The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-02-04
THIRTY YEARS IN CHINA.
DIR. YOUNG ALIENS LECTURE AT
TRINITY CHURCH.

What He Says About the Chinese Peo-
pie, and What Christianity is Doing
for Heathendom-The Schools of
China and How They are Conducted
An Insight into Confucianism.
Rev. DR. Young J. Allen, Missionary of
the Methodist Episcopal Church South to
China for thirty years, lectur ed at Trinity
Church last night The large auditorium
was we'll filed, and an address of wonder
full compass and force was enjoyed.
Dr. Allen began by relating pleasure
he had few days since in New Orleans in
meeting the Captain of the ship that car
ried him to China thirty years ago, He
was 210 days on that voyage from Sandy
Hook 10 his destination, and it illustrated
his missionary voyage of faith. To make a
voyage, four things, he said, are necessary,
good company, correct chart, an exact
chronometer and a well-adjusted sextaLt.
Although his voyage was attended by many
hindrances, the ship having made but one
VOYAGE before, and this being the first that
the Captain had sailed TO China, these
mechanical appliances were solely relied
upon to carry the vessel TO its destination,
$4,000 miles away. The speaker applied
this to missionary work in China. The
mechanical and scientific appliances Of the
Christian world, he said, are to be relied on
as the means Of bringing heathendom to
Christianity
ALONE IN CHINA.
After the war broke out in the United
States DR.. Alien found himself with Rev.
Marcus l.. Word Of South Carolina, left in
China alone, and being cut off from home
and all support from their church, they ac-
copied work from the Chinese government
in preparing young man for consular and
ministerial duties. Previous to this the
Chinese did not believe there was any other
country except theirs. Beyond China there
was nothing, and the appointment of DR..
Allen and his brother missionary TO this
duty was the first effort of China to bring
itself in contact with the world. Dr.
Allen was asked to translate hsto-
ries of the countries outside of
China, which he did with the exception Of
England and America, which had already
been translated. The next step was pic
torial representation in maps of those out
side nations and their relations to each
other, and it was this geography that col
lapsed Chinese pride In addition TO this,
the Chinese wanted to know of the rulers
and revenues of the countries, which the
doctor gave by translation of the States
mans Yearbook, and lastly he gave them
a newspaper a daily history of the outside
world
A CHINESE NEWSPAPER.
mot such paper as we have now" he
said, but one giving histories of great in
ternational questions of every nation. The
position of the government ever since, - he
added, "has been that of a student under
the missionary, and the missionary has been
the means OF bringing China into the
comfy of nations. Their great idea is
now to be admitted on par with foreign
ers. But Christian and heather will not
amalgamate. We cannot look on China
as a nation with contempt. Her literature
and institutions force us to admiration, but
for her idols we do have n contempt
THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IN CHM.
The lecturer gave an interesting account
of the educational system of China. There
are eighteen provinces about the size of the |
State OF Georgia, one or two being as large |
as Texas In a province 100000 people |
are governed as easily as the Governor of
Georgia governs the State. These prov
inces are divided into districts similar to
our Congressional districts, and further
down they have counties. From the schools
OF the counties students compete for en-
trance INFO the college OF the Congressional
district, ana from 6000 TO 1000 go up every
year. From these POO or more find places in |
the college, which confers the degree of Bach |
elor of Arts ILen from the college the |
student goes for examination to the Pro
vincial University to compete for the do
gree of Master of Arts. Twenty thousand
students 90, but $50 only are selected
These $50 go TO the Imperial University, !
and through crucial tests, and finally
eighteen are culled to enter the Imperial
Council Thus every officer of the govern
ment is selected.
But" said DR.. Allen, "while Chinese
government is so wonderful and excellent
il is still inferior to the breadth and scope
of ours. The educational system is the
foundation of the government, and unless
we touch IL, it cannot he moderuiHei. Ii is
an orthodox system and any man would lie
blocked who attempted to introduce new
idea But by imperial decree the entering
wedge has been put IN. 1t is made "A law
that besides Chinese literature foreign
sciences and foreign learning shall be
studied, aud this is considered the greatest
triumph for the Chinese missionary"
The Anglo-ChiueSe College, over which
DIR. Allen preSides, meets the case.
WOMEN MISSIONARIES.
The lecturer spoke at length of the won
derful work Of the Womans Missionary
Society, and he said that its work is bearing
fruit. The exploded theory of denying
women the right to labor in missionary
fields has given q number of workers to the
missionary cause in China. They conduct
the Sunday schools about as they are CON
Quoted here. The international lessons and
singing Sunday school songs are translated
into Chinese. Trinity church IN Shanghai
has Sunday school of 800 scholars, and
from it thirty young women joined the
church last year.
DIR. Allen closed his address with an ap-
peal for help. Men, women and money are
wanted, he said to take advantage of the
present favorable circumstances of mission
airy work in China