Ir is a favourite remark that what is technically called the Missionary Question arises periodically in China. Certainly there are particular periods when the public journals open their columns to the discussion of questions relating to the conflict between the old faiths of the Middle Kingdom and the innovating doctrines of the Religion of Christendom. It is curious how very little progress is made in the matter, and how the same points are argued and re-argued by the two parties, without any material variety, and with a certain stiffness and monotony of method which refuses to see any truth, alike in the allegations of critics unfavourable to Missionary enterprise and in the zealous apologies of the men engaged in evangelization work, Wo hear perpetually that Protestant Mis. sionaries are injudicious or half me structed, and that Societies at Home are too exigent in demanding reports of conversions; and on the other side we are reminded that, if we want trustworthy books on China, those only are to be read which Missionaries have produced. A long and honourable" list of names confirms this statement. The trath is that the whole matter wants readjustment and reconsideration. There is no doubt an enormous amount of energy, and time, and money expended in the attempt to make Buddhists and Confucianists Christians. The attempts are obviously worthy of the highest consideration, for earnest work is always respectable and praiseworthy—respectable because of the importance of the object; praise. worthy because of the devotion of those who undertake it. Still truth is many. sided, and the systems that are recommended to the notice of the heathen are so diverse, that he may perhaps be pardoned for hesitating as to whether he shall desert his ancestral altars at the bidding of men whose trump pets give such uncertain sounds. At all events he must be struck by the fact that he scarcely differs more from Christians than Christians differ from each other; and if he is not fired with a passionate love of truth, he may very naturally be expected to put off acquiescing in the New Doctrine until he sees
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.