Dear Sm,—-A leading article in. your jo newspaper for August the 24th gives out some rather striking hints snd a. few words of explanation from Catholic Missionary might perhaps not be altogether unacceptable.
The article, itis true, speaks particularly of Protestant, Missions; but some of the desiderata pointed out therein, might as well be applied to Catholic ones; for instance; the reports of their labours never find their way to the Foreign newspaper in China, It is not indeed that they are in any way opposed to it, much less that they would be afraid of investigation; but rather out of a kirid of -bashfulness; they do not like-to boast of their work, knowing very well that although man.may labotir, aiuceous it altogettior a fete gift of Almighty God.
It is said that: the Missionary too often iS evangelize the Chinese who live in the appears to.give up the ides: of attempting
strongholds of foreign mercantile pirauits. He may well appear to do so; not that he does not try there, as well as, and even anore'than, anywhere else, his very best endeavours; but one must confess that the Foreign Settlement is not an easy: field for tha practical: cial ture. of.. Gospel_ truths amonget the natives. There they re isolated fom their own family, and are to deeply engaged in worldly. concerns to think mu: of higher matters; besides, temptations are vamerous and: overwhelming. From indulging in these temptations, extra expenses come on sometimes very heavy, and to cover these, servants aid others often try to cheat and How can} people with such bad dispositions habits, change their ways without removing from such dangerous places? 'There are, however, in the Settlement, some good Christians, if indeed but few,' who appear like stars' shining in the darkness of moonless night; you may see some of them on Sundays at the Catholic" Church, more particularly at the early service, about 7 a.m. or 9 o'clock.
There are four Catholic Missionaries in the Settlement, besides the Prucures of the Lazarists and of the Missions étrangéres one only in the City, and four with t Bishop and his Vicar-General at Tong-kin-dou; whilst the others work isolated all over the province. Those in Zi-ka-wei are particularly applied to studies; it is also the sanatorium of the Mission.
All do work very hard indeed. Bui with what success? "Not such of course as they should wish fur; but,- however slowly, they still make some impression, as the figures I give may better show.
Ju the year 1847] there were 60,000 native Catholics i nan; the number was 76,000 in 186i; but it feil to 70,000 in 1863, on account of the rebellion and exceptional mortality. In 1872 there are more than 80,000. "Should any one like to know their whereabouts, here is a table of places with corresponding figures. hi BR Tsing-pou-hien 4,076 Tsomming-hien 10,769
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.