under twenty dollars, and from one half to two thirds of the whole number, on writ, without judge, jury, or witness. The country at large does not appear to be disposed to enlarge its county prisons, and adopt the improved principles of prison discipline, viz. solitary confinement, rigid discipline, and hard labor, and this, too, at a great expense, for the sake of persons incarcerated for small debts. The public opinion of the country, and the legislation of the country, so far as we are able to judge, are tending to a different result, as the laws of the last winter sufficiently prove. It appears to be a great waste to expend time and money in building new and large county prisons, for the accommodation of those, many of whom public opinion and the laws are likely so soon to relieve in another way. A county prison, properly constructed for the accommodation of the thousand or twelve hundred persons saved from imprisonment, in the state of Maryland, in a single year, by the very brief and small law of the last winter, prohibiting the imprisonment of persons for less than $30, would cost, probably, not less than one hundred thousand dollars. The interest on this sum would not only pay as much as has

been heretofore paid in consequence of the old process of collecting, but probably pay the whole amount of the debts.

In regard to Asylums for Poor and Imprisoned Lunatics, Massachusetts has taken the lead, in this new department of benevolence; New York is preparing to follow the example; and we are confident, that nothing is necessary to cause a beautiful sisterhood of these needful institutions, but a knowledge of the facts proving their necessity.

In regard to Establishments for the Pauper Population, particularly of large cities, we believe many important principles concerning their construction, discipline, employment, and instruction, have been, and may be, derived from the improved prisons.

In view of the whole field of labor fairly embraced by the Prison Discipline Society, it is large enough, and sufficiently interesting, to encourage patient and persevering labor without deviation or despondency.

Thanking the Lord, therefore, for the mercies of the last year, we consecrate ourselves anew to his service, in this department of benevo "lence,

Miscellanies.

CHINA AS A FIELD FOR PROTESTANT MIS-
SIONS.

ing the vast empire of China; and in March, 1812, arrived at my destined mission, in the province of Sutchuen. I was at first employed, for THE more we know of the populous nations of some months, in the study of the language of the southeastern Asia, and the vast neighboring country; and since then have devoted myself to archipelago, the more probable it seems that all the functions of my holy ministry, with so much satisfaction, that I have never had reason to reof them either are now, or will soon be, open to gret my situation, In 1815 a severe and very the labors of discreet Protestant missionaries. general persecution against the Christians was In respect to China, supposed to be among the excited, in all the provinces of the empire, and especially in Sutchuen, which inflicted great in fields most inaccessible, we find some interesting jury on the cause of Christianity throughout this and encouraging statements in a number of the mission. My predecessor, Monsignor Dufresse, Wesleyan Methodist Magazine just received bishop of Trabbaca, and vicar apostolic of this from England, which will be subjoined. We province, was arrested, and condemned to death by decapitation, obtaining thereby the crown of first copy a letter from a Romish bishop, resid-martyrdom. The bishop of Zela, coadjutor, was ing as a missionary in the city of Teong-Kin- || Teheon, province of Sutchuen, one of the interior provinces of China. The letter is dated Sept. 2d, 1829, and was translated from the Italian.

The following letter is from the "Gazetta di Venezia," which refers to the Piedmont Ga

zette

We have received a letter of Monsignor Jacobo Suigi Fontana, bishop and vicar apostolic of Sutchuen, in China, which gives proof of the rapid progress the Christian religion is now making in China,

After having explained the causes of his long silence, namely, that couriers found with letters in their possession, written in European characters, are exposed to the punishment of death, or perpetual exile; that such discoveries might expose the native Christians to more frequent persecution; and that, therefore, he was obliged to send his correspondence only once a year to Macao; the venerable pastor thus proceeds:

"As to myself, after travelling five years in various parts of India, after frequent delays of many months each, for want of vessels in which to embark, and after many vicissitudes and various dangers, I at length succeeded in enter

driven from his home, every where pursued and persecuted, and at length died in Toncino, sinkof Sutchuen were arrested, and condemned to ing under his fatigue and sufferings. Nine priests various punishments for the glorious cause of religion: four of them obtained the palm of mar tyrdom; two being strangled, and two others dying in prison, in consequence of severe Scourgings, and other cruel tortures: three were exiled into Chinese Tartary, and two others condemned to the punishment of the kanga, and perpetual imprisonment. Many Christians, of both sexes, and of all ages, gave heroic exam. ples of constancy in the confession of their faith, showing themselves ready to die, and to suffer every kind of torture rather than abjure it; and consequently great numbers of them suffered as martyrs. Some were strangled; some condemned to suffer the kanga, some to exile, others to imprisonment for life; and many died in prison from the scourgings and other tortures cruelly inflicted on them. During this severe persecu tion, I passed through many perils and much suffering. Having been denounced before the Mandarins, I was sought for, and pursued so furiously, that I was often obliged to fly to the forests, and take shelter in the caverns, among the mountains on the borders of Sutchuen and

Yun-Nan, venturing only by night to leave my hiding-place, for the purpose of visiting the sick, and exhorting the Christians of the two provinces to firmness and constancy in the exercise of their religion, and the confession of their holy faith.

