“ At the age of twenty he joined the Society of Jesus, and in 1628 went out to China. Apart from successful missionary work, he became the trusted counsellor of the emperor, was created a mandarin, and held an important post in connexion with the mathematical school. His position enabled him to procure from the emperor permission for the Jesuits to build churches and to preach throughout the country. Proselytes to the number of 100,000 are said to have been obtained within fourteen years. The emperor, however, died in 1661, and Schall’s circumstances at once changed. ”