Boone, William Jones 
 
 Address in behalf of the China mission 
 
ADDRESS .V 
 
 IN BEHALF OF 
 
 <e®iiTA 
 
 BY THE 
 
 v" REV. WILLIAM J. BOONE, M.D., 
 
 X MISSIONARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 
 
 TO CHINA. 
 
 Published by order of the Foreign Committee of the Board of Missions. 
 
 N E W - Y O R K : 
 
 PRINTED BY W. OSBORN, 
 88 William-street. 
 
 1837. 
 
AXD UE SAID UNTO ME, DEPART ; 
 FOR I WILL SEND THEE FAR 
 HENCE UNTO THE GENTILES. 
 
 Acts zxii. 2L 
 
ADDRESS. 
 
 MARK svi. 15. 
 
 GO YE INTO ALL THE WORLD AND PREACH THE GOSPEL TO EVERY CREATURE. 
 
 The cause of Missions is not recommended to us, my 
 brethren, merely on the principle of gratitude, and yet it has 
 here a most powerful claim. If we are not grateful beyond 
 expression for the gospel, we neither understand nor rightly 
 believe it. If we do not express that gratitude by exerting 
 ourselves to convey the blessing to others, its existence is 
 more than doubtful. 
 
 The cause of Missions is not recommended to us merely 
 on the principle of humanity, and yet we violate every dic- 
 tate and feeling of humanity, if we neglect to disseminate the 
 gospel. This cause is not recommended to us merely on the 
 principle of justice, and yet we are most evidently unjust, if 
 we withhold from others a blessing to which they have an 
 equal right with ourselves. 
 
 The cause of Missions is further recommended to us on 
 the principle of consistency and concern for our own best 
 interests — as the best use we can make of our peculiar privi- 
 leges and advantages as a nation, and the most hopeful 
 means of securing a continuance of them. But not any one 
 of these considerations, nor all of them put together, consti- 
 tute the main strength of our obligation to carry the gospel 
 to the idolatrous Pagan, the deluded Mohammedan, and the 
 unbelieving Jew. To all of them we should be bound to 
 carry it, although we had no other motive to constrain us, 
 
4 
 
 ADDRESS. 
 
 no Other consideration to warrant or influence us, than this, 
 Christ has said Go teach all nations " — “ Go ye into all the 
 world and preach the gospel to every creature.” These 
 commands are our grand motive and warrant to attempt the 
 conversion of the world, and not only so, but they give 
 cogency, appropriateness and eflect to all the reasons which 
 can be adduced for zeal and perseverance in the glorious 
 project. 'Without them, although the nature of the service 
 would remain the same, and the humanity and benevolence 
 of carrying the gospel to the heathen be unaltered, yet we 
 should have no authority to call upon them to believe and 
 obey it. 
 
 It is upon the authority of its Author that our obligation 
 to preach the gospel to every creature must rest ; the motives 
 to which I have alluded, and many others which might 
 easily be set in array, have their own weight, and ought to 
 have their own influence ; but it should be in connection 
 with the divine command, as deriving from it their chief 
 value. Should the pleasing nature of the service, the grati- 
 fying prospect of success, and the great good likely to result 
 from the enterprise, be presented as the chief inducements for 
 sending the gospel to the heathen, the result would be, that 
 while many would not choose practically to feel the force of 
 these reasons, others would not be able to trace their obe- 
 dience to the only source that can render their condiict a 
 proof of loyalty and love to their master, viz. : reverence for 
 the authority of his command. The inference might be 
 that our Saviour had not interposed his authority, or that it 
 was not of itself sufficient to warrant or produce obedience. 
 But, my brethren, the words of my text are very explicit. 
 They do not leave us to derive a knowledge of our duty in 
 this respect from inference. It is not left discretionary with 
 us, whether we shall give the gospel to the heathen or not. 
 “ Go preach the gospel to every creature.” This command 
 is as positive and binding upon us, as any command which 
 the Saviour has ever left us ; just as obligatory as the com- 
 mand to love God himself or our neighbor. We will not 
 then argue on our obligation to propagate the gospel ; for 
 
CHINA. 
 
 5 
 
 Christ having commanded it, unless we question his autho- 
 rity ; we have only to inquire, “ What does it mean,” that we 
 may obey. 
 
