The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-11-15
ELOQUENT ADDRESSES ON CHINA.
DR.. Davis and DR., Chester Upon the Chinese
Situation Last Night.

Last nights session of the Synod
was devoted to the interests of foreign
missions, and was very largely attend
ed. the church being completely filled.
present in body. Several extremely
interesting and instructive addresses
were delivered by men prominent in
the foreign mission work, and whose
names are inseparable from the great
achievements of the church in the
missionary field, Dr. John. W. Davis,
DIR. S. H. Chester, and DR.. a. T..
Graham.
DR. Graham read very interesting
paper. giving statistics to show the
great growth of the church in North
Carolina and the corresponding in
crease in the contributions to the for
eign mission fund. During the last
year more than twenty-three thousand
dollars were collected for foreign mis-
sions. This was q very large increase
over last years amount. and is matter
for much congratulation. showing as it
does that the Presbyterians of North
Carolina are growing more active each
year in their efforts to spread the
Gospel among all the nations of the
earth. and that as they grow in num-
bers they likewise grow in power
DR.. Davis address on the China ques-
! ton was particularly interesting be-
cause the speaker has spent more
than twenty years in missionary work
! in China, and therefore has personal
, knowledge of his subject in all its de-
tails. At the present time he occupies
chair in the Theological Seminary at
Columbia. He began by giving with
the aid of maps a brief but wonderful
" lucid explanation of the present po-
| litical situation in China. Russia. he
said. will doubtless maintain her
strong foothold in Manchuria and will
retain Port Arthur. 1t is doubtful
whether or not China proper will be
partitioned. as the powers are likely to
| protect her III their own interests.
| just as they have done in the case of
| Turkey, while the United States will
insist upon the open door policy.
Each treaty that China has made with
| the different nations contains clause
which compels her to give to all other
powers any advantage she may give
| to one.
China has at last begun to receive
new ideas from the West through the
political workings of the past few
years. and accordingly the opportuni-
| ties foT missionary work are now far
greater than they ever were. Now the
time is ripe for a great work for car
rying a gospel Of love to people whose
hands are red with the blood of
| martyred Christian men and women.
/ What we have to do is to stand firm.
Now is the time to engage the enemy
more closely, as Nelson signalled to
the British fleet at Trafalgar.
Mr.. Davis address was an eloquent
and powerful one, and evidently Great
ed deep impression upon all his
audience.
DIR. S. II. Chester. the General Sec
rotary of Foreign Missions, followed
with some remarks upon the peculiar
| fitness of the Chinese character for
embracing the Christian religion and
making the best kind of Christians
They are intellectually and physically
the best people of the East. The fact
| that the japanese have been the first
TO adopt Western civilization does not
prove them to be the intellectual su-
! periors of the Chinese In Japan, the
classics used in the schools are Chinese.
their sages were Chinese; in fact all
| their learning came from China. As
scholars. the Chinese are unsurpassed
| fer perseverance and determination.
| Moreover, they are absolutely faithful
to- trust. Recent events have shown
| how they could die as martyrs when a
word of recantation would have saved
them. BY their native religion they
! are fatalists. and that characteristic is
certainly splendid material to work