Page:The Chinese Empire. A General & Missionary Survey.djvu/23

Rh some of their leading pioneer workers in China, thus making it possible to enrich the book with what is probably quite a unique collection of notable China missionaries. On this point it should be said that, with few exceptions, the collection of portraits has been limited to those who, having served their day and generation, have "fallen on sleep." The exceptions have been in the few cases where the missionary, though still living, has given fifty years or more to China, or where he has been the pioneer in some new field. Among so many notable men it has of course only been possible to select a few representative men from most of the older Societies. No one regrets more than the Editor that the limitations of space have not allowed him to include many other equally eminent missionaries, and especially some of the noble women, who, as wives or lady workers, have given equally valuable and self-sacrificing service to the cause of Christ in China. Of some of the early workers unfortunately portraits are not to be obtained.

In conclusion, acknowledgment is made of the assistance kindly given by Mr. E. Gillies, when on furlough, in the compilation of the statistics found on pp. 36-39, as well as other help. The statistics have been compiled from the published Reports of the various Societies, from which it has not, however, been always possible to obtain the desired information. Hearty thanks are also given to Mr. T. W. Goodall, my esteemed editorial colleague, for the full indices which he has prepared.

A considerable amount of material originally intended for the book has been omitted, especially statistical work and tables of Mission Stations, as the work is already much larger than was contemplated.

And now, to Him who hath "made of one blood every b