city
supposed necessary by the rules of Chinese politeness, has not been without
great benefit to the native members. Instead of there being any jealousy
of the position occupied by the missionaries on the part of the native
members, the missionaries withdraw themselves from prominent positions, and
throw the responsibility on the native members, as fast as duty to Tai-hoey
seems to allow, faster than the native members wish.

We now proceed to give answers to the definite questions propounded to us,
though answers to some of them have been implied in the preceding remarks.
We combine the questions from different sources, and slightly change the
wording of them to suit the form of this paper, and for convenience we
number them.

1. "Are the missionaries members of Tai-hoey in full and on a perfect
equality with the native members?"

Answer. Yes; with the exception (if it be an exception) implied in the
answer to the next question.

2. "Are missionaries subject to discipline by the Tai-hoey?"

Answer. No; except that their relation to Tai-hoey may be severed by that
body.

3. "Is it not likely that the sooner the native churches become
self-governing, the sooner they will be self-supporting and
self-propagating?"

Answer. Yes. It would be a great misfortune for the native churches to be
governed by the missionaries, or by the home churches. We think also it
would be a great misfortune for the missionary to refuse all connection
with the government of the mission churches while they are in whole or in
part dependent on him for instruction, administration of the ordinances,
and pastoral oversight. Self-support, self-government, and
self-propagation are intimately related, acting and reacting on each other,
and the native Church should be framed in them from the beginning of its
existence.

4. "Is it the opinion of missionaries at Amoy that the native Presbyters
are competent to manage the affairs of Presbytery, and could they safely be
left to do so?"

Answer. Yes; the native Presbyters seem to us to be fully competent to
manage the affairs of Presbytery, and we suppose it would be safe to leave
them to do this entirely by themselves, if the providence of God should so
direct. We think it much better, however, unless the providence of God
direct otherwise, that the missionaries continue their present relation to
the Tai-hoey until the native Church is farther developed.

5. "Is it likely that there can be but