The devotional meeting was led by Mr. L. D. Wishard.
The Conference was called to order by Rey. D. Hill, Chairman.
The following resolution was moved by Mr. Hykes:—Rosolved: That all Committees be instructed to select one of their number to present and enforce their report, for which purpose ten minutes shall allowed. The report shall then be open for general discussion of the Conference with the understanding that the members of the Committee in question reserve their remarks until the close of the discussion.
The resolution was lost.
The following resolution was then mov.—In ww of the shortness of the time remaining to the Conference, and the number of questions yet to be considered, Resolved,—hat as the essays yet unpre~ sented are already printed and before the Conference, such remaining papers be not but be referred to Committees for sideration, the authors of the papers being members of such Committees, and that general discussion of all these subjects he delayed until after hearing the reports of the Committees. The resolution was to allow the authors of the essays five minutes, and the amendment was carried, It was then voted that the two leading speakers on the essays be limited to five minutes.
The following resolution was proposed and lost:—That the Report of the Committee on a memorial to the Emperor of China, be recommitted to the committee, and that this committee into consideration Mr. Richard's ps yesterday. The report of the com the memorial to the Emperor of then taken up and debated with great animation for about an hour by Rev. Dr. Happer, Rev. Y. K. Yen, Rev. D. W. Herring, Rev. Ino. W. Davis, D. D., Dr. Win. Ashmore, Rev. Win, Muirhead, Rev. KR. T. Bryan, Rev. L. W. Pilcher, D. D., Rev. F. Harmon, Rev. J. A. Silsby, Rev. 'T. W. Stevenson, Rev. J. Hudson Taylor, Rev. Chas. Hartwell, Rev. C. Leaman, Rev. H. C. Clu Bose, Rev. E. P. Thwing, Dr. J.. $. I. Woodbridge, Rev. d Rey. C. W. Mateer, D.D. It was understood that the substance of these debates should nct be reported.
It was moved to lay the report on the table to be taken up at the pleasure of the Conference. The motion after a showing of hands. was declared carried, and the report was luid on the table.
e Chairman said that yesterday's papers were now to be taken up, but as there were objections to this, it was put to vote by a show of hands and was declared the will of the house to take up these topics. It was moved to refer the paper of Mr.-Goodrich on the service of song to a committee of twelve.
Mr. Goodrich did not see that this was necessary, and no such reference was pres sed.
The Chairman announced that any Tok speakers could claim the floor, after the two who are allowed ten minutes each had spoken.
Rev. Gilbert Reid said that the question that was brought up by Mr. Richard in his paper yesterday, although apparently not important, would be before they meet again, one of the most vital of issues. Mr. Richard's paper was a thorough review of the situation; there was much misunderstanding of their work on the part of the high officials of China and he referred to his experience in Peking two years ago.
Ho met there some of the high offi cials, The topic of conversation was Christianity and Missions. They all said that within the Christian Church there are bad men. They know nothing to the contrary. They know only about the complaints coming through the foreign ministers. He replied to them that the previous year the missionaries had excommunicated more than they had received, in order to keep the church pure. There were toleration clauses in the treaties and in the edicts. Still there was large amount of intolerance toward their religion. How shall they meet misunderstanding and intolerance? They should all together do their best so to train the native converts that whenever they come before theofticials, they should meet with approbation, while holding to the truth.
hen they must give all tolerance and support to the men who feel called upon to move this intolerance and misunderstand ing. The plan has been to present the business through foreign Ministers and they should insist that they had have the right to do so. In the interior it is now a fact that the niissionaries deal with the officials and not with the ministers, Some of the latter will not receive missionary memorials, There is @ radical difference between the imperial and the provincial authorities.
Faber said that while the Chinese Government is based upon is only the external expression of the internal power of will." The law of the enforced will of those in China it is the will of an absolute Emperor in theory at least. As with other ancient nations Chinese law does not distinguish between civil, neral, and religious law. Religion in China is determined by law, not only as to the deities to be worshipped, but also the mode, time and place of worshipping; the established religion of China is Confu-clanism; Buddhism, Taoism and other 18 are merely tolerated. Confuften represented as no religion at all.
