This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. Title: Letters to Children Author: E. C. Bridgman Release Date: January 26, 2017 [EBook #54055] [Last updated: February 6, 2017] Language: English Character set encoding: UTF-8 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LETTERS TO CHILDREN *** Produced by Ting Man Tsao Transcriber's Note: This e-book is based on an extant copy at Special Collections Research Center, Earl Gregg Swem Library, College of William and Mary. The transcriber is grateful to the librarians there for providing assistance in accessing this rare fragile book. A few typos in the original text were corrected. LETTERS TO CHILDREN. BY REV. E.C. BRIDGMAN, MISSIONARY IN CHINA. Written for the Massachusetts Sabbath School Society, and Revised by the Committee of Publication. SECOND EDITION. BOSTON: MASSACHUSETTS SABBATH SCHOOL SOCIETY. Depository, No. 13, Cornhill. 1838. Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1834, BY CHRISTOPHER C. DEAN, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massachusetts. ______ INDEX. Letter I. Introduction; Chinese are Idolaters; Confucian, Taon, and Buddha Sects, Letter II. Temples, Priest, Priestesses and Idols, Letter III. Pagodas, Idol Worship, Letter IV. Soldiers; Merchants, Letter V. Mechanics, Letter VI. Husbandmen, Letter VII. Scholars, Letter VIII. Sailors, Letter IX. Character and Condition of Females, Letter X. Marriage Ceremony, Letter XI. Beggars; Food and Clothing, Letter XII. Crimes: Lying, Gambling, Quarrelling, Theft, Robbery, and Bribery, Letter XIII. Ideas of Death, style of Mourning, Funerals, &c. Letter XIV. Dr. Morrison translates the Bible into the Chinese Language, Letter XV. Dr. Milne; Missionary Stations, Letter XVI. Leang Afa, Letter XVII. Canton City; Population, &c. Letter XVIII. To Parents and Teachers, ______ TO THE READER. ______ This little Book contains eighteen Letters, written by Rev. E.C. BRIDGMAN, Missionary in China, addressed to the Children of the Sabbath School in Middleton, Mass. and published in the Sabbath School Treasury and Visitor. Though the letters were addressed to children in a particular Sabbath School, they are none the less adapted to other children, and they cannot fail to interest any one, who would see China converted to Christ. ______ LETTERS FROM CHINA. ______ Letter I. Canton, (China,) Oct. 17, 1831 MY DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS:--The general agent of the Massachusetts Sabbath School Union has requested me to write something which I have "seen, heard, or thought of" for the Treasury. He proposed that I should write in the form of letters, and address them to you. This I shall be very happy to do, so far as I have any leisure to write. Some of you, perhaps, will remember what I used to tell you of the children, and men, and women, who had no Bibles, and who were ignorant of the true God, and of Jesus Christ the Savior of sinners. I can remember very well what some of the little children used to say, and how they used to look, when I talked to them about being a missionary, and of going far away from home, perhaps never to return. I did not then think of going so far off; indeed, I did not know where I should go; had some thoughts of going to Greece, or to Armenia. We do not always know what is best, but God does, for He knows all things, and will direct all things for his own glory; and if we love and obey him. He will make all things work together for our good. I am very glad I came to China, and I wish a great many more missionaries would come here. Before I came among the heathen, I had no idea how much they are to be pitied, and how much they need the Bible. Now that I live among them, and see their poor dumb idols every day, I desire to tell you a great many things which, I hope, will make you more careful to improve your own privileges, and more anxious also that the same blessed privileges may be enjoyed by all other children every where. Now, children, if you will look on your maps, you will see that China is situated in that part of the earth, which is directly opposite to the United States: so that when it is noon in one place, it is midnight in the other. The two countries, you will see, occupy nearly the same extent of the earth's surface. They are, also, bounded on the north and south, by nearly the same degrees of latitude. (China is situated a little farther south than the United States.) This makes the seasons,--summer and winters, spring and autumn,--and also the climate of the two countries, quite alike. But in regard to population, religion, and almost every thing else, they are very different from each other. China is a very ancient nation; and has, at the present time, a vast population,--probably twenty or thirty times as many people as there are in all the United States of America. If there are, then, three millions in the United States to be gathered into the Sabbath schools, and there Sabbath after Sabbath, instructed in the Holy Scriptures; there are here in China more than sixty millions, of the same age, who know not even that there are any Sabbath, or any Sabbath day, or any Holy Bible. You can now, dear children, from these few facts, estimate how many there are in China who need the Bible; and how much there is to be done, how many missionaries and Christian teachers will be wanted, before all these millions of immortal beings shall have the word of God, and be as blessed and as happy in their privileges, as you now are. You, truly, enjoy great privileges, because you have the Holy Bible, and can, every day, read of Jesus Christ: and if you believe in him, you will have great joy and comfort, and when you die, go to heaven and be forever with the Lord. But O, what do you think will become of all these poor heathen children, who have no Bibles, and who have never heard of the name of Jesus? In the fourth chapter of Acts, you read, that, "there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." The Chinese are idolaters. Their fathers, and their grandfather, for hundreds and thousands of generations, have been idolaters, and worshipped idols of wood