CHINA.

DEATH OF A NATIVE CHRISTIAN.

ANOTHER addition has been made to the first-fruits of the harvest in China, in the person of the interesting convert whose death forms the subject of the following article. A very brief period has elapsed since he was known as a worshipper of idols, but his name was written in heaven-he heard the truth and his heart was opened to receive it; and, having shone brightly for a little season in the graces of his new nature, he departed from this world to join the church of the first-born. Not more than three years ago, he commenced a course of regular attendance on the means of christian instruction in our Mission-Chapel at Amoy. He entered the place of worship as a stranger, weary of idolatry and yearning for a better hope, and soon attracted attention by his serious and devout demeanour. In the sacrifice of Christ and the promises of the Gospel, he found that peace which he had elsewhere sought in vain; and, having proved, to the satisfaction of our brethren, the reality of his faith, he was baptized and received into fellowship with the Church on Lord's day, March 5, 1848. The circumstances of his death and interment have been communicated, as follows, in a joint-letter from Mr. Young and Mr. Hyslop, dated in the month of June last :

The younger Chinese Members of the Church, Peng-an and Tan-tai, continue to present in their lives satisfactory evidence of the genuineness of their faith in Christ, and of the fervour of their zeal in seeking the extension of his kingdom in this their native land. But we have been called to mourn the removal from us, by death, of our esteemed Christian brother, Go-to. He is now no more to be seen among Christ's faithful toiling pilgrims below, but we have the fullest confidence that he has entered into his Saviour's rest above-that, from this far eastern land, he has been called to "sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven." Go-to departed this life on the 26th of December, 1848. On the preceding day he had been out as usual fulfilling his loved duties as a Distributor of Tracts among his countrymen, and had called on us, stating the kind reception he had almost every where met with; the ready ear which had been given to his exhortations; and the eagerness evinced by many families to receive from him religious tracts. He then mentioned the joy he felt in seeing that Tan-tai continued to endure "as a good soldier of Jesus Christ," and the various sorts of persecution to which he had been subjected; observing that these trials had only rendered him the more confirmed in the faith, and devoted to the service of the Lord Jesus.

On the afternoon of that day, December 25th, Go-to was also with us in the chapel, and there he again gave his testimony before the congregation that the Gospel of Christ is unspeakably valuable and divinely excellent. It was while standing, during the closing prayer, that he was seized with a paralytic fit, which, in a few hours, proved fatal. As the doctor considered it unadvisable to remove him, he remained in the chapel until he expired on the following morning. Though unable to speak a word after the disease attacked him, his consciousness so far returned that he was able, by signs, to express to us and to his sons, as we watched beside his couch, that his mind was in perfect peace, stayed on the Lord.

Though the call came to him suddenly, he appeared completely prepared to meet it. Only a few days before, while speaking to him on the subject of Christian experience, and remarking how unexpectedly the beloved Missionary, Mr. Lloyd, had reached the end of his course, we asked him, How he thought he should feel were the Lord suddenly to call him out of the world? He said, "I think I would not feel at all afraid-I should feel it to be only joyful."* He had been latterly making rapid progress in the divine life; his heart seemed to glow with increasing love to Christ; and most fervently did he desire that all his countrymen might know and love him too,

The arrangements made for the funeral by Peng-an and his brother Wan-bwan, with the passive concurrence of their mother, were entirely in harmony with the Christian profession of our deceased friend. The mourning-dresses, the coffin, the manner in which it was borne to the burying-ground, and every other circumstance, were all thoroughly Chinese, only with the exclusion of every thing connected with idolatrous rites and observances. Knowing what would have been most agreeable to his father, had he been able to express his wishes on the subject of his funeral, Peng-an greatly desired that his remains might be laid near those of the deceased members of the Mission on the island of Ko-long-su; and, after encountering considerable difficulty, a place for a grave was secured near theirs for Go-to.

At the time appointed in the afternoon, the body of our deceased Christian Brother was properly laid out and placed in the coffin; his widow, his two sons, and his younger daughter, being all present in the chapel. Mr. Young then addressed the company of Chinese, who came crowding in, from 1 Thessalonians iv. 13 (page 601). Prayer having been offered up, the corpse was borne along the various streets leading to the water-side; all the Missionary brethren and a great many Chinese friends joining in the procession. Arrived at the seabeach, we took boats and crossed over to Ko-long-su, where the procession continued till we reached the opened grave. There Mr. A. Stronach addressed the company, in Chinese, on the grand truth revealed in 1 Corinthians xv; and concluded the solemn service with prayer. Go-to's two sons have since erected a tombstone over the grave. The tomb is built after the Chinese fashion; but the deeply-cut inscription on the tablet distinctly states that the deceased was a disciple of Jesus, and the date of his departure is reckoned, not only according to the Chinese mode, but also as "the year of our Lord 1848." But, though our beloved Go-to has been removed from the midst of us, his memory still lives, His loving, heavenly spirit, his manifest truthfulness, and his entire devotion to his Redeemer, were often observed by the numerous Chinese with whom he had become acquainted; and the memory of his life sheds a halo of sacredness and of heavenly beauty over the profession of Christianity at this station,

