Directory_and_Chronicle_1850 — Page 378

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What I have Seen in Shanghái

Just,

ner, and nothing but God's almighty power could change his heart. His conviction of the heinousness of sin in God's sight is I think stronger than in the others, but long observation seeins to justify the conclusion that the heathen generally suffer much less from a troubled conscience than convict- ed persons do in Christian lands. Niah Fung is not yet sixteen.

These boys, with one of their teachers, and a woman servant of Mr. Syle, have been under careful and constant instruction from Bishop Boone for five months preparatory to receiving baptism, and he was often much grati- fied with the earnest and thoughtful attention they paid to the instruction they received.”

During the past winter all the missionaries have taken part in the distribution of alms to the multitudes of poor and distressed people, who, coming hither from neighboring towns and hamlets, have throng- ed the streets of this city, where hundreds have died. In this distribu- tion the missionaries have acted, principally, as almoners for the foreign community, who, with their usual liberality, have subscribed for this object. The full sum of these charities I do not know; they are not, I suppose, less than eight hundred dollars, if the subscriptions that have been taken up by the Romanists be included, who have shared in these benevolent works.

Since the sudden death of the late Rev. Mr. Lowder, the duties of the chaplain in Trinity Church have been performed, and very acceptably too I believe, by the Rev. Mr. Hobson of the English Church Missionary Society.

Society. This community is fortunate in having the services of one so faithful as Mr. Hobson; and no one can doubt his perfect willingness temporarily to occupy such a sphere of useful- ness. It is to be hoped, however, that there will be no very long delay in securing the entire services of a successor to Mr. Lowder. 'The chaplaincy here is an important sphere, especially when viewed in connection with the increasing number of seamen coming to this port. Our friends at the South have done well in providing a chaplain and Bethel for the thousands of seamen annually visiting Whampoa. Erelong those coming to Shanghái may be equally numerous. No less than 137 sail entered this port last year. At present, as the ship- ping is contiguous to the town, and the number of foreign residents not very large, the chaplain here (if he have his whole time for this office) might often extend his services to seamen.

The Bethel Flag during the last month, has been repeatedly hoisted on board the "Horatio," and other ships in port; considerable numbers of seamen, too, have occasionally attended the services in the church.

The Committee of Delegates here employed on a version of the New Testament in Chinese-reached the end of that work on the 20th ult. A