Several schemes adopted by the heathen to protect themselves from the aggressions of the nominal Roman Catholic conv. rts have come under my notice lately. I say nominal," for I feel certain from personal investigation that the Roman Church bears much blame that does not rightly belong to it, save in so fur as the priests have not guarded themse.ves from these fraudulent users of their name. One was opening of a Protestant Church by a group el men who had not the remotest connection with Protestantism. The price of admission was 600 each per head, and the funds were to be used in counteracting in the yamens the power of the Catholics. Whether the founder has embezzled the funds or not I cannot say, but he has suddenly gone over to the enemy and become une of the nominal Catholics himself! A hundred or two men in the neighbourhood would ko to meet him in a quiet place on a dark night, but ho will doubtless take care of his skin.
Another is a genuine one. It is known all round these parts as the "Earthly Lord Hall" incontrastto the Romani-t name, ""Heavenly Lord Hall." The members pay an entrance fey, and the objets are three fold to pro-ent a united front a airist Cuthole aggression, to subscribe money to bribe the runnets, secretaries, ete. in any yamen where a member is prosecuted by a Catholic, and to murder any Os hohe who: anaot be otherwise suppresse Ido not know where the centre of the organisation is, but of its existence I have no doubt, Several reliable Chinese have told me of it. Deni= als ave frequently made on behalf of the ie Church that it does take up doubt-
that the priests do not wilfully dos". But ion, and for my part believe there can be no daub: that scores of men who have never been baptised or recog: nised by the priests ate misusing the name of that body. This league shows that there is something wrong somewhere.
English as She is Writ.
To turn to a lighter topic, two specimens of the effect of the spread of western education deserve to be put on record. I give them exactly as they were written by the Chinese penman. The first is from a photographer to whom some films had been sent:—'Herewith the negatives which has been in developed from my dark room but those negative. is nothings in it, I doubt must be opened befored or the negatives is spoiled. Your truly with complement of- Ss. Will you kindly send money to your coolie come take ar 4th. August with oblige. I do not sell to charge credited." The second comes from a Branch Office of the great I. P. O, and runs:—
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.