To the Editor of the Sin,—The plausible letters of the Rev. J.8. Burdon, explaining the causes for the hostility manifested to Missionariesin China, give certain reasons that may or not be true. To throw the onus of all the political opposition to Christianity on the Roman Catholics, may suit the views of the sect to which Mr. Burdon belongs, and make them appear thankful that they're not as other men; but I submit that it is very questionable whether this line of distinction in-tween Protestant and Catholic Missions, 18 either a generous or a Po lent one to adopt, especially in view of the efforts making, both here and at home, to secure the protection of the British Government for Protestant Missions, which would de facto give them that political support which Mr. Bur-Inbourers. don seems to begrudge his Catholic fellow-
T would ask leave to surmise what would be the political status or the political influence of the Protestant Missionaries in China, if they had been existing in th terior of the country for hundreds of years as the Catholics have been. It seems quite certain, even now, with their recent foothold in China, that they wish for a measure of consideration from the mandarins and literati, as teachers of the Jes Kian, What would they be, if they got the chance of ition which the Catholic Missionaries have obtained from the native authorities! It is just possible that Protestant bishops and clergy in China might become as pompous and as stately as we know them to be in Great Britain, where the have clung to their political status with stern dogyedness, and even now that it is slipping from their hands, they consign the assertors of State rights as versus the Church, to final reprobation.
I do not wish to defend the Catholic Missionaries, as to whether they are right or wrong in assuming or acquiring a political status or influence. They will, no doubt, be able to give nee@ful explanation ofall this, when the time is opportune; and Tdare say they might have as much to say per contra about Br. Burdon's friends en-[deavouring to pick up a few crumbs of political position, if they thought it would de any good.
The distinction between moral and poliical support for Missions, may answer theoretical discussion on the matter. It is {well known what moral support has not done for commerce, and what political support has done—simply because they have been identified, and the moral has verged into the political the instant a practical case has presented itself.
Wo it not be more fair for all Missionaries to avow what they inwardly believe, namely that Christianity is essentially the hostility towards Missionaries with the cause of the same towards merchants and list the ies of all foreigners in his other secular persons, thereby trying to en-favour, Ao auth grounds Eat Min for support on the ground that he and friends are going to attack. the social order of the Chinese empire, which all admit to be objectionable, and then see what can be done for his side. This would at least be consistent.
Allow me to add another cause of hostility to Missionaries, that perhaps Mr. Burdon docs not know. In the capital city of acertain province, a Protestant Mimionayy, while lately. preaching to natives on the creation and early history of the world,
human race was propagate sexual in-took the pains to explain that tae incipient ter course between brothers and sisters, The auditory, shocked at thus hearing that the Jem Kian was identified with incestuous cohabitation, exhibited their contempt for the Missionary's teaching, and a very strong feeling sprang up in the city that a religion sanctioning such intercourse ought to be rejected. Fancy a Chinese being allowed by an indiscreet Missionary to conceive such an -idea of Christianity. The nat conclusion they arrived at was, that we area set of incestrious "devils "—and it may be remarked that all the moral support in the world will never prop up such ezeentrie preaching There may be good deal of ignorance at the bottom of Chinese hostility, but there seems to be a vast deal more ance of religion, of human nature, and Chinese human nature especially, amongst the Missionaries towards whom this hostility is evinced.
Scrvraror, [Publication of thia letter has been accidentally. Aelayert. "It was written in reference to two letters Sich emote a the ¥-€, Heraion the th and Suh, Kaw Reports,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.