The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-11-16
MISSIONARIES CONFER.
GENERAL MEETING OF EvANGELI
GALS IN CHINA.
Discussion OF Problems which All Have
TO Face-TransIatJon Of the Biblc-The
IaoIicato Aua.ti.n Of a nlxlsInn of

the China Inland Mission, opened the
conference with simple and practical
sermon, which, however, ended with a
stirring appeal to the churches Of
Christendom for more energetic as
sistance. Mr.. Taylor belongs to those
who want to conquer the whole Empire
with one sweep. to inundate the whole
country from end to end with Bibles
and tracts, and TO proclaim to the whole
nation, as il with blast of trumpets:
1T is Jesus who can save YOU" There
are others who think that the Chris
tianization of China is a long, very long
labor, which must be begun at the be-
ginning with the establishment OF
schools, the training of native teachers.
etc. Nevertheless. the appeal created a
deep enthusiasm. The whole assembly
rose and intoned the doxology.
The question under debate on the Sc
cond day concerning the Chinese trans
lation of the Bible, is a very complex
and at the same time quite burning
one. After protracted and animated
discussion. however, a general agree
ment was arrived at, a Committee on
Revision was appointed. and it was de-
cided that there should be published
three different translatiors one in the
classical " style, another in less
rigorous though still :" literary style,
so as to be read by educated and refined
natives, without giving any provocation
| 4. Aas
those two texts would be Incompetent
sible when only heard and not at the
same time seen-a third in the " man
DARN " style, that is, in the style OF
common parlance, to be used exclu-
sively when the Bible is read aloud.
About many questions, however, ln-
timately connected with this subject, 1t
was well known that opinions differed
50 widely that it was considered mex
pedient to discuss them. As for IN
stance, how TO translate the word God
into Cmnesep Two centuries ago that
question gave rise to vehement con
lroversy between the Jesuits and the
| DOmincans. The former chose the
term Chang-ti, which, in classical style.
means the Supreme Being" But as
it,, in literary style also means the
Beauty of Babylon" the latter re-
jected it and undertook to create new
term, Tientchu. signifying the Lord
of the Heavens. The case was referred
TO Rome. and the popes decided in favor
of the DOminicans. Half century ago
the difficulty reappeared in the Protes-
tant camp. One party adopted Chang
ii, while another preferred the term
Chin, which in everyday conversation
means THE gods, " but as Chin also de-
notes spirit, and it thus became ne
cessary to form a new expression for
that idea, there was third party which
did not hesitate to fall back upon the
Romish Tien-tchu. Since the Protes-
tants have no infalible pope to solve
such problem, it was decided that
each of the three different translations
shall appear in three distinct editions,
each edition using exclusively one OF
the three terms. There will thus be
issued at once nine distinct editions of
the Protestant translation Of the Bible
in Chinese.
Another question - about annota-
tiOn-seems TO have received a very
happy solution. The agents of Bible So
cietles are generally very anxious to
have the texts accompanied with notes.
But to others such annexation looks like
an abandonment of one of the essential
principles Of Professionalism, because ii
seems to admit that the Bible Is, by it.
self, not Of sufficient efficacy. the Con-
ference appointed committee, COM
posed of two Baptists, two Congrega-
tionalists, two Episcopalians, two Luth-
Grams, two MethOdists, and two Presby-
terians, and decided that only such
notes should be admitted as were unani-
mously adopted by the committee.
One day was set apart for the discus
sion of the employment Of women III
the Chinese mission. and one lady after
the other stepped forward to give her
experiences and her ideas. Special in
terest was aroused by young Chinese
lady in her native cOstume-very mod
est, very simple, and, in her speech.
very much to the point. The whole
tenor of the discussion, especially from
the male side, was in high degree Gu
Iogistic and full of gratitude for this
work done by women in China.
1t was acknowledged, that very often
il proved completely impossible to get
foothold in the city, because he was
looked upon as political agent and
consequently hated and summed. while
the woman was received and listened
to without any suspicion. Thus she
was often able to make the first open
ing, and thereby do the mission an in
valuable service.
A delicate subject proved that about
the conditions for admission to baptism.
The Chinese pastor, Yen, who has
studied in the United States of North
America, thought it probable that most
of his countrymen embraced Christian
ity for merely secular purposes; but
that they later on, as a general rule,
really became good and true Christians,
and he was consequently of the opin-
ion that the conditions for admission
to baptism should be made as easily as
possible. The Roman Catholic priest is !
generally willing TO take the same view
of the subject; but the majority of the |
Conference was utterly adverse TO that |
conception. and insisted that unequivo-
cal proofs of truly Christian thought |
duu OOEuuOl huOuAu NC utDlduutu VI
every candidate before he was admitted |
to baptism.
a still more delicate subject presented |
itself when the question of dividing up |
the territory among the various mission |
societies came to be discussed. 1t is APP |
parent to all conversant with the mat |
ter that something must be done, and |
done quickly. A great amount of force
and time and money is wasted when
ever Two societies come in competition,
not to say conflict. with each other by
working the same field, and, what is
still worse, the close contact between
two societies opens an exhibition of
and liturgical differences,
which is as needless as it is hurtful.
\ happy incident came to aid in the
perplexity. A letter from a Swedish
society, addressed to the Conference.
was read. The society announced that
1t was prepared to undertake mission
TO China, and asked the Conference TO
point out suitable place from which
TO start. Toe Conference Immediately