be successful in producing the desired results should be confined to a comparatively limited district of country and very frequently visited, and the great truths of the Gospel frequently repeated in the hearing of the people thus visited. It is quite true that a less number of people may come to hear, and fewer books be purchased than on previous visits. This will be the result of the novelty passing away. But these few who continue to come are the very persons who are being, by this repeated instruction, to receive the Gospel in the love of prepared it. The parable of our blessed Lord of the Sower who went forth to sow, is a correct portrayal of the result of sowing the seed. Those who receive it in good and honest hearts generally come to our observation after we have had an experience of all the other kinds of hearers. This result is a great trial of the faith and patience of the Sower. Those who send forth the Sowers and support them by their contributions and their prayers must also bear in mind the laws which govern the kingdom of grace as well as those of the kingdom of nations and not expect fruits prematurely. It is only after the patient and painstaking labor of the husbandman in breaking up the ground, in putting away the noxious plants and sowing the good seed that he gathers the golden harvest. So in the kingdom of grace, it is only with the careful and repeated instruction in divine truth that we may expect the fruits of righteousness in the hearts of the heathen. While some of us are permitted to plant and others to water, may we all be guided to such methods as will, by the converting power of the Holy Spirit result in much increase to the Church of the Living God. MR. EDITOR : Religious Festivals. EVANGELIST. I wish to bring to the consideration of the missionaries in China this question, viz: Is it expedient and practicable to introduce among Christian converts in China the observance of religious festivals which shall take the place among them if those observed by this heathen people? The object of introducing religious festivals among converts would be thereby to help them to resist the inducements to engage in the ceremonies of the heathen festivals. There are some five festivals which are very generally observed; and all of these have idolatrous ceremonies. They are 1st. Those of the New Year; 2nd. The worship of the graves; 3rd. The feast of the 5th day of the 5th moon; 4th. The worship of the moon in the 8th moon; 5th. The feast of the Winter Solstice. Beside there are other special days of idolatrous worship and feasting, as, the 1st and 15th of each moon, the birthday of many of their principal gods, the burning of clothes for the dead in the 7th month, the offerings to the Fire-god in the autumn months. Festivals during which worship has been mingled with specular shows of various kinds, the gathering into assemblies and the reunion of families and friends for feasting, have existed from the earliest times and among all nations. It is a matter of universal observation how strong a hold these festivals have had upon the feelings of all people and how great is the influence they exert upon the character and morals of mankind. It is not possible to do away with the observance of festivals among any people. The fact that the observance of the feasts among the Jews was appointed by God sanctions the observance of seasons of worship and thanksgiving among the people of God. They may be used to promote godly edification and profiting. One great consideration in arranging for converts among this heathen people is to prevent them from participating in heathen festivals. Can any more effective method be devised them by substituting Christian festivals to take the place of the heathen feasts? The New Year may very properly be observed by Christian converts as a time of Christian worship and fellowship and mutual congratulations. Christmas may be easily improved as a time for the giving of thanks for the gift of the Saviour and the blessings of the Gospel in place of the heathen festival at the Winter Solstice. The harvest moon may become the time fixed for thanksgiving for the fruits of the earth, and for partaking with the family and friends of the good things of this life, and thus divert them from participating in the festival of worshipping the moon in the 8th month. But it appears more difficult to suggest anything to take the place of the other two. As the worship of the graves recalls the memory of the dead. There might be some religious observances setting forth the great doctrine of the resurrection of the dead and eternal life. And as the feast of dragon boats on the 5th of the 5th moon is professedly to commemorate a loyal statesman. Some observances that would be designed to set before the minds of the people the principles of good government and the duties of good subjects might be arranged which would in time develope the feeling of patriotism and thus secure in time the improvement of the condition of the people and of the character of the government. These desultory thoughts are thus presented in the hope of drawing forth the expression of the views of the missionaries on this important subject, and the presentation of some suggestions on the subject that would meet with general concurrence. A MISSIONARY. Missionary News. Births, Marriages & Deaths. Ar Nganking, on October 30th, 1882, BIRTHS. Ar Foochow, on September 4th, the Ar Peking, on October 21st, 1882, the Ar Pao-ting fu, on October 24th, 1882, AT Kiu-chow fu, (Chekiang), on Novem- MARRIAGES. Ar the British Legation, Peking, on AT Trinity Cathedral, Shanghai, on At the British Consulate, Chefoo, on DEATHS. AT Hongkong, on October 29th, 1882, W. M. MACGREGOR, China Inland Ar Shanghai, on November 2nd, 1882, ARRIVALS.