The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-02-22
THE TREATY OF THE ALLIED POWERS WITH
CHINA AND ITS INFLUENCE UPON MISSIONS
BY REV. W. D. WESTERVELT.

y - = % . - Q 90 q 90 Q 90 o - o -
nese accompanied it to escort the mis-
sionary. The wise teacher had wanted
an opening for work in this village
But he knew that public reception
with all its ceremonies would he an
tirely misunderstood by the ignorant
Chinese of the country roundabou
Therefore, when he learned that the
( deputation was on its way to see him.
he called his most trusted Chinese
helper, and crossing the country bv a
different route, dropped in Unexpected
ly upon the village officials. There was
no chance for public display, and yet
the invitation to enter upon church
work could not be withdrawn. The
missionary informed the officials that
under no consideration whatever would
he have anything to do with the quar-
rel in which they Were engaged with a
neighboring village, but he would be
glad then and there to instruct them in
! the principles of Christianity. Finally
| they s1fted down to a handful of earn
| est enquirers. Thus steady and sue
cessful church growth was inaugurated
| L could add story upon storv- of the
same character, which came under my
immediate knowledge, during my short
visit in China last summer But this
is sufficient to show the position in
which the Treaty has placed the Mis-
sionary, and one of the dangers aris-
ing therefrom.
There is another side to this phase
of the Treaty between the allied pow
'ers and China. True Missionary labor
has received a great stimulus from the
interest awakened among the Chinese |
who were formerly either Indifferent, |
rD,s IN.
to know what it is that has given the /
foreigner such power?
Some of the leading Cinnamon lay
ii to the superior commercial methods
of the foreigner. They encourage
young Cinnamon to go to Europe to
attend the schools of Germany and
England especially. A well educated
Chinaman attached to the German en-
bassy told me that. his son was at
tending one of the German universe
ties. I speak of this boy in order to
quote his positive and strong testi-
mony. He said 81 was invited to do
so and so, but I politely refused. They
urged me, and I said No. I am a
Christian, I cannot"
Let me give another instace of the
plan now adopted by the Chinese of
the higher class. One day in Japan,
was on a trip to one of the beautiful
sacred Islands near Yokohama. In the
car L met twelve or thirteen Chinese
students, with a japanese instructor,
who spoke English-all on their way
to the same spot. We had a pleasant
journey together. These young men
were sent from Pekin to make a thor
ough study of police methods in
Japan. This included instruction in
in saying that several hundred young
Cinnamon are in the japanese Uni
versities. military schools business col
leges, etc, preparing for the new Chi
ma, which is to appear out of the
ashes of great disasters. China wants to
better the commercial and
civil life of the more advanced ma
tions. ztBaH HH#
Other Cinnamon feel that education
is "China's only hope In thirteen
provinces steps are being taken to-
ward establishing some kind of pub {
tic school system. In Nankin I saw
the prepared foundations, the piles of !,
brick and tile, and the groups of work !
ing men, for the two new public
school buildings, which were being 8
erected at the command of the Vice
roy resident in Nankin. In passing let
me say. that, in front of the great
COWS of cells of the University, or Col
ege in Nankin for the triennial ex-
animation of students in the classics,
found booth after booth, with mod
ern appliances such as audiphones for
he amusement of the people.
Now all this interest in commercial t
and educational matters leads to a 1
genuine as well as false interest in ]
Christianity itself. The back seats ]
and doorways of the churches and 2
,bapels entice many a Chinaman, who
wants to know why the missionary is
and what it is that he is
.elling. The result is already a large :
md rapid increase of church adher-
ents, who are genuinely interested in
he new truths.
The very fact that the treaty pro-
ects the Chinese Christians and opens
he way for missionary assistance, in {
lines of palpable injustice, has {
brought a host of sincere inquirers I'M 2
Ter the influence of the Christian 7
eachers of China +