Dean Mx.—, Your letter asking for information regarding the present position of the Term Question in China came duly to hand some time age, but to answer it properly involved a good deal of correspondence, so we are only now able to furnish you with the result of our inquiry.
Tu Corea, you say, Shang Ti has been used exclusively, but now,—danger of plunging headlong i Term Controversy. We may a ordered to adopt Shin. Dr,——is uy the use of the Reman Cathe Chu, and his influence may eventually weigh much ina field 99 largely occupied by Presbyterians. Can you tell me. how the matter stands in China? Is the work of the several Committees appointed by the late Conference likely to produce " change in the status of the question?"
will be an infinite pity if a diversity of terns should be deliberately introduced into your field, and if the' missionaries Uhere should be Jed into "Term Quest controversy, such as once raged in China, As you are nw doubt aware, the only con: clusion arrived at here, after years of debate, was n general understanding to drop the subject, and allow the question to settle itself, "This understanding has been pretty generally observed by the missionary" body since the Conference of 1877. Most probably it would come to the samy thing in the long run in Corea, so it will be much better—pardon the bull—to drop the question before it is taken ler this general agreement, as you 1 sev, the Term Question is now much ore nearly settled than most people me; nnd that too in spite ut the advocates of the minority terms pushing their favourites whenever opportunity, Of this, one notable instance was se of the Roman Catholic term Zien the memorial appointed by the last Conference to be prepared for presentation to the Emperor, in the name of the Protestant missional ies of China he Committees on versions, ete., appointed by Conference, have not altered the status of the question in xny way for the better. Indeed, if they carry out their instructions they will alter it) very much for the worse. Certain Bible and Tract Societies have hitherto confined themselves ty the use of but one set of terms; but, with regard to new versions, Conference directed that all Sucieties must issue them with (all) such terms as may be called fur." Previvusly, only the terms for God and Spirit were regarded xe open questions; to thees Conference added an-cother—baptism, The absurdity of promul ting union -by the multiplication of differ. ences has not gone unchallenged, and it may happen that the members of the Committees will prove to be wiser than those who appointed them; but such is the status of the question as far as they are instructed at present.
There seem to be but two ways in which the position of the term question can be ascertained. First, an attempt might be made to find out by what percentage of the missionary body each of the various terms is used. This, however, would prove a very difficult undertaking, and the result of it somewhat unsatisfactory from: the number of returns which would fail to come. rohand, Next, and a comparatively easy matter, particulars might be obtained of li the Christian books in Chinese required fur the use of Protestant missionaries duns a year, and the percentage of books in each of the various terms figured out.
"This task we have just accomplished. Enquiry was made of all publishora of
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.