Religion, however, pervades every movement of offic lite in Ohina; a glance at the P Gazette will convince the most sceptical of the truth of this statement. We find there mentioned not only worship of ancestors, of Confucius, of innumerable deified worthies, but also of the duality of heaven and earth, of sun and moon, the stars, wind, clouds, rain, thunder, the ocean, mountains, rivers, the four regions, the four seasons, the year, mouths and days. Astrology, selection of lucky and unlucky days, omens, charms, exorcism and other superstitutions are sanctioned by imperial authority. Followers of the Christian religion cannot submit to such Lams. They are of necessity transgrestors of law which is based upon idolatry and superstition. There is no compromise possible. Chri where been regarded as irre io they refused to conform to the established religion of the state they were subject to. They were punishable by law because non-conformity was legally crime. The only possible remedy in China, as everywhere else, is, that Christians prove they are not lawless individuals, but are in concord with divine law. As subject to divine law Christians hare a right to claim toleration. We have however, to keep in mind the difficulties to the Chinese Government.
jeration means the grant of privileges. Christians become liberated from the force of existing law to a certain extent and exempt, so far, from all the corresponding had, duties and obligations. Christians form a society within Chinese society. The Chinese government has al been foreed to give up its idea of being the absolute state of the world. It hus to acknowledge foreign powers on terms of equality. By the extarsioriality clause it has to submit to the presence of foreign law within the sphere of its own jurisdiction, By granting permission, in the treaties, for Chinese subjects to become Chris: tians and practise the Christian religion in China, imperial sanction is already given to exempt Christians from Chinese Inw as far as Chinese law is in contradic. tion to divine lar But Chinese law does not. recognise individuals as unite to the State, but families, clans, village communities, and other corporations, seems of great importance that Christian Churches should aim at recognition Chinese law. Every Christian Church should be placed legally on the same level as village communities. The elders and pastors of the church should hold a analogous to that of elders of villages, or of clans, with all the privileges and dut this class of Chinese subjects. This would be possible according to Chinese law and would remove almost all existing dificult tis Faber then proposed the following resulution—That a Committee of fifteen be uppuinted to consider the Relations of Christian Missions to the Chinese Government, and to report to the Conference. This was passed.
Dr. Wherry said that it is quite possible to erate the opposition of the Chinese officials' to Christianity. There is much tolerance, more perhaps than they had a reason to expect. In Peking at least, right of Christians to exercise their rights of conscience is largely respected. He hud in mind a member of his church in that city who is the private steward of the president of the Tsung-li Yamen, who is not only not molested as a Christian, but on account of greater diligence in business since he has become one, has been put' in the line of promotion.
Mr. Watson spoke of the trouble which comes because Christians are not allowed to enter their names on the clan register. The Conference says that the Gospel cannot win its way without external power. They give up the whole question if it can vot; their work is a failure.
Mr. Woodbridge thought that it would be best to let the matter alone.
Mr. Richard said that there g improvement in the relation of the Christians to the government as compared with twenty years ago. But the condition might have been far better. They were excluded from some provinces and from many cities, They had just heard of a fresh series of isi unau, reaching tu Ichang and to they should expect his is contrary stores, having nothing is done, it looks as if they could not answer them. This will put many in position of the utmost peril. The toleration of any religion can never be got without an understanding with the State. At present this is unsatisfactory. They should have a better understanding, but should take care lest they put back the work for many years to come.
Dr. Faber's proposal for a committee of fifteen was seconded and on motion was P'Tt was voted to discuss the paper of Dr, Graves in the p.m. on Wednesday, and the morning time was extended to 12.20, Notice was given that Rev. Gilbert Reid has prepared a pamphlet on the purchase Of Chintae property, which will be given to those desiring it.
Dr. Corbett spoke of the remarks of Mr. 'Yen yesterday, and thought that Mr. Yen his' people an injustice. Dr.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.