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RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE MISSION AT HONG-KONG. OUR brother, the Rev. Dr. LEGGE, now preparing to return to China, accompanied by several Missionary Brethren, has supplied us with the following outlines of the history of our Mission in the island of HONG-KONG. We are also indebted to him for the materials of the engraving which we this month present to our readers. The article commences with a brief description of the natural features of the island, which will be found interesting:

HONG-KONG, or, according to the pronunciation of the Court dialect, Heang Keang, means properly "the fragrant stream." The stranger from Europe, entering its harbour either from the north or the south, and gazing on the rugged and barren outlines of the granite mountains, of which, with their interjacent valleys, it is composed, would find it difficult to account for such a designation. Strictly speaking, the name should be given only to a small village, containing about 200 inhabitants, on the south-west side of the island, very prettily embowered among trees, and having around it on spots of table-land a few patches of well-watered, cultivated ground. The whole island is of insignificant extent, hardly exceeding ten miles in extreme length, and five miles in breadth. It began to be occupied by the English in 1841, and was finally ceded to the British Crown by the Treaty of Nankin, in August of the following year. The shore fronting to the north-east, and washed by the waters of one of the loveliest bays and noblest harbours in the world, was selected as the site of a British Town, called, after our gracious Sovereign,—VICTORIA. Its increase has been very rapid. "Regular streets," it has been said, "of substantial buildings rising one above another, with a line of military forts, barracks, hospitals, and stores, now stand forth as a powerful monument of the energy and strength of Western Civilization."

In the end of 1842, Dr. Hobson transferred the operations of the Medical Missionary Society from Macao to Victoria, where a large and admirably-contrived building had been erected as a Hospital; and, in June, 1843, the Rev. Dr. Legge arrived from Malacca, bringing with him the Library of the Anglo-Chinese College, and three useful members of the Native Church, which had been formed at that station.

At the Conference of the Brethren in Victoria, in August of that year, it was advised that Hong-Kong should be permanently occupied as a Missionary Station. They saw that a large Chinese Population was rapidly accumulating, and, though the island was small in territorial extent, they knew that small countries-Palestine, Greece, Italy, and the British Islands-have exerted the greatest influence on the affairs of the human race. Educational objects could be pursued with greater facilities in Hong-Kong than at any of the five opened ports, and it was believed that the Gospel was likely to sound out from it far and wide through the adjoining continent.

The first Chapel for Chinese Preaching in connection with the London Missionary Society was opened by Dr. Legge, on the second Sabbath of 1844, and the truth of the Gospel has been regularly proclaimed in it down to the present time, three or four times in the week, and sometimes every evening. Its situation is most eligible: the audiences have always been good, and often crowded. Measures are now in progress to repair and enlarge it.

In 1845, proposals were made by the Brethren, to the foreign community resident in the island, for subscriptions "to build a Chapel for divine service in the Chinese and English Languages, in connection with the LONDON MISSIONARY

SOCIETY." The appeal was liberally answered, and the handsome building, 50 feet by 36 within the walls, of which an engraving is given in this number, was erected at an expense of more than 1,000l., 1127. being voted towards it by the Board of Direction.

A great honour has been put upon this place of worship. Within its walls our excellent Native Missionary, Tsin-Shen, was publicly ordained to the work of an Evangelist among his countrymen; and the Brethren have been privileged to receive by the ordinance of baptism, five Natives of China into the communion of the Church of Christ. A church of our countrymen has likewise been formed. The Directors have been encouraged to appoint the Rev. B. Kay, who was designated in Manchester, on the 18th of last month, to the charge of the English Services in Union Chapel, and they cherish the hope that his salary will be met by the generous contributions of the Church and Congregation. He will, at the same time, address himself to the study of the Chinese Language, and co-operate with the brethren in all their works of faith and labours of love. Most earnestly and affectionately do the Directors pray that God may speed him in his important and interesting charge.

