The Project Gutenberg eBook ofLetters to ChildrenThis 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 atwww.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook.Title: Letters to ChildrenAuthor: E. C. BridgmanRelease date: January 26, 2017 [eBook #54055]Most recently updated: October 23, 2024Language: EnglishCredits: Produced by Ting Man TsaoTranscriber's Note: This e-book is based on an extant copy atSpecial Collections Research Center, Earl Gregg Swem Library,College of William and Mary. The transcriber is grateful to thelibrarians there for providing assistance in accessing this rarefragile book. A few typos in the original text were corrected.*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LETTERS TO CHILDREN ***
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 atwww.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook.
Title: Letters to ChildrenAuthor: E. C. BridgmanRelease date: January 26, 2017 [eBook #54055]Most recently updated: October 23, 2024Language: EnglishCredits: Produced by Ting Man TsaoTranscriber's Note: This e-book is based on an extant copy atSpecial Collections Research Center, Earl Gregg Swem Library,College of William and Mary. The transcriber is grateful to thelibrarians there for providing assistance in accessing this rarefragile book. A few typos in the original text were corrected.
Title: Letters to Children
Author: E. C. Bridgman
Author: E. C. Bridgman
Release date: January 26, 2017 [eBook #54055]Most recently updated: October 23, 2024
Language: English
Credits: Produced by Ting Man TsaoTranscriber's Note: This e-book is based on an extant copy atSpecial Collections Research Center, Earl Gregg Swem Library,College of William and Mary. The transcriber is grateful to thelibrarians there for providing assistance in accessing this rarefragile book. A few typos in the original text were corrected.
*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 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.
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.______
Introduction; Chinese are Idolaters; Confucian, Taon, and BuddhaSects,
Temples, Priest, Priestesses and Idols,
Pagodas, Idol Worship,
Soldiers; Merchants,
Mechanics,
Husbandmen,
Scholars,
Sailors,
Character and Condition of Females,
Marriage Ceremony,
Beggars; Food and Clothing,
Crimes: Lying, Gambling, Quarrelling, Theft, Robbery, andBribery,
Ideas of Death, style of Mourning, Funerals, &c.
Dr. Morrison translates the Bible into the Chinese Language,
Dr. Milne; Missionary Stations,
Leang Afa,
Canton City; Population, &c.
To Parents and Teachers,______
______This little Book contains eighteen Letters, written by Rev. E.C.BRIDGMAN, Missionary in China, addressed to the Children of theSabbath School in Middleton, Mass. and published in the SabbathSchool Treasury and Visitor. Though the letters were addressedto children in a particular Sabbath School, they are none the lessadapted to other children, and they cannot fail to interest anyone, who would see China converted to Christ.______
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Canton, (China,)Oct.17, 1831MY DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS:--The general agent of the MassachusettsSabbath School Union has requested me to write something whichI have "seen, heard, or thought of" for theTreasury. He proposedthat I should write in the form of letters, and address them toyou. This I shall be very happy to do, so far as I have any leisureto write.Some of you, perhaps, will remember what I used to tell you ofthe children, and men, and women, who had no Bibles, and who wereignorant of the true God, and of Jesus Christ the Savior ofsinners. I can remember very well what some of the little childrenused to say, and how they used to look, when I talked to them aboutbeing a missionary, and of going far away from home, perhaps neverto return. I did not then think of going so far off; indeed, Idid not know where I should go; had some thoughts of going toGreece, or to Armenia. We do not always know what is best, butGod does, for He knows all things, and will direct all things forhis own glory; and if we love and obey him. He will make all thingswork together for our good.I am very glad I came to China, and I wish a great many moremissionaries would come here. Before I came among the heathen,I had no idea how much they are to be pitied, and how much theyneed the Bible. Now that I live among them, and see their poordumb idols every day, I desire to tell you a great many thingswhich, I hope, will make you more careful to improve your ownprivileges, and more anxious also that the same blessedprivileges may be enjoyed by all other children every where.Now, children, if you will look on your maps, you will see thatChina is situated in that part of the earth, which is directlyopposite to the United States: so that when it is noon in oneplace, it is midnight in the other. The two countries, you willsee, occupy nearly the same extent of the earth's surface. Theyare, also, bounded on the north and south, by nearly the samedegrees of latitude. (China is situated a little farther souththan the United