and stone which their own hands have made. These idols are very numerous; as numerous, the Chinese themselves say, as the sands on the banks of a great river. The Chinese are divided into three religious sects. The Confucian sect; the Taon sect; and the Buddha sect. I will now tell you something about each of these three. The Confucian sect is composed of the learned men of China, who are in their disposition and character like the proud and self-righteous pharisees, mentioned in the New Testament. They call them the disciples of Confucius. They adore and worship him; they have a great many temples dedicated to him; and they offer various sacrifices to him, as the children of Israel did to Jehovah, the true God, in the time of Moses. Confucius was born 538 years before Christ. His disciples relate many strange stories about their master. But he taught them nothing about the true God and Jesus Christ, and nothing about the soul after death. Life and immortality were not revealed to him. His disciples are as ignorant as their master was. They neither know nor acknowledge the eternal power and Godhead, so "clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made." Professing themselves to be wise, they become fools, and like the Romans, "changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts," &c. &c. I wish you to read the last half of the first chapter of Romans, and you will have a good account of the disciples of Confucius. Taontsze, which being interpreted, means old boy, was the founder of the Taon sect. His followers to this day call him the supreme venerable prince; and relate many curious stories about him; and say that he was an ignorant good man. The religion of Buddha was brought from India, and became a common religion of China, probably, about the time, or soon after the crucifixion of our Savior. Both this religion and that of the Taon sect are dreadfully wicked, and full of abominations; and their priests are the most ignorant and miserable people in China. I will tell you more of these hereafter. Besides these three sects, there are some Roman Catholics, some Mohammedans, and a few Jews, scattered in different parts of China. Since I have now commenced, I wish to write you several short letters; and this I will try to do, if God our heavenly Father gives me time and strength. Earnestly desiring that he will give you all good things, I remain, Your true friends, E.C. BRIDGMAN. ______ Letter II. Canton, (China,) Oct. 19, 1831. MY DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS,--In the first letter, I told you something about the situation and the vast population of China, and the three religious sects into which the people are divided. In this letter I propose to give you a short account of their temples, priests, priestesses, and idols. Idol temples are very different from meeting-houses. I have visited a good many of these temples, in and about Canton and Macao. There is very little, if any, difference between the temples of the Buddha and the Taon sects. Those which I have seen are brick, and usually firm and well built. A common village temple occupies about half an acre of ground, enclosed by a wall twelve or fifteen feet high, and consists of several houses for the priests, a number of small rooms and niches for the idols, and an open court and alleys. Some of the temples are large, including within their outer wall three or four acres, having beautiful trees and gardens, and sometimes a furnace, in which the dead bodies of priests are burnt, and also a kind of tomb, filled with urns, in which their ashes are afterwards deposited. These are more than thirteen hundred idol temples in the province of Canton; and, at the same rate of reckoning, there will be, in the eighteen provinces into which China is divided, more than twenty-three thousand idol temples. I have never visited any of the temples dedicated to Confucius. They are, it is said, distinguished from those of Buddha and Taon, by their dignified simplicity, the exclusion of images from all the principal halls, and by substituting, in their stead, commemorative tablets, bearing the names of Confucius and his most distinguished disciples. Priests are numerous. One temple in Peking has, it is said, eight hundred priests. One which I have visited, near Canton, has more than one hundred and fifty. Those of Buddha shave their heads perfectly bald. They usually appear dressed in a large grey gown, with sleeves often a full yard wide. They live principally on vegetables; they eat no meat, are not allowed to marry, are idle, and, except by persons of their own sect, utterly disrespected. The priests of the Taon sect shave their heads, except a spot about the size of a man's hand, of which the crown of the head is the centre. This, indeed, every Chinese does. Every man and every boy must have his head shaved, as a mark of submission to the Emperor. This has been the custom for almost two hundred years. But, while the common people braid their hair into a "long tail," which hangs down to their heels, the priests of Taon fold theirs up in a knot on the top of the head. When they appear in public, they usually wear a yellow robe. They eat flesh, and are permitted to marry. No priest of either sect ever teaches in public and but seldom in private. They spend much of their time in devotions, which are nothing but "vain repetitions," saying over and over again the same words, as fast as they can, hundreds and thousands of times. They are sometimes called to pray for the dead, and sometimes to go in funeral processions. Persons may become priests at any age they please; they are usually, however, dedicated to the service when quite young, even in infancy. A few days ago, in the streets, I saw a lad only eight or ten years old, all dressed up in his priestly robes. There are no priests belonging to the Confucian sect. Priestesses are more wicked, but not so numerous as priests. There are three sorts of these poor miserable creatures. Those that belong to the sects of Buddha and Taon wear a peculiar kind of dress. Those of the Buddha sect shave their heads, and the people