CHARLES WILLIAM WASON COLLECTION CHINA AND THE CHINESE THE OIFT OF CHARLES WILLIAM WASON CLASS OF 1876 1918 Cornell University Library BV 3415.D28 The China mission :embracing a history o 3 1924 022 921 575 Cornell University Library The original of tliis bool< is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924022921575 THE CHINA MI^,5SI0I. _ KMBEAOING A /A// //3 HISTORY OF THE VARIOUS MISSIONS OF ALL DENOMINATIONS AMONG THE CHINESE. WITH BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF DECEASED MISSIONARIES. BY WILLIAM DEAN, D.D. TWENTY TEARS A MISSIONAET TO OHINA. NEW Y OR K.- SHELDON & CO., 115 NASSAU STREET. BOSTON: aOTJLD & LINCOLN. LONDOSr : TETJBNBK & CO. 1859. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1859, by SHELDON & COMPANY, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern District of New York, STEBEOTTPED BY THOMAS B. SMITH & SON, 82 & 84 Bbekman-st., N. Y. k. craighead, Priulcr, Sujreoiypyr, ami Eicctrolypcr, CCaxton JSuiItiinn- 81, 83, 071(185 Centre SlreeU — PREFACE. In preparing the following pages, the author has been aided by .personal suggestions from friends, private letters from numerous individuals, and valuable material from various published works among which the Chinese Repository, the Middle Kingdom, and the Fuh Chau Cemetery, deserve special mention. The biographical sketches have in part been gathered from published memoirs, and in part from personal memories ; the author having enjoyed a happy acquaintance with many of the parties named. If surviving friends will give him the means of correcting any mistakes which may be discovered iu these brief memorials, they will be gratefully acknowledged. Being disabled for the work in China, to which he had given the strength of his life, it has afforded IV PREFACE. the writer peculiar pleasure, while preparing this work, to reoccupy, in thought, the dwelling places, and mingle again with the devoted persons with which are associated the happiest memories of his life. To the Master who sustained and blessed him during the years of service abroad, and who has given him strength to prepare this offering at home, both the offering and its author are dedicated, with the prayer that he may employ both it and him for the glory of his name and the salvation of the Chinese. WILLIAM DEAN. Wtomino, N. T., June, 1859. — — CONTENTS, »»• - CHAPTER I, Ge'oqrapht. —Pood.—CLOTHiNa. ^Dwellin8s.—Customs 1 CHAPTER II. LaNCHIAGE.—^LlTEKATnBB.—PBlNTINfl.—SCHOOLS. 14 CHAPTER III. Laws.—Eetenue.—Punishments.—^Police 28 CHAPTER IV. HiSTOBT. Mttholomoal.—Anoient.—Modern 33 CHAPTER V. Retolution" OP Tai-Peng-Wang 48 CHAPTER VI. Religion.—Confuoianism.—Tauism.—BtrDHisM 50 CHAPTER VII. Oheistlanitt.—Westobians.—Catholics.—Pbotbstants. 71 List of Missionaries of taeious Societies 161 List of Missionaries' "Wives Deceased 165 Biographical Sketches, in Alphabetical Order 1V6 — — — VI C ONTENTS. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. FAOB Abbel.—Abhmore.—^Ball. — Benham.—Boone.—^Bridgman.—Clop- ton.—Colder.—Collins. —Coulter.—^Dean.—Devan.—Dott.— Dyer.—Evans. — Parmer.—Faihbrother.—East.—French. — GODDARD. GUTZLAFF.—HAMBERO.—^HOBSON. InOE.—JAMES. Jarrom. — Jenkins. — Jenks. — Johnson.—^Lowrie.—^Llotd.— Marshman. — McCatv. — Milne. — Milton.—Medhurst.—Mor- rison.—Munson. — Pohlman. — Reed. — Richards.—Shtjoe.— SPAULDma. — Speee. — Stronach. — Veooman. ^- "Whilden.— Wolfe.—Wylet ITS—396 ; THE CHINA MISSION. CHAPTER I. Where do the Chinese live? They live on the other side of the globe. Their empire, including the eighteen provinces, extends from 20° to 40° north latitude, and from 100° to 122° east longitude, furnishing all the vari- eties of climate to be found in the same latitude in this country, and their dominions embrace four hundred mil- lions of souls, or more than one third of the human race. Their country presents some of the longest rivers, highest and most fertile plains in the world mountains, ; and furnishes some of the rarest birds, richest fabrics, and queerest people, to be found on the globe. If you ask what they eat—we answer, they do not eat beef nor bread, mutton nor milk, butter nor cheese but they do eat fowls and fishes, pigs and puppies, rats and rice, maize and millet, wheat and barley, pumpkins and potatoes, turnips and tomatoes, ground-nuts and gar- lics, pears and peaches, plantains and pumeloes, grapes and guavas, pineapples and pomegranates, olives and oranges, sharks' fins and birds' nests. But why so much curiosity to learn what they eat, while so little concern for the fact that they are hastening by millions to a 8 THE CHINA MISSION. world of everlasting starvation, while we liold in our hands the bread which