The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-02-19
Starving China.

All our readers have heard of the
famine in China, but few of them, per-
haps, realize that thousands OF men,
women and children in that country arc
actually starving to death for lack of
food. The floods destroyed their crops,
and they have nothing to sustain life.
II food and clothing are not sent to
them. they must perish.
In order to bring the subject home to
The people of this community, we re-
produce the following extract from a
letter recently received by student at
The Union Theological Seminary from
his friend, DR.. a, a. AIcFadyen, a grad
uate Of Davidson College, North Carolina,
who is now missionary in China. He
says:
Il cannot close without saying few
words about the famine that is all
around u.s. 1t is hard to live In COM
paratiye comfort and know that all
around YOU people are dying for lack
OF food and clothing. But what is the
mite that We can give among SO many?
Already there are two committees which
are making appeals for money the world
over to help out these poor people.
There are 100000 who are face 10 face
with starvation right now. By the mid
die OF February they will be dying by
thousands unless helped to great eN-
tens by the outside world. We see lots
OF them now who have Very little TO eat
We hope and pray that America may
forget the boycott and all that China
has done TO oppose her, and may give
liberally from her abundance to those
who have nothing. And may it not be
possible that God will use this famine
to bring China to 2 better appreciation
of what Christianity is, and OF what
a she herself lacks2 1t Is not Impossible
that good may come out OF evil. since
/. God is on the throne. Lot Us all pray
that China may be enabled to see the
truth as 1t Is revealed in Christ, and in
Him may she find all fulness of JOY.
The intimation that the people OF this
country harbor any feeling of resent
ment against China because Of the boy
colt is not to be mentioned in con-
nection like this Few of our people
have ever given the boycott more than
a passing thought, but even If they had
even If they cherished recruitment, they
would not be deferred from giving
Il . a" l.
bread to a starving Chinaman. "Onc
touch of nature makes the whole world
kin" China is in distress, and we must
send relief.
There is timely suggestion In Dr.
McFadyen's letter. Tor many years VIC
have been trying to introduce Chris.
DAINTY into China. There is now an
opportunity for those of us who profess
and call ourselves Christians TO give the
Chinese an object lesson in practical
Christianity. Christianity is the reli'
gion that speaks by action, not by empty
words that does not content itself with
saying, Be We clothed and be ye fed
but goes TO the poor with food and cloth
ing, and carries solid comfort with itS
words of religious cheer
we of America may now show TN
Chinese that Christianity practices wha
81 breaches: that it does not cherish re
sentiment that its doctrine is III thin
enemy hunger, feed him. that Its ca
is never deaf to the cry of distress. w
have the opportunity to do the best sor
OF missionary work and to give IN
cause OF missions a signal Impetus.
The Times Dispatch VIII receive con
tributions for the relief of starvn
China, ana sac that the funds receive
go 10 the right place.