-Per str. Iraouaddy, on ber 1st, from United States, Rev. J. returned; Rev. J. N. and Mrs. Hayes,Tungchow, American Presbyterian Mission. Per str. Lombardy, on November 2nd, from Europe, Dr. W. R. and Mrs. Lambuth, returned; and Dr. W. H. Park, Southern Methodist Mission, Soochow; Mrs. J. K. Mackenzie, London Mission, Tientsin, returned; Rev. W. E. Soothill, English Methodist Free Church Mission, Wenchow. Per str. Nagoya Maru, on November 9th, from United States, Rev. Henry P. Perkins, A. B. C. F. M. Mission, Peking. Per str. Brindisi, on November 17th, from Europe, Rev. A. E. and Mrs. Moule and family, Shanghai, Per str. Genkai Maru, on Decemreturned; Rev. A. R. Fuller, Shao-ber 2nd, for United States, Rev. J. hing; and Rev. C. Shaw, Foochow, M. W. Farnham, D.D. Church Mission. Per str. Hiroshima Maru, on November 18th, from United States, Rev. W. S. and Mrs. Holt and three children, Shanghai, returned; Rev. F. V. and Mrs. Mills, Hangchow; Rev. G. Reid, Chefoo, American Presbyterian Mission. Miss S. E. Lawson, Miss M. Bruce, American Episcopal Mission, St. John's College, Shanghai. Rev. D. Hill, Hankow, returned, Wesleyan Mission. Per str. Genkai Maru, on November 29th, from United States, Rev. and Mrs. D. L. Anderson, Rev. and Mrs. Mingledorff, and Miss Anna J. Muse, Southern Methodist Mission, Shanghai. Per str. Avon, on December 9th, from Europe, Misses E. J. and S. F. Kemp, unconnected; Misses A. L. Groom and F. Stroud, China Inland Mission. Per str. Hiroshima Maru, on December 14th, from United States, Rev. H. C. and Mrs. DuBose and three children, Soochow, returned; and Rev. S. J. Woodbridge, Nanking, Southern Presbyterian Mission; Miss A. E. Kirkby and Miss M. A. Burnett, Woman's Union Mission, Shanghai. DEPARTURES.-Per str. Peiho, on November 7th, for Europe, Rev. G. and Mrs. Gussmann and four children. Per str. Nagoya Maru, on November 15th, for United States, the Rev. W. F. Walker, American Methodist Mission. Per str. Glenavon, on December 13th, for Europe, Dr. and Mrs. J. K. Mackenzie, London Mission. Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Turner, Inland Mission. Per str. Hiroshima Maru, on December 19th, for United States, Rev. K. F. and Mrs. Junor, Canadian Mission, Tamsui. Home address:St. Mary's Ontario, Canada. SHANGHAI.-We are requested to state that the next regular meeting of the Synod of China will be held in the Presbyterian Church (South Gate), Shanghai, beginning on the 1st Friday of May, 1883, at half past ten a.m. The London Missionary Society held a valedictory service at the Weigh-house Chapel, Fish-streethill, London, to bid farewell to the following missionaries, going out to China-Rev. J. Sadler, Rev. J. Stonehouse, Rev. A. Bonsey, Dr. Palmer, Dr. Gillison, Miss Rowe, and Miss Hope. The missionaries named above sailed in the Glenavon, from London, on October 4th, arriving at Hongkong November 17th. Miss Rowe and Miss Hope remain at the Mission in that place. Mr. Sadler and Dr. Palmer proceeded to Amoy. The others came on to Shanghai arriving on November 25th. Mr. Stonehouse remains in Shanghai. Mr. Bonsey and Dr. Gillison started for the Mission at Hankow on November 28th. We learn that Rev. A. E. Moule, B.D., has been appointed Missionary Archdeacon to assist the Bishop in the oversight of the native Churches now forming in the Province of Chinkiang. Mr. Moule will reside in Shanghai, and in addition to the duties consequent on the above appointment, will also conduct mission work, and act as Secretary to the Church Missionary Society in China. A home paper states that Miss Maclagan, a niece of the Bishop of Lichfield, is about to join the mission staff in China of the English Presbyterian Church. Mr. A. Anderson, who has for three years been in the service of the American Bible Society, and who has done good work at Shanghai, and recently at Hongkong, now becomes an assistant to Dr. Wenyon, of the Wesleyan Mission, in his medical work at Fatshan, near Canton. The American Baptist Mission, South, are about opening work at Chinkiang, and it is expected that Mr. Hunnex, (who has for a year been in the service of the Methodist Mission at Kiukiang), will be stationed there. lieved. True, a murder was committed, but the chief culprit was neither an Englishman nor a missionary, but a native who had been formerly attached to the mission and dismissed by Bishop Crowther for misconduct. Another native, a quondam schoolmaster, was associated with him, and both bore foreign names. That was probably how the mistake arose. NINGPO.-" G. L. M." kindly sends us the following:-"The Kiangche Baptist Association is composed of ten churches of the American Baptist Missionary Union in Chekiang province and three churches of the Southern Baptist Convention, two of which are in Kiangsu province and one in Shantung. The Association was in session at Shaohing three days in October. During the session Rev. Mr. Li of Kông-keo gave a clear account of the various funeral customs common in northern Chekiang, distinguishing between the idolatrous and the harmless. Betrothal and marriage customs were treated in the same way by another native essayist. Another paper suggested means of securing as full attendance of the members on ordinary Sundays as on "Communion Sundays." Mr. Kwu of Hangchow made a Biblical plea for total abstinence from strong drink. Only one preacher attempted any apology for moderate drinking, while several spoke heartily in favor of total abstinence for the sake of others. In this matter there has At first sight this reads plausible been a great change of sentiment enough, though, as the North-China since the meeting a few years ago Daily News remarks, it is strange when the introduction of the temthat it should ever have been be-perance question was strongly op Misleading statements are very easily set going, and the more absurd the assertion the wider cerculation it receives. As a case in point, the following, which has been published in many of the home and some of the local papers may be cited: A MURDER BY MISSIONARIES.-A tele. gram dated London, 25th October, says two missionaries and their wives have been found guilty of the murder of a girl at the Niger in Africa. The two male and one of the female prisoners have been senteneed to twenty years" penal servitude. |