The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-01-05
ON THEIR WAY EAST.
TWO DIyINEs WE'LL KNOWN IN
SALT LAKE.
DR.. A. b. Leonard and Bishop r. S.
rea and china-Cathoiic Missions.

In the early spring of the year that
has just ended Bishop r. S. Foster, of
Boston. DR.. A. B. Leonard, correspond
ing secretary of the Methodist Episco-
pal Foreign Missionary society, and
Mrs. Kean. of Philadelphia. correspond
ing secretary of the Woman's For
eign Missionary society, were deputed
to visit the various stations under the
jurisdiction of the society. On the 23rd
of May the little band sailed for ia
pan, and after visiting the various
fields of missionary labor returned to
San Francisco last Sunday on the Gaze.
lie.
Yesterday morning the distinguished
devines passed through Ogden on their
way to New York. 1t was expected
the gentlemen would make Salt Lake
visit but their time was too short.
Both are well known here and have
made number of visits to this terri
tory
On the evening of their arrival in San
Francisco DR.. Leonard in conversation
with San Francisco Call reporter
gave the following interesting account
Of their work in Japan, Corea and
China.
I'VE first went to Japan" the rev.
erend gentleman began, land while
there visited all the most important
points between Hakadadi and Nagas-
aki. In July we attended the annual
conference held at Toxic, at which
! there were sixty members, of whom
| forty were natives. Our society has two
educational institutions, one at Toxic
and the other at NagasalSi. One of the
| purposes of these institutions is to edu-
! a fno fI10 in n
thorough manner that there may be no
necessity for their coming to Amer
! ica.''
THE Methodist Episcopal society
first gained foothold in Japan in 1872,
when, Of course, its membership was
zero. Now there are scattered through
out the kingdom 1900 communicates,
and the outlook is most encouraging.
The anti-foreign feeling that began
to make itself felt about five years
ago, is generally regarded as having
now spent it's force, and the country is
less disturbed by political conditions
than for years past"
eve left Yokohama in August for
! Corea- Our society was established at
Seoul eight years ago, and since that
time NYdn-su, Ping-Yang and Shaw
mel-po have also become centers of
missionary activity. At the annual
meeting of the missions-somewha
| -
| twenty-five teachers present represent
| ing membership of about $50. AL
! though mission work is not officially
recognized, or indeed supposed to exist
that is to the government officially
such work is not only tolerated but
encouraged. The king has in many
ways been most ,considerate, and he
| himself gave a name to one of our
schools and a hospital.
I'VE have need to be especially
thankful for the success already at
tanned in Corea, for larger member
ship has not been gained in any branch
of the Asiatic church than has ever
crowned our efforts.
China was the last, the largest
and from its very immensely the most
important field of work we visited. The
socetys main station is at Peking, and
at the conference at which we were
present thirty-fives ministers were pres
ent from that district, representing 1000
communicates. .Hfu
I'm the central provinces there have
been established several stations along
the Yang -tse~Kiang, and among them
may be numbered 800 members of our
church. At Foochow, the headquarters
for the third division of the empire,
most important work is being carried
on. Seventy ministers attended The con-
ference, representing membership of
5000 people. In all throughout China
there are about $4,000 names on the
membership rolls and that alone is
matter for congratulation
THE one cause of uneasiness is the
laxity of the local officials when riots
break out. Save at Canton and in the
province adjacent, whence the Chinese
are obtained that come to America, it
is very doubtful If a, single individual
Chinaman knows that there ever was
such a document as the Geary act.
The local and provincial. authorities
know it, however, and when a riot
breaks out and missionaries and mis-
sion property are Threatened they
simply say: Let the Americans taste
a little of their own medicine This
is the only direction from which trouble
can come, but from what we saw and
heard we have no reason to anticipate
anything of this kind.
I'VE have had in many respects a de-
lightful trip, but we are glad to be once
again in America and thankful that we
have seen SO much that is of encourage
ment to all Interested in mission
work.
Bishop Foster also gave his impress
sions of the progress of the work OF
Christianity in those heather nations
to the same reporter, as follows:
During the six months that we were
gone we traversed Japan from one END
z
capital of Corea, and held conferences
at several points. In China I held one
conference at Picking, one at Nankin
and one at Foo Chow
THE general condition of the missions
in Japan Is encouraging and hopeful.
was glad to note an abatement of the
antipathy which has heretofore been
shown toward foreigners. in northern
China the missions have been very Sue
cessful, and there we have great hope
|; In central China the outlook is very
Idiscouraging. In Foo Chow the mission
is large and successful, and on the
whole there is reason to feel eneour-
aged.
"One of the most comforting and de.
lightful facts is the feeling of perfect
brotherhood among the missionaries
the Presbyterian, the Baptist, the Con
gregational and the Wesleyan. Theil
greeting to me was as cordial as thai
of our own missionaries. We could not
perceive UNCONVENTIONAL lines. In fact
there are none among the missions, ex
cept as to lines of work.
1.-THE Catholic missions are more mum
erous than those of the Protestant
churches and are conspicuously strong
can give no personal judgment as Il
the work, but I know that they are
very widely extended and have grea
influence
Asked as to the ultimate future o.
missionary work in these oriental fields
Bishop Foster. after some reflection, re
4 Piled: THE work is so vast that i
almost confounds one to think of it
and this feeling grows the further ont
penetrates the interior, but Christianity
is planted and finally it must be vic
torlous. Still, it is a long contest