 This command embraces every nation and constitutes the 
 whole world the field for Christian exertion. The soldier of 
 the cross has now a right to go to any nation under heaven 
 and call upon them, by the authority of his master, to believe 
 and obey. And every disciple of Jesus is bound to the very 
 extent of his ability, and the opportunity afforded him in the 
 providence of God, to send the gospel to every creature. 
 However, therefore, we may differ as to the best mode of 
 obeying this command, we must all acknowledge that it im- 
 poses upon us the obligation, and record this acknowledgment 
 as the profession of our allegiance to the Saviour’s authority. 
 This the Church of which we are members has done, and in 
 view of her duty to preach the gospel to every creature, both 
 at home and abroad, she regards every one consecrated at her 
 altar as baptized into the missionary cause ; that is, as bound 
 by his Christian profession to live for the propagation of the gos- 
 pel. With this express command of her Saviour, the Church 
 can never hesitate as to her right and duty to send his gospel to 
 any nation. The political condition of some nations, how- 
 ever, may be such as to preclude our exertions for the pre- 
 sent, and afford an indication that, in the providence of God, 
 the time of their visitation has not arrived ; and this conside- 
 ration makes the condition of each heathen nation a matter 
 of great interest. Accordingly, the Church has appointed a 
 Board of Missions to be as it were upon the watch-tower — to 
 have its eye upon the whole world, and to say where and 
 how her energies shall be directed. This board has sent out 
 Missionaries to China, among other places in heathen lands, 
 and have recently added to the number of their Missionaries 
 to that country, by the appointment of him who addresses 
 you. 
 
 With the earnest desire of exciting your interest, sympa- 
 thies, and prayers in behalf of this Mission, I will invite your 
 attention, for a few moments, to such facts with reference to 
 the Chinese nation, deemed interesting in connection with our 
 
6 
 
 ADDRESS. 
 
 missionary exertions there, as may be mentioned in a dis- 
 course ; and I would bespeak a patient and candid hearing, 
 as I shall dwell at some length on these facts, because it is 
 believed that there is a very general impression that China 
 is at present excluded from all Christian exertion. 
 
 In many respects the Mission to China is perhaps, the 
 most interesting one on earth. We have here under one go- 
 vernment and reading the same language, between three and 
 four hundred millions of men ; at least one-third of the whole 
 human race. Such a number ofour fellow men, collected in one 
 mass, let their state be what it may, cannot fail to excite our 
 liveliest interest. But the Chinese claim our attention, not 
 merely on the score of numbers, (an important consideration 
 when our object is to save souls ;) their political, intellectual, 
 and moral condition are of themselves highly interesting ; 
 and these, if known, will instruct us as to the best means of 
 effecting our object, and will also afford some indication of the 
 success which our labors will most probably meet. 
 
 The Chinese, if we may rely upon the reports of the em- 
 bassies which have visited that country from England, and 
 the testimony of individuals who have long resided there, are 
 the most civilized and best governed nation out of the pale of 
 Christendom. Parental authority, we are told, is here the 
 model or type of political rule. The emperor is the father of 
 the empire — the viceroy, of the province over which he pre- 
 sides — -the mandarin, of the city which lie governs ; and the 
 father of every family is the absolute and responsible ruler of 
 his household. Social order and peace are deemed the one 
 thing needful, and this object is steadily and consistently pur- 
 sued. The patriarchal form of government seems to have 
 been universal in the infancy of society ; but the Chinese are 
 the only people who have continued it, after the various tribes 
 or families of which nations are formed, have been united 
 under one government. The experiment of the continuance 
 of the elementary form, seems not to have been a failure in a 
 political point of view ; for says a late writer from that coun- 
 try : “ The great wealth of the empire — the cheerful and in- 
 defatigable industry of the people, and their unconquerable 
 
CHIN A. 
 
 7 
 
 attachment to their country, are all of them circumstances, 
 which prove that if the government is jealous in guarding its 
 rights, it is not altogether ignorant or unmindful of its duties. 
 In practice there is, of course, (the government being a des- 
 potism,) a great deal of inevitable abuse ; but upon the whole, 
 and in relation to ultimate effects, the machine works well ; 
 and we repeat it, that the surest proofs of this are apparent 
 on the very face of the most cheerfully industrious, orderly, 
 and most wealthy nation of Asia.” 
 
 The first circumstance which strikes every visitor of 
 China, is the air of cheerful industry which pervades all 
 ranks of society ; and this is the surest proof in the world, 
 that the people possess their full share of the results of their 
 own labors ; for men do not toil either willingly or effective- 
 ly for hard task-masters. 
 
 If these things are so, my brethren, China is surely, in a 
 political point of view, the most desirable field in the 
 world for the Church to enter in her missionary capacity. 
 The gospel once fairly established in a nation where order, 
 peace, and industry thus dwell, may be expected soon to ex- 
 tend over the whole empire ; for we know that it is the order- 
 ly and industrious of every country who constitute the great 
 class from which the Christian Church is filled, and these re- 
 sults have occurred in China as elsewhere, under the over- 
 ruling providence of God. 
 
