heartily join your conferences than we men of the Brahmo-Somaj, whose religion is the harmony of all religions, and whose congregation is the brotherhood of all nations.
Such, as our aspirations and sympathies, dear brethren, accept them. Let me thank you again for this welcome, in the name of my countrymen, and wish every prosperity and success to your labors.
It could not have seemed strange to any one present, that in calling on the next of the distinguished foreigners, the President of the day should have deemed it becoming to utter some word of graceful acknowledgment. "We have not treated China very well in this country," was his remark. "We have sometimes been severe toward her, and have some times persecuted her children. But the Emperor of China has responded in a Christian spirit to our call, and sent a delegate to this Congress. This delegate is the Hon. Pung Kwang Yu, First Secretary of the Chinese Legation in Washington."
If there had been any doubt as to the sympathy of the meeting with the words of its President, it was only momentary. When, in compliance with the invitation, the Imperial Commissioner arose, he was greeted with such manifestations of welcome, respect, and honor, as were surpassed in the case of no other speaker on the platform. As an eye-witness wrote at the time, " men and women rose to their feet in the audience, and there was wild waving of hats and handkerchiefs." The translation of the Commissioner's address was handed by his Secretary to Dr. Barrows, and read by him to the assembly.
SPEECH OF COMMISSIONER PUNG KWANG YU.
On behalf of the Imperial Government of China, I take great pleasure in responding to the cordial words which the Chairman of the General Committee and others have spoken to-day. This is a great moment in the his- tory of nations and religions. For the first time men of various faiths meet in one great hall to report what they believe and the grounds for their belief. The great sage of China, who is honored not only by the millions of our own land, but throughout the world, believed that duty was summed up in reciprocity ; and I think the word reciprocity finds a new meaning and glory in the proceedings of this historic Parliament. I am glad that the great Empire of China has accepted the invitation of those who have called this Parliament, and is to be represented in this great school of com-