of Canton call them "women padres." Those of third sort form a kind of sisterhood, live wholly on vegetables, and dress like other women. These are all very wicked, ugly people. They pretend to sing songs to the gods, and drive away demons. There are other old women, still worse, if possible, than these; such as witches, conjurers, and necromancers. They pretend to hold intercourse with the dead, and give responses to their living kindred, telling them that their dead friends are in great distress for want of food and clothing. Many of the deluded people believe them, and, by these lies and tricks, they contrive to get food and clothing for themselves. Idols, in China, are numerous beyond all calculation. These idols are to be seen every where; in ships, in boats, houses, in temples, shops, streets, fields, on the hills, and in the vallies, and along the banks of all the rivers and canals. Some of these idols are very large, huge monsters, several feet high. Some of them are made of wood, some are stone, some are earthen, others are brass, iron, &c. &c. They are most commonly made somewhat in the likeness of men; but sometimes they are like beasts, and birds, and creeping things. There are places where these gods are manufactured and sold just as people make and sell chairs, tables, &c. I am going to send a parcel of them to the Society of Inquiry respecting Missions, at the Theological Seminary, Andover, where if you wish, you can go and see them. Adieu, dear children. May the Lord, in great mercy, keep you from all sin, and make you happy in this life and in that which is to come. Remembering you often in my prayers, I remain, your true friend, E.C. BRIDGMAN. ______ Letter III. Canton, (China,) Oct. 20, 1831. MY DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS,--In my letter, yesterday, I forgot to tell you of some very high buildings, called pagodas. These are found in almost every part of China. They were introduced soon after the religion of Buddha, in which they seem to have had their origin, in this country. These lofty buildings present every where nearly the same appearance; but differ in height from three to thirteen stories. They are usually hollow, with stairs ascending up through the centre; and are usually built on the top of some high hill. They are believed, by those who build them, to be a defence against evil spirits, pestilence, misfortunes, &c. One of the finest pagodas in China, is in Nanking, and was built about 400 years ago. It is called the porcelain pagoda. It is 200 feet high, divided into nine stories; and is, at the base, 122 feet in circumference. It was nineteen years in building, and cost more than three millions of dollars; more than three times as much as the American Board have yet expended for foreign missions. I will close this letter with some account of idol worship, as it is performed here, all around us, every day. The Chinese never assemble for religious worship as Christians do, who go to the house of God, there to worship him, who is a Spirit, in spirit and in truth. Their worship is very unholy, and offensive to God, and injurious to man. They have no preaching; their priests never set as public, religious teachers. Their worship consists of prayers and offerings, made to their false gods, and to their departed friends, to the sages and heroes of antiquity, and to their emperors--both living and the dead. All their acts of worship are accompanied with a great many, and very tedious ceremonies. Some of the priests make very long prayers. In a temple near Canton, I have seen more than 50 priests altogether, at one time, engaged in their devotions. At the appointed hour, they assembled in a large hall where were a number of idols, and altars for offering incense, and also a drum and a bell to wake up the sleepy gods, and make them listen to their prayers. As soon as they were assembled, they took their places in ranks, and commenced their worship. One of the oldest priests acted as chief, and took the lead; and the others, with loud voices, all joined with him and chanted their evening prayers. Sometimes, they all stood erect, with their hands all joined with him, and chanted their evening prayers. Sometimes they all stood erect, with their hands clasped before them. Sometimes, in files, they went round and round their altars. At one time, they all kneeled; and again, they all bowed down their heads, and placed them in the very dust. All the time they were doing these things, which occupied about an hour, candles and lamps were kept burning, and incense was offered on the altars. The Chinese never pray in their families and closets as Christians are taught to do. Individuals sometimes go to the temples to pray, and pay their vows, and to make offerings to the idol gods. I have repeatedly seen women, sometimes with their young children, bowing before the altars in the temples. The Chinese observe many times and seasons, in which they make religious offerings, some of which are very expensive. There are appointed seasons when the Emperor of China worships his ancestors, and the heavens, and the earth, and also some of the great mountains and rivers of the empire. Early in the morning on the first day of the year, all the people worship their gods, praying for riches. In the spring of every year, there is an appointed time, when every body goes to the hills--some travel hundreds of miles--to worship at the tombs of their fathers, and mothers, and uncles, &c. While at the tombs, they offer costly sacrifices of fish, fowls, sheep, goats, swine and the like, with oblations of wine and oil, to the names of their departed relatives. On the first and fifteenth of every moon, they have some special religious rites to perform, such as firing off thousands and thousands of gunpowder crackers, beating their gongs, or drums, &c. This they do to keep off evil spirits. Every day, especially at evening, offerings of paper--a kind of gold paper--and oil, and fragrant wood, are made to the household Gods, to the gods of the streets, shops, boats. Indeed, there seems to be no end to their superstitions. And thus, alas! all