TWO BIOGRAPHIES.
Griffith John : the Story of Fifty Years in China. By IL Wardlaw Thompson. (R.T.S. 7s. 6d. net.)—It may be easy to write the biography of a man who yet lives, but it is not easy to review it. We hope that it will not give offence to say that to sober-minded persons it seems strange that a child of eight should feel "a conviction of sin" and become a Church member, and that a boy of fourteen should preach. This latter experiment Dr. John himself acknowledges to have been a failure. At sixteen, however, he began again, and this time, we are given to understand, with success. All that can be said is that there are some men whom nothing can harm, and that Dr. John seems to be one of them. In 1854—he was then in his twenty-second year—he went out to China, and there he has laboured, with but a brief interval of repose, ever since. He is now recruiting his strength in America, but he hopes to resume work before long. We cannot follow his biographer into details. The general result we can hardly call satisfactory when so much remains to be done, but it is distinctly encouraging. Dr. John has had to put up with much and has passed through many dangers, but he has also had many successes. When at work with a native eolporteur he found his books so civilly, and even so gladly, accepted that it was a shock when one Chinaman tore out the title-page. The bystanders gave as a sufficient explanation that he was a Roman Catholic. Dr. John's most important occupation has been in the translation of the Scriptures. Classical Chinese and the colloquial language have rival claims. He has attempted a middle course, and not, it would seem, without much accept- ance. Among the questions discussed is the employment of unmarried women as missionaries. Dr. John was at first opposed, but has seen reason to change his mind. One thing is certain, that if any one would prepare the statistics of mortality among missionaries' wives, it would be an appalling document.—Another interesting biography of a man whose life was largely given to missionary work is Ebenezer E. Jenkins, by J. H. Jenkins, M.A. (C. H. Kelly, 3s. 6d.) Mr. Jenkins, also, was a Welshman pur sang, though he was born in Devonshire. He belonged to the Wesleyan body, and was formally admitted to its ministry in his twenty-sixth year (1845), sailing immediately after for India. After about eighteen years he was compelled to change the scene. In 1865 he returned to England, and in process of time became President of the Conference, retiring from work in 1888. Our main interest in his biography is the literary passion which was so strong in him all his life. In his own Communion he had a great reputation, and apparently a well-deserved reputation, as a preacher ; a man with a nature so spiritual and a literary taste so cultivated had at least two of the greatest qualifications for this work. His son has discharged the office of biographer with taste and discretion.
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