El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-01-28

the 1Cung Men S CHRISTIAN as
+ ISOLATION in China finds that he has to
deal with something more than a re-
: ligious propaganda. He has merely to
get in casual touch with this movement
: to learn that it has made remarkable
: progress in a very short time; that it
was q vital element IN the forces that
moved China to turn en- masse to better
I Things; that it is eXerting a mighty in
uuence in the organization of the
= Chlnese republic on a firm and broad
! foundation, and that it is destined to
: flame among the greater lights which
/ the hand of the Almighty has set aglow
in order that more than 400, OOO, 900 of
His children may see to step forth into
a better day.
Work started % Years Ago.
Y. NJ. c. a work was started in
China IS years ago at the request of
Protestant missionary bodies They
[ knew that it could till fields closed to
! them. They saw the need of this re-
sult-getting INSTRUMENTATION insti-
tuition The work began in a very.
small way. Lack Of funds from hone
and dense ignorance and deep prejudice
! IN China put ball and chaiH - IN every
early step that was takepe- In the first
I lew years the dOctrTfl1S of spirit mind
and body made title headWay
Inc Chlnesf5 boy, however, was pO-
( tentially Su6lendid material to work
with. Ere is eager, enthusiastic. anti
athletics. Finally results began to
show in the centers such as HOngkOng.
Shanghai and Tientsin, where foreign
7 influence was the greatest More and
more young men of good family and
modern education turned to it, became
! Christians and then native secretaries.
/ Official suspicion gradually changed
into sympathy and practical support.
throughout the country. Work on an
extensive scale is being done in Shang-
hal, Pekin Tientsin ChenGtu, Canton.
I ChanSchow, ChefOo. Hongkong and
HOngkong European. The value of the
buildings and grounds is nearly Sc, 000,-
I 600. Five years ago there were 2S for
eign and 16 Chinese secretaries. This
year shows roster of IS foreign, near
" all American, and 50 Chinese secre-
taries. This growth in Chinese secTe--
taries is significant. IT is also inter
esting TO note that One-third of the
foreign staff is now supported by other
agencies than the international COM
mittee of the Y. NJ c. A. in New York.
Furthermore, the Chinese themselves
are expected to make their associations
self-suppOrting and are beginning to
do so.
Revolt ImperIIed Work.
Last years revolution greatly imper-
lied Y. NJ. c. A. work in China, despite
the fact that it had, consciously OF IN
consciously, helped to bring it about,
and will in future be greatly benefited
by the change. Many Of the Chinese
secretaries, members of the boards of
directors and members became soldiers
of the revolt The associations went
broke" to a great extent. Officials
who had subscribed regularly and gen
erOuSly were either in hiding -8r had
been killed. AS one city after another
was looted many rich supporters be-
came refugees and paupeTs- All schools.
colleges and most other public insti-
tutions were closed Rents and salaries
were in arrears. The policy of self
RI no fr7a he mt
ganizatiOn face to face with greater
danger than confronted all other re-
HgiOus bodies there. A timely emeT-
gency fund from the United States met
the crisis.
Students Volunteer For Work.
a student volunteer movement In
connection with general association af-
fairs is spreading to all the provincial
and educational centers. 1t is a note
worthy fact that the best results are
being obtained in the government
schools, the very places where the
greatest obstacles were encountered up
to the overthrow Of the Manchu dynas-
ty. The leader and moving spirit in
this far-reaching campaign is not ar
American, as might be supposed, but
young Chinese. He is pastor Ting Ii
Mel, a veritable apostle Paul Two
years ago he organized the student vol
unteer movement in China He goes
from place to place and the students
are inspired to marvellous degree, so
long after he has gone. He is training
an assistant, LANG Hahn, who was the
ragged son of an opium eater in Nan
king seven years ago, but whose life
henceforth is dedicated to this minis
try He also had five student vOlun-
teers, all working without any compen-
sation. Pastor Ting carries his work
to the Chinese students in Christian
colleges AMI in the past three years he
has pledged 500 to the ministry, which
is more than were secured by all the
Protestant missionary organizations IN
the first 100 years of Christian endeav-
or in China
student Conferences.
Of great importance are the annual
student conferences Twelve were held
in 1912 as against four five years ago.
Then only a handful of government
students cared or dared to enter them,
and the leadership was necessarily for
eign. Last year the conferences ware
directed by the Chinese themselves, ana
there were almost 1000 in attendance.
The most striking feature of the con-
ferences was the active participation
Of government students. Nearly 100
We're at the Pekin conference alone,
within the very shadow of the once
feared Forbidden City. Before the rev.
olution it seemed that government stu
dent conferences would have to be held
separate from those for students OF
Christian colleges. Last summer both
classes blended most tremendously. In
1911 Manchu spies attended the con-
ferences. In 1912 members Of Yuan
Shin KaTs cabinet were on the pro-
gram and delivered straight-from-the-
shoulder Christian addresses.
Need Financial Assistance.
More progress can BIT made among the
Chinese by the Y. NJ. c. a in the next Z
five years bv jumping right into the
middle of the situation than in the sub
sequent 80 years. should the assOcia-
lions not fail to make the most Of the
conditions now before them. The sec
retaries seem to be aware of their great
opportunities and are calling for more
assistance. They need twice as many
native Heutenants. More work should
be done. did funds permit, at Ching Hua.
college, the official government school
which prepares young men for matrlcu-
lation in American universities
The Chinese themselves are so
wrapped up in the cause that they are
already supporting 7. NJ g. A work
among Chinese in the United states,
and there are over 400 members IN this /
country now Not even governmental /