this numerous people are given to idolatry, and offer sacrifices to devils. They worship they know not what. And now, my dear young friends, do you think all this vain and wicked worship constitute a cheap and easy religion? Think of the priests and priestesses devoted to idleness, and to abominable rites and services. Think of the hundreds of temples and idleness, and to abominable rites and services. Think of the hundreds of temples and pagodas, and thousands of idols which cover and fill the land. Think, too, of all the times and seasons; all the costly offerings and sacrifices employed in this idol worship; and again I ask, and I wish you to give an answer,--Do you think this a cheap and easy religion? I think it a most costly religion, and most grievous to be borne. Oh, how unlike the religion of Jesus Christ! His yoke is easy, and his burden light. But the service of Satan is hard service. The expense of this idol worship must amount to many millions of dollars annually. More, I am constrained to believe, is expended every day, and every year, by the Chinese alone, in idol worship, than is devoted by all the true Christians in the whole world, to the worship of the true God. These things ought not so to be. And if all good people could see how miserable these heathens are, and could feel for them, as Christ Jesus commands them to feel, the things would not be so much longer. There would be a great change immediately. The Bible would be distributed; the Gospel would be preached; and then would the heathen cast away their dumb idols, and serve the true God. And now, dear children, farewell. Think of these things and remember and pray for the poor heathen always. I hope to write to you again; perhaps, several short letters, but I may be disappointed. Endeavoring to cast all my cares on Him, who careth for us all, and to serve him with singleness of heart, I still remain your true friend, E.C. BRIDGMAN. ______ Letter IV. Canton, (China,) Oct. 25, 1831. MY DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS,--There is no caste in China, as there is in India. Men may rise from the most humble stations in life, to the highest rank of office; the throne only being excepted. The Chinese, in their books, often speak of the soldiers and the people: and when speaking of the people, divide them into merchants, mechanics, husbandmen, and scholars. The occupations of these five classes, the Chinese call "the essential employments." And they say "that when the high heavens produced men, they appointed to every one an employment, as the means of personal support. Therefore, though men naturally differ as to knowledge and ignorance, strength and weakness, yet none should be without an employment. Having employments, all men have a proper duty to which they should attend, both that they may be profitable to themselves, and useful to the world." I think now, children, you will be better able to understand the character of the Chinese, if I tell you something of these five classes separately. I will remark first, however, that these divisions are not exclusive. A man may be a scholar, and at the same time engage in husbandry. So he may be a merchant, and at the same time a scholar. Soldiers, sometimes also, I believe, are farmers, or merchants, or mechanics. But usually one man attends to only one of the essential employments. China is now governed by the Tartars, a very war-like nation, who conquered and subdued the country, and ascended the throne 187 years ago. It was at that time, A.D. 1644, that the long tail mentioned in the second letter, was introduced. Many of the old people, it is said, were unwilling to shave their heads, and braid their hair. But the Tartars being their masters, and having the power, compelled them to do so, on the pain of death. Many actually preferred death to such a mark of disgrace. At the present time, in order to keep the people in subjection, a great number of soldiers, many of them Tartars, are stationed all over the Empire. There are several thousands in Canton. These soldiers have a few guns: but generally they are armed with swords and shields, or bows and arrows, or spears and pikes, or some other such like instruments. The soldiers have very little to do; and so they become very lazy, and gamble, and steal, rob and oppress the poor, and often make a great deal of disturbance. And after all they can do to keep the peace, the people often rise in rebellion; and then they quarrel and fight, and hundreds of the people and soldiers are killed. Two of three such rebellions have happened since I have been in China. To prevent mistake, I wish you to keep in mind the difference between China, and the Chinese Empire. By China, or China Proper, is understood the 18 provinces, which for a long time, constituted the whole of the Chinese possessions. The Chinese Empire, as it has existed since 1644, extends on the north, and west, far beyond the boundaries of ancient China, and is, probably, the largest Empire in the world. The whole number of persons in the Empire, who are enrolled as soldiers and make the art and practice of war their essential employment, is very great; amounting, probably, to two or three millions. Chinese Merchants have by no means that high character, and that influence, which the same class of men possess in Europe and America. They are ranked the last of the four divisions of the people, and are regarded by their own countrymen as the least respectable part of the community. They are, usually, very greedy of gain, and often cheat and deceive; and they regard it as a very small offence to cheat and deceive foreigners, whom they usually call barbarians: and who, they say, come an immense distance across the seas, from the northwest corner of the world, to buy teas, and silks of the celestial Empire. The foreign trade to China is pretty extensive, and is continually increasing. There are now at Whampoa, where the foreign ships unload and load their cargoes, 52 ships, and 4,000 seamen. These ships bring tin, lead, quick-silver, copper, iron, furs, cotton yarn, cotton and woollen cloth, and many other such