NORTH CAROLINA^

Christian Sbtoate Volume 88 GREENSBORO, N. C, THURSDAY, MAY 6, 1943 ^Jj /"'Of-Nunibei 18

NORTH CAROLINA

CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE M. T! PLYLBR \ Editon WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA CONFERENCES' PREACHERS, $1; COPY! SC

Volume 88 GREENSBORO, N. C, THURSDAY, M A Y 6, 1943 Ntuuber 18

The Soong Family Special Edition

A pastor (he does not live in Greensboro)

called up the city editor late Sunday night and

said: "I am calling to ask a favor of you. In

the notes of m y sermon which I sent your of

fice, will you kindly take Daniel out of the

fiery furnace and put him in the lion's den."

"Despondency and despair are not mine to

day. I look to Him who is able to do all things,

even more than we ask or think. At this time

of writing, I am with my husband in the heart

of the bandit area. Constantly exposed to dan

gers, I am unafraid. I know that nothing can

happen to either to the General or to me until

our work is done."—Madame Chiang.

The tragic deaths of Lieut-Gen. Frank M.

Andrews and Bishop Adna W . Leonard in an

airplane acicdent in Iceland May 4 are serious

casualties incident to this war. General An

drews was the highest ranking United States

officer lost. Bishop Leonard was one of the

leading bishops of the Methodist Church. At

present he heads up the work of selecting the

chaplains for the Methodist Church. Particu

lars are not available at this time.

When Madame Chiang Kai-shek spoke in

Madison Square Garden to 17,000 people, she

was introduced by Wendell Willkie as "the

most fascinating leader of the world" and as

"an avenging angel, a soldier unafraid in the

fight for justice." She said that "the Allied

Nations must move in swift and mighty

strength toward universal justice and freedom

and that all nations great and small must have •

equal opportunity of development. Those that

are strongest should help the weak. Exploita

tion should be prevented and hate should not

exist toward anyone." She quoted a Chinese

proverb, "Watch the cart ahead," as a good

rule in avoiding the pitfalls into which nations

have fallen in the past.

Without the slightest reservation we insist

that the Soong issue of this Advocate is the

most notable missionary story that has ever

gone out of this office. Were a copy of this to

be placed in every Methodist home in the state

a new day would dawn in many of our Meth

odist churches. It tells of the uplift of China

and world-wide Christian conquest to follow.

Mme. Chiang Kai-shek, called "the leading

lady of Asia," "the lady with the lamp," "the

most fascinating lady in the world," "the

world's first citizen," "spokesman for the

United Nations" and, other titles, is deserving

of first page recognition in the religious press

as well as the secular. Madame Chiang came

to America a few short weeks ago in weakness

but she will leave in strength, not the physical

strength she is slowly regaining following an

operation, but a mighty spiritual strength from

bearing a true testimony to her faith and from

the prayerful support of those who believe in

her God and the principles of righteousness

and justice she is reiterating.

The Wilmington Star, dated Sunday, No

vember 7, 1880, under the caption "Fifth

Street M. E. Church," had this note: "This

morning the ordinance of Christian Baptism

will be administered at this church. A Chinese

convert will be one of the subjects of the sol

emn rite, being probably the first 'Celestial'

that has ever submitted to ordinance of Chris

tian Baptism in North Carolina. The pastor,

Rev. T. Page Ricaud, will officiate." The same

•paper on Tuesday, November 9, said,: "The ser

vice at the Fifth Street M. E. Church on Sun

day morning last, in connection with the Bap

tism of the Chinese youth alluded to in our last,

is said to have been exceedingly impressive.

The young man, whose Chinese appellation was

Soong, assumed the Christian name of bap

tism as Charlie Jones."

