The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-10-11
MISSIONARIES FOR CHINA.
Departure of Party of Methodists-PrO-
gress of the Work in China.

Departure of Party of Methodists-PrO-
gress of the Work in China.
Atlanta ga Special.
oday there left Atlanta party of mission
aries bound for China. around whom centers
more of interest than usual. owing to the high
social position of the parties and their extensive
acquaintance throughout the country The
party consists of Mrs. Young J. Allen and three
children, Rev. w B. Bonnell, wife and four
children, and Miss Laura Haygood, of Georgia;
Rev. Mr. Dukes, of South Carolina; Miss Jen-
ME Atkinson of Alabama; Miss Dora Hamil ton,
of Texas, and Miss Mildred Philips, Miss Lou
Philips and Miss Baldwin, of Missouri.
Mrs. Young j. Allen is the wife of the mis-
slonary of the same name who has been kept in
the Chinese mission by the Methodist Episcopal
Church South, ever since 1859. She is now re-
turning to China after visit home of two
years. which has also been utilized by giving
her children term in American schools. Her
husbands success in China has been phenome-
nal. He is now Doctor of Divinity and the
superintendent of the missions of the Southern
Methodist Church in China
Tue salary to be paid Rev. W. B. Bonpeh will
be 81, 200 per annum, and that of the ladies $3.50
per year each. The ladies will at once take
charge Of school for the education of girls in
Shanghai, and will organize girls high school
there. Miss Haygood is a sister of the well
known Rev. Atticus G. Haygood. and was for
many years principal OF the Girls High school
of Atlanta. The entire party will take the
steamer at San Francisco on the 18th inst
Just before starting, your correspondent had a
short talk with Mrs. Allen upon the life of a
missionary in China, and, as the result of an in
telhgent lady's views, give what she said;
II do not know" said Mrs. Allen, that the
fact that work done for ones religion is easy
should be q recommendation but it is true,
nevertheless that those who go to China on sucn
mission do not have the dismal experience
which most people imagine to be their lot Life
there is far more pleasant than you would sup
pose. For instance, we live in Shanghai That
is the head center of our missionary work and
is the destination of the party which leaves At
lanta day. 1t has about 800, 900 people There
is among them an English-speaking colony of
60O0 They are for the most part, educated
refined people, who form pleasant colony
Then there is more society among the Chinese
than you would suppose. Among the Mandarins
and the better classes we have made some espe-
elallY pleasant acquaintance.
How has the missionary work of the Method
ist Church progressed theref
Better than anybody could have hoped who
knew the prejudiees and characteristics of the
people. Mr.. Allen has fortunately obtained con
siderable influence among the ruling classes. and
In country where the masses are so complete
ly subject to the powers that be very little can
be done without such influence. Not hong ago
the Anglo Chinese College was established in
Shanghai under the auspices of our church. 1t
has among its pupils many of the sons of the
Mandarins and of wealthy merchants. They
will go forth as most valuable auxiliaries to our
work. Their position will command the respect
of the people, and their education will enable
them to present their cause in a way to attract
not only their associates, but also the ignorant
masses around them"
Can you reach the women in your education
al work.
''This college has always paved the way for
their education. Miss Anna Muse, who left At
lanta two years ago and my own daughter
teach the boys in the college. Their influence
has been great that it has aroused an am
bition to see their own sisters educated In
none of the heather countries is woman placed
on an equality with man In some of them she
is fearfuly degraded but in China the fault is
that she is sinfully neglected and left without
the facilities of culture which the men enjoy.
Miss Haygood and the ladies who go with her
are sent out by the woman's missionary board
of the Methodist Episcopal Church. South
While they want to do all the good they can in
China. their special aim is to educate and
Christianize the women. Miss Haygood's plan
is to establish boarding school for girls of the
richer and better classes. At the age of ten
the sexes ara strictly kept apart in China
and girls would not be allowed to
go along the streets to school, Then the infiu-
ence of the teachers could be so much better ex-
erted in a school that would throw them con
family with their pupils. | think we are begin
ming to understand the people better now and
can direct our Efforts more intelligeBtly We
have gained the confidence of their influential
men, and our work is not subject to DE suspi-
ciOus which once frightened the masses from
u.s."
What do you think of the Chinese people4'
1.-The Chinese are a peaceful people. The
masses, of course, are ignorant but they are
law abiding and loyal. When we went there III
1859 rebellion was in progress, but since that
time the government has gone along smoothly
and they seem now to be contented rice. One
thing must be said in their favor They are re-
markably temperate in their habits. While
some of them smoke opium, they are given to
strong drink less than thaa any people in the
world. In twenty-five years l saw but one
drunken man. AS compared with the Japanese
| believe the Chinese to be the superior race
There is only one daily paper in the Empire, the
PeRdn Gazette. The people are eager to learn
and we propose to turn that eagerness to account
by teaching them the Christian religion"
WHY ACTORS ARE D,ssIpATED.