like, useful articles. They bring also, and of late years, a very great quantity of opium. More than twenty millions of dollars' worth of opium were sold here last year. This is very bad, and does a great deal of hurt. Those who bring and sell the opium, and those who buy it also, know very well that it is doing a great deal of injury. Only a part of the foreign merchants trade in opium; the others will not, because they know it is wrong, and contrary to the laws of God and man. Returning from China, the ships are usually very richly laden with nankeens, silks, teas, &c. Chinese merchants do not often go very far abroad; seldom if ever, so far as to India. They carry on, however, considerable trade with Cochin China, Siam, Singapore, Malacca, Java; to which, and to some other places, they have quite a number of vessels, perhaps fifty, which make a voyage every year. It is by these vessels that Mr. Medhurst, and Mr. Tomlin, and other missionaries, have sent many Bibles and tracts into China. It is in one of these vessels also, that Mr. Gutzlaff has gone to Peking, where he means to spend the winter and preach the gospel of the Son of God. Again, dear children, adieu. Be good children--obey and love your parents--read your Bibles--believe in Jesus with your whole hearts, and pray to God always, then you will be happy. I will by the assistance and permission of God, endeavor to continue the account of the Chinese people, in another letter. Your very true friend, E.C.B. ______ Letter V. Canton, (China,) Nov.2, 1831. MY DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS,--Having given you, in my last letter, some account of the soldiers and merchants, I intend in this, to tell you about the merchants, the husbandmen, and the scholars. I do not pretend to give you a very complete account of these several classes of persons. My desire is, however, that you shall have such an acquaintance with the every day conduct, and peculiar manners and customs of the Chinese, that you may be able to form for yourselves, correct ideas of their character. I should be glad to have you know fully their whole manner of life. I wish you to know all about them: how they live, how they think, and how they act. And I wish you to know how they regard and treat each other, as follow citizens, as husbands and wives, as parents and children, and as brothers and sisters, &c. &c. Because, when you can see them in all their daily conduct, and in all their various relations, and have correct views of their character; then you will know how much you ought to pity them, and will be very anxious, I think, to send them the gospel of God, which is able to make them wise unto everlasting life. I remember you have already done something for the heathen, but you know that there is a great deal more to be done; and we must not stop till the whole world is converted. Now I will tell you about the Mechanics. They are usually, as in the United States, a very industrious class of people, and many of them excellent workmen. It is written in one of their books, "Let mechanics examine the four seasons; prepare the six materials; daily and monthly investigate the progress of their pursuits; abide together in their own departments; and thus complete their business." These words which I have now quoted, are found in a book called the Sacred Edict of the emperor Kanghe. He lived about a hundred years ago. It is very common among the Chinese for persons of the same occupation to live "together" in the same neighborhood. Especially is this the case with the mechanics. The four seasons, spring, summer, autumn and winter, are to be examined for two purposes. The one is, for the purpose of observing various superstitious rites and ceremonies, which they vainly suppose necessary to secure success in business. The other is, for selecting and storing up, on lucky days, the "six materials." The six materials are, earth, metal, stone, wood, animals, and fibrous plants. Of earth they make bricks, tiles, porcelain, and a great variety of wares. Of metals they make implements of husbandry, and war, &c. Stone is used for building bridges, houses, temples, and especially for making idols. These, and all other materials, are selected with great care, and many ceremonies, which make the ordinary labors of this people, in many respects, exceedingly hard. To-day is the birth-day of the god of fire, and the mechanics of Canton are expending thousands of dollars in order to secure his protection. There are some kinds of workmanship which exhibit very little skill or taste. There are other kinds which are excellent. The Chinese, it is said, make good clocks, but do not succeed in making watches. Very much of their work is, indeed, good in its kind; and, usually, remarkably simple. The Chinese mechanics almost always work by a pattern; and every thing so far as it is for their own use, must be made according to old custom. This people are very far from thinking that every generation grows wiser and wiser. On the contrary, they think that the ancients were, in many respects, the perfect models of perfection. Hence to imitate, and to be like them, is the utmost of their wishes. This is the case with the mechanics. Hence ships, boats, houses, shops, temples, furniture, and implements of every kind, are made just like those made years and years ago. I will give you one single example. Instead of knives and forks, which they never use, they have two small round sticks, about the size of the old fashion pipe-stems, and about a foot long. These nimble lads, for so they call the two round sticks, they hold in their right hand, and with a bowl of food in their left, raised quite up to the chin, they jerk the food into their mouth with astonishing rapidity. These sticks, by foreigners usually called chop-sticks, have been in common use, according to the Chinese account of them, more than three thousand years. But as children are early trained to the use of these sticks, perhaps there is no loss or disadvantage in continuing their use. Yet, even when there would be a great improvement, as in the helms of their ships, they must (because