The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-08-30
MRS. MERWlN
ON CHINA OF
Z O[)AY
SUPERSTITION PLAYS A MOST IM-
PORTANT PART.
Over.PopuIated Sections Where There
is Fierce struggle For Exist
ence-WiIl Not Mine Coal,

A large audience gathered in the
First Presbyterian church yesterday
morning TO listen 10 the address by
DR.. Caroline Shaw Merwin OF Tsan-
anglu. China. upon the needs and life
of the people OF inland China, The
theme Of the address was the practi-
cal changes resulting from the med-
cal, educational and eyangeliStlc work
of q mission station in needy condl-
ton Ike that found In the interior
of China. The speaker mentioned
especially the changes resultant from
new and improved methods of labor
One of the most prevalent troubles In
a country having a population OF 1000
10 a square mile Is the struggle TO
obtain enough food Famine and want.
poverty and suffering are common
(Ncw York state had In 1900 a pop
ulatlon of l3l 10 a square mlle) The
condition In China can be vastly i'm
proved by teaching new methods of
farming, introducing better seeds and
new varieties of vegetables. and by
teaching modern Housekeeping and
thus preventing waste. The Christian
Chinese and those trained In the mis-
sion school soon show a very great
improvement in these simple but very
much needed lines OF work and the
old Chinese corn (like our broom corn
or the Egyptian corn of past ages)
gives place to maze, wheat bread sup
plants millet mush, and many Amerl-
can vegetables and fruits are easily
and plentfully grown, thus plenty
supplants want
The interior province, In which Or.
Merwin labors, Is very rich in good
hard coal. Vast fields of anthracite
containing enough fuel so geologIsts
say TO warm the world a thousand
years. yet the Chinese Will not mine
It. but depend for fuel upon the straw,
stubble, stalks and weeds from their
fields. Even the roadside grass is
gathered and oftimeS the roots OF the
corn pulled up for all the spare wood
was burned years and years ago. In
this way only enough for cooking can
be secured, so suffering from cold is
common Here the mission school
does a great work b. breaking the old
superstition and getting the Christian
and educated 10 mine coal for their
own use. The others will not.
One Of the great changes brought
about by the fully equipped mission
work Is the changed conditions of
sanitation and ventilation. Here also
the need Is very great as most OF the
homes have but one door and no win
dow, and not having fuel for heat
keep that door closed As 10 santa
tion even more Is needed In many
ways and all this can only be brought
about and Is brought about by the
careful education and training in the
schools and by the example of clean
American home in their very midst
The medical need is great. but the
work is made difficult by the prima-
tive and lowly condition of the peo-
pie. As they have no clocks, il Is
hard to tell them when 10 take medi.
cine i'm their homes The American
doctor has won the reputation of being
able to do anything Many successful
operations for cataract Of the eye leads
them to think that all blind can be
cured and many pitlful cases are ex-
peTienced wnen the blind Will not be-
lieye tina they cannot also be cured
and so remain and plead for the for
elgn devil to try. The hospital is
ever full, and though far from help
and supplies, much is done which Is
difficult even in a modern hospital.
Such are some Of the practical re-
suits of foreign missions.