Morning Calm v.5 no.51(1894 Sep.)

THE MORNING CALM No. 51, VOL. V.] SEPTEMBER 1894. [PRICE 1d.

The Bishop's Letter.

NIU CHWANG: May 1894. DEAR FRIENDS,

My letter last month left me whilst I was on my way to this place. The steamer touched at Chefoo and at Tak'u; and at each port I was able to do something which will interest you to hear about. My companion, as far as Chefoo, was Peter, the little son of our faithful Ssu Chang Lo, who has been in our service from the commencement of the Mission. He has been the Sisters' cook for the last eighteen months, and lives in the Mission-house with his wife and three young children, of whom Peter, aged seven, is the eldest. They are all Christians except the wife, who would herself be one if she could only get an answer to the question which a heathen once put to St. Philip - “How can I except some man should guide me?”—and since the whole family speaks only Chinese, the man to guide her has not yet been found amongst us. But the three children, Peter, Maria, and Lydia, having been baptized, and Peter being a sharp boy who can read very well, I resolved to place him in the Mission school at Chefoo, under the care of our good friend Mr. Brown, who educated Andrew for us. The suggestion was not mine. It came from Andrew, who thus followed the example of his great namesake in securing for “his own brother Simon " the advantages which he had begun to enjoy himself. So little Peter was dropped at Chefoo, where he soon made himself at home with his schoolfellows. Mr. Brown has since written to me saying that "he is very lovable and amenable to discipline. Moreover, he is very bright and likely to do well at his books." At Tak'u the ship stayed long enough to enable me to get to Tien Tsin. Accordingly I once more found myself on the rail way which I travelled last summer to Shan Hai Kwan, where the great wall of China comes down to the sea. That portion of the road is now completed, and the engineers are at work on the country beyond, so that, having entered Manchuria, they are now in my diocese. My journey on this occasion, however, was the short one of about fifty miles between Tak'u and Tien Tsin. Mr. Norris, Bishop Scott's chaplain, met me at the station, and, giving me a hearty welcome, took me to the new parsonage built since my last visit. For the first time, too, I saw the handsome new church-room alongside it which, until the good people of Tien Tsin can afford to build a church, is set apart for the purposes of Divine service. Internally, that careful attention is paid to detailed and reverent arrangement which characterises all Bishop Scott's buildings for public worship, whether temporary or permanent. At the parsonage I made the acquaintance of Mr. Mathews, a young deacon lately arrived, who was educated at St. Boniface, Warminster, but who had an even stronger claim on my interest as being a native of Ports mouth, and a disciple of my old friend Canon Jacob.

Having been asked to act as organist at the Saturday Even song, to celebrate on Sunday, and to preach after Morning Prayer, I am able to say that the temporary church of All Saints is one of which I should become very fond. It is a good resting- place for the people of Tien Tsin, in which, having no longer to worship God in a rented warehouse, they may, by prayer and a good use of the means of grace, learn to take the next step and build a church worthy-I do not say of God-but of the position which they occupy in a town so important as Tien Tsin. My time there was all too short. Shortly after noon I had to bid farewell to my kind friends and get back to my ship, which left the same evening and brought me here, after a splendid passage, at sunset on the following day. Mr. and Mrs. Bullock at the British Consulate had kindly asked me to be their guest, and I was not long before I was at home with them and their children. I found Mr. and Mrs. Doxat in the act of taking over another house which we have decided to buy for the Mission instead of the house in which they have been living all the winter. They were therefore very busy. The steamer, too, which had brought me was to take them away in three days. Happily one of those days was Ascension Day, and after a final celebration of the Holy Communion in the court-room, there was a children's service at which I catechised, and then we saw the Doxats off to their ship. I find Niu Chwang itself unaltered. There have been many changes, however, in its residents. These new friends seem to be as kind to us as were the old ones, and all speak gratefully of Mr. and Mrs. Doxat, whose efforts, especially those on behalf of the children, are much appreciated. Mr. Doxat has some of the boys under instruction, and Mrs. Doxat some of the girls, every day in the week except Thursdays, when Mrs. Doxat holds a "sewing bee." Otherwise Thursday is a holiday which the children are taught to enjoy by first meeting together in the court-room for a short service with catechising. These catechisings enable one to judge of the religious instruction which the children receive either at home or at the Sunday School, which is held before Morning Prayer every Sunday in the courtroom by Mrs. Bandinel and Mrs. Daly, the former of whom has, with characteristic zeal and simplicity of heart, made this her special work for many years.