The author goes into lengthened details concerning the late severe persecutions. He states that the Italian and French missionaries had drawn a map of China, in which certain places were marked, as being converted to Christianity; that this map they were sending, with a young "At present, the persecution has much dimin- native convert, to the pope; and that, owing to ished in violence, but is not quite over. We the machinations of the Portuguese, the messenhave here five European missionaries, including ger was arrested, and his papers laid before the the two bishops, the vicar apostolic, and the coad-government. The emperor was immediately jutor. We have been able to establish a small filled with suspicion lest the pope should pretend clerical seminary in my district; and in the gen- to exercise authority in any part of the celestial eral seminary of the French mission, in Pulo- empire. The author then proceeds:― Pinang, there are already twenty students. We have thirty native priests; and the number of Christians in my district (Vicariato) is sixty thousand.

"Although the government has lately issued very severe edicts against those who endeavor to spread Christianity, and especially against European missionaries, a great number of pagans annually embrace our holy religion. Whilst examining the state of Christianity, and visiting the converts of this province, I have often been discovered, and was twice arrested; but I was not carried before the Proctor, because the Christians, not without danger to themselves, rescued me from the hands of the officers. God has hitherto given me only to see, and not yet to drink, the cup of the holy passion (il calice della santa passione;) but I am not without hope that I shall finish my life like my glorious predecessor; my divine Master requires that I should be willing to sacrifice my life for the welfare of the flock committed to me.

"I have now reached fifty years of age; and I know not when or in what manner my trail life may end. May it please the Lord to grant that I may have a holy death! If I should obtain the grace to die, like M. Dufresse, my predecessor, under the axe of the executioner, the day of death will be far more happy than that of birth."

my

Since the bishop's letter was copied says the correspondent who transmitted the foregoing letter for publication in the Magazine-I have seen a work on China, which appears to come from competent authority, and which, among other interesting matter, confirms the progress made by Christianity, even among the higher classes of that country; as also, the constancy displayed by most of the Christians, under persecution: and as the author is a Russian, his testimony cannot be suspected of partiality towards persons of another nation and another creed.

It appears that, for more than a century past, a Russian mission, composed of ecclesiastics, has not only been tolerated at Pekin, but protected, and in a great measure supported, by the Chinese government. The individual members of the mission are changed every ten years; and it appears that Timkouski, the author of this work, was the officer appointed by the Russian emperor to superintend the mission, on its journey to and from Pekin, in 1820 and 1821, when it was last changed. He appears to be an impartial observer; and his book has also the benefit of the notes and corrections of the celebrated Klaproth, who himself, I believe, many years ago, was inspector or superintendent during one of the changes of the mission.

It appears that the conduct of the Chinese towards European Christians depends more upon the disposition of the reigning monarch, than on any fixed law.

"In consequence of this occurrence, a fresh persecution was commenced against the Christians. They wanted to oblige them to trample upon the cross, and to abjure their errors: those who refused were threatened with death. At Pekin many thousand persons were discovered, who had embraced the Christian religion, even among the members of the imperial family and mandarins. The enraged monarch commanded that the common people should remain unmolested, and directed all his vengeance against the members of his family. He appointed a special commission, composed of the director-general of the police at Pekin, (Ti-Tou,) of a prince of the blood, and the president of the department of criminal affairs, and ordered all those who obstinately refused to abjure Christianity to be imprisoned, and tortured in the most cruel manner; after having been deprived of their rank and fortune, to be beaten on the cheeks and thighs, to have incisions made in the soles of their feet, and the wound filled with horse hair, finely cut, then closed with a plaster, and sealed up. It is affirmed that such tortures had never before been practised in China.

"Several of these miserable beings, chiefly Chinese soldiers, lost their courage during these tortures, but the majority remained faithful to their religion. In the sequel, the president of the criminal tribunal, having learned that, in his own house, nearly all his relations and servants were and more indulgent towards the Christians. An Christians, was less rigorous in his examinations, order was issued for seizing, in the four Catholic convents in Pekin, all works relating to the Christian religion, written in Chinese or Mantchoo, as well as the blocks which served for printing them; but the priests succeeded in saving the greater part.

Thus the distrustful character of the Chinese,

and the indiscreet zeal of the Jesuits, in sending the map and the young Chinese to the pope, were the principal causes of the persecution against the Roman Catholic Christians; for otherwise the Chinese government is, in many respects, distinguished for its great toleration."

This observation of the author, as to Chinese toleration, is supported by the following passage

"March 20th. The Chinese Christian, Pierre Bourjoie, told me that the procurator-general of one of the southern provinces has sent a report to the emperor, respecting several Chinese, who had been condemned for having embraced the Christian religion. The emperor asked in what their crime consisted. The mandarin replied that they had abandoned the faith of their ancestors, to follow foreign doctrine. The emperor, finding nothing in this action which could disturb the tranquillity of the empire, ordered them to be sent home at the expense of the government.

"All religions are tolerated in China. The policy of the Mantchoo conrt has adopted the

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