The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-26
China. The Wonderland.

lnaE the only greatness Is W ISd1l1C
God tremendously.
China: The Wonderland.
TeFse Comments for December %,
"The New Life of China" (For-
sign Missionary Meeting) Eek
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.
Some persons think of China as a
land where laundering is the principal
business. Others recall, instin ctively,
customs. A few, wiser, know China
as the land of teeming hoFdes-feur
hundred millions of popuiation-7and
as of social inertness and indifference
alert are aware of the real significance
of the present awakening that is trans
forming China.
The new birth of a nation is more
than a political event; it is of most
personal and vital importance to null
titudes of individuals.
China has the center of the worlds
international stage. Her name is
synonymous with the awakening of the
East 1t was of interest to note, dur
ing the recent church federation con-
vention in Philadelphia, that almost all
the speakers who alluded to mission
lands or missionary conditions spoke
| only of China. That great nation, with
its powerful appeal to the imagination,
is taking strong hold of the thought
of leaders in religion politics. And
within five years the rank and file OF
people throughout the length and
breadth of civilization will be aware
of the greatness of the change that
| has come over the Middle Kingdom.
The very same forces that make
over an American or q Briton are
needed to make over Chinese.
Much fun has been poked at China
for it's attitude toward foreigners,
whom it has hitherto called foreign
devils" The Chinese really have be-
lieved that the white man is diff
| ferent-and of course, lower--erder
| of being from themselves. After all.
| though, has the attitude of Western
= people toward China been very diff
vulnerable superiority? By his atti-
| tude and by his conduct. the foreigner
| frequently shows a spirit even worse
| than that of the Chinese who cry
! foreign devil'' after the white man
| on the streets.
| The newspapers of China are at
once an evidence and an instrument
! of the nations regeneration. They
are a fearless, fighting force for the
! new day. They attack the ancient
| abuses, and set forth the claims of the
new order They portray the nature
| Of the western learning" and show
| its advantages for China. These edi-
| tors are patriots, and their honor will
be great in coming day. Already
they share with the new schools the
distinction of being the most effective
| public educators In the leading cities
\ of the empire may be found public
reading halls where the days news
paper is read to those who can not
| read for themselves. and there lectures
upon modern sciences are given In
| Picking there is even a comic journal,
| devoted to progress and reform, which
fearlessly caricatures existing evils. In
the same city is published a Woman's
Daily, which is a powerful factor in
bringing about the new order
New life for a nation. as for an in
dividual, can not be put on from the
outside, like a garment. 1t must be a
growth.
Somebody with a graphic pen should
write the story Of the new educatio
in China. 1t is a romance. In pic
turesqueness, in portentousness. and in
new found consciousness, it has no
analogy in history, except, on a smaller
; scale, the case of Japan China has
long spurned the western learning.
NoW-having been taught IN the fiery
school of the Boxer days, in the bitter
experience of the territorial rapacity
of the stronger nations, and in innu-
merable humbiings of an ancient
themselves to acquire the ways and
wisdom of the west. So by thousands
| young men have been sent abroad 10
study, returning after year or two
with a smattering of the new educa-
| ton, to become teachers. Old temples
are being turned into schools. Edu-
cational museums are being opened al
} important centers. The boys and
young men-and, most remarkable OF
) all, the girls and young women-are
| trooping to school,, as they have OPP
: portunity. There is no room for all
t the applicants, no matter how rapidly
schools multiply. The old educational
system has been abolished utterly. A
new China is being erected upon the
foundation of modern education. II
) Christianity possess any qualities of
( craftsmanship 1t will insure that this
} foundation be EeliEious
For years a stock subject for editor
! ials and essays has been 1.-THE Partition
of China" Now 1t Is assured that there
will be no such partition. Japan an6
the United States have within recent
days concluded an agreement inSurins
the nations integrity. In ten years oil
less China will be able to look out fol
| herself The world may as well make
up It's mind that 1t must reckon with
this largest and oldest of nations.
All through it's history, Christianity
has instilled into the nation a fermen
of divine discomfort" 1t has mads
! men dissatisfied with old conditions and
has set them to aspiring for a better
life. So it has been in China The mis-
| sionaries have undoubtedly been
potent factor In bringing about the new
day that seems to have dawned. Theil
teachings and lives. and the example
| of their converts, have been as leaven