As very many are interested in. this Institution itis thought that some avaunt of it from within should be given to the public.
1.—The first idea of this arose from the settlement of the Protestant troubles after the terrible massacres of 1900, when about 200 missionaries and 6,00) native converts, Romwn Catholic and Protestant, perished. Instead of Shylock-like exacting the pound of fi sh, demanding life for lifeer a large money indemnity, some of the Protestant Missions thought it best to remove ignorance, one of the chief causes of the massacres, by asking the Chines" Govern: ment to devote Ts. 50,000 (about, £6,000) annually tu establish a college of Western learning in Taiyuenfu, the capital of the ce. Th+ Chinese Plenipotentiaries sodily agree to this in June 1901. Tue ides seemed to the cour, then in refuge in Haianfu, 8 reasonable and advantageous that within two months "n edict was issued that a University for the teaching of Western learning s would be established each of the 18 prov nees. Yuun Shih-kai, now the energetic and progressive Viceroy of Chilli, ab once opened a University for Western learning in Shantung and this year another in Chibli Ube autumn of Jast year agreement was entered into with the governor of Shans! whereby I. should we the s-ly control of the sum of Tls. 50,000 anoua'ly for ten years. Then was that T invited six professors from Ewope and America to teach in it and translate for it, with the Rev, Moir Dunea, M.A., as principal. On il Sed we started for Shansi with some of these and six native professors of Western learning. Meanwhile the Governor of Shansi had len told by izn rant. and prejudiced men that our Institution was only to be a proselytizing one to destroy Confucianism and to force the students of Sh"nsi to become Christians, give up their most sacred customs of C.ina and learn the evil ways of the West. therefore was people: him to open up a rival one on Confucian basis.
Tt took forty days of conference to remove this suspicion, At the very first interview with the Governor we strongly deprecated having two rival Institutions, as it would be great waste of money and it would also perpetuate the strife which our new Institution was intended toend. Why not rather amalgamate the two under one general name of Shansi University, and let one devote itself entirely to the study of Chinese learning (for Chi nese education is rather backward in Shansi), and the other devote itself entirely to Western learning This the enlightened Taotai, Shen Tun-ho, at once supported, suggesting a name for each which was subsequently adopted. The Governor seemed inclined' to the same view also, provided he would have a share in the control. This was arranged afterwards to the entire satisfaction of both parties.
3—The next point of interest is a radical departure in the course of study. It has been the rule almost universally in China to have half the day devoted to Chinese studies and the other half to Western studies. But I pointed out to the Governor that the times were serious and China again Tf they did not t prepare men quickly might have trouble with foreigners soon
they were exposing themselves to great perils. I therefore proj that none should be admitted to the Western Department who had not the Suitsai (Chinese B.A.) degree and had finished their course in Chinese learning. In this way at the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.