Morning Calm v.4 no.41(1893 Nov.)

THE MORNING CALM. ________________________________________ No. 41, VOL. IV.] NOVEMBER 1893. [PRICE 1d. ________________________________________ The Bishop's Letter. CHEMULPÓ: July 1893. DEAR FRIENDS, I arrived at Niu Chwang on the 28th of June, and was kindly received by Mr. Pownall in a house which he has managed to rent in a very central and convenient part of the Settlement. With the exception of a few new faces everything seemed the same as when I left last October. I found Mr. Pownall well and happy, and all the people well pleased with him. Amongst the new faces was that of Dr. Daly, who has replaced our old friend, Dr. Morrison, as doctor of the port. Dr. Daly is not a missionary. Nevertheless it must have been the missionary instinct which led him, on making my acquaintance, to offer his services gratuitously to me in the event of my being able to open a hospital in Niu Chwang in connection with Mission work amongst the Chinese. It was a valuable offer, and one which I longed to be in a position to accept at once--knowing as I do by experience how very difficult it is to get a doctor to under-take work as a missionary without salary. But with no house, no land, no money to buy or rent suitable premises, I did not see my way to closing at once with so kind an offer. Yet. something had to be done--and quickly, for during nearly One third of the year Niu Chwang is closed to the outer world, and under the most favourable circumstances no hospital work could be begun before next spring. I wrote to England at once, and on the answer which I get to that letter will depend the form which our medical work will take-- whether in a rented Chinese house, the easier but more expensive, and far more unsatisfactory method ; or, in a small hospital (costing about ￡100, which I can provide) in a compound containing a house of our own, which I need some ￡400 to enable me to purchase. Meanwhile, in full hope that in one of these ways we shall begin our medical work amongst the Chinese next year, I am going to order drugs and surgical instruments to be sent out there next February. Remember that in Manchuria we are amongst a people who know and value Western methods of medicine. Throughout the province of Shing King the hospital work of the Scotch and Irish Presbyterian missionaries bears the highest reputation.   158 THE MORNING CALM. ________________________________________ It has always been a wonder to me why Niu Chwang or, to call it by its proper name, Ying Tze, with its many thousands of poor Chinese living together in a compact town should never have had its Mission hospital. We are treading on no other man's ground, therefore, in our attempt to supply this want. On my first Sunday I confirmed the eldest daughter of one or the English residents. The service was held after evensong in the court room, and commenced with the Veni Creator, sung kneeling. Parents were invited, and invited to bring their children. Many, therefore, besides the relations of the candidate had the privilege of witnessing the first confirmation ever administered by the English Church in Manchuria. Mr. Pownall took advantage of my visit to accept an invitation to Moukden, the capital of the province, which lies some ninety miles to the north. Although it is not now good weather for travelling, owing to the heat, he experienced no discomfort, sailing for the greater part of the distance up the river in a native boat which he hired. I have just received from him an account of his trip, from which, since his modesty never permits him to write to Morning Calm, I transcribe the following: "A fair wind," he says, "allowed me to arrive in Moukden within three days, and I was entertained by Mr. and Mrs. Fulton, of the Irish Presbyterian Mission. Rain on Friday allowed me to examine, without temptation to wander, the hospital and dispensary work of Dr. Christie, the admirable quality of which and its immense value were obvious. With some 70 indoor patients and nearly 20,000 visits in a year. many were brought into contact with the missionaries. During the time patients were waiting their time for consultation, a native elder preached to them the Gospel. All the internal arrangements were excellent, showing that money and effort were wisely directed. What