[counestearen.]
Certain movements have been taking place among the Protestant missionaries the Christian converts which are worthy of being chronicled as they are signs of the times.
Definite efforts towards united work commenced more than a yeat ago, and since then circumstances have been leading up to still wider and deeper harmony. The movement first took practical shape in the form of a united meeting, at the new year of 1889, to give and receive reports" of each other's work, which was followed up at the end of April with @ sermon by the Rev. Win. Muirhead and the communion of the Lord's Supper, at which missionaries of nearly all denominations sat down, and, together partook of the sacred emblems. After this there was a public meeting in the Philharmonic Hall which was addressed by representatives of the different missionary societies.
The meeting to give and receive reports" was repeated this new year, when it was suggested that all the converts should be invited to a social meeting. At first it was only contemplated that this "social" should be for the men; but the Christian women put ina plea, which was only too gladly responded to; and so it was arrau, ed to have two social meetings with reftes! ments, one for the men and one for the women, The entertainment for the women was held on Thursday afternoon in the commodious Chapel of the American Episcopal South Mission, (the Rev. C. F. Reid's); and it was presided over by Haygood of that Mission, who was most efficiently assisted by Mrs. Y. J. Allen, Mrs. Farnham, and many other foreign ladies, who acted as hosts, Fully two hundred native Christian women assembled and together spent a very delightful season, The meeting for the men took place on Friday evening when Dr. Williamson presided, The Rev. Y. K. Yen, a native pastor, opened the meeting by prayer and address were delivered by the Rev, Win. Muirhead, the Rev. G. Fitch, and the Ven, Archdeacon Moule. There was also a jic lantern exhibition. Cakes, confections, and tea were largely distributed and the meeting was enlivened by suitable hymns in which the audience joined with marked intelligence and heartiness. The chapel was quite full; members from all the churches were there; and we were much pleased to observe the respectability of the converts, well dressed and bright; but what struck us most was the marked thoughtfulness, intelligence and evident brain power of many of the native pastors and preachers.
These meetings were entirely independent of the Evangelical alliance union meetings which were also held both by foreigners and natives.
We hail all such movements, A great deal depends on the progress of Christianity in China, not only the elevation of the moral and religious condition of the people, but also advancement in every possible respect:—social, commercial, political, scientific, literary, artistic, &, And such meetings demonstrate that a new "force" has already entered China which will not abate till it has penetrated and changed the whole, In early times, before the country opened, almost! every missionary society located itself in Shanghai; and who many went inland—after this was possible—still their headquarters remained here. Hence the number and variety of denominations working at this city which has been repeatedly remarked upon. We always felt confident that the high Christian principle and character of our respected resident missionaries would triumph sooner or later, and set matters right. So it has and we now hope that other ports will follow the example, and that the whole missionary body will speedily organise itself, conserve, and fully utilise those unapproachable powers for good which it possesses.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.