The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1900-09-05
Oh IN CHINA.

Twenty five Hundred Missionaries,
One Hundred Thousand Protestant
Converts.
Prof. John Fryer, in Ainslee's)
"When China was opened in 1912,
after the first war with Great Britain,
100000 converts were already enrolled
in the church, and eighty foreign
missionaries were found ministering
to the scattered docks. Since then the
Roman Catholics have more than re-
covered their lost ground In China.
Their converts are upwards OF q mil
lion N China proper. Imposing cathe-
drals, church editices, Schools col
leges, orphanages, ioundling hospitals
and other buildings testify everywhere
to their activity and perlty
The Greek Church began It's labors
in i'ekin in the year 1856, when q
treaty made with Russia allowed the
establishment OF u church and college
with an archimandrtto in charge. In
recent years this church has been
working with some earnestness both
IN China and Japan. In the latter
country 1t has made more converts
than either Catholics or Protestauts
have made. In proportion as Russian
pected that the Greek Church influence
will expand among the Chinese.
It will be noticed that all these
Christian missionary labors, extending
over ten or moro centuries, were, 10 II
greater or loss degree, preparation
for the work Of our Protestant mis-
sionaries. Yet their commencement
Of the task Of spreading cvangelistic
doctrines nearly ninety years ago was
mucn beset with difficulties, some of
which were the results OF the Roman
Catholic mismanagcmcnt. The lives
OF Robert Morrison and other pioneers
OF the Protestant faith arc well known.
1T is worthy OF note that Morrison was
refused u passage to China in the East
India Company's vessels, aud had
therefore, first to make voyagc to
New York. Thence he sailed to China
on an American ship. He was pine
months in reaching Macao, and there
this missionary-this first Anglo Saxon
missionary-begap his highly success
full lifework.
What has been subSo oQuentiy ac-
complished is told in the reports OF the
various missionary societies nov work
ing in China. The work Is well
organized and the country divided up
among the various boards The Evan.
gelists the Educationist and the Medi-
cal missionary each iuds his suitable
sphere OF labor in ministerng TO the
various needs OF the people win whom
each comes In contact. Thus each de-
partmcnt OF the work is now receiving
It's full share Of attention.
The present distressed and un-
settled state OF Chira makes the peo.
pie look for help and enlightenment to
the missionaries in way they have
never done before. Fifty-three sepa.
rate organizations are at work, having
total OF about $500 missionaries, be-
sides whom are over 5000 native pas
tors and assistants. Tho Protestant
converts now number nearly 100 600
while nearly 40, 600 scholars are under
instruction in mission schools and col
leges. Auxiliary societies ere con-
tinually being added, such as Bible
societies, tract societies, educational
societies, mission printing Ctlices,
Young Men's and Young Women's
Christian Associations, Christian En-.
deayor societies and others, all Of
which are vigorously pushing forward
on their special lines the great cause
whose watchword is The ChristianiZa.
tiOn Of China.
All these facts and figures are full
OF encouragement and hope. The mis-.
sion hospitals, however, appear to im.
press the Chinese most with the lis.
lntcrestedness and efficiency OF mis-
sionary work. 1t is said that Lii Hung
Chang once remarked, We Chinese
think VIC can take care OF our souls
well enough but it is evident YOU can
take care Of our bodies better than we
can so send us medical missionaries.
as many as you like This sentiment
ls now generally shared by oil inLelli.
gent Chinese. They MAJ not under.
stand our religious systcms, but on
seeing The results of the medical work
they cannot fail to admire the philan.
thropy which establishes dispensarics
and hospitals tos do good to the bodies
OF suffering humanity, in the name
and m'tation Of Christ.
In the three branches OF religion.
and medicine, who can deny
that the Christian missionaries have
not already conferred benefits upon
the Chinese beyond all calculation
But they have done more. They have
helped to awaken China from her
lethargy, and 10 start her stagnant
ideas into motion. Our civil engineers
are surveying the vast territory OF
China for projected railways; /; but they
are being aided by information fur nish-
ed by tho pioneer missionaries. Our
merchants are closely following the
routes to open up lucrative
trade. The flag of commerce always
foiloWs close behind the banner of the
cross, aud he who would check the
progress OF the bearer OF .hat banner
necessarily Injuries the interests OF
the ilag OF commerce. From the En-
peror downward the tocsin begins To
be reform and when reform roallv
occurs, will not much OF the credit be-
long to the faithful laborers now at
work In the various branches of mis-.
sionary enterprise ?"