The New York herald., 1922-04-23
PROTESTANT GAINS
In CHINA GREAT
Coming Conference in Shang-
hai Faces Many Big
Problems.
MISSIONS ARE CROWDED.!
There Are Now $4,000 Native
Preachers With Increas-
l ing Influence.


BUFFALO, April 22.-Aims Of the de-
cennial National Christian Conference
for China. which will take place in
Shanghai May 2-11. were announced
here to-day by the Rev. Paul Hutchln-
son, editor OF the China Christian Ad-
pocdte, who is at his Buffalo home on
furlough. DR.. John r. Mott. general
of the International Commit
tee OF Young Mems Christian Associa-
tions. will be a speaker, and DR.. Ralph
A. Ward Of New York. assistant secre-
tary OF the Board of Foreign Missions
of the Methodist Episcopal Church, will
represent that body.
Rev. Mr.. Hutchinson said results for
China comparable to those sought in the
Washington conference on Pacific prob
lens are expected from the gathering.
Just as Washington tried to obtain
for China a possibility of political prog
ress so Shanghai will seek some pro-
gram by which the Christian church as
"a force for advance may expand its
work in the next ten years." he said.
l"When Robert Morrison died, after
twenty-seven years of devoted effort for
the conversion Of the Chinese. he said
that he doubted il after century OF
work there would be 1000 Christians
in the country. All the Protestant work
ers UP to that time had succeeded in
bAptizing just ten Chinese. In 1900 the
Boxer uprising brought death to 10000
Chinese Christians. In 1907, when
Morrison's hundred years were up, there
were almost 10000 Chinese Christian
preachers and $4,000 communicant
members.
As 344.074 Baptized.
And since the overthrow OF the
Manchus the increase has been so rapid
that the latest statistics Chose for 1919)
show that there are 344,974 .communi-
cants and 617.