Everyone whom I have seen inquires anxiously and affectionately after Mr. Pownall, who, during his year's ministry in Niu Chwang, evidently found the way to the hearts of the people. This it is scarcely necessary to say so- is the first step towards the attainment of what we so greatly desire-an earnest and sustained effort on the part of the members of the Church in Niu Chwang to build a church for themselves and posterity. To build without aid is quite beyond their power. There are scarcely a dozen families of those who can be called permanent residents, and of these families only three or four belong to the Church of England. I exclude the members of the Consulate and Chinese Customs, who have not the same interest in the port as merchants and pilots, since they are moved from time to time; though, of course, the Church has claims on them during their residence-claims which, I believe, would be gladly attended to. But with these families added it would still be impossible for the community of Church-people to build without aid. What we desire to do, however, is to induce them to contribute regularly, according to their means, towards the support of the Church, whether it be a fabric or a minister. We are this year enabled, through the bounty of S.P.G., to spend ₤ 150 on Manchuria, which sum, renewed annually, I intend to devote wholly to Niu Chwang for the present. How it will be used, the best way in which it may be used, are questions which must be answered in a future letter. But in whatever way they are answered the duty of the good people here remains—the duty, namely, of assisting to the utmost of their power, not by large so much as by regular contributions, the Society which, after so many years of neglect on the part of the Church, has generously come to their aid and made it possible for them that are " taught in the Word to minister to him that teacheth." In the East there is proverbially no hurry; and in this part of the last, in such a matter, there can be no hurry. To win the hearts of the people is not difficult, so kind and gracious are they ; but to win them for God and the Church is as difficult for them as for others, and not more difficult than for others who have been in a like predicamcnt, who have been ministered to for many years, some of them all their lives, free of charge, in a building which has cost them nothing. At the end of the month I expect Mr. and Mrs. Doxat to return from Corea, and the steamer which brings them will, I hope, take me back to Chemulpó. I trust it will not be long before we are able to begin work amongst the Chinese ; but of this I see no signs at present. In Corea we are more short-handed than ever, and every one has his appointed task. It is to England I must look for men to come and take up this portion of our work. In the meanwhile, I ask you to redouble your prayers on behalf of Manchuria, for the few English and for the multitudes of heathen in this large province. I have no news to report from Corea. For myself I am very well, and, with earnest prayer for a continued blessing on yourselves, remain always,

Yours affectionately, C. J. CORFE.

Association of Prayer and work for Corea.

THERE is hardly anything to record of active work done for Corea at home during the last few weeks (which have always been the least busy time for the Mission), but one cannot doubt that the prayers of the members of the Association have never been relaxed, but have been offered more earnestly than ever on behalf of the Bishop and each one of his little band, who are now passing through what must be a time of the greatest anxiety for the Mission, if not of actual danger to themselves. The latest news (as far as I know) that has been received from the Bishop was the letter which appeared in the Standard of 6th August dated 13th June, but I hope before this goes to press that some further tidings may have reached us. I am disappointed that I have as yet had no offer from anyone who is willing to get up a Central Sale of Work, but perhaps when the holidays have come to an end someone may be induced to come forward and take upon herself this enterprising act of kindness for the benefit of many members of the Association who are only too glad to do needlework for the Mission, but who cannot in many cases see their way to disposing of the same when finished. I must not omit the mention of one little Sale of Work for Corea in a humble way which has been held this month at Weymouth by some young cousins of the Bishop's. It has been a great pleasure to the originators of it, and I trust it may result in leading others to take an interest in the Mission, and possibly in suggesting to someone to offer him or herself as Local Secretary to the Association, which at present is not represented at Weymouth; it is hoped that a sum of between seven and eight pounds will be added to the Mission Fund as one result of this juvenile effort. I have only to add that the General Secretary hopes to be in Exeter again by the 1st of September, when she will be ready to receive and answer any letters addressed to her. EVA D. WILSON, Ackworth House, Salisbury: General Secretary (pro tem.) 10th August.