 The author of these favorable sentiments of the political 
 institutions of the Chinese which I have presented, resided 
 in China upwards of twenty years, and from his connection 
 with the East India Company, and the high station which he 
 afterwards held, (succeeding Lord Napier,) he enjoyed a fine 
 opportunity, during his protracted residence, of informing him- 
 self of their state and condition. We are warned by him 
 not to form our ideas of Chinese institutions and Chinese 
 character from what is seen at Canton connected with the 
 foreign trade. Nothing can be more unjust or iniquitous, he 
 admits, than the conduct of the government towards foreigners. 
 But we should be led into a great error, we are told by him, 
 were we to argue from this, that the conduct of the govern- 
 
8 
 
 ADDRESS. 
 
 meat towards its own citizens is at all similar. Their funda- 
 mental maxim for intercourse with foreigners is, “the barba- 
 rians are like beasts, and not to be ruled on the same princi- 
 ples as citizens.” “Were any one,” say they, “to attempt con- 
 trolling them by the great maxims of reason, it would tend 
 to nothing but confusion. The ancient kings well under- 
 stood this, and accordingly ruled barbarians by misrule. 
 Therefore, to rule barbarians by misrule, is the true and best 
 way of ruling them.” Governed by this maxim, they re- 
 sort without scruple to the utmost extortion in their inter- 
 course with foreigners ; but this system of extortion is by no 
 means practised where the natives are alone concerned and 
 good security is aflbrded for the enjoyment of property. 
 
 These facts are of the greatest importance when contem- 
 plating the evangelization of China; for the further removed 
 they are from savagism, the sooner shall we be able to make 
 them acquainted with the gospel of Christ, and the greater 
 prospect have we of an ample return for our labors. 
 
 Another important' feature in the condition of China, 
 viewed in connection with missionary operations, is the encou- 
 ragement which the government gives to education; with the. 
 exception of the imperial descendants who have a titular rank 
 but no power, they have no aristocracy but that created by 
 learning and talents. The aristocracy of China (the govern- 
 ment is so pure a despotism) is entirely official, and all the 
 offices and magistracies are distributed without regard to 
 birth and possessions, to those who give evidence of superior 
 learning and talents. All rank being thus determined by 
 talent, the government offers to each individual, every three 
 years at the public examinations, an opportunity of displaying 
 his attainments ; and though it cannot give offices to all, it 
 gives honors, and declares the successful candidate eligible 
 to a situation either civil or military, and finally to the high- 
 est offices of the state if his merits shall entitle him thereto. 
 In consequence of this system, education is universally pur- 
 sued, except among those whose poverty is abject. Every town 
 is provided with its place of public instruction, and wealthy 
 families employ private tutors. So that among the countless 
 
CHINA. 
 
 9 
 
 millions of the empire, there is scarcely an incliv’-idiial who 
 cannot read sufficiently well for the ordinary purposes of life. 
 To those who rej^ard the word of God as the sword of the 
 Spirit, and believe the Bible to be the exclusive standard of 
 the Christain faith and practice, a fact more interesting or 
 encouragingthan this could not be mentioned, or one the know- 
 ledge of which could bring us under stronger obligations to 
 supply, in the shortest time possible, these perishing millions 
 with the bread of life. 
 
 It is an interesting question also to investigate how the 
 Chinese are to be ranked with other nations in the compara- 
 tive scale of civil society. Davis, the author already so 
 frequently alluded to, says, “ their superiority over the other 
 nations of Asia is so decided as scarcely to need the institu- 
 tion of an elaborate comparison.” All those who have had 
 the opportunity of seeing them have readily admitted this, 
 and none more so than the Right Honorable Henry Ellis, 
 British Ambassador to Persia, whose intimate personal ac- 
 quaintance with China and India, as well as with Persia, has 
 peculiarly fitted him to form a just estimate. But whatever 
 their present comparative standing may be, we cannot doubt 
 that the first inventors of printing, gunpowder, and the mari- 
 ner’s compass, must possess sufficient natural mind, to make 
 them, when this mind shall become enlightened and sanctified 
 by the gospel, and consecrated to the service of God, prominent 
 actors in the intellectual and moral, as well as the political 
 revolutions of this world. 
 
