172
CARL SMITH
He wrote: "The farce of bringing up Chinese in English fashion the decoration of swine with pearls will probably by this exposure, receive a deserved check." And in another diatribe he remarked: "Give a Chinese boy an English education, and you give him the means to become a greater rogue than he was born."
The newspaper correctly predicted that the case would not come before the court for lack of sufficient evidence, even though it was placed on the calendar for the next Criminal Sessions. The prisoner, however, would be kept in prison for a time and then quietly released.
"Thus," the paper commented, "the whole matter will be hushed up quietly; and the London Missionary Society's operation in China will not be abridged by the loss of a useful member.
The society, however, did not take the matter lightly. A-sow was suspended from the church until he should show proper contrition, and he was relieved of his part-time teaching duties.
He was later restored, but only to fall again.
REPRIEVED ONLY TO STRAY AGAIN
Dr. James Legge had a forgiving spirit. When Ho Fuk-tong had violated an accepted moral code while a student at Malacca, he was received back by Dr. Legge, an act Dr. Legge was never to regret. Perhaps he had this in mind in his attitude towards Ng Mun-sow after his involvement in the case of the missing bills of exchange.
After his appearance at Court, A-sow had been suspended from church privileges and dismissed as an assistant teacher, though he was not completely cut off from the mission community. To have done so would have probably bound him closer to the bad companions he had been associating with and who had led him astray. This, at least, was Dr. Legge's view of the matter.
The decision seemed justified when some months later A-sow submitted a letter to the church expressing deep sorrow for his
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172
CARL SMITH
He wrote: "The farce of bringing up Chinese in English fashion the decoration of swine with pearls will probably by this exposure, receive a deserved check." And in another diatribe he remarked: “Give a Chinese boy an English education, and you give him the means to become a greater rogue than he was born.”
The newspaper correctly predicted that the case would not come before the court for lack of sufficient evidence, even though it was placed on the calendar for the next Criminal Sessions. The prisoner, however, would be kept in prison for a time and then quietly released.
"Thus," the paper commented, "the whole matter will be hushed up quietly; and the London Missionary Society's opera- tion in China will not be abridged by the loss of a useful member.
The society, however, did not take the matter lightly. A-sow was suspended from the church until he should show proper con- trition, and he was relieved of his part-time teaching duties.
He was later restored, but only to fall again.
REPRIEVED ONLY TO STRAY AGAIN
Dr. James Legge had a forgiving spirit. When Ho Fuk-tong had violated an accepted moral code while a student at Malacca, he was received back by Dr. Legge, an act Dr. Legge was never to regret. Perhaps he had this in mind in his attitude towards Ng Mun-sow after his involvement in the case of the missing bills of exchange.
After his appearance at Court, A-sow had been suspended from church privileges and dismissed as an assistant teacher, though he was not completely cut off from the mission community. To have done so would have probably bound him closer to the bad com- panions he had been associating with and who had led him astray. This, at least, was Dr. Legge's view of the matter.
The decision seemed justified when some months later A-sow submitted a letter to the church expressing deep sorrow for his
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