Gosport Working Guild.

The best thanks of the members of this Guild are due to Mrs. Elliot's Working Party at Tenby, for a large contribution of useful needlework. It is proposed to have a Sale in Gosport early in September. Articles for sale will be gratefully acknowledged by Mrs. Barnes, Langton House, Bury Road; or Mrs. York, Belmont, Bury Road.

Hospital Naval fund.

IN whatever way the present war between China and Japan ends, Corea must necessarily suffer, as she “is compelled to provide the battle-ground upon which her more powerful neighbors are to fight out their hereditary feud." That these events will ultimately be made subservient to the advancement of Christ's kingdom upon earth we do not doubt, though the ways of Providence are mysterious. But while faith is certain of this issue, the servants of Christ know also that it is through their instrumentality that the Spirit of their Head is now working among men.

The present crisis, then, is one which invokes redoubled forts on the part of our Mission in Corea. And in preparing the way, making the rough places smooth, the call seems to be specially addressed to the Hospital Naval Fund, reminding it of its Opportunity and responsibilities. Our hospitals and dispensaries must already be diligently ministering to the wounded and sick, to the extent of their staff and means. But e medical and surgical stores on hand were provided for ordinary expenditure, and will soon be exhausted by the present emergency. The Committee of the H.N.F. (who have fortunately Dr. Wiles with them) have at once despatched an additional supply of hospital stores, including such comforts as beef-tea and arrowroot, and these are now on their way. We should like to send out further supplies, especially of the latter, for the wounded, who will certainly come under the charge of the nursing Sisters, if only we had the funds for it. An appeal is therefore made through Morning Calm for such special help. J. B. HARFORD, Hon. Sec. (H.N.F.) Laus Deo.

We are bound to give thanks first to God for all the favor and guidance He has given us these three-and-a-half years, and under God to all those His people whose unexpected help has removed from us at once all pressure of anxiety as to money for at least another year. In direct help we have received, either actually or in promises, very nearly £250, and there is a further sum available for the complete training of one man for Central Africa. I have, I think, acknowledged separately every sum received except an anonymous postal order of £1,"for the candidates' fund, or for the expenses of the chapel.” In one way we have had a great disappointment, for two of our candidates quite at the last moment took advantage of other openings, one going to work in West America (U. S.), and another going to a missionary college. If, therefore, there are any other candidates anxious to come forward, we shall be ready to do what we can for them. The men we require just now are either men whose antecedents suggest a hope that they will really profit by a thorough literary education, or men of some trade useful in the Mission field, especially carpenters, smiths, printers, or school -teachers ; but it is essential that they clearly understand that they are coming not to gain but actually to lose in earthly position, comfort and regard by entering Christ's service. Kind friends have also undertaken almost all that we require for the chapel, but there is still work for those who can do Church embroidery, even of the simpler kinds; and for one or two who will undertake the task of “making up” and quite plain work.

HERBERT KELLY, House of the Sacred Mission, Director, S.S.M. 97 Vassall Road, Kennington, S. W.

The Island of Kang-hoa.