I saw will be invaluable when the time comes to do similar work in Niu Chwang. The scenery round Moukden was refreshing, and much reminded me of an old English park. The beautifully green rich grass with old willows and elms, and an abundance of undergrowth were a welcome change from the dry barrenness of Niu Chwang. The North Tomb, the old palace, the temple of Earth, and a multitude of other erections gave good examples of Chinese architectural art. I went on board my boat on Monday night and got away at 4 o'clock on Tuesday morning, reaching Niu Chwang in time for dinner next night. Another fair strong wind from the N.E. took me 200 miles in less than forty hours--the quickest passage down I can hear of."   THE MORNING CALM. 159________________________________________ Letters from Corea and elsewhere compelled me to limit my stay at Niu Chwang to twelve days, and I returned to Chefoo to await there the boat which was to bring me back to Chemulpó. In Chefoo I had to provide the best substitute I could for divid-ing myself into three parts in order to satisfy the hospitable demands of Mrs. Allen at the Consulate, Rev. H. Brown at St. Luke's Native hospital, and Rev. M. Greenwood, who was staying in the Mission house at Eastbeach. I spent a very pleasant week there and arrived in Chemulpó towards the latter part of the month. Great have been the changes which have taken place during my absence. St. Michael's Parsonage I had given up in May to Sr. Nora and Sr. Margaretta. The former I found recovering I rejoice to say, from an attack of rheumatism which has been peculiarly trying to one of her exceedingly active, energetic habits. Mr. Warner, who was in charge, shared with me rooms in the orphanage where I at once took up my quarters. The next day he left for Mapó. I knew that on my return I should find Dr. Wiles gone. Alas! it was even so. He had left in June and by this time was well on his way to America. What a sorrow his departure has been to us all I cannot tell you. It is not too much to say that Seoul and Chemulpó do not seem the same places without him. He has coiled himself so closely round our affections that it will be long before we realize his loss. Long may we profit by the good advice he has given us and the beautiful example of a Christian missionary which he has shown us! I have another loss to the Mission to record, that of Miss Heathcote, who early in this month left for England, Mr. Smart escorting her as far as Shanghai. Her departure, which was entirely at her own request, was a great sorrow to me. And yet, so strong were the reasons which induced her to desire to Ieave us it was impossible not to see that they were right and convincing. She has felt all along very keenly the double difficulty of having no Corean patients to nurse and of being unable, at her age, to hope to learn their language. This double difficulty is one which people at home-people, indeed, who are engaged in Mission work anyuwhere else but in Corca cannot understand. With the young fellows round me it is bad enough --to feel that Corea is not like China, that for all the missionary effort there there is precedent, and that to attempt to proceed in Corea on English lines and without English tongue is to fail-to do more than fail, to provide needless burdens for the shoulders of our success-sors who will have to undo our work before they can repair our blunders. The case was otherwise with Miss Heathcote, Full   160 THE MORNING CALM. ________________________________________ of earnest zeal she felt herself fettered and tongue-tied, with no prospect of ever getting free to do the work which she had come out to do, and had imagined she would be set to do as soon as she arrived in the country. We are all very sorry to lose her—and none is more sorry than I--for, by her high sense of duty, her unobtrusive yet fervent piety, and by her simple character, she has been an example to us all. I may as well complete the catalogue of losses which affect the mission by saying that on my return I found that Mr. Hillier was on the point of going to England on leave of absence. We shall miss him sadly and long for his return. I have now come to the end of the month and of my letter, which goes to you with the love and blessing of Yours affectionately,

• C. J. CORFE.

