The W est ChinaMissionary News

N o v e m b e r — 1928

E D ITO R IA L

THE SEARCH FOR GOD.

It w o u l d h a v e been o f v e ry g r e a t h e l p to tho se of us w h o c a m e to C h i n a a q uar t er o f a c e nt u r y a g o , i f w e c o u l d n a v e b ee n s u p p l i e d w i th a b r i e f a n d c o n c i s e s t a t e m e n t of the r e l i g i o u s h i s t o r y o f the c o u n t r y s uc h as is g i v e n in the a rt ic l e b y Mr. T o r r a n c e w h i c h w i l l be f o u n d on a n o t h e r p a g e o f this i ssue o f the NEWS. T h i s is n ot to s a y tha t the n e w m i s s i o n a r y in t ho s e d a y s r e a c h e d this c o u n t r y w i th a b l a n k m i n d so f a r as c o m ­p a r a t i v e r e l i g i o n s are c o n c e r n e d . E v e n in t ho se d a y s , the p r o s p e c t i v e m i s s i o n a r y w a s alert a n d m a d e s er ious ef f orts to l e a rn s o m e t h i n g a b o u t the r e l i g i o u s l i f e o f the p e o p l e a m o n g w h o m he p l a n n e d to s p e n d his w o r k i n g l i fe. A t l e a s t in s o m e o f the c o l l e g e s , a n d in m o st o f the t h e o l o g i c a l s c h o o l s , c o u rs e s in C o m p a r a t i v e R e l i g ­i o n s w e r e o f fe r ed a n d e l ec t ed . A t such g a t h e r i n g s as the S t u d e n t S u m m e r C o n f e r e n c e at Nor thf i el d, g r o u p s w e r e f o r m e d to s t u d y n o n - C h r i s t i a n s y s t e m s o f t h o u g h t a n d l i fe . Y e t , w e r epe at , it w o u l d h a v e h e l p e d the y o u n g m a n or w o m a n c o m i n g to C h i n a to w o r k f o r the e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f the K i n g d o m o f G o d in t h i s l a n d i f a b ri e f s t a t e m e n t o f the h i s t o r y o f the s e v e r a l r e l i g i o n s in C h i n a h a d b e e n p l a c e d i n hi s or her h a n d s s o o n a f t er l a n d i n g . F o r it w o u l d h a v e e m p h a s i z e d t h e n e e d o f an i n t i m a t e a n d s y m p a t h e t i c k n o w l e d g e on t h i n g s s p ir i t u a l as t h e y h a d d e v e l o p e d a m o n g this p e o p l e . A f t e r all , m a n ’s g r e a t p r e o c c u p a t i o n is hi s r e l a t i o n s w i t h t he p o w e r s o u t s i d e a n d b e y o n d hi ms el f . W e m a y not r e c o g n i z e this as an e x p r e s s i o n o f hi s r e l i g i o u s n a t u r e ; but t ha t is our loss. F o r i f w e a re to b e o f a n y s e r v i c e to a f e l l o w m a n g r o p i n g a f t e r the E t e r n a l , w e mu st be p r e p a r e d to b e g i n w h e r e he is a n d n o t w h e r e

T H E .WEST C H IN A M IS S IO N A R Y N E W S

w e t h i n k he o u g h t to be. “ O h t ha t I k n e w w h e r e I m i g h t f ind H i m . ” is a c ry tha t g o e s f a r t h e r b a c k t o w a r d s the m o r n i n g o f the w or l d t ha n Job. It is u n i v e r s a l ; it is i n s is t en t , it is u n s at i s f i e d unt i l it f i nd s its s a t i s f a c t i o n in a G o d o f l o v e w h o r e j o i c e s to be k n o w n as the F a t h e r o f al l men, at a l l t i mes a n d in all p l a ce s . T h i s is at o n c e the c h a l l e n g e a n d h o p e c o n f r o n t i n g a n y a n d al l C h r i s t i a n w o r k e r s .

REACHING AFTER GOD.

In the a rt ic l e a l r e a d y r e f er r e d to, o n e c a n t r a c e the e a r l y g r o p i n g s o f thi s p e o p l e t o w a r d s the l i ght . N o m a tt er h o w di m a n d i n d e f i n i t e m a y h a v e b e e n t he ir s e a r c h ; a n d no m a t t e r h o w f a r t h e y m a y h a v e s t r a y e d f r o m the d i r e c t p a th to thei r go al , they w e r e e n d e a v o r i n g to g e t i nt o r i g h t a n d pr o f i ta b le r e l a t i o n s w i th w h a t t h e y c o n c e i v e d to b e tha t “ P o w e r oth er t ha n o u r s e l v e s t ha t m a k e s f o r r i g h t e o u s n e s s ” . T h a t t h e y m i s s e d thei r w a y a n d f e l l into c ru d e f o r m s o f i d o l a t r y d oe s not l es se n the f a c t tha t t h e y w e r e s e a r c h i n g for the L i g h t . A n d w h e n , as t h e y t h o u g h t , m o r e l i g h t c a m e to the m, e i ther f r o m w i t h i n or f r o m w i t h o u t t he ir n a t i o n a l c on f i n es , t h e y a c c e p t e d it a n d s t u m b l e d f o r w a r d a n d hi gher . T h i s w a s al l to t h e g o o d ; b ut not g o o d e n o u g h , f or it w a s n ot the best . O t h e r p e o p l e s w e r e b l u n d e r i n g a l o n g on o t h e r p a t h s a n d m i s s e d the w a y . G r e a t a n d g o o d me n w e r e s e n t to t he m to l e a d t h e m out i n t o a f ul ler k n o w l e d g e o f the truth. S o m e t i m e s s o m e o f t he m a c c e p t e d the se n e w g u i d e s a n d m a d e s o m e p r o g r e s s . O t h e r s h e s i t a t ­ed to g o f o r w a r d . S t i l l o th e r s r e j e c t e d t h e se g u i d e s a n d r e t r o g r a d e d r a t h e r t h a n p r o g r e s s e d . “ In t h e f u l n e s s o f t i m e , G o d s e n t f or t h H i s S o n . ” E v e n so j u d g e d f r o m h i s r e c e p t i o n a n d r e j e c t i o n a n d the c o m p a r a t i v e l y f e w w h o a c c e p t e d H i m , Jesus m a y be r e g a r d e d as a f a i l ur e . But hi s f a i l u r e w a s a n d is of t h a t n a t u r e t ha t l e a d s to su c ce s s . W e s t a n d in the f ul l l i g h t o f his l i fe a n d t e a c h i n g s a n d a r e g l a d to c o n f e s s H i m as our L o r d a n d ou r G o d . A n d i f w e w i l l but p e r s i s t in our w o r k w e h a v e a s s u r a n c e o f t h e c o m p l e t e v i c t o r y o f t ha t l i f e a n d tha t truth. But w e m u s t not f a l l i n t o a b l i n d c o m p ­l a c e n c y b y t h i n k i n g t h a t the r e l i g i o n o f J esus C h r i s t w i l l c o n q u e r b e c a u s e o t h e r r e l i g i o n s w i l l f a i l . A f t e r a l l tha t w o u l d be but a n e g a t i v e v i c t o r y . C h r i s t i a n i t y must

T H E W E ST C H IN A M IS S IO N A R Y N E W S

b e so s t r o n g a n d so fu l l o f l i f e t h a t it c a n o v e r c o m e a n y a n d e v e r y ot he r r e l i g i o u s s y s t e m t h a t is or w i l l be put forth.

NEED FOR SCRUTINY.

In d e e d , this is w h e r e w e are l ed to q u e s t i o n the s t a t e m e n t o f the a ut hor o f the a r t i c l e on “ R e l i g i o u s L i f e in C h i n a . ” It s e e m s to us t ha t the o p i n i o n g i v e n in the a rt i c l e t ha t B u d d h i s m is d e c a d e n t n e ed s to be mod if i ed in the l i g h t of r e c e n t r e se a rc h. In “ T r u t h a n d T r a d i t i o n in B u d d h i s m ” ( p . »310) Dr. R e i c h e l t s a y s : A r e l i g i o u s a w a k e n i n g is to be f e l t in m a n y pa rt s of C h i n a , a n d the n e w r e l i g i o u s l i f e is m a n i f e s t i n g i tse l f in n e w f o r m s , but b e h i n d t h e m al l B u d d h i s m is to be t r a c e d . ” O n c o m i n g a c r o s s the P a c i f i c the l a s t t ime, w e f o u n d a f l o u r i s h i n g B u d d h i s t c h u r c h in H o n o l u l u w h i c h w a s c o n d u c t i n g its c a m p a i g n w i t h m e t h o d s c o p i e d f r o m its C h r i s t i a n n e i g h b o r s . T h e r e h a s b ee n w h a t o n e m i g h t c al l a r e n a i s a n c e of B u d d h i s m in J a p a n . C e r t a i n s c h o o l s o f B u d d h i s t i c t h o u g h t a n d p r a c t i c e are t a k i n g on new l i fe in C h i n a , it w o u l d be wel l , t h e r e f o r e f or t he C h r i s t i a n C h u r c h in this c o u n t r y to s t u d y o n c e m o r e t hi s r e l i g i o n tha t has c ap t u r e d a g r e a t pa r t o f A s i a a nd is r e a d y to l a u n c h out into o th e r fields. W e s a y this, w i t h the pro- f o u n d e s t f a i t h in the u l t i m at e t r i u m ph o f the r e l i g i o n of J esus C h r i s t ; f o r tha t r e l i g i o n ful fi l ls the d e e p e s t n e e d s o f m e n s ’ soul s a n d l i f t s t he m to the h i g h e s t r e a l m s ot c h a r a c t e r . It a l t o g e t h e r fil ls out the p e r s o n a l i t y o f m a n u nt i l h e b e c o m e s a n e w c r e a t u r e in C h r i s t Jesus.

ON THE BORDER.

Just a w o r d to c al l the a t t e n t i o n o f our r e a d e r s to the t r a n s l a t i o n o f a p r o c l a m a t i o n p ut out b y a f r o n t i e r g e n e r a l to t he H a n a n d F a n p e o p l e s . It is i n t e r e s t i n g to s t u d e n t s o f a f f a i r s in C h i n a a t present . It w i l l a l s o s e r v e to e x p l a i n , at l e a s t in part , the s o u r c e o f s o m e o f the a n t i - C h r i s t i a n p r o p a g a n d a t ha t w e h a v e met d u r i n g r e c e n t t imes. T h e F a n p e o p l e w i l l , w e d o u b t not, be a b l e to e s t i m a t e it at its real v al ue , a n d p e r h a p s s o m e of t h e H a n f o l k wi l l b e g i n to s ee t ha t h a t i n g o t h e r p e o p l e d oes not r ea l l y ge t t he C h i n e s e v e r y f a r on in their e n d e a v o r s to b u i ld up a n e w a n d a be tt e r C h i n a .

4 T H E W EST C H IN A M IS S IO N A R Y N E W S

I W IL L NOT DOUBT

I W ill not D oubt, though all mv ships at seaCome drifting home, with broken masts and sails I will believe the hand which never fails,

From seeming evil worketh good for me ;And, though I weep because those sails are tattered, Still will I cry, while my best hopes lie shattered :

“ I trust in Thee”

I will not doubt, though all my prayers returnUnanswered from the still, white realm above ;I will believe it is an all-wise love

Which has refused these things for which I yearn ; And though at times I cannot keep from grieving,Y et the pure ardor of my fixed believing.

Undimmed, shall burn.

I will not doubt, though sorrows fall like rain,And troubles swarm like bees about to h iv e ;I will believe the heights for which I strive

Are only reached by anguish and by pain ;And though I groan and writhe beneath my crosses,I yet shall see through my severest losses

The greater gain.

I will not doubt. W ell anchored in this faith,Like some staunch ship, my soul braves every gale,So strong its courage will not quail

To breast the mighty unknown sea of death.Oh, may I cry, though body parts with spirit,“ I do not doubt,” so listening worlds may hear it

W ith my last breath 1

— Sir W . R obertson N icoll.

