The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-02-09
THE CHURCH IN CHINA
GREAT PROGRESS MADE IN FIFTY
YEARS-NEARLY TWO MILLION
CONVERTS AND HALF A MIL
LION OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
AND SUMMARIES.

Fifty years ago, when the great
missionary movement commenced.
Catholic converts were but mere
handful of 100000 souls. Today they
number close on 100000, or, to
speak according to the latest returns
of 1915, they are 1,750,675-that is,
they have increased skiold during
the last fifty years. TO these must
be added 24,600 probationers for bap-
tism, who, when well instructed and
prepared, will soon swell the ranks
above 100000. Converts are recruit
ed from all classes: literary, indus
trial, laboring, and even a few from
official ranks. The present-day Min
lister of Foreign Affairs is a Catholic
and thoroughly loyal to his country
and it's best interests.
The Chinese convert is tested long,
| generally year or two, before be-
ing received into the Church. He
must give up polygamy, opium-smok-
ing, gambling and all superstitious
| practices. During his probation he
must learn the doctrine, prayers and
practices of the Church. All this as
| sures that his desire is solid and real.
Once Christian, he is sincerely at
tached to his religion, and thousands
have given ample proof of their faith,
and laid down their lives rather than
recant during the Boxer outbreak of
1900. He loves his clergy and helps
them in building churches, erecting
schools and hospitals, so far as he
can.
| Educational Work.
Besides the conversion of pagans,
the Catholic Church in China main
tains numerous seminaries for the
formation of the native clergy, and
carries on educational work in
schools and colleges. The Shanghai
Mission, one of the most flOurishine
of China today and reckoning 228,
900 converts, has two seminaries, 6
university. two large colleges (attend
ance LTD, two converts for girls
attendance 500, an observatory, 6
museum of natural history, an in
dustrial school and printing press
which excite the admiration of al
visitors
These splendid results have beer
secured with a small staff of me1
and helpers and with very limited re
sources. They are therefore the more
wonderful and the more honorable
for the Catholic missionaries. l
Catholics had the wealth and thu
equipment of Protestant missions
their results would simply stagge
the world
A Striking Comparison.
!, The Anglican Church in Chin'
reckons today II missionary bishops
1876 ordained ministers, 34,755 bapti7
, ed converts, including communicate
and 1868 probationers for baptism
The total foreign staff, including
| wives of missionaries, is 752, Will
, the native helpers number 1911. IRE
' port of the General Synod held a
= Shanghai, April, 1879. The total II
E turns of 1914 give the following stf
tistics for the 103 Protestant demon
, nations now working in China; Bal
lied Christian converts, 207,747, O
;, only one-eighth of those reckoned
! Catholics; probationers, 4S,462; fo1
! eign missionaries (men and women
: 5,186; ordained Chinese minister!
$50; lay native helpers, 1920. Their
9 is studied resolve among Prote'
;, tants to ignore Catholic work i
;, China. The above statistics will di
y pei many illusions, and lay befor
= every impartial reader the true stat
and real results of both competitor