The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-12-04

Inc fSd regular meeting or the CHURCH.
mans club Was held at the Trocadero
last evening, and notwithstanding the in
element weather nearly four-scere mem
bers and guests shared in the festivities
and listened 10 the interesting addresses
The usual business meeting preceded and
The records a. read by Secretary Henry
q. Tilden were sppruvpr
Without uansscting any further busi-
ness the company proceeded 10 the BAN
ouet board and among those seated at
the head table were President Mumford,
Bishop Grafton. OF Fond du Lac Wis
John w Wood. corresponding secretary
OF the Domestic and Foreign Missionary
society; Mayor Granger, Chief Justice
Stiness. Jeffrey Hazard j. Lewis Pierce,
John r. Anthony. George L. Fiske and j.
X. H. Nightingale.
An excellent menu was provided and
shortly before o'clock President Num-
ford arose and insugurated the season OF
speechmskins by saying that 81 was with
regret he had TO announce the inability
OF Bishop Graves. of Shanghai. TO be
present on account OF Illness lie then
with great pleasure, introduced John w
Wood, ESQ, who, az editor OF St An
drew's Cross. and as secretary OF foreign
and domestic missions. was well qualified
to speak of the duties OF the laiety.
MISSIONS IN CHINA.
Mr.. Wood spoke for fully an half hour
and substantially as follows:
Time was when he was a bioad man
who could see beyond his own town now
he is narrow who cannot see beyond his
own land. As the world contracts men
must expand We can now see FAR better
China. Japan and India than our fathers
could see the Pacific coast. There Is a
great difference I'm the modes OF thought
and faith OF their day and ours. We feel
he amity OF the human race, the har-
mony of brotherhood, the result Of the
movement OF Christian men and church.
None regrets more keenly than myself
the abscene OF Bishop Graves. but 1 will
try and sketch from long range through
his eyes the work OF our missions and
church
Many people think missions an unreal
enterprise 20 which unsuccessful men
may give their work, their lives. but not
an enterprise OF science. They think OF IL
as an enterprise based on sentiment, not
on science or cool calculation. They do
not believe that II is at all desirable 10
carry TO lands that are not Christian the
doctrine OF our church. They do not
want our faith TO cross the sea-to he
catholic and TO take in men OF other races
and faiths.
1T is an inspiration, the attitude Of
these. our church clubs. IL does me good
10 sec them rally to the aid OF missions
and especially 10 the foundation of the
episcopate in the Philippine Islands. We
should have an episcopate there. and
church clubs are helping 20 bring n about.
The church club OF New York. OF which
| ] come 70 YOU a. = member, has pledged
"a raise hair or The $50. .ooo necessary for
the purpose and sls.oon has already been
received in a weeks time Some others
Of our clubs do the same.
THREE AVENUES OF WORK.
But now 10 return 10 China more par
icularly. Is our enterprise Of going there |
|practlcable7 We look UP the Yanstsi river |
co0 miles. stretching away to the west |
ward, and We can hardly appreciate that \
n that region are living 100 millions OF |
people; that there IL our setting Those
|Frs the souls for which Bishop Graves and |
bis followers are responsible. We picture |
I weak. inferior man going from city 10 |
|tity, speaking 10 foreigners In tongue
which is strange 10 them. How can the |
missionary reach their real life? what
ontrsst. In China we have a missionary |
movement so well organized that no mill
sry force is under better discipline " |
|s not matter Of taking them by assault
but rather by the careful. calculated
|nothod of siege. There are three avenues
|open 10 our ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS cd
icstional and medical
The first is the gathering or the people
/ nd teaching them Of the Christian faith |
Hong Kong ia strong centre Of this ac-
Ffvtty Let us there picture st. Pauls
church seating over 700 people. similar in
many respects 30 our own churches. Vet |
v.ll adapted 10 the Chinese and their
services there are very we'll attended too.
hy the natives. The congregation r. T1red
with esrnes, faces and they take part
with marked reverence in the responses
md repeat with fervor the creed Typical
~ careful thought that IL may not inter
fere with native customs the church is al
vided and the women arc kept behind
screen away from the men. I'm the front
~ the church a rail crosses before which
sit those confirmed. then those baptised
and in front Of the third rail those who
fesire 70 he members or the church-and
who during their period or study and trial
~ ndelity-through which period each
candidate must pass. A vested choir OF |
na tivss sing the hymns. 30 YOU see the
plan is we'll organized for this faith OF
,urs To cross the western sea and hold
hem,
CONVERSION OF NATIONS.
And for these nations "a become con
rerted means also A lot Of petty perse-
times tantalizing In spite
VI this however. many do attach them
selves to the faith and the church with
' ufNoNiNN WHICH mahet inem a. nelOnc- 4
ng body and soul 10 God How IL our
message to be carried 10 the hearts OF
hose people. and how are We 10 impress !
hem with the love and presence OF God
n what is going on around them, IN !
hem7 We tell him ss best we can and |
10 goes home nnd thinks and though he
nav a. first renounce II. still he thinks
md often comes 10 a missionary or the
hurch and wants 10 learn more and
nore and I'm this way We win over souls
or God. But great care is exercised that
hey may appreciate baptism. and they
annot az once nc admitted hut as I have
aid. must IN church pass through n trial
,eriod OF six months. The per cent Of
10Th baptlsms and combinations now In
Fesses 22 per cent ~ those already con-
lrmed per year
Also. We have some Of the best schools
n china. ST Johns IN Shanghai does n
Irest work which trusi you will scauaint
ourselves with. n IL through this school
y ST. Johns that Ne are IN large meas
ire trying 20 plant Christian spirit and
principles in China. Men from
here go odt 10 broaden their land 10 the