DEAR MR. EDITOR,

Readers of Morning Calm-and indeed all who are interested in Corea-must by this time, I imagine, be growing familiar with the name of the island of Kang-hoa; and friends of the Mission must welcome the sound of a new name, with the information it brings that, small though the forces of the English Church be in Corea, she is already finding it possible and politic to “lengthen her cords" and expand her energies beyond the limits of Seoul and Chemulpó. Let me begin then by trying to set before your readers as plainly as may be the position of Kang-hoa. Of course, everyone who has even tried to take an interest in Corea knows where Chemulpó (known also as In-chyen, Jenchnan, Ninsen and Jinsen) is to be found -on the shore of that big gulf, with a coast-line of such bewildering irregularity and a perfect archipelago of little islands in its embrace, which has scooped itself out about half-way up the western seaboard of Corea, and just beneath the great protuberance occupied by the Province of Hoang-Hai. It is into the north-east corner of this gulf, and consequently to the north of Chemulpó, that the river Han, which is the water highway to the capital, flows; and in the same neighborhood, and close to this same river-mouth, it is that the large and important island of Kang-hoa is to be found. Travellers to Seoul more usually perhaps, on disembarking from their ships at Chemulpó, proceed by the overland route to their destination in the capital, which lies about 24 miles inland, and as nearly as Possible due east of the port. Those, however, who prefer to make the journey by water will find the mountain scenery of Kang-hoa among the chief redeeming features of an otherwise somewhat tedious trip. The distance from Seoul to Chemulpó by water is nearly 60 miles instead of 24, and the little river steamers (of which there are three or four now), starting nearly due northwards from Chemulpó, thread their way first through a throng of tiny little islands, and then through the narrow and tortuous channel which separates Kang-hoa from the mainland, until at a point about midway on their journey, and 30 miles from the start the course takes a sudden turn at an acute angle, and they proceed for the remaining 30 miles or so in a south-east direction up the Han river proper to Mapó (called also Samkai) or Ryong San-the two most frequented landing-stages for Seoul. What with the inadequacy of these same river steamers, however, and the treacherous character of the river-bed and other serious obstacles to navigation, the water journey to Seoul, though distinctly the best route in the heat of summer, is as distinctly not a thing "to be enterprised or taken in hand unadvisedly, lightly, or wantonly" by anyone who dreads the loss of either time or patience. I have known steamers take as short a time as five, and as long a time as twenty-two, hours on the journey. And there is always the pleasing prospect of being possibly landed at Mapó or Ryong San (three or four miles from Seoul) too late to reach the city before the gates are shut at night fall. In the winter months the river journey to Seoul is rendered impracticable by the ice, the Han being completely frozen over (in 1892-3 for three clear months) in spite of the rapid stream and the enormous rise and fall of the tide.* This, however, by the way.

To return to Kang-hoa. I described it above as a "large and important island "-and large and important it certainly is. For largeness, it is about the size of the Isle of Wight, some 25 miles long and 15 or so across. The walled city of Kang-hoa, which gives its name to the island and lies in the centre thereof, is said to contain 2,000 houses (say 10,000 souls), which is, I should say, a considerable exaggeration. At a rough guess I should surmise, however, that the city of Kang-hoa, together with the numerous little villages, hamlets, and homesteads scattered throughout the length and breadth of the island, might well boast a population of some 15,000 souls in all. Like all the rest of Corea, the island consists of a series of lofty and rugged ranges of hills-in many places well clothed with woods-interspersed and surrounded by numerous fertile and well-cultivated plains and valleys, chiefly devoted apparently to the raising of rice crops. But it is not its fertility which gives the island its greatest claim to importance. Its geographical position, so close to the capital and commanding as it does the approach by water thereto, would alone secure that, and we consequently find Kang-hoa, together with four other cities of the first class in the neighborhood of Seoul, invested with a peculiar importance, and governed by officials of the highest rank, possessed of special privileges and dignity. The city itself is in many ways a miniature of Seoul, with its embattled walls climbing up and down the hills which surround it, its pavilioned gateways with their iron-plated gates, the old city bell hanging in its kiosk in the centre of the city, and rung night and morning for the shutting and opening of the city gates, and the official residences of the Governor, &c., representing the palace at the capital.

• In Chemulpó the tide rises and falls as much as 30 feet.

