Page:The Chinese Empire. A General & Missionary Survey.djvu/71

Rh in China about the time of the 1877 Conference and afterwards, there were no fewer than thirteen new Societies which entered upon work in China during the 'eighties. These were the following:—

Especial reference should be made to the rapid increase in the number of workers connected with the C.I.M. at this time. In 1881 special prayer began to be offered that God would send out seventy additional workers during the years 1882, 1883, 1884. The actual number sent was seventy-six. In 1885 some forty more followed, among whom were the well-known Cambridge Seven, six of whom are still engaged in the evangelisation of China, while the seventh, Mr. Studd, is still a warm missionary advocate. In 1887, in answer to prayer, God gave one hundred additional workers to the C.I.M. Of that number fifteen have died on the field and seven suffered martyrdom; twenty-four have retired after various terms of service, on the grounds of health, family claims, and other reasons; sixteen subsequently became connected with other Societies, of whom thirteen are still in China; while thirty-eight are still connected with the C.I.M. That more than fifty per cent of the hundred sent out in 1887 have been spared to devote twenty years of their lives for the evangelisation of Inland China is surely a cause for thankfulness.

Among the many noteworthy events connected with the rapid extension of missionary effort which succeeded the