Directory_and_Chronicle_1850 — Page 135

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Journal of Occurrences.

On the 28 February, an imperial order was issued: "Let the bier of Her Im perial Majesty be respectfully carried to the Ichun garden, and laid in state. We will ourself remain there also for a season, in order that we may convenient- ly morning and evening pour out libations, and give vent to our grief. Respect this."

Death of Mrs. Whilden. This lady died at her residence in Canton, after a painful and protracted illness, which she bore with Christian resignation. She was buried on French I. at Whampoa, near Mrs. Devan and Rev. Mr. Clopton, who also belonged to the Baptist mission. Her bereaved husband, we understand, intends to return to the United States with his three mother- less children. We have been furnished with the following notice of Mrs. Whilden.

"Died in Canton on the 20th inst, Mrs. Eliza Jane WhILDEN, wife of the Rev. B. W. Whilden, missionary of the Board of Missions of the Southern Baptist Convention. Mrs. Whilden was the daughter of Mr. Robert and Mrs. Jane Martin of Union District, South Carolina. She was born on the of 13th February, 1821. and made a profession of religion in 1840.

"In the year 1843, she was united in inarriage to him who now mourns her loss. Shortly after her marriage she went with her husband to Camden, 8. C., where they resided four years-during which time Mr. W. was pastor of the Baptist Church in that place. Previous to her residence in Camden, Mrs. Whilden had felt a very strong desire to become a missionary to the heathen-excited chiefly by reading the life of the first Mrs. Judson.

In the spring of 1848, while residing at Healing Springs, Barnwell Dist., 8. C. her husband was induced to offer himself as a missionary to the Chinese. An article from the pen of the lamented Pohlman which Mrs. Whilden had put into the hands of her husband, was chiefly instrumental in bringing him to this decision-a decision for which he has reason to believe she had been praying for years.

Mrs. W. with her husband sailed from New York in Oct. 1848, in the ship "Valparaiso,”—and arrived at Hongkong on the 13th of February following, the anniversary of her birth. She has alluded to this coincidence with peculiar pleasure. On the 23d of the same month, she reached Canton. Thus in about a year after her arrival in Canton she is called away. Her discharge from the labors and sufferings of missionary life came as she was just entering upon them. We mourn, but not without hope. Her end was peace. She hath done what she could.”

An attack on H. G. I. Reynvaan Esq., the French consul at Canton, was made on the evening of the 19th inst., by one of his domestics, who ap- proached him from behind while he was reading alone, and struck him on the head with a chopping-knife; the blow was not strong enough to fracture the skull, and on Mr. R. rising instantly to seize him, the fellow fled down stairs and out of the house. Information was immediately given to the Chi- nese authorities of the attack, with all the particulars, but they have shown themselves most culpably negligent, for the man has not yet been arrested, In fact, so secure did he feel, that he went three days after to one of the silk dealers with whom Mr. R. did business, and presented a forged order for two pieces of silk in the comprador's name, and obtained them. It was a Pro- vidential mercy that Mr. R. was not killed on the spot; but whether the indolence of the magistrates is owing to the fact that life was not taken, and they do not feel it so important to arrest the offender, can not be said. They are greatly to blame for their negligence.

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