PRESBYTERTAN MISSION WORK IN CHINA.

Otago Witness, Issue 1160, 21 February 1874, Page 15

PRESBYTERTAN MISSION WORK IN CHINA.

The following letter from the Rev. William Gauld, Superintendent of the Chinese Mission in connection with the Presbyterian Church at Swatow, has been kindly placed at our disposal : — Swatow, 15th Dec, 1873. Edmund Smith, Esq., Treasurer, Presbyterian Church of Otago, New Zealand. Dear Sir— Your favour of 30th Sept., with its enclosed draft for £244 13s 7d, came safely to hand. The receipt of this very handsome contribuhon to our mission hern from the Otago Churches has greatly pleased aud encouvapd us. "We value it not only for its amount, but also for the very tangible evidence it affords oJ: the interest which has been raised among your congregations by means of our beloved colleague the Rev. G. Smith, during his sojourn in Otago. This interest, we trust, will not be allowed to die out, but rather be deepened and extended in the future. Mr Smith, I daresay, indicated to you that a small proportion of the money would be used in aid of the Chinese Mission Hospital in Swatow, and the larger sum be given to the Native Uiris Boarding School. For the former (£o0) I sincerely thank the contributors, and shall try to use the money in such a way as to commemorate the source of the sift. As to the larger sum, I have to inform you that since Mr Smith left us a generous friend of our mission-a lady in Edinburgh (Scotland)— «aye the whole sum required for building tfic school, and, in addition, the funds necessary for its support for five yeais. This, Nr Smith, of course, dil not know when he advised with you as to the appropriation of the money. You may rest assured, however, that it will be usi'd for strictly mission purposes— perhaps to erect a chapel at one of our country stations where it is "■really needed. When we have decided the matter wo shall let you know, and meanwhile we thank you most heartily for -your gift, which has been very highly appreciated and will be turned to the best account. During the past year there have been thirtyone adults added to the Native Church here, and our present membership is slightly over '3(0, witlv about 100 children in addition. At several of our stations there is an encouraging interest in the truth, and the number of baptisms for the year might have been increased several fold had we received all who desired to enter the Church. We have had to exercise great caution and discrimination, however, as a desire for worldly advantage and influence manifested itself among not a lew. We have to be very careful that the Church, with increase of numbers, does not become imbued with tho spirit and policy of a powerful worldly organization, a thing to which the Chinese are very prone. "We have to see to it that the foundations are kept clear of rubbish, and that as far as possible a purely spiritual edifice be built, having spiritual aims and purposes. The mission hospital has been found exceedingly helpful in many ways, in its gener.il influence on the population at large, and in the special opportunities it lias afforded of making known the truth to hundreds aud thousands throughout this densely peopled legion. The patients have come from their towns and villages, one, two, three, or four days' journey, or even from a "reater distance, and after being with us for a longer or shorter time have gone back to tli eir homes carryiii"- with them a more or less clear knowledge of the gospel, preached daily in the hospital chapel- A considerable proportion of the church members, and more than one of our assistants, first became acquainted with the truth when m the hospital as patients. While our great aim is to make the hospital a missionary institute, still every attention is paid to the medical part of the work in which I am assisted by one or two native Christians, and few leave the wards without physical benefit more or less marked. I may mention, that within this month, six of the patients have been baptized on evidence of a sincere trust in the Saviour, and desire to follow Him Thpy are the first baptized this year, however, although many others have been applicants since its commencement. _ We are on the eve of consolidating the nuant church by the election of elders and deacons in various parts of the district. Our plan is to embrace several stations under one session, so Ion"- as the members are eorr pnrntivcly few, This step is greatly needed, as it is now almost impossible for the foreign missionaries to exercise proper care over tho scattered members. Tho sooner, moreover, that the Native Churches are self-ruled and self -sustained the better for them, and tho time for making a beginning seems to have now como. We hope the newly formed tie between the Otivo congregations and our mission here will lie greatly strengthened by the prayers of tho Christian friends who have .so kindly remembered us at this time, while on our part we shall pray for the prosperity of tho Church n New Zealand. Devising liberal things, by liberal things may she stand. , My brethren, Messrs Mackenzie and Duffus. join me in kindest regards, and believe me, yours, &c,