The greater part of the coast-line of the island, moreover, is protected (?) by lines of fortifications--never calculated, I fancy, to offer much resistance to modern methods of attack, and now neglected and rapidly crumbling to decay, with only an old, rusty, and dismounted cannon lying here and there to tell of the past military glories of the place. And here as elsewhere in Corea we find that strange combination of the military and religious spheres, which has prompted the erection of Buddhist monasteries and temples in most of the strong places of the country, and the relegation of the defences (at least nominally) to the inmates of the same. This is the more odd when we remember that Buddhism has been for more than five centuries under a sort of official ban in Corea, and is to this day spoken of with contempt and aversion by all classes alike. But of the effete Buddhism, such as it is, which continues to flourish, and which can still boast many hundreds of shrines and thousands of adherents in Corea, Kang-hoa is a stronghold, there being on the island no less than nine large monasteries, with their complement of monks, who appear to be invested with a military as well as a religious character. To the importance of its geographical position also Kang-hoa doubtless owes the prominent part it has played in the history of the country. There is hardly any story of ancient political intrigue or modern foreign invasion into which the name of this island has not largely entered. In ancient days a convenient place of exile for distinguished political offenders or possible pretenders to the throne, it has in recent years been the scene of the only two foreign expeditions (the French in 1866 and the American in 1868) which have entered Corea, with warlike intent, and has witnessed the conclusion of the first of the series of treaties (that with Japan in 1876) which have broken down the wall of seclusion round the "Hermit Nation" and thrown the country open at last to the residence and commerce of foreigners. (To be continued.)

The Spirit of Missions.

We might indeed well shrink from the task of evangelising the world - our Hearts failing us for fear- if we had not the assurance of Christ's victory. For, indeed, the evangelisation of the world is His work. The victory is already won. We have only to claim and to gather the fruits of it. Christ is King. Our part is not to establish His sovereignty, but to proclaim it.

• Both these expeditions ended in the most grotesque and hopeless failure, details of which may be found in the pages of Dallet and Griffis. The only wonder is that, as these expeditions gave Corea the only taste she ever hind of foreign arms, she ever abated her exclusiveness or pretensions at all.

Beneath and beyond our labors of an hour lies the Divine purpose of the ages. The words which describe the relation of things created to the mind of God, if we may so speak, have an application to the succession of events. It is true of the phenomena of history no less than of the phenomena of nature, ‘they were and they were created. That which we permanently work out is a disclosure in time and space of that which God has willed." - The Bishop of Durham. The first report of the DUBLIN UNIVERSITY BROTHERHOOD at Hazaribagh, in the Diocese of CHHOTA NAGPUR, has recently appeared, and is of the very greatest interest. "There is much," it begins," in the early years of a new Mission which cannot fail to interest Christian people. At home, where people have grown up with Christian influences entering into almost everything, so that the power of Christ is affecting the lives and conduct of many persons who are in no sense surrendered by acts of will to Him, and who never perhaps think of Him, and hardly can be said to believe in Him, the growth of the Gospel is viewed from a widely different stand-point to that in which we find ourselves placed, a few Christians, surrounded by a dense mass of the heathen. “How many Christians have you got?' is the commonest of common questions with which the missionary is greeted. It is quite a natural question after all, and yet at best it is an imperfect one. Its answer can never be admitted to be the real measure of the advance of the faith in any country. It is an answer only to what lies on the bare surface, what a mere statistician wants to publish in his returns. For surely there is a side-may I not say far the deepest side?- of His work (He who is ever striving to draw all men into Himself) which must always be beyond man's keenest power of observation- which cometh on the world secretly. And this fact should be, I feel sure, remembered in the birth and growth of a new Mission. We are all of us anxious for results. Missionaries and their friends and supporters at home both look for them. Results can be put down on the table before us in black and white. We can point to this and to that as the direct result of this and of that piece of effort. Results encourage us. They may even make us think well of ourselves. But much of the work we have done, the energy we have tried to give to Christ, we cannot enter in our report. Where has it gone? Not wasted, we trust, for our faith tells us to believe that nothing was ever wasted which we gave to Him; but still we must truly say we can give no account of it to man. And it is with this simple truth I would ask any who are interested in the work of the Dublin University Mission to read the first report it is publishing of what its members and associates have been doing and trying to do. "We have very little to show as yet. We have not sat idly in our chairs. We have tried to master the language by all the means we had at our disposal. Some of us have worked really hard to relieve the sickness and suffering of the town and neighborhood. Others of us have ministered to the European residents of Hazaribagh station. One of us has ministered regularly to the little flock of Munda Christians working at Sitagarh Tea Estate, about four miles from here. In Dumar, where a small body of Santal Christians live, some work has been done. Many of the surrounding villages have been visited and preached in. Lectures in Bengali and English have been given to Babus. Babus have been visited in their homes. A few preaching visits have been made to the bazaar. “In Hazaribagh town the language spoken would be, I suppose, best described as Hindi. But it is not in any sense pure Hindi. The mother of pure Hindi is Sanskrit: But there is so much of the Persian element in the bazaar language of Hazaribagh, especially among the Mussulmans, that it is not easy to say whether there are not two distinct languages, Urdu and Hindi, spoken. The truth seems to be that here, as in many places in North India, two streams of language meet, Sanskrit and Persian, and while the basis of the language spoken is Hindi, the vocabulary varies among the mass of the people as Hindu or Mussulman influences predominate. The language spoken in the villages is called Ganwari, from the Hindi word Ganw, a village. It has peculiar words of its own, and peculiar inflections. There are at least 50,000 Santals who speak Santali, and in the South of the district in the Damuda valley Munda settlements are met with where only the Mundari language is Spoken, I should state that the Mundari language bears a close relationship to Santali. “All of the five members of the Mission who arrived in 1892 have passed their first examination in Hindi, and hope to pass he second during the coming year. Some of us are trying to acquire Ganwari, and one of us is studying Santali. Several of us have given simple addresses at Sitagarh and at the Dispensary, and all of us look forward to the time when we shall be able to enter freely and fully into the minds of those among whom we are living." The Report goes on to give a description of the life of the district less interesting and complete than this of the language. (The following letter has been received just as we are going to press, and a considerable amount of “Spirit of missions" is hold over in order to give our readers the latest news of the Mission.)