 The conversion of such a nation as this from the service 
 of dumb idols to that of the only true and living God, will be 
 indeed, my brethren, an era in the moral history of the world ; 
 and happy, thrice happy will he be, who shall have contribu- 
 ted, even in the slightest degree, to the production of a result 
 which will bring such a revenue of glory to God, and rescue 
 from eternal death, so many millions of immortal beings. 
 Who can for one moment contemplate such an object, without 
 being fired with an ardent desire to become a co-worker with 
 God, in rescuing from the shades of night and death, this 
 mighty nation 1 And if, my brethren, their political and Intel- 
 
10 
 
 ADDRESS. 
 
 lectual condition is such as should stimulate us to exertion in 
 their behalf, their moral condition imperiously demands our 
 immediate efforts. The Chinese are idolaters. They them- 
 selves say that their idols are more numerous than the sands 
 of one of their great rivers. They have in the province of 
 Canton alone, more than 1300 idol temples. Their prospects 
 for eternity are therefore but too plainly revealed. They 
 are idolaters, and “idolaters shall not inherit the kingdom of 
 God.” “ Idolaters shall have their part in the lake which 
 burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second 
 death.” They are ignorant of Jesus, and “there is none 
 other name under heaven given among men whereby we 
 must be saved.” They are destitute of “holiness, without 
 which no man shall see the Lord.” God has provided 
 no other means for their salvation than that revealed in the 
 gospel of his Son, and that gospel he has committed to us, with 
 the charge to preacli it to every creature. But perhaps many 
 of my hearers will say, what avails the claim made upon us 
 by their character as a readingpeople, their immense numbers, 
 their perishing condition, and even the command of Christ 
 to teach all nations, when there is such a wall of pro- 
 scription around them, that they are completely excluded 
 from the approach of Christian missionaries 1 Should it ap- 
 pear, my brethren, that we can at present do nothing for 
 China, then their condition must be regarded as a providen- 
 tial interpretation of Christ’s command ; but until this is 
 made clear and certain, we are bound by the express letter 
 and spirit of this command to send them the gospel. And 
 here let me remark, that the burden of proof — the duty of 
 showing that nothing can be done for the Chinese lies upon 
 those who would limit the command and exclude them from 
 a pre.sent participation of the privileges of the gospel. 
 
 I think however that it can on the contrary be shown, that 
 there is a wide and effectual door now open for the gradual 
 introduction of the gospel into China. It must however be 
 frankly confessed, that the empire proper is at present inac- 
 cessible to the living teacher, for although there are now two 
 Protestant Missionaries residing in Canton, they are so much 
 
CHINA. 
 
 11 
 
 restricted that their situation is itself a proof that China is 
 not open. The empire has been accessible to IMissionaries, 
 and the Jesuits entered in great numbers and met with great 
 success. When their first Missionary Ricci died, although he 
 lived but twenty-seven years, he left behind in the diffe- 
 rent provinces more than three hundred churches. What 
 cannot one zealous man do, if his whole soul is devoted to a 
 single object 7 What might Ricci have done, had he dedica- 
 ted his labors to the blessed Redeemer 7 But the Jesuits com- 
 mitted one great error. They put their trust in princes, rnen 
 of fickle passions like themselves. Their labors were traced 
 in sand. They made no translations of the word of God, 
 they educated no native ministry, and therefore, as soon 
 as persecution arose, and they were expelled, their religion 
 was banished with them. They left in the hands of their 
 converts only a few rosaries and crucifixes. Had they 
 given the word of God, and preached to them a crucified 
 Saviour, our only hope in time and in eternity — had they 
 put their sole confidence in the living God — had they 
 preached only the pure gospel, the number of their converts 
 might have been small, but the gates of hell would not 
 have prevailed against Christ’s Church. 
 
 They forgot that Christ’s kingdom is not of this world, and 
 prejudiced the Chinese against themselves by their intestine 
 quarrels, until at length the emperor, disgusted with the pope’s 
 undertaking to exercise dominion in his territories, expelled 
 them from the country. The grand injury which Christianity 
 has sustained in China from their labors, is not from the 
 number of converts to Romanism which they made ; but 
 tbeir having caused the Chinese government to regard the 
 Christian religion as a scheme of political intrigue. The 
 Chinese government is tolerant on the subject of religion. It 
 tolerates all sects within the empire, and no one is disqualified 
 for office on account of his religious tenets. But the Christian 
 religion is regarded as connected with a political scheme, and 
 this is the cause of all the opposition of the government to its 
 introduction, and the only cause, it is believed, of the decrees 
 which have been passed against it. These decrees are against 
 
12 
 
 ADDRESS. 
 
 the Romanist ; but as the Chinese know no difference be- 
 tween Protestants and Romanists, the effect of them for the 
 present is to exclude the one as well as the other from the 
 empire. 
 
