MR. BEECHER AS A MISSIONARY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4432, 3 June 1875, Page 3

MR. BEECHER AS A MISSIONARY.

(From the New York Herald.) A correspondent informs us that kissing is unknown in China. Civilisation in that country has never been considered to be as fully developed as it is in the East, and the Chinese are undoubtedly ignorant of much with which younger nations are familiar. Human nature, as Mine, de Stael says, is the same everywhere, and there will he found nothing all over the world but . men, women, and children. To Americans kissing seems to be so natural that we can hardly understand how the Chinese are ignorant of the art. Indeed, if we should physiologically enter into an investigation of the subject, the mystery would become more profound. Our intelligent correspondent proposes that, as the art of kissing appears to be entirely unknown to the Chinese, missionaries should be sent from this country to give them the proper instruction. He wishes to export the Rev. Mr. Beecher, as the champion kisser of the United States. Paroxysmal, paternal, sisterly, reconciliatory, and inspirational kisses appear to bo as familiar to Mr. Beecher as household words. The honorable defendant, according to his own account, has done a great deal of kissing. He has kissed Mrs. Tilton (sisterly!, Mrs. Moulton (inspirationally), Mr. Moulton (experimentally), Mr. Oliver Johnson (unwillingly), Sam AVilkeson (unavoidably), Mr. Evarts (professionally), Mr. Shearman (indignantly), Bessie Turner (fatherly), and Theodore Tilton (reconciliatory). Aftet this extraordinary experience in osculatory performances Mr. Beecher should certainly be fully qualified to teach the barbarians all that they are ignorant of in the delicate art. Brooklyn might probably miss him, but Pekin would be the gainer. If he should, after the trial, consent to go to China in the capacity of a Plymouth missionary, he might conjugate the verb “to kiss’’ with greater success than he has done at home. Tbe conjugation “ I kiss Tilton, thou kissest Tilton, he kisses Johnson, Johnson kisseth us, Wllkeson kisseth Bowen, Bowen kisseth Beecher," might have wider application in the experience of Oriental climates. But as Mr. Beecher has kissed almost everybody in Brooklyn, it would be a pity if he should go to the home of the Brother of the Sun and Moon and leave the unkissed Mrs. Morse out of the category.