came down from heaven, of which if a man eat he shall live for ever—and we refuse to give it to them, at the peril of our salvation and theirs. If you ask what the Chinese wear—we answer, that a Chinaman wears a long tail and broad sleeves, a China- woman wears an embroidered shirt and little shoes, and their garments, of antique stjle and uniform pattern, are more philosophical and modest and comfortable than ours, and are made of silk and satin, and cotton and hemp, the grass of the fields, the leaves of the trees, the skins of beasts, and the feathers of birds. But what great concern to us what the Chinese wear, since their garments are warm in winter and cool in summer, and cover their persons in an economical and becoming man- ner, while they are poor and destitute and blind and naked, and we have been commissioned to invite them to him who can cloth.e them with the spotless robe of a Eedeemer's righteousness, that the shame of their naked- ness may not appear ? What are their dwellings ? The Chinese houses are low, and dark and filthy ; usually of one story and often but one window. They are built of stone, or brick, or wood, or mud, and sometimes the Chinese sleep in holes of the earth, in caves and under rocks, in' floating boats or the open streets. Hundreds of thousands have their only home in their little floating dwelling, where they were born, and many live on the water, and seldom, if ever, go ashore. But what great concern to us whether the Chinese live on the water or on the land, in towns or THE CHINA MISSION. 9 in the countrj, in palaces or in poverty, since they are exposed to the unsheltered peltings of an eternal storm, and you and I are commanded by him who died to re- deem us, to invite them to share with us the happiness of a home in heaven, a shelter under that building of God, that house not made with hands, which Jesus has gone to prepare for us ? The Master has intrusted us with the key, and bid us in his name go and invite them to enter, and if we neglect to obey that bidding how shall either they or we find admission there ? Without faith it is impossible to please God, and faith Cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. The hope that the heathen can be saved in any other way than by means of the gospel is unreasonable and ruinous, and the expectation that God is to preach it to them by the whistling wind, the thunders of heaven, the voice of angels, the Holy Spiiit, or in any other way than by human lips and Christian labors, is delusive. What are the customs of the Chinese? Compared with ours, they present some contrarieties. When you meet them, they shake not your hand but their own. The salutation is not. Good morning, but Have you eaten rice ? Will you drink tea ?—^take a seat ? —eat a smoke ? How old are you? How many children have you? Is your father living ? With them it is a mark of disrespect to uncover the. head in the presence of superiors, but they stand erect with cap on and hands folded. A child designates his father—family's majesty, prince of the family, or vener- able father. How many children have you? He an- swers, I have three children, and aJSds, perhaps, I have 1* 10 THE CHINA MISSION. two girls, or perhaps lie answers, " my fate is niggard; I have only one little boy." A man designates his wife as the foolish one of the family, or the mean one of the inner apartments. An invitation to dinner, written on a strip of paper, may read thus—On the — day a trifling entertainment will await the light of your countenance. This is sent some days beforehand, and another card is sent on the day, stating the hour of dinner. The host, dressed in his cap and robes, awaits the arrival of his guests. When they meet, there is a mutual bowing and complimenting ; and when all have assembled, the host lays aside his outer dress as a signal for his friends to follow his example when they are seated, two and two, at small tables arranged around the sides of the room, leaving a space for the servants to pass between them in bringing on the several courses of the repast. The guests on such occasions never expect to see the wife, or mother, or sisters, or daughters of their host, but in masculine barbarity sit down to their repast of animal gratification and coarse conversation without the refining influence of female society. Their wine, distilled from rice, which has been in use by the Chinese for nearly four thousand years, is drank warm, and at their meals. When all are seated at the tables, the host rises and salutes his guests in a cup of wine, apologizing ibr the frugal meal,' when it may abound with dishes, be ornamented with flowers, and be supphed with a great variety of fruiis.