 But, my brethren, I think we can clearly see the hand of 
 God working for the advancement of his cause in the exclu- 
 sion for the present of all Missionaries from China. If the 
 empire was thrown entirely open, such is the apathy on the 
 subject of Missions in Protestant churches, that very few 
 more Missionaries, perhaps, would be sent than are now 
 going, whereas the Romanists would again overrun the 
 whole country, and rear a structure far more difficult to over- 
 throw than heathen idolatry. This consideration, connected 
 with the fact that there is more work bearing on the evange- 
 lization of China, which can now be done, than the Church 
 is at present willing to perform, may explain to us why it is, 
 that in the providence of God, we are debarred from entering 
 the empire itself, while we should not regard it as an indica- 
 tion, that we are to do nothing for its perishing millions. I 
 will now speak of the modes by which the Christian Church 
 can, at present, operate oti China. 
 
 There are two modes, both of them indirect, but each of 
 them capable of affording employment of the highest inte- 
 rest to many able and faithful laborers, whose exertions will 
 assuredly be felt, at no distant day, in every part of the em- 
 pire. 
 
 The first mode is that of sending Missionaries to the 
 Chinese out of the empire. There are from six hundred 
 thousand to one million of Chinese settled all around China, 
 who are free from the proscription of which I have spoken. 
 A large number of these are situated on the islands of the 
 eastern Archipelago, which are under the government of the 
 British, Dutch, and other European powers ; and are as ac- 
 cessible to the Missionary, so far as relates to political hin- 
 drances, as the citizens of this town are accessible to their 
 pastors. They present many favorable circumstances for 
 preaching the gospel. They live together in communities, 
 separate from all others on the different islands. There are 
 
CHINA. 
 
 13 
 
 at Batavia, where our Missionaries (Messrs. Hanson and 
 Lockwood) are now situated, about 20,000 in one body. At 
 Singapore, where the Committee contemplate sending their 
 Missionary lately appointed, ] 5,000. At Penang, 10,000. At 
 Bianca, 10,000 ; and so on throughout all the islands. To 
 all these there is free access, and the islands, being as I have 
 said under the government of European powers, the Mission- 
 ary enjoys complete freedom and protection in his work, and 
 as soon as the language is acquired, he can commence to tell 
 to thousands, who have never heard the sweet sound before, 
 the story of redeeming love. Here, my brethren, is an ex- 
 tensive field of usefulness, but the attention of Christians 
 having been called to China a year or two ago, as if access 
 could be had to its 360,000,000, being now disappointed in 
 the expectations then excited, they refuse to look at the field 
 which is really open to them. Here are one million of men, 
 equal to the population of this state, who are accessible ; and 
 regarding this state as affording an ample field for the labors 
 of more than two hundred of our own ministers, (not to take 
 into consideration the much greater number of ministers of 
 other denominations,) we cannot consider this outside popula- 
 tion as unimportant, although it is as nothing to the millions 
 of China. But had this outside population no connection with 
 China itself, they would not be, by any means, such an ob- 
 ject of interest to us as they now are. All the emigrants are 
 directly connected with the population at home. They hold 
 constant communication by writing to their friends, and fre- 
 quently return to the places from whence they came, for a 
 Chinese never fails to visit the tomb of his ancestors, if able 
 to do so. Now, as these emigrants come from all parts of the 
 empire, they are for missionary purposes of more importance 
 than an equal number would be, situated in any part of the 
 empire itself An impression made at any of these points, 
 must shoot out and extend on every side, like radii from a cen- 
 tre. When, therefore, we reflect that in every thing we do for 
 those on the islands, we are making a direct advance on China 
 itself, we have every encouragement to go forward. But, a still 
 more important object to be gained by the settlement of Mis- 
 
14 
 
 ADDRESS. 
 
 sionaries among this outside population, is the education and 
 training up of a native ministry. The Church is becoming 
 every day, more and more convinced of the fact that the mi- 
 nisters of every country must be men of the soil. All the 
 eastern states together cannot supply a single western state 
 with a sufficient number of ministers, and hence the efforts 
 for raising up a native ministry which have lately been made 
 and are now making in our western valley. This being the 
 case, how hopeless would be the undertaking to send out a 
 sufficient number of ministers from this country to evangelize 
 any heathen nation ? If, then, in obedience to our Saviour’s 
 command, we are going to undertake, soberly and rationally, 
 the conversion of the world, it is to this that the Church must, 
 with humble reliance upon God, specially direct her atten- 
 tion. And the peculiar difficulties of the China Mission seem, 
 ill an especial manner, to call for an effort of this kind. Fo- 
 reigners are excluded from the empire, but the Chinese must 
 have the gospel, or perish for ever — therefore we must train 
 up for them a native ministry. The difficulty of acquiring 
 the language is another strong reason why speedy and stre- 
 nuous efforts should be made to enlist the natives as ambas- 
 sadors of the cross. Besides establishing schools, the Mission- 
 aries may each of them take a number of native youths into 
 their families, before their minds have become corrupted with 
 the idolatry of their parents, and educate them in the principles 
 of the Christian religion. By taking them young they might be 
 taught the English language, and thus have access to all our 
 theology and literature, which would be of incalculable im- 
 portance. A knowledge of the English language would ren- 
 der the work of preparation for the ministry comparatively 
 easy to any whose hearts the Lord might incline to preach 
 his gospel to their countrymen ; whereas, the labor would be 
 immense if the Missionaries were to undertake to translate 
 into that language all the books which it would be desira- 
 ble or even necessary for a candidate for orders to read. 
 
