The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-06-07

predatory instinct of the masses of
the poor; the inesca pable pressure
upon every Chinaman to produce rice
for the next days meal: and the clan,
or family system. which holds social
structure to a rigid stability in spite
of falling dynasties, ramshackle gov
ernments and want of leadership.
A number of interesting expert
ences of the more human side of Chi
nese life were related by the Rev. Mr..
Bissonnette. A total of 900 persons
died of smallpox in the city of Foo
chow during the spring of 1919, he
says. Vaccination has no meaning to
the Chinese doctor, whose materia
medica covers a wide variety of
spiders and insects, some to be taken
alive. as well as herbs. Surgery is
confined TO the use of a long. rusty
needle TO lance boils. The centenary
proposes to send a sufficient number
of doctors and nurses to keep the
Methodist hospitals going the limit.
Mandarin Buried Dead.
81 have been living" said the mis-
sionary, for about five years in .
city of 10000 inhabitants, of whom
one-haIf are in collins above ground
Two years ago an enterprising man
DARN ordered all these collins to be
buried within two months. A fine of
81 per month was assessed for each
coffin that remained unburied. For
two months the chief business of the
town was funerals The hills every
where were trenched and gashed into
graves. The mandarin was removed
before half the collins were buried,
but he had collected Thousands of dol
lars in fines.
Every year 100000 American
cigarets are sold in China. There are
five American business agents in large
cities. One time the wife of a man
DARN came to a Methodist church in
Kutieu. sat quietly on the front pew
for a few minutes, then called to her
military escort outside to give her a
cigaret. She smoked all during the
sermon. but had seen pictures of
American women smoking and
thought she was doing the proper
thing"
The need of dentists is almost as
great as the need of doctors, the mis-
sionary declared A Chinese dentist
an old bridge in Foochow. With a
collection of human teeth hung upon
a string two feet long, and a collection
of rough iron tools he relieves the
suffering public. A bad tooth is
wrenched out. and if the bleeding vic
tim can stand the pain. an old tooth
is taken from the string and pressed
| into the cavity. These teeth will re-
main in the jaw for several days il
the owner is careful in chewing
Bandits Respect Christians.
The bandits who are overrunnine
southern China often show great re-
spect for the Christian church and
| Christian homes. Bissonnette says
A Bible, or catechism, or hymnal il
the house will sometimes save the
| family. In some cases. where the
bandits suspect fraudulent profession
of Christianity. they call upon theil
victims to respeat from memory E
verse of scripture or hymn. Man.
lukewarm Christians have been driver
to searching the scripture as never
| before.
Probably the most tangible result!
of fifty years Christian missionary eff
| forts in China" said Bissonnette, "i
| the growth of the democratic spiri
| in the masses and a widespread de
sire for modern education. A new ma
| tional consciousness is growing III
| amid the ruins of the old order, ex
pressing itself in desire for nationa
unity and an independent national life
A sharp discrimination between ag
gressive foreign interference ant
| friendly cooperation will be drawn il
the future by intelligent Chinese. VIII,
should this great and ancient nation
be compelled to seek the consent of
number of European nations to reViS
her own tariffs or imports ~