Echoes from Other Lands.

The Missionary for September has a communication from Rev. H. C. DuBose regarding their recent troubles and those of the Northern Presbyterian Mission in securing building lots. "As all our efforts at compromise failed, it was referred to the ConsulGeneral at Shanghai, who requested Consul Stevens, of Ningpo, to come up and settle the matter......Mr. Stevens merits the thanks of our Church for his painstaking service of five weeks with Mandarins, who would hinder him, deceive him, violate their promise, and thwart his plans. They objected to lot after lot, and where fair dealing would not answer, resorted to foul play, yet at last, after a great trial of patience, most eligible locations were secured for each mission......The title deeds are made out to the American Missionary, for the common property of the Protestant Church; it is in the form of a perpetual lease and is inalienable; the officials thus according to us the rights of a treaty port. We are viery thankful to God that during this time no natives have been mprisoned, fined, or hurt; that no placards have been posted up against us; that the spirit of the people has been very friendly, and that the rulers, whose hearts are in the Lord's hands, have in the end dealt very justly.”

The Rev. S. G. Tope of the Wesleyan Mission writes from Canton to his Society:-"There is a growing desire amongst the people of this province to know more of the glad tidings. The cry from one whole village about two hundred miles away, is, "We don't believe in idols, but know not in whom to put our trust." This place has not yet been visited by Christian teachers, but the Gospel leaven has by some means entered and is already at work. Is there a field more white unto the harvest? and could there be a stronger protest against diminished interest in foreign missions." And he further says:-"In this Circuit, the ill effects of the recent troubles have proved to be but of a temporary nature; indeed, the past storm has left us a clearer and healthier atmosphere......The newly awakened interest is of great value."

From the Sandwich Islands we hear of the death of Mr. Sit Moon, a much respected Cantonese preacher, who ministered to a Chinese congregation at Kohala, on the island of Hawaii.

During October, Rev. C. R. Hager visited the Heung Shan district in Kwangtung, regarding which he writes:-"While in the city itself, we received rather a warm reception with stones, though. without injury. There seems as much bitterness against the Gospel there as ever. A year ago we were almost hooted out of the same city; and this time the mob tried its power, but, with the help of the Chinese Authorities, it signally failed.”

Our Book Table.

One of the most important recent | by stating that the author is Mr. publications regarding China is G. W. Clark, of the China Inland Baron Richthofen's great work. Mission. The title above given is Unfortunately for many of us it is that of the principal paper, besides in the German language. The which there are "Temperature and sequel however is a magnificent Weather Tables at Talifu," and a Atlas, which though in the same paper on "The Aboriginal Tribes language, will be available to all. of Western Yünan," and a "BiogThe maps of the first part of the raphy of the Mahometan Prince work are on the scale of 5.75 inches Hsien Yang "-all of which add to to one degree, or natural scale 1: value of the pamphlet. 750,000; and the completed work will be accompanied by a general map of the Chinese Empire on the scale of 1: 3,000,000. This Atlas will evidently supercede all previous works of the kind, and will be invaluable to all students and travellers in these lands. It is to consist, when completed, of fiftyfour maps, twenty-seven orographical and twenty-seven geological. We find a most appreciative notice of it in the Mthly Record of the Foochow Road by Day and Royal Geographical Society for Night," as indicating an observing October. eye and literary skill.

The Celestial "Boulevards" of Shanghai, or Foochow Road by Day and Night, republished from the Shanghai Mercury, and kindly sent us by the author, Mr. B. R. A. Navarra, gives lively and welltouched pen and ink sketches of our principal Chinese thoroughfare. We need not be supposed to endorse all Mr. Navarra's expressions and opinions, when commend his effort to reproduce

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we

We take a special interest in a We acknowledge with thanks a pamphlet very neatly printed at copy of the Ming Sang Wei PaoThe Mercury Office-The Province Fukien Society [or Church] Newsof Yünan, Past, Present and Future a monthly issued by the Methodist -for, the most important of its Episcopal Mission, Foochow. It several papers, was for some contains items of local and general time in our hands for The Recorder, interest; among others, extracts but the long delay experienced from the Peking Gazette, notice of by the crowded condition of our the death of Tso Tsung Tang, columns, induced the author to subjects on which students were withdraw them and publish them examined at the late provincial in their present form, in which we examinations, news from the home are very glad to see them. The churches, and concludes with the modesty of the writer has suppress-report of a conference held at Fooed his name, but we betray no con- chow, when the question of "Foot fidence, and certainly do no wrong, Binding" was discussed.

Editorial Notes and Missionary News.

REVIEW OF 1885. *

A review, from a missionary stand-point, of events in China during 1885, gives much encouragement. At the beginning of the year the difficulties between China and France, in which hundreds of lives were lost and great expenses incurred on both sides, though war had not been declared, were dragging indefinitely along, and there seemed little prospect of an early settlement, when, to the surprise of all, the preliminaries of peace were arranged on the 4th of April, and the full Treaty signed on the 9th of June. It is early, even yet, to gather up the full results of this painful episode, but it is evident that China has learned much by the conflict, and comes out of it stronger than ever before.