States.) This makes the seasons,--summer andwinters, spring and autumn,--and also the climate of the twocountries, quite alike. But in regard to population, religion,and almost every thing else, they are very different from eachother.China is a very ancient nation; and has, at the present time, avast population,--probably twenty or thirty times as many peopleas there are in all the United States of America. If there are,then,three millionsin the United States to be gathered intothe Sabbath schools, and there Sabbath after Sabbath, instructedin the Holy Scriptures; there are here in China more thansixtymillions, of the same age, who know not even that there are anySabbath, or any Sabbath day, or any Holy Bible.You can now, dear children, from these few facts, estimate howmany there are in China who need the Bible; and how much thereis to be done, how many missionaries and Christian teachers willbe wanted, before all these millions of immortal beings shall havethe word of God, and be as blessed and as happy in theirprivileges, as you now are. You, truly, enjoy great privileges,because you have the Holy Bible, and can, every day, read of JesusChrist: and if you believe in him, you will have great joy andcomfort, and when you die, go to heaven and be forever with theLord. But O, what do you think will become of all these poorheathen children, who have no Bibles, and who have never heardof 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 havemade. These idols are very numerous; as numerous, the Chinesethemselves say, as the sands on the banks of a great river.The Chinese are divided into three religious sects. The Confuciansect; the Taon sect; and the Buddha sect. I will now tell yousomething about each of these three.TheConfuciansect is composed of thelearnedmen of China,who are in their disposition and character like the proud andself-righteous pharisees, mentioned in the New Testament. Theycall them thedisciplesof Confucius. They adore and worshiphim; they have a great many temples dedicated to him; and theyoffer various sacrifices to him, as the children of Israel didto Jehovah, the true God, in the time of Moses. Confucius was born538 years before Christ. His disciples relate many strangestories about their master. But he taught them nothing about thetrue God and Jesus Christ, and nothing about the soul after death.Life and immortality were not revealed to him. His disciplesare as ignorant as their master was. They neither know noracknowledge the eternal power and Godhead, so "clearly seen,being understood by the things that are made." Professingthemselves to be wise, they become fools, and like the Romans,"changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image liketo 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, meansold boy, was thefounder of theTaonsect. His followers to this day call himthe supreme venerable prince; and relate many curious storiesabout him; and say that he was anignorant good man.The religion ofBuddhawas brought from India, and became acommon religion of China, probably, about the time, or soon afterthe crucifixion of our Savior. Both this religion and that of theTaon sect are dreadfully wicked, and full of abominations; andtheir 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, someMohammedans, and a few Jews, scattered in different parts ofChina.Since I have now commenced, I wish to write you several shortletters; and this I will try to do, if God our heavenly Fathergives me time and strength. Earnestly desiring that he will giveyou all good things, I remain,Your true friends,E.C. BRIDGMAN.______
Canton, (China,)Oct.19, 1831.MY DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS,--In the first letter, I told you somethingabout the situation and the vast population of China, and thethree religious sects into which the people are divided. In thisletter I propose to give you a short account of their temples,priests, priestesses, and idols.Idol templesare very different from meeting-houses. I havevisited a good many of these temples, in and about Canton andMacao. There is very little, if any, difference between thetemples of the Buddha and the Taon sects. Those which I have seenare brick, and usually firm and well built. A common villagetemple occupies about half an acre of ground, enclosed by a walltwelve or fifteen feet high, and consists of several houses forthe 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, havingbeautiful trees and gardens, and sometimes a furnace, in whichthe 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 provinceof Canton; and, at the same rate of reckoning, there will be, inthe eighteen provinces into which China is divided, more thantwenty-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 allthe principal halls, and by substituting, in their stead,commemorative tablets, bearing the names of Confucius and hismost distinguished disciples.Priestsare numerous. One temple in Peking has, it is said,eight hundred priests. One which I have visited,nearCanton,has more than one hundred and fifty. Those of Buddha shave theirheads perfectly bald. They usually appear dressed in a