NORTH CAROLINA CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE May 6, 1943

Address Given at Dedication of the Charlie Jones Soong Memorial Building of Fifth Avenue Methodist Church, Wilmington, November I, 1942

By BEV. TIMOTHY TINGFANG LEW, PhD, D.D., S.T.D.

the Ambassador,

lister, Dr. Liu Chi)

ned"

re either His ]

areign Affairs,

E the Bank of

honor a political leader

under the Imperial regime, and w h o advocated repui

ideas to overthrow an empire O n e has to learn to ho

political leader w h o defies the all-powerful military

lords and insisted upon the carrying out of the doctrii

i for the people laid d o w n by a departed party

tant meeting

reat pleasure to be asked by

•eturned to China a fi

le State and Party in J

1 today in any part of China,

iimtlHvesl, has learned

ime Soong, which y ; the Soong family 1

not only t

luse it is a remarkable, i

ther who is the head of the family, and the r

in reality the one w h o rules the family—an

ter the husband's death—the sons and daught<

lolher.

nds the follow

an important r

lily

>roduces a foundi

the social and p the respect of tl

deserves the respect of the citizens.

roduces not only one political leader

Dt only one founder of a significair

ily in the Republic of Chin; law occupying such places (

and with daughters each pi:

t other family can i

= of

which spelled the d o o m i

. O n e has to learn to honor founders of movements

eh call for the change of national government, modifi-

on of the social order of far-reaching significance, and

idical substitution of n e w habits for the old in individual

s. O n e has to learn to honor the family which advocates

equality of w o m e n and me n , not by m e r e speeches, but

i has learned 1 Chinese citize

We have a proverb in China which

ting," which literally translated means

judgment." It means that no judgme should be finally passed as to his m

one's coffin is closed and nailed. O r

:. The a

• the Soong family, and

isk.N i rians have taught us, to form o

of a person by the dazzling eminence. It is also risky as all

political experience of a m o d e r n republic such as the United

States, has taught one, to form one's judgment upon the

worth of a person or a family in political circles, by read-

speeches of the m a n y different politi-

cities built i

cies, as well as virtues are magnified. It is not easy to live

such a life, and it is not easy for their contemporaries to

form always calm, unprejudiced, and scientifically accurate

judgments about them.

But I a m certain that I a m voicing the sentiment of mil

lions of people w h e n I say that the average Chinese citizen

not only respects the Soong family for its brilliant emi

nence, but also has learned to honor it, irrespective of the different backgrounds which dillercnt persons m a y sever

ally have. But more than that, they also appreciate and

hold in high esteem this family for specific contributions

which it has m a d e to China. There is no dissenting voice

today in China as to the unique position of everlasting significance Dr. Sun Yat Sen has m a d e in the history of China,

as the '"father of the Republic," as a founder of the Nation

alistic Party, as the rallying point and the ackimwledjied leader of the leaders of different parties which launched one

of the greatest political revolutions of the modern age.

the depth of appreciation by the Chinese people as time

degree of intimacy can fail to appreciate the contribution

which M a d a m e Sun Soong Ching-ling m a d e to Dr. Sun,

particularly in his last years of devoted service to the great

mature wisdom, when his political insight and prophetic

NORTH CAKOI IN'A CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE

finished task i

threatened wi

his wonderful

r V was facing tie Westen :£ )f hjs unworthy

th physical illiu

i. it was i

he called it. It

followers; whe

se c

ultimately

ays he foun

o. One of the outstanding t

s his capacity to rally arou

f ability and knowledge and

the Sian incidi

complete devo

leadership. Oi

;nt in 1936, she made .

the life of the Geners

ie of m y students in tl

[ the body politic • homage.

. devote

NORTH C\ROU\A CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE

ry times, break down and e

y. It was the wonderful si

: Madame Chiang Soong M

if great calamity, i

i unity which expl:

thousand miles of coast line have been taken E inces along the coast have been occupied ar

ally looted, millions of people have lost their

vading army passed through, t

have grappled with the

were occupied alternately by t

nato^ltca f^y"natun

thropp^ssk.n1'.^ tl'Tot appreciate those measu

of financial administrati was the Minister of Fi

are today his admirers.

