of the Presbyterian Mission have been wiser than we. They have a good number of pastors already from their school in Ningpo." The college of the Church Missionary Society at Ningpo in its present flourishing condition, and prospective usefulness, under the able direction of Mr. Hoare, is due to this conviction of Bishop Russell, and to the measures initiated by him.

The proper course in view of the evils to which such agency is exposed is, not to discard it entirely, but to use every endeavor to bring forward deeply pious, devoted, and self-denying men, and also to strive for their constancy of Christian character, and fidelity in labors.

Question Third.-"Do you think your mission would, or could, have accomplished all or more than it has done, without the use of paid helpers of any sort ?"

Answer. Here again I take exception to the word "paid." Our helpers are supported while engaged in Christian work, not" paid."

I do not see how this mission would have been able to accomplish anything of importance or how it will be able to accomplish any considerable work in the time to come, without native agency, supported to a greater or less extent by mission funds. Our native agents are our eyes, our tongues, our hands, our feet. They help to bridge the chasm between a Christian of the far west, in his western dress, and with his western civilization, and our Chinese friends in their own dress, and with their own civilization. The width and depth of this chasm is not always understood by those who have recently entered the field. Some feel it, and by their dress and modes of living do very much, perhaps all in their power, to come into relations of lively sympathy with the Chinese. But even in cases where the most is done the chasm is not wholly closed, especially as regards the intercourse of the missionary with strangers. Every missionary to the Chinese must feel it a great help to have a faithful, zealous, Chinese brother, or sister, as a connecting link between himself and the people. The pulsations of his love reach through them to those for whom he labors, and that in many cases where otherwise they would be obstructed and unfelt. And if such Chinese brother or sister is able to give undivided attention to mission work, his support being provided for him, the help becomes constant and regular.

As a matter of fact, so far as my knowledge extends, very few of the Church members in this mission have been brought in without aid, direct or indirect, from native agents supported by the mission. They have been especially useful in going to the homes of Church members living in the country, who had been baptized in

the city, and awakening an interest in the gospel among their relatives and fellow villagers. In one region there are thirty or more communicants who have been brought in by such labors, with occasional visits of the foreign missionary.

If such companies of Christians were left to themselves, without the visits of native brethren, it is feared they would go over to the Roman Catholics, who from time to time send their native agents among them to disturb them in their faith.

It is not said that the labors of such native agents are more valuable than the labors of those who support themselves. Nor is it asserted that the labors of missionaries, supported by their fellow Christians, are more valuable than those of the now increasing classes of those who support themselves. Other things being equal, we should suppose that the self-supporting laborers would be more useful. Experience has not shown this to be always the case. It does show that the laborer, be he Chinese or foreign, self-supporting or supported by others, who denies himself, whose heart is wholly in his work, and who is quite raised above mercenary considerations, is in so far prepared for useful work. Those for whom he labors soon discern what spirit actuates him.

Question Fourth.-"Do you think that the failure of the missions in China, so far as there has been failure, is in a large part owing to the policy of hiring Chinese to preach the Gospel?"

Question Fifth." Do you believe that a majority of the native Christians in China are hypocrites, and that Protestant Christian work in China, so far as positive results are concerned, has up to the present time been almost an entire failure?"

Answer. I class these questions together, in as much as they first raise a question as to the failure of protestant missions in China and then assuming such a failure, propose a further question

as to cause.

I.-As to the question raised, I assert that Protestant Missions to China are not a failure. Their success has been such that it should occasion profound gratitude to God, and encourage their supporters to still greater exertions.

Such were the restrictions in the early part of the century upon Christian work in China that Protestant Missionaries who always go openly and with an open bible in their hands can hardly be said to have commenced their labors until the treaties of 1842. In 1853 they had 351 converts; in 1863, 1,974: in 1868, 5,734: in 1872, nearly 8,000; in 1877, 13,035; in 1881, 19,660; in 1884, 26,287. Within twelve years the communicants have more than trebled in their numbers.

It is not a difficult matter to criticise the character of these converts. It would not have been difficult to criticise the character of the converts at Corinth, or in any one of the early Churches. In each case grave defects might be found. Perhaps also the good that is in Chinese converts does not rise so high as the good that was in the early Christians. Yet there is, and has been, much of good. There have not been wanting among the Church members in Protestant Missions in China, men who have laid down their lives for the faith; others who have suffered much for the name of Christ; many who have broken off from vicious lives, and now walk according to the gospel. There are not wanting self-supporting Christian communities, with Christian pastors, and the word of God in their hands and in their hearts.

One of the Churches in China, a Church which has received from the home funds large grants for native agency and has grown to its present size, in a good degree by the labors of native agents, has recently organized a foreign mission for Corea.

It is easy to criticise, but the work of edification is far more noble, and far more useful. If this requires a modification of methods of employing native agency, or of sending forth foreign missionaries, let the modifications be made, but let them be made carefully, and with intelligence, recognizing the value of the work done, and the true followers of Christ, who now are gathered in Christian Churches.

