New-York tribune., 1900-11-04
MISSIONARIES MISTAKES
CHIEF OF THEM IN CHINA IS THE
INTRODUCTION OF WOMEN.
n Ralph in The London Mail.

Julian Ralph in The London Mail
was told in China that I had studied the rela-
able to present the facts IN Light IN whl6n 6 1ney &
sionaries of Christendom: II was urged that nucn
good would come OF 1t II would max make pGGnG j, my
views and Impressions 1t was sage a Ng9rous 9
and successful missionary. at the head or large
1Go' me TO bqoach this most deicste subject He knew
that had and dhe American and
that afterward l had made two or more Journeys
and questioned some very shrewd Cinnamon upon
the extraordinary enmity to the OF the
1t upon my return to the treaty port after ;
sionary asked me what thought of the mission
aries and their methods | at first declined SII. to
other missionaries Of narrower mental grasp
instead of arguing or meeting fact with fact they
usually took the ground that whoever criticised
pie in the treaty ports. This was not at all my
but 1t n hs 8e mise S
sionares knew that their own fellow countrymen
into the reason ard ~ 10 remedy il n,, ,,,
had done stS t Mn WIN WIZ NJ f
finding in two chaEges1first that the missionaries
second, that they make all the trouble there is in
It is not a rational point of criticism that mis-
sionaries live comfortably. To begin with, they do
again aGs the beter they i've the
impress all Orientals | admit that wherever |
plenty OF servants-who dirt cheap there.
6 r thew SneF WeTe WITH o h
only be glad things were worse with them.
However, the question to be met is not how COM
Portable they are but how do they conduct them
selves, toward the natives: Il is well that they
keep their face" in China, but 1t is very very i'll
strange people shame them in the public sight
Fearing that my friend would misunderstood my
criticism | refused TO make IL. but he persisted.
and assured me that would i not on; Offend him
what have seen and heard and what deductions 1
have drawn
First of ALL men too often volunteer as mis-
satisfy be-
ing carefully selected to satisfy the needs of the
Chinese. In America the men who are sent out
missionaries too frequently persons who have
failed in other walks and who take to this work 5
and because they thus cease to shift for them
upon / do not critcise the men for this it is the
system that is at fault.
the mefoGre % mental character of TOO many Of The
narrowest horizon 1t was these who declared what
they would d" and have and would not have when
they reached their stafonsas If the ChriStianzins
OF an ancient, polished and highly cultivated
race " as to be carried cut by word Of command
instead OF by the most sage. deft, tactful and
pathetic means. IN have no convert who permits
fairly illustrates the mental attitude toward their
work of too many whom / met Small feet con-
Cinnamon for their ancestors were to be instantly
worship were established in their places ''''
and bToSes fT@ed n ha od found that the
stand or justify the behavior of missionaries
able Chinamen were COT founded by What they saw
II is easy 10 understand the source of the hostility
reveal the outlines OF her body To do so is IN
decent beyond the eXcesses of the most dissolute
OF the Innocent and beautiful statues of the
nude are viewed with disgust in China The women
their hands; their faces may only ha
with difficulty through the lattice shades OF
their sedan chairs. The poorest women. who work
out of doors. reveal cniy their hands and faces
Fancy. then. the effect upon the Chinese seeing
the wives and sisters OF the missionaries dressed
they would appear at home. in garments which
closely follow the lines of the bust and hpS
And to the relation of the sexes
Women OF good repute keep indoors-are kept In
II YOU please. The missionary women roam freely
about they will Kissing Is regarded as a
vicious and an unspeakable act. yet mission
AIRY kiss their husbands and brothers in
the streets when they meet after being parted for
II time. In China when bride l. about to be
carried In he 'hOwery' Cher bridal chair to the
hridegroom's house sht has 10 be borne 10 the
chair by her father. No other male relative has
touched even her hand for years not since
she infant and played with her brother
II she has father. brother or an uncle may
take the liberty and perform the Office Of lifting
her and carrying her awHy-becauSe II could not
be imagined that any girl would leave her home
and people OF her own free will. be mar
ried.
when people have such notions and customs
what do you suppose they think upon seeing our
men and women shaking hands walking arm-in-
arm. helping each other muddy roads and
fondiinE or handling another as our husha nds
and wives are free and right In doing7 From
what saw and heard drew the conclusion that
no women should he sent u should go with our
missionaries TO China II ls the women who lnno-