roper representative. The native element, _i.e., the
chief element_ of the Church can never be represented at all. The
representation, at the best, will only be a representation of your
Missionaries, not at all of the Chinese Church. Therefore, we assert
that such a union would not be _real_, not even _apparent_, only
_nominal_. In striving after it, we are pursuing a chimera, destroying a
substance for the sake of a shadow.

But it is offered as an objection to our views, that the Presbyterian
Church (O.S.) has Presbyteries and Synods in India and China. Yes, they
have three Presbyteries and a Synod in India, and have had for twenty
years. But even yet there is not so much of a native element in their
whole Synod as there is already in the little Church in the region of
Amoy. As an ecclesiastical body, it is not _Indian_ in its
characteristics--it is _American_. So with all their Presbyteries in
Siam and China, with the exception, perhaps, of the Presbytery at
Ningpo. They are _American_ Presbyteries, not native in their
character.[2]

[Footnote 2: The following statistics are from the Minutes of General
Assembly, 1863.

_Synod of Northern India_--Was organized in 1841. Is composed of three
Presbyteries. Now has 19 ministers (only one of these is a _native
pastor_); 9 churches; 246 communicants. (How many of these are natives
not reported.)

_Presbytery of Canton_--Has 4 ministers; no native pastor; 1 church; 12
communicants. (How many of these are natives not reported.) _Presbytery
of Ningpo_--Has 8 ministers; no native pastor; 2 churches; 111 native
members.

_Presbytery of Siam_--Has 6 ministers; no native pastor; 1 church; 8
communicants. (How many of these are native members not reported.)

_Presbytery of West Africa_--Has 9 ministers; no native pastor; 6
churches; 191 communicants (probably all natives.)

Are these ecclesiastical bodies respectively Indian, Chinese, and
African in their character? or are they all _essentially American_? Yet
these are the bodies to which the Committee of General Synod of 1857
referred when they said, "As to the difficulties suggested" [by the
Missionaries at Amoy] "respecting the delays of carrying out a system of
appellate jurisdiction covering America and China, it is enough to say,
that the Presbyterian Church (O.S.) finds no insuperable difficulties in
carrying into operation her system, which comprehends Presbyteries and
Synods in India as well as here." Why should t