Protestant Missions also have had very much to do with the opening of China to European intercourse; very much to do in initiating every good enterprise which has been set on foot for the welfare of the Chinese within the last seventy-five years; very much to do in creating a religious and secular literature by which to communicate to the Chinese the treasures of Western religion and science; very much to do in assisting to plant the Christian faith among the Chinese in the Indian Archipelago, in Australasia, in the Sandwich Islands, in the United States and Canada.

Would that they had done a hundred fold more than they have and that the results were a hundred fold greater! The friends of missions are not unaware of how small a part of the great work to be done is as yet accomplished. Especially painful is it to observe how few in the great cities along the coast, where the gospel has been preached longest, have become Christians. And we are not unwilling to examine the causes for such slowness in receiving the gospel.

II. Is this slowness to receive the gospel owing to the fact that Protestant Missionaries have as a general rule, supported the native agents, who have assisted them in their work?

It is impossible to institute a comparison between the present results of missionary labor in China, and the results which might have been attained without the employment of any native agency, the missionary being assisted only by such natives as received nothing from foreigners. There has been no such case as that just described, and therefore the facts for such a comparison do not exist. It is impossible to ascertain in this way whether there would have been a larger native Church, one just as large, or no Church at all, had no native helpers been employed. We can only reason from general principles, and the facts of the case as known to all. On this point it may be said;

I—.That there is nothing wrong in principle in the support of native helpers in one nation by funds raised in other nations, by men of a different race. Holy women and devout men contributed for the support of Christ, and doubtless also of his apostles. It is not likely that they would have withheld their funds if Christ had passed over into the regions of Tyre and Sidon to preach; or if he had there been joined by some Gentile convert of burning zeal, called by Christ to join the sacred band. Paul ministered to the necessities of those who were with him. Did he except the Greek, Titus? Were there not other Greeks among his fellow workers whom he also helped? To pass at once from early times to the present, it is said that the work of the American Baptist and Methodist Churches in Germany and in other countries of continental Europe, is entirely supported by funds from these Churches in the United States, and that no American laborers whatever are sent to these countries. Is this wrong? If the workman is worthy of support is his worthiness destroyed by the fact that the people for whom he labors are unwilling, or unable to support him? And may he not be equally worthy, though supported by himself, or by the bounty of others, friends to him and to his Master?

It is generally allowed that Christians in western nations may send faithful men to China, and support them here by funds raised for this purpose, while they preach the gospel to the Chinese. May they not also support Chinese Christians in the same work if they are of like spirit, and of equal or greater adaptation to that work? If not, why not? Is it because of the great distance of those who raise the funds, from those who are supported by them? Diminish the distance to 2000 miles, to 1000 miles, to one mile, to the breadth of a river, and what becomes of the objection? Is it because of the difference of race or nation? But if a man from the far west and his Chinese brother labor side by side, in the same spirit of love to Christ and love to men, if they are one in their

aims, their motives, their prayers, their hopes, is there any thing wrong in their being supported by the same funds, contributed by men of like minds with both of them, but living far away from them? Can we suppose that in the early Church any such distinction was made between Jewish laborers and Gentile laborers, between Grecian Christians and Roman Christians! Did not Jewish, Greek and Roman Christians all unite in their offerings, and avoid distinctions of race and nationality in the laborers aided by them?

True indeed the Churches founded were largely self supporting, and even giving for the support of others. But in the founding of. these Churches, for a certain period of time longer or shorter, there must have been labor without support from those taught. The apostle Paul indeed supported himself, as at Philippi, at Thessalonica, at Corinth, and even helped to support those who labored with him. But who supported the other Apostles in like circumstances? Is it wrong to suppose that monies contributed in one place supported the laborers in another, whether Jewish or Gentile, until the gospel had taken root and its fruits began to appear?

A "common chest " has always held its place in the Christian Church, the communism of love, guided by wisdom, belongs properly to the followers of Christ. The sick, the poor, the aged, the distressed, the stranger, may be assisted by such funds. They may also be used for all Church purposes, and for the support of those who spread the gospel. Now, where, and when, these funds are to be employed must be determined by Christian wisdom. This will regard chiefly moral and spiritual qualities, not distinctions of race and nation.

III.-It being admitted that there is nothing wrong in itself in the support of native Chinese helpers, the question of their employment resolves itself into one of expediency. Here different men will entertain very different opinions. It will be urged on the one side that the mind of the native helper if he be supported will inevitably be turned from the gospel to his gains; that the other Church members will be infected by the same love of gain, and that those who listen to preaching will also catch this spirit. Thus all will inquire for the bettering of their material interests, rather than the salvation of their souls, while the better classes of the people will be repelled from the truth, and look with contempt upon the Church and its adherents.

To this it will be replied that while such is the danger, and while in certain cases, and for a time, things may tend in this direction, yet such is by no means a necessary or a legitimate result. True