 By teaching the natives' English, we should obtain also 
 good translators for such works as the Missionaries might 
 desire to lay before the Chinese, many of which, no doubt, 
 
CHINA. 
 
 15 
 
 exist in our language. For all these purposes, my brethren, 
 the Chinese without the empire afford the most ample field, 
 and until we have fully occupied it, we cannot excuse our- 
 selves while doing nothing for the millions of China, by 
 saying “ China is shut.” 
 
 The other mode of operating at present on China, is by 
 means of books. There are five nations that read this lan- 
 guage, containing, as I have said, at least one third of the 
 whole human race. These are China, Japan, Loochoo, 
 Corea and Cochin-China. Of the reading character of the 
 people I have already spoken, but there is one fact in regard to 
 their history, lately stated, which if true, affords us the highest 
 encouragement for the distribution of books among them. It 
 is said that the religion of Buddha, was propagated in the em- 
 pire entirely by books, without a living priesthood. If a false 
 religion, unblessed by any accompanying influence of the 
 Holy Spirit, could, from the reading and inquiring character 
 of the people, make such an impression as to become the most 
 popular religion in the empire, what may we not expect from 
 the distribution of the word of God, which is quick and 
 powerful, and sharper than a two-edged sword ; and which 
 its divine author has promised shall not return unto him void 1 
 And in the good providence of God, the way is fully opened, 
 my brethren, for us to send them this word. The entire 
 Bible has been translated into this language, and may be dis- 
 tributed either in part, or as a whole. Millions of copies are 
 now wanted for this purpose, when, alas ! only some four or 
 five thousand of Dr. Morrison’s translation are in circulation. 
 Several tracts have been written, and these the Missionaries 
 will of course multiply, as they become better acquainted with 
 the language and the modes of thinking among the people. 
 Dr. Morrison translated also the book of Common Prayer, 
 whicji may be made the companion of the Bible, and dis- 
 tributed along with it. But it may be asked, how are we to 
 get them introduced into the empire, when it is in opposition 
 • to laws, made expressly against this, and even to an edict of 
 the last year 1 This question, my brethren, is important, and 
 should be fairly met. First then, in answer to it, we remark. 
 
16 
 
 ADDRESS. 
 
 that it is the government, and not the people of China, who 
 are opposed to receivitig these publications. The present 
 dynasty in China, is not native, but from Tartary. The 
 emperor feels that the nation is jealous of foreign domination, 
 and hence he is fearful of political changes, and puts every 
 difficulty in the way of foreign intercourse. The voyages of 
 Gutzlaff and others, along the coast, prove conclusively, that 
 the people do not sympathize with their rulers on this point. 
 They are, on the contrary, very accessible, and receive with 
 eagerness, and read with avidity, all the books that are given 
 them. These excursions along the coast have also proved, 
 that it is out of the power of the government to prevent the 
 people from receiving and reading our books. 
 
 In the second place, we remark, that it is not to the intro- 
 duction of a new religion that the government is opposed ; 
 but it prohibits these distributions- from fear of political 
 changes. It is not the religion of the barbarians they dread, 
 but their foreign influence. Hence, as soon as they find that 
 Protestant Missionaries have no political schemes — that they 
 have no pope to lay claim to the whole country — the authori- 
 ties will be less strict in executing the laws ; and when they 
 do execute them, the result will be, that some of our books 
 will be burnt. So much for the difficulties created by the 
 opposition of the government. 
 
 The ways in which our books may be introduced are 
 various. 
 
 The emigrants to the islands will take them by thousands, 
 when they return to visit their friends at home. An immense 
 mass of the Chinese population are engaged in fishing, far out 
 of sight of land. These can be supplied by small vessels 
 sent from the Mission stations. 
 
 But the principal mode will be by vessels sent along the 
 coast, with nothing but books and medicines. One or, two 
 physicians may accompany each vessel, and practice gratui- 
 tously on all within their reach. They, we are told, are wel- 
 come every where, and even the mandarins will not molest 
 them. 
 
 It will be expensive thus to distribute books, but what is 
 
CHINA. 
 
