CHINA’S AWAKENING.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2401, 16 January 1909, Page 7

CHINA’S AWAKENING.

WORK IN THE MISSION FIELD / ' A In til© course of a recent lecture on the above question Sir Robert Hart (than ■whom no living man knows China better) pfiid a generous tribute to the good work done in the missionary field. Ho had always rejoiced to be in touch with missionaries’ arid to know that their work was expanding and succeeding. The missions established by English-speaking Protestants were said to have increased -M least a hundredfold during the past Humdred years, and the Wesleyan Missionary Society had done their fair share of the day’s work. Many other societies from every Christian country under the sun were in the , field. In essentials common to all ‘ they might be said to bo alike, while their specially distinctive character- , istics—probably equally essential in the eyes of the society concerned—sunnlied a special motive power and had much to*do with the activity and energy of its agents abroad. Latterly a very important feature had been coming to the front in the Far East, and thet suggestion of the possibility of union which began to take practical shape in the great conference of all religions held last year at Shanghai was meeting with a promising welcome and gaining headway. ‘‘lt is but human,” proceeded Sir R. Hart, “to insist on the fitness and orthodoxy of one’s own peculiarity, but it perplexes the heathen and pushes hack some inquirers when many sects compete for their adhesion and each is known to pronounce some other wrong. Who, then, is right? asks the inquirer, and so there is room for some improvement in method and for union in effort in giving to the Mast; cr’s command, ‘Teach all.’ ” Notable steps have been already taken in this direction, and the future would probably see more and more good result from special attention to a wiser distinction between essentials and nonessentials, and from union so far as . might be practicable in missionary effort and teaching. Although many those present might not agree with him, lie could not omit on an occasion such as this to refer to the admirable work done by the Roman Catholic missionaries, among whom were to be found the most devoted and self-sacrificing of Christ’s followers. The Roman Catholic missionaries had done great work both in spreading the knowledge of-one God and one Saviour, and more especially in their self-sacrifice in the cause of deserted children and afflicted adults. Their organisation as a society was lar ahead of any other, and they were second to .none in zeal and self-sacri-fice personally. “One strong point in ‘ their argument,” he added, ‘-‘is in the fact that there is never ,a break in continuity, while there is perfect union in teaching and practice and practical sympathy with their people in both this life and this world and the preparation for eternity.” The Roman Catholics were the first in the field, were the most widely spread, and had the largest number of followers. but the Protestant- sects in China had done very well, and ho understood that their converts now numbered as many as 200.000 communicants. The bread cast upon the waters would - I he found again—perhaps after , many days—and the friends of the missions could rest assured that the faith of the converts was a real faith. (ApIfitM.'C.) TrfE CHANGES IN THE FAR EAST. “In the Far East,” Sir Robert proceeded, “wonderful changes are now taking place, and men who hid their faces or crouched in despair now stand upright and prepare to maintain a footing of equality with the brotherhood of man. India is awake, China is awake, Japan is awake tlio of the Pacific arc up and doj tig too. Not only do they all throw open their windows to the new. atmosphere and a new light, but they begin to plan.. One or their thoughts is that Christianity is man’s inheritance, and that -they ought each to have . their .own churches, and one of their plans is to do their own missionary work m their own lands 'and amongst tneir own neighbors. But for their success they and we’ must have peace, and liow is that to be secured? Are we to rely on God alone, and neglect tho truth that God helps those who help " r * !r 'Themselves? Are we to rest content with the limited security a limited arm— can afford even though that may be growing into a territorial force, or must we quit ourselves. like men, and through conscription give every man the means and fit- every man to do his duty ? The less we Britishers ar-c -able to hold our own against any and against v -all, a smash may not only paralyse our national strength, but will certainly bring to .a standstill jjji-my charities at Home and all phil'anfJiropy abroad. And, therefore, I i* say: Set your house in order and strengthen your country.” The feature of to-day was that China. was cutting adrift from tlio educational restrictions of the past, and was seeking for, welcoming, and adopting all that the West had to offer. At such a parting of the ways a right departure was all-important, and the sympathy that was being shown in this country by Eton arid Oxford, in America by Chicago, and by the great German Empire in tlieir territorial arrangements in Shantung would doubtless produce good fruit. The T* Protestant Missionary Board m China could point to some forty ■ different branches of the Young s Christian Association, with daily increasing membership, and to some A‘ SC i 10 °! S at the first and .about 16,000 students at the first and about 15,000 suclents attending- the second.. .On the Christian side so much activity was full of promise; but lifter all what did such numbers amount to in a population so vast?—scarcely more than one in a thousand. Therefore much as had been done far more remained’ to be clone. h SECULAR ACTIVITY AND MISSIONARY WORK. On the secular side there had even / been greater activity, continued trie <- speaker. A new board or ministry had been specially constituted the Board of Education.. -Primary, secondary, and tertiary schools were being established in every province. The Boaro were busy with their programme, and once in order would control the studies of the entire Empire— they. would, re- /: tain all that had. been -best in Chinese. ' teaching of thirty ccntuiics, wofild adopt all that was Lest in the 'A - experience and learning anclfeciencoof every other country. (Before lon 0 the students would be numbered by tern. ». of millions. To what extent such secular development, welded on ■matter-of-fact morality of the Connie-

ian ethics would assist or antagonise the progress of Christian education he dared hot say, but sio was of opinion it would support rather than harm it, for the Chinese nature was essentially tolerant, and what was good in Christianity would have fair play in the new era, and perhaps have even better chvi-nces ‘and healthier growth. In saying that the Chinese were .the most tolerant of lrien he referred to faith rather than to conduct. The Chinese Government resented, and would not ailow, missionary interference or intervention in business matters between man and man, or in official affairs between officials mid -people, so that all missionaries of all creeds and sects would do well to confine themselves in their activity to tlieir proper calling, and not trespass on -grounds beyond trie ample -boundaries of evangelical work. “If they need this warning/ lie added, “they may find the open door shut in their faces, and do ino.icui’.able iiarin.” The Chinaman uas a man of brains, and his brains had in them ethical heredity of three thousand years —the accumulated force of eighty or ninety generations and he advised them to let them have tlieir best men.