________________________________________ Association of Prayer and Work for Corea. SECRETARIES and friends of the Mission who have any thought of getting up meetings for Corea in their localities will be glad to hear that Mrs. Johnstone, who, we are sorry to say, is re-turning to China this October with her husband, has made a most kind present of her box of Corean costumes to the General Secretary for the use of the Mission. These costumes, not without the hat which is so familiar to us all in the illustra-tions in Morning Calm, will be ready to travel about with, or without, the album of Corean photographs. It may be useful to add that they fit a tall man, while his lady companion should be small in height. Mrs. Campbell Jones (14 Carlyle Mansions, Cheyne Walk, Chelsea) asks us to remind all the readers of Morning Calm in London, and elsewhere, that her Corean stalls at the Sale of Work in the Westminster Town Hall, on December 13th and 14th, will be roomy enough to hold large stores of beautiful goods for sale, and that contributions of all sorts of saleable articles will be anxiously looked for by her as the time approaches. Miss M. Duncan (Rock View, Tavistock) also wishes it made known that there will be a Children's Sale in Tavistock in December for the Corean and the Zenana Missions, and that she will be most grateful to receive plain work or fancy articles from the readers of Morning Calm. Your diligent and generous. support is invited on behalf of both these enterprises. M. M. CHAMBERS HODGETTS, (Gen. Sec.). Rowancroft, Exeter, October 9th.   THE MORNING CALM. 161________________________________________ GOSPORT WORKING GUILD. The members hope to have a sale of useful clothing early in November. Contributions will be thankfully acknowledged by Mrs. Barnes, Langton House, Bury Road, Gosport; and by Mrs. York, Belmont, Bury Road, Gosport. ________________________________________ Correspondence. THE following extract from a letter to the Bishop from Miss Cooke, M.D., relative to the woman's hospital in Seoul, will prove interesting to readers of Morning Calm, and in particular to the supporters of the Hospital Naval Fund :- SEOUL, July 31st, 1893. "At present I have five in-patients. In the early part of July, Dr. Baldock sent over two women from the Nak-Tong Dispensary, both suffering from fever. They were very ill and we none of us thought the elder would recover. "The sisters kindly undertook the nursing of the Hospital and these two women were nursed night as well as day--humanly speaking, thanks to the good care bestowed upon them by the nurses, they both recovered. The little child of the younger woman is now in hospital suffering from the same malady, or rather she is now convalescent. The great thing--that which has pleased me so much and which I think you will like to hear--is that all these patients have been properly nursed, e.g., daily washed all over, hair dressed, &c., as if they were in England, and, far from objecting to this treatment they have thoroughly en-joyed it; of course food and the rest of the medical treatment, as at home. I have mentioned all these particulars to you as these have been our first real Corean nursing cases, and you will like to know the women thoroughly appreciated the treat-ment they received-proved by the fact that when the child came in ill, they helped nurse to attend to her as they had been treated themselves. " Nurse Webster is a capital woman--she has managed these people with such tact and love, that she has gained their confidence--it would give you pleasure to see the bright, happy faces of these convalescents as they sit now upon the verandah." ________________________________________ Mr. Davies writes to report himself to the Bishop after twelve days spent in the country. He says, "I left Seoul on the 17th inst, with my teacher. Owing to recent rains the   162 THE MORNING CALM. ________________________________________ roads were almost impassable, and I made the journey of fifty miles almost entirely bare legged and in Corean straw shoes. We had several times to wade up to the shoulders. The first 30 li was on the main road from the east gate, afterwards we branched off on a small footpath and passed some beautiful country. We crossed the river Han at Mon-tar-i (110 li from Seoul). Mr. Warner must have passed there. "Keun Mal, the village at which I stayed, was composed of about twenty-five scattered cottages and farmsteads. It was right off the main roads and situated most beautifully in a valley surrounded by lofty mountains well timbered. My teacher's father, whose house was very small, put me up in a large farmhouse adjoining. This house contained a huge “Maru,” and all the male population of the village used to sleep there, as it was cooler than their small houses. Every evening about ten we had big gatherings in the moonlight, all the gentry of the village grouped together apart from the labourers. I was treated most kindly and hospitably whilst there, and made many friends. Most of the