The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-08-20
PREFERS THE CHINESE
BISHOP THOBURN SAYS THEY ARE
BETTER THAN FILIPINOs.
Latter Are GoOd-for-Nothings, While
Decentralization mt Manila.
to the indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
CINCINNATI, Aug. 19.-Bishop Thoburn,
Of tie Methodist Episcopal Church North,
resident in India, is in the city for a few
days. His jurisdiction covers, according to
the ruling made by the last Methodist Gen.
eral Conference, the Philippine islands, and
the bishop has just come from an extended
visit to Manila.
Chaplain Stull, OF the First Montana Vol
u%nteers, started religious services in Manila
in the name of American Methodism," said
he, and we now have IN that city regular
services every Sunday in two different
places. Both of these are in the main busi-
ness part Of the city, north of the Pasig
river. Not many people live within the old
walled city on the south side OF the river.
The finest part is Malate, along the bay
front. If Americans are wise they will,
after peace comes, demolish the old walled
city, wipe out thereby a vast quantity Of
filth and rebuild the city on that side Of
tho river. 1t Is the finest side and the place
where the city ought to be, with the Malate
region stretching behind it. If this were
done Manila would be one Of the best To-
Gated cities in the world.
"One Of our services is held in the Fill.
pino theater. Chaplain Stull is in charge,
and as a rule the services are we'll attend
ed. 1t is the plain Methodist evangelical
sermon and service. The other service is
held in the Soldiers and Seamen's Institute.
This is a two-story building which we nave
rented and where there is preaching in both
English and Spanish. The work is in
charge Of Albert H. Prautch and his wife.
The institute has all the features Of a Young
Mems Christian Association, and there is
also a restaurant. Soldiers have come there
in large numbers during the rainy season,
but the number of native Fflipinos who at
tend is not small. All are very eager to
learn English and many come, no doubt,
with that end in view. Mrs. Prautch has a
school for Chinese boys. 1t is now her pri-
vate enterprise, but we hope to make it a
Methodist mission school eventually. The
Jesuits tried to stop our services at first
but they soon found themelves powerless.
They sent word to the editor of a Manila
paper that they would boycott him If he
published a notice of the Methodist serv-
ices. He published the letter from the
Jesuits to him and told them to go ahead.
LAS soon as the war there is over, and 1
look TO see it terminate soon. Manila will
fill up with European and American peo-
pie. 1t will also fill with Chinese-if we
let the Chinese in, as we ought to do. There
are $4,000 Chinese residents of Manila now.
They are not popular with the Manila resi-
dents. but the fact is they are better ma
terial to build a civilized community with
than are Filipinos. They pay their debts
and are Industrious. Neither can be said for
the Filipino. He is a good-for-nothing fell
low. for the most part. and not worth much
sympathy. considered merely as a man.
Christianity must consider him differently,
but much will have TO be done for him.
ssylbafhar Il hax-a irric1irfiop IN Manila ~
not is an open question. There is some
ambiguity in the language of the law, our
Methodist law. which came from the fact
that when IL was framed nobody knew Just
who or what was in Manila and nobody
cared so far as that rule was concerned.
Admiral Dewey changed a lot of things in
one day. The general missionary commit
tee OF our church meets in Chicago at an
early date and all OF this matter will come