THE NEW MISSION IN SOUTH CHINA.
BY REV. W. C. POND.
The memorable event of the month of February—so far as our work is concerned—is the inauguration of the mission of the American Board to Hong Kong, and through Hong Kong to those districts of South China from which most of our Chinese have come. Rev. C. R. Hager, a recent graduate of our Pacific Theological Seminary, and for more than a year past a very successful and greatly beloved pastor at Antioch, in this State, having offered himself to the Board as a Foreign Missionary, was at our own suggestion and request appointed to take charge of this new work, and was ordained as a Missionary at Bethany Church, on Friday, Feb. 16. One of the exercises at the ordination service was an address by Jee Gam, a portion of which, I trust, can be crowded into the space allotted in the Missionary to our work. It will scarcely be necessary for me to add anything, unless it be to say that to my faith this work thus begun looms up in grand proportions, as fraught with most beneficent results. I am prepared in spirit patiently to wait—prepared, if such be God’s will, utterly to fail—but my faith feels so strong, my hopes are so high, so bright, so confident, that I seem to myself already to be entering on the harvest, and the joy of harvest fills my heart.
JEE GAM’S ADDRESS.
It was ten years ago when our Chinese brethren first felt the need of a mission in China at or near the districts from which most of our brethren came. They grew more and more anxious for this mission, when they heard of the aid and refuge given to the persecuted Christians by the other mission in Canton city.
The first three years we often expressed our great desire among ourselves for this mission, but never thought of telling our superintendent, Rev. W. C. Pond. Not a word was said to him until at our usual Wednesday afternoon Bible class, about seven years ago, when the subject of foreign missions was accidentally mentioned. We then told Rev. W. C. Pond what we so much desired. He at once approved of it. Hong Kong was chosen for the seat of this mission, and Mr. Pond requested that those who were able to write a letter should do so, explaining why this mission was so much needed. He accordingly forwarded these letters to the American Missionary Association. Though the Association sympathized with us in our want, yet how this mission could be established looked very doubtful. The matter was left to stand; but we remembered that James tells us to ask in faith, nothing wavering, and we knew that God was able to supply all our needs; so we kept on praying. In the first part of October, 1879, I was greatly surprised by the very generous invitation which the American Missionary Association tendered me to attend its annual meeting at Chicago. I started for the East, but thought nothing of this Hong Kong mission until at the annual meeting, when I felt moved by the Holy Spirit to make an earnest plea for it. I also spoke for it at all the meetings I attended while East.
On the evening of the 4th of August, 1882 (the same day the Chinese Restriction bill went into effect), the good news came through our superintendent that the American Board had consented to establish the Hong Kong Mission. Oh, how my heart, filled to overflowing, went out to God in thanksgiving and praise! Immediately we called the brethren to tell them the good news. Christ has told us to ask and we shall receive; yet, when this ten years’ prayer was answered, it seemed almost too much to believe, and we are here this evening to praise God once more for his love to us and our benighted countrymen in China. * * *
Having Hong Kong for headquarters, missionaries and teachers can be sent from there to preach and teach in the villages from which our young men come. Besides this, the English language is used more in Hong Kong than in any other part of China, and the Chinese living there, or those visiting that place, could not be reached in a more efficient manner than by opening the same kind of free schools for them that you have opened for us here. They need to know the English language. Of course there are public schools, where both the English and Chinese languages are taught by the British Government, but all have their sessions in the daytime: consequently, the children are the only ones benefited by these schools. There remains the laboring class unreached. If a free evening school is opened, I have no doubt that much good could be done among them. Moreover, Hong Kong is a great highway to all foreign ports, especially San Francisco. Through Hong Kong nearly all the Chinese in the United States have come and will return. If a general mission could be established at this port, much co-operating work could be accomplished between our missions here and that at Hong Kong. Christian Chinese returning home would receive letters of introduction to the superintendent of the Hong Kong mission. This superintendent would have pastoral care over them, and would be a very great help in time of persecution. Converts would be made firmer in faith, and more earnest in leading others to Christ.
The Congregational Association of Christian Chinese, at its last annual meeting, voted to give $500 toward the establishing of this Hong Kong mission, and do all in its power to help in the future. God be praised, for he has shown his wonderful love to China. He is to be praised for this beloved brother, who so kindly offers himself for the Master’s service. He is to be praised for the American Board which sends him. May the Lord raise up many more like workers, who shall devote their lives to China.