T H E W E S T C H IN A M ISSIO N A R Y NET7Ö fi

R ELIG IO U S LIF E IN C H IN A FROM A N C IE N T TO MODERN TIM ES

Br R ev . T. T orrance, F.R.G.S.In dividing up the races of the earth under the three

divisions of Shem, Ham and Japheth ethnologists have no difficulty in the determination of any race until they come to the Chinese : they are so diverse to all others that the most astute do not know where to place them. To get around the difficulty the supposition is advanced that they are thedescend- ants of Cain, who is' said to have gone to the East when he turned his back on Eden. They are, therefore, assigned to a class by themselves and labelled Mongols. Whether this clas­sification is correct or not we leave to others to decide but this much we can assert that in the matter of religion it cannot for one instant be doubted. The Chinese worship God but they do it in their own peculiar way and they violently oppose all who differ from them. To be anti-foreign is not second nature to them, it is first nature. We do not care to dispute that thev are the fathers of the harp and the pipe, of every curious instrument of brass and iron, of wonderful bronzes and beautiful porcelain, of paper, printed books and of much else that is mentally good and outwardly pleasing, but a self-complacent superior attitude towards others characterises the poorest and most ignorant among them. Religiously they believe they are the people and wisdom will die with them. Such a people indeed are in a class by themselves. One only wishes that they could see themselves as others see them !

From the earliest times the Chinese have worshipped Shang T i1. The name implies His unity alike with His Greatness : He is the Supreme One. They think of Him as All-Glorious. His character is that of a righteous Sovereign. The august heaven is His abode. The term Heaven is a synonym for His name and is oftener used than the name itself. A ll good and blessing flow from His Hand. He has a loving care for all on earth. Impartially He meets men’s virtue w’ ith prosperity and their wrongdoing with calamity.

6 T H E W E ST C H IN A M ISSIO N A R Y N E W S

This concept of Deity, as far as it goes, is truly a noble one. It is much to China’s credit that in ancient times when all the large nations sank into idolatry she with the Hebrews should preserve a monotheistic faith. Dr. J. Ross, the author of “ The Original R eligion Of China”, wonders how it came to pass that little Israel on the far Western fringe of Asia and great China on its far Eastern fringe should alone retain a knowledge of God. Was the growth of religion in these coun­tries independent of each other? Did they borrow one from another? Or came it from one common source? Dr. Ross indicates no answer. He says, “ We fail to find a hint anywhere as to the manner how or the time when the idea of God originat­ed in China. The name bursts suddenly upon us from the first page of history without a note of warning. We are driven to infer that the name as in the case of Israel at a later age, and the religious observances associated with, are co-eval with the existence of the people of China” .

The name Shang-Ti occurs frequently in the Shu K in g 1, China’s ancient historical classic. But “ T ’ien”2 or Heaven is used much more frequently. In reading the Shu King the impression is left that the synonym is preferred to the name itself. When Shang Ti is used it is frequently followed by T ’ien and very seldom succeeded by a repetition of the name. I t would appear that the early Chinese had either such a re­verence for the name that they did not wish to use it too com­monly or that Heaven sounded less personal and less dread.

For Shang-Ti was not only benign ; He was inexorably stern. Retribution inevitably followed evil. Irreligion, dissoluteness, misgovernment, oppression could not escape His condemnation. Emperors had to be careful how they occupied the throne ; they only ruled by the decree of Heaven. It was theirs to be reverent in their government. They were Shang- T i’s vicegerent’s. He alone set them up to rule. It devolved on them to instruct their subjects that their conduct might be well-pleasing to Him. Then they should enjoy universal peace. The people were to be cherished and not downtrodden. They were the root of the country ; if the root were firm the country would be tranquil. The Ruler required to embody in his con­duct and government the principles o f Heaven. “ When the palace was a place for lust and the country a mere wild for hunting, when wine was sweet and music was a delight, when there were lofty roofs and carved walls, these things were always

T H E W E ST C H IN A M ISSIO N A R Y N E W S 7

the prelude to ruin of the state” . In the repression of evil, while discrimination was to be shown the sternness of Heaven must be shown to flagant disorder. To allow a feeling of leniency to overcome sternness was to fa i l ; no merit could be achieved in government without sternness. The onlv way to attain the Divine decree to rule was to revere the way of Heaven. W ith­out virtue a dynasty could not abide; God was the remorseless enemy of irreverent and licentious princes.

T h e w o r s h ip o f S h a n g - T i , i t is in te r e s t in g to n o t e , w as b y s a c rific e . W e fin d i t fir s t m e n tio n e d w h e n th e m y t h i c a l F u - H s i s a c rific e d o n M o u n t T ’ a i S h a n . T h e E m p e r o r H u a n g T i , ( B . C . 2 7 0 4 ) , is s a id to h a v e r e g u la te d its p r a c tic e . A t f i r s t , p r o b a b l y , o b s e rv e d b y a l l , i t b e cam e la t e r th e sole p e r r o g a t iv e o f th e E m p e r o r . T h e r i g h t to r e ig n w a s th e r i g h t to s a c rific e t o G o d a n d v ic e v e r s a . H e w a s th e h ig h p r ie s t o f h is p e o p le as w e ll as th e v ic e g e r e n t o f G o d . L o g i c a l l y i t w a s assum e d f r o m th is t h a t h e w as r e s p o n s ib le f o r th e fa u lts o f th e p e o p le . I f th e s e o c c u r r e d , he h a d n o t g o v e rn e d o r in s tr u c te d th e m a r i g h t . T h i s is w e ll illu s t r a t e d in th e a n n o u n c e m e n t o f T ’ a n g t o h is p e o p le : “ T h e g o o d i n y o u I w i l l n o t d a r e t o C o n c e a l ; a n d f o r t h e e v i l I w i l l n o t d a r e t o F o r g i v e M y s e l f . 1 w i l l Examine These Things in Harmony w i t h the m i n d of G o d . W h e n G uilt is Found Anywhere in you who Occupy th e Myriad R e g i o n s it must rest on me. But w h e n G uilt i s Found in me the one m a n it w i l l not A t t a c h to you Anywhere.”

Had we nothing more to add to Chinese primeval religious beliefs we should not have ceased to wonder at the rare purity o f their Knowledge of God and at the lofty ethical ideals there­in set forth, but their Monotheism, one reluctantly relates, was adversely qualified by an additional worship of ancestors and of the spirits supposed to control the forces of nature. “ Thou Shalt W orship the Lord thy God and him only Shalt thou Serve” ran Israel’s first great commandment. How different was Chinese practice where it was believed that the dead could affect the family fortunes for weal or woe and the inferior spirits had charge of man’s physical well-being. The Emperor Shuen on ascending the throne B. C. 2258 offered the special sacrifice to Shang T i ; presented the pure and reverent sacrifice to the six ancestors; laid on the altar the proper offering to the mountains and streams and did homage to the host of spirits. He did all this because it was regarded as the correct procedure ; the inferior spirits were the ministers of the great Spirit, Shang-Ti; to honour them and one’s ancestors was as

8 T H E W E ST C H IN A M ISSIO N A R Y N E W S

much the right course as to honour the ministers of the earthly Sovereigns.

Before the time of Confuius, B.C. 557-479, there was probably no rounded out code of ethics. This, practical philosopher was the first to gather up the ancient moral maxims and transmit them through his disciples in cogent-form. Since his day it has been generally accepted as a national ideal. It resolves itself around the maintenance of the five relationships of ruler and subject, father and son, husband and wife, elder brother and younger brother, and friend with friend and. the practice of the five virtues of benevolence, ( ^ ) , righteousness, ( ! § ) ’ propriety, (jjjf|), intelligence, (^ > ), and good-faith ( f f i ) . The principle, pervading all these is obedience to authority plus faithfulness to Heaven’s inborn sense of right. Since the filial spirit calls for the exercise of both these qualities of character it is the primary essential in moral conduct— the first thing necessary to prosperity in the State and peace in the home. He who embodies this ideal is called the ££lChuin-tze” or princely man, in other words the superior man. He is con­trasted with the “ iSiao ren” } the mean or smalLsouled or sordid man. For instance : the princely man thinks of righteousness, the mean man of profit. The princely man desires the “ Tao” or right way, the mean man desires food. The princely man is careful of Tiis deportment, the mean man careless of it. P rinciple sways the princely man, legality the mean man. The superior man seeks to draw out what is good in others, the mean man what is evil. The princely man is dignified but not proud, the mean man is proud but not dignifed. The princely man is c ip ib le of friendship, the mean man only of companionship.

Confucius emphasised ethics as the practical or reverse side of religion rather than religion itself. He seemed to take men’s knowledge of the ancient religious beliefs for granted. He confessed, however, that he did not know the meaning of the great sacrifice and he hardly ever mentioned the name of God. Y et he was in favour of continuing the ancient ceremonial rites. Their neglect would have been displeasing to Heaven and to the Spirits. His aim was the prosperity of the State by the cultivation of personal virtue and the moral advance­ment of society. To this end, it was, he collated and transmitted the moral sayings of the sages. His portrayal of the ideal man, the “ Chiim Tsze” , served his purpose admirably : he is regard­ed to this day as the perfect embodiment of moral, social and religious propriety.

W *

T H E W EST C H IN A M ISSIO N A R Y N E W S 9

An ethical system, however, can never by itself satisfy the religious instincts of the soul. The people of Confucius’ day were no exception: many listened to the sage iLao Tze as well. Lao Tze was older than Confucius. Famed for his conspicuous ability he was made a historian or keeper of the State records by a King of Chou. Here in an endeavour to meet his countryman’s spiritual aspirations he wrote his 2“ Tao- T eh-K ing”—-Classic of Reason and Virtu re. In it he enunciated the doctrine of The aTao or right course. Through the contemplation of the divine, the maintenance of humility, the eschewing of passion with placidity of soul in the practice of virtue, man might free himself from the grossness of this present life and attain to spiritual perfection.

Lao Tze is said to have borrowed his notion of “ The Tao” from the Yellow Emperor just as Confucius borrowed his standard of propriety from the Duke of Chou. Did he also learn some of its features from the tribes of the W est? He is said to have visited this region. There is a legend that he visited Chengtu. I f so he must have become acquainted with the monotheistic beliefs of these border peoples. Religion here was regarded as vital to human well-being. Whether or not, Lao Tze’s ideas have much more of a religious trend than those of the matter-of-fact Confucius. They are undoubtedly far more abstruse. His “ Tao” as a force may mean the soul or ethical quintessence of the universe ; the course of nature in its orderly revolutions; the quiescent reinforcing first cause. When any one eliminates his pride and controls his desires, the “ Tao” will possess him. In its effect in and through man it is then akin to what we mean by moral influence. This meaning, however, is carried to metaphysical absurdity, for there is nothing its possessor may not accomplish without speech or without effort. The “ Tao” in him is thus said to act as in nature, silently and spontaneously. Correspondence to nature is man’s’ ideal. These processes he should imitate are called “ Wu-wei” aQd “ Ts’ing-ching” . The disposi­tions necessary to do this are called “ T ’ui-hsii and” “ Shou- ching Therefore Taoists are expected tobelieve, and the very mystery of the thing, is what to them is its best evidence, that the wise and the perfect need not speak or teach, they can impart their wisdom and instruction without th a t: viz., by telepathic force. In like manner the ideal Sovereign can rule by means of his mere w ill; his virtue lies in

10 T H E W E S T C H IM A M IS S IO N A R Y N E W S

sitting still, and, as it were, radiating his goodness. For instance “ Lao Tze” in the “ Tao Teh King” says : “ The Tao is perpetual and without action, yet it is the cause of all action. I f nobles and kings are able to observe the same inaction all will be transformed spontaneously. Being transformed and desiring to act thev will be controlled by the simplicity of The Nameless. Having the simplicity of The Nameless they will not be under the control of desire and not being under the control of desire, all, as it were, will of themselves become rectified” .

Every student of the “ Tao Teh K ing” makes his own translation. The text is so compressed and ambiguous that, almost from the first, opinions about certain passages have varied widelv. However, he certainly speaks of the “ Tao” as The Nameless ; as the Beginrer of Heaven and earth, as the Producer or Mother of all th ing; as the “ I-H si-W ei” or the Indistinguishable, the Inaudible and the Elusive.; and as the intangible force at the heart of things that makes for righteousness. It therefore does not surprise anyone to hear that the followers of -‘Lao Tze” before long interpreted his conception of the Tao as the A b s o lu t e and as the Source of Life who dwelt beyond the Universe and to whom human beings returned at death to enjoy im mortality.

