The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1908-04-30
Till MISSION MAIL BAG.
OPENING A RAILROAD In CHINA.

|
Even ia the United States the open
ing of a new railroad is an event OF con-
| siderable Importance. LII CAina ~
marks an epoch. However Snorc the
line it's significance is great. me cefe-
monies connected with the recent open
ing of the San Ming railroad IN South
| China were brimful OF hoVelCy anu sus-
gestiveness. Three years ago Inc own
comnanv and they still tremble lest the
evil genius of the earth and sky will
bring them i'll luck for disturbing the
bowels of the earth. A long time ago
one of the principal directors of this
road took counsel with DR.. Z. Il. Hager,
one of the American Board missiona-
ries in Hong Kong, as to the adVlsablllty
of such an inuovatlon.Of course the doc
| tor favored the construction OF the road,
and was therefore honored with an in
yitation to 90 on this trial trip, although
several years had elapsed since ne gave
his advice. The pupils OF his school
were also invited, and on the morning
of the eyentful day the boys were wild
with excitement. Their simple morn
ing meal was scarcely touched for fear
they Would be too late, and they were
at the depot an hour in advance of the
appointed time. Three first class cars
were occupied by mandarins and Off
Gals, while the lads piled into open
ears. wearing their American uniforms.
At the market town of Hung-yip the
party was augmented by number of
foreign guests from Hong Kong, who
had been invited to inspect the line.
There were shouts of rejoicing as the
iron horse began to move, ana all along
the route crowds gathered to see this
wonderful curiosity of human Skill and
engineering. Flags and banners, in
GLIDING Stars and Stripes, added bril-
liancy to the scene.
In the evening a public dinner was
given to cong fatulate the company on
the completion of seventeen OF the Tor
ty miles to be laid. There was no boy
colt feeling against foreigners, and one
| of the Chinese officers SAID TO Dr. Ha-
ger, 81 hope America will take posses
sion of the port on the southern end of
the line so as to open it up to trade"
This road has been built entirely by the
natives, but So, 5OO,0 900 of the necessary
| funds came from Chinese in United
States. Meantime the Christian schools
in South China have been mighty in
fuence in giving the people that en-
lightenment and moral power which
are necessary to accompany the materl-
al and commercial changes now gong on
in that hoary empire. Never was there
d more favorable time for strengthening
this educational work. The locomotive
and other model inventions are well
come, but it is only righteousness that
eXalteth a nation.
LAND OF THE RISING YEAST.
of rl ont
the Orient, especially since the war
with Russia, has led to the clever char
acterizaton of that nation as the ''land
of the rising yeast" The news of that
amazing victory has filtered into re-
mote corners of the earth, and one re-
suit is a crop of newspapers sprlnglng
up among Asiatics. The names of
some of these publications are rather
I stE rtling and indicative of the revoln-
F.! ton in ideas now in progress among
! Orientas In Persia, for example, one
paper is called "Gabriels Tramp and
bears the significant picture of ali angel
flying over a thickly populated GENE
i terry, from which the dead are coming
/ forth to life. Attached to the trumpet
/ is a scroll with the Arabic motto, Glib
erty, Equality, Fraternity" The awak-
ening to national elf-consciousness
could hardly be expressed in more real
istic fashion.
One of the highest tributes paid to
! foreign missions is the fact that the
press in these countries, which is new
| factor in the education of the people, is
largely in the hands of men trained in
mission schools and colleges. The
American Board alone, through its
! Christian institutions, has furnished
more than 1000 native teachers, preach
ers, editors, judges, and men who are
pioneers in other lines OF public service.
! In the quest for leaders its schools and
colleges are recognized as places where
the best material will be found. Japan
was quick to see this. Three of the
largest newspapers in Tokyo are con-
trolled by men trained in the schools OF
! the Board, and graduates therefrom
occupy other positions of influence and
trust. This city is now the largest edu-
cational center in the world, having at
present student population of over
10000. In view of the Importance of
/ having the right kind of leaders for
making new Asia the Board is trying
| to secure a fund of 100000, which
would place its higher Institutions of
/ learning, nearly 30 in number, on self
supporting basis These are the great
factories for the manufacture of that
superior brand of yeast which has
worked so efficiently in Japan.
MANUFACTURED "RELICs."
One of the curios on exhibition in
Pittsburg, at the first international con-
vention of the Young Peoples Mission
airy Movement, which has just been held
there, was board about two feet long
by one wide bearing an inscription in
japanese. This bit of hard wood at
tracted considerable attention because
it bore the original edict against Chris
tianity issued by the Mikado no longer
ago than 1868. The translation reads
thus:
Hitherto the Christian religion has
been forbidden and the order must be
strictly kept. The corrupt religion is
strictly forbidden. Done in the 3rd
month of the 4th of Kyo March, 1863.
This order was nailed Oh public build
ings and elsewhere throughout the
empire, and only a few of the originals
are in existence. These now command
such high price for their historic value
that the quick-witted Japanese are
manufacturing duplicates, and burying
them for awhile in the ground in order
to give the wood the proper appear
ance of antiquity! The one shown at
Pittsburg is an original in the possess
cian of nr tI he Forest a mission.