The fact that China

against Japan, is due i

of Industries, began the

planning which has bee

and executed by his su

T. V. Soong's financial

Madame Kung Soon;

ters, and also the eldesl also being appreciated

since the war. She sp. mother, and a devoted i

,•;-, le

™path

budglt

he scoi

heene

S/" >n arn-

linane

plans

•ched earth pol

m y and the go

Jn^£ntec

Ho^taS l«e"nS il

and by his brc

by in

>:\e toe

• industrial rcfi nd elaborated,

so served as V

eldest of the tl

: Soong family of chi

. Just

ig numbers of

;, first as a w

as the other ti

As:

familj

partly

i Chinese Christian, I at n glad to say

fact that the Soong family is kno' in China. There are

ans up to the time \

families in

that we

China \

vhen they became ;

it, but ceased to be known as a CI

because of inconvenit

;over their own light

and other reasons. The Soon

;r;i percen

:r their light of Chris

. To be a Christian ai

tion. To be Christian

unusually difficult, i

r ^ - there^e'Tnly J population of four hundred

in political life, what

rtly bee;

are proud

Christian

' ••• -':•'

under a bushel for expediency

^ r t r c u ^ " ' **si i haTf "million" Protest

millions.

al personage cannot be twisted by

by a critic of the opr

; the last twenty yea:

particularly the anti-Christi

such a

l^nfiucnce^nlhe 1^

situation, when a pei

wsition, for ;

ade itself fel

^dyVolitic.^

f„alwh°i

ante in°a

personal life of a

i special

eligious which

I by Chi

t in Chi

iTr^uh

did not

tianity to stand against all the

son in a pol itical po;

was needed mosi

influence had rea

; by 1

isitate to make it wid

:dgement and respect c best express the attit

towards the Soong fan

by s

Chri

i of the party leaders

funeral service

ork. She has

I works of charity

thousands of refuj

orphaned by war.

has been unusually able to

lto the channels of social ser-

d mercy. Today throughout I with appreciation by hun-

;s, of wounded soldiers and

o the post of State Councilor I and subsequently as Minis-

i residence in Washington, is

lembers of the Soong family

ling. Mr. T. L. Soong has al-

undoubtedly important parts

miting Dr. Sun's per:

y a Christian. They claimed that

iole nation, to all sects and creeds.

i religious ceremony, they said, th

mmedans, the Taoists, and others

. Sun

j Chri

cide t Dr. Sun

Chri although publicly ]

Peking Union Medical ColU would be known as a "priv;

people took in turn, and wh:

leral :

M y j : chair

son of Dr Sur

• service by p

lly Wesley's "J

i. Dr. H. I

ig Ching-rescribing

esus, Lov.

NORTH CAROLINA CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE

history of C be the officiating clergyman, Christian, di

vite a bishop to be present in takably Chri

Church of China. There

1 night e

; difficulty to ha\

->e night before tr

in the Party heac

i hours

I asked m e whether I would be v

;d to religion, and particularly t

service. I told him that I would be willing to

ersonal risk, for it was a part of m y work. Bi

i to know the attitude of the Soong family, whet

the conviction that Dr. Sun must have a Chris

1 service, for it would mark him and make it kn( -wide, a fact which was easily obscured under

relatives, the Sooni

I slowly marched aero; i observing multitude

ome radicals actually I

decided

t like this remains an impor

hina, that the first Presider

ed a Christian, with a fune

stian, conducted in the name

and it was done because bo

than the quiet attitude tak

at time. Just for illustration,

someone showed an account

argument.

id incident which I wish to

:ant incident in the

it of China was a

: of the church, by

en by people con-

against the Chris-

. Sun's family and

mention concerned

represented

it was Chri

stand the di

The thiri

the Soong f

wedding by c

;t ridicule of

:ers. Some of them

•Christian elements

. commenting with

lal, chiefly because

;o mention to show how d for Christianity, is in

t happened in the midst

pital, but others i

which i

Id be taker

s day had t

rort the simple facts of the

This suggestion of Dr.

roved to be both poltically ffiously wise.

