New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-10-07
MISSIONS IN THE EAST.



To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir There Is much food for thought in The Trlb-
une's editorial Of to-day Christian mission work
In China. and the arguments made and the authori-
ties cited are worthy OF respectful consdera-
tlon. There Is much to be said on the other side.
however. and have doubt that some missiona-
ries or their friends will promptly accept the nvi-
tation extended to them in the closing sentence OF
the editorial. Meantime permit me to cite another
authority. fully as intelligent and as impartial
any quoted by and well entitled to credence.
/ quote from official letter written March %
last, 10 the Secretary OF State at Washington, by
the American Minister China. follows
Does missionary work benefit the Chinese? think
that controvert the patent fact that the
Chinese enormously benefited by the labors OF
the missionaries in their midst Foreign hospitals
great boon to the sick. China. before the adj
OF the foreigner. did not know what surgery
There more than twenty charity hospi-
tails in China, which are presided over by men of
great ability be found elsewhere In the
world. pT. kerr's hospital Canton is of the
great institutions of the kind in the world The
Niceroy. ii Hung Chang. has for years maintained
at Tien-Tsin. his expense. a foreign hospital
In the matter OF education the movement IS mn
mense There schools and colleges a.. over China
often the exhibitions given by these schools They
show progress in great degree The educated en-
commences to think. long time before the present
war the Emperor was studying English ana II Is
said was fast acquiring the language Nowhere -
education more sought than in China. The Govern
ent u.s. 10 some rNe' dounI tbe o .tr, ne nroV
ince and Picking is too well known to require com
There is a Chinese Imperial College at Picking the
Tung Wen, presided over by our distinguished fel-
,ow-ctizen. Dr W. \. p. Martin; also a university
conducted by the Methodist mission There are also
many foreign orphan asylums in various citiss'
which take of thousands OF walls. me mis-,
sonaries translate into Chinese many scientific ana
Grk %bo 9s Of sehoo F Ed
Reject that all their benefactions come to the
are made they are exceedingly small. and are made
only when they necessary TO prevent rush,
Wsfh IN 1hT h Tss ard Vros anopnm hosa
where the victims OF this vice are cured There are
industrial schools and workshops. | leave
out OF this discussion the religious benefits conferred
by converting Chinese to Christianity. can
only say that converts TO Christianity are numer-
GUS There are supposed to be 5000 Protestant con-
vers now in China ana at least g oatnSr Gon
The converts seem TO be as devout as people OF any
As far as my knowledge extends. can and do
say that the missionaries In China are self-sacrihc
to their work: that their influence is beneficial TO
the natives that the arts and sciences ana CIVIL
many useful Western books are translated 10y
them into Chinese; that they are the leaders In az
charitable work. giving largely thenselM ' ahl
personally dsbursing the funds with when they
are intrusted. that they 10 make converts. ana
such converts are mentally benefited by conversl9n
In answer to these statements. which are usually
acknowledged TO be true it does not do 10 Say. as
If the answer were conclusive that the hierau
and gentry usually opposed to missonarles
This antagOnsm was to nave been expected me
missionaries antagonize the worship OF ahccs'vtts
which ia Of the fundamental principles OF me
Chinese roity. They comoel their converts to
keep Sunday holy The Chinese have no SaDpath
They work every day except New Years Day ana
other holidays. No religion ever won its way
Without meeting with serious opposition. =.
Missionaries are the pioneers Of trade and COM
merce CiviliGa ton. learning. instruction. breed
new wants which commerce supplies. Look a. me
electric telegraph now in every proyinSe IN nm
the cOas: from Hong-Kong to NeWchWahs, ana pn
the Yang-tse up to Ichang Look at me CITES cite
which have sprung up. Ike shanghai l.en-ls SIN.
Han Kow-handsome foreign cities. o51ect-essons
TO the Chinese Look at the railroad being now
built from the yellow Sea TO the Amoor, OF when
about two hundred miles are completed WIZ any
one say that the 800 missionaries In CHINA OF
Protestants. and perhaps more OF Catholics nave
not contributed to these results? ~,
Two hundred and fifty years ago the pious cain,
Ollie fathers taught astronomy, MATHEMATICS ana
the languages at Picking The interior OF NINA .ar
world had not the missionaries visited II ana .,e
scrlbei IT, Some may say that commerclt
agents might have done as mucn; Du, 'hey ar no'
allowed TO locate in the interior The missionary
inspired by holy zeal goes everywhere, ana ny
degrees foreign commerce and trade oioW. ,ii11
country becomes civilized its trade ana deal
lngs with Western nations Increase Humanity mas
means for c.vilizing savage peoples as proselytsm
to Christianity. The history Of the world at'es'S
In the interests Therefore. OF civilization. mis-
sionaries ought not only to be tolerated but ougl,
to receive protection to which they are ehiuel
from officials, and encourag, ment rom VtHcI
classes OF people.
Mr. DENLY has been our Minister to China for
long time He knows China and the Chinese az
well as-perhaps better than-any other foreign
representative at Picking and certainly none com.
mands more respect or exerts more influence at
the imperial court. His utterances on ms SUP
tect are therefore worthy OF the m9sI ser9a gnu
respectful consideration NOT "A MlSSioNANi'
New-York. Sept. %, 1895.