The opening devotional services of this Conference were conducted by the Rev. J. H. Pyke by reading a few verses from John 15, followed by a few remarks and a season of prayer. The Conference was then organised by the choice of the Rev, BH. H. Lowry as Chairman and the Rev. H. D. Porter as Vice-Chairman, and as Secretaries the Rev. Mr. Mitchell and Dr.
The first business was to hear brief reports from the various missions represented.
The Rev. H. D. Porter reported for the American Board. The oldest mission in this North Qhina field, its first missionary reached Tientsin in August, 1860. It now has seven stations, reaching in its work from the Yellow River to Kalgan on the borders of Mongolia. Its seven native pastors are not supported by funds from the Society. In educational as well evangelistic work, it is pressing the principle of self-support, and by forming local associations, training the churches f-government. Its work ix encourage and the outlook hopeful.
Mr. Whiting reported for the American Presbyterian Mission. They occupy two stations, Peking and Paotingfu. They open a new station in the jection of the province as soon funds will permit. They require that all pupils in their schools shall something towards the expenses, and other ways are pushing the principle self-support. The coup d'état had interfered with their work not a little, but change of feeling was manifest of lite, and there were visible many signs of eucouragement.
Mr. Mills said the China Inland Mission had altogether in China 805 workers, over 100 of whom were not dependent on the mission for their support. This mission has no work at Tientsin other than a forwarding agency, and Mr. Mills has only been north about three months, and so could not speak of the work in the North. It was not as sometimes said, an un. domoninational, but an inter-denominational society.
The Canadian Presbyterian Mission was represented by Dr. C. Leslie. It was in 1888 that this mission appeared in China. It occupied three stations, one of which is a fu city, and work: three counties in Honan." They had great difficulty settling in one of their stations, being mobbed and losing everything—no-one being injured fortunately—but now are on the best of terms with those who constituted the mob. They now require that the members of winter classes shall provide their own food, and are pleased with the result so far, as are the native Christians. Wherever their work has shown indications of growth, the Romanists, he said, have given them much trouble by seeking, with money and other inducements, to draw away their converts. Their force has been much depleted by sickness which required withdrawal from the work, but they now hare 21 workers, and are beginning to see substantial results of their work in a better feeling among the lo, and @ company of about 100 earnest Christians, Mr. Forsyth spoke for the English Baptist Mission. In Shantung they occupy two stations—Chingchou and Choping, but their work is in 18 counties. 'They hope to open another station soon. They have over 4,000 church members, and require from 12 to 18 months' probation and a definite amount of knowledge before entering the church. They have a Training Institute, A quite extensive Museum attracts hundreds of visitors annually, all truth, and so it becomes a means of good. Very' few of their preachers draw foreign pay; they are elders and deacons in the church and give such time as they can to church work, Station classes provide their own food. All pupils pay something to the expenses of the school. Last year 23,000 patients received hospital or dis-pen sary assistance. Their mission in Shansi is meeting with mach encouragement, but it is a very hard field to work. Poverty and famine compelled a number of their Shantung people to emigrate to Shensi a few years ago. They established a village of their own—Gospel Village—and their influence is extending among others. The situation is trying, but not without hope.
Mr. Rees represented the London Mi sion. They have seven centres of work. 'A Very great part of their native work is voluntary, which is the best kind of ice. There are many encouraging in-especially in the country. Last year in the Chiho district "The Boxing Society" caused a good deal of trouble; they were going to clear out the foreigners. Their station in Siaochang, Chiho, was threatened with attack. For three days a large number of native Christians came and camped in the village and said that they would all have to be killed before the Boxers" could get at the missionaries, and the villagers, joined by those of one or more near villages, told them to ring a bell if they were attacked and they would turn out to their assistance. A testimony of the heathen to the value of the gospel and good lives among them. Their chapels in out-stations where foreigners do not reside are provided by the native Christians, Mr. Pyke, for the Methodist Episcopal Mission, said he had no statistics at hand, The mission occupies four stati one, Taian, in Shantung. They entered North China in 1869. Their depleted force is inadequate to the demands of the work. They have over 4,000 members, and over 9,000 probationers. In some parts of the field they have had the same trouble from the Romanists complained of by the O. P. Mission—a difficulty which meets not these two missions alone. It is general and increasing over the entire field: so much that one could say, I believe, our greatest enemy and hindrance are they.
Speaking for the New Connection Me-thadist, Mr. Candlin said they were a small body and needed sympathy und prayers. The mission had been fighting for ity at home. Too much had been attempted by so small s Church; funds had been borrowed and a debt incurred, and the impression had got abroad that they could only spend money, the result being that interest in their China work had greatly fallen off. Their force was greatly depleted, well down towards the vanishing point but now the tide had begun to turn and they were looking for returning and now missionaries in the near future. They hada Training Institute at Tientsin, There were indications of growth and expansion, Their membership numbered about 2,600:
'Mr. Houlding spoke fora new mission, the South Chihli Mission. It is only three years' old, begun with two members; has five now. He had hoped to come out under the American Board, but lack of funds prevented, and the call was borne in upon himself and wife so strongly that they came, not knowing where they would go, and with no expectation as to others. He was providentially led to the southern projection of Chihli—Kuangping and Taming fectures, where no others are working.
fe was not fully into the work yet, but in touring there had seen some very hopeful indications of a work to be done.
The first session closed with the readin; of a short communication from Mrs, T. Richard, who was not able to be present, setting forth the work, the opportunities, and the influence already gained by the of whom hear more or less of Christian Society which Mr, Richard represents, and
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.