NORTH CAROLINA CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE

cides life and deat

ve revealed that,

•, in the judgment of strict extern ue unmislakably Christian, for tr

ian fellowship and have reached (

to meet their highest needs and s

ive Y u a n — a position which M a d a m e Chit

: once held, (as you all k n o w , the head of tr

an is none other than Dr. S u n Fo, the s

t Sen)—it gives m e peculiar pleasure the

tempts

cern'd

that i.*

nf the

tion to sa

"with". '

Christian

this CO

'L', •',', the thi

untry. It

^McTySr' •ee Soong

>• too a

(uesILl Ihience

life of

i at St.

luch

i"wl

uneS

Joh

Lvas als!m! eTn Cr sisters

una'

w e n

on this

myself

urally ( contributed to family;

Lid, id f,

W e tw

fellow

>rtime t.

o Irny' • contemporary

growth and development of these outstanding personalities

as fellow students often do. A n d I think I a m not far frorr

ure to the shaping and unfolding of their lives so far.

T h e first of these is the influence which Mother Soonj

exerted upon her children—and that applies also to theii

father. Mother Soong, even after her children had reachec

the dizzy eminence in life, social and political, remained i

simple and devout Christian w o m a n . Her uninterrupted con

nection with the Methodist church, her regular observance of Sunday services and other religious devotions, her active

participation in Christian charities, have been a part of the

treasured memories of Methodists of Shanghai. That simple faith, unadorned by intellectual sophistries, nor spoiled

by worldly successes, together with her continued fellowship with m e m b e r s of a Christian church—wealthy or poor

intellectual or uneducated, those in prominent or obscure-

stations in life, m a d e her a loved personality in the Christian community of Shanghai. Her influence upon her chil-

• Ihromdniiit '

Influences of Chri

crn atmosphere has contri bers of the Soong family.

; and other factor

age that I believe

:on in the Southei

say that this building w

the m e m o r y of the Soon,

founder of this illustriou

secular, that has ever bee

people of C h i n a — a fricne

the inborn characteristics

hich you are dedicating today to

* family, and especially to the

s family of children, is regarded

an any other building, sacred or

n built in the South.

United States of America and the

of the two races- -thrift, industry.

; of the people

; why we we ha

s in your churches, who took an active pari

1 work, in medical work, and other social se

This friendship has also been strengthened

ien who decided in our national policy fo = L-M<i : • best of youth f

mth,

the

•cprcsenled

>f life—all

This building shall forever stand as a s > this frendship of the past half century.

Second, w e regard this building as th

sion of two cultures—the culture of a n

vigorous, youthful, courage and strengtl

•veries of human life, and at the same '

luing and conserving the best of the di

itions which have poured into the Amer

id the culture of China—a culture of ai

i ancient race which has also served, one niellinii-pol of many nationalities of the

3f this la ; had opportunity t

} South,

r own Chi-ineflacablo

ut a mighty f The Soong

irough the m<

intellectual imagination or papet

ce working through dynamic in

mily, through their individual

dedicating today

ich brought

v Life move-

>ple-are the

nd has been

NORTH CAROLINA CHRISTIAN ADVOCA'IL

s possibili

ms who ex- In these three aspect)

nd worked heartily congratulate you

and meglo- dedication of this buildin,

irough hypocritical

teres t of political

valuable than as that he political game to be Chri

and China have pledged Chri played by the demagogue. Ameri themselves as allies in this great cause. The American peo

ple and Chinese people have become comrades in arms, waging a war to obliterate these political and international

monstrosities. It is a comradeship which the Chinese peo

ple have been looking forward to ever since the founding

of the republic ,and has been eagerly yearned for through

out these five and a half long years of bloody struggle in a

th a postscrij

, through you

S Gospel according to St.

