September 16, 1907.]
my judgment it is not and I have already stated the grounds for my opinion. The question bears пров the political aspect of the extradition and it must be determined upon a consideration of matters into which this onet is not corn- polent and has no authority to enter. uch considerations if they exist at all must be addressed to the executive of the country and ought not to enter into the judicial considera. tion of the question which in this osse turns solely upon the the construction of the extradi- tion set and the treaty."
+
we
we
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
159
seated a choir of Chinese girls who sang the work enabled others to sow where he had National Anthem in the vernacular on arrival reaped. His great literary work enabled others of His Excellency the Governor and Lady | who came after him to enter a door which bad Lugard. They were accompanied by Miss been closed to himself, and to build upon Brackenbury, Mr. Brackenbary (privata foundations which he bad laid. I think, ladio: secretary) sul Captain Taylor, A.D.C. There and gentlemen, that we all stand on the were also on the platform the Hon. Mr. and Mrs. threshold of a new era. During th· one hundred May and the Hon. Mr. Rees Davies (Attorney years that are passed since Morrison arrived at General). Prayer having been offer.d up by Canton we have learned a great deal.
We the Rev. F. T, Johnson, M.A..
stand amazed at the antiquity of the institu- tions and the learning of China. We recognise the ability of her leaders; and we recognise the industry and self-control of her vast population, and we watch with increasing interest from day to day the efforts which she is making to realise hr ideal. During that one misunderstandings I think we can claim that hundred years, although there have been miny no nation has been actuated by more friendly feelings towards China than the British. It is therefore with cordial goodwill that we watch now her efforts to create for herself a position, social, moral and political, among the powers of proper place. In that path of progress she can the earth su ch as is due to her to pat her in her always count upon British sympathy and as- sistance if she requires it, and where it may be given legitimately and usefully (great applause). Dr. WẪN TUN Mo translated His Excellency's remarks which_were received with applause.
Mr. FUNG UT T'SUN, the Canton delegate, addressed the meeting. His remarks were translated by the Rev. Mr. Pearce, who said that the speaker pointed out that in order to discern what sort of a man Morrison was and in order to measure his work they must see if they could into his heart, The distinguishing characteristic of Morrison was love of humanity. That love was inspired from above.
men
His EXCELLENCY said-We are assembled here this evening to do honour to one who That may be law, but it certainly is not has given his life and his t-lents to the commonsense. We can admit that such a service of Cuias. Before I proceed with suggestion should not be made without the few remarks which I have to offer reasonable grounds, but for the rest, Lord
to you, I think that it will enable us to get a RUSSELL betrayed a singular lack of ordin-services which Robert Morrison rendered to batter sense of proportion and to view the ary human "savvy." It is not a reflection China in the proper perspective if I glance for of the "gravest possible kind." None but
a moment at the earlier relations of Europe an uncominonly scrupulous man is going to with China and ask you to remember be aghast at Russia or China if, in their for a moment his predecessors. It is as anxiety to get hold of some serious political loog ago as the beginning of the sixth offender, they adopt some such machiavelian Nestorians came to China, being driven from
century, some 140 years ago, that the early ❘ method of getting round the, to them. Europe as heretics, and they left their impress inexplicable squeamishness of the British
on this country in mission work. The first where a political offender's fate is concerned, accurate records we have of any mission work in We are not shocked by it, but as common- China date from about the beginning of the sense individuals we would keep our eyes fourteenth century, and to Italy belongs the open for it, and see to it carefully that credit of having seat the first Catholic mission. our ideas of justice are not so circumvented. aries to China in the thirteenth century In the case of China, as
These
and their successors we intimated
carried on the work until about the beginning of in opening, have no shyness about
the nineteenth century, when Robert Morrison reflecting impliedly upon the judicial arrived in the field. Sectarian disputes had authorities of a neighbouring and friendly arisen just before this period, when the orthodox power," which seems so shocking a Catholics supported by the Pope, were in anta- thing to Lord RUSSELL Lord RUSSELL gonism to the more liberal toleration of the does not know as much of the Chinese Jesuits who were supported by the Emperor The. Van Archdeacon BANISTE 2, in his ad- judicial authorities as we do, and Kwangsi. The result was that a prosecution dres«, said that it was right that the East and the West should with one voice affirm their faith ought to be guided by our local know. arose and the missionaries were expelled from ledge, and not by the gentlemanly qualms anti-European feeling was at its height, Robert Robert Morrison and their love for him and the country. Just at this moment, when the and love-their faith in the principles of of that eminent jurist. It is not only Morrison came out and landed in 1807 at gratitude for his services (applause). In 40 open to us to consider such a suggestion, Canton. So bitter was the feeling at that time referring to the work of the earlier missionaries but our duty to take it up and honestly con- that he was compelled shortly afterwards to he remarked that it was right that they sider its probability. Lord RUSSELL CO. leave Canton and to go to Macan, where he should recoga ise the works of every kin and sidered the Court incompetent to review remained for some years engrossed in literary every faith if they were only linked to God "the political aspect of extradition," yet Anglo-Chinese dictionary, until later he was