large greygown, with sleeves often a full yard wide. They live principallyon vegetables; they eat no meat, are not allowed to marry, areidle, and, except by persons of their own sect, utterlydisrespected. The priests of the Taon sect shave their heads,except a spot about the size of a man's hand, of which the crownof the head is the centre. This, indeed, every Chinese does. Everyman and every boy must have his head shaved, as a mark ofsubmission to the Emperor. This has been the custom for almosttwo hundred years. But, while the common people braid their hairinto a "long tail," which hangs down to their heels, the priestsof Taon fold theirs up in a knot on the top of the head. When theyappear in public, they usually wear a yellow robe. They eat flesh,and are permitted to marry. No priest of either sect ever teachesin public and but seldom in private. They spend much of their timein devotions, which are nothing but "vain repetitions," sayingover and over again the same words, as fast as they can, hundredsand thousands of times. They are sometimes called to pray for thedead, and sometimes to go in funeral processions.Persons may become priests at any age they please; they areusually, however, dedicated to the service when quite young, evenin infancy. A few days ago, in the streets, I saw a lad only eightor ten years old, all dressed up in his priestly robes. There areno priests belonging to the Confucian sect.Priestessesare more wicked, but not so numerous as priests.There are three sorts of these poor miserable creatures. Thosethat belong to the sects of Buddha and Taon wear a peculiar kindof dress. Those of the Buddha sect shave their heads, and thepeople of Canton call them "women padres." Those of third sortform a kind of sisterhood, live wholly on vegetables, and dresslike other women. These are all very wicked, ugly people. Theypretend to sing songs to the gods, and drive away demons. Thereare other old women, still worse, if possible, than these; suchas witches, conjurers, and necromancers. They pretend to holdintercourse with the dead, and give responses to their livingkindred, telling them that their dead friends are in greatdistress for want of food and clothing. Many of the deluded peoplebelieve them, and, by these lies and tricks, they contrive to getfood and clothing for themselves.Idols, in China, are numerous beyond all calculation. Theseidols are to be seen every where; in ships, in boats, houses, intemples, shops, streets, fields, on the hills, and in the vallies,and along the banks of all the rivers and canals. Some of theseidols are very large, huge monsters, several feet high. Some ofthem are made of wood, some are stone, some are earthen, othersare brass, iron, &c. &c. They are most commonly made somewhat inthe likeness of men; but sometimes they are like beasts, andbirds, and creeping things. There are places where thesegodsare manufactured and sold just as people make and sell chairs,tables, &c. I am going to send a parcel of them to the Societyof 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 fromall sin, and make you happy in this life and in that which is tocome. Remembering you often in my prayers,I remain, your true friend,E.C. BRIDGMAN.______
Canton, (China,)Oct. 20, 1831.MY DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS,--In my letter, yesterday, I forgot to tellyou of some very high buildings, calledpagodas. These are foundin almost every part of China. They were introduced soon afterthe religion of Buddha, in which they seem to have had theirorigin, in this country. These lofty buildings present everywhere nearly the same appearance; but differ in height from threeto thirteen stories. They are usually hollow, with stairsascending up through the centre; and are usually built on the topof 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 wasbuilt about 400 years ago. It is called the porcelain pagoda. Itis 200 feet high, divided into nine stories; and is, at the base,122 feet in circumference. It was nineteen years in building, andcost more than three millions of dollars; more than three timesas much as the American Board have yet expended for foreignmissions.I will close this letter with some account ofidol worship, asit is performed here, all around us, every day.The Chinese never assemble for religious worship as Christiansdo, who go to the house of God, there to worship him, who is aSpirit, in spirit and in truth. Their worship is very unholy, andoffensive to God, and injurious to man. They have no preaching;their priests never set as public, religious teachers. Theirworship consists of prayers and offerings, made to their falsegods, and to their departed friends, to the sages and heroes ofantiquity, and to their emperors--both living and the dead. Alltheir acts of worship are accompanied with a great many, and verytedious ceremonies.Some of the priests make very long prayers. In a temple nearCanton, I have seen more than 50 priests altogether, at one time,engaged in their devotions. At the appointed hour, they assembledin a large hall where were a number of idols, and altars foroffering incense, and also a drum