CO129-031 - Public Offices - 1849 — Page 293

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-ducated native youth's, was could be in a position to render valuable services interpreters, to spread curved a pavourable esti -

wth of British Alianity & civilization, & raise generally the Lone of

matt

t

international intercourse.

Past experience proves that suck an Institution without such pulitic support, will be exposed to all the fluctuations of individual. benevolence, & after a Lime languish & fall. The dissolution of the Morrison Education Lociity

Hong Kong, furnishes

this kind.

a recent instance

Seven of the most advanced jupits from Lat- Institution have been transferred

To us, of form a commencement

nucleus

suwsuit for the opiscopal collega

A Chinese

youth also accompanies me from this country.

Xo

a monitor in the Institution under pro-

for admission to holy orders.

bation jer

I m.

may

be permitted also to state to Your Lordslige that Zer John Davis the last Governor of Hong Kong has become a member

of

one

of the local Committees (printed documeat R which have been organized

tr

come

K

Zi

larger provincial Towns, for raising funds Towards assisting

me in the proposed Episcopal College

Juher.

The Bishish asks a Grou

of £500 a

: previl Fiends loveands

the suspect of this Inst

Nor Meniale.

430 The grand

Elenial

temai.

777

by Lord

from the establish

am sensible

of the pent

white

ment if the

advantage

which w

proposed college & tight end,

refora

to hear of its inceps I fear it is fecusing contributt on the part of t.. out of my lower to encourage ung effectatt

towards the carrying the dergis

Fürdobésir obedient tumble sermond-

Netoria

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FOR

PROSPECTUS OF MISSIONARY PLANS

THE BENEFIT OF THE CHINESE,

BY THE

RIGHT REV. GEORGE SMITH, D.D.

BISHOP OF VICTORIA,

THE Island of Hong Kong, as a Dependency of the British Crown, and the Seat of an English Bishopric, involves no common responsibilities and claims. Situated off the Coast of Canton Province, and within ninety miles of the provincial capital itself, it labours indeed under the disadvantage of being in the vicinity of a Chinese population who have been long accustomed to regard with dislike, and to treat with contempt, the subjects of European Nations. The Chinese Immigrants to the new Colony are also likely to be, for some time, composed of the least respectable portion of the inhabitants of the adjacent mainland. A motley population, attracted from different parts, and formed of heterogeneous elements, presents, also, considerable" difficulties, from the variety of dialects spoken by them. But notwithstanding these disad- vantages, arising from the character of the population and the diversity of dialects, Hong Kong presents facilities, in point of permanency and centralization, not easily obtainable elsewhere; and, as a scene of educational measures of a high order and on a large scale, may be considered as the most eligible locality for a central base of indirect Missionary Operations in China.

The more northerly ports of China present the most favourable field for direct Missionary Exertion, considered in reference to the Chinese Empire at large. In the two most northerly cities of Shanghai and Ningpo (where the Church Missionary Society have established their Mission) the climate is favourable; the Boundary Regulations permit a considerable extent of Missionary Exertion; the people are friendly and respectful to foreigners; and the Rulers evince no disposition to oppose the efforts of Missionaries. Their central situation, in regard to the whole of China, and their important future bearings on the possible enlargement of our inter- course with the interior, combine, with the advantages which have been previously enumerated, to render these two cities the most promising field for the direct Missionary Efforts of the Church of England on the mainland of China.

There are, however, two highly-important Objects, for the prosecution of which the British Settlement of Hong Kong presents great advantages. These are, the Training of Chinese Evangelists; and, the Use of the Press for Christian Purposes.

I. With regard to the first of these it may be observed, that the peculiarities of the Chinese language, the complex variety of its written symbols, the number of its spoken dialects,— differing in various parts as much as the different languages of Europe, and the great difficulty of a foreign student attaining the delicate intonations essential to a perfect pronun- ciation, all point out the great importance of a Native Agency, as the grand desideratum and

hope for Christian Missions in that country.

II. In regard to the second Object, it is obvious that the Christian Press is destined to become an agency of extraordinary value for propagating the Gospel in China; and Hong