Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-14
CHINESE HAVE THEIR OWN OPIN-
ION OF MISSIONARY WORK.

aries from the French. It is the last
named who have assumed civil authority,
and who have created most Of the conflicts
between the Chinese and the missionaries
That subject, however, demands an article
by itself.
The white man is in China, but not OF it.
He has, Sir Robert Hart reminded me.
more privileges here than anywhere else
in the world. He is amenable to no Chinese
law. The natives regard him with fear,
and at least outward Difference. jim
ricksha man pulling a foreigner does not
hesitate to violate all the rules of the road.
Extra-territorialty has given the subjects
of other nations privileges which they have
not hesitated to abuse. The Chinese be-
lieve. and with reason, that every foreigner
considers himself a superior being and Of
superior race.
1t is common for white men to treat
the yellow as lower animals. 1 have seen
them kicked, beaten, cuffed, showed and
their queues pulled upon the slightest provo
strike a Chinese, but 1 know of rare cases
in which it has been done. l have occa-
sionally witnessed a disregard for the
rights and feelings of the native, a fell
low man. on the part Of the missionary.
To cite trivial illustration My steamer
rug was hanging on the arm of a mission
airy in crowd of Chinese. One of the
latter, impelled by mere curiosity, began
idly to finger the texture of the rug. At
once the missionary jerked it away, with
a snarl, as if the man had injured it. That
missonarys chances of helping that man 8
soul are rather slim.
AS a background for all consideration of
all things Chinese, these regrettable effects
of extra -territoriality, and of the white
mans sense of racial superiority, must be
borne in mind; they will illuminate the re-
port of troubles that arise in this monster
nation, which is awakening, bewildered.
from the sleep of centuries. All my inter-
views with the Chinese have largely ex-
onerated the missionaries upon this point.
l myself have been harder upon them, in
the preceding paragraph. than the Chinese
have been. 1t cannot be questioned that
the great mass of missionaries here really
care for the Chinese and are honestly en-
deavoring to serve them. The loyalty of
the missionaries to the native, when con-
trasted with the contempt and disfavor of
most other foreigners, is really remark
able.
Whatever fault they find with other
phases of mission work-and many have
scant patience with the distinctively re-
ligious propaganda-the Chinese have unani-
mously praised the medical and educational
branches. Remember that this nation of
400 900, COO persons has no modern medical
science, outside of the missions. and that
there Is no end of sickness, much of 1t
due to ignorance and filth. The ordinary
| medical missionary treats from 5000 to
1000 dispensary cases year.
So this humanitarian work, which writes
its own good record in the healed bodies of
the people. comes in for nothing but praise.
Some of the officials manifested sincere
gratitude in speaking of what the mission
aries had done in this direction for China.
| Similarly, concerning the educational
work of missions, l could elicit only one
| opinion. Until within five years China has
| had nothing of what the west could call
| education, except as the missions gave it.
| Chinese statesmen and philosophers were
! ignorant of the simplest facts of geography,
| history and nature such as any ten-year-
old boy in America understood. The lead
| ers of new China freely credit the mission
schools with having awakened the educa-
| tional impulse in the nation, and with hav-
| ing pioneered the way.
| Curiously enough, some of the educated
I Chinese. avowedly non-Christian, displayed
| such knowledge of the genius of Chris
| tianity as to reproach it for having done so
| little for China. Yes" said one, Il grant
| that missions have done great deal in an
! educational way for China. but nothing like
what they should have DONE In passing
| judgment upon the missions and mission
| aries. most of these Chinese assume the
| Christian viewpoint. Thus, the Chinese
| constantly treat their own people with
| greater cruelty and heartlessness than do
| the foreigners, yet they declare that even
| an air or superiority toward the poorest
| natives is reprehensible on the part of the
missionary. A Chinese may revile and beat
| and kick his countryman, but foreigner
| may not speak sharply to him.
|
| ~
| Despite the fame and unquestioned serv-
| ice of many veteran missionaries to the
Chinese people, several Chinese stated to
| me that the later work of the missionaries
! is wiser and better than tat of former
, days; or, as one expressed. it, that 1.-The past
| ten years have accomplished more than
| the previous ninety The praise for the
| younger men has been pronounced; but this
| is not unexpected. when one has seen the
character and caliber of the recent crop of
Observation-Disclosures it would be difficult to
! see how they could surpass the many
giants whose fame is part of the history of
Chinese missions.
When it came to speaking of the matter
of converts most official Chinese raised
| their eyebrows or shrugged their shoulders.
Il think very few of them are honest" said
one; "they are after the missionaries
money, protection or prestige" Again
THE missionaries have reached only the
lowest classes of Chinese" Careful inquiry
among the missionaries themselves has con-