Her rulers, and even the people, have been enabled to discriminate to some extent between the different nationalities of the west, and this too in ways which favorably affect our work. Those of Protestant faiths are much better appreciated than before, though there are still heavy incrustations of ignorance and prejudice to be removed. China has learned something of her weakness, and of what she needs to enable her to meet the demands of western nations. Unfortunately, what she has learned to feel most is her physical weakness, and she is moving to supply herself with munitions of war, which are the least of her needs. Stimulated by the very remarkable dying counsels of Gen. Tso Tsung-tang, she is preparing to increase her navy, to reorganize her army, to open railroads, and to extend her telegraph lines. In connection with these

enterprises it is inevitable that she will imbibe much of western knowledge, both in institutions of her own founding and also in the many schools under missionary control, no less than by an education of some of her sons in foreign lands. It is to be hoped that by all these methods she will learn that her far greater need is for mental furnishing, aud moral reinforcing.

The new Opium Treaty with England, even if it should not go into operation, owing to the opposition of nations who have hitherto had no complicity with the opium trade, makes a new stage in Chinese diplomacy, and one that may bear much fruit in ways beneficent to China. It indicates a disposition, on the part of the leading commercial nation of the world, to deal in a new style with this people just waking to international responsibilities, from which indefinite good may be expected. The recent movements in Upper Burmah, by which English territory becomes conterminous with that of China Proper for a considerable extent along its southern and south-western border, is a very important event for the future of all that southern belt, and consequently of all China.

And on the other hand, the friendly relations which have this year been strengthened between China and Japan, (even though there be just now some, not fully known, difficulty between them), is a very hopeful fact, that tends to strengthen the beneficial influence of Japan over China, in many impalpable ways, no less than in lines that are patent to all.

This article is the substance of an address by the Editor on the 4th of January, 1886, as President of the Shanghai Evangelical Alliance during the past year.

existence at Hankow, Shanghai, ference so successful."-Rev. J. A. and Canton. In March, the Officers Leyenberger says: "I give my vote of the Branch at Peking addressed in favor of 1890....I will not speak an important letter to the British, of other difficulties in the way of German, and American Ministers, an early meeting, but will simply regarding the persecutions of native refer to one by way of emphasis. Christians, which received a re- Correspondence will probably be sponse from the Minister of the required in most cases between each United States of America, and Mission and its Board at home, in would doubtless have had a still in order to secure the requisite more important reply from Sir funds for attendance. An early Harry Parkes, had he not been date would hardly give sufficient suddenly removed by death, much time for this." to the regret and loss of all. This illustrates one of the great functions of a Branch of the Alliance at the Capital, by which we have a permanent medium of communicating with various parties at the political centre of the empire. The Executive Committees of the Hankow and Shanghai sub-branches have during the year issued a pamphlet on the Persecutions of Native Christians, which has received considerable attention in the home lands, and has we trust done good.

From the latest statistical reports of Protestant Missions, a summary of which we hope to give in our next issue, it is apparent that the number of native converts has been considerably increased during the year-a fact in which we must all rejoice and from which we are encouraged, though we bear anxiously in mind the vast work still before the Church in China.

THE MISSIONARY CONFERENCE. Rev. S. F. Woodin writes in favor of 1890, as the time of meeting. Dr. Talmage writes:-"I am decidedly of the opinion that it had better be deferred until 1890. There is not now sufficient time to make the needful preparations for a successful Conference. They will appreciate this remark who know how great was the labor performed by those who had charge of the preparations for the last Conference. It was the laborious and careful preparation that made that Con

Lest silence be misunderstood, we must express our regret regarding the apparent attempt of Dr. Williamson in our last issue and this number to precipitate matters, going so far as to designate the individuals to make preparations; and, as though nomination by himself was equivalent to election, even suggesting that early reports be sent in to the convener whom he names. Had his selection of names for the committee been more complete than it even yet is, and had his nomination for convener been far more fortunate, it would seem to us still to be a great mistake, placing both nominator and nominees in an embarrassing position.

Time must be given for all sections of our mission field to express themselves, and the arrangements must be such that all missionaries may have the fullest opportunity for bringing their thoughts and wishes to bear upon the Conference as to when it shall meet, and how it shall be conducted. Any effort to forestall the freest expression of feeling, or to retain the management in certain hands, meets no sympathy from us. Axes needing to be ground should be inexorably kept under lock and key. Every thing must be managed with the utmost freedom and impartiality, or the Conference had better not take place.

Our suggestion that the Shanghai Conference take the initative, seems to meet with acceptance, though it will probably not be best for it to