Tae position of Union Chapel, as set _forth'in the recently published reports, appears to be satisfactory - upon the whole. There can be no doubt that the church has acted wisely in arranging to extend the "call" of the Rev. A. J; Bumford for a farther period of two or three years. Since Mr. Bamford commenced his ministrations among us the congregation has increased conferably in numbers and regularity of attendance, and the spirit of energy which characterises the pastor in every department of church work has bad its due effect upon the members, The numbers attending the Sunday-school, too, have more than doubled, and this is partially at any rate due to the fact that the school has been removed from the chapel itself to a more central position, Tudeed it appears to us that the exceedingly unsuitable situation of the present building has always exercised a prejudicial effect upon the fortunes of the church, and it is to be hoped that the Committee appointed to select and purchase a site fur the new structure will be able to act with promptitude as well us prudence, At present there are apparently only two sites to choose from; one on the south bank of the Soochow Creek, and one on the foreshore in front of the residence of Mr.
Grant. (The various merits of these two plots were freely discussed at the meeting on Thursuay, and the decision was eventually left to the Committee appointed for that purpose. One feeling appeared to be very strongly cherished by those present—a decided preference for the English Settlement over the Hongkew side. No doubt the bridge la a grant objection, especially in wet or slippery weather, And it would be wise to give the fullest consideration to the uncertain condition of the ques. tions affecting the bunding operations now in progress on the northern side of the Soochow Creek, But there should not be any other very grave objections to Hongkew. It appears to us most likely that a the Settlement extends it will grow in a northerly direc. tion, and that the tendency will tually be to join Shanghai and Woosung. Already the road from Broadway to the Camp is becoming lined with houses. Villas, manufactories, and "works" will increase and multiply with time, and the undeniable Lealthmess of the Yangtsze-poo road will be generally taken advantage of by those who cun live out of town, We believe that in twenty yenrs the Soo. chow Creek Bridge will be to all intents and purposes the central point of Shanghai, and the probability of this should be taken into account in all projects of a public natare. If, then, the new Union Chapel were built upon the site here offered, it would occupy ® position which even uow is fairly central, and in any case infinitely better than the present one—indeed, none could well be worse; it would make a, fine Sgure from the river, and the building could be opened pretty nearly free from debt. Whichever way the question is settled, however, we certainly echo Mr. Muirhead's plea for promptitude, The congregation are at present nothing more than tenants-at-will, indebted to the forbearance of the London Missionary Society, and most terribly in the way, Their chapel was intended for Chinese services, and is urgently required for that purpose. We think the congregation have almost as much reason to get out of it with-all speed as the London Missionary Society has to wish they were elsewhere, and it is to be hoped that they will nob intrude upon the Society's premises a month longer thea can reasonably be avoided.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.