The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-02-06

Yesterday was missionary Sunday in
Elm Park church and Rev. Dr. 5. [.
Baldwin, Of New York. secretary of the
Missionary society. delivered two fine
addresses. DIR. Baldwin is one OF the
most brilliant men in MethUdism, and
is specially distinguished as having
spent twenty-five years i'm China. Ills
visit here had unusual siEnificance bs-
cause of the fact that ii was the
fortieth anniversary of his marriage,
which took place in the old Adams
Avenue Methodist church of this city.
when Miss Gorham, daughter of The
pastor. was married to the younE mis-
sionary. They sailed Immediately FOR
China, the voyage taking l47 days.
In year they were obliged to r"-
turn because Of Mrs. Baldwiu's in-
health, but just before touching the
! hOm" shore the young wife died. DR..
Baldwin soon went back, remaining in
! China until 1880 Mrs Anna McAnulty.
| who listened to his sermons Yesterday,
was present at his wedding. forty years
! ago. Last year he again visited the
| mission field where We're passed those
many years of his young manhood.
When he went TO China there were
bur twelve native converts in the
| Methodist mission at Foo Chow, where
now are 10000 cOmmunicants. His de-
| scriptiun of the marvellous growth of
| missions, and the vast number Of fam
| lilies where no idols have been seen for
! a generation, was extremely interest
| ing. He is an advocate of the student
| volunteer movement and speaks graph
! ically from his own knowledge Of what
| The OniSSint1a ,ipc ora dnipt-
THE MIDDLE KINGDOM.
! DR.. Baldwins lecture of last evening
! was on THE Middle Kingdom" and
| was a fascinating study of Cathay, en-
! braCing almost the traditional cycle in
its broad scope, for it was China's past,
! present and prOblematical future that
! held the close attention of the large
! audience.
He gave the outlook from an Optim-
istiC standpoint, dwelling but little on
! the darker side of that oriental em-
! bodiment OF distant ages. In begin
ming. he spoke of the vastness of the
| country; it's 400 millions in population
| it's enormous resources and produc-
tiOns: it's typical variety of climate and
| the richness Of its floral treasures in
| perennial beauty. \ brief, but closely
wrought, description of the people OF
Foo Chow followed. They cling fast to
| traditions of industry. and their mer-
chants are famed for honor in bust
ness transactions. In this respect they
rank the highest on the London
Bourse of any on the globe, their rat
ing beirg 95. while that of the United
States is but so.
The Chinese reverence for parents
and for old age and the intricate sys-
tenn of competitive examinations were
noted. together with the fact that by
this means literary pre-eminence is the
only road to promotions. The pro-
posed introduction of western classics
promises to alter to some degree the
antedated character of much work in
cluded in the curriculum. The Ian
guage as written is the largest in the
| world having no alphabet but ever!
character meaning a word, letter o
| a syllable.
In the combination of characters al
instance was given in the word mean
! ing woman" and cover" A com
bination of the two; woman unde
cover" means "peace." which is eX
planned by the grave assertion that t,
have q woman securely shut up make
peace. The character meaning words.
with a dog ON each side. or word
between two dogs indicates the wOr,
"laWsuit.'
SPOKEN LANGUAGE DIFFICULT.
| The spoken language is still NOR
difficult, as Il knowledge of the tone
is necessary. The same word with tn
same sounds in different tones become
/ a different word. Thus, ITO hear" It
: love" 'to determine" and kettle ar
variations Of the same word in differ
ent tones. The speaker had once fond
ly imagined himself to he using yer
good Chinese in asking his audienc
do YOU understand" when it wa
, plain that they did not understan
: understand"
! .AfterWard young student, who, b
! the way, had been educated in Harris
I burg, Pa. and was the first native con
| vert baptized in Foo Chow. spoke t
: DR.. Baldwin about his repeated ques
I ton. and inquired: "Do you kno'
| what you We're asking them so man
, times? I'm sure | don't know Wha
. YOU meant myself, but you were ask
ing: "Do you know how to love?
After the student once becomes famil
lar with the distinction of tone, tn
! 1itHauItias Al tbp IaOpl1pp 1prra1 Sc