and a bell towakeup thesleepy 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 aschief, and took the lead; and the others, with loud voices, alljoined with him and chanted their evening prayers. Sometimes,they all stood erect, with their hands all joined with him, andchanted their evening prayers. Sometimes they all stood erect,with their hands clasped before them. Sometimes, in files, theywent round and round their altars. At one time, they all kneeled;and again, they all bowed down their heads, and placed them inthe very dust. All the time they were doing these things, whichoccupied about an hour, candles and lamps were kept burning, andincense was offered on the altars.The Chinese never pray in their families and closets as Christiansare taught to do. Individuals sometimes go to the temples to pray,and pay their vows, and to make offerings to the idol gods. I haverepeatedly seen women, sometimes with their young children,bowing before the altars in the temples. The Chinese observe manytimes and seasons, in which they make religious offerings, someof which are very expensive.There are appointed seasons when the Emperor of China worshipshis ancestors, and the heavens, and the earth, and also some ofthe great mountains and rivers of the empire. Early in the morningon the first day of the year, all the people worship their gods,praying for riches. In the spring of every year, there is anappointed time, when every body goes to the hills--some travelhundreds of miles--to worship at the tombs of their fathers, andmothers, and uncles, &c. While at the tombs, they offer costlysacrifices of fish, fowls, sheep, goats, swine and the like, withoblations of wine and oil, to the names of their departedrelatives. On the first and fifteenth of every moon, they havesome special religious rites to perform, such as firing offthousands and thousands of gunpowder crackers, beating theirgongs, or drums, &c. This they do to keep off evil spirits. Everyday, especially at evening, offerings of paper--a kind of goldpaper--and oil, and fragrant wood, are made to the householdGods, to the gods of the streets, shops, boats. Indeed, thereseems to be no end to their superstitions. And thus, alas! allthis numerous people are given to idolatry, and offer sacrificesto devils. They worship they know not what.And now, my dear young friends, do you think all this vain andwicked worship constitutea cheap and easy religion?Think ofthe priests and priestesses devoted to idleness, and toabominable rites and services. Think of the hundreds of templesand idleness, and to abominable rites and services. Think of thehundreds of temples and pagodas, and thousands of idols whichcover and fill the land. Think, too, of all the times and seasons;all the costly offerings and sacrifices employed in this idolworship; and again I ask, and I wish you to give an answer,--Doyou think this a cheap and easy religion?I think it a most costlyreligion, and most grievous to be borne. Oh, how unlike thereligion of Jesus Christ! His yoke is easy, and his burden light.But the service of Satan is hard service. The expense of this idolworship must amount to many millions of dollars annually. More,I am constrained to believe, is expended every day, and everyyear, by the Chinese alone, in idol worship, than is devoted byall the true Christians in the whole world, to the worship of thetrue God.These things ought not so to be. And if all good people couldsee how miserable these heathens are, and could feel for them,as Christ Jesus commands them to feel, the things would not beso much longer. There would be a great change immediately. TheBible would be distributed; the Gospel would be preached; and thenwould the heathen cast away their dumb idols, and serve the trueGod.And now, dear children, farewell. Think of these things andremember and pray for the poor heathen always. I hope to writeto you again; perhaps, several short letters, but I may bedisappointed. Endeavoring to cast all my cares onHim, whocareth for us all, and to serve him with singleness of heart, Istill remain your true friend, E.C. BRIDGMAN.______
Canton, (China,)Oct. 25, 1831.MY DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS,--There is nocastein China, as thereis 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 thesoldiersandthepeople:and when speaking of the people, divide them intomerchants,mechanics,husbandmen,and scholars.The occupations of thesefiveclasses, the Chinese call "theessential employments." And they say "that when the high heavensproduced men, they appointed to every one an employment, as themeans of personal support. Therefore, though men naturally differas to knowledge and ignorance, strength and weakness, yet noneshould be without an employment. Having employments, all men havea proper duty to which they should attend, both that they may beprofitable to themselves, and useful to the world."I think now, children, you will be better able to understand thecharacter of the Chinese, if I tell you something of these fiveclasses separately. I will remark first, however, that thesedivisions are not exclusive. A man may be a scholar, and