population of this and the neighbouring villages are composed of gentry who left Seoul during the scare of 1880. Many of them are farmers and work in the fields like common labourers, I was only refused an interview with one man, who lived about two miles off. He is a schoolmaster and cousin of the teacher's. A violent hater of foreigners and foreign importations. He only wears Corean-made clothes and will have nothing Chinese or Japanese about him. “An arm of the river Han passes close by the village, but is only navigable (except for very small boats) during the summer rains. I learnt a good deal about family relationships. The teacher's family has lived in this village for a century, I think. It was rather warm walking back and I wanted very much to come by boat from Mon-tar-i, but, of course, the boats had all left the day before. I only walked 120 miles the whole time. I enjoyed myself immensely and learnt a good deal," ________________________________________ The following are extracts from letters received from the Rev. M. N. Trollope :-- "SEOUL, May 7th, 1893. "It will be years before one is a proficient in Corean or Chinese, and one rather pines while sitting here as a dumb dog, with a powerful French Roman Catholic Mission in full swing on one side, and a crowd of ill-instructed, though for the most part   THE MORNING CALM. 163________________________________________ earnest, American Methodists on the other. But I am sure, in spite of the critics in the Church Times that it is good for us to be here.' Even Romans have pointed out that the great hope of the re-union of Christendom lies, humanly speaking, with the English Church, touching as she does the Protestant Dissenter on one side and the Roman Church on the other. And I am sure that there is but a poor look-out for Christianity here in China, Japan, and Corea, if Rome and the Protestants are left to fight it out between themselves. Besides, nearly all Roman missionaries out here are French (aggressively French), and the Chinese and Corean hate (or despise) the French. So, hugely as one sometimes feels the strain, and powerfully as the glamour and fascination of Rome make themselves felt, I am sure that I do well to be here, and to be here as an English Catholic. If we can only ‘sit tight' and keep our tempers there is a great work for us to do among Coreans, which will, under God's blessing, tend to the promotion of true unity and real Christianity. "I like the people very much; they are very interesting, and in many ways amiable. The country is lovely, and the climate (especially at this time of the year) glorious." ________________________________________ "I am very sorry about that silly scare about Corea which got in the papers. The Japanese did begin to get nervous, and were sending their wives and children away from Seoul, and the Coreans were beginning to leave the city too. Then the Americans sent for a gun-boat, and the rumours got into the Shanghai and Japanese papers, from which they were copied into the European ones. I don't think any of the Europeans (except perhaps the Americans) apprehended much trouble, and the British Consul positively refused to send for men-of-war. . . . Apparently some of the malcontents connect the depression with the presence of foreigners and Japanese in the country, and the discontent found 2 centre in a curious sort of quasi-secret society called the Tong Hak (misspelt Togakuto in the English papers). Tong Hak means “Eastern Doctrine." The sect arose about 25 years ago, partly in opposition to Christianity (which is Sye Hak, or “ Western Doctrine"), and partly in connection with a fanatic who tried to found a sort of new reformed Confucianism. The late King or Regent beheaded him as an anti-Confucianist, and this has been a grievance ever since. This ridiculous society now forms a sort of centre round which discontent of all sorts gathers. They sent a deputation of fifty (this was in March or April) with a petition to the King, asking for the   164 THE MORNING CALM. ________________________________________ canonisation of their founder, removal of restrictions on the Tong Hak, reform of government, and expulsion of foreigners. The King would not receive them, and, while they waited for days outside the palace, they were joined by an opposition deputation of orthodox Confucianists with a petition praying for the continued suppression of the Tong Hak! Meanwhile, frightful rumours (all untrue) kept coming to Seoul from the south, and then suddenly everything died away, and we heard no more about it." ________________________________________ The two following prayers have been authorised by the Bishop in all churches and chapels in his diocese to be used by the clergy, either immediately after the Blessing at Holy Commu-nion, or after the Grace at Matins, Evensong, and Litany:-- FOR THE KING [OR EMPEROR]. ANTIPHON : Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether it be to the King as supreme or unto governors as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of thein that do well.