Like all other races the old China peoples clung to the belief of another existence after this. One has only to review the many grave objects in our museums to realise this. They stocked their tombs with all manner of things for use in Hades. The custom prevailed from the earliest times all over China. Valuables were sometimes placed in the coffins or a string of cash around the corpse. Figures of attendants and domestic birds or animals were commonlv interred with the deceased. The oldest known piece of Chinese glazed pottery was found bv the author in a first Han tomb near Chengtu. Early Taoists were only expressing long-current views of a futurfe state when they formulated them as associated with the posses­sion of the Tao.

Strange to say Taoism became corrupted at ail early date by a belief in the elixir of life and the practice of alchemy. In the Han Dynasty mainly under the influence of Chang Tao Ling, the reputed ancestor of the Taoist popes, “ it grew into an actual religion with a Pantheon, with doctrines of sanctity, with votaries, hermits and holy men, teachers and pupils. Its votaries organized themselves into religions communities.” Highest among Taoist gods are the forces of the universe.

Chaos before it divided itself into the “ Yang” and “ Y in ” occupies a principal place in the Pantheon under the name of “ Pan K u” , The deified “ Yang, the universal -warmth and light, is named Tong Wong Kong or royal father of the East and as such he holds sway in a kind of paradise in the Pacific ocean. The deified “ Y in ,” the universal cold and darkness, is his consort and is named Si Wang Mu, the royal mother of the West, who wields the sceptre in the Ivuenluen mountains in a paradise over myriads of “ Sien” or immortals. “ Beeide the ‘Sien’ grow famous peach trees the fruit of which give immor­tality. Next in rank comes Lao Tze.” (De Groot.)

The list of divinites was later enlarged. Lao Tze was given the title of The Greatest Pure One, and with him were asso­ciated other two, respectively The Jade Pure One and The Supreme Pure One, a sort of trinity. U-Huang Shang Ti, the Jade Emperor, is sometimes said to be the chief of the Triad. Besides, there are the god of literature, called Wen Ch’ang Ti Chiiin, the San Hsin or three stars of Fuh, Luh and Shou, viz happiness, wealth and longevity.

Confucianism and Taoism divided between them for cen­turies the moral and spiritual allegiance of the Chinese. The worship of Shang Ti, which Confucianism took for granted, was the state re lig ion ; Confucianism the State teaching ; and Taoism, as secondarily stated, the people’s religion. Taoism was such because it sought to explain the inner working of the religious life whereby the soul might reinforce itself with the Tao or soul-force of the Universe that made for righteousness and eternal life.

The first rival of Taoism was Buddhism. It entered China during the reign of Ming Ti of the second Han Dynasty A. D. 58-76. (See Douglas, “ History of China” , page 446.) That this religion was able to take permanent root in China, was due, it is said, to five reasons. (1) Its Imperial patronage : the most if not all of the emperors of Wei, Tsin and small six dynasties were themselves Buddhists and favoured its propaga­tion. (2) The constant intercourse by land and sea between India and China. (3) The coming to China of celebrated Indian priests who translated the Buddhist writings. (4) The going to India of Buddhist adherents who travelled extensively to other foreign parts and returned strong partisans of the Indian doctrine. (5) Certain similarities of thought and feeling that existed between Buddhism and the w ell'know n writings of the philosopher ^ huang Tsze in his expositions of Taoist principles.

T H E W E ST C H IN A M ISSIO N A R Y N EW S _____11

i » *

12 T H E v\E 3T C H IN A M ISSIO N A R Y N E W S

Another reason was that Buddhism was a thieving religion. Just as it steals Christian hymns and teaching and methods to­day so it stole some of the best things in Taoism and passed them off as its own. At the same time it adapted itself to the Confucian ethic. But it dragged Taoism down while it plagiar­ised its thought. The two became serious rivals for the popular esteem. Buddhism appealed to the senses in its erection of temples and creation of images. Taoism copied this baneful feature to its own degradation. The one had its three noble Buddhas, the other its three Pure ones. Each its Western paradise and each its hell, its priesthood and its liturgy. So China became in time an idolatrous nation.

Buddhism in China has always been an atheistic cult. It substitutes the worship of man for the worship of God. It replaces the seeking of Divine help by introspection, quietism, self-help and asceticism. By the saying of masses, chanting Buddha’s name, repetition of the Sutras, burnings of incense, candles, and prostrations, pilgrimages and lonelv vigils it draws into its coils the ignorant and the illiterate, the credulous and the sensuous, the self-complacent and those who shun the thought of Deity. Mere noise, material offerings and physical fatigue are confounded with spiritual exercise in having some sort of potent value for one’s future well-being. It is actually account­ed a work of merit to kill time in a lonely cell. A man mav accumulate virtue in sparing animal life while murdering his own soul. Lao Tze sought to tell man how to live, Buddha how to end life. Buddhists if true to their cult, think of life as hopelessly miserable. The highest ambition is to escape from it into Nirvana. Then one need not be afraid of the tortures of Hell or being reborn in the form of an animal, bird, reptile or hideous monster.

When we come to the times of the Tang Dynasty we find four foreign religions in China viz: Manichaeism, Zoroastrianism, Nestorianism, and Mohammedanism. Manichaeism, called by the Chinese Mani Chiao ) is said to have entered thecountry near the beginning of this period, being brought by Persians. Its most important conquest was the conversion of the Uigurs, whose chief was once called in to help the Emperor. In A. D. 843 an edict was issued for its suppression.

Zoroastrianism or xYao-Chiao, also called 2Ho-Chiao came to China about the same time. W ith its doctrine of light and darkness it called light the “ Yang Shen” and darkness the “ Yin Shen.” This was an attempt to adapt itself to the Y in

2 - ■»

T H E W E ST C H IN A M IS S IO N A R Y N E W S 13

and Yang, the two governing principles of Chinese philosophy. Its first temple was built in Ch’ang-an, the capital, in A. D. 621. But it failed to gather any great number of converts and disappeared two centuries or so later.

Nestorianism was first preached, it is said, near the close of the ;‘Nan-Peh-C'h'ao, or epoch of division between the North and South, A. D. 4l’0 479. It took the name of ^ h in g -ch iao or the Luminous religion. In A. D. 638 a Persian named Olopen arrived in Chang-an, the capital, with the Scriptures

to the Emperor T ’ai Tsong’s favour and reputed belief. A church was built in the capital called “ The Persian church of the Luminous religion” .

By the order of Kao Tsong, the succeeding Emperor, A.D. 650-680, churches were built in everv Chon city throughout the Empire. On account of this Nestorianism made great progress. In A. D. 781 the Nestorian Tablet was erected in honour of one of its Bishops. Buried for over 700 years it was unearthed in 16'j5. From it we learn that Nestorianism had remained in favour with one short exception up to that time. The Tablet gives an outline of Christam doctrine and quotes the edict sanctioning its propagation. I f the first date given of its coming be correct it is an interesting reflection that Christianity was openly preached in China for three and a half centuries. It was a fanatical Taoist Emperor named Wu Tsong (s e s s ) who in A . D. 845 while searching for the elixir of immortality sent forth an edict to suppress the only faith that could tell men how to find eternal life. Buddhism and Moham­medanism were at the same time condemmed. The ironv of fate was seen the following year when Wu Tsong died from drin­king an alleged lifegiving potion administered by scheming Taoist wizards. So did Hsuen Tsong his successor three years later. Christianity, however, lived on for centuries especially in north China. It did not die out till the time of the Ming Dynasty. This Dynasty being founded by an ex-Buddhist monk, naturally accelerated every thing idolatrous.

Mohammedanism in China found its opportunity during the T ’ang Dynasty when Buddhism for the time being was less in favour. Though not specifically stated it probably took advantage of the friendly imperial attitude of the first T ’ang Emperors to Nestorianism and secured a following as worship­ing the same God as the Nestorians. Its emissaries came overland by way of T ’ien-Shan and Kansu and by sea to Canton

i- * *

14 T H E W E ST C H IN A M ISSIO N A R Y N E W S

and Nanking. The Arabs were called the men of the Ta-Shih (great food) country which is fancifully surmised to be a reference to their epicurean habits. The Emperor Su Tsong in A. D. 757 secured the help of several thousand Mohammedan troops to quell a rebellion and these soldiers remained marrying native wives. Their descendants made the nucleus of a new Mohammedan population. A fter the Wu Tsong persecution the religion slowly regained its influence doubtless because many its adherents were of partly foreign extraction. Their numbers bv augumentation from abroad and bv natural increase grew especially in Kansu where the province at one time was overrun by them. Though thinned by rebellions in Kansu and Yunnan the number in China to-day may amount to as many as six millions.

Owing to their lack of religious aggressiveness and their acceptance of the Emperor’s tablet in their Mosques they were left practically unmolested. But Mohammedanism never came to be recognized as one of China’s religions. These have long been referred to as the i;San Chiao” , or Three Teachings, namely, Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. In time these three learnt to tolerate each other after a fashion. Y et strict Confucianism, to its honour, drew the line at idolatorv. The scholars despised gods fashioned of mud and carved in wood. We can forgive them much of their imperious hauteur against other religions when we remember this. A t one time an image of Confucius did have a place in the Literary Temple, but this was an ephemeral lapse. During the M ing Dynasty the revulsion against idol worship grew so strong among Confucianists that it was removed for a simple inscribed tablet. There was no God but Shang Ti, and after Him came Confucius as their first teacher. Evidence exists that down to the end of the Ming dynasty Shang Ti was widely known and His name commonly used among the people. Superstition, nevertheless, had such a firm hold on them that Taoism and Buddhism flourished inordin­ately. These religions offered an escape from Hell. The offer itself, though unsupported by any proof, was enough to attract the gullible who sought this. Taoism besides dealt in exorcism. N ot a few of her priests were spirit mediums. Buddhism added the Kuan Yin, or goddess of mercy, to its temple figures. Anything to suit the religious craving. She, it was supposed, gave offspring to the childless and sons to wives to retain their husband’s affection. In Buddhist temples there are Buddhas and Lohans, gods mild, gods fierce, thousand Buddha rocks and gods with a thousand hands. There are deities for all and schools, of meditation to please each kind of mystic.

T H E W EST C H IN A M ISSIO N A R Y N E W S 15

Present day Taoism and Buddhism, it should be remem­bered, bear little or no resemblence to their original prototypes; and the average Chinese knows nothing of their early meaning. As to that few priests do. These are simply the only religions they know. Many cannot tell you to which religion they belong; they equally believe in all three. The motive of their worship is fear. It might be unlucky to neglect any of- the gods. To bow to one is as easy as to bow to another. Further more it is the custom to serve them ; not to pay the temple levy would be to break caste. Yet the Chinese cannot be said to have much love for their idols. Often temples and shrines are abominably dirty and their images in ludicrous disrepair. Nevertheless the usual candles and incense are burnt before them. They hoax them, cheat them, smear the kitchen god’s mouth with sugar and the tongue of the Mount T ’ai stone idol with opium to please them. A robber will square off the guilt of his last raid by giving the big gilt god a tithe of his spoils.

It would be inhuman to leave the spirits of one’s departed relatives in hell. Masses are declared necessary to save them. Taoist and Buddhist priests hire themselves out to recite such. It does not matter that the chanting is in an unknown tongue; the king of hades knows his own language. Neither does it matter that some of the priests are opium smokers, rogues, or vile men. The main object is to make a row. This is called “ Tao-ch’a n g The din and clatter of gongs continues wit h intervals for days, rising to such an ear-splitting pitch that the powers of darkness have no recourse but to open a chink in their infernal abode and let out the captive soul. Once out he escapes to heaven. But never a mass will these priests say for the spirit of one whose relatives are too poor to pay them. Hence comes the cynical proverb “ that the rich go to heaven and the poor go to hell” .

The first visit of a foreigner to a Chinese temple of hell is always a gruesome experience, Its chambers are crammed with representations of the most revolting cruelties. But the cynical salutation to each lost soul on arrival there is rather amusing, “ And you have come, too, have you ?”

