Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-26
All Kinds of People Discovered
in Ranks-Majority Are No
, bic Men and Women--Many
Missionaries Live in Too
Fine Houses-How to Deal
With a Chinese Mob.
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.


Copyright, 1907 by Joseph B. Bowles.)
SHANGHAI, China.-What sort of man 10
the missionary when seen on his native
heath? China is the best place to make
answer to that question, for here IL to
be found the greatest variety of mission
aries from the China inland lay worker,
with zeal as his chief equipment, to the
eminent author and scholar and counselor
of statesmen, such as DR.. Arthur H. Smith
of the American board, DR.. w. A. P. Mar
tin Of the Presbyterian board, or DR.. Tim
othy Richards of the English Baptist So
ciety. Between these extremes range all
sorts and conditions of men.
The American conception of a missionary
Is man with book going out among the
natives preaching, preaching, preaching, al
ways and everywhere preaching, las a dy
ing man to dying men," In experience
one finds very few of these flaming gos-
pei frebrands. 1t Is rather unexpected and
disappointing to discover missionaries plod-
ding along a routine way, pretty much as
does clergyman at home. There Is prob
ably as little of accosting wayfarers in
China on the subject of religion as there
is in America. One or two exceptions
may be cited. China Is full of stories of
DIR. Hunter Corbett of Chefoo Che veteran
whom the Presbyterians last May elected
moderator of the American general as
sembly), who seems to have such a zeal
for evangeization that he breaches any
where and everywhere. 1t is told that one
time, returning from furlough in America,
he began to preach on the jetty as soon
as he landed and before going home to
greet his friends and family. In this DIR.
Corbett is almost a type to himself, al
though DR.. H. c. DuBose Southern Pres
byterian of Soochow, Is kindred spirit.
1t is said that there was more of this
sort of missionary work in the old days
than at present.
* X
The matter-of-fact life and method of
, working on the part of the missionary are
easily explained; that they are so seldom
explained Is one reason why the world
does not really understand the missionary.
Consider the case of the newcomer to the
field, it has been often set forth to me
by young missionaries who have not hest
tated to express their disappointment with
conditions. The recruit reaches the field
in a state of spiritual exaltation. He has
renowned home. friends, country and world
ly prospects in order to preach the Gospel
to the heathen Fully expectant of hard
ships and Self-denial and possible martyr
dom, he has nerved himself to the worst,
His first shock comes when he finds
welcome awaiting him in comfortable
one he has left. He looks about in vain
for the crosses that he has strengthened
his shoulders to bear. Then instead of
life on the qui vive for the conversion of
the heather, he finds existence quite a
humdrum matter. He discovers that he
is not to preach to crowds or to converse
by the wayside upon salvation, or to teach
the ignorant or to heal the SICK two solid
years must be devoted wholly to the dead
ening duty of learning the language Not
romance, but routine such as school boys
know, Is his lot. There is no glamour about
mastering Chinese characters and Chinese
PRONUNCIATION; it is all grind, grind, grind
until the poor student wonders whether,
after ALL missionary work is worth while
To the end of the chapter the missionary
remains a student of the language, and
the most proficient have hours Of despond-
ency when they feel baff1ed by It,
During these first years, which plane Off
the corners Of the souls enterprise and
initiative. the new missionary becomes
adapted to his environment; the heather
where, IN his kitchen, in his study. In every
highway and byway He meets them
whichever way he turns. Soon the mis-
sionary discovers that the heather half a
world away are far more interesting than
the heather swarming about him on every
hand In this latter fact is depressing
tremendously real in experience The Mt
mosphere Of a heather land seems to
steal a man. enthusiasms. 1t reins the
| Jog trot of the livery hack So the ordi-
| nary missionary finds himself plodding
along established lines. and living not at
| all the life he expected to live when he
sailed from his native shores
-
OF necessity, since he early learns that
| he must look upon himself as an expen-
sive piece of board property, the mission
airy must take thought for comfortable
home and physical sustenance. Thus arises
that much mooted question. the mission
| arys residence. Times without number
1t has been charged that the missionary