 17 
 
 the expense compared with the object — the distribution of 
 the bread of life to perishing millions of our fellow creatures 1 
 
 The Mission to China is in its infancy, and all the plans 
 for operating there are yet in an incipient state ; but every 
 year brings us some new discovery, which enables us 
 to make our labors more efficient. One lately made at 
 Paris is of the greatest importance, in connection with our 
 present subject. At present the Missionaries are entirely de- 
 pendent on the Chinese for all their printing, as the bloclts 
 used for this purpose can only be prepared by Chinese art- 
 ists. In consequence of this dependence upon the natives, 
 (as they are forbidden by law to assist a foreigner in printing 
 their language,) difficulties have frequently arisen, but now 
 this obstacle will soon be removed. 
 
 Dr. Marshman, more than thirty years ago, observed, that 
 the Chinese language was formed, in a great measure, from 
 what he called formatives and derivatives. Pursuing this 
 idea, the Chinese scholars at Paris have discovered, that by 
 reducing the characters of the language to their lowest ele- 
 ments, the whole 30,000 of which the language is composed 
 can be printed from 9,000 type. This discovery, you will 
 readily perceive, is of the utmost importance. The expense 
 of preparing matrices for 30,000 type was so great, as for- 
 merly to preclude the hope of our ever being able to use 
 moveable type. And besides, this 30,000 type in a printing- 
 office, would have been perfectly unmanageable. Both of 
 these difficulties are removed by the discovery of the fact, 
 that 9,000 type will answer to print all the characters. Even 
 this number is very large and unwieldy, when compared 
 with our twenty-four ; but still, they can be so classified under 
 the 214 radicals of this language, that a printer, it is said, 
 will soon learn to set them up with despatch. 
 
 Thus we shall be able henceforth, not only to print tracts 
 and works of temporary importance cheaper than they can 
 now be done, but we shall be able also to stereotype the 
 Bible, Prayer Book, and other standard works. One of the 
 missionary societies in this country has ordered from Paris 
 the matrices for casting Chinese type, which they intend 
 
 3 
 
18 
 
 A D D K E H S . 
 
 sliall be at the use of all others, who have missionaries in 
 that country. When these are received, Chinese type will 
 cost no more than any other (the worth of the metal and 
 labor of casting) and printing in that language will then, it 
 is hoped, difler very little in expense from the cost in our 
 own. 
 
 I have now, my brethren, instead of discussing our obliga- 
 tion to support this Mission, given you a plain narrative, by 
 which I have shown that we have it in our pow^er to do some- 
 thing for China. The sum of the facts are, that we have in 
 China 360 millions of men, who are civilized and intelligent ; 
 reading to full as great an extent as we do, who are yet “aliens 
 from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the cove- 
 nants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the 
 world,” whose spiritual necessities demand from us obedience 
 to our Saviour’s command. 
 
 We have seen that although we cannot go directly to them, 
 that indirectly we can set in motion powerful means for their 
 evangelization ; that we can reach one million of this race, 
 and carry to them the word and ordinances of God, and that 
 among them we can establish Christian schools and semina- 
 ries, with a view of raising up a native ministry, and that 
 besides these means, (the importance of which who can esti- 
 mate?) we have, from the intelligence of the people and their 
 fondness for books, the greatest encouragement to distribute 
 among them, to the very extent of our ability, the word of 
 God and all other Christian books. 
 
 In view of these facts, I ask if any one can say that China 
 is, by the providence of God, excluded from a place in his re- 
 gards and Christian sympathies ? Can Ave plead inability in 
 bar of our Saviour’s command ? 
 
 What an appeal, my brethren, do these facts make to our 
 hearts ! They present millions of perishing sinners calling 
 upon us by their destitution'to supply them with the bread of 
 life. Surely it cannot require either the tongue of eloquence 
 or tlie language of persuasion, to induce those for whom 
 Christ died to feel for perishing millions. 
 
 Our Church, my brethren, has entered this field with a few 
 
CHINA. 
 
 19 
 
 feeble instruments. By holding back we may and must 
 weaken and retard her operations, but we cannot alter her 
 policy. And if the whole Church holds back, God will send 
 in others. The question for us to decide is no longer shall 
 China have the gospel or not. God has decided that long ago. 
 But shall we have any part in the glorious work of its re- 
 generation. Some who hear me can, I have no doubt, go and 
 preach with their own lips, the unsearchable riches of Christ 
 to the Chinese. Others can support those who go, and supply 
 them with Bibles, Prayer-Books and tracts for distribution, 
 and all can pray for them, and for the Lord’s Spirit to accom- 
 pany them in their work. O let us not, my brethren, want 
 the hearts to do good when the means are thus plainly set 
 before us. Let us rather resolve that according to the ability 
 which God giveth, and the opportunity afforded us in his 
 providence, we will obey our blessed Saviour’s command and 
 preach his gospel to every creature. 
 