its significance, who i

world where Christiai understanding the word of It

racial relationships. They

i shall reign supreme, not only

iove of God, but who also strive in these aspects of the Gospel,

NORTH CAROLINA CHRISTIAN \DVOCATE

hardship. Finally came Methodist unification, when ii

1939 these groups became one. Rev. D. R. Williams wai

the last pastor of the Methodisl Protestant Church, aiu

Rev. W . L. Loy was the last pastor of the M. E. Church

In the fall of I

Enfield as the first

Critcher should go

(his His

. B. D. Crticher was sent to

f the united church. To Mr.

the credit for the success of

ion for all concerned and his

In Fifth Str-vt Methodist church (now Fifth Ave

nuc i he was baptized by Key. T. Page Ricard. the pastor

taking as his Christian name Charles -Jones in honor o)

his friend and benefactor. Thus lie became Charles Jones

Soon, though generally known as Charlie Soon ir.

property and arm

Church holdings :

built, and which 1

the fall of 1942 a

in full; coramitte.

ver all church

former M. P.

iebt on Trinity

er'sa-.-- , nd

"'"FOIIO^IUZ'VV

Vanderbilt, leavin

Trinity and Vande

spent some time i

Street church. In

g there in 1885

rbilt must of tlit

i" Wlminglon a

the fall of tl

Keener ordained him at the meetin

ence in Charlotte.

by Bishop Eener 1

five of the North

return he taught t

Devoted to his i

M. C. A. in Shangl

The young ma]

i in Ins studies in the

spent three years at

. S„ he had been at

and. H>ilt in June, he

ml preached at Fifth

iat year Bishop J. C.

g of the N. C. confer-

i was then appointed

;o the work in China as a representa-

Carolina confer

nd preached nei

jhurch and a loj

mi all his days. 1

1'iiee. So Charlie was

The first year on his

ir Shanghai.

al supporter of the Y.

•harles -I. Soong prov-

ary, 1943, the mortgage was burned at a jubilee celebra

tion, and plans were made for the dedication of the

Trinity church 1ms a comfortable parsonage, a beau

tiful church building which will be adequate for many

years to come, and a membership of about 300, charac

terized by a fine spirit, of fellowship and co-operation.

The dedication of this church will be a realization of a

dream and an inspiration for a period of greater growth

and usefulness. B. D. Critcher.

ROUND OF DISTRICT CONFERENCES BEGINS

Last week the round of seventeen district conferences

in the state began with the Durham at Yaneeyville and

the Rocky Mount at Littleton. The two district superin

tendents, Rev. P. S. Love and Rev. T. M c M . Grant, met

every demand upon them. All went merry as a marriage

bell. Programs were so arranged as to avoid loss of time

or to crowd out important matters. The present methods

of considering ihemes .such as education and missions,

laymen's work and our institutions, add much to the

pire. Dr. Fletcher S, Brockman. who spent

years in China, spoke in highest terms

Sootig with whom he was most intimately

the day of his death.

1926, during the pastorate of Rev.

! the '

TO DEDICATE TRINITY CHURCH, ENFIELD

On Sunday, May 16, Bishop Clare Purcell, assisted by Rev. T. M. Grant, district superintendent, Rev. R. C. Stubbing, Rev. C. P. Womacfe and Rev. B. D. Critcher,

pastor, will dedicate Trinity Methodist church in Enfield,

bringing realization to the hopes and dreams which have

inspired this congre

building was laid in

C. T. Rogers.

For many years in Enfield two Methodist churches.

the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and the Meth

odist Protestant Church, had carried on, each congrega

tion having its periods of success and of struggle and

The beautiful new church at: Yanceyville brought to

finish by Rev. J. V. Early contributed much to the

ccasion. Of course the big Durham conference crowds

ny ordinary church, hut the compensation on this oeea-

ion was to furnish an excuse for those who would gossip

utside not to leave the impression on anyone that they

t-ere not interested in the speeches and business of the

lay. Of special interest at Littleton was the considera-

: the : He. • Madai

od and the points