at thesame time engage in husbandry. So he may be a merchant, and atthe same time a scholar. Soldiers, sometimes also, I believe, arefarmers, or merchants, or mechanics. But usuallyonemanattends to onlyoneof theessentialemployments.China is now governed by the Tartars, a very war-like nation, whoconquered and subdued the country, and ascended the throne 187years ago. It was at that time, A.D. 1644, that thelong tailmentioned in the second letter, was introduced. Many of the oldpeople, it is said, were unwilling to shave their heads, and braidtheir hair. But the Tartars being their masters, and having thepower, compelled them to do so, on the pain of death. Many actuallypreferred death to such a mark of disgrace. At the present time,in order to keep the people in subjection, a great number ofsoldiers, many of them Tartars, are stationed all over the Empire.There are several thousands in Canton. These soldiers have a fewguns: but generally they are armed with swords and shields, orbows and arrows, or spears and pikes, or some other such likeinstruments. The soldiers have very little to do; and so theybecome very lazy, and gamble, and steal, rob and oppress the poor,and often make a great deal of disturbance. And after all theycan do to keep the peace, the people often rise in rebellion; andthen they quarrel and fight, and hundreds of the people andsoldiers are killed. Two of three such rebellions have happenedsince I have been in China.To prevent mistake, I wish you to keep in mind the differencebetween China, and the Chinese Empire. ByChina, or ChinaProper, is understood the 18 provinces, which for a long time,constituted the whole of the Chinese possessions. TheChineseEmpire, as it has existed since 1644, extends on the north, andwest, far beyond the boundaries of ancient China, and is,probably, the largest Empire in the world. The whole number ofpersons in the Empire, who are enrolled as soldiers and make theart and practice ofwartheiressential employment, is verygreat; amounting, probably, to two or three millions.Chinese Merchantshave by no means that high character, and thatinfluence, which the same class of men possess in Europe andAmerica. They are ranked thelastof the four divisions of thepeople, and are regarded by their own countrymen as the leastrespectable part of the community. They are, usually, very greedyof gain, and often cheat and deceive; and they regard it as a verysmall offence to cheat and deceive foreigners, whom they usuallycallbarbarians:and who, they say, come an immense distanceacross the seas, from the northwest corner of the world, to buyteas, and silks of the celestial Empire.The foreign trade to China is pretty extensive, and is continuallyincreasing. There are now at Whampoa, where the foreign shipsunload and load their cargoes, 52 ships, and 4,000 seamen. Theseships bring tin, lead, quick-silver, copper, iron, furs, cottonyarn, cotton and woollen cloth, and many other such like, usefularticles. They bring also, and of late years, a very greatquantity ofopium. More than twenty millions of dollars' worthof opium were sold here last year. This is very bad, and does agreat deal of hurt. Those who bring and sell the opium, and thosewho buy it also, know very well that it is doing a great deal ofinjury. Only a part of the foreign merchants trade in opium; theothers will not, because they know it is wrong, and contrary tothe laws of God and man. Returning from China, the ships areusually 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 tradewith Cochin China, Siam, Singapore, Malacca, Java; to which, andto some other places, they have quite a number of vessels, perhapsfifty, which make a voyage every year. It is by these vessels thatMr. Medhurst, and Mr. Tomlin, and other missionaries, have sentmany Bibles and tracts into China. It is in one of these vesselsalso, that Mr. Gutzlaff has gone to Peking, where he means to spendthe winter and preach the gospel of the Son of God.Again, dear children, adieu. Be good children--obey and love yourparents--read your Bibles--believe in Jesus with your wholehearts, and pray to God always, then you will be happy. I willby the assistance and permission of God, endeavor to continue theaccount of the Chinese people, in another letter.Your very true friend,E.C.B.______
Canton, (China,)Nov.2, 1831.MY DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS,--Having given you, in my last letter, someaccount of the soldiers and merchants, I intend in this, to tellyou about the merchants, the husbandmen, and the scholars. I donot pretend to give you a very complete account of these severalclasses of persons. My desire is, however, that you shall havesuch an acquaintance with the every day conduct, and peculiarmanners and customs of the Chinese, that you may be able to formfor yourselves, correct ideas of their character. I should be gladto have youknow fully their whole manner of life. I wish youto know all about them: how they live, how they think, and howthey act. And I wish you to know how they regard and treat eachother, as follow citizens, as husbands and wives, as parents andchildren, and as brothers