Dr. Stenhouse, I am glad to tell you that I have another letter from the doctor in which he says.-"The injuries I received last week are now almost better. I have been outside the compound for the first time today, and feel quite myself again, so that you may cease to think of me any longer, as not compos corporis. He further states. The dispensary, I find on inspection, is destroyed with the exception of the main walls, these stand almost uninjured It will take two-thirds at least of the original cost to put it in the same condition as before. Medicines, instruments, &c. cannot be replaced at less than £70 or £80, other furniture will take the greater part of £20, so that in all at least £200 will be needed to equip us again. I have written to the doctor urging him to make an appeal to the local farmers and trades people for help, as they are more directly interested in the institution, and think that with a judicious and earnest effort he might obtain some subscriptions. I fear little can be done in Tientsin just now, as the community has decided to enlarge and improve the church, at a cost of about £120, for which subscriptions are being obtained. Those interested in the church are the persons who would most sympathize with our Hospital, and we could not go to them just now, with any likelihood of success. I tell the doctor also, that we cannot advance from the funds of the Mission until we hear from home. This is rather an awkward fix. deed we are perplexed as to how to act, and have especially need of divine direction and help, which we must seek by prayer. In Notwithstanding these difficulties, we hope to have our way opened for securing needful help. You will also see from one of the enclosed resolutions, that brethren Robinson and Candlin have approved an important resolution which I have carefully drafted on the future working of the Medical Mission. It has been sent to the doctor for his approval. There were two other clauses which are left over for future consideration. I trust this plan, if sanctioned by the Committee, will lead to a more careful use of funds, and relieve you at home of some anxiety. One of the clauses not sent you only sets forth the point that the Hospital is still Mission property, the other is to require the doctor to submit his work to the circuit meeting as well as the district meeting, and to consult with his brethren as far as possible about plans of work, expenditure of money on property and drugs, &c. There is no specific provision in his arrangements with the committee about his work being under the jurisdiction of the circuit. This has been an occasion of misunderstanding and unpleasantness. It is needful however to deal with it judiciously now, and when we can get the clause referred to into reasonable shape, we will send it to the committee. Enclosed also you will find a resolution on the question of establishing a Mission in Peking, a copy of which, with a fraternal letter. has also been sent to Rev. H. H. Lowry, of the M. E. Mission of Peking. The annual meeting of this Mission takes place next week. I have no need to dwell on this subject, as my views were given in the letter I sent you with the one from Mr. Lowry, unless I repeat what I have said before that we have purposely kept away from Peking because it was so well occupied by other Missions, and there are other thickly populated regions of China destitute of all Christian teaching, and it seems more in harmony with evangelistic principles to reach these unoccupied fields so far as we have the means of doing so. Still, any of the brethren will cheerfully go to Peking if the Committee wish it. As there are so many other missionaries there with whom we could associate, one man, sent alone, would not be so lonely as two men in the interior, or at Lao Ling. Kai-Ping may be worked from Tientsin, and need not have a resident Missionary for some time, should it prove to be a fruitful region. At present, it is only being visited in the hope that the Lord will give us an open door of access to the people. TIENTSIN, August 28th, 1882. Copy of Resolutions passed at the Special District Meeting, of August 16th, adjourned to August 21st, 1882. Resolved: That having received from the General Secretary a letter in which the judgment of the meeting is solicited on the important question of opening a Mission station in Pekin, and having given careful attention to the subject, the brethren beg to submit in reply, that while fully aware of the advantages an entrance to the capital offers to our Mission, and recognizing with high satisfaction and pleasure the fervent desire of the Committee to inaugurate a work in such a centre, which desire is in perfect harmony with the feeling of the brethren, yet, having regard to the present depressed state of the Mission funds, the very considerable expense which such an undertaking would involve, the existence of so many other Missions in the capital, the improbability of any immediate and satisfactory results, and more especially considering that in the present year we are commencing operations in the K'ai Ping district, we would respectfully recommend to the Committee that the project be deferred to some future and more favourable period. The meeting, nevertheless, desires to say, that it holds itself in cheerful readiness to fulfil in this direction the wishes of the Committee at whatever time it may determine. Resolved: That in view of the possibility of establishing our Mission in Pekin, the meeting considers it desirable to set before the Committee what the carrying out of this project would involve. 1st. The appointment of at least one (fairly two) Missionary to reside in the capital. 2nd. The purchase of premises suitable for house and Mission work at the probable cost of £800 or £850. 3rd. The removal of two of our best native assistants from our present sphere of work. 4th. An increase of our annual expenditure, say at the outset, of £200 for working expenses. : Resolved That having received from the General Secretary of the Mission a letter, in which he says:- The Committee adopted the estimates for the year, save in regard to medicines, &c., the sum for which it was thought might be reasonably lessened,-while surprise is also expressed that virtually nothing has been obtained for Fees:" and further, having regard to article 10 of the agreement made between Dr. Stenhouse and the Committee and Conference of the Methodist New Connexion, which expressly sets forth that supplies of medicines, &c., shall be provided on the principle that the Dispensary shall be as far as possible self-supporting," this meeting feels it desirable to relieve the Home Committee of further anxiety regarding the cost of working our medical Mission, by taking immediate steps for placing this department on a more satisfactory and self-supporting basis; and hereby resolves : --- 1st. That while the stipend of the Missionary in charge is paid out of the funds of the Mission, the working expenses of the Hospital included under the items of medicines, instruments, furniture, repairs, and salaries of native assistants, shall be as far as possible obtained by local subscriptions, the fees of patients, and sale of medicines; and we pledge ourselves to the utmost of our capability to realize from these sources an annual sum sufficient for this purpose. 2nd. That the Hospital being a public benevolent institution, and sustained by voluntary contributions, an annual Report shall be published, showing the work done, the expenses and income of the year, and the balance charged to the Hospital account, and not to the Mission fund as heretofore. 3rd. That if through the failure of local support, or any unforeseen exigency, the balance against the Hospital should become so serious as to require special help, the case shall be laid before the Missionary Committee, with an appeal for special assistance. "Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judæa in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is He that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen His star in the East, and are come to worship Him."-MATT. ii. 1, 2. We have here a most interesting narrative. Certain remarkable strangers came to Jerusalem to see the infant Jesus. Whence came they? We have many conjectures but no certainty. Some suppose they came from Arabia; others, from Chaldea; others, from the country where the ten tribes were dispersed; and some think they were descendants from the patriarch Abraham by his wife Keturah. This is all conjecture. The text merely informs us they came from the East. It is probable they were Gentiles, and that they came from a considerable distance eastward of Judea. But who were these strangers? Some suppose they were kings, that they were three in number, and have given us also their names, Balthazar, Caspar, and Melchiar. There is no foundation for this. in fact. It is very unlikely that three kings would agree to leave their dominions and go on a journey to see an infant prince who was born to be their rival, or perchance their destroyer. Though not kings, they were men of some importance, for besides ample means for their journey, they carried with them rich presents for the infant Jesus, and their presence in Jerusalem made a powerful impression on Herod and all the people. Our text calls them Maji, from which our words magic and magician are derived. Though this word is used sometimes. in a bad sense meaning a sorcerer, yet originally it had a good sense; for it was, as Herodotus informs us, a name applied to a sacred class, consisting of men who were councillors of rulers, and December, 1882. 45 VOL. LXXXV. |