their government compels them) adhere strictly to old custom. According to law, the different kinds of mechanics are all, I believe, to be enrolled in the government offices. The following is a specimen of those in this city. Shoe-makers, twenty-five thousand. Carpenters and cabinet-makers, sixteen thousand. Lapidaries or those who work in stone, seven thousand. Barbers also, seven thousand. I must defer what I have to tell you about the husbandmen and scholars, for another letter. Till then, farewell. Like good children, be diligent and careful in all that you have to do; especially be diligent and careful in your studies, and committing to memory the holy Scriptures. Remember that good and wise children will make glad their parents. So may you do. And may God our heavenly Father keep you from all sin. So writes Your true friends, E.C.B. ______ Letter VI. Canton, (China) Nov. 4, 1831. MY DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS,--The Chinese rulers of the present day, say to their people,--"give the chief place to husbandry and the cultivation of the mulberry-tree, in order to procure adequate supplies of food and raiment." To impress this precept on the minds of the people, they add,--"if a man plough not, he will very likely suffer hunger; if a woman weave not, she may probably feel the cold. Of old time, the emperors themselves ploughed, and their empresses cultivated the mulberry; they disdained not to labor, in order that, by their example, they might excite the millions of the people to lay due stress on the radical principles of economy." And yet again they add,--"We wish our people to exert their whole strength in agriculture. Do not love idleness and hate labor; do not be diligent at first, and slothful afterwards; do not, because of a deficient season, reject your fields and plantations; do not covet the multiplied profits of commerce, and change the good old employment. Agriculture alone is the fundamental employment." I have made these quotations, in order to show you in what estimation agriculture is held by the emperors of China. In regard to "farming business," they act very wisely, and set before their people a good example. For a long time the Chinese have been regarded, as among the best, and the most ancient tillers of the ground. Very many of the people are farmers. A pretty large proportion, I should think six-eights, of the whole population engage in agricultural pursuits. Some notices of their implements and modes of husbandry, and the productions of their soil, will serve to illustrate the character and condition of those who make agriculture their essential employment. Their farming tools are few in number, and simple in the structure. Not a wheel carriage of any description have I yet seen in China, excepting only fire engines, which, both foreign and native built, are usually drawn on four wheels. In the north of China, wheel carriages for various purposes are in common use; but here, all kinds of produce and merchandize, and men and women themselves, are carried, either in boats, or by human strength. The sedan, in which people ride, is made quite like a chaise top, with poles, like thills, extending an equal distance before and behind. Only one person is seated in the sedan, and two strong men stooping down take the poles on their shoulders, and then rising up, lift the sedan about a foot from the ground. In this style, away they go, for miles, like horses. These bearers the Chinese nick-name mo-me-ma, i.e. no-tail-horses. Similar men are employed to carry heavy burdens. When the weight is only enough for one man, it is suspended from the ends of a light, but very strong bamboo pole, about six feet long, which the bearer balances on his right shoulder. When the weight requires two or more men, it is suspended from the middle of the pole, which is a large round heavy bamboo, about ten feet long. In this way thousands of our fellow-men are used as beasts of burden. The Chinese use the plough and harrow, which are made similar to those used in America. These are drawn by a single ox, or buffalo,--a very stout animal, of a dun color, well fitted for the work. Their spade, hoe, and rake, and their implements for cutting, threshing, and winnowing grain are, also, like those used in the United States, and in Europe, though much more rude and simple. They commonly use a large pestle and mortar to make flour. They have also mills for grinding, but the stones used are always small, and never turned by water. These mills are, probably, like those referred to the words--"two women shall be grinding at the mill." What I have now told you of their implements, will lead you to form some ideas of the modes of husbandry, which are most common among the Chinese. The very great variety, plenty and perfection of vegetable productions found among this people, give us favorable opinions of their manner of cultivating the earth. Their lands are laid out in extensive fields, and ditches dug, or stones set up, usually serve for land marks. I believe they have no fences, except, sometimes, around their richest gardens,--and these not so much for a defence against the encroachment of beasts, as they are for a protection from thieves and robbers. Very little of their land is left uncultivated. Indeed some of the most rich and beautiful grounds are made so by human industry. Sometimes by embankments built up like mildams, the water is kept back, and acres and acres are made dry land, and rich harvests are gathered, where before it was all covered with water, and men used to drag their nets to catch fish. At other times, hard, sterile hill-tops, terraced and covered with a rich soil, are made charmingly beautiful, and very productive. Very much is effected by manuring and irrigation. The methods of doing the latter are very curious. But of these and many other things I have not time to speak. Besides I am afraid you will be tired with my long accounts; which, indeed, are becoming much larger than I intended. I could by no means persuade, or allow myself thus to employ a few,--not leisure, hours, did I not hope, and confidently