Page:The Chinese Empire. A General & Missionary Survey.djvu/371

 baptized Christians. There are some Swedish missionaries in Kashgar, where they have been for several years. I have also received a letter from Mr. G. Raqueue of the Swedish Mission, who is engaged in medical mission work at Yarkand, so that evangelistic, colportage, and medical work are carried on to some extent in these large centres. Mr. Hans Doring hopes to go to Ili soon, and I hope to go the southern route to Kashgar when the weather becomes cooler (1906).

The Roman Catholic Church is busy in Ili and district. Surely the Protestant Churches ought not to be less zealous. There are many difficulties to overcome. Not only is Gobi travelling very difficult, but to be a fully equipped missionary in Turkestan one needs to be well acquainted with Mohammedanism, and to be able to read a little Arabic, so as to acquire their theological terms. It is also desirable to be able to speak both the Chinese and the Turkish languages. Such equipment could be attained gradually as necessity required.

Mr. Macartney, the British Consul at Kashgar, has just sent me a letter, mentioning that moneys and letters can be sent and received viâ Gilgit, Punjab, India, in 40 days from England, and that letters viâ Russia can come from England in 22 days.