THE CHINESE.

BY REV. N. R. JOHNSTON.

In the prosecution of our difficult work, sometimes attended with great discouragements, we meet with many things that greatly encourage us. While in a majority of cases we fail to accomplish our great aim-the conversion and salvation of souls-nearly all who attend our schools or hear the word read or preached must be much benefited, even though they may not accept the gospel. They learn the folly of idol worship. They learn many important Bible truths. They are associated with Christians or those who are strongly inclined to Christianity, and so they must be more or less influenced for good. They see that Christians are better than the irreligious, and are thus influenced in favor of our religion.

When the Chinese first come into the schools, they are full of prejudice against the American religion, and they are fully satisfied with their own. But as they come in contact habitually with Christian teachers, or semi-christian pupils, their prejudices are materially modified. Their attachment to their pagan theories become weakened. Thus they become more and more accessible, and, as it were, more liable to be apprehended by the gospel. But some of them are converted. Every Chinese mission of which I have any knowledge has had some conversions-some, many.

Some of them return home to China either to remain a short time or permanently. Whatever influences for good they may have received, they carry with them to their native land. Some seed must be sown there which will produce its legitimate results. It cannot all be lost. During several months after we opened our mission in its present locality, Lai Fun, a very intellectual and pleasant young man, was a member of my class, and, with the others, often heard from me the truths of the gospel. He was unexpectedly summoned home. He carried with him much knowledge of that gospel. Another, who also read and studied the Bible with me, and to whom I was helpful prior to his public profession of religion and baptism, is now an invalid and expects soon to sail to China, probably in the desire to die at home and be buried among friends. I fear, however, that he will never be able to take a sea voyage. I fear he must die among those who hate his race. But he has a few Christian brothers here. He will not be without friends. And I think he will be supported in the hour of weakness by him whom he has found to be the sinner's friend. Not permitted to return to see his father in China, he will be invited to go to his Father in heaven. Can I count my time lost which I spent in helping him to know the true God and only Redeemer ?

We have the gratitude and the affection of those whom we teach and for whose conversion we labor. Ample would be our reward if there were no more. Whether they understand our doctrines or accept the gospel or not, they see that we are their best friends, and when they get into trouble they come to us for help or for sympathy. Generally their confidence in us seems unbounded. How guilty we should be if we should not be worthy of it, or if we should betray it.

Much has been said of the deceitfulness, the vices and the immoralities of the Chinese. Among some classes of them the greatness of their vices, &c., is undeniable. Some of the Chinese are vastly worse than even their own pagan religion necessarily tends to make them. Though I am persuaded that their guilt before God is not at all to be compared to that of those who, having the law and the gospel, disregard and disobey both. But, while other causes may operate, during all the time since we opened our mission schools we have seen in our scholars, young and old, almost no wrong doing. We have habitually inculcated the moral virtues as well as Christian principles, and we find them truthful, honest, trustworthy and honorable. Daily and nightly they have had opportunity to steal articles of much or of little value. but we have never missed anything whatever. I would trust my purse with any of them; and I could have no better defenders of my lite if it were endangered. In these declarations, however, it is not claimed that the pagan Mongolian is never guilty of theft. Gold, when it can be taken without fear of detection, is too glittering for any eyes before whom there is no fear of God.

We had supposed that the Chinese had little love of music. We were mistaken. In this they are just like other peoples. In reference to this matter, I hope I may speak freely as to our own schools. If those who love the Bible Psalms could be present in these schools, they would see an interesting sight. Nearly all our scholars who have been with us for some time have learned to sing many of the psalms, and in the use of some of the most beautiful tunes. They are wonderful imitators. Some need to hear a tune only a few times to be able to sing 'it with freedom. What emotions arise in the mind when we hear thirty, forty or fifty young men and boys, who not long ago were serving idols, all singing the songs of the Bible! We have tried to teach them that these Bible psalms are not only better than the hymns generally used, but that they are the only inspired songs. And that they may learn the sentiment of the psalms while they are learning to read, my class has read them in order as far as the 119th.