stadies. He did great work in producing so Himself (applause). Proceeding be referred he allowed it to consider etiquette like that. enabled to return to Canton. There among a
to the task Morrison set himself in preparing His concern for due respect to the neigh- small circle of followers he devoted himself to
his dictionary, and said that they did not need to go to the battlefield to find the heroic. bouring Power and its judiciary was politi- literary work until he died in 1834. Now, Men who worked like Morrison showed that cal. What else? He seems to us decidedly ladies and gentlemen, I began by saying we
heroism was found in other places. Giving inconsistent in referring one political aspect were assembled to do honour to the great figures in exemplification of the fruit of the to the executive of the country," pioneer and the great founder of mission. In Morrison college, he mentioned that in Shang- and then consenting to consider another, what way is this quiet student in Canton hai last year one printing firm sold no less than of less material importance. Still, if he entitled to be called a great pioneer and Tis. 500,000 worth of Chinese school books, as Chief Justice was obliged to confine his it was because, first of all, he
a great founder of missions then? In my views which was a revelation of the demand of the altention to "the construction of the extradi- great foun er of Protestant missions. He from the West. In conclusion he urged the the Chinese for the knowledge that had entered tion act and the treaty,' we respectfully was the man who introduced the British Christians present not to put their faith in the submit that Mr. HAZELAND as Magistrate missionary influence into China for the first background and appealed to them to cherish was not. As a matter of fact, His Worship time, the man who laid down the lines-the the memory of Robert Morrison. did look into the suggestion, and his
broad statesmanlike lines of the mission citation of Lord RUSSELL'S scruple was -quite expletive, for he decides that there was nothing in the evidence to support the assertion that the prisoner was wanted fo: a political offence. Assuming the correctness of that finding, His Worship's decision was absolutely correct, but with that finding we beg deferentially to disagree.
**
$1
MORRISON CENTENARY MEETING.
A MEMORABLE ASSEMBLY.
SPEECH BY THE GOVERNOR.
Seldom has the Theatre Royal been so densely and uncomfortably crowded as it was on Sept. 10 on the occasion ofthe public meeting he'd in com- memoration of Kobert Morrison, the pioneer of Protestant missionary enterprise in China. The hundreds of Chinese who filled the body of the hall and the gallery must have afforded consider- able pleasure to those interested in religious work among the natives, but it was surprising, considering the domestic derangements involved by the awkward hoar for which the meeting was called-7.30-to find so many Europeans present. These were accommodated on the
the platform, at
rear of which was
WAS
had very striking lessons. Against the danger. of the yellow peril there would have to be set the guarantee of the white race. If a man loved men, men would love him. If a man respects his fellow men, his fellow men respect him. That entiment he held to be universally true, and he held it to be applicable to the relations between the East and the West.
Mr. Au FUNG-CHI in his speech said that policy followed for many years after his death. Morrison tried to bring about better relations mission enterprise to the coast ports, not to It was his policy, for instance, at first to limit between the East and the West. The speaker referred to the yellow peril, which he asserted precipitate entry into the far interior. Secondly. had to be met with something white, with the I think the claim is justified because he was white man's assurance, with the white man's the founder of the medical missions. By disrespect. The Chinese were very fond of pensaries which he opened at Canton he set parallel sentences, and sometimes those parallels the example which bas developed in later years so prodigiously and most beneficially, and in my opinion-and I have seen mission work in other parts of the world-there is no higher or finer form of missionary enter- prise than the medical. As a result the Me- dical Missions College was founded in 83 shortly after his death. Thirdly, his claim to our gratitude resta on his great literary work. He was the author of the first great Anglo-Chinese dictionary which has formed the basis of all subsequent works since his day. He established printing presses, translated the whole of the Bible into Chinese, and various tracts, prepared a many works of interest; and he wrote a book grammar and translated
on the customs and habits of the Chinese which Sir FREDERICK LOGBD in reply mid he Britain. was the first key to the Chinese habits in Great regarded it as a great pleasure and a great His enterprise in this direction | privilege to preside at the meeting, and speak- resulted in the founding of an Anglo-Chinese ing on behalf of those behind him on the school at Malacca by a colleague, Dr. Milner, platform he expressed his admiration of the which later was transferred back to China, and extraordinary exhibitions of memory given after Hongkong became a British Colony one
by Dr. Wan Tun-mo and the Rev. Mr. Pearos was founded here. Dr. Morrison stood on the in translating speeches delivered during the threshold of a new orn. His unostentatious 'course of the evening (applause),
|
Rev. T. W. PEARCE, in trans'ating the above remarks said that the sentiment expressed evoked enthusiasm among the Chinese and he hoped it would be appreciated by those on the platform (applause).
O the motion of Dr. Wax Tux-Mo,
thanks was accorded to His Excellency, seconded by the Rev. Mr. PEARCE, a vota of
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.