250 miles into the interior, for the purpose of distributing religious tracts among them, and on another they distributed more than 2500 in the streets of Canton, among 24,000 literary graduates who had assembled in that city for public examination. They were received with gladness, and the effects may have been great.

The press, therefore, that mighty engine for good or evil, had become the chief instrument in the hands of Dr. Morrison for diffusing the knowledge of Christ. He saw and confessed its power, and wisely used it in the service of the Redeemer. But he was not limited to the press alone. Every sabbath he conducted Divine worship in his own house, and in the Chinese language. To his work he continued "faithful unto death;" which took place on the 1st of August, 1834. On that day, he rested from his labours, and entered into the blessedness of the dead who die in the Lord.

Having thus briefly sketched Dr. Morrison's history, we shall now notice his esteemed colleague, Mr., afterwards Dr. Milne. After passing through a course of preparatory instruction, he set sail for Macao, where he arrived in 1813. On his arrival, he commenced the study of the Chinese language; but on the second or third day after he began, he received an order from the Portuguese governor to leave the island in eight days, which was almost immediately followed by another, to go on board a vessel then about to leave the port. Remonstrance was in vain. Influenced by the Romanists, who were alarmed at the arrival of a Protestant missionary, the governor insisted on his departure, and he proceeded to Canton. Subsequently, he made a tour, circulating New

Testaments, tracts, and catechisms, through the chief settlements of the Malay Archipelago. On returning to Canton, the jealousy of the Chinese government rendered it imprudent for him to remain, and it was determined, that he should proceed to Malacca, a town in southern Asia, situated on the western coast of the Malay Peninsula, between the Gulf of Bengal and the Indian Archipelago and China. The bulk of the population of this town consists of Malays, but there are some Hindus and Chinese, as well as some descendants of the Portuguese and Dutch. Among this mixed population, Dr. Milne laboured till his death, which took place in 1822.

Before his death, Dr. Milne had the satisfaction of seeing an Anglo-Chinese college erected, for the instruction of Chinese youths, from which much good has resulted. This mission has, indeed, recently assumed a very favourable appearance. Several instances of conversion have occurred among the Chinese population, and the converts have greatly aided the successors of Dr. Milne. There are now nearly thirty Christians at Malacca, possessing considerable knowledge of Scripture, and ready to go forth at once, to preach the glad tidings of salvation to their fellow-countrymen.

While stationed at Malacca, Dr. Milne visited Pulo Penang, or Prince of Wales's Island, which is the seat of government of the British possessions in the Straits of Malacca. This island is inhabited by a mixed population of Europeans, Armenians, Malays, Achinese, Battas, Chinese, Chuliahs, Bengalese, Burmans, Siamese, Arabs, Parsees, and Caffres. Among these, Mr. Medhurst, who had previously assisted Dr. Milne at

Malacca, established a school in a Chinese temple, and distributed a great number of tracts. Since then, other schools have been opened by other missionaries, and the station promises to be of great utility in future operations among the Chinese. The education of the young and rising Chinese population, both male and female, has recently assumed a promising appearance. A printing-press has also been established at this station, and books, both in the Malay and Chinese language, have been issued from thence in great numbers.

In 1819, Mr. Milton removed from Malacca to Singapore, and a temporary building was erected, which served as a residence, a school-house, and a chapel; and the usual means were employed for the benefit of the population, which consists of Chinese, Malays, Javanese, etc. Since then a printing-office has been established at Singapore, and this office, together with those at Malacca and Pulo Penang, have furnished an immense number of copies of the Scriptures and tracts, in Chinese and Malay, which have been widely dispersed; those in the former language extending even to the vicinity of Pekin. On the subject of the distribution of books and tracts at Singapore, one of the missionaries remarks:--" Perhaps not less than one hundred junks, of various sizes, pay at least an annual visit to Singapore, which affords abundant facilities for sending the sacred Scriptures into the empire of China, and to almost every important Chinese colony in the Indian Archipelago. The large junks from China are chiefly from two places, Canton and Amoy. They arrive early in the year, and, as

they stay some months, we have an opportunity of paying them several visits, and of holding conversations with the people. All the readers on board each junk are supplied with books, and then a small 'export cargo is intrusted to the captain, or other intelligent and well-disposed person among the crew, to be given to their friends on returning home. A complete

copy of the Scriptures is usually given to the captain for his own use. In all our intercourse with these visitors, as well as those from other parts, we have uniformly met with a friendly, and even kind reception; and the books are generally received with cheerfulness, and not unfrequently with strong feelings of gratitude."

Malacca, Pulo Penang, and Singapore, have been for years so many outposts for Christian missionaries, carrying on their warfare against the Great Dragon in China. In China itself, since the death of Dr. Morrison, little has been done. Leang Afa is still labouring in his Master's cause, in the midst of much persecution; and many excellent men have been sent to China by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, and the American Baptist Board, some of whom reside at Canton, where they have established a printing-press, which has been actively employed for the best interests of the Chinese. But English missionaries have not yet been permitted to reside permanently in that pagan country. Apart from the jealousy of the Chinese government towards our countrymen, the commercial squabbles fostered by the Portuguese, and the recent rupture between the two countries, have prevented such a desirable

consummation. The war having ceased, it is hoped English missionaries will, ere long, be permitted to go forth, and spread the glad tidings of salvation among that benighted people. Christians are anxiously watching the progress of events, and daily prayer is offered, that the way may be opened for the heralds of salvation to pass onward in their hallowed mission. Already the ports of Canton, Amoy, Fouchoufoo, Ningpo, and Shanghai, are thrown open to British merchants, and the island of Hong-kong is ceded in perpetuity to her Britannic Majesty, her heirs and successors. The British flag is permitted to wave in these several ports of the "celestial empire;" and it becomes Christians to unfold the standard of the cross there likewise. By treaty, peace and friendship are secured between the two empires; and it is hoped that England will be permitted to send forth her missionaries to promulgate the gospel of peace to that long-enslaved people, who have been groaning under the yoke of Satan from the earliest period of the world's history.

It has already been seen, that the Scriptures and tracts have been sent into China, through the medium of the printing-presses established at Malacca, Pulo Penang, and Singapore, and that the missionaries have been enabled thus to dispense the word of life, through the aid afforded them by the British and Foreign Bible Society, and the Religious Tract Society. Dr. Milne, in his "Retrospect of the first Ten Years of the Chinese Mission," after having acknowledged certain grants of 1000l., from the British and Foreign Bible Society, for printing the Scriptures in Chinese, thus proceeds :-"In consequence of an