The operations of an exorcist differ somewhat from those of the priests at “ tao-chang” ; he pretends to catch the offending demon and imprison him in a jar. A visit to his house will reveal rows of these jars on his shelves. His house is easily known by the great display of idols at the entrance.

Each trade and profession has its patron divinity. There is a god of war, a god of wealth, a god of longevity, a god of

16 TH E W EST C H IN A M ISSIO N AR Y N E W S

wisdom, a god of thunder, a god of agriculture, a dragon god, a cattle god, a medicine god, a river god, a local god, a pro­vincial god, etc. There is even one that snatches at the title of Shang Ti. To say that the making of idols is a sign of the quest of man after God is assuredly not true of the Chinese. The reverse is the ca3e. The quest-after God assertion sounds verv learned at home from a Professor of comparative religion, but it has no basis of reality in China. The first chapter of Romans is right after all when it says that “ men when thev knew God did not give Him glory nor render thanks, but they became absorbed in useless discussions and their senseless minds were darkened. While boasting of their wisdom they became utter fools and instead of worshipping the imperishable God they worshipped images resembling man or birds or beasts or reptiles1” . This description is absolutely exact of the Chinese.

What has preserved China more than anything else from national disintegration is her clan system with its love of filial piety. As associated with the Confucian ethic it has kept family life comparatively wholesome and given to the public admin- stration a strong steadying influence. This does not imply that Confucianism has not changed, for it has. The worship of Confucius largely led to men forgetting God, consequently the fear of Him has grievously diminished. But the filial idea has not changed. The preservation of the four books and the five classics has preserved it entire. It follows that the proper rule is the patriarchal. It is the cement of society. 'Chinese filial duty makes this inevitable. It is only since the revolution that government in China has gone topsy turvy in the attempt to force on the people a system alien to their national prin­ciples.

The weakness of this national doctrine lies in its ridiculous exaggeration: that the dead must be served as if they were living. It is believed they have power to prosper the dutiful and punish the negligent. For this reason ancestors receive homage and sacrificial offerings due only to Deity. Such a custom, it is easy to see, has vitiated true religion at the core and shackled the nation to a dead past.

The step from ancestor worship to hero-worship and idolatry is very simple. Filial piety includes obedience to elders, teachers and rulers. When some adored one has passed within the veil the inclination is to invoke his continued help. The setting up of his image keeps his memory green and serves as an aid to devotion.

1. W e y m o u th ’ s tra n s la tio n

TH E W E ST C H IN A M ISSIO N AR Y N E W S 17

Each family has its "Shen-Je’an” or high religious table. On it stands a tablet with the characters for Heaven, earth, the prince, relations and teachers inscribed on it. The worship of this is the real everyday religion. The adoration of T’ ieu- Ti with the service of ancestors is ingrained in the Chinese. Heaven and earth they say produce all things and our parents gave us birth, therefore it is the hardest thing imaginable to make them realise that worship is due first and altogether to the creator of Heaven, earth and man. They won’t see i t : they persist in offering in the home a pig’s head, meat, fish, grain, wine and vegetables to their dead ancestors; in the ancestral temple or hall of the clan a whole pig, a whole sheep etc. Heaven and earth are especially worshipped at New Year time and on the firit and fifteenth day of each moon.

Though the name Shang Ti is almost forgotten and heaven and earth are universally worshipped, the common people yet speak of Lao T’ien, “ Old Heaven’’ and T ’ ien Lao 1'e,” The Old Ruler of Heaven in a personal sense. This fact gives the missionary a good jumping off ground in his addresses to the crowds. It is the T’ ien Lao Ye who sends the rain and wind and sunshine for the farmer’s crops : it is Lao T ien who knows when one is in distress and reveDges in justice. The glaring incongruity here is that they never seem to recognise Him until in dire need.

The Chinese to their credit have never had an image of heaven. They have fallen very low in many ways but never so low as to try and fashion the likeness of God. But they have long had a symbol of heaven. It is that of a circle, suggesting as it does to them the ideas of completeness and continuity. In well-to-do homes it mav be seen in the form of a circular disc of jade or other precious stone with a round hole in the centre. One or two Chou dynasty cash were made after this fashion. After them came the Pan Liang cash with a square hole ; a combination of a circle and square representing heaven and earth. The Han and succeeding dynasties followed the same style.

The visible heaven and earth they associate with the Yin and Yang the twin principles of their philosophy. Heaven is Yang and earth is Y in. Yang is indicative of southern warmth and light etc. These being originally the blessings of Heaven, the altar of heaven for this reason is built in the South. Y in represents the coldness and darkness of the North etc. So the altar to earth is built in the north. Visitors to Peking the capital who go to see these famous altars soon learn the reason of their particular location.

18 T H E W EST C H IN A M IS S IO N A R Y N E W S

Officially the grand event in the religious calendar before the revolution in 1911 was the annual sacrifice offered at the winter solstice by the Emperor to Shang Ti. The altar of heaven where the worship took place “ is one of the most unique buildings on earth, I have seen” says a foreign “ writer most of the edifices men have put up to the glory of God, but all of them fail in a large measure to approach in majesty and purity of conception, in sheer grandeur, the suggestiveness of divinity and in downright beauty and artistic appropriateness of this imposing masterpiece of China. It is in the open air ; its roof is the skv. The universe cannot contain God. Limitions and roofs of any kind for Him are absurd. This Altar most significantly reminds you of that.” (Dr. Frank Crane)

It is situated with the Temple of Heaven in a park of 737 acres to the South of the Tartar city of Peking. The temple is in the North of the park, the altar in the South. The altar is built throughout of white marble. It rises in three narrow­ing circular terraces with richly carved balustrades to a height of 99 feet. “ Separate flights of steps which exactly face the four chief points of the compass” lead to the top. This is paved with mirble slabs placed in concentric circles, the inner circle of nine stones enclosing a round central stone; around this runs each succeeding layer consisting of a successive multiple of nine until the square of nine is reached in the outermost row.” (Du Bose)

Here with an elaborate ritual and with a large following of officials the Emperor as the Son of Heaven and as the repre­sentative of his people “ returned thanks to God for the mercies of the year and sought His favour on himself and his people” The ceremony was held between midnight and dawn, the Emperor making his prostrations “ on the middle terrace under a canopy erected for the purpose” . “ On the top were only the offerings” .

“ The central act of this sacrifice consisted of burning on an altar in the open air the entire body of a young bull as a burnt offering to God. The significance of the sacrifice has been completely lost. Search in ancient books and inquiry of the foremost literary men have alike failed to ascertain the rationale of this most ancient and interesting ceremony. The only response elicited by inquiry is that it is an old custom... . Though the origin and the design of this sacrifice are alike unknown, the fact of its existence for four thousand years, combined with the fact that it is the only case of survival from ancient times of a sacrifice to the Supreme God lends to it a special interest.” “ Two vital conditions attended it. The

T H E WEST C H IN A M ISSIO N A R Y N E W S 19

first was that only one calf-bull of one unmixed colour and without flaw be offered; the second, that it be burned on an altar erected on the ground in the open air.” (Dr. J. Ross.)

But Confucius might have known and every succeeding generation of his countrymen from his day until ours might have discovered the inner significance of the great sacrifice had it not been for their fatal supercilious contempt of their border races. The researches of the present writer and his discovery of the Jewish-like monotheistic faith of some of our Western tribes has made this plain beyond all doubt. These tribes have not only preserved certain ancient customs but they have also very distinctly preserved the substitutionary idea of sacrifice. Man is sinful, God is holy. Approach to Him necessitates the removal of moral impurity. To do this a perfect young bull or ram provisionally takes the sinners’ place. This is slain and the blood sprinkled on the altar and on the people. Prayer is then possible when forgiveness and the divine blessing is assured.

The congregational ritual takes place in a grove on the mountain top. The altar is a simple unornamented one of unhewn stone. It is erected near a sacred tree ; and on it stands a white glistening stone indicative of the holiness of God. A priest officiates. Each family is represented by its head. Worshippers bathe and wash their clothes before hand. The worship is conducted between sunset and sunrise.

Family sacrifice is conducted on the house top. Here too there is also a white stone, behind which is inserted a straight branch of the cypress tree. The prayers begun on the house top are continued in the home helow where a plain sheet of white paper represents the Diety !

This interesting faith is found in its purest form among the Ch’iang people who live in the Wenchuan, Lifan and Mongchou districts of West Szechuan. Even among them not a little corruption has crept in during the past century and a half. After their conquest by Ch’ien Long and the forcible erection of heathen temples on their mountains much of the spiritual meaning of their festivals has been lost. The priests too have often allowed innovations to creep in or purposely adapted heathen practices to embellish their ritual. It is not always easy therefore to distinguish the original from its accretions. W ith care, however, one can still learn much of the faith of these aboriginal races and it is good to be able to put on record a fair description of this primitative religion before it gets finally lost in the progress of Christainity.

2 0 TH E W E S T C H IN A M ISSIO N A R Y N E W S

Should any doubt linger in the mind about the substitutions element in their sacrifices it is immediately removed by the practice of taking to the altar along with the victim a W hite Scroll. This is a roll of plain white paper. The roll is prophetic of the coming from heaven of a real sacrificial Sin Bearer. The slaying of the young ram without blemish and without spot is merely illustrative of the work He will accomplish when He eomes.

The name given to the White Scroll is Ga-gee Nee-Dsu, sometimes only Nee-Dsu. Ga-gee means “ my own or mine” . . My own Nee-Dsu. In two places the name is Gee-Dsua sound very similar to that of Jesus. Nee-Dsu is to be a man, a man sent by God, a man who will die for men’s sin. This purpose of His death is so well recognized than in recent times some priests to make the symbolic meaning of the Whit e Scroll more realistic have substituted a tiny skull. A white Scroll in the possession of the writer has this tiny skull in it. The Roll measures ten inches long and five in diameter. Everv vear the R oll is renewed outwardly bv a fresh sheet of white paper.

Chinese history records that wiien Chu Eo-Liang subdued the South West he found that the natives offered up yearly a human sacrifice. This he forbade commanding an effigy of bread, a circumstance which gave arise to the native loaf being called “ Man Teo” or “ barbarians head” . Now Chinese stories of aboriginal customs are so often untrustworthy that this is another to be received with caution. We know that the religion of the Nahsi in northern Yunnan though mixed now with much superstition is of the same origin of that as the Ch’iang and it may have been this human likeness in their White Scroll that gave rise to the story. The Ch’iang at one place make their sacrifical loaf of unleavened bread in the shape of a man in contrast to other places where it is of a round flat shape.

Ch’iang priests are inducted to their office by a ceremony o f baptism and anointing with oil. The baptism takes the form of bathing in the running water of a mountain stream. An aged priest is in attendance. The anointing is afterwards performed by him on the top of the mountain. This twofold ceremony entitles him to wear the priestly cap and the robes.

The name for God is Abba Chee or the Father Spirit. A more beautiful name could not be found. How much more expressive it is than Shang Ti ? And how much superior to Lao Tze’s laboured titles of The Nameless, The Producer of Heaven and Earth etc. if indeed titles they be. W ith all this knowledge of God within the borders of China there is no pos­sible excuse for the Chinese not rising to a higher conception

T H E W E ST C H IN A M ISSIONARY N E W S 21

of the Creator of all. Besides can anyone doubt that the monotheism of the Chinese and of these aborignees did not have one common source. Did not they too have a mountain top worship, as at T ’ai Shan ? Did not Confucius himself worship on a mountain ? How is it that the altar of Heaven is buillt of white stone? How came it that jade as a svmbol of purity was associated with their sacrifical ritual ? Whv was the sacrifice to Shang Ti offered between dusk and dawn ‘! Why all this similarity between the two rituals if they were not once one ?

The presumption in the absence of native historical records is, of course, that these tribes have always had the same faith as now. They say they have. Chinese records go to support this. Their mode of living and manners have certainly not changed. Being long widely separated and with almost no intercourse between them their language has altered greatly, yet their religious observances in many respects preserve a remarkable similarity. Altogether their customs are so ancient that they appear to step out of the book of Genesis to meet you.

It is a sad commentary on Chinese mentality that far from learning from this simple minded highland folk they have oppessed and slaughtered them all down the centuries. During the Ming dynasty they called in as alien race to subjugate the natives of Wen-chuan.and in contempt of The White Religion erected a heathen temple on the T ’ong Ling mountain, stocking it with obscene idols. To-day the dead hand of China lies so plain along the border country that even those who run mav see it.