-1 S. Pet. ii. 13, 14. V.--O Lord, save the King [or Emperor]. R.--And mercifully hear us when we call upon THEE. LET US PRAY. ALMIGHTY and Everlasting God, we are taught by Thy Holy Word that the hearts of kings are in Thy rule and governance and that Thou dost dispose and turn them as it seemeth best to Thy godly wisdom; We humbly beseech Thee so to dispose and govern the heart of Thy servant the King [or the Emperor] of this country that he may be led into the way of truth, and study to preserve the people committed to his charge in wealth, peace, and godliness. Direct and prosper all his consultations to the advancement of Thy glory, the good of Thy Church, the safety, honour, and welfare of his Dominions; that all things being ordered and settled upon the best and surest foundations, peace and happiness, truth and justice, religion and piety may be established among us for all generations. These and all other necessaries, as well for him as for us and Thy whole Church, we humbly beg in the Name and Mediation of Jesus Christ our most blessed Lord and Saviour. Amen. FOR THE CONVERSION OF COREA (OR CHINA). ANTIPHON: The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.--Isa. xi. 9. V.--Shew Thy servants Thy work. R.--And their children Thy glory.   THE MORNING CALM. 165________________________________________ LET US PRAY. O GOD, Whose blessed Son was manifested that He might destroy the works of the devil, and make us the sons of God and heirs of everlasting life, mercifully look upon the people of Corea (China). Take from them all ignorance, hardness of heart, and whatsoever else may hinder them from being brought to the knowledge of Thy grace and faith in Thee; that being made partakers of the Divine Nature they may receive the ex-ceeding great and precious promises which Thou hast given us through the same Thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ________________________________________ Society of the Sacred Mission. ANNUAL FESTIVAL, Michaelmas, 1893. THE Second Annual Festival of our Society was celebrated on Monday, October 2nd, the Feast of the Holy Guardian Angels. Much has happened since the last Festival, and the little com-munity at 97 Vassall Road has expanded and seems likely to develop much further still. The "good hand of our God” has been upon it from the first, and there were many great blessings throughout the past year to make our Festival one of real thanksgiving. Many improvements were seen in our Chapel, and for the first time we had full service. Solemn Vespers was sung on Thursday, the Eve of St. Michael's Day, and again on Sunday, October 1st; and we began our Festival at 6 A.M. on Mon-day with Matins, followed at 7 A.M. by Lauds and Prime. The Corporate Communion of the Society was made at St. Michael's Church at 8 A.M., the service being fully choral, with the music as last year, the “Missa de Angelis." About five o'clock in the afternoon our guests began to arrive, and by six we had a goodly company, including the Rev. J. P. Farler, late Archdeacon of Magila; Father Wainwright, of St. Peter's, London Docks; Rev. J. A. Le Couteur, of St. Mary's, Stoke Newington ; C. J. Viner, Esq., Lay Secretary of the Universities' Mission; and several other priests, includ-ing the Rev. A. G. Bode as the representative of the clergy from St. John's, Kennington. There were also four or five Oxford men, some of whom have been staying at the Brother-hood, and helping for a time with the educational work. These were all crowded into our somewhat diminutive Chapel, where Solemn Evensong was sung at 6 P.M., and an admirable address given by Archdeacon Farler on “Unselfishness the True Motive of Missionary Work," a report of which is given below. At 7:30 P.M. we all sat down to supper in the Library, and then   166 THE MORNING CALM. ________________________________________ followed a very pleasant chat, until Compline at 9.30 P.M. brought a happy and memorable day to a close. The Octave was kept on Saturday, October 7th, with our usual social evening--including Solemn Evensong in Chapel, with address by Rev. the Director on “Caritas Christi urget nos," and ending with the Ambrosian “Te Deum.” The Archdeacon's address was based on Acts i. S: “Ye shall be witnesses unto Me . . . unto the uttermost part of the earth." He said: "This was at once the promise and the commission of Christ to His first messengers, and it is His promise and His commission to all missionaries as long as His Kingdom has to be extended; it is quite as direct and individual to us as to them. ‘Witness' was their special vocation, and it is ours too. They were to bear testimony to a Person and to a Life--not to themselves or some pet dogma of their own--'Ye shall be wit-nesses of Me.' Christ must be the sole thought of all Apostles, and the sole purport of their teaching--Christ witnessed to by life as well as by word. What else but He was in the mind of those first missionaries to whom we owe our Faith--SS. Aidan, Columba, Chad? Self