The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-05
CHIEF MISSION is. TO TEACH.
CHINESE SHOULD BE EDUCATED;
CHRISTIANITY WILL FOLLOW.

the Chinese PrObIem-His Address
at Wesley Monumental Church
ON "China Made Willing" Listened
TO by a Large Congregation.
| The congregation yesterday morning at
W'ez.ey Church listened to Rev DR.. Young
j. Allen, one of The strongest ministers of
the day, and senior missionary of the
Methodist Church to China.
DR.. Allen preached on China Made
Willing" and many who heard him pro-
nounced the exposition OF the subject the
best ever heard in Savannah. or in all
probability. anywhere else. It spraug
| from an experience Of forty years in China
and close study and thorough research in
TO the language, laws, customs. religion,
traditions and nature of the people.
With his natural ability and long resi-
dence and study in China. DR.. Allen is
| well qualified to deliver such an address
as could be equaled by probably no other
man. Those who heard him Were impress
ed by many points he brought out. Strong
est of them all, and one that will probably
cause careful consideration from those to
whom the question had not been before
presented, was the speakers idea of way
in which Christianity and western civ
ilizat.on are TO find their way into China.
1t is not, he says. by sending missionaries
into the field to do deeds of charity. The
plan is grander one in It's comprehension.
Ii contemplates the education of the peo-
pie of China to point where the religion
of the Christians and the civilization OF
the west will appeal TO them as proper and
true. Then its adoption will follow, and
by This general result, achieved in short
time after the people have been prepared
for it, more will be gained and gained
more speedily than by the pursuance of the
plan of Outstanding the people singiy
and educating them as best they may be
educated.
DR.. Allen began his address by giving
his audience an idea that it was not his
intention to say anything that might re-
fleet upon China. Before he had conclud-
ed it was seen that he has a great add
miration for the people and their coun-
try. He esteems it's civilization and finds
much in the Chinese character to admire
The Chinese whom we see here, he said,
are not Chinese. They do not come from
that portion of China that is the original
country and they do not represent China
at all They are the descendants of peo-
pies that have been conquered by the Chi
nese The true Chinaman is an entirely
different creation and there is but little
similarity between him and those COM
monty called Cinnamon in this country.
The changed relations that have been
brought about between China and the
United States of late years DR.. Alien dis
cussed at some length. There has been
a complete alteration in the aspect of
China's affairs. These changes, he said
will be found in no book. They have
come about within the last forty years
and under DIR. Aliens observation. They
have been gradual, but they have been
sure, and the progress of events is like
~ to bring China. into better relations with
; | the countries of the West.
His subject, China Made Willing" DR..
Allen said, means China made willing to
accept the advice and leadership of the
Western countries and to cast aside It's
mpenetrable armor of self-complacency
and satisfaction. By shot and shell this
willingness has been brought about, and
the policy that is being followed is in
creasing the sentiment in favor of foreign
methods and foreign customs. Wars We're
necessary with England and France, but
from these China learned a great deal. 1t
was discovered that the empire was not
invincibIe, as all Cinnamon had deemed
it, and that the other nations of the
earth could no longer be regarded as tribu-
taries to China. In this connection DIR.
Allen mentioned Hon. John E. Ward of
Savannah, who went over to China about
the same time as the young missionary.
Mr.. Ward was there to negotiate with the
government, and he carried presents to the
Emperor. These were regarded by the
Chinese as being nothing more than trib-
utes from an inferior nation, and the car
that drew them to the palace showed in
its lettering that it was bearing tributes
to the Son of Heaven.
The war with Japan did much to in
fiuence China in its desire to throw off the
conservatism of ages and gain something
of what Japan has gained by intercourse
with foreigners and the adoption of what
Is good in the government, armies and
, navies of other countries Until the extra
territoriality and extra judiciary clauses
inserted in the treaties that were made
. years ago with Japan and China. the
former country was no more advanced in
, modern learning and modern achievements
than the latter But the japanese studied
: out the question of what the right of res
Z idence and government by their own coun-
tries meant for foreigners in their midst
: They saw to what 1t tended-an oppor-
! tunity for advancement to the plane OF
the countries of the west. Commerce was
: en- for the betterment of the Japanese as a
nation. The result was that the people
> absorbed so much from those who came
among them that they were able to whip
) China in a short war. With a powerful
though small, neighbor at the threshold
who might be able to infiict defeat at any
! time, China saw that it would have to
awaken to the situation. There is now
, more likelihood of the hampering tradi-
lions of ages being thrown off and the
. civilization of the west being introduced to
make China the equal of Japan.
There is no shade Of progress about the
Chinese civilization, but as a nation and
people DR.. Allen holds that the Chi
nese stand at the very apex of human
r achievement. I'VE know" he said, what
3 the Greeks and Romans had of civiliza-
: ton by their works. but to our ignorance
: of the Chinese is due the fact that we
know nothing of their civilization, and are
apt to belittle it," Morally and intelec-