The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1889-02-13
For the Central Presbyterian.
Letter from China.
CHINKIANG, Dec. % I


MeSSrs. EditorS,-I wonder how MANY
of your readers know and appreciate the
tact that the missionaries constitute but a
small proportion of the foreigners in Chi
ia? Yet it is the case. Twenty odd
cities are open by treaty for foreign resi-
dence and commerce, and at all of them
foreigners are found in numbers from a
few dozens to upwards of eight thousand
as at Hongkong, according to the business
advantages of the place.
l shall never forget how Shanghai inn
pressed me when 1 landed there a little
over year ago. had come out. "a
doubtless most young missionaries do,
with the idea that | was leaving western
civilization and comforts and improve
ments behind-that | would find China
purely heather nation wanting in all
these things. Imagine my surprise then
when among the first things that caught
my eye, as the steamer drew up to the
wharf, were church spires, telegraph, tel
ephone, and electric light wires and lofty
buildings that would do honor to any
American city.
Shanghai ls one of the business marts
of the world, and there, as at Babylon of
old, may be seen the ships from all parts
of the world, and in her streets found
merchants of all nations with their mer-
chsndise OF "gold, and silver, and preci-
Gus stones, and of pearls, and fine linen,
and purple, and silk, and scarlet,
and souls of men"
The foreign population of Shanghai is
between 5000 and 1000 people. and ae-
cording to the policy OF the Chinese gov
eminent, are allowed their own munioi-
pal laws and regulations. And here in
this little foreign settlement and Others
similar to 1T In many of the other treaty
ports, Americans, English, French, Ital-
lans, and indeed people of every nation
atty are willing to come, live die, and
be buried for the sake of earthly gain.
Messrs. Editors, this is a fact that I
WISH could get your readers, and espe-
cially the young Christian men and wo-
men, to take to heart. II these men with
their wives and children are willing to
sacrifice home and friends and country
for the sake of making more money, can
a Christian have the conscience to saw
that 1t Is asking too much of him to give
up these things for Christ's sake. espe-
clally when Christ has said, Verify I
say unto you, there is no man that hath
lett house, or brethren, or sisters, or
father, or mother, or wife, or children. or
lands, for my sake, and the gospels, but
he shall receive a hundredfold now in
this time, houses, and brethren, and sis
tiers, and mothers, and children, and
lands, with prosecutions and in the world
to come eternal life" MARK K: 29-3O)
II there was one thing above another
that worried me before leaving home. it
was for some one to come and begin to
express sympathy for me because was
" giving up 30 much in going to China"
L wonder II the friends OF these other for
eigners who are out here came around
them and expressed sympathy and pity
because they, forsooth, were giving up 80
much in going Uut to China to make
money?
shall venture to say that if any of
the young men now at Union Theoloei
cal Seminary express desire to become
foreign missionaries there will be ten
voices raised urging them not to go to
every one that would say, go, and God
be with you" | know whereof speak,
for l have been through it myself.
wish your readers would pause and ask
themselves what is the reason for this
mistaken pity, this unwillingness to let
young ministers and young ladies obey
the command of Christ to Go and teach
all nations2 Is not unbelief the kew 70
1t Christ says the man who gives these
things up shall receive hundredfold
now in this present time" But unbelief
says, No he wont, he had better stay at
home"
And now just word in regard to the
real trial OF missionaries life. It does
not consist in bodily discomforts, for we
are provided with comfortable homes our
tables can be as bountifully supplied with
good and wholesome food as yours; the
climate Is not more trying on as than on
the thousands who are here for the sake
OF making money; we are cut off from
some pleasures we might have at home;
but Christ true to his promise makes
them hundredfold in other ways. We
are wanting in none Of these things. The
true trial, l think is in the knowledge
that these heather are perishing by the
millions and we can do 80 little to help
them, to save them. At home the minis
ter shares the responsibility of souls with
bis church members and with the Chris
tians OF other denominations. Here We
are almost alone. If all the missionaries
and native Christians in China were
equally distributed throughout the en-
pre-, each one would have over 10000