was thrust utterly into the background, for they had the true spirit of 'witness,' which is essentially an unselfish one. Lack of this spirit is undoubtedly the reason why there are so few missionaries nowadays, and so many 'mis-sionary failures.' The spirit of our age is commercial, and this, the selfish spirit, is fatal if introduced into missionary work. It has ruined the work of many would-be apostles who want so much more than those first Apostles did, and imagine they can-not do without it. Comforts and luxuries are so much part of our every-day life that they seem absolutely necessary to our life itself. This selfish spirit is shown, too, in the unworthy motives which prompt men to offer themselves for mission work. Inward vocation is by no means always the reason why men become missionaries; with many, alas! it is a desire for better position, or a more exciting life. Motives such as these prompt men, often unconsciously, to offer themselves ; and their parish priest thinks he has won a convert, and sends the young aspirant to get a smattering of theology, and nothing else, to contend with all the difficulties of foreign work. He gets his year or two's crammed and sketchy knowledge, and goes abroad; but before long he begins to flag, and in nine cases out of ten there is a ‘mis-sionary failure.' These are far too common, and may generally be traced to want of singleness of aim, to forgetfulness of the fact that all consideration of self must be thrust out of sight. "But here you have no excuse for forgetfulness of this. The   THE MORNING CALM. 167________________________________________ call to show forth Christ's Life is a very special and clear one for you, and in your training here it should be constantly before your eyes. In so far as we fall short of the Life of Christ, so far do we fall short of success in whatever life-work we undertake. Christianity is the religion of a character, and, to form a charac-ter in others, one must possess it oneself. A clear grasp of theology, vast powers of eloquence, great personal gifts—these are not sufficient to convert the heathen. They need teaching in more than word. This it is which differentiates Christianity from all other religions. Plato and Socrates taught much and deeply by word, but what lasting impress have they left upon mankind in general : what universal enthusiasm do their names kindle? Yet to be witnesses of Jesus is a guarantee of accept-ance with all peoples, for it is the Life even more than the teach- ing of Christ that inspires the admiration and devotion of men. “Yes, self-interest will ruin your work, as it ruins so much work done for Christ every day. Why is it that Rome alone can send forth single-hearted men, men who are willing to do anything and to suffer anything for the love of Christ, men who have literally surrendered their whole selves to His service, and not kept back part? I used often to long, as I stood on the little hill of Bagamoyo and watched the French lay-brothers of the Roman Mission, their teaching, planting trees, cleaning out Cow-sheds, &c., that we could train men in our dear old English Church for such absolute and entire devotion, and when I first heard of this Society, I thought-here is the very thing that is wanted. There is a great future before the Society. One can-not but feel that God destines you to do a great work for the Church at large, if you keep true to your principles ; but these are hard enough to make the sacrifice worth offering, for they mean : "(1) Absolute obedience to the will of Christ, as manifested in His representative, your Superior. “(2) Entire renunciation of self and of the world, whether it be represented by a comfortable home or a good salary. “(3) No desire for promotion or honour or fame, but complete content with the Divine will; and the secret of all this--the being 'witnesses of Jesus' and not of ourselves. “In conclusion, as an old missionary myself, who looks with keen interest and affection on you who are so soon to go out to your life-work, let me put before you one or two difficulties and dangers for which you must prepare yourselves, and one or two encouragements that will do much to counterbalance them.   168 THE MORNING CALM. ________________________________________ "And, first, there is the danger of being among unspiritual surroundings, and of consequently falling from one's own high level, for workers without true spirituality drag others down fatally. Then there is the discouraging sense of the dead mass of heathenism around---so little impression made, so little prospect of ever making much--one gets so hopeless about one's work; and then there are so few encouragements in the way of such ritual as you have here at home, and, worst of all, often, no sympathy from others, especially if you are at an isolated station in the interior, " Again, there is the despair and despondency which some-times gains possession of one's own inner soul; the loathing that comes from contact with the heathen so full of sins, which