We are obliged to glance at Russia as the power amongst modern states which seems called upon to seal the destiny of Mohametanism in Europe. The European Eastern Question might conveniently solve itself best alone, but not so the more recently propounded Central Asiatic problem, nor the Far-Eastern Question.

England has at present a more powerful position in Asia than has Russia. England is also much in advance of Russia as the oldest Protestant state; she stands at the head of European civilisation, possesses excellent laws, a body of officials of the highest class, an able government, public and well-managed administration of justice, free commerce, and she seeks also the elevation of Asia. But in English colonial policy, civilisation is not itself the aim; it is only the means for furthering the interests of commerce. The Asiatic is offered protection and individual freedom; but with these, owing to the superiority of English industry, he is degraded to a beast of burden merely to prolong his existence. England becomes wealthy, India ever poorer. Her government itself has often declared that it cannot do without the profits resulting from the opium monopoly. The many millions of dollars which China pays yearly for opium must help to defray the cost of English civilisation in India. India, one of the most beautiful, most fruitful of all countries, is unable, under English dominion, to raise enough to support its own government! No wonder that this sort of civilisation is not loved or admired in the East. Neither England nor Englishmen are popular in Asia. Who does not know this? England seeks, indeed, to win the confidence of her subjects, and that successfully, in small things; but in great matters destroys everything by her utilitarian, self-seeking, retail policy. It is seeking, so to speak, the friendship of the Bengal tiger, the trying to ameliorate the condition of the Mohametans in India until everything shall be transformed to their views. Indeed it is not so long since there was, under Christian

rule, full freedom for the propaganda of Mohametanism, whilst Christian missions were hindered and even forbidden.

In opposition to Mohametanism, Russia has ever followed a plain and firm policy. Thence it is, notwithstanding this, the most beloved of all the great powers, at least in China. England is only feared, and that simply so long as she is powerful. France is hated. Her policy in Asia is simply to be the representative of the interests of the Church of Rome. Therefore it is that the Asiatic fails both to appreciate and understand it. The United States represent hitherto a policy which we can really call one of free Christian conviction, in foreign lands as well as in America itself. Unfortunately the organisation of the consular service is very defective, depending upon the change of President: in this respect the English system has the advantage. Germany has already commenced to look after her interests in Eastern Asia. In Germany philosophy and politics yet go hand in hand, and just now the philosophy of the Unknown has in a manner the upper hand, so that we ought not to wonder if Germany should represent in Asia, as in the East, the policy of the Unknown.

China has now in the north a long frontier line common to Russia, which latter has already won in the Amoor territory a commanding situation, just as in Ili in the west. By means of the Siberian railway, Russia has established connections with the headquarters of her power, and is prepared to make the full weight of that power perceptible in the farthest East in the shortest space of time. In the West the Anglo-Indian empire already extends to China. France, through her colony in Cochin-China, has already become a near neighbour. The long sea-coast stands open to all navies. Japan appears to desire to raise herself into the position of the Britain of the East. The long diplomatic negotiations of France with China concerning the Tientsin massacre, of England about the murder of

The

The

Mr. Margary (and the yet unratified Chefoo Convention), of consuls and explorers for a direct overland channel for commerce to and from India, of Germany in re the piracy of the merchant ship Anna, and of all the representatives of the West, which resulted in an audience of the Emperor, are well known. China is thus surrounded on all sides by powerful but diversely constituted states, and begins herself to be a factor in European affairs. The times when any people can go their own peculiar way are over. International intercourse will ever henceforward be a condition of existence for states in modern civilisation. stream cannot be turned back again to its source. barriers with which China sought to defend herself against the rolling waves of foreign intercourse are destroyed. China henceforth must be included in the common civilised life of the Western Powers. But against this China struggles. One meets at first with stubborn opposition. Chinese civilisation is unique, and has come down from the Chinese themselves. They hold fast to it as to their very existence. Other relations are found at least unpractical, and many wrong. China sees only the bright side of her own civilisation; and whilst feeling at times its pressure, she lays the onus, not upon the system, but upon the age or upon some individual. She sees much of the dark side of our Western civilisation, and has little opportunity of studying accurately and learning to appreciate the beautiful and good belonging to it. In a word, she fails to comprehend the foreign. In order to pave the way for this, a medium of communication from our side is necessary, a comparative explanation of the principles of our civilisation with those of the Chinese. In order to the carrying out of this in a thorough and convincing manner, we must ourselves first acquire a thorough knowledge of the Chinese nature. It is not enough to learn to recognise in a general way the difference between the present and the past forms of social and political life. The characteristic of China is her constant and continuous intimate

connection with her oldest antiquity. Her language, her literature, her religion, her justice, her science, even her manners and customs, always base their validity upon a reference to the most ancient writings which embody the spiritual life of China. The ancient, the classic, is yet the authoritative in China, and even when not strictly obligatory, is still the moral law. Therefore it is that an accurate acquaintance with the contents of the classic writings of Chinese antiquity is not only of antiquarian value, and of extreme scientific interest, but is of the greatest practical importance. One can make daily use of it in China, and that with success.

The Chinese are conservative in the fullest meaning of the word, and as such are born enemies to all innovation, but they are in nowise disinclined (as they are often thought to be) to the widening of the social edifice upon the ancient well-proved foundations. Every innovation is not necessarily a step in advance, nor is every step in advance progress. This is only the case when it results from or attaches itself to that which is already recognised as good, and has stood the test of proof. The Chinese wishes everything to become Chinese to him, i.e., to lead him back to Chinese foundation principles, and thence prove to be either a higher development or the correction of a deviation. This desire has its value. Where several apparently opposing views come into contact, it is necessary to find a common platform, then to bring forward the common numerator from the midst of the various ideas, and thus slowly and surely lead to the climax of the representative view. Evangelical missions in China are working out this problem. Men may think of this as they will, and have this and that to censure in individual missionaries; they are

1 In reference to the teaching of evangelic faith and practice, the author has worked this out in his Commentary on St. Mark, 5 vols., Religious Tract Society, Hong-Kong; likewise in German Educational

Principles, I vol., and On Education, I vol., Rhenish Mission House, Canton, and Library, Shanghai. These works are all in classic Chinese (Wen-li).

Evangelical missions are

but men. One thing is certain. the bearers to China of the genuine human international spirit of Christendom. All evangelical salvation for the religious and moral life of the individual and the community must be brought about for the common weal of all peoples and languages, by no other power than that of the Word and the Spirit. Protestantism, in spite of all its divisions, shows itself in this respect as one evangelical Church, as a spiritual and Divine power for the regeneration of the world.

II.

OF THE IMPORTANCE OF CHINESE TO MODERN SCIENCE.

China forms a world in itself. The Chinese language and literature is the ideal impression of this world. Every language is the result of the spiritual development of the human community which uses it. In the language of a people their history lies embodied in a peculiar way. By means of its language a people stands likewise in intimate connection with the whole of the rest of mankind. In this our day hundreds of languages are spoken, of which many do not appear to have the slightest trace of resemblance to one another. The science of language has nevertheless already accomplished much towards bringing back these apparently opposed tongues into their radically relative groups. In reference to the Aryan and Semitic groups we have already attained to firm scientific laws, and at the same time to the end of inquiry in many directions. With the confusion of the languages of Eastern, Central, and North Asia the task is more difficult, although even here the clue already begins to unwind itself. The Aryan group offers the inestimable advantage of an established grammar as a firm starting-point for