Early Relations behvcen the United States and China. 89 



Herald in October, 1828, in speaking of Morrison said: "No 

 sufficient reason exists why he should not be strengthened by 

 other laborers or why the churches of this country should not 

 send them."-* The American Seaman's Friend Society, in its 

 report of 1829 called attention to "the three thousand American 

 and English seamen who annually visit the port of Canton, 

 China," and "determined to occupy Canton as soon as a suitable 

 person presents himself for the service."-^ The initial step was 

 taken by D. W. C. Olyphant, an American Canton merchant, 

 who had become acquainted with Morrison some years before,-^ 

 and who was so deeply interested in missionary projects that his 

 rooms in Canton had come to be known as "Zion's Corner. "^^ 

 He offered to give free passage and a year's residence to any 

 missionary whom the American Board should send.-* As a 

 result both the American Seaman's Friend Society and the Ameri- 

 can Board bestirred themselves and each succeeded in finding 

 a man. The two, Rev. David Abeel and Rev. Elijah C. Bridg- 

 man, were sent out in October, 1829, and arrived at Canton in 

 February, 1830.-^ The former, a minister of the Dutch Reformed 

 Church, was to serve one year as chaplain of the American Sea- 

 man's Friend Society, and was then to enter the service of the 

 American Board and to examine the Eastern waters for the 

 best localities for missionary work. Bridgman went out directly 

 under the American Board, and was to devote his time to Can- 

 ton. ^° This dual plan had been suggested two years before by 

 several Americans in Canton^^ and was now carried out. 



Mission to China, in Missny. Herald, 17:265. Abeel and Bridgman were 

 sent out as a direct result of Morrison's wish. 2d Annual Report (1830) 

 of American Seaman's Friend Society, New York. 



-'Missny. Herald, 24:330 (Oct., 1828). 



■"First Annual Rep. (1829) Am. Seaman's Friend Soc, p. 17. 



■"Memoirs of Morrison, 2:86. 



""Hunter, Bits of Old China, p. 166. 



-'Abeel, Journal, pp. 31-32. Foster, Am. Dipl. in Orient, p. 137, foot- 

 note, is in error in saying: "Upon his [Olyphant's] invitation the first 

 Protestant missionary, Robert Morrison, of England was brought to 

 China," but he is fairly correct in his other points. 



^ Abeel, Journal, pp. 31-33. Bridgman, Life of Bridgman, pp. 1-37. 

 Williamson, Memoir of Abeel, pp. 49-67. 



'" Ibid. 



"' First Annual Report of American Seaman's Friend Soc, May, 1830, 

 p. 36. 