and sisters, &c. &c. Because, when youcan see them in all their daily conduct, and in all their variousrelations, and have correct views of their character; then youwill know how much you ought to pity them, and will be veryanxious, I think, to send them the gospel of God, which is ableto make them wise unto everlasting life. I remember you havealready done something for the heathen, but you know that thereis a great deal more to be done; and we must not stop till thewhole world is converted.Now I will tell you about theMechanics. They are usually, asin the United States, a very industrious class of people, and manyof them excellent workmen. It is written in one of their books,"Let mechanics examine the four seasons; prepare the sixmaterials; daily and monthly investigate the progress of theirpursuits; abide together in their own departments; and thuscomplete 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 sameoccupation 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 beexaminedfor two purposes. The one is, for the purpose ofobserving various superstitious rites and ceremonies, which theyvainly suppose necessary to secure success in business. The otheris, for selecting and storing up, onlucky days, the "sixmaterials."The six materials are, earth, metal, stone, wood, animals, andfibrous plants. Of earth they make bricks, tiles, porcelain, anda great variety of wares. Of metals they make implements ofhusbandry, and war, &c. Stone is used for building bridges,houses, temples, and especially for making idols. These, and allother materials, are selected with great care, and manyceremonies, which make the ordinary labors of this people, in manyrespects, exceedingly hard. To-day is the birth-day of the godof fire, and the mechanics of Canton are expending thousands ofdollars in order to secure his protection.There are some kinds of workmanship which exhibit very littleskill or taste. There are other kinds which are excellent. TheChinese, it is said, make good clocks, but do not succeed in makingwatches. 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 everything so far as it is for their own use, must be made accordingtoold custom. This people are very far from thinking that everygeneration grows wiser and wiser. On the contrary, they think thattheancientswere, in many respects, the perfect models ofperfection. Hence to imitate, and to be like them, is the utmostof their wishes. This is the case with the mechanics. Hence ships,boats, houses, shops, temples, furniture, and implements of everykind, are made just like those made years and years ago. I willgive you one single example.Instead of knives and forks, which they never use, they have twosmall round sticks, about the size of the old fashion pipe-stems,and about a foot long. Thesenimble lads, for so they call thetwo round sticks, they hold in their right hand, and with a bowlof food in their left, raised quite up to the chin, they jerk thefood 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 thousandyears. But as children are early trained to the use of thesesticks, perhaps there is no loss or disadvantage in continuingtheir use. Yet, even when there would be a great improvement, asin the helms of their ships, they must (because their governmentcompels them) adhere strictly toold custom.According to law, the different kinds of mechanics are all, Ibelieve, to be enrolled in the government offices. The followingis a specimen of those in this city. Shoe-makers, twenty-fivethousand. Carpenters and cabinet-makers, sixteen thousand.Lapidaries or those who work in stone, seven thousand. Barbersalso, seven thousand.I must defer what I have to tell you about the husbandmen andscholars, for another letter. Till then, farewell. Like goodchildren, be diligent and careful in all that you have to do;especially be diligent and careful in your studies, andcommitting to memory the holy Scriptures. Remember that good andwise children will make glad their parents. So may you do. Andmay God our heavenly Father keep you from all sin. So writesYour true friends, E.C.B.______
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 thecultivation of the mulberry-tree, in order to procure adequatesupplies of food and raiment." To impress this precept on theminds of the people, they add,--"if a man plough not, he will verylikely suffer hunger; if a woman weave not, she may probably feelthe cold. Of old time, the emperors themselves ploughed, and theirempresses cultivated the mulberry; they disdained not to labor,in order that, by their example, they might excite the millionsof the people to lay due stress on the radical principles ofeconomy." And yet again they add,--"We wish our people to exerttheir whole strength in agriculture. Do not love idleness and hatelabor; do not be diligent at first, and slothful afterwards; donot, because of a deficient season, reject your fields andplantations; do not covet the multiplied profits of commerce, andchange the good old employment. Agriculture alone is thefundamental employment."I have made these quotations, in order to show you in whatestimation agriculture is held by the emperors