The Bishop's Letter.

CHEMULPO : June 1894. DEAR FRIENDS,

At the end of May Mr. and Mrs. Doxat returned to Niu Chwang from Corea, having greatly enjoyed their visit. Mr. Doxat presented to me for Confirmation the chief officer of the ship which took him to Chemulpó and brought him back. The notice of the service was necessarily very short, but, through the unvarying kindness of Mrs. Bullock, we had an accompanist for the hymns, which were sung by a hastily gathered congregation of about twelve. Two days later I had to take leave of my kind host and hostess, who have for a month been good enough not merely to "put me up," but to put up with me, and getting a glimpse of Mr. Brown and Peter at Chefoo on my way, arrived in Chemulpó late on Sunday night, the 3rd. Rumors had reached us in Niu Chwang of the rebellion in the Southern Province of Chyen Ra, so that I was prepared to hear anything on my arrival in Corea, All was quiet, however, both in Chemulpó and Seoul, whither I proceeded on the following day to assist Mr. Trollope in the final revision of some of the proof-sheets of the Tractate. I found him and Mr. Hodge very busy. Fifteen pages, in two editions, had already been struck off, and they were proceeding at the rate of two pages a day, which, I may tell you, is very hard work.

I do not remember to have said anything in my previous letters of my intention to send Mr. Trollope to England next month on business connected with the Mission. There is much, very much, to be done which cannot be done by correspondence. We seem to have reached a stage in our existence which makes verbal communication with our friends at home needful. The almost free hand which the S.P.G. has given me in the administration of their grant has made my stewardship, however pleasant, a matter of serious responsibility. With so many “irons in the fire." - so many channels prepared for streams or future work to run in - it is necessary, before the grant expires, that someone should go to England and give our generous friends an accurate account of what we have done with their money in the past, and how we propose to deal with any which they may be good enough to give us in the future. I cannot go to England. On all grounds it is impossible. Nor if I could should I be able to give so clear and intelligible account of my stewardship as can be given by Mr. Trollope. He therefore intends to Ieave us next month, and, travelling by way of Canada, to see some of our good friends there before he reaches England, I hope, in September. I need not ask you to be as kind to him as you would be to me. I know well beforehand that you will. Expecting him, then, to leave the country in the middle of July, I resolved to try to get a month's residence in Chemulpó before his departure. For some time, as you know, Chemulpó has had no resident clergyman. The Sunday duties are performed by anyone I can send, and during my absence in Niu Clwang Mr. Warner has generally come from Kang Hoa, and once or twice Mr. Trollope from Seoul, for this purpose. When Mr. Trollope leaves us I shall find it more difficult than ever to provide Chemulpó with a permanent priest.