believe, that you will do something for this people. China has long, long been neglected. Scores and scores of laborers are needed, to break up this fallow ground, to sow the good seed, to seek the Lord, the Lord of the harvest, till he come and rain righteousness upon this people, and make them his own husbandry. You know, my dear young friends, that God, our heavenly Father, is very good, that He doeth good to the evil and unthankful, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. God has been very good to the Chinese. Of fruit trees, He has given them the rich banana, the apple, peach, walnut, chestnut, orange lemon, and many others. He has given them figs, grapes, and many kinds of berries. Of vegetables, He has given them almost every kind, that can be named. He has caused the mulberry to grow and yield an abundance of material for silk to clothe them. He has given them the tea plant also, and so plenteously, that they can supply the whole world with it, and make themselves rich in the traffic. He has given them abundance of grain for bread, and for meat. He has given them the fishes of the sea, the fowls of heaven, and cattle on a thousand hills. But, alas! they do not love to retain Him in their knowledge. They deny his existence. They worship dumb idols. And, what think you, will become of them when they die? Oh, happy, thrice happy is that nation--thrice happy are those children, whose God is the Lord. Farewell, dear children. The Lord bless you evermore, and your true friend. E.C.B. ______ Letter VII. Canton, (China,) Nov. 22, 1831. MY DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS,--I have already told you about the soldiers, the merchants, the mechanics, and the husbandmen of China; in this letter I will give you some account of the scholars. Among all the pagan nations, that have ever been, or now exist, none perhaps, have been more learned than the Chinese. But no people in the world, without the Bible, can be so learned as those nations who have it. Those people, who read, and study, and understand the Holy Scriptures the best, will always be the best scholars; they will have the best taste, the best judgment, the best understanding; and, if they obey what they read, they will have the best hearts. Believe me, my dear children, if you read and obey the Holy Bible, we shall be truly wise. God himself will be our teacher: and His holy law will be our school-master to bring us to Christ. If all people would only read and obey the word of God, then there would be no wars and fightings; there would be no more thieves, no more robbers, no more murderers, no more profane persons, and drunkards, and such like wicked persons. But the Chinese have not the Holy Bible. They have not the wisdom, that is from above, which is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. Professing themselves to be wise, they become fools,--blasphemers of God,--boasting of things without their measure, and their mouth speaketh great swelling words. They call their emperor the Son of Heaven, and bow down before him, and worship him as a divine being. They call their empire the celestial empire. They call it also the middle kingdom. All the people around them, even all the nations of the earth,--the English and Americans, and all other people, they call ignorant cruel barbarians. I do not dislike the Chinese. I love them; but I dislike their vices and their wickedness. There is a difference in their character and conduct. Some are far more honest, more kind, more upright, and better disposed than others. Usually, not always, the most ignorant are the most wicked. The Chinese pay considerable attention to learning. They have a great many books, some of which contain excellent precepts, and much good instruction. But the good, which their books contain, is almost always mixed up with more or less that is bad, and contrary to the laws of God. Scholars in China are the most respectable part of the community. Some of their scholars of ancient times, they say, were perfect men; and so now the people worship them, and sacrifice to them. They say, also, that "of, old families had their schools; villages their academies; districts their colleges; and the nation her university. Of consequence, no one was left uninstructed." They say, also, that the schools were not intended for one class only but for all the people;--that "if the husbandman can exert his strength in the field; and duly attend to his duty, then he is a scholar,"--and that, "when the soldiers all know how to venerate their superiors, and love their relatives, then they also are scholars." These and more like these, are the sayings of the Chinese, of modern times. But most truly may it be said of this people, that they say and do not. Whether all were, or were not, instructed in times "of old," I will not undertake to determine; but at the present time, it is far enough from being the case. If I am able to continue these letters, as I wish, you will see, by and by, when I come to speak of the condition of females, that one half--the fairest half of the community, are excluded from these schools, and left uninstructed. Besides, there are not a few men and boys who are left uninstructed. A majority, probably a very large majority, of the male population, above the age of ten years, are taught to read and write. They have numerous district schools, and some colleges; and multitudes make learning their essential employment. But their whole system of education is "wretchedly bad." The Chinese language is very curious indeed; there is no language like it in all the world. It is not at all like the English language. They have no alphabet,--no A, B, C, and so forth. They do not write with a pen, but use a pencil made like a small paint-brush. Their books begin where ours end; that is when they take a book into their hands to read, they open it at the right hand side, instead of the left; and, beginning at the top of the right hand side of the page, read down in columns, passing on from the right to the left, and not from the left to the right, as in the old English spelling-books. Usually, boys do not