Martinsburg journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1920-1977, 1921-05-27
TELLS OF CHINA'S
RELIGIOUS CHANGE
AND HER AWAKENING
DR.. Ernest Caldwell &eakS At
First Church.

4 large audience was present at
First Methodist Episcopal church
Thursday night and listened with
manifest appreciation 10 an inter-
esting talk on mission work in
China by Rev, DR. Ernest h Cald-
well. who was secured by Rev.
Frank Steelman for this purpose.
DIR. Caldwell has spent much Of his
life in missionary work for the
Methodist church and in the course
OF his labors has visited every i'm.
portant country in the orient and In
Africa He is field secretary of the
Board of Foreign Missions Of the
Methodist Episcopal Church. repre-
senting the benevolent branch of
that church. The Doctor Is a very
pleasing and entertaininc speaker.
His remarks last night were very
illuminative and gave his hearers a
clearer insight into the wonderful
work that is being accomplished in
the heather lands
He spoke OF the great things ac-
complished in China during the last
few years through Christian aEen.
cies, first calling attention TO ChIna's
war with opium. The speaker de
clared this terrible drug was gift
of a Christian nation to the China
men 1t did not grow in China
originally but was taken there by
British vessels and sold BY white
faced merchants to Chinese people
He told OF the different addcts from
the Chinese throne and the various
m,s~ns used by the Chinese govern
ment to get rid OF this curse. even
going so far as to decapitate many
who refused 10 obey the now law
step In this fight was bitterly OPP
POSED by the white faced merchant
from Europe. who did all in his
power to hinder China in her eff
fort to drive opium out. even bring
ing their gunboats into the harbor
and threatening to lombard the
the cities Of the opium traffic was
interferred with. Even to this day
England and America are taking
great quantities OF morphine into
China mad Japanese are carrying
in more than million dollars
worth Of crude opium monthly. In
spite OF all this China is winning
out and the opium traffic will have
to go.
There were many other interest
ing points In his talk. He told OF
the change In the system OF educa-
ton. the effort TO put the Bible in
as the foundation on which to build
while America was taking Il out
OF many OF her public schools: To
change OF feeling on the part Of
Chinese officials toward the Chris
tian religion; how foreign diplo-
mats had taken advantage OF the
Chinese. how foreigners had wrest-
ed many valuable sections of coun-
try from the Chinese, and controlled
the nations resources. This was
the cause OF China's uprising, it was
no quarrel against Christianity, even
If they did kill 1856 missionaries and
10000 native Christians There has
been a great change since then and
now the Chinese government fire.
quently calls In veterans of the mis-
sionary staff and consult them con
corning the great problems OF the
country. The old hatred OF mission
aries is disappearing and a glad
welcome is now extended
DR.. Caldwell referred to his trou-
bles with the language and told Of
two meetings in one OF which great
numbers were converted to the
Christian religion These are all
stones which God is laying in his
foundation upon which he Is prepar-
ing TO build a Christian nation.