Excerpt from John Innocent a Story of Mission Work, in North China

This volume should have appeared at least two years earlier. But the exigencies of mission work have persistently blocked the way, and while the author is alone responsible for the delay, he cannot say that he feels much to blame. He has often reproached himself for his slow progress, but there was no help for it. The exceptionally heavy duties laid upon him during the past four years must be his justification. Considering the circumstances under which it has been written, the wonder to himself is that it has been produced at all. Mission work must be first done before it can be described, and on a mission which, SO far as English agents are con cerned, is under-staffed, an added duty like that involved in the preparation of this memoir becomes very onerous.

This must also be an excuse for many imperfections. No one is more conscious of them than the author. In some places, notwithstanding the effort to prevent it, repetitions have crept in, and in regard to many things his information has not been adequate.

The earlier part of the story of the mission has been told at considerably greater length than the latter. This may to some minds suggest a sense Of disproportion. The Object aimed at was to give, if possible, all the information avail able of the earlier years, as the knowledge Of them is fast fading away, and any disproportion that may arise may be trusted to later writers to redress.

It is known to many persons that the Leeds Conference of 1891 requested Mr. Innocent himself to prepare a history of the mission. The book never appeared, although he had done a considerable amount of work in its preparation. His manuscript, as well as the papers which he used as sources, have been available for compiling the present Life, and have been freely drawn upon. It has been an endeavour, while telling Mr. Innocent's life story, to supply the place, as far as possible, Of the missing volume.

If this work helps to increase the knowledge of the North China Mission among the members of the United Methodist Church the writer's toil will be well repaid.

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