are utterly abhorrent; the spiritual dryness which seems more in-curable than ever out there, the terrible sense of responsibility which at times seems to overwhelm one. “But then there are many blessings to set against these. There is the sense of fellowship, the knowledge that everyone you are working with has given up as much as, perhaps more than, you for Christ. "There is, too, the freedom from worldly cares--no thought of food or raiment, no provision for the morrow to worry over--for the Mission provides for everything. “Then there is, in a fuller sense perhaps than workers at home can feel, the knowledge that we are fellow-workers with Christ; there is an incalculable strength and support in the remembrance of this. “Again, there is the hope of leaving a name behind which shall speak with love and tender recollections in the future. Think of the power of a blessed memory, how encouraging to the workers, how stimulating to the converts, and how, being dead, you may yet speak to many through the memory of your life, just as the Apostles and martyrs of old left names to conjure with for endless generations. “And there is, lastly, the thought of constant prayers and remembrance at home, and for you especially the bond of your Society, with its mutual encouragement and support. "Only learn to use the training-time well here, and then you will be forearmed against the difficulties, and prepared to find these and many other encouragements. "Welcome the hardships now, however mean and trivial they may be, as discipline for your life-work, and remember always, now and hereafter, that self must be lost sight of, for you are to be ‘witnesses of Jesus unto the uttermost part of the world.’”   THE MORNING CALM. 169________________________________________The Spirit of Missions. “WHEN, on the site of Byzantium, Constantine, in the year 328 A.D.. was himself, in person, marking out the boundary line for the proposed city of Constantinople, and when his attention was called to the vast extent of the area he was enclosing, and the improbability that the city of the Cæsars would ever occupy it, he calmly answered, ‘I am following Him who is leading me.’ "The Church has attempted a gigantic task in extending and enlarging the place of her tent and stretching her canopy over a world-wide area.

NAK TONG: NORTH WING AND SERVANTS QUARTERS,

The work is so stupendous that it has inclined some to remonstrate and even to ridicule. But be it ever remembered that, in so doing, we are ‘following Him who is leading us. It is He who has bidden us ‘lengthen our cords and strengthen our stakes.’ No task can be too colossal in magnitude if He plans it and entrusts to us the execution of what is really His plan."--DR. PIERSON, The Divine Enterprise of Missions, p. 57. ________________________________________ An association has been organised by the friends of the Dio-cese of Rangoon for the purpose of helping the Bishop and the missionaries in their arduous labour for the Church. The Bap-   170 THE MORNING CALM. ________________________________________ tists and Roman Catholics in Burma obtain assistance largely, whilst the Bishop and priests of the Church of England have been left without the support which an active association in England gives in prayer, in sympathy, and in money. "I am drawing up rules," writes the Bishop," by which Associates will bind themselves to pray daily for Foreign Missions, especially that of Rangoon; to give not less than two shillings every year towards the expenses of the Mission; to make a Corporate Communion of Thanksgiving on a day to be fixed by me; and to help by collecting funds, by working, by writing, and by try-ing to interest others in the Mission. “ Extent.-The Diocese is situated on the east side of the Bay of Bengal. Its extreme length from north to south is 1,200 miles, and its broadest part 480 miles. It has an area (including the Shan States) of 200,000 square miles, considerably more than double that of Great Britain. Besides Burma and the Shan States, the Diocese of Rangoon includes the Nicobar and Andaman Islands. “ Population.--This vast area is but sparsely populated. Rich in minerals, coal, precious stones, and with soil almost lavishly prolific, the country could easily support thirty millions of inhabitants more than it has at present. Still we have over eight millions of persons who, in the providence of God, have been placed under my spiritual charge, and we want to bring them into the fold of Christ their Saviour. The large majority of these, 6,888,000, are Buddhists. In fact, we have only 121,000 Christians, and this includes all Europeans and Eurasians as well as natives, so that it will be at once seen that in reality the Dio-cese of Rangoon is a Mission Diocese. " Races.--The population is made up of a striking variety of races. First of all come the Burmans, including the Arakanese, Chaungtha, Tavoyer, Talaings, Danu, Kadu, Yau, and Yabein. Then we have the Chins divided into at least seventeen clans ; then the Shans, the Karens-divided into the Pwos, Sgaus, and Bwès—the Kachins. Besides these, there are Malays, Chinese, and a large number and variety of people from India. “Languages.