"The question whether there is any way by which this people can be made a
reading people, especially by which the Christians may be put in possession
of the Word of God, and be able to read it intelligently for themselves,
has occupied much thought of the missionaries here. At present most of the
church members have no reading for the Sabbath and for private meditation.
They may have family worship, but they cannot at their worship read the
Holy Scriptures. Some of us are now trying an experiment whether by means
of the Roman alphabet the Sacred Scriptures and other religious books may
not be given to the Christians and to any others who cannot read, but who
take enough of an interest in Christianity to desire to read the Scriptures
for themselves. By the use of seventeen of these letters we can express
every consonant and vowel sound in the Amoy dialect, and by the use of a
few additional marks we can designate all the tones. Dr. James Young, an
English Presbyterian missionary physician, has commenced teaching the
colloquial, as written with the Roman alphabet, in his school, a school
formerly under the care of Mr. Doty. From his present experience he is of
opinion that boys who are at all apt in acquiring instruction, in less than
three months may be prepared for reading the Scriptures, with
understanding. I have a class of three or four adults an hour an evening
four evenings in the week, receiving instruction in the colloquial. They
have taken some half dozen lessons and are making good progress. At
present we have no printed primers or spelling-books, and are compelled to
teach principally by blackboard. We are of opinion that almost every
member of the church can soon learn to read by this system. Arrangements
have been made to print part of the history of Joseph in colloquial. These
are but experiments. If they succeed according to our present hope, it may
be worth while to have the whole Bible and other religious books printed in
this manner. A little more experience will enable us to speak with more
confidence for or against the plan."
"Dec. 23. Yesterday morning my chapel was opened, according to
appointment. I preached to the people my first regular sermon from the
text, 'There is one God and one Mediator,' etc. The room was crowded. It
will seat about one hundred comfortably."