New Britain herald., 1915-01-16
WHAT OTHERS SAY
Views on all sides Of timely questions as discussed in ex- changes that come to Herald office.
student Campaigning in China.
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 The recent remarkably successful evangelistic tour through North China by Sherwood Eddy, the Inter- national Y. M. C. A. secretary for Asia, was preceded by careful and scientific preparation. Dr. Arthur H. Smith. the famous authority on China who has represented the American board in Picking for forty-two years, has sent home a graphic story of the doings before and during the meet ings and some of Mr Eddy's own let ters add details to the account. The executive committee responsi- ble for all the plans in Picking was made up of two men, one foreign and one Chinese, from each of five mis- sions, with Bishop Norris of the An gllcan Mission cordially cooperating. Late last spring seventy-five men were secured from mission schools and colleges, to be trained as teachers for prospective Bible classes These were organized into fifteen normal classes and the fifteen class leaders each re- ceived a weekly lesson from pr. Chang, Y. M. C. A. secretary. Meet ings were to begin in September In the meantime a study of Picking had been made. The situation of the most important institutions, educa- tional, governmental, mercantile. mil itary and police were all marked and numbered on a large map of the city. A book of fifteen pages was printed in Chinese, detailing the plans and 5000 copies were distributed to Chin csc Christians while English copies were given the missions, so that ev- erybody knew of the arrangements. Tyr.-x -l, at the Y. M. C. A., approved of the plans and gave advertising space free of charge and inserted also news ar ticles about the affair.
 When the board of the interior was asked for permission to put up a mat shed-or temporary building for the meetings it offered a location just inside the Forbidden City" next to the Central gate, something that could never have ben expected, but which could not have been bettered The war board loaned 200 tents to cover the top of the building in case Of rain; the Electric Light Go. put in the fittings for MT. Robertson's lec- lures for a very small sum. The Chinese workmen gave half rates The board of police sent special guards for the hall and a fire brigade with hose cart and equipment encamped near the building during the meet ingS
 The president and vice president both granted interviews to MT. Eddy. which in the minds of the Chinese gave official sanction to the meetings, the minister of education gave'a hol- iday to all students who wished to at tend the opening service. During the Picking campaign MT Eddy ad- dressed, according to the records kept, 2O,O23 persons: 2,2O5 joined Bible study classes; 1O4 others de- cided to declare themselves Chris tians. Of those recorded as inouir- CTS. forty-one are officials, 5O4 older students, 54S boys, 15O merchants thirty-one military and police, 643 miscellaneous
 MT Eddys own letters give pic- turesque details of his meetings in three great cities in the Yangtze val ley. In Wuchange in spite of pour ing rain for the two or three days about 5000 men attended the meet ings. 2,OO0 staying to the after ser vice and 400 joining Bible classes A year ago Wuchang refused permission even to look into the great Heroes temple of the city" This year the meetings were held in that very tenn pie and the governor put up at his own expense a large pavilion with seats, installed electric lights and telephone service and served tea for all guests.
 At Soochow tho old walled city where Chinese Gordon fought in the days Of the Tai Ping rebellion a great tent in the central square sheltered the crowds. One meeting here WAS attended by 1000 women students. Mrs. Eddy has been addressing tho women in various cities. but tbis number was notable.
 In HangchOw, tho southern center of conservatism and culture MT. Ed dy spoke in the modern theator. whose Confucian owners cancelled an important theatrical. engagement and gave the use of the building free of charge for three days. Four thous and students attended as well as off, Cials and leaders of trade. The young governor of this province-onIy . thirty-fiNc years of agC-with his . young secretary of state, Ina fought opium till now the province is abso- lutely clear of it. The governor has given two and a half acres of land in the heart of the Manchu city for the site of Y. M. (. A. building and on the Sunday following the Eddy Iec- lures the secretary Of state publicly Drofessed Christianity and was bap- tized.
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