Los Angeles herald., 1906-02-18
DEFENDS THE
MISSIONARIES
THEY GIVE CHINESE MORAL
t. UPLlFT"
Or. Barrie Of Customs Service Says
Empire Was Never More
Ready to Receive
Gospel

DR.. II. q. Barrie Of the customs
medical service in Chang sha, China,
who is spending the winter in Los
Angeles, gave an interview to o Her
aid representative yesterday on the
situation In the far east. The doctor,
from his years of service In China In a
field that brought him in close touch
with officials of the government, Is
qualified to speak authoritatively on
the subject.
He expressed strong depreciation of
the reports which have been widely
spread since the beginning of the up
rising, that the movement Is anti
missionary.
He wishes to refute particularly the
statement made by II. G.. Carmichael
of San Francisco, formerly a pilot on
the Shanghai river, sent out by the
Associated Press February 16, in which
the missionaries are charged with being
more interested in self-a ACKNOWLEDGMENT
than in the welfare OF the Chinese.
''It is we'll to keep clear from the
outset that the troubles in China are
not missionary, but anti-foreign,"
said DR.. Barrie.
Refutes the Pilots
"TI. G. Carmichael grossly reflects on
the missionaries in China in his state
ment. 1t Is absolutely unfair to the
body of able and devoted men and wo-
men laboring in China. Who Is this
Pilot Carmichael?' 1 am acquainted
with a number of pilots in and about
Shanghai and know that this class
of men is not in a position to speak
authoritatively on missionary ques-
tons. If Pilot Carmichael is capable
Of doing so, he is, doubtless, an excep-
ton to the rule
''Pilots have considerable leisure,
and, when not actively engaged In
their responsible duties of plotting sea-
craft on or about the rivers of Shang-
hal, might easily become better in
formed on this question than Mr.. Car
michael evidently is. Unfortunately,
whatever information pilots pick up is
generally second hand, and in the dis
torted form in which it gets to their
ears provides material for gossip at
dinner and wine parties.
His saying that missionaries are
about as much qualified for their work
as second-rate cobblerS' is a gross mis-
statement.
Educated Men
1.-THE great majority of missionaries
in China are educated and carefully
selected men and women. The ability
rogatory to body that has received
the highest encomiums from such men
S the Hon. Chas. DENLY, late u. S.
minister to China, and u. S. Minister
Conger can only come from man,
who, however much experience he may
have in plotting vessels, shows by his
very statements that his capacity to
handle the missionary question is dis
tinctly limited.
oil fairnecc 10 fhn fniSSiOD1rV
body L have at least the right to say
that it is qualified in an eminent de-
gree to discharge the arduous and
responsible duties the board imposes.
IT would refer their critics to what
was said by the Hun. Il. r. Jernigan,
recent U. S. minister. to China. He
says: There ought to be no patience
with the sentiment that goes out to
the great outer world which is separ-
ated by the seas from this ancient
empire depreciating the missionaries
and missionary work. 1t is a senti-
lnent that does not commend those who
indulge in it and cannot be supported
by evidence that would be admitted
in any court of justice
eff Pilot Carmichael can prove his
statements by this standard he will
be doing favor to the many church
goers in the United States and Great
Britain, who are supporting mission
aries in China.
A Sacrificing Body
GAS to the question of missionaries
looking after their own welfare rather
than that of the Chinese, am per-
sonally acquainted with scores who are
laboring without any stated salary
from home. They make nothing in
China and consequently live a self
sacrificing life for the moral and spr-
itual uplift of the people. In spite
of the present political and commercial
upheaVals in China, missionary work
was never more encouraging, nor the
people of China more ready to receive
the gospel. What is needed Is an aug
mentation of the present force in the
field and increased funds to carry on
the work, which is sadly crippled for
lack of men and money.
I'm ten years China will be we'll able
to manage her own affairs and will
not want any foreigners with the pos
sible exception of the japanese. The
Chinese fear Japanese influence but at
the present time find it to their adj
vantage to remain under the tuteage
of the Japanese until they learn the
secret of their power.
at is not their power they fear:
they are eager to learn the power of
western civilization, but they fear the
man behind the power, whether Japa-
nese or American.
AS to the question of getting con-
cessions from China, it is impossible
for any but Japanese to secure them
and they are finding it is increasingly
difficult"