In order to supply the important post rendered vacant by the death of Go-to, we have lately employed an individual named Tan-li-chiu, who was formerly engaged by Mr. J. Stronach as Chinese Teacher while he was studying the Tio-chin Dialect at Singapore. We have frequently had occasion to mention him in our former letters. Hitherto he has given us satisfaction. He is daily employed in distributing tracts, visiting his countrymen, and conversing with them on the great topics of Christianity.

ADDITIONAL TRIUMPHS OF REDEEMING MERCY,

AT HONG-KONG, our Missionary brethren are receiving, in connexion with their ministry, fresh proofs of the power and grace of their divine Master, The Spirit of Life has continued to move upon the hearts of the people, and three more converts have been added to the native church-the immediate precursors, we may hope, of a much larger addition to that little flock of Christian believers. The eldest of these new disciples is a man in the prime of life, possessing excellent natural gifts, and well-versed in the literature of his country. He appears to have made an unreserved surrender of himself to the Lord Jesus, and promises to be a burning and a shining light among his countrymen. His fellow-converts, though less advanced in years, have displayed remarkable decision of character and great boldness in the faith; and, constrained by the love of Christ, they are preparing to devote themselves, in an active course of public service, to the extension of his kingdom,

These, and other encouraging facts, our readers will find recorded in the following

statement from the Rev. Dr. Legge, written in the month of June last; and we would particularly direct the attention of our friends to the earnest and weighty appeal with which our brother closes his very interesting communication.

Chinese witnessing a Christian Ordinance. It is again my privilege to tell you of the progress of the Truth, and to call upon the Directors to rejoice with us in the addition of three members to our infant Church. On the evening of the last Lord's Day of last month, I administered the ordinance of baptism to two more of our scholars, and to another Chinese, who has been brought, during the last nine months, to the knowledge, and, we have every reason to believe, to the love, of the truth. The service was held in the Bazaar Chapel, in the presence of a crowd of spectators. Most of the members of the English Church in Union Chapel were present; with the Colonial Chaplain, Mr. Stanton, and his lady; and Colonel Philpotts. The number of Chinese present was very great. I have never seen so many listening at one time to the Word. There was evidently no small stir among them.

The Truth sought and found. The eldest of the three converts is named Ha Yik-Heem. His age is about five-andthirty, and hitherto he has pursued the study of his own language and literature, teaching a school during the intervals of the public examinations, at which he has not yet been successful in gaining the first degree. He is a native of the department of Sew Hing, lying to the west of that of K'wong Chow, his village being about eighty or ninety miles distant from Canton. From different parties trading from the same district to Canton and Hong-Kong he heard, during the past year, that there were foreigners residing at these places, "preaching a new doctrine about one Jesus," and that many Chinese were embracing their religion. This set him thinking, he says, as to what this doctrine could be.

In the beginning of winter a relative proceeded to Hong-Kong with a cargo of mats, and while here was conversed with by the colporteur A-Sun, from whom also he got two or three tracts. One of these, which dwelt much upon the publican's prayer, he handed to Yik-Heem on his return, and the perusal of it seems to have been greatly blessed to his soul. Feelings of sin, to which he had hitherto been a stranger, were awakened by it, and he determined to seek more information about this doctrine of Jesus. An opportunity was af forded him to do this after the Chinese new

year. In his neighbourhood there is a family connected with a rope-making establishment in this colony. With one of the members of it I have had many interesting conversations. He knows the truth, but is afraid to follow it. A Chinese delighting in Sacred Knowledge.

Having gone home to see his family at the new year, Yik-Heem put many questions to him about the Gospel, and one day got the reply, "You had better go with me to HongKong, and there you can learn all about it.” of this proposal he availed himself, and arrived here in the month of March. Immediately after he found his way to the Bazaar Chapel, and introduced himself to A-Sun, as a learner of Christianity. A-Sun brought him to Tsin-Shen's daily Bible-class, at which and at every other service he continued a regular attendant. Being a scholar, he readily understood the Scriptures and all our tracts. His progress in knowledge was rapid and very delightful. He manifested none of the proud opposition which is generally shown by the learned Chinese. For a fortnight I read an hour every morning with him myself, when by six o'clock he was always waiting for his lesson; and I do not think I have ever had so much pleasure in communicating instruction. His heart seemed, indeed, to be opened to receive the truth in the love of it.