Speaking of reading in order, I am reminded that this same class has read with me the books of Mark, Luke, the Acts, Romans, and some of the smaller epistles. It must not be supposed, however, that they can understand all they read. To explain terms and facts and doctrines is the constant duty of the teacher. This duty, however, is as pleasant as it is difficult. Some of them are very inquisitive.

Probably it is due to our mission to say here, that it is conducted in some respects very differently from others, especially in the night schools. In all the others, as far as I know, their evening schools are conducted much as are the public secular schools, that is, without religious exercises or Scripture reading. In ours we open every session with the reading of a portion of the Bible, in English or in Chinese, followed by prayer and often by singing a psalm or some verses, and, unless there be some very peculiar reason, we always close by singing. In this way our scholars have become familiar with so many psalms and tunes. In our Sabbath-day meetings considerable interest is manifested

in some of the special exercises. We encourage the pupils in memorizing verses and portions of Scripture, and, in the standing position, reciting them before the school. Sometimes long paragraphs are repeated.

Some time ago we promised Bibles to all who would memorize and recite, verbatim, before the school, the ten commandments in English. Thus far we have given fifteen or twenty copies.

We have been greatly favored recently by several visits from Rev. J. C. Nevin, United Presbyterian returned missionary from China. At the last meeting of their Assembly the Board of Missions was directed to transfer the mission from Canton to San Francisco, or some place on this coast. It is only just, however, to say that the action of the Assembly was and still is much disapproved of by Mr. Nevin. He thinks they erred greatly in judgment when they required him to abandon a foreign field which he had occupied eighteen years. But he was obliged to submit to the decision of his church. Accordingly, having disposed of the mission property in Canton, he came, with his family, to San Francisco some time in December. After examination of the field, and after much hesitation, he finally decided to locate the new mission in the city of Los Angeles. He was led to this decision by the fact that the Presbyterian mission, which had been founded there under the superintendence of Rev. I. M. Condit, was offered to the U. P. Board for the occupancy of Rev. Mr. Nevin, provided that this Board would purchase the property, which is quite valuable. The mission, though young, has been in good running order, and there is no other in that city. The field is promising. Whether the U. P. church has done right in this transfer of their Chinese mission and of their missionary, I do not know. I had approved of the action up until my first interview with him; but when I found him so opposed to it, and so unreconciled, too, I presumed he must have reasons that I did not know. After frequent interviews with him on the subject, I now think that the United Presbyterian church should have retained him in Canton, and should have inaugurated a new Chinese mission in San Francisco.

Mr. Nevin is not only a most excellent man, but he is a most devoted missionary and a very fine Chinese scholar. While he tarried in San Francisco, at our invitation he visited our mission three different times and addressed the Chinese in their own language. As he speaks the Cantonese dialect, and as most of our scholars are from Canton, or from the district of which it is the commercial centre, they heard him with great delight. Some of the best Chinese scholars who heard him told us that he speaks their language the best of any English speaking missionary they have heard in California. I hope his labors in Los Angeles will be attended with great success.

I must write with reference to the intense and long continued excitement here on the Chinese question as connected with the labor question. The agitation has had and still has some, probably very much, influence upon our work. Indeed, it is a wonder that the missions have not all been broken up, so intense has been the opposition to the Mongolians. The labor question, which has largely occupied

the minds of the people, especially of these cities and of the public works, has one peculiar and almost only phase here. The soul of the workingmen's party in San Francisco is hatred to the Chinese, or a determination to get rid of them as working rivals. I say working rivals, for there is not much opposition to those of them who are merchants or traders, though the whole race seems to be hated. This hatred is carried so far that not only are the Chinese exposed to danger or violence, but all who employ them, or trade with them, or befriend them, even as missionaries or teachers, are liable to enmity and abuse and violence.

The workingmen of San Francisco have been holding public meetiugs on the streets or commons, or secret meetings in halls, nightly, and mass meetings on Sabbath days for two or three months. The most terrible language, threatening the burning of the Chinese quarters, or the hanging of the Chinamen and of their employers, especially wealthy men, has been used by the agitators. Though several of the most incendiary speakers were arrested, in no case was there any conviction. The jurors were evidently afraid or unwilling to convict. The agitation still goes on, though more of the meetings are secret. The agitators are known to be organizing a military company, though for what purpose is not certain.

