The Washington herald., 1907-05-05

From The Nsw York ETeBlng Post
TO an American business firm. Olyphant
& Co. of New York. trading in Canton
and the East. belongs much Of the credit
for the encouragement and support which
made possible Protestant mission effort IN
the Chinese empire. In 1907. just 100 years
ago, Robert Morrison, the nTst Protestant
missionary 10 China, although appointed
By British missionary society. found
difficulty in securing passage in any ship
OF the East India Company. He came TO
New York At that time there was little
interest in foreign missions in the United
States. Morrison found friends. however.
in America, It was James Madison, Sec
retary Of State who furnished him with
letters 20 the American consul at Canton,
and ii was on an American ship. By per-
mission Of Oiyphant q Co, that this
brave British missionary finally found
passage fof China.
It was again SIR. Olyphant who urged
the American board TO send American
missionaries 10 China. But il was not
until twenty-three years after Morrison
sailed that the first two American mis-
sionaries, Bridgman and Abcel. could rep
resent the American Protestant churches
In that great empire From the first.
mission effort had been steadily opposed
by the Chinese government, and the
white traders were almost universally out
Of sympathey with the movement. Much
honor is due 10 the aforementioned firm
or American business men. who en-
couraged and backed financially a propa-
ganda which seemed at the time almost
impossible to succeed and demanded a
financial investment altogether disprO-
portionate to the then probable returns.
At the eolsa Of the opium war in 1872.
when finally five ports were open 20 for
eign residence and trade, the outlook was
still more inspiring. the whole Protestant
missionary force consisting Of but twenty
foreign missionaries. and there were six
Chinese converts.
Morrison Sails for China.
Before Morrison sailed for China.
sneering ship owner is reported to have
said TO him, And so, MI Morrison,
you really expect you viii make an i'm
preston on the idolatry Of the great Chi
nese empire NO. sir" was the ring
44+5 dAS8EIs J E4pECt Zoo VIII 1AtEEe-
five years had passed and bis prophecy
was far from being fulfilled.
The foundations. however. had been
laid by these early missionaries. The
Bible has been translated. a dictionary
prepared. scholars taught, and actual
openings found for direct medical and
evangelstic effort. From 1872 until the
present the work has progressed stead
ily and IN constantly increasing ratio TO
the foreign effort expended. The native
church has doubled each seven years and
the foreign mission force every ten years.
There are now 8SS3 missionaries. and per-
haps fifty times that number of Christian
natives members Of the various churches;
while I0.0o0 and more Chinese ministers.
teachers. and physicians are efficient
helpers 10 their white brothers in the
evangelization of their own native land.
Nor must It be forgotten that the interior
of China is yet far from being occupied.
81 per cent Of the converts living in the
maritime provinces alone
One hundred years of Protestant mis-
sion effort for China-sixty Of these ac-
tually conducted on Chinese sofia Chris
tan constituency of 2da0J0 among go
coo nOn-Christian-this is the statis-
teal summary Of the China missions.