-- According to the recent Census there are 30 vernaculars of Burma spoken in the country, 18 vernaculars of India, 12 vernaculars of countries of Asia outside of Burma and India, and 20 European languages. That is, there are 80 different languages or distinct dialects spoken in Burma. This does not include the languages spoken in the Nicobar and Andaman Islands. I doubt whether the variety of races and languages to be met with in any single diocese exceeds that of   THE MORNING CALM. 171________________________________________ Rangoon, except, perhaps, in the Calcutta Diocese. This, of course, increases immensely the difficulty of mission work, and, though the number speaking some of these languages is numeri-cally insignificant, yet, as the Church's work advances, the variety of the dialects spoken by considerable numbers will add greatly to the duties of the missionary. At present the Gospel is offered in the following languages :--English, Burmese, Karen--Pwos, Sgaus, and Bwès--Tamil, Telugu, Andamanese, and Nicobarese. “History.--The present Roman Catholic missions in Burma may be said to have been founded in 1719. Nearly a century after-wards—that is, in 1807--the Baptists commenced work. More than half a century passed away, when, in 1859, the first Church of England missionary entered upon his work in this country. At present we have twelve Government chaplains ministering to Europeans and Eurasians. "The missionaries are assisted by 115 native catechists and teachers, and the work is carried on in 70 towns and villages. The last returns give : Baptized persons, 6,285; catechumens, 1,192. Total of adherents, 7,477; communicants, 2,617. These missions are supported entirely by S.P.G. That venerable Society has been for a long time most liberal. Unfortunately, just at a time when we are in very special need of increased help, the Secretary writes to say that the Society cannot increase the grant. Our funds are totally absorbed, so that we cannot pos-sibly enter upon fresh work, or even strengthen existing work, which is sorely needed, without further help. " Needs.--I am particularly anxious to be able to place two missionaries, one of whom ought to be a medical man, on the Karen hills. I have had a most liberal offer from a gentleman to build a house and contribute to the support of two mission-aries amongst certain savage tribes whose territory has been recently annexed. I believe that if we could get two earnest men for the Karens, literally thousands would join the Church and be made partakers of the Gospel of Peace. Further Particulars of our needs will be given in our Quarterly Paper. In the meantime, I most earnestly ask for the sympathy, prayers, and help of all who desire the advance of Christ's kingdom amongst the heathen nations of the earth. "The Secretary of the Rangoon Diocesan Association is Miss Hodgkinson, Car Colston, Bingham, near Nottingham. Miss Hodgkinson will gladly receive applications from those   172 THE MORNING CALM. ________________________________________ desirous of joining the Association, and give any further information asked for." ________________________________________ Of 700,000 Swedes in MINNESOTA and the Dakotas, only 100,000 are identified with any form of organised Christianity. Accustomed, as most of them have been, to episcopal govern-ment and liturgical worship in the National Church of Sweden, they form a very promising field for the work of the Church. A hopeful beginning has been made in Minneapolis. Two missions, one bearing the name of St. Ansgarius, the other that of St. Johannes, officered by Swedes, and attended at every service by over 100 people, are in successful operation. Both are pay-ing current expenses. The Rev. Mr. Tofteen, a recently ordained deacon, is in charge. Several Swedish ministers and large, in-dependent congregations at Litchfield and Cokato, Minnesota, are desirous of being received into the Church. An interesting sign of the progress of this movement was the presence of 400 Swedes in St. Mark's, Minneapolis, at five o'clock on Christmas morning for the Holy Communion.--New York Spirit of Missions. ________________________________________ “ Hand-shaking is a great institution. The Boers also make much of it, but they never use it with a coloured person. Among our missions, however, I believe universally it is a signi-ficant act, a peculiar Christian ceremony, ‘the right hand of fellowship,' not vouchsafed by a Christian to a heathen. Among the latter a different salute is made. Hence several times, when crowded by hand-shakers, I have found natives who have not taken my offered hand on the ground, ‘Ik isne gedooptne '—'I am not yet baptized.’ One very handsome woman did this, and remarked that in the summer she hoped to have the privilege."--Archdeacon ROBERTS, of Potchefstroom, Transvaal, in the Mis-sion Field.