Alexandria Gazette & Daily Advertiser

From a late English Paper.

The last news of foreign missions, contained in letters of 1820 and 1821 from the bishops and apostolic Missionaries of China and Cochin China, give interesting details of the progress of Christianity in that quarter of the world.

"The fire of persecution lighted in China for more than fourteen years against the Christian religion appears to be extinguished. It still raged in all its force in 1813, after the martyrdom of M. Dufresse, bishop of Tabraca apostle vicar of Szechuen. The death of the great Mandarin, who ordered him to be executed, and died himself miserably some time afterwards, having committed suicide while going to appear before the tribunal of the Emperor, was not sufficient to disarm the band of the persecutors. Towards the end of 1818, the imperial palace at Pekin was involved on a sudden in the thickest darkness, which lasted 24 hours-- It resembled the darkness with which Egypt was visited. No artificial light was able to overcome it; the different attempts made to that effect were as vain as its cause was inscrutable. The most able magicians were consulted; and all confessed their ignorance. If some dared to ascribe it to the enchantments of the Christians they only by that proved the more clearly their stupid malice. The Emperor and his court were, nevertheless, seized with astonishment and terror.

"In the following year the Emperor died suddenly in Tartary, without having had time to nominate his successor.

"The death and the circumstances attending to the terror of the darkness, the persecution increased, and the second of his sons, on whom was founded the greatest hopes of peace ascended the throne. Cochin China and Tonquin likewise lost their Emperor Gia Long. He died of a dropsy, January 1820, in the 55th year of his age leaving the Christians and Missionaries as much afflicted as alarmed. They all expected, after the death of the pacific monarch, to be severely persecuted by his son who succeeded him, whose former menaces they recalled, uttered when he was only a Prince; but Providence disposed things otherwise. The late Emperor recommended to his son in his will not to persecute the Christian religion, which he acknowledged as good--to respect the memory of its most illustrious chiefs, the Bishop of Adran, who rendered so great services to the state, and always to keep a guard of 30 men on his tomb.

"Testamentary dispositions with Pagans are sacred--the young Emperor, therefore, showed himself quite a different person from the young Prince. From his accession to the throne, he endeavored to gain the confidence of his subjects of whatever religion they were. He has remitted to all, without distinction, their arrears of taxes, and maintained tranquility in his dominions in such a manner, that the Christian religion never enjoyed a more profound peace."