During these months of excitement the Chinese have been in more or less fear. Though a peaceable people, it is said that many of them go armed, and in Chinatown a large special police force is employed by the Chinese. The Methodist mission, which is in that part of the city, has been strongly guarded all night for months. Dr. Gibson himself takes his turn with his son and a number of christian Chinese in American dress in watching and protecting the mission premises against the incendiary's match. This armed guard is necessary to prevent the execution of threats to burn the house and kill the missionary and his family.

I said above that the soul of the workingmen's movement here is in opposition to the Chinese. As evidence, only two facts among many need be mentioned. In a conversation the other day with one of the leaders of the party, and who has just written a pamphlet with the title, "The Labor Agitation; or, The Battle for Bread," he frankly told me, (whom he did not know to be a missionary among the Chinese,) in reply to my question, that their ultimate aim is to drive out the Chinese even though it must be by burning and by bullets. Another fact: The first delegated convention, when the new party was organized and when its platform was issued, unanimously adopted the following oath to be administered to every new member joining the organization, viz. :

"I, of my own free will, do solemnly swear and pledge my honor before my fellow-workingmen and all the world, that I will always oppose, by all lawful methods, the introduction and maintenance of coolie labor in the United States of America; that I will not directly or indirectly patronize, buy from or sell to any Chinaman; that I will not directly or indirectly employ or patronize, buy from or sell to any person who employs Chinamen, or defends

their presence in America. Furthermore, I will not vote for any person for any office or position, either social or political, who, after the first day of May, A. D. 1878, employs or patronizes Chinamen. Full determination to observe and perform it under the penalty of my being an object of scorn to every honorable man should I ever violate in letter or in spirit."

Notwithstanding all this agitation, our mission has not been seriously interrupted for a long time. During the riots and burning last autumn, following the advice of the special policeman, who was our friend, and following the example of the other missions, we closed our night school for a short time. But for several months since we have been wholly unmolested. We have been free even from those petty. annoyances to which we were subjected at first. Our neighbors, many of whom were opposed to our locating the mission among them, seem to have ascertained not only that we are peaceable folks, but that we know our rights and intend, if possible, to exercise them. I hope that we do not forget that the real cause of our freedom from the violence of the enemy is the protecting care of our Divine Master. To him be all the praise.

Our daughters, who have now had so much experience that I think they have become not only good teachers, but also pretty good missionaries, are greatly encouraged in their work. Their classes are composed mostly of boys-boys in knowledge at least. They teach them in class-rooms off the mission hall. Their scholars are generally very regular in attendance-a rare thing among Chinese pupils and are making steady progress. Some of them who at first objected to the use of the New Testament as a text book, are now willingly, and some of them gladly, learning to read it Most of them memorize and recite verses from it, and some of them have earned the promised Bible. Mrs. Johnston's department is much more promiscuous. Those who attend irregularly, or who cannot be put into the other classes, fall under her supervision. The work is burdensome, yet it has its rewards. Some to whom she taught the first rudiments of our language, are now giving indubitable evidence that they are closely studying the rudiments of the Christian religion.

In this department several helps have been needed. For a long time teachers could not be had except for wages. And then they were not such as we wished. The best we found was a young man-an American-born son of a Chinese mother, and who, through the efforts of Rev. Otis Gibson and his allies in the Methodist mission, was converted to Christianity several years ago. He speaks the Chinese language in the colloquial style very fluently, but he is a poor scholar and his knowledge is very limited. Had his theology been sound, his knowledge accurate, and his scholarship sufficient, we would have been glad to have retained him as an aid and interpreter. As it was, we employed him only one month.

In this connection I owe it to them as well as to the church to say that we are much indebted to Mr. John Rice, formerly of Elliota, Minn., and to some members of his family, for assistance given us in teaching in the lay room. During several months their help has lightened the burden.