1850.
What I have Seen in Shanghái.
331
ration, are no gods—but idols and demons? And how are all these, both men and means, to be reclaimed to their rightful allegiance? Here then, questions of great moment arise,-touching the eternal wellbeing of this whole nation. How can missionaries, coming into this field, best acquire the dialects of the people? How best collect auditors, and preach to them the gospel? What amount of labor shall be given to making a faithful version of the Scriptures in the language? Some first principles, some leading questions, respecting the Chi- nese, their character and religion, must be better understood than they are at present, unless men will be content to beat the air and fight windmills. Take a single question, for example, and one quite in point: Is it extremely doubtful, whether any Being, worshiped by the Chinese, is by them regarded as Divine? This topic is alluded to merely to show how much need there still is for acquiring more accurate knowledge of what the Chinese are, and what are their systems of ethics. Connected with the Protestant Missions in this city, are the follow- ing persons:
1. With the London Missionary Society, the Rev. Dr. and Mrs. Medhurst and one child; Doct. and Mrs. Lockhart and one child; the Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Milue and two children; the Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Muirhead; the Rev. Mr. Edkins; Mr. Wylie; and Miss Philip.
2. With the American Episcopal Board, the Rt.-Rev. Dr. and Mrs. Boone and three children; the Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Syle and one child ; Miss Jones, and Miss Morse-the latter now absent on a visit in America.
3. With the (English) Church Missionary Society, the Rev. Mr. and Mrs. McClatchie and two children; and the Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Hobson and one child.
4. With the American Baptist Southern Convention, the Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Shuck and two children; the Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Pearcy; and the Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Yates and one child.
5. With the American Seventh Day Baptist Missionary Society, the Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter, and the Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Wardner and one child.
6. With the American Methodist Episcopal Church, the Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Taylor and one child, and the Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins and five children.
In connection with these six Protestant missions, the whole number of foreigners is fifty-six, viz. 17 gentlemen, 18 ladies, and 21 children. Since last July the number connected with them has been reduced by the return to their homes of the Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Toby and of