PREFACE THIS booklet is in no sense a history of our Methodist Episcopal Missions in China. It is not even an attempt to express appreciation of the splendid achievemeilts of our missionaries. Full half of the space allotted has been taken for a general account of the land, the peopIe, and the religions of China, because interest in and appreciation of our work depend upon seeing our Missions in their relations to the unfolding life of this vast empire. We have simply at- tempted to present such a brief outline as will enable American Methodists to understand the problem which confronts us and to make preparation for a suitable participation in the centennial celebration of the founding of Protestant Missions in China. This celebration will occur in Shanghai, April 25 to May 6, 1907, and American Methodism ought to contribute three hundred thousand dollars far the strengthening and enlargement of our work. If the Church at home can only realize that the opportunity whichnow confronts us in the Chinese Empire is probably the greatest which has confronted our Church throughout her history, the amount will be readily and speedily pledged. For the statements contained in this little book, I have relied upon fourteen notebooks, filled with observations made while visiting twelve of the eighteen provinces upon conversations with several hundred foreigners residing in China from ten to fifty years upon Chinese Christians, who, when they became confidential, threw new light upon the problems mentioned in the booklet upon Chinese officials, whose words and acts furnished interesting glimpses of the external life of the empire and upon some seventy volumes on China. The standard work is S. Wells Williams The Middle Kigzgdom, two volumes, revised in 1882. I wish it were revised again and bought upto date. Arthur Smiths Chinese zaracteristic and Village Life in Claim are the most interesting and most informing volumes upon the empire........