It remains to speak briefly of the introduction of Christ- ainity. Roman Catholicism came as early as the reign of Kia Ch’ing A. D. 1522-1562. Francis Xavier led the way. Other jusuits followed at intervals. By the time of Kang Hsi A. D. 1662-1722 converts had been made in considerable numbers. Kang Hsi himself favoured the priests; they were useful because of their scientific knowledge, though their religion bored him. An internal dispute first about the right term for God whether it should be T ’ ien, T ’ien Chu or Shang Ti and, second, whether converts should practice ancestral rites or not led to the interference of the Pope. Imperial resentment there­upon followed which led to restriction and in the next reign to persecution.

1 For a fuller account of the sarificial and religious customs of the Ch’iang tribes see the Journal of the JS’orth China branch of the Royal Asiatic society for 1923.

22 T H E W E S T C H IN A M IS S IO N A R Y N E W S

The priests at Peking remained, nevertheless, in favour. The persecution because of this was not so severe as to destrov what had been done. Priests like Abbe Hue found wavs and means of travelling, if at night, all over the Empire. When China was opened at last to foreign intercourse Roman Catholicism profited prodigiously. Their statistics excel those of Protestantism, though it has to be remembered that owing to their different method of reckoning converts there can be no true comparison between the two. Protestant Christainity practically came with Robert Morrison in A. D. 1807 but for half a century the only lodgement it could find was on the national door-step. The haughty conservatism of the literati and the grovelling superstition of the common people were such that the very last thing China wanted was the Gospel. She would have none of these Western Barbarians teaching her if she could help it. It took two foreign wars to blow the door open and much diplomatic pressure to keep it open. Riots, contumely and general opposition greeted missionaries when they did enter. Y et every year registered an advance in their work. The history of missions in China has been a continuous record of saving China in spite o f herself.

In 1900 a maniacal attempt was made to get rid of what was regarded as this foreign strait jacket. Christian ideals were becoming so widely known that the court took fright. A fanatical sect of wild men called Boxers was officially encouraged to resist foreign aggression. Europeans were to be killed on sight. It was an unmistakeable conflict of Light and Darkness. Once more the government was brought to reason by outside intervention. Mission work speedilv took a great and genuine leap forward. But in the absence of the old official opposition the quality of the new Christians left much to be desired. This was the more lamentable because of the very strong and inherent native tendency to compromise truth with error. Here was a clear call for special Christian teaching to improve the mental and spiritual status of the church. Alas, many missions while realising the need interpreted it wrongly. They put the emphases first and not second on general education. Their schools were thus thrown open to all and valuable time given to educating heathen. It would require much hardihood to say that results have been more satisfactory this way. For, was it not a deliberate preference for numbers in place of compact effeciencv? It was not thus that Marathon was won.

As a result of this, many crept into the church and some become leaders in it who are still as pagan at heart as ever they were. These men are tossed about by every wind of political

T H E W EST C H IN A M ISSIO N AR Y N E W S 23

doctrine and fail at everv crisis. Their preaching is a mixture o f formal Christianity and bogus reform. As to be expected they have corrupted not a few of the better sort in the church. The emphases is laid on the ethic of Jesus rather than His power to save. They know nothing of the dynamic of the Gospel or of the Glory of the Kingdom of God. These fellows make a great ado about the indigenous church and the handing over to them of missionary funds. We find them in the front on Christian platforms and most insistant in the Christian press. Their ardent plea is for liberty, though no one seeks to restrict that. But the liberty is to adapt New Testament standards to heathen practices ; as for instance, in the attempt to combine Christianity with ancestral worship and the right to marry a second wife.

These vociferous elements need to be distinguished from the real church. As in all ages it has a spiritual aristocracy made up of the poor in spirit, the mourners for purity of heart, the teachable meek and the hungerers after God and His Righteousness. They are mainly found in inland places. Their concern is Union with Christ and with the saints everywhere. No one mission has a monoplv of them. The secret of their strength is their open Bible. Its study gives them enlighten­ment and understanding. Taken as a whole the Chinese Church after so short a period gives great cause for thankfulness. At the same time it has to be admitted it stands in sore need of deeper spiritual instruction. A third of its members are illiterate ; twenty percent of those who are literate do not have a whole Bible. Aggressively, it cannot be called a perfect Church : it is not prayerful enough. Its constant weakness is temporising with heathen usages. But it is growing, for it is born of God. That surely is the ultimate test.

In 1922 there were 6636 missionaries in China exclusively of missionaries wives, 1037 mission stations, 6391 organized congregations, a communicants roll of 345853, and 11256 native pastors and evangelists. At present the number of foreign missionaries is much reduced. In conclusion the religious history of China, while presenting many remarkable features is a disappointing one. We cannot help praising much and condemning much. In many ways she has been most religious; in as many more utterly indifferent to real religious progress. It is no aspersion to say that the national feeling has been “ enough of religion to go on with but no more” . Inevitably therefore religious life in this land presents one long decline or deterioration from the monotheism at the dawn of her history to the present hotch— potch of creeds and beliefs. Confucian­

24 TH E W EST C H IN A M ISSIO N AR Y N E W S

ism to-day is the adoration of Confucius, Taoism a network of superstition, Buddhism the basest idolatry. A.11 three are atheistic. Confucianism concerns itself with social relations, Taoism with the exorcising of evil spirits, Buddhism with masses to carry their devotees from the tortures of Hades over into Nirvana. It is said Confucianism is strongest in West China, Taoism in North China, Buddhism in Central and South China.

Generally speaking, the Chinese are perhaps the most self- righteous nation on earth. With a strange fatuity they cannot possibly distinguish between veneer and reality. Thev imagine that the mere possession of so many maxims of antiquitv entitles them to be considered all that is good. The ancient weakness of having no adequate sense of sin still persists. That is why they lost the meaning of the great sacrifice. Its formal celebra­tion was enough. It was a burnt offering not a sin offering. The maintenance of what is known as “ face” has been and is still the great essential. Pomp and talk are everything, contrition and repentance toward God quite unknown.

It is this moral complacency which leads them to think of Westerners as foreign dogs whose presence in China is an insult to their diginity. It is this love of superficiality that leads them, without the slightest sense of incongruity or hypocrisy to denounce foreign imperialism when their own government has nothing more of democracy than the label. Everything is in the na me. And it is this failure to understand their own shortcomings that attributes their present condition to foreign aggression and missionary propaganda. I f they could only Fee it, God at length is working in their midst. His Judgments are abroad in the land. He refuses any longer to leave them alone in their sin. China, like Zion of Isaiah’s time, is being redeemed with judgement and her converts with righteousness. He has turned His Hand upon her to purge away her dross and take away her tin. The present troubles of the nation, if we have eyes to see it and faith to believe it, predict her ultimate salvation. For the everlasting God the Lord, the Creator of the ends f&inteth not neither is weary. His Glory Jehovah will not give to another nor His praise to graven images. China shall yet see that her idols are vanity, their works wind and confusion. Her sons shall yet take counsel together and say, surely in the Lord have we righteousness and strength. “ He hath laid help upon one that is mighty” . “ Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths : for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the work of the Lord from Jerusalem” .

T H E W EST CHIN A. M ISSIO N A R Y N E W S £5

China Inland Mission,Paoning, Szechwan,

W " China.Oct. 3rd, 1928.

M y dear Friends : —I am writing this from Pachow, but addressing this letter

as from Paoning as that is the best place to send letters to, for the present. I am sure you will share in our joy that at last we, (mv wife and myself), are back inPachow. We reached here on Sep. 3rd, spending a night at the outstation of Hwa-tsong- chang, and Sunday, the 2nd, at En-yang-ho en route. At both these places wre had a warm welcome from the Christians, with the inevitable feast. The schoolboys at En-yang-ho came out to meet us, dressed in white and carrying two large five-coloured flags— the old Republican flag, though Szechwan have been south for some time ! We had a happy Sunday breaking bread with the Christians at the Lord’s Table.

The next day we arrived at Pachow. A ll the Christians had assembled to greet us and seemed most glad to see us again. The pastor. Rev. Liao, hurried everybody into the church, where there were speeches of welcome, and praise and prayer to God. As you may be sure our hearts were very full of gratitude to God for bringing us back in peace and safety after an absence of eighteen months.

We found our home much as we left it, and our things intact, except that rats had been making high holiday with many of our wedding things. But that is not worth mention­ing compared with what many have suffered in the loss of everything.

We have come back to many changes in the men’s side of the work, Mr. Liao born in Pachow, first schoolboy, then Catechist, then Pastor of the Church for many years, has gone to Kwangan. Rev. H. C. Yang, son of one of the earliest ordained men in the Diocese (now dead) has come to be Pastor. Mr. Tsai has resigned for a time because he wants to improve his education and is now studying at the Union University in Chengtu.' Mr. An has been asked to be an honorary worker and is now in his own home near Paoning. The women’s work is much as usual but Miss W right and Miss Dix are badly needed back.

26 THE WEST CHINA MISSIONARY NEWS

On my first Sunday back I preached on 1 Cor. 2-2. “ AndI, brethren, when I came unto vou, came not with excellency of speech or wisdom, proclaiming to you the mystery of God. For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” Mr. Yang, who arrived a week after ourselves, preached the following Sunday and took the same test for his first sermon in Pachow, not knowing what I had preached from the previous Sunday. I felt it was a happy coincidence. Before ever he went to Corinth, Paul made up his mind to know nothing save Jesus Christ and Him crucified, and when he got there the Lord honoured his preaching, appeared to him in a vision, and said, “ Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace; for I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to harm thee ; for I have much people in this city.” May it be so here. We have just concluded a week’s special praver-meetings for Revival, but they were not well attended. We have been cheered and encouraged by the number of soldiers and students coming round here on Sundays. The Government College is hard by and it is easy for scholars to drop in. They are friendly and seem willing to listen to the Gospel and to receive tracts. It is a great opportunity, and we have tried to give them the old, old Gospel, which is always so gloriouslv new and which is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth. Of one thing I am certain, and ■that is, that New China needs the Old Gospel. May she have grace to receive it.

Pachow seems the same and the craze for building horse roads has not reached here yet. There is a new magistrate and he seems very determined to stamp out opium. More power to his elbow ! But he has taken on a difficult task for Pachow is notorious for opium and scarcely any adults are free from the habit. Smokers, on being reported by the street headmen, are hauled off to prison, there confined for two or three weeks without opium, and then released as healed. Drastic treatment ! It is also a fine opportunity for the headman to get a bit of revenge on any against whom he has a grudge.

My last letter was sent from Chengtu, and I ought to tell ■you what we have been doing since that date. We left Chengtu on May 31st and went to Mienchu for the District Council Meeting of the Western Deanery (C.M.S. District'). I went to interpret for Bishop Mowll, but in addition I gave a series of four addresses on the Life of Elijah at the devotional meet­ings. The Council Meeting lasted for six days and then we

THE WEST CHINA MISSIONARY NEWS •27

left for Paoning, seven days away. There is nothing to note specially about the journey, except the friendliness of the people and the sorry appearance of rice-fields without water. We had a pleasant week-end at Tongchwan, where we were entertained by Mr. and Mrs. Archangelsky, of the Salt Gabelle. We call it our first visit to Russia !

It was strange being in Paoning in such changed circum­stances. Formerly a big centre of missionary work with many missionaries, the Cathedral, the Hospital, large Boys’ and Girls’ Schools and the Theological College, it now presents a verv different aspect. The Hospital and some of the houses, including Bishop Cassels’ house, are occupied by milita ry officers, who show no sign of giving them up. My wife was the first woman back in Paoning after the evacuation. A fter a day or two there, we went to Sintiendz, or New Inn, the Paoning summer resort, for the Bible School that Bishop Mowll had convened and to which over twenty of the leading younger evangelists had been invited. We reached there on June 23rd, and with Mr. Snow had a busy week getting ready for the other guests and the Chinese brethren.