In the course of 1845, a small Chapel was built by Dr. Hobson, in the village of Wong-Nei, situated in the valley of the same name, on the east of Victoria, where the evangelist, A-Gong, has continued to maintain two services every week. The labours of the Brethren in Hong-Kong have, indeed, been abundant, and richly crowned with the divine blessing. In the course of the ensuing summer they will be reinforced by the return of Dr. Legge, with his three interesting Chinese Pupils, henceforth his Coadjutors; and by the accession of Mr. Kay and the Rev. T. Gilfillan. Our friends will join us in the application to them of the Psalmist's prayer, "Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon them, and establish Thou the work of their hands upon them. Yea, the work of their hands, establish Thou it."

STATE AND PROSPECTS OF THE SOCIETY'S FUNDS FOR THE

PRESENT YEAR.

Ar a Special Meeting of the Town and COUNTRY DIRECTORS, held at the Missionhouse on the 16th of November ult., the following brief Statement was presented :

"The Directors, having carefully examined the present state and prospects of the Society's Finances, are of opinion, that there will be a deficiency in the Income of the year, as compared with the Expenditure, to the extent of £12,500; arising as follows:

Deficiency in Legacies (as compared with the amount of
last year)

Estimated deficiency in Ordinary Contributions
Increased Expenditure in the outfit of the Ship, and
orders in advance for the South Sea Missionaries

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The Board was numerously attended by Representatives from several efficient Auxiliaries in different Counties; and, after an extended conference, it was Resolved unanimously-"That a statement of the present and prospective finan

cial position of the Society be made, instanter, to its attached and generous Friends in London and throughout the Country, accompanied by an urgent appeal for Special Contributions to meet its present exigency; the same to be realised as speedily as practicable."

It was deemed by the Meeting most desirable to restrict the application for assistance to individuals, from an apprehension that a more general and public appeal to congregations would injuriously affect the Ordinary Contributions of its Constituents-an evil most carefully to be avoided.

Although the present effort is designed to meet the exigency of the year, the Directors are still more anxious, as far as may be possible, permanently to equalize the ordinary Income and Outlay of the Society. This can only be accomplished by degrees: it has, however, already been realised in part; and they cherish the earnest hope that, by perseverance in a watchful system of economy, on the one hand; and, on the other, by improving the system of Missionary Organization and thus augmenting their Annual Resources, the necessity of Special Appeals, like the present, may hereafter be prevented.

While the Directors feel it incumbent to make this explicit statement of the present and prospective position of the Society's Finances, and to devise the best measures to prevent the evil they foresee at the close of the Missionary Year; and, while they are fully sensible of the commercial difficulties felt by the Friends of the Society, in common with the Members of kindred Institutions, they cannot yield to discouragement or alarm. The devoted Agents of the Society are labouring with the most decisive proofs of the divine favour in every department of Missionary Service. To recal any of these faithful men, and to relinquish fields white unto the harvest, would involve criminality, which the Directors would not dare to incur, and which the Churches of Britain would not fail to condemn: they have administered the funds committed to their stewardship with conscious integrity and according to their best judgment-they confidently rely upon the steady attachment and liberality of the Society's Friends to meet the present emergency;-and they humbly look to the God of Missions, whose cause they aim to serve, to sanction this appeal and crown it with success. Signed, by order of the Board of Directors,

Mission House, Blomfield-street, London.

CULLING EARDLEY EARDLEY, Treasurer.
ARTHUR TIDMAN,

JOSEPH JOHN FREEMAN,}

Secretaries.

The application has hitherto been almost restricted to the Friends of the Society in London and its vicinity, and the following List of Donations exhibits the gratifying results :

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Euse Smith, Esq.

W. Walker, Esq.

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Joshua Wilson, Esq..

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.100 0 0

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. 100 0 0

E.Swaine, Esq., and G.Wil-
son, Esq.

G. B. Hart, Esq.
Messrs. Spicer
Mrs. B. Wilson
J. R. Mills, Esq.

Juvenile Friends at St.

Thomas's Square, Hack

£ S. d.

100 0 0

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0 0

ney, per Rev. Dr. Burder 60 00

G. Hitchcock, Esq. . . 50 0 0

* With the promise of an additional £100, if nine other Contributors can be found of an equal sum.

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