Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-11-13
Returns From the Celestial King
dom After Seven Years.
TALKS OF CONDITIONS OVER THERE
is Missionary and His Home is in
North Enelish--WilI Spend His
Furloush of One. Year in That
Place.

North English, Nov 11.--Word has
reached here that Rev Thomas Bowen
q Methodist minister from Foochow,
China, whose home is in this place, is
in Omaha. Mr. Owen has just re-
turned to his native country on a
years ful1ough after service of seven
years in the Orient. He will proceed
directly from Omaha to Albany, N. y,
to attend an important missionary
meeting and then come back to Iowa
to spend the greater part of his va
cation at his old home. OF the work
and the field of the missionary in
China Mr. Owen says:
In consideration of the vast popu-
lation OF 400,000,000 it would seem
that 100000 Christian Chinese is
poor showing for fifty or sixty years,
work, but you can't form your decision
upon such superficial basis.
THE first Protestant missionary to
enter China went there ninety-two
years ago. but his work was sur
rounded with such dangers and disas-
tiers that it became impossible to pro-
coed with it. 1t was practically aban-
doned and not taken up for about forty
years. But this is not the extent of
missionary work in China by any
means. The Catholics after a service
of 300 years claim 100000 converts.
when the centuries OF idolatry,
superstition and tradition of the Chin
csc are considered it must be admitted
that Christianity has made wonderful
progress there. A vast amount of good
the surface. Seeds have been sown
,;Dl, No fnI will
day bring forth abundant fruit. We
are delighted with our labors and re-
joice at the privilege of continuing
them in a field where there is so much
to do.
"One thing the missionary of China
has in his favor. When he sees ma
tive accept the gospel he may rest as
sured of a permanent convert. These
people will die for the teachings OF
Jesus Christ when once they have
been incalculated in their minds and
hearts. No more loyal souls could be
found anywhere than these people who
have breathed the incense of heather.
ism all their lives.
II cannot say that the Chinese are
ready to welcome the Christian mis-.
sionary OF course it is well known OF
these people tnat tney are strongly
welded to their own strange doctrines
and they resent what is usually con
sidered by them the Entertainments OF
intrusions OF the teachers and preach
ers of the cross But there is way
of getting around this difficult obstacle
ard the missionaries, after years Of
careful and prayerful thought ant
study, have learned that way.
"One of the most Serious problems
which confronts the missionary is the
use of the various dialects. In my
province. Tookien, there are four dia
lects. | have acquired the use of two
so | can converse intelligently ant
preach in them, and then | have ac
quired the use of two other dialects
but still have to master the other two
OF my own province This requires
hard, ceaseless work.
IF the people of this Christian ma
tion were half as liberal and jealous
In contributing their means to sprea,
the gospel as are those people VIII,
have accepted it over yonder in distan
China one OF the most formidable OF
stacles in the way of the church
work in carrying the word of God t.
the heather would be overcome"