The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-01-04

First Presbyterian church yesterday
morning. DR.. corbett Is az enthusiastic
worker among the heathens. having left
his home In Pennsylvania in 1858, and
has since spent his life In China. To
arouse more active interest in mission
airy work among the Chinese he left the
Fl0wery Kingdom last May and viii de-
vote his time In this country until next
July seeking to accomplish his purpose,
which It is safe to predict that he Will,
as he IS a jealous, tireless worker.
He has come to Wheeling for aid for
the Chinese missions and he made an
eloquent appeal for their support In
his Introductory remarks, Dr. Corbett
read an address of greeting from some
native Christians under his charge The
address was written on yellow silk in the
Chinese characters. Translated, 1t ex-
pressed undying faith in Christ, and
thanked the brethren in America for
sending them preachers OF Gods word
and establishing missions and schools.
Aid was solicited In keeping up the ad-
vancment of Christianity, and they
hoped To have many missionaries Of
their own nationality in the future.
DR.. Corbett said that he would like to
take back to those people reply that
would thrill their hearts. One of the
Cinnamon who signed the address had
been prosecuted and tortured by his own
countrymen for mis- religious faith. Upon
trumped UP charge he was bound and
chained and cruelty dragged through the
streets to the prison, where he was put
in the stocks. During this brutal eXifi-
bftion his prosecutors tormented him be-
fore the street crowds by taunts OF "see
what the detestable foreign religion has
lead him TO-" Notwithstanding his
trials he remained true to the faith, even
being compelled to sell all his property
to meet the unjust fine imposed upon
him for crime he was innocent Of.
The converts have been the subject OF
heather persecution in every conceivable
manner, yet they are steadfast In re-
naming Christians.
Another instance of the fervor Of their
faith was related by the speaker. An
old man ninety years Of age. convert,
was not allowed to pray In his own home
ny MS pWll NulluIGu anu uAtu hallg ~
climb the hillside and secluded pour forth
speaker once this aged man prayed as
earnestly as had been the good fortune of
his host ever to hear
Thirteen years ago the shock from the
death OF his son, who had been born In
China. but died while In this country
threatened the life Of the speaker. The
! doctors said there was no hope OF his
recovery. The news flashed through the
province Sanchung, for hundreds Of
miles around that their pastor was on
his death bed Then those people prayed
to God in their simple and earnest man
ner for his recovery. He recovered, and
he said that often he had wept tears Of
Thanksgiving. He could not help loving
t11ose people for their kind prayers.
Missionaries love their people With an
Intensity few can understand. Leaving
home and family to go.among the trials
and dangers Of life among an unfriend-
~ heather people Is a loss hard to bear;
but there Is joy and gladness found in
no other land when the missionary sees
the light Of faith dawning into the hearts
OF his charge, The good results that fol-
low Gods teachings, the happy Chris
tlan homes of the natives is his earthly
reward, and the saddeSt day In his life Is
that day when he must leave his work.
The Chinese are eager for knowledge,
said DR. Corbett. His first baptized con-
vert believed that the apostle Paul was a
Chlnaman else how could he have de-
scrlbed Chinese character so well as In
his seventh chapter Bpistles to tite R0-
mans. This inQuiring man threw flood
OF light upon those epistles, addressed
as they were to people just out Of spir-
| Itual darkness.
The Chinese can hold their own with
| any people they come In contact with.
| They are found everywhere. and their
love for their homes, their perseverance,
Industry, are well known characteristics,
| They are lnquIsitive about religion. One
man after hearing the speaker preach
came to him and asked, do you think
| Christ will save me?" Being comfnrted
with assurance that He would, he asked,
"How long since Christ was on earth?"
| on being told he groaned aloud, "Oh,
\ why didn't hear of Him before my old
| age. so that my father and mother and
all my kin could have been converted"
Similar questions are often asked the
missionary.
To make Impressions on the heather.
Christians In civilized countries should
| show them good examples by living
/ good lives. The heathens are very faith-
| full In attending their worship. and never
| gn to the temples empty-handed. From
their steadfastness we might learn less
son.
The speaker briefly illustrated the Chi
nese belief OF the transmlgatlon OF souls.
They believe man has more than one
soul, and though he die in a foreign
J country HIS soul will return from his
| grave to the family burylng ground.
/ a. ~. L..
! into birds and animals. Their future
happiness In very indefinite. They ex-
pect to reach a bllssiul state sometime,
vet expect It viii only be after number
] less centuries. They hate to die, and
avoid talking about death; and It Is not
10 he wondered at when no ray of hope
exists to cheer their leaving the world,
pr. Cnrbett made the interesting and
welcome statement that the late war be-
tween China and Japan had produced a
! great awakening. Natives Of proml-
| nence who formerly treated the missions
aries with contempt now invite them to
| their houses, They buy books. especial
| IS Bibles. In great numbers, and send
their children tn the mission schools In
preference TO the natlve schools. The
! inst few years has large numbers bap-
| tlZcd In Foo Chow, since the ma2sa-
/ ere. G.O00 converts were gained. In
sangchung there are 10000 Christians in
contrast with but few when DR. Cor
| bett went there years ago. Churches
have been built by the natives without n
! dollars contribution from the mission
boards. and In many ways the work In
China is bearing good fruit.
From the above synopsis OF his re-
marks, the speaker adduced the conclu-
| slon that the trouble with mlsslona is
moi In China but In this country. The
| good results Of the work are manifold.
| An that Is needed Is support from the
| American brethren. The missionaries
nre willing to worl, for 81 mdnth none