Los Angeles herald., 1910-03-21
RETURNS FROM
CHINESE MISSION
ST. JOHNS FORMER RECTOR Is
VISITING HERE
TELLS OF WORK BEING DONE IN
THE ORIENTAL FIELD
DR.. Rideeiey, on q Six Months Fur-
Tough from Post at Wuchang,
Will Speak at Local
Services

Or. Laurence r. Ridgeley. formerly
rector of ST. Johns Episcopal church
in Los Angeles. accompanied by Mrs.
Ridgoley arrived yesterday from
Hankow, China, via san Francisco, and
are staying at the home of Mrs. p. G..
Hubert. 2l44 Hobart boulevard. Dr.
RidSeley is on a six months furlough
from his post as dean OF the theologi-
cal college Of Boone university at
| WuChang, province of Hu Peh, which
he has occupied for the past five years,
and expressed himself as being de
lighted to get back to Los Angeles if
only for a short visit He was kept
busy Yesterday receiving calls from
his old parishoncrs, with whom he
was very popular
He win leave for Milwaukee on
April to attend the Laymen's Mis-
sionary convention. and will afteTWard
visit New York and other eastern
cities and Cndeavor to interest instruC-
tors i'm the university studies TO a'-
company him on his return tn the
floWery kingdom. While in Los Angc-
les. DR. Ridgoloy win speak at the
parish house Of st. Paul's church, on
Olive street, opposite Central park. on
Tuesday afternoon. and on Wednesday
evening N
of St Augustine's church at Santa
Monica on missionary work i'm China.
on Good Friday he will preside at the
three hours service In st. Matthias
church
pr. Ridgelev viii also officiste at St.
| Matthias at the morning service on
Easter Sunday; at 3 o'clock in the
afternoon he will preach at ST. An
| drcw's church, and at 4:3o at St.
Johns church.
"Educational work in China is meet
ing with great favor from the present
administration of the empire" said
| Dr. Ridgeley. "and at our last COM
mencoment the viceroy Of the province
| sent one of his deputies to represent
him in the exercises. our students are
for the most part from the middle
! class of Chinese, although Of every
| previous condition Of religious belief.
! One of the members Of our first grad
uating class was grandson of a
! Christian while another was a new
convert from heathenism. The fact
/ that the university pays its current
! expenses from the tuitiOns Of the stu
dents is the best evidence Of its sue
cess. as orr students pay fees which
seem considerable to 4 Chinese, in
preference to attending free govern
ment college. The city of HankoW.
often spo<en of as the Chicago of
| China on account Of its geographical
and commercial similarity, contains
forty y-eight such schools and colleges.
"China possesses q charm which
those who successfully pass through
the three years necessary to become
acclimated end familiar with the
language seldom overcome. The city
of Wuchang. in which the university
is located. is one Of the old walled
cities and the gates are locked every
night from sunset to sunrise. The col
lege buildings. twelve in number. are
located on a 20-acrc campus, and are
very comfortable except in summer
when the heat drives everyone to the
mountains Across the river Yang Use,
which is a mile wide at this point is
the modern city Of HankOW with tele-
phones, electric lights, paved streets,
up-to-date plumbing and railroads. II
is the head of navigation on the Yang
Use and the largest cargo boats of
the ocean going steamship lines sail
up from the ocean, 600 miles away. y
railroad runs to Peking. 500 miles due
north and another is being constructed
to Hon" Kong, about the same dis
tance TO the south. Commerce also
pours into the city from the upper
reaches of the Yang Use and the river
Han. which empties into the Yang Use
at this point so that Hangkow is one
of the most important interior cities
of China.
The entire valley Of the Yang Use
Kiang is set apart ass the territory of
the American Episcopal church. by
agreement with the English church.
which dovotoe its efforts to the other
provinces. The work Of Christiauiza-
tion is carried on as far as possible BY
the native graduates Of the theological
college at Boone university at WI
Il, T..t., 4
Shanghai. who are regularly ordained
as rectOrs of the various parishes, be-
ing promoted to the higher posts i'm the
church. until now only the bishoprcg
are filled by Americans or ENGLISH
men"