To the Editor of the Sim,—The long letter on the Missionary subject which appears in your paper of the 27th, is (when one can thoroughly divest oneself of all suspicion as to its being written under the inspiration of some foreign friend,) by. fur the most interesting document on this ever, reappearing topic, that has appeared for some time. Ido not wish to discuss the letter in extense. I am a Protestant and a Missionary; as such I speak; and as such I wish, vid the Translator per his Chinese friend, and through the twenty unprejudiced members of each thousand Chinamen, to ask from the 980 who hate and suspect myself and my comrades, one or two simple questions.
Task first for a definite of "the way in which Protestant Missior ies claim the protection of their Gove way which, according to our Chi excites so much hatred and suspicion. Wherein does it differ from the way in which Merchants claim the protection of their Governments have before my mind now several cases persecution of Chinese Christians, eral instances of violent opposition to Mission work, in which no help has been asked from foreign authorities. And surely Mr: Chun is mistaken in his definitions. The protection of the Chinese Government is what Missionaries demand, through the representatives of their own Governments.
T ask secondly, though hardly expecting an explicit reply—on what authority we are informed that the Chinese Goverit ment would give the fullest liberty to Missionaries to prench their religion, and to the people to enter it? There is not now, and I believe there never has been in the Chinese Legal Code anything to event ths; bt every. intelligent per ows well that it was the rigidly exclusive and proscriptive policy of China as to Christianity, which necessitated the definition of this toleration clause.
What reason have we for supposing that Chinese religious policy is changed? If changed, it must be due to a conviction that Christianity isa beneficent Religion, and Christian preachers beneficent men, Lwould ask further, what reason can be adduced for suspicion that the influence gained by Protestant Missionaries will be used for political purposes Has this ever been the case? Perhaps for" will point out to his friend suspicion is a libel, not against es, but against these very foreign Governments for which he professes strong a friendship.
But suppose these conditions of pence are considered. From which side must the first overtures be made? Surely from the Chinese? And we must then be in formed what is meant by the special protection" which preachers enjoy, now to be abandoned, Are they to be nation:
ed as Chinamen; expatrinted as Englishmen and Americans? Are the Chinese horities in very deed willing, are they able to ise instructions, and enforce them, giving full and honest toleration to all Christian preachers and convert Does our Chinese friend seo to what this would lead? All China inland, coastwise, must be open for trade, for travel, for exploration. This most desirable con: summation will surely come; and Missionaries, as pioneers of civilization would indy accept these conditions of peace had they the faintest hope of the reality of the prospect, and of the power of Government to make ood this, at present, imaginative offer.
But I would ask in conclusion, Is there no other remedy? Is it not possible that suspicions as to Missionaries may soon vanish, even as suspicions with reference to plans of conquest and Custom House honesty are now no more? Cannot our intelligent friend, in the Shun-paon or elsewhere, enlighten his countrymen as to the falsehood and foolishness of thos able rumours charging Missi practising magical arts; and casting on those whose daily work it is to go about doing good, the lying suspicion of their political agents, or emissaries of a far darker kind, Very uch may be done And if more definite steps are required, the Chinese Government must meet us at least half-way, the doors of the Empire must be opened' to Christianity, commerce, and civilisation; let tions be removed, let hostility be laid aside, let the provincial officials, and through them the people be enlightened and reassured a+ to foreign civilians and Missionari jet China follow Japan's openheartedness without necessarily imitating her headlong race, and we may yet seo the death of suspicion and dislike, and the revivification of this great Empire, remain, Sir, yours faithfully, X.V.Z.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.