 Let me entreat you, my brethren, always henceforth to 
 remember the 360,000,000 of China, as men to whom your 
 Saviour has commanded you to preach his gospel. Remem- 
 ber them as without the ordinances of religion, and either 
 go yourselves, or send them ministers of the word. Re- 
 member them as destitute of the word of God, and lay by 
 according as God shall bless you that they may be supplied. 
 Remember them as immortal beings, hastening on to judg- 
 ment, and oh ! by your meeting them there, forget them not at a 
 throne of grace. Remember them at the monthly meeting, 
 at the family altar, in your private devotions. Surely if 
 we forget them at a throne of grace, we shall be without 
 excuse. Duties may demand our stay at home. Our circum- 
 stances may be such as to prevent our contributing much to 
 the missionary cause : but if we do not pray for the heathen, 
 there can be but one solution of it, we do not love them — we 
 do not care for their immortal souls. 
 
 As you regard then, dear brethren, your own peace and 
 assurance in the faith, give, labor and pray for these poor 
 heathens ; for “ whoso hath this world’s goods, and seeth his 
 brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion 
 
20 
 
 ADDRESS. 
 
 from him, how dwelJeth the love of God in him ?” “ And he 
 
 that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he 
 love God whom he hath not seen V’ 
 
 And pray, also, my brethren, for the Missionaries you send 
 to the heathen. They need your prayers. They have trials 
 to encounter, under whicli nothin^ but almighty grace can 
 sustain them. Situated as you are in a Christian land — sur- 
 rounded with gospel privileges — what need have you to pray 
 for each other, to lift up the hands that hang down, and to sup- 
 port the feeble knees ; but how much more need of the sus- 
 taining prayers of his brethren has the Missionary, who is 
 cut off by his situation from all these, who has heard for the 
 last time the sound of the church-going bell, and who is shut 
 up in aland of no sabbaths, no prayer, no God. 
 
 The Missionary hears no Christian voice but his own, he 
 sees no brother sent as the messenger of God to warn or re- 
 prove him. If he fall asleep on his post, the mercy of a 
 crucified Redeemer alone, can make it other than the sleep of 
 death. Brethren, I am not insensible to the ties of blood ; 
 but dearly and strongly as these bind me to my native land, 
 I shrink not even from their severance for a season, as I do 
 from my severance from the privileges of the Church of Christ. 
 O then, brethren, pray for your missionaries. I repeat it, they 
 need your prayers. They have spiritual trials and temptations 
 to encounter, which the day of judgment alone can reveal. 
 They go away from the hosts of Christ, to encamp in the 
 midst of Satan’s dominions. Nothing but almighty, free, 
 sovereign grace can sustain them. That grace may be theirs 
 through your prayers. Brethren, I am not ashamed to entreat 
 them in my own behalf. The great Apostle to the Gentiles, 
 while engaged in this very work, says with peculiar emphasis 
 in almost every epistle, “ Brethren, pray for us.” 
 
 Singular indeed is the tie by which the Christian religion 
 binds its professors together. “ M'hen one member suffers, all 
 the members suffer with it.” "What a bundle of sympathies 
 is the real mystical body of Christ ! They mutually rejoice 
 in every joy, and weep in every wo, “ for they are the body 
 of Christ, and members in particular.” Called by God to a 
 
CHINA. 
 
 21 
 
 situation of peculiar temptations and trials, I prize, next to 
 the consolations of his own holy Spirit, this claim which he 
 has given me upon my Christian brethren, that they should 
 sympathize with me and pray for me. 1 entreat you then, 
 dear brethren, although a stranger, by the unity of the body 
 of Christ, that when I am far, far away, and thousands of 
 miles of water shall roll between us, I may not be forgotten. 
 O when assembled in this holy temple, and you surround that 
 sacred altar to commemorate a Saviour’s precious love, some- 
 times, I beseech you, remember him who now addresses you, 
 and then let a silent, fervent prayer, ascend to heaven, that 
 God may bless your unworthy, but sincerely attached bro- 
 ther in the bonds of the Gospel, and prosper him in the work 
 whereunto he hath sent him. 
 
 Note . — The Rev. F. R. Hanson, and the Rev. H. Lockwood, Missionaries of the 
 Protestant Episcopal Church, U. S. A., to China, sailed from New-York in June 
 1835. In December they reached Batavia, where they have since been resident. 
 The Rev. Mr. Boone, accompanied by Mrs. Boone, sailed from Boston on the 8th 
 July, 1837, in the ship Louvre, for Batavia and Singapore. 
 
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