begin to learn to read until they eight or ten years old. They are then sent to school, and the master first teaches them how to pronounce the words, and afterwards explains their meaning. Their first school books are very short, and the boys are required to learn them by heart, so that they can repeat them from beginning to end. Their words are very strange looking characters. A very long time ago, they say, that a certain man, by observing the print of the horse's foot in the sand, and the marks on the shell of the tortoise, first found out how to write words, These words were so formed as to be a kind of picture of the things which they signified. Though they have been much changed since they were first found out, yet still they have some resemblance to the object. Boys always study out loud in school, which makes a great deal of noise. When they have learned a few lessons, they then begin to write. The paper is so thin, that they place the copy underneath it, and then try to form the words just like the copy. Most of the boys continue at school only two or three years. But those, who are intended for scholars, continue many years, and are from time to time examined for degrees, similar to Master and Bachelor of Arts. Some men in China can get into office by paying money; but all others, who obtain offices of government, are appointed from among the scholars, who have received degrees: so the great object of being scholars is, that they may get into office, and become rulers of the people. The learning of the Chinese is very limited and superficial. They have scarcely any knowledge of astronomy, geography, and history. And so of anatomy, and medicine, and chemistry, and many other kinds of learning they are amazingly deficient. The course of study for all children in China is nearly the same every where. The first book the boy begins with is in poetry. This is the meaning of the first two lines, man's beginning--nature original good, that is the nature of man is originally good; or, more fully as they explain them,--All men are born virtuous and good. These are the first words, and this the first sentiment the boy learns in school. The words are good enough, and certainly very curious. But what shall we say of the sentiment,--the meaning of the words? Why does God require all men, and all little children to have new hearts? It is because all men have hard hearts, hearts of stone, and cannot love Him. Why does He require us all to be renewed in the temper of our minds? It is because that as we are born and grow up, our minds are enmity against God. Why does Jesus Christ say, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God! Because that which is born of the flesh is flesh,--is not virtuous and good. Farewell, dear children. And may He, who is the former of your bodies, and the father of your spirits, have mercy on you, and send his Holy Spirit that you may be born again,--born of the Spirit, be renewed in your minds, and have new hearts, and love and enjoy God forever. I remain your true friend, E.C.B. ______ Letter VIII. Canton, (China,) Nov. 28, 1831. MY DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS,--The sailors, or those who live constantly on the water, ought to be mentioned as a distinct class. They are, indeed, a very numerous people; and, so far as I know, they are no way inferior, or worse than those belonging to the five classes, of which I have already given you some account. Like the seamen of Europe and America, they have been very wrongly neglected. The rivers of China are very numerous, and several of them are very broad, beautiful and majestic. The canals, also, are numerous. And, besides a number of lakes, the country, for an immense distance on the east, and south-east, is washed by the waves of the Pacific Ocean,--forming along the coast a great number of bays and harbors. On all these waters, vast multitudes of human beings are born, and live, and die;--having, many of them while they live, no home but a boat, or a ship, and when they die, no winding sheet and grave but the waters. On the north bank of one of these rivers, stand the city and suburbs of Canton. The river varies in its breath. At this place, I should think it about forty or fifty rods wide. In another letter, I may tell you something about Canton. I will only state here, that the buildings extend quite down to the river: and in many places, even the ground has been built out beyond the former bank, and in some places much farther than in others, which makes many nooks and corners. These, and indeed, a considerable part of the river, for three or four miles, seem to be almost covered with boats; which are of various descriptions, and in all, probably amount to not less than forty or fifty thousand. The tanka boats are the smallest and most numerous. Tanks means an egg-house, and the boats are so called because they resemble an egg floating on the water. The smallest of these boats are not more than twelve or fifteen feet long, about six broad, and so high, that a person can stand up in them. Their covering is very light, and can be easily adjusted to the state of the weather. Whole families live in these boats; and often besides a good number of children, raise broods of ducks and chickens, which they lash on the outside of the boats in coops. Ferry-boats differ from the tanks, only by being a little longer and narrower, and not quite so high. There is a ferry right opposite to the place where I live. Four hundred dollars are paid for it annually; and the ferry-men, or rather women, who row and scull the boats, usually carry eight persons at a time, and each person's fare is eight cash, of which about eight hundred make a dollar. The scull is a kind of long oar, balanced on a pivot close to one side of the stern of the boat. This "they make use of as the fish does of his tail, thrusting it out, and pulling it to them again, without ever lifting it above water. By this oar, worked in this manner, not only the ferry-boats, but other, and much larger boats, are urged forward to the greatest possible advantage. It would require a large book to give...