The sun., 1896-08-17
Mr.. REDS WORK IN CHINA.
a MISSIONARY INSTITUTION ON
NEW LINES AT PEkING.


"The Rev. Gilbert Reid, formerly Of oswego
county, N. Y, is practically the only missionary
in China who is working on the right plan"
| said NJ. r. Jefferds, q civil engineer, TO q Sun
| reporter.
Early last week Mr.. Jofferds left this city
on the way TO China, where ho 10 to superln-
| tend the construction of the first Chinese rail-
road. As told In THE Sun Of Avg. 1, the road
| will extend from the outskirts of Peking 10
| Hankow. q distance of 700 miles. In order to
obtain the concession for the railroad It was
necessary for Mr.. Jeifords TO make careful
| study OF the Chinese character and mind and
the proper channels Of approach to them. His
| success shows the accurate intelligence of his
study. His opinion on the labors of American
missionaries among the Chinese 10 therefore n
basic for sound, practical criticism.
when the Rev. Mr.. Reid went out to China
many years ago." continued MIR. Jefferds. "ho
| found that the instructions he received from
| the homo Office were not in conformity with
wants and customs of the Chinese people. and
| therefore he withdrew from home supervision
| and support. He has now started an institution
| OF his own on plan entirely original. BY the
success he has already achieved he has shown
himself worthy of the support Of all good
Americans who can spare small sum annually
for the substantial enlightenment OF the
Chinese. They are people. those Chinese,
whose history and traditions antedate ours
by hundreds or Thousands OF years. They
are not . horde OF baroarians. They
are worthy Of our digaified cooperation rather
than OF our attempts at condescensions. When
we once fully understand that state of affairs
We will be, moreover, In position to gain n
great commercial advantage over nations that
persist In the old contemptuous notion of China.
The Chinese people number hundreds OF mil
lions, with whom our great manufacturing in
terests should exchange commodities profitably
to both nations.
The Rev. DR.. Reid has struck the right nail
on the head and he has struck IL hard. He is
ready now to prepare tonic that will wake tho
Chinese out OF thoir lethargy and put them In a
condition to take mental rank with the Chris
tian nations OF the Garth. Mr. Reid does not
try to cram the Christian religion down his
peoples throats. He does not attempt to induce
them to believe that Confucius, Mohammed. or
other good men OF the East are merely myth
ical persons. He does not make himself ridic-
ulous by trying TO teach them the history of
their race when they know their own history
far. Ear better than we know our own. He does
none Of these things that are the common prac-
tice Of the orthodox missionaries, sent out with
instructions from homo Boards that know little
more than the geographical difficulties that Are
to be confronted. The Chineee have no true re-
spect for the ordinary missionary: outwarily
they show just so much re-pect for him as is
compelled BY the constantly overhanging threat
OF Interference by the missionaries home gov
eminent, ADD for my part do not blame tho
Chinese very much
gone into Peking the capital of China. where
| the Emperor. the Empress Dowager. Princes,
Taotais. and Mandarins, and. In fact. ali tho
higher classes of Cinnamon conRreEate at vari-
Gus stated periods Of the year. In Peklng he has
established a little home. 1t is a SMALL humble
beginning. but IL is as good as the means which
he has at MS command will warrant. To this
house lie invites lhiuameD of highest
When they visit him he does not preach at
them h. entsr,ai1s them He speaks The chi:
them the story Of the progress made by the
Christian races in the arts and sciences. He ex-
plains the steam engine-tells them how IL has
| reduced degrees into minutes and minutes into
seconds. lie relates the wonders Of ei%ciTicity;
and made to eliminate time and space in sending
messages from one end of the earth to the other;
have for years been com MOI places in our West
eru sight. He goes back and shows them h w
these Inventions; how rational they are. after
all. There is nothipg supernatural or deviiish
thus attem pting to teach old dogs new tricks
and rendering them suilen and unwilling to
civilization and lets his hearers work out lis ad.
vantages in their own minds.
1t y not to De expected OF Cinnamon that
Ana se,SF%; that is nS9 the way Of
any rate, this is what want my son or my
neRhbor son to know. and at once. ! want
for himself By this means Mr. Reid has won
men in China. In China influence. you know,
e everything; II Mr., Reid were, supported
financially as no should be- he would soon have
the ear Of all Chinamen OF the upper class.
once thoroughly understood By this class. his
influence would spread To aii other Glasses as
Week by week he has piodded on indefati-
gably. Up to April l5 last he had extended his
HCnuAlntAlceA II
one hundred and fifty. The whole number of
ments reached nearly three hundred and ficy.
This progress. again, one must know China 10
entail parish 10 DO under the tuition OF
any preacher; 1t is a wonderful parish To
remember the names of them all, the offices
they mold. and what they, have held i'll the past:
they can be called upon to best advantage: who
are their friends; OF wnom they are jealous;
thousand and one points that we here In the
West would never dream Of But his energy
=" During the six months PROV to April Is his
diary shows that he made l2o calls mot reckon
TO the men whom he int e nded to visit. has re-
ceIved l40 visits, has written .I3 Chinese let
books. lie has proved. therefore, even in this
short ume that he deserves not only commen-
dation. but also material aid from all who are
wiling 10 assist IN doing the greatest good
preparing the wky for Chr!stianily-to the
greatest number. which Is certainly to be found
In crowded China.
BY my business interests" Mr.. Jeiferds went
on. g l am compelled To SEQ that the bread thus
cast upon the waters will come back not after
many days. but after very few days, IN a cont-
dence that will lead To rich reciprocal com
merce. Men OF means are most Wiling to give.
am afraid. when they see not only n spiritual
but also material return. Let them help MIR.
Reid. The introduction of Christianity and
the inspiring OF confidence in Amsricans
go hand in hand and man could
better have these interests in charge
than Gilbert Reid. never met another man OF
his characteristics, | doubt not he 10 the only
man living who could have worked hts way into
the hearts and good graces of Chinese mobiles
who many of them, never before deigned To
speak to foreigner of any nation. In planning
TO approach the Manchu mobiles the Manchus
Guilty. hrst or All, in gaining the slightest
Information about them, even to the extent of
bndiug out what their names were and where
they lived. Finally by slow. weary steps,
stopped short here and rebuffed there. he gained
access to thirty y-eiRht mobiles of the Aapchus.
besides the Princes kunE; Chung, and Mo.
are more exclusive than the Chinese, the mobiles