trinal views, he was accepted as a candidate for our ministry. This course was adopted by the Missionary Committee and Conference, under a deep conviction that the Society was now called upon to do something for China, and that Divine Providence was calling them into the field by thus raising up and thrusting into the harvest suitable labourers to carry on the work. In the meantime Mr. Piercy was studying the Chinese language diligently, and labouring to do good to the utmost of his power. On hearing that his offer of service was accepted by the Wesleyan Missionary Society, he began to arrange his plans for future action. These plans involved his removal to Canton, where he believed there was a more ample and appropriate sphere of labour. He had, from the beginning, regarded his stay at Hong Kong as merely temporary, till he should be in a measure initiated into his proper Missionary-work.

THE CANTON DISTRICT.

On proceeding to Canton, Mr. Piercy met with a cordial reception from Dr. and Mrs. Hobson of the London Missionary Society, who did everything in their power to promote his comfort and success. Having hired apartments, as before, and being supplied with the services of a native assistant, named Leang Afa, by the kindness of Dr. Hobson, Mr. Piercy continued his studies at the language, and soon began to hold religious services for the benefit of the natives. But his position and prospects will best appear from his own statement. Writing to the Committee in London soon after his arrival at Canton, he says: "As to the field before me, I need not say it is large. I am a temporary resident in a house not far from the factories, close to the river, and to a ferry over which nine thousand persons frequently pass in a day. It is a little way into the western suburbs, over which, from a lofty verandah, I have an extensive view. I can look two miles to the west, and two-and-a-half to the north; and in this small space are crowded the abodes and persons of four hundred thousand human beings. Through every street of this given space I can pass

THE REV. GEORGE PIERCY AND HIS CLASS OF CHINESE CATECHISTS.

unmolested, and in many places I can enter shops and leave a tract, or speak a few minutes with the people. I think I perceive a difference in the treatment of foreigners of late. The free intercourse of the Missionary families with the people has had a very beneficial effect. As to the people themselves, there is a moral and mental apathy respecting the truth which is a great discouragement to the Missionary. Yet still numbers are willing, and some desirous, to receive Christian books and tracts. They come into the preaching-room, and, in many instances, pay close attention to the speaker. The idolatry and temple rites have no hold on their hearts, but as seasons of show and mirth, of amusement and relaxation from business. In this field are found rich and poor, learned and unlearned in vast numbers. If a Chinese is of equal value with any other human being, what a number of islands and large tracts of territory elsewhere will even this city outweigh."

It was clearly understood by the Society at home, when they adopted Mr. Piercy as their recognised agent, that measures would have to be taken to strengthen his hands and place the work on a permanent basis; and it is gratifying to observe that the means required for that purpose were soon forthcoming. Many noble friends and liberal supporters of the China Mission were raised up in various parts of the country, just at the time when they were required. Among the foremost of these was the late Thomas Farmer, Esq., the respected treasurer of the Society, who contributed £1,000 at the commencement of the work and £100 a year afterwards. Thus encouraged to prosecute the important enterprise with zeal and perseverance, the Committee selected and sent out the Revs. William R. Beach and Josiah Cox to aid Mr. Piercy, and they arrived in Canton on the 20th of January, 1853.

The newly arrived Missionaries were of course constantly employed for a length of time in learning the language, and preparing for future labours; whilst Mr. Piercy, who had in a great measure conquered these difficulties, was busily engaged in preaching, teaching, translating, and other active Missionary-work. A boys' school was now commenced under auspicious circumstances, into which the Conference Catechisms, which had been translated into

Chinese by Mr. Piercy, were at once introduced with good effect. At intervals, to relieve the tedium of their studies, the junior Missionaries engaged earnestly in the work of distributing tracts and copies of the Scriptures, the British and Foreign Bible Society having generously undertaken to provide one million copies of the New Testament for gratuitous distribution in China. As the work began to expand, an earnest appeal was made to the Society at home for more labourers, that they might be preparing to enter the openings which appeared to present themselves in various directions.

Encouraged by the liberality of their friends, and by the increase of special contributions to the fund for the support of the China Mission, the Conference of 1854 appointed the Revs. Samuel Hutton, Samuel S. Smith, and John Preston to this interesting part of the Mission field. They were solemnly ordained in City Road Chapel, and embarked for their distant sphere of labour early in the following year. After a pleasant passage of eightynine days from Gravesend, they reached Hong Kong, whence they proceeded to Canton, and, having with considerable difficulty procured a place of residence, they applied themselves to the study of the language with becoming zeal and diligence. The preparatory and active work of the Mission was going on hopefully when the commencement of hostilities between Great Britain and the Empire of China seriously interrupted the work, and obliged the Missionaries to leave Canton and take refuge in Macao, in the month of November, 1856.

But during the period of their comparative exile, the brethren were not idle; they continued the study of the language with unabated application, and held meetings for religious instruction and worship with the people as they had opportunity. It was during their sojourn at Macao, that three of their carliest converts, who had accompanied them, were admitted to the Church by baptism, after long training and a full conviction of their sincerity and soundness in the faith of the Gospel. In the midst of their troubles, the Missionaries set apart two days for special prayer and intercession for China, and to ask God so to interpose by His

providence, that passing events, however painful and threatening for the time being, might be overruled for the advancement of His cause and kingdom in the land. Soon after this they thus expressed themselves in writing to the Committee in London:— "Important changes must follow the present employment of arms. Our diplomatic relations will, no doubt, be improved. Commerce will receive advantage. Our position as Missionaries cannot be worse than it was. It would, perhaps, be fair to claim a decided improvement in it, from the change that will probably occur; but we feel very jealous of depending on the protection and support even of own blessed country in efforts for the conversion of men. The work is of God. It belongs to Christ and Christians. It is 'not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord.' Let not war divert us from looking to Christ. Let Christ be magnified, and the excellency of His power will rest on us. We should pray that the few and feeble messengers of the churches may be filled with the Holy Ghost. God will then delight to employ us in entering the open doors which may be set before the Church."

For nearly two years the Missionaries were obliged to continue in exile, during which period they held four meetings weekly for the benefit of the Chinese, by whom they were surrounded at Macao, and they had the pleasure of adding two more to the number of their converts from among those who became impressed by their instructions. At the same time they were constantly employed in study and in distributing tracts and copies of the Scriptures, Mr. Piercy and Mr. Cox making excursions to the Straits and Shanghai occasionally. At length, towards the close of 1858, the success of the Allied Powers having secured the objects for which the war was undertaken, the restoration of peace was followed by the re-occupation of Canton as a station of the Society. Four of the five Missionaries happily succeeded in securing suitable residences, Mr. Smith having remained some time longer at Macao, by desire of the brethren. Two places of worship were also provided, one adjoining Mr. Hutton's residence, and the other in the old city, which afforded a preaching-place, a schoolroom, and a residence for an unmarried Missionary.