Tamsui, usually so dull, rainy, misery. ble, and unhealthy—so say dwellers at the model and other mainland settlements,—was in a state of excitement on the evening of the 26th, consequent on proceedings connected with the opening of a large educational establishment for Chinese youths, recently completed by, the Rev, E. Li, Canadian Presbyterian ion, and named Oxford College; not after the famous English University, but after Oxford country in North America, where most of the subscribers to the Building Fund reside. During the day the new buildings were gaily decorated with and the invitation to be present at the opening ceremony, being a general one, was availed of by the Haikuan and Deputy Haikuan, nearly all the members of the European community, the captain and officers of Messrs. Douglas, Lapraik Co.'s steamer Fokien which happened to be in por and by, assemblage of natives converts of Mr. Mackay's, Half past eight in the evening was the hour fixed for the gathering, and as there was @ bright moon shining, and a fresh cool breeze blowing, the proceedings were rendered the more agreeable to all present, H.B.M, Consul, Mr. Frater, having been voted into the chair, commenced by proposing that Mr. Mackay firat offer up Rotailed the circumstances under which the ayer, as usual on auch occasions, and then Golleyo had been subscribed for and built. Me. Mackay then explain! both in English and Chinese, that when lecturing on is native place last year, his 80 appreciative of his remarks regarding mission work, and so anxious to assist him in extending. his operations, that they then and there offered to' defray the expense of building a Training College if he considered that such an establishment would be of use in connection with rally he accepted the generous offer, and the building in which all were now congrogated was the result. He proposed Adopting a general course of education rather than a religious training only for the coming students, his remarks in this respect being received with considerable uso bythe European portion of the officials, and his fellow-countrymen of whom were as old Formosa residents as himself, for their presence and countenance on the' occasion. The Deputy Haikus now presented a scroll, on which numa: texts by celebrated Chinese scholars were set forth extolling the advantage of study and education, and at the same time he expressed his appreciation of the efforts made by Mr. Mackay for the general benefit of his countrymen. After this, Mr. Frater addressed the meeting, bearing testimony to Mr. Mackay eri zeal as a missionary, and wishing him all success; at the same time coupling his remarks with a desire that Mr. Mackay would see the wisdom of taking more care of his health, and not, by exposure during Up-country excursions, run the risk of contracting further attacks of fever and malaria. These remarks wore cordially endorsed by Mr. Hobson, the Commissioner of Customs, who in the course of a short speech asserted that only those who had travelled in the interior of the island were in a position to judge how thoroughly Mr. Mackay had ingratiated himself with the natives,—converts apart.
During the proceedings the Hundredth Psalm was sung,—rather fobly in Enslish,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.