On the 13th accordingly I left Seoul. The manner of my Ieaving was sudden and unexpected. On the morning of that day I had received a telegram leading me to expect a visit that day from Mr. Hughes, the Chaplain of H.M.S. Mercury, which had arrived at Chemulpó on the previous evening. We had hardly got over the delightful surprise which the prospect of such a pleasant visit gave us, when another telegram, this time from the captain, ordered him to return immediately. The Mercury had evidently received telegraphic orders from the Admiral after the chaplain's departure from Chemulpó. Mr. Hughes arrived at 6 P.M. looking so well, and expecting to have two good days with us. There was nothing for it, however, but to welcome him, feed him, and send him back at once after a two hours' stay in the Mission-house. There being no river steamer, we decided to walk (and take chairs with us to ride when we were tired), and left the Mission-house shortly after 8. Thinking he would be excellent company for me I went with him. There was a moon which lasted us till about 2 A.M., and We reached Chemulpó shortly after 4. A ship's boat was waiting for him at the jetty, and by 6 the Mercury was away. It was a disappointment not to have seen Capt. Fawkes and his good fellows, but I revenged myself by asking Mr. Hughes all the questions I could think of during our long and delightful walk down.

The new house bought by the Sisters for the enlargement of St. Matthew's Hospital has been in the hands of Mr. Davies, who I found on my return from Niu Chwang was adapting it to its new purposes. As it is not yet quite ready for occupation I will reserve details for a future letter. Meanwhile, the hospital work, both at Nah Tong and Tyeng Tong, continues to occupy the attention of both our doctors and all our nurses. Nurse Webster, who had had fever and was enjoying a change of air at Chemulpó, I found much better, in fact almost well again, when I returned. We owe a great debt to Mr. and Mrs. Meyer, of the Chinese Customs Service, for their great kindness in offering hospitality first to Nurse and Lay Sister Lois, who came to look after her, and then, after her departure, to Nurse, who completed her convalescence under their roof, getting quite well and able to return to Seoul before the end of the month. At Chemulpó I found Lieut. Callwell, R.N., and Mrs. Callwell, temporarily added to our community and permanently added, I hope, to the circle of our friends. He has come to Corea to train officers and men for a Navy which the Corean Government hopes one day to possess, or, at least, sees no reason why it should not possess.

The events of the latter half of June have happened too rapidly to enable me to chronicle them. You are reading all about them now in your papers. Extraordinary reports-all purporting to be true-are now being telegraphed home which will alarm you on our account. I do not usually touch on political matter in these letters, and so will only say that the Chinese having, at the invitation of this Government, landed a small force of troops to quell the rebellion in the south, the Japanese, with marvellous rapidity and complete equipment, landed and continue to land soldiers, infantry and cavalry, in numbers which are variously estimated, but which now must be nearer five thousand than one. Hitherto it has been a peaceful occupation. Not a shot has been fired. The Japanese troops, who all land in Chemulpó before marching up to Seoul, behave very well. No one objects-least of all the Coreans, who, in their best clothes, look at the disembarkation as if it were some show provided for their pleasure. The Chinese troops are in the south. What the end will be it is impossible to say. But, as I have so often told you in my letters, the issue lies with other nations than Corea. Doubtless in the Palace there are searchings of heart. But Corea will be the arena without any reference to the likes or dislikes, the wrongs or the rights, of Coreans. Diplomacy at Peking and Tokyo is, we suppose, deciding what the next step will be. Meanwhile the Chinese are flying from the country, so little confidence have they in their own army and navy. With regard to ourselves all is well. Both Seoul, and Chemulpó, and Kang Hoa are quiet, and everything goes on as usual. It is a great comfort to me to reflect that this trouble is not on account of the missionaries. Not in the remotest degree are missionaries accountable for the large fleet-of over thirty ships last week—which has assembled in Chemulpó, or for the two armies which have, quietly and in a moment, taken possession of the country. To us, personally, the people of the country are as well disposed as ever-better disposed than ever, I believe. They know that we are their friends, and they treat us accordingly. If China and Japan go to war in this country, you will hear of it long before you get this letter, and will be aiding us with your prayers. At present, however, I am writing at the end of the month. Every member of the mission is well and happy, and beyond the natural excitement caused by the unwonted sight of soldiers and ships of war, has suffered no harm or inconvenience.

Mr. Trollope is a tower of strength for us in Seoul, thinking of and providing for all our wants there. The printing is not checked. I hear to-day that more than half the Treatise is finished. It is well that someone should remain here, and I see no reason, at present, for departing from my original intention of staying in Chemulpó until Mr. Trollope goes. I do not suppose the town will be bombarded : but if it is I should like to be somewhere near St. Michael's Church. God bless you all.

I am, Your affectionate friend, C. J. CORFE.

Though we have no reason to think that the Bishop and Mission staff are running any very special risks on account of the unfortunate war in the East, still we desire to impress upon our readers the special need they stand in of our prayers that they may have a right judgment in all things, and be preserved from all danger alike to soul and body.

In Memoriam

IT is with great regret that we have to announce the death of the Rev. J. H. Pownall. Mr. Pownall joined the Mission in 1890, being ordained by the Bishop of Oxford for Bishop Corfe at the Christmas Ordination of that year, after a satisfactory course at Dorchester Missionary College. He sailed for Corea with the Rev. M. N. Trollope and Mr. Davies on January 9th, 1891, arriving at Chemulpó on March 19th, proceeding at once to Seoul. Mr. Pownall was ordained Priest in the Church of the Advent at Seoul on March 13th, 1892—the second Sunday in Lent-and in the following June was placed by the Bishop in charge of the Mission at Niu Ch'wang, where, with the exception of a short break, he remained until he was invalided home at the end of last year.

Though very frail we all hoped his life might be spared for work in some other portion of the Mission Field-we knew return to Corea was out of the question-but God willed it otherwise. The fever and pleurisy from which he suffered in Manchuria were followed by evident symptoms of consumption, and he rapidly became worse. He entered into his rest on Saturday, July 14th, and on the following Wednesday the funeral took place at the Leicester Cemetery.

Early in the morning the remains were removed to St. Peter's Church, in connection with the work of which Mr. Pownall was prominently identified for a number of years. The coffin rested immediately in front of the altar, and at 7 o'clock there was a special celebration of the Holy Communion. At 2.30 the first portion of the burial service was conducted at St. Peter's, and attended by a large number of parishioners and former schoolfellows of Trinity School. The relatives present were Mr. Pownall's mother and his three sisters, and Mr. Walter Pownall (brother), and a brother-in-law. The service was conducted by the vicar, Rev. W. P. Holmes, assisted by Rev. D. Stone, Principal of Dorchester Missionary College. As the congregation assembled, Mr. Collett played a funeral dirge on the organ, and the hymns "Jesus lives, no longer now, and "Now the laborer's task is o'er" were sung by the choir. Floral tributes were contributed by relatives, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel and family, Mrs. Mason, of whose Bible class Mr. Pownall was formerly a member, St. Peter's Sunday School, Mr. and Mrs. J. Elliott, and Mr. J. E. Boyes, an old schoolfellow of Trinity School. The service at the graveside was performed by the Rev. D. Stone.

Mr. Pownall is our first Corean worker who has been called to his rest. As the Bishop says, he had evidently found the way to the hearts of the people entrusted to him at Niu Ch'wang, and now, we doubt not, he still remembers them in Paradise. His death should inspire us with fresh zeal and hope for the work and people he loved so well.- R.I.P.