of China. In regardto "farming business," they act very wisely, and set before theirpeople a good example. For a long time the Chinese have beenregarded, as among the best, and the most ancienttillers of theground. Very many of the people are farmers. A pretty largeproportion, I should think six-eights, of the whole populationengage in agricultural pursuits.Some notices of their implements and modes of husbandry, and theproductions of their soil, will serve to illustrate thecharacterandconditionof those who makeagriculture theiressential employment.Their farming tools are few in number, and simple in thestructure. Not a wheel carriage of any description have I yet seenin China, excepting only fire engines, which, both foreign andnative built, are usually drawn on four wheels. In the north ofChina, wheel carriages for various purposes are in common use;but here, all kinds of produce and merchandize, and men and womenthemselves, 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 andbehind. Only one person is seated in the sedan, and two strongmen stooping down take the poles on their shoulders, and thenrising up, lift the sedan about a foot from the ground. In thisstyle, away they go, for miles, like horses. These bearers theChinese nick-name mo-me-ma, i.e.no-tail-horses. Similar men areemployed to carry heavy burdens. When the weight is only enoughfor one man, it is suspended from the ends of a light, but verystrong bamboo pole, about six feet long, which the bearer balanceson his right shoulder. When the weight requires two or more men,it is suspended from the middle of the pole, which is a large roundheavy bamboo, about ten feet long. In this way thousands of ourfellow-men are used as beasts of burden.The Chinese use the plough and harrow, which are made similar tothose used in America. These are drawn by a single ox, orbuffalo,--a very stout animal, of a dun color, well fitted forthe work. Their spade, hoe, and rake, and their implements forcutting, threshing, and winnowing grain are, also, like thoseused in the United States, and in Europe, though much more rudeand simple. They commonly use a large pestle and mortar to makeflour. They have also mills for grinding, but the stones used arealways small, and never turned by water. These mills are,probably, like those referred to the words--"two women shall begrinding at the mill."What I have now told you of their implements, will lead you toform some ideas of the modes of husbandry, which are most commonamong the Chinese. The very great variety, plenty and perfectionof vegetable productions found among this people, give usfavorable opinions of theirmannerof 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 theyhave no fences, except, sometimes, around their richestgardens,--and these not so much for a defence against theencroachment of beasts, as they are for a protection from thievesand robbers.Very little of their land is left uncultivated. Indeed some ofthe most rich and beautiful grounds are made so by human industry.Sometimes by embankments built up like mildams, the water is keptback, and acres and acres are made dry land, and rich harvestsare gathered, where before it was all covered with water, and menused to drag their nets to catch fish. At other times, hard,sterile hill-tops, terraced and covered with a rich soil, are madecharmingly beautiful, and very productive. Very much is effectedby manuring and irrigation. The methods of doing the latter arevery curious. But of these and many other things I have not timeto speak. Besides I am afraid you will be tired with my longaccounts; which, indeed, are becoming much larger than Iintended. I could by no means persuade, or allow myself thus toemploy a few,--not leisure, hours, did I not hope, and confidentlybelieve, that you will do something for this people. China haslong,longbeen neglected. Scores and scores of laborers areneeded, to break up this fallow ground, to sow the good seed, toseek the Lord, the Lord of the harvest, till he come and rainrighteousness 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, andsendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.God has been verygood to the Chinese. Of fruit trees,Hehas given them the richbanana, the apple, peach, walnut, chestnut, orange lemon, andmany others.Hehas given them figs, grapes, and many kinds ofberries. Of vegetables,Hehas given them almost every kind,that can be named.Hehas caused the mulberry to grow and yieldan abundance of material for silk to clothe them.Hehas giventhem thetea plantalso, and so plenteously, that they cansupply the whole world with it, and make themselves rich in thetraffic.Hehas given them abundance of grain for bread, andfor meat.Hehas given them the fishes of the sea, the fowlsof heaven, and cattle on a thousand hills. But, alas!theydonot love to retain Him in their knowledge.Theydeny hisexistence.Theyworship dumb idols. And, what think you, willbecome ofthemwhen they die? Oh, happy, thrice happy is thatnation--thrice happy are those children, whose God is the Lord.Farewell, dear children. The Lord bless you evermore, and yourtrue friend.E.C.B.______