Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-12-03

III Couuitiou W Justiiy my hSiPnS JOu
much. Will they ever bes And when
you are in good condition may not some
one else be embarrassed. Some say don't
do it while the Y. NJ C. are trying to
build. Cont Methodism and the Y. NJ.
G. A. build in Rock Island as well as the
Second Methodists. the Unitarians and
the Y. NJ. c. A. can build in Moline? Is
it fact that we can't do in Rock Island
what they can do in Molinef Is Moline
to be known as the wide awake town
and Rock Island the sleeping beauty?
Now is the time to build. as our city has
the best indications of substantial |
growth that it has had for years. |
Brother don't hold back and be non>
committal, you have no idea how dis
couraging it is II you will yield at once
to build, you will thank God that per>
suaded you to do it and this city and God |
will honor you for it. 1t just seems to
me that it must be done. Won't you
Join with me in saying it shall?
REV. NATTER IN THE CENTRAL CHURCH.
Rev. R. NJ. Matter, missionary at Wee
Helm. China, delivered a most interesting
address to good congregation in the
Central church yesterday morning He
began by saving that in the meetings be
had been conducting his subject was to
deepen the interest of the members of the
home churches 10 the great work of for
| eign missions. No one. he SAID. could
be Indifferent to the claims of this cause
who knew what was being actually &C
compllshed. After describing the par
ticular portion of China in which he had
been laboring during the past seyen
years, the speaker referred to the difficult
ties attending the prosecution of mission
work among the Chinese in general. One
Of these was the suspicion with which
they looked upon all foreigners. In their
| ignorance they imagine that the missions
aries have come among them for the pur
pose of undermining the government.
When Mr.. Matter began bis labors at Wee
Helm. the report was circulated that his
real object was the construction of a
canal from Wee Helm to the sea, dis
lance of forty miles, so that American
gunbosts might gain access to the inter
ior and devastste the land. Another diff
Guilty was the deceitfulness of the people.
1t seemed impossible for an unchristian
Chinaman to tell the truth even in cons
|
1t is not surprising that in the commence
ment Of mission work numbers had come
the missionaries have learned to exercise
extreme vigilance with regard to all who
number of pretenders had OF recent years
been extremely small. Another difficulty
, was found in the general poverty of the
/ people. They had TO work hard to sup
port their families, and we're hard to per,
suade that it was to their interest to oh
2 serve one day 10 seven as day of rest
u and worship. After csndidly enumerat
| ing the various difficulties in the work
u Mr.. Matter spoke of the encoura gements
these were also numerous. The Chinese
d as rule, are disguised with heathenism
As soon as the christian religion is ex
n pounded to them they realize its vast 81
: periority to their superstition. They neve
g weary in asking questions OF all sorts, re
" garding it and what it has done for tn
'e land where it has prevailed. Thus th
- curiosity characteristic OF the Chinese
ID turned to good account. The peopl
e though ignorant are not stupid. The
), are acute ressoners. Over thirty thou
70 sand have been brought TO the christia
e. church in the past ten years. Last yes
re there was an increase of over twelve d.
IL cent; but although the missionaries al
j. encouraged by the numbers renouncin
If hesthenism and espousing christianlt.
We yet their chief encouragement is found
er the assurance of the divine word that Il
m heather shall be given Christ for his pc
of session, and in the indications alread
st visible of the fultillment of this promis
III the influences of the gospel are being fe
- throughout China. One or two blows
re- the hammer is sufficient to shstter a sms
r stone, but in the case of large sto
r. blow after blow must be struck, unit
81 : perhaps, at the twentieth or flftieth bio
ne the stone suddenly breaks into hundr'
I'M fragments So it will be with Chin
We The subtle influences OF the gospel q
being felt, and ere long the mighty fsbr
will suddenly fall asunder. T
missionaries are encouraged
a their work also by the genel
he faithfulness OF the converts, T
d. reality of the change brought about
90, @ the gospel is Immediately manifested
we the lives Of the converts, in their tire
lily ment of their wives, children and neig
sa bors, by their readiness to give Of III
~, means, to labor and suffer for the gle
-ch of Christ and the advancement of
of cause. Mr. Matter said that when unt
me- the shadow of great trial, having be
~ bereaved of his wife, he received grea
INV comfort and consolation from some
for the native converts than from any {
as else. The missionaries love their VI
,bs and love the people among whom IL
ar, work. They count 1t no hardship to
-ch and labor in China, rather do they col
at it privilege and honor to engage in
ion work so glorious. The address was
ace livened by the recital Of numerous I'M
scie esting personal experiences, and C
to cluded with powerful appeal to ch
am tisns to support the cause Of fore
and missions by their prayers and by Il
1di- money, showing that exercise is the
3d. of growth, that SO long as the be
TWO churches are self-centered they will |
mid the elements of true prosperity. and
to, in proportion as they obey the comm
ard of their Rsdeemer and send the gospe
.1s every creature" they will be blessed "
nrosneritv and strenpth The add