ministerial office so
thoroughly permeates the whole, that it would seem impossible for mistake
to arise on that point.

In connection with this subject it is also remarked "that where two races
are combined in a Presbytery, there is a tendency to divide on questions
according to the line of race."

With gratitude to God we are able to bear testimony that at Amoy we have
not as yet seen the first sign of such tendency. We have heard of such
tendency in some other mission fields. Possibly it may yet be manifested
here. This, however, does not now seem probable. The native members of
Tai-hoey, almost from the first, have outnumbered the foreign. The
disproportion now is as three or four to one, and must continue to
increase. It would seem, therefore, that there will now be no occasion for
jealousy of the missionaries' influence to grow up on the part of the
native members.

But, it may be asked, if the native members so far outnumber the foreign,
of what avail is it that missionaries be more than advisory members? We
answer: If we are in Tai-hoey as a foreign party, in opposition to the
native members, even advisory membership will be of no avail. But if we
are there in our true character, as we always have been, viz., as
Presbyters and acting pastors of churches, part and parcel of the church
Judicatories, on perfect equality and in full sympathy with the native
Presbyters, our membership may be of much benefit to Tai-hoey. It must be
of benefit if our theory of Church Government be correct.

Of the benefit of such membership we give one illustration, equally
applicable also to other forms of government. It will be remembered that
assemblies conducted on parliamentary principles were unknown in China. By
our full and equal membership of Tai-hoey, being associated with the native
members in the various offices, and in all kinds of committees, the native
members have been more efficiently instructed in the manner of conducting
business in such assemblies, than they could have been if we had only given
them advice. At the first, almost the whole business was necessarily
managed by the missionaries. Not so now. The missionaries still take an
active part even in the routine of business, not so much to guard against
error or mistake, as for the purpose of saving time and inculcating the
importance of regularity and promptitude. Even the earnestness with which
the missionaries differ from each other, so contrary to the dupli