For the Bible School we had a very full day’s programme, morning and evening prayers and four lectures daily. Miss Mannett gave a course on Educational Methods ; Rev. C. H. Parsons on the Holy S p ir it ; Rev. C. Hannah on Homiletics ; Bishop Mowll on Jeremiah, Church History, the Prayer Book and the Diocesan Constitution. I gave lectures on the Ministry, and the Sacraments, and a few on Pentatonic Hymn Tunes. In addition to the lectures, Bishop Mowll conducted early morning pravers, giving talks on Acts. He also gave outline talks on the Gospels each Sunday afternoon. I took evening prayers, giving, when there was time, a chapter of Finney’s Lectures on Revival. There was not always time, for each evening an evangelist told of the work in his district and sometimes a verbose man would exceed ! It was an extremely busy time. There had not been enough time before to complete preparation, and so lectures had to be got ready and delivered, and in addi tion I interpreted for the Bishop at all his lectures and addres­ses. But I think there was real spiritual blessing and that the men received help where they were needing it. Their test­imonies seemed to show this. And so the heavy work was well worth while. A t the end of the month’s lectures there were examinations that lasted a week. The correcting of Chinese papers is no easy job and took a great deal of strength and time. After this there were meetings of the- Standing Com ­

28 THE WEST CHINA MISSIONARY NEWS

mittee when many difficult problems were thrashed out as far as possible. These lasted nearly a week and gave us practically no leisure. We discussed ordinations, salaries, locations of workers and other necessary subjects. The Standing Committee is the executive committee of the Diocese and has a majority of Chinese members. These meetings concluded, Bishop and Mrs. Mowll and Miss Mannett' had to return to Chengtu. A word should be said here in praise o f Mrs. M owll’s unflagging work in feeding us and making us comfortable. My wife took on the housekeeping after Mrs. M owll’s departure. We stayed on another fortnight to escape the worst of the heat, and although the high pressure of the past six weeks slackened considerably, yet we found plenty to do with Bible Schools for local men and women, accounts, and long overdue letters. Two months at Sintiendz and'hardly a walk !

The district was suffering from famine. There had been prolonged drought and when rain came it was too late. Some fields were planted but came to nothing. We saw women with baskets of roots and -leaves thev were taking home to eat. When rain came, it came in torrents. There was a terrific thunderstorm, and hail as “ Big as hen’s eggs” destroyed much that had survived the drought. The report of the giant hail reached us from so manv sources that I think there must have been some truth in it, though I myself did not see any bigger than cherries. A t Pachow rice is dearer than in the great famine of 1925 when so many hundreds died of starvation, but things do not seem so bad now as thev were then.

There is a report in the city that the Great Powers have signed an agreement with the Chinese Government to revise the unequal treaties. The Chinese have been taught to think that all the ills that China is suffering from, are due to unequal treaties, and that to abolish them and to do away with foreign oppression, will bring China peace and prosperity. But China’s ills lie deeper than that. There seems to be among the peoplea, feeling of hope at last, that now there is a united (?) country, China may revive again. Pray that their hopes may not be falsified.

And pray for the work. Our problems and difficulties are many. W e aim at making the Church self-governing and self- supporting. We have practically attained the former, but the latter is far from accomplishment. We must either further reduce salaries'(they-'have been paid out at only 75% this year) or further reduce the number of paid workers. (The number has been reduced considerably already). Some of H6 are be­

THE WEST CHINA MISSIONARY NEY7S 29

ginning to see that the only solution is a smaller number of paid full-time workers of high spiritual and educational qualifica­tions and honorary pastors, men ordained for local churches with authority to administer the Sacraments, men who will abide in their callings on weekdays and devote Sundays to God. Some of our country churches at times are a whole year without remembering the Lord according to His dying command at His Table. Is it for this cause that many aie weak and sickly, and not a few sleep? It is a revolutionary solution of a knotty problem and bristles with difficulties. Suitable men are not easy to find. The experience of many missionaries shows that honorary workers are non-woikers, and the preach­ing of the Gospel and the care of the Christians demands a man’s full-time and strength. Now full time workers must be paid. They preach the Gospel and should live by the Gospel. But not one local church in fifty can support a full-time worker. Moreover there exists a certain amount of dissatisfaction with the present method. Some Christians feel that the paid workers do very little for their money and that thev are paid a salary that is considerably greater than the income of the average Christian. We are doing what we can to remedy the first bv weeding out men who have proved unsatisfactory, although this must in justice be done slowly, but the solution of the second problem is not so easy. Adequate salaries must be paid if we hope to get good men, and although present men get more than most members of the congregation to whom they minister, yet that points more to the deep poverty of the ordinary church member than to the salaries being too high. Some workers with big families find it difficult to make both ends meet. Therefore, ordain elders, as St. Paul did, and let them do what they can for the flock entrusted to them. A counsel of perfection, but pointing in the right direction, I believe.

Pachow has.had a year and a half without foreigners. How has the Church progressed with purely Chinese management? Conditions were favourable, no persecution and no financial burdens, money for workers’ salaries and for teachers being sent to them. The Church has held together and continued corporate worship, though the congregations have decreased in.numbers. Little visible progress has been made— no baptisms in 1927 and only 10 in 1928, 5 being infants and 5 enquirers of ancient days, none being added as the result of recent Gospel work. Testimony to non-Christians has largely stopped. The schools have done quite well. I have had exceptional opportunity of hearing of other Churches, and I think Pachow would fairly

30 THE WEST CHINA MISSIONARY NEWS

represent the average, though I know of one place where the congregations have largely increased. We have some excellent men, truly converted, and we thank God for them. But initia­tive for soul-winning work is rare, and not much is done to reach non-Christians. We need an old-fashioned revival, the H oly Spirit convincing of sin, and troubled souls crying out, “ What must I do to be saved ?” . And now I must close this letter, already too long. My wife, who worked as hard as any through the summer at study, joins me in greetings and thanks for your prayers. “ Be instant in prayer.”

Yours in the Master’s service,

G. T. D e n h a m .

R EO PE N IN G OF P I FAN G K A I C H U R CH .

Friday, September 7th, was a memorable day for the members of the Chung Hua Sheng Kung Hwei church in Chengtu. For many years students and visitors to the capital who are members of the C. H. S .K .H . had met for worship in a building which was formerly the guesthall of a Chinese house. Because the church membership has been of this transient nature it has been impossible to raise the necessarv funds to build a suitable church.

During the last few years gifts have come in which has enabled the old building to be transformed. A brick wall, a porch, a floor, pews, a chancel and vestry as well as suitable furniture for the chancel, have been provided. The effect is most pleasing and when the pictures for the windows, made by the glacier company, are placed in position, the new church building will truly create an atmosphere of worship.

The chancel has been panelled and prayer desk, pulpit, communion table and rails and sanctuary chairs have been copied from old models and varnished a dark red which the Chinese love so well.

About 120 friends gathered on the lawn of Bishop and Mrs. M owll’s residence for tea at four o’clock and afterwards, under the leadership of Mr. Wu Hsien Hsi, who is at present respon­sible for the Sunday services, Dr. Spencer Lewis, the Rev.

THE WEST CHINA MISSIONARY NEWS 31

Lincoln Chang, Colonel Rao and the Rev. II. J. Openshav gave addresses of greeting and appreciation. Special thanks were given to the Rsv. W. Small who has superintended the altera­tions. Mrs. Song having opened the church door, the church was soon crowded and a service of Dedication was held in which Bishop Mowll, the Rev. H. E. Keo of Mienchow, the Rev. P. A. Chang of Mienchu and Mr. Wu Hsien Hsi took part.

According to old custom the Bishop offered prayer at the Pulpit, the Lectern, the Reading Desk, the Communion Table, the Pews and the Vestry, and petition was made that those who used them .at subsequent services might have a true spirit of worship. The sermon was based on Psalm 96 : 9, “ O worship the Lord in the Beauty of Holiness.” The Chinese church needs to learn how to worship, as much as anv lesson. To worship God is the creature’s highest duty and the Christian’s greatest privilege. May this new church building with its quiet beauty and orderly services help towards this end.

THE NEW C.M.S. DORMITORY.

W’ hen the Church Missionary Society joined in the West China Union University, temporary buildings were erected on a rented site at the south-east corner of the campus. For several vears negotiations have been taking place for the purchase of propertv. These were at last successful when the Board of Governors, meeting in Toronto, in September 192 7, agreed to the sale of the land on which the former buildings had been erected and the piece of ground owned be the univer­sity to the east of the Biological Building.

It is on this site, exactly opposite to the Canadian Dorm i­tory which is adjacent to Hart College, that the tew C.M.S. dormitory has been erected. It is externally an exact copy of the Canadian building but standing alone seems at first sight much larger.

There are thirty rooms for students ; on the ground floor a dining room and at right angles the kitchen, bathrooms, etc. The reading room is above the dining room with a recreation room, separated bv folding doors, which together make a splen­did hall for student meetings und social gatherings. The temporary chapel is also upstairs and has been arranged on the model of college chapel in the oldest universities. Two rows of stalls face each other. Oppsite the entrance are three seats for the staff which face the Communion Table at the opposite

3] THE WEST CHINA MISSIONARY NEWS

end, and a lectern from which a student will read the Scriptures at the daily service.

In front of the dormitory are two tennis courts, while there is ample space at the back for a good-sized football field which for the present is being kept under cultivation to prevent it from becoming a military drill ground. The new roads and the trees which have recently been planted, already give a new appearance to this part of the campus.

On Saturday, September 8 th, a large number of friends gathered for tea at the C.M.S. House, and shortly before five o ’clock walked over to the dormitory. A photo was taken before M r. Wu Hsien Hsi, B. Sc., asked Miss Wells, who came out with the original party of C.M.S. missionaries to Szechuan, formally to open the door.

Students that day were moving in and Bishop and Mrs. Mowll were leaviDg Chengtu the following Wednesday for a three-month’s tour, so the formal opening took place before the building was finally completed. The friends who had come, assembled in the reading and recreation rooms upstairs. A fter the National Anthem and prayer by Dr. Spencer Lewis, addresses were given by Bishop Mowll representing the C.M.S.. the Rev. Lincoln Chang, the Yice-President of the University, Miss Brethorst as Principal of the neighboring college, the Rev. W . Small, the builder of the dormitory and Mr. Wu Hsien Hsi, the C.M.S. member of the university staff.

A t the conclusion many passed into the chapel where the Principal of the dormitory, the Rev. W. R. O. Taylor, led in a short service of praise and thanksgiving.

NOTES OF BISHO-P M O W LL ’S A D D R E SS AT

T H E N E W C.M.S. D O R M ITO R Y .

( Sent by request o f the Editor)

I want to say a few- words as representing the Church Missionary Society of London, England, which, with the help of friends, is the donor of this dormitory.

We'have appreciated very much the kindness shown to us by the other participating missions. Although we have only been'the smallest unit in the university, we have always been

THE WEST CHINA MISSIONARY NEWS 33

allowed the fullest share in the counsels of the institution.Nobody can live on the campus, as I have had the privilege

of doing, without realizing the remarkable spirit of harmony which has been fostered by the founders of the university. At a time when questions regarding church union are to the front and the disadvantages of denominations are emphasized, this kind of spirit shows that there is all the difference between denominations and denominationalism. On the campus the different churches are working as a unity.

It is part of my work to be travelling frequently through the province. More than most, I am able to observe how the University has raised the whole intellectual level of the Chris­tian Church in Szechuan and widened its horizon. We are glad to co-operate with such an institution. There is everything to be gained by providing for Christians the strongest intellectual foundation.

When the time came that these new buildings could be contemplated, one of the leaders of the university pointed out that it was by our chapel that we could make one of our strong­est contributions to the university. I like to think that this is due not only to our orderly worship but to the fact that in our services the Word of God is emphasized.

My experience at a university in England and in Canada as well as the large opportunities which have been mine to come into touch with wide areas of the Christian constituency has brought home to me the neglect of the Bible by Christians to-day. It is given to us that we may be wise unto salvation. Spiritual addresses if not based on this Book will often have but a transitory effect. Our need is to get the Bible read and pondered upon. I trust that our chapel may help to this end.

The building of this dormitory has been a venture of faith. The last act of the C.M.S. missionaries before leaving last year was to arrange for the foundations to be put in. We believed in the future of the Christian Church in Szechuan and of this University. This year with Mr. Small’s kind help this building has been erected although our Middle Schools at Mienchowand Paoning which have sent us students in the past were both forced to a standstill last year. W e would ask for your prayers in our endeavors to get them restarted at this time.