Faith of a Chinese Convert in the Providence of God.

After he had been here about six weeks he made application to be baptised, as he wished (he said) to go and preach the Gospel. This awakened a slight suspicion that he might be expecting to be employed as an Evangelist by our Mission, and his application be thus emanating from the hope of a livelihood as much as from the conviction of the truth. On being asked the meaning of the expression, however, he said that he was thinking of his wife and children, and brothers, and of all his relatives and acquaintance in his native place. His desire was to be baptised, that he might go home and tell them of the Saviour. Subsequently it was represented to him, on one occasion, that by becoming a Christian he would expose himself to much persecution and many difficulties. He might even find it impossible to collect a school in order to support his family. His

reply to this was very fine. "I now," said he, "know the true God. I learn in the Bible, that of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things. He feeds all creatures. I wish to do His will, and put my trust in Him. I do not trouble myself about the future. God will provide for me."

When Mr. Gillespie returned, he, along with Mr. Gilfillan and Tsin-Shen, had a long conversation with Yik-Heem, and were much pleased with his modesty and simple faith. We felt that we ought no longer to withhold water that he should not be baptised.

A new Witness for Christ among the Heathen. After his baptism he remained in HongKong over the first Sabbath of this month, to partake of the Lord's Supper, and afterwards embraced an early opportunity to return home. I shall watch with the deepest interest his future course. He is to write often and fully to me of the manner in which he is received among his friends, and of how God opens his way. It is my wish that he may be able to continue an independent witness of the faith-that, abiding in the same call ing wherein he was called, he may therein adorn the Gospel of God our Saviour.

The friends of the Chinese Mission should feel not a little encouraged by this case. Look at the facts. A man comes to this colony from a distance of nearly two hundred miles; he has given up his school; he lives here entirely among his own friends; he devotes three months to the undivided, undistracted study of the Scriptures; he is baptised, and he returns home to communicate to his friends and acquaintance the Gospel-to call upon them to rejoice with him in the salvation which he has found. What but a divine religion could so attract a man, and of all other men a Chinese?

And is it not plain that the leaven of the kingdom is working? Thousands besides Ha Yik-Heem have heard that there are foreigners on the borders of their country, preaching a new religion, and it is very unlikely that his should be the only excited and inquiring mind. We shall have them repairing by and by from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south, to every Missionary-station, to learn more fully the words whereby they may be saved. May there be vouchsafed unto us a more enlarged spirit of prayer-a firmer trust-a more earnest perseverance! In due season the Church will reap, if it faint not.

The Bread upon the Waters.

I must now give you a few particulars relative to the youths who were baptised with Yik-Heem. In communicating to you the baptism of three of our pupils in November last, it was stated that three more were applicants for the ordinance. These all went home at Christmas to see their friends, and to communicate freely with them about their intention to profess their faith in Christianity. One of them has never returned, nor have I been able to obtain a satisfactory account of the reasons why he has not. One letter which I had from him alleged principally the poverty of his family, which rendered it necessary that he should remain and do his part in earning their daily subsistence. Probably his father exerted his authority, and forbade his return to Hong-Kong when he found his resolution to profess himself a Christian. But I trust the good seed of Christ's truth was in the young man's heart, and that its fruit will be found after many days. His retirement from the school caused me much regret. Living more than a hundred miles from this, there could be no personal interview and expostulation with his father. It is the first case which has occurred of a scholar declining to fulfil his term. The boy was attached to the school, to Tsin-Shen, and to myself. I cannot but conclude it was his religion which occasioned his removal.

The Young leading the Aged to Christ.

The other two, named Ho Sing Yeok and Chan Wing K'wong, were glad to come back and resume their studies, and, with the entire concurrence of their friends in the purpose, to declare their faith in Christ. Indeed, it is an interesting fact, that Wing K'wong seems to have done much towards winning both his mother and grandmother to the faith. He told me, on his return, that they had both said that the doctrine of Jesus was good. "I would follow it myself," said his mother, "but that it is so contrary to the practices of the world." The grandmother declared that she would follow it at all hazards, for, What had a woman so old as she to care for the ways of the world?

Recently she sent the lad a message, saying she wished the end of the year were come, that she might see him again, and hear more about the Gospel. Both he and A-Sing are about eighteen years of age. The latter was the first pupil received into the school in 1843, after our removal from Malacca. Na.