Few questions are more often discussed, in connexion with Chinese politics, than the position and prospects of mis: sion: and on no other do so many different views prevail. Opinion is pretty nearly unanimous on the subject of transit passes, and it would be difficult to find three. foreigners who consider our Representatives should acknowledge themselves as tribute-bearers to the Ruler of the World. But opinions as to the value and success of missionary work in China, are wide as the poles asunder. While some inez look hopefully forward to n gradanl evangelization of China, others roundly deny the sincerity of a single conversion, Even missionaries differ as to the renl success of their work; some pointing with apparent jnstice to the fidelity of their followers under persecution; while others fear that no adult Chinese accepts Christianity unless from interested motives, and that the only hope of ren! proselytism is through children. In face of this wide difference of opinion, even statistics will be held inconclusive, bat they would at least give some tangible information and ground for'argument, where none such now exist. We suggested, a fow weeks ago, that the Missionaries would perform a most usefal work if the would publish in their organ, the Chiness Missionary Re " @ plain and concise sketch of the position of their No doubt the reports sent home yearly to the different Societies contain more or less of the information we desire; but these papers do not reach the general public, and are often written in a tone of exaltation which is distasteful to the ordinary reader. In, the same way, the Annales de la Propagation dela foi give some information regarding the progress of Roman Catholic Missions, but it is rather sexttered and indefinite. We are writing, however, more with reference to Protestant than Roman Catholic missions. All that is needed in their case is ce-operation, which, it seems to us might easily be arranged. The idea has been acted on in India, with fair success; and this year, we observe more carefal measures are being taken to carry stout. Ata Missionary Conference lately held in Calcutta, a sub-Committee was appointed to correspond with the various missionaries -throughout India, and to request them to famish such materials as may_be necessary for the compilation of acca-rate statistical returns of the condition of Indian Missions this year 1871. The sub-Committee comprises four members—one representing the Free Church of Scotland, one the Baptist Missionary Society, one the Church Missionary Society, and one the London Missionary Society; and these gentlemen have addressed to the senior missionary in every station or district, a series of questions—as to the age of the mission, the number of converts in the several years, the number of persons composing the various churches, the amount of money subscribed by natives of India, the amount received frum England, the number of native preachers, and a host of other particulars, that will enable the compilation of valuable and interesting returns, We cannot but think that some such plan might be worked out in China, with equally interesting resalts. If the Missionaries working in each province would appoint certain of their number to collect statistics; and the gentlemen so appointed would depute a sub-committee in Shanghai to compile from these a complete report, much of the uncertainty which surrounds the question would be dis. pelled, and public interest enlisted to a far greater extent than now, in the progress of their work. Some hesitagard to the complete reliability of the tion would probably still prevail in re-
numerical returu—in regard to the veal Christianity, we mean, of all the professed converts. But these doubts would be in a great degree silenced, by the division of the returns into attendants and non-attendants at Sunduy service, and the distinct return, scholars merely, of the children who are being educated at the various mission schools. Such returns could, as we have said before, be ensily attained by ce-operation; and we enunot think this ce-operation would be difficult of arrangement.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.