Note : This account of the opening of these two buildings was delayed last month. We think, however, that our readers will agree with us that it should be published in order to secure the notes of Bishop Mowll’s address. It calls for serious thought as to the place of the Scriptures in the life of the Christian Church in West China. Editor.

34 THE WEST CHINA MISSIONARY NEWS

A F R IE N D L Y G E STU RE

It seemed like old times last Wednesday when Foreigners of several Nationalities, together with a large number of Chinese, civil and military, gathered at the Foreign Office to celebrate the birthday of the Chinese Republic.

The B ig T h r e e , Generals Liu, Den and Tien acted as hosts, supported by many under officers and the new head of the Foreign Bureau, Commissioner Li. The Japanese Consul General and assistant were the only foreign officials present. France was represented by the Bishop and his assistant, together with a number of Priests. The various Protestant missions were well represented.

General Liu made the chief speech and there were responses by the Japanese Consul; the B ishop; Dr. Stubbs for the British ; and Mr. Openshaw for the Americans. The National anthems of the several countries were played by the M ilitary Band. The most impressive part of the program was the three minutes silence, when their great Leader Dr. Sun Yat-sen and his Three Principles, were remembered.

The event indicated a distinctly friendly gesture on the part of the leading Provincial officials, and we are hopeful that a new day is beginning to dawn.

H. J. O p e n s h a wChengtu, Sze.

Oct. 16, 1928.

PR O C LA M A TIO N OF FR O N T IE R -P R O T E C T IN G

G E N E R A L Y A N G FU CH U AN

To the people o f the Han and Fan race in Western Szechuan :

& ® a jhS u n g P a n a n d M o n g C h o w a n d s u r r o u n d in g d i s t r i c t s a re a n

im p o r ta n t f r o n t ie r t e r r i t o r y o f o u r c o u n tr y w h ic h h a v e b een

THE WEST CHINA MISSIONARY NEWS 35

populated since a good many years by people of the Han (Chinese) and the Fan race (Barbarians and Tibetans) together.

By appointment and order of the Government I have come to this place with my troops in order to protect this frontier territory. My main duties are two :

1. To preserve peace and to take care of the welfare of the people and protect them as well as possible.

2. To guard this frontier gate of our ‘Vaterland’ well that no Foreign Power may crush it.

W ith regard to the above mentioned duties of mine I wish to speak to my dear people publicly and make it very clear to them, hoping that we will understand one another better and help each other, and by doing this we may be able to attain our loftv aims at an early date.

I have been here for the third time, and it is known to all people how I have abolished illegal taxes and reformed the penal law, in fact I have been more indulgent to the Fan race than to the people of my own race.

Before the law all races are equal, and there shall be no difference between the Han and the Fan race. A ll good people, whether they be peasants or merchants or have any other legal occupation who obey law and order shall have my full protec­tion, but evil-doers, thieves, robbers and other outlaws will be punished according to the law, no matter whether the person are members of the Han or Fan race. I shall not permit anv Chinese oppressing a man of the Fan race or any Fan oppressing a Han.

According to old history the Hans and the Fans are of the same origin, but later our ancestors lived at different loca­tions and in time they became more and more separated owing to many reasons, lack of communication, different climate, occupation and so on, hence so many differences with regard to language, customs, character, etc. But we all have the same black eyes, the same black hair, the same yellow skin. The people of Han, Man, Mon, Hui and Tsan— the so called five races— belong to the Yellow Race, and they live all in the empire of China, just like five brothers living in one and the same house. Therefore, should we not love each other like brothers ?

There is a great disadvantage, the two brothers (Han and Fan) speaking a different language, do not understand each other, and if a malicious interpreter tells lies, then great misund­

35 THE WEST CHINA MISSIONARY NEWS

erstandings are unavoidable, and sometimes an unimportant matter owing to misunderstandings is the cause of clashes with regrettable bloodshed. How dangerous is such a state of affairs? The Interpreter Chang, a Chinese, has been recently executed just for the above-mentioned reason.

I shall establish schools for language study. The Fan people must learn proper Chinese, and the Han people living in the border districts must learn Tibetan, and bv this way misunderstandings will be avoided, and good fellowship will be effected and become closer.

W ith regard to religion in Tibet and the border districts it can be-said that most people of the Fan race believe in Buddhism, which is also the religion of most of the Chinese. In every town and village there are Buddhist temples, and there are everywhere men of learning who have studied Buddhism. A great many books about Buddhism have been written in Chinese or have been translated into Chinese. I f the Fan people have acquired a good knowledge of Chinese, they will be able to study religious doctrines, and it is the solemn duty of the tribes people to spread the faith of Buddhism.

W ith regard to trade and commerce, it may be said that I will give full protection. From Sung Pan to Kwan Hsien I have divided the territory into nine protecting districts, and stationed troops in every district to render protection. The road will be widened. Everybody is allowed to arrest or kill robbers. On th<3 road from Sung Pan to Kwan Hsien I am in the position to guarantee absoluty to commerce and traffic. If the Fan people themselves establish schools, open business, build roads or engage in other enterprise of general welfare to the public, they shall have my full support and praise. This is my first duty.

The frontier-gate of the ‘Vaterland’ is just the same thing as is the wall to a house. We are of the Yellow race, and China is our house whose walls we must protect. Now the English with their high noses, green eyes, yellow hair and white skins, have spread and increased their influence alreadv in Tibet and are spreading it further until they have reached the next door, which is Szechuan. Our holy Buddhists have been gradually suppressed by the Christians. Oh lo ! Is this not a general disgrace (shame) to us? These White (English) are great enemies o f the Yellows. We must hate them like poisonous snakes and wild beasts.*

See, how in former times the Christians have suppressed and cruelly treated the people in A frica , A nnam , India. Our

n a a A®*®* mu a am 3 tm . « s a * «

THE WEST CHINA MISSIONARY NEWS 37

‘Vaterland’ has been suppressed by means of several unequal treaties which has resulted in immense losses. Now, if we do not unite and defend ourselves against the common enemy then we shall no longer have a ‘Vaterland’.

Some time ago I learned that the Fan people in Hsia Ba La Bu L%ug Szef. have formed an Anti-Christian association. This gave me great joy. The history of the past knows of manv patriots and heroes of the Fan race who added, with great deeds, to the glorv of our country,, which shows that they are a good and noble race. Let us increase and enlarge the honor of our country.

I shall prevent foreign influence entering into my territory, and I shall not permit other religions to supplant the Buddhistic faith. Should it come to it that we must fight against the White race I shall be the first-one to sacrifice himself.

We have the same ‘A'aterland’, we are of the same race, we are real brothers, and we must love each other as such.

I f anv one of the Fan race wishes to enlist and become a •soldier I shall be verv glad indeed, and I can assure them especial]v good treatment.

My duties, my aims and my wishes will be always the same, unchangeable.

I hope that every one of the Han and the Fan race is in agreement with me !

twp n m * m #

U P P E R YAN G TSE M IL IT A R Y LEV IE S

T. E, P lew m a n .

Six or eight months ago the Canadian Press was faced with the situation that while it had a large stock of paper on hand it was mostly too expensive to use for printing tracts or gospels. Thus we were forced to return to the use of native paper till such time as we could get another supply of newspa­per. Meantime there was about twenty-five tons of Press paper at Ichang and Chungking. Should we sell it or fetch it up? We knew that the taxes between Chungking and Chengtu would be very heavy, but decided that we would try the experiment once. Whether we would ever repeat it or not was another question.

THE WEST CHINA MISSIONARY NEWS 38

We left Chungking in the second week of July by the motorboat “ K ia-li” . The taxes from Chungking to La-ch’i were a fixed quantity and were paid to the motorboat company in Chungking, who assumed responsibility for the transit of the goods. These military taxes were collected at Kiangtsin, Hokiang, Luchow and La-ch’i, and amounted to aoout $1000, an average of $250 at each place. But at Suifu there is no fixed rate. A relative of Liu Tze Ch’ien holds the fort and gets every cent he can. We talked price for some hours and were supposed to be let off easy by the payment of approximately $500. A t Kiating we escaped with $300 odd, Wang Tu Ri, $200 odd. But Kiangkeo was a bad place and we had great difficulty in getting away under $500. Hwanglongch’i was almost as bad. A t Chonghochang we paid over $350 and about $150 at the East Gate of Chengtu. Excluding Chungking taxes, which were heavv in themself, the cost of the shipment was about $6000 from Chungking to Chengtu, of which about $2500 may be reckoned as freight and $3500 as taxes. We had to carry a considerable amount of money with us, and nesting in a stuffy cabin with all this cash also forced us to provide nutriment for a large colony of bed bugs that shared the accommodation. We also had the misfortune to be on the motorboat during the very hottest spell of the summer and the heat was well-nigh unbearable. But “ A ll’s well that ends well” and we do not seem to have suffered from the experience except for the time being.

W ho are the militarists that mulcted us of our silver? Lai Hsin Hwei was domiciled at one of the places (we think it was Kiangtsin), Cheo Hsi Ch’en collected at Hokiang and La- ch’i, and Liu Tz3 Ch’ien at Luchow, Suifu, Kiating, Wang Tu R i and Kiangkeo. Ten Hsi Heo farms out Hwang Long Ch’i to a man by the name of Ma for a figure of $1 0,000 a month it is said. Then T ’ien Tsong Yao collects at Chonghochang and East Gate, Chengtu. Considering that Kiangkeo is only 120 li from Chengtu the barefaced iniquity of collecting heavy levies in four separate places in that short distance is apparent. The high cost of living in Chengtu is one of the immediate results. Liu Tze Ch’ien gets the lion ’s share of the spoil above Chungking, in five separate places, but over a long stretch of country. All, however, are keen to get their share of Chengtu trade, so Liu at Kiangkeo, Teng at Hwanglongch’i, and T ’ien at Chonghochang and East Gate batten on this main artery of commerce. W e paid out above $1500 in this forty mile dis­tance ! Missionary money for the support of m ilitarism !

THE WEST CHINA MISSIONARY NEWS 3D

We were not able to fetch up a small paper shipment that wa5 still down river when we left Chungking. It followed us bv motorboat to Kiating and from that place Wang Fu-t’eo superintended its transit to this city. The taxes paid on this shipment at Chungking were very heavy. It only comprised twenty-three bales, and the first cost of same at Shanghai was $1360. But by the time it reached Chengtu a few weeks ago, the charges had mounted to a total (including first cost) of $3900. That is, it cost nearly two dollars in freight and military taxes to fetch one dollar’s worth of paper from Shanghai here ! Some food for thought in this !

However, the Press can now stand a siege of several years. W e have enough paper to last that long.

W H E R E A R E W E ?

In the September number of the W est China N ews there is printed for our enlightenment presumably the resolution of the Jerusalem Conference on the protection of missionaries. Coming from such a place and such an august body the inference, any one can see is that henceforth those holding an opposite view have to amend their ways. Just so !

It was trying enough to read this at first in the general report of this gathering but when the piffle appeared in our respectable columns it became unendurable. No doubt they were all good creatures who drew the thing up ; very, very good, we do not cast the very slightest stigma on the qualities of their moral intentions, but the point is, they were altogether too good for this prosaic earth of ours : when they had gone so far they should have mov^d up to the New Jerusalem and been done with it.

Their advice was drawn up without the Book. They forgot all about the history if they ever learnt any. Worse still they ignore the plainest facts of every day experience. Truly the ostrich hiding its head in the sand represents the mentality of these pious wise-acre advisers to the church universal. Seeing we have been* suffering from a plague of such puerile spiritual advisors during the past year or two, it is high time somebody was speaking out if untold sorrow is not to come on others who are seeking to do their work as reasonable beings.

40 THE WEST CHINA MISSIONARY NEWS

According to their principles, Jehovah must have been at fault minv a time in His guidance of the ancient Israelites. He ought not to have used Gideon, or David, or Cvrus, or Darius, or Alexander the Great or Judas Maccabaeus. Christ should not have waited till Rome unified the nations to let the messengers of the Cross have a free and safe highway into all the world. The apostle Paul instead of sturdily claiming liberty of speech and religious action so often from the government would have been better employed toning down his message to preveut its irritation of the upper classes on the one hand and the Jews on the other. Of course the Rulers of the Byzantine Empire did right in letting the murdering Mohammedans so easily into Europe and Charles the Hammer was quite beside himself to stop their invasion. The Dutch should have submitt­ed themselves meekly to Charles the Fifth. As for the Scot­tish Lords of the Congregation and the Pilgrim Fathers, they were the worst sinners of all judging from their deeds and declarations. Lastly but not least it was criminal on the part of our pioneer missionaries to come to China under the stern of the gunboats, or indeed, to go anywhere in reliance on a Christian government to make their life and work secure.

Prayer is sufficient for the missionary. A t least that and the presentation of his gospel, acted and spoken. Faith can triumph without the use of means. It transcends reason even as prayer supersedes commonsense. Is not the Lord all-mighty and faithful to those who trust in H im ? Just s o ! W e know it all. We have heard and read how this creed worked out in the Boxer year and had a recent demonstration of its su p erio r^ and rare utility at Nanking last year when the American missionaries put it to the test. M y! but it reads well and sounds so heavenly. Nothing could be more convincing until the murdering, raping and looting begin.

Presumably it never occurred to our Jerusalem friends that they themselves were only able to assemble and convene because of the strong arm of Great Britain having Palestine in control. Please note it is not so much what they say as how they say it and the implication that what they do say leaves nothing else to be said. They wilfully close their eyes to the necessity that wild beasts in human form, plunderers, fanatics and madmen, must be resti'ained individually and collectively. The Powers that be to do so are ordained of God. The gospel can only be preached where men can give it a hearing and the gospel must needs be preached. The Christi-an’s stand­ing order is to do that. W ho will be bold enough to say that

THE WEST CHINA MISSIONARY NEWS

it is not the duty of a Christian nation to do what it can to gee that it? subjects are given fairplay in the exercise of this divine command? China is an eminent instance where from the beginning of Protestant work the aid had to be given of foreign protection in order to let missionaries have an entrance and a foothold in the land— what is now regarded as one of the uopqjial treaties. And we still work here because of this aid. We do not say we inyoke jt at every turn, for we don’t. Indeed, our ^holp aiqi has been to do tfyis as little as possible while doing our best to win our way with all, high and low. Is'o one could have done much more than the present writer along this liqe. A t the same time he kuows for an absolute certainty £hat life would be upbearable without his country’s help.

How js it that in the Providence of (3-od Great Britain governs so jpuch of the earth’s surface to-day ? It is no accident that she does. How is it that her children haye par-excellence fhe administrative faculty ? The ipan is hopelessly blind who caui^ot see that the mandate to rule was [riven to her so that her subjects should go forth to the ends of the earth in peace and safety bearing the divine message pf love, mercy and salva­tion, Queen Victoria was right when she showed an African chief a Bible aod told him that was the stcret of the country’s greatness.

Faith without the works pf reason and commonsense is deacj. Not to take advantage of the Lord ’s provision for our safety is tq fly in the face qf Providence, is to cast ourselves dowij from the pinnacle of the temple expecting angels will intervene to save us. Yet this, is it not, is what our old Jerusalem adyiser? would have us dp ? When Great Britain Qf the U .S.A . cease to care for their missionary representatives they will ip vain call themselves Christian nations. That both recently have J^rgely failed to do this in China gives one much concern for their sakes, The Jerusalem Conference would have employed itself better Jjai they pointed thjg out to the people at home.

“ A missionary who owes his life several tivpqs over to the i&ucb-ipaligped British gunboats/

CO R R ESPO N D EN CE.

TH E OPIU M M ENACE TO TH E C H U R CH .

The Editor o / Thb W est C h i n a M is s io n a r y N e w s :

§ IR ,—Your last issue .coatained a letter written f r o » Ningyuenfu,

in which the writer mentioned that opium and factional disputes

AÜ THE WEST CHINA MISSIONARY NEWS'"

were a greater menace to the Christian Church in West China than the Anti-Christian movement. I would like to emphasize the former.

The corroding and paralyzing influence on our Christians of condoning if not actually taking part in the now enormous trade in opium is self-evident when one thinks it over for a few minutes. In many places Christian farmers are growing opium in compliance with military orders. In some places where Church land has been rented to farmers, opium has been grown on our property. The use of opium is now so common­place that business houses provide a room with an opium- smoking set where their patrons may retire if overtaken with a yin while discussing a deal. I was in the downtown office of a prominent Christian business man recently. He took me into a neat bedroom, to chat, and while there I noticed an opium outfit. I pointed to it and said: “ Is this yours ?” “ I hate the stuff and have never used it,” he replied, “ but every shop of any size in this city keeps such a set for the convenience of customers and so do we.”

W ith Christians regarding the traffic as a necessary evil, with others actually growing opium under military pressure and sometimes even on mission property, it is not surprising that the average Chinese preacher is not pushing an anti-opium campaign. It is inconvenient to come up against your own church members as well as the military. But what will be the effect on the rising generation of daily contact with opium in the home, on the street and in business ? The only remedy for this situation is to uncompromisingly oppose the use of opium, even though it may mean alienating and losing some of our members.

With the Nanking Government putting out notifications forbidding all officials to use opium, surely we should encourage our preachers to put on anti-opium campaigns, so as'to emph­asize as never before that Christianity and opium cannot keep Company— they are diametrically opposed. 1

Our Canadian press, believing that opium is a vital ques­tion at the present, is stocking many kinds of anti-opium tracts. We are also putting out a new poster that will be available in a few weeks. Last March we issued 50,000 copies of a new anti-opium tract and advertized the fact. But we still have 44,000 of these on our shelves. Only 6,000 have been sold thus far. Believing that the Christian forces in West China would back us up, we have put our money into these tracts and sell them at cost— cheaper than you can get the

THE WEST CHINA MISSIONARY NEWS 43

same tract in Shanghai. Surely the church has not thrown up the sponge and left the field to the enemy.

Yours sincerely,Ghengtv, Octoler, 18th, 1928.

T. E d g a r P l e w m a n

A PERFECT H O LID A Y .

Oh, if you need a change and feel in need of rest,Just spend a month in a Chinese inn :I ’m sure its far the best.(I mean, of course, for poor old tramps who have no other nest.)The inns so tidy are, so spotless and so clean,That ne’er a speck of dirt is seen,No dirt is ever seen.(I mean, of course, by poor blind men and folk who’ve never-

been.)And then there is no noise, just solitude and quiet.Oh what a rest for tired-out nerves—Just perfect peace and quiet,(I mean, of course, apart from yells, and sh'outs and'brawl and

riot.)And what delicious food, what appetising, fare,W ith Chinese food in Chinese inns,Can ought on earth compare ?( I mean, of course, if you’ve been starved and lived a month

on air.)Full soundly will you sleep, all through the peaceful night,And in the morning with the lark.Wake up both fresh and bright.(I mean, of course, not counting .fleas and little things that

bit e.)

The freshest of fresh air y®u breathe by night and day,The sweet delicious fragrant scents.Of rose and new mown hay.(I mean, of course, up on the hills, full twenty li away.)

44 THE WEBT CHINA MISSIONARY NEWS

Real privacy is yours, for no one ever stares ;You do just as you like all day,A n d n o on e e v e r ca res ,(Except, of course, the crowds that come, both singly and in

pairs.)

The comforts are enough to gladden every heart,And when the time for leaving comes,You will be loath to start.( I m ean , o f c o u rse , sh ou ld y o u g o m ad a n d sa y y o u w o n ’t d e p a r t . )

So if you’re rather tjre^ $nd feel you need repose,Just run along to a Chinese inn,And take your ease and doze.(I mean, of course, the other thing as everybody knows.)

G. T. PpiiBAM.

IN T E R A L IA .

Dr. and Mrg. W. R. Morse and Dr. and Mrs. H , G, 4-ncl" erson left Shanghai on Sepfcegober 26th for Chjapgking on a through steamer. W ord has come tha-t they have reached the Jitter city and ar§ planning to couie op to Chqpgtu by way of Suifu and Kiating.

Dr. Morton F. Yates is at presenting located at 475, Commonwealth Ave., Boston, Mass., where he is engaged in practice of his profession. Dr. Yates teaehes five days a week in the Harvard Dental School.

Miss Charlotte R . Brooks is making her home at Cainsville, Ont., f rom where she sends two years subscription for the N e w s . It is always safe to follow a good example.

Rev. W . H. Hockman, D. D., is now te^chiqg jn the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, III.

Mrs. Wolfendale is reported to be in the best of health and was planning to «ail frpm Moetre&i for Scotland- '

Rev. C. T. Song, after eighteen months of study in England, has reached Wanhsien where he joins Bishop Mowll in a toijr of the stations in the eastern section of the diocese.

THE WEST CHINA MISSIONARY NEWS 45

Rev. W . R. Taylor and wife, and Miss Carrie Shurtleff were booked to sail from San Fransisco for Shanghai on Sept­ember 28th.

Dr. Emilie Bretthauer is returning to West China, sailing from New Y ork via the Panama Canal for Shanghai.

Some of the friends who are returning to West China have staved at the new Home for Missionaries recently opened at 338 Ave. Joffre, and are enthusiastic about the com fort of this new hostel for travellers passing through Shanghai.

The latest figures of the enrollment at the West China Union Universitv are 247. Of this number 56 are women. The entering class numbers about eighty. There are 152 students in the Union Middle School. This is a steady and normal increase for both schools over the registration of last year.

Don't forget to read, mark, learn and act upon the notice of the Business Manager of the N ews in the October issue. Be sure to send him notice of your change of address if you are returning to West China.

Dr. R. L. Crook, Miss M. Argetsinger, Miss L. Brodbeck and Miss N . Riley have left Suifu for their journey up the Min River. Dr. Crook and Miss Brodbeck go on to Yachow, while Miss Argetsinger and Miss Riley come on to Chengtu.

Rev. R . O. Jolliffe and R,ev. G. Rackham are visiting some of the stations of the United Church of Canada Mission.

Dr. Joseph Beech, President of the West China Union University, is reported to be returning to China by way of England and Siberia.

Dr. and Mrs. Lewis F. Havermale have reached Chengtu where they were heartily welcomed, and are now busy at work on the teaching staff of the West China Union University.

Rev. Donald Fay, who has been spending some time at Tsingtao with his wife and family, was planning to go to Shanghai to attend the Annual Meeting of the National Chris­tian Council.

Rev. George Sparling and family are settle at 55, Home­wood Ave., Toronto. Ruth Sparling gave the Valedictory Address at Alma College last June, where her mother taught a course in Latin. Mr. Sparling and Ruth plan to enter Toronto University, where the former will take post-graduate work.

46 THE WEST CHINA MISSIONARY NEWS

Dr. E. W . Wallace, was recently in Toronto. Dr, Wallace has gone to Canada and the.Uuited States to help in organizing a campaign in behalf of the Christian Colleges in China.

Rev. Frank Dickinson is said to be planning to enter Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, for further study in agriculture.

Rev. Chester F. W ood has accepted the pastorate of the Baptist Church at Milton, Mass., and planned to begin his work there on September first.

Miss Margaret Bravton, Miss Snell, and Miss Mildred W elch were expected in Boston, Mass., in September, where Mias W elch was planning to complete her work for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

We often receive letters asking us to give the kind regards of the writers to “ the good friends in West China.” This is 'the best and nearest way.oi passing on the good wishes of absent friends..

The' group of Szechuan students in Peking continues to grow. This year, Dr. Du Swen Deh, Dr. Lo Gwang Bih, Mr. Dii Fung Fuh and Mr. Mung Ti Lien are studying there. This seems to be the.^ay.out for students from Szechuan to get post­graduate work.

This department of the N e w s would be grateful to corres- pondents if they could include items of personal interest to our readers.- We would like to act as a Clearing House of Friendship for our West China constituency.

B IR T H .

S e w e l l To William G. and Hilda G. S e w e l l on S e p t e m b e r 1 3 th . 1 9 2 8 , at Chengtu, a daughter who was named Erica M ay.

D EA TH .

MoNCKlEFF:— V irgin ia M ay, infant daughter of M r. and Mrs. J. E.M oncrieff, on O ctob er 12th, 1928, at C hengtn ; age, tw elve w eeks.