it difficult to arrange and carry on their work in a methodical manner, and the missionary who is accustomed to systematic habits of work will be greatly pleased with it.

J. A. S.

We acknowledge with thanks the receipt of the Imperial Date Block and the Imperial English

and Chinese Diary and Almanac for 1894 from Messrs. Kelly and Walsh, Shanghai. A Date Block is almost indispensable here in the East, and the Diary is so well and generously gotten up with so many valuable tables giving information about Customs Tariff, Postal Rates, &c. and the Foreign and Chinese Feast Days and Anniversaries and a third of a page of foolscap for recording each day's events that one is almost tempted to keep a diary, even though opposed on principle to such a proceeding. It is difficult to conceive what Messrs. Kelly and Walsh have omitted in the make up of this useful production.

WANTED TO BUY OR EXCHANGE.

Nos. 2, 3 of Vol. 1 of Korean Recorder and Vol. 2, if it exists.

Nos. 2, 6, 7 of Vol. 1 of Chinese Recorder.

Nos. 4, 6, 8, 25, 32 of Excursions et Reconnaissances.

Nos. 1, 2 of Vol. 2 of Revue de l'Extreme Orient; Nos. 1, 3, 4 of Vol. 3 of ditto; Vols. 4, 5, 6, &c. of ditto, if existing.

Vols. 2, 3, 4 of the Toung-Pao.

The whole series of the Peking Oriental Magazine. The Missionary Conference, Volume of 1890.

The undersigned has to give for the above:

Chinese Recorder, Vol. 1, Nos. 11, 12; Vol. 2, complete, except No. 4; Vol. 3, Nos. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7; Vol. 4, Nos. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 10, 11. Excursions et Reconnaissances, Nos. 10, 11, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24.

E. H. PARKER, Hoihow.

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