MISSION WORK IN CHINA.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 203, 31 August 1887, Page 2

MISSION WORK IN CHINA.

Miss Jowitt gave a very interesting lecture on Monday evening at St. David's, Symonds, street, on "Mission Work in China," and this being her first public venture^ she executed her self-imposed task with remarkable ability. Mr John Lamb occupied the chair, and introduced the young lady, who is closely connected wibh Sb. David's Sunday-school. In her opening remarks, Miss Jowitt referred to the heathenism close to our own doors and within the sound of Gospel truth. Having noticed some of the more prominent missionaries in tho Celestial Empire, she briefly sketched the difficulties in the way of the evangelisation of the Chinese, namely, the geographical position of China, its stringent laws and customs, and the peculiar character of the people. The iniquitous opium trade, so disastrous in its pernicious results, was sketched and censured, the hostilities ending in a treaty with China, and other events, which have been pictured by the " Times " special correspondent, and pretty fully described by Dr. Henry Gray in his well-known and reliable work, " China: A History of the Laws, Manners, and Customs of bhe People," were seb forbh by the lady in a clear and intelligent manner. The mission work was slowly but surely progressing in China ; churches had been erected in many parts of the empire, and towards which many of the natives liberally subscribed. Anglicans, Wesleyans, Baptists, and Presbyterians had established missions in that wonderful country, and ere long, Miss Jowitb believed, China, so long in bhe darkness of superstition and idol-worship, would become a Christian nation. The lecture throughout was lively, sparkling wibh humour, and wibhal of a very instructive character. Laudatory remarks were made by the President and several members of the Mutual Improvement Society, and the whole was brought to a close with a hearty vote of thanks to the young lady, and the benediction from the chair. The President announced that on Monday evening next Mr Duncan McPherson would read a paper on "Some Aspects of Mission Work in Auckland," interspersed with his own experience as a city missionary.