The Detroit times., 1917-11-05


mere maintenance 81 life into iusig
nitcanco. is the supreme need or
China ~ she can by any means br
brought into the fellowship ~ fLe
saCrlnciai conduct OF the warning ma
lions, her Joining OF ihc Allies will
bo the most beneficial Act Ga her his
tory China. "a "a whole. has neither
patriotism nor devotion 90 any al
uuistic ideal II she may acquire
something ~ the same spirit OF ma
fionalism that characterize Japan,
or the other warning nations, she
viii have entered into the nhcri
lance that VIII save her life
Whether tne sclf-engros smont and
lack OF courage which have az late
been $50 Conspicuously displayed in
china are an outgrowth OF Confu-
giauiam or not ~ ia rather booiloss
I'D consider. This war has brought
mankind so sluarely up against
present verltIes that Wa are inter
ostcd more In what is 20 be than iu
! hat has been tho twentieth cen
Jury cares more for consequences
than for causes. Az things exist,
china cannot hope 10 maintain her.
self against internal disintegratlon
or external oppression. she simply
must come under The sway or great
master motives II she IS 20 live
None OF tho nations participating In
the world war more seriously needs
10 rcceive from The experience n re
birth OF spirit than old China.
Reaction and Indifference
Some lifelong students OF condi
lions I'm china told mo that there f.
"a mood OK religious reaction now
manifest in China. A. the begin
ning ~ The republic there was dis
position 20 accept Christianity. along
with other benefits OF the west Now
'ha, pirit has passed Others.
equally qualified 20 Judge, only part
iy assented 20 this Their jldgnen
rs Thar he present attitude or China
toward all religion IS one OF indif
ference. Tho influx OF new fashions,
and 90 war prosperity, which south
China ia particular has shared. has
/ diverted the minds ot The people
from religion and from the war /.
srf
ono may travel long IN China
without seeing any signs wha,eycf
o.. he peoples interest !n religion
side from the holidays. which an
have semi religious character.
there Us scan. recognition OF thc
temples Zeal for tue Ola faiths
CoNfucianlsm. Buddhism and Tao
iem. is difficult 20 find Nor has
there been any such Widest rcod
frf -, mo- f'frtfrffsrrfts- t...ttf.I
Erust itself upon Tho attention on
thc traveller or casual observer
Thousands OF foreigners 90 ~ China
every year without seeing any sign
of china religious interest. hea,hen
or Christian The Chinese ave not
religious people. as Indians or
even japanese arc religious. They
are FIRST ~ an materialists
a Little LeaVen IN a Large Lump
This does not mean thar there are
not great many earnest Christians
end ruddhsts and other rohglonists
I'm China II is only stating. IN per
feet candor. The general condition ~
tle nation Whoever searches for
90 viii and a great deal OF success
tul missionary work under way in
China There are also shining ex.
amplcs ~ beautiful Christian char
meter 20 be found among tho con.
ycrts. But as yet Christianity has
not produced among the Chinese
either a national leader or national
purpose OF eef denying patriotism
That The little heaven OF Christian
'y Is leaven.nE This huge Jump OF
d q. lad %. ffn
Here. for example, are Chinese
Christians. from the districts whore
American famine relief funds were
ADMIN .ttered few years ago. send
ing substantial gifts % ~, suffering
NrmenIans IN the large new de
paTtmCnt store IN Canton there IS
welfare organization called The
Sincere Christian association" a
variety OF social service work ~
done IN Picking and elsewhere by
Chinese Christians
Curious evidences OF tho permea-
ton OF Chinese thought by Chris
ton imagery and phraseologv In
trIde themselves upon the attention
of The observer who even confines
himself 20 politics The daily news-
papers ISSUED In English by Chinese /
seem 10 be mostly written bv men
trained I'm Christian schools. for
their figures OF speech are largely
taken from the bible. and not from
tho Confucian classics. During the
recent Chinese crisis there appeared
in mo Picking Gazette n remarkable |
document signed by The women of
china" and called an appeal FOR
God and our country" Its arracn.
mont OF tho pusiliauimity OF the ON |
0ials was unsparing. bur more re-
markablc was its mixture 81 Scrip
inral and American idioms. MS when !
the women adiurpd China to grid
up orr loins and try 90 so tho Jap
anes" ono step better again. "Oh.
Che shame of This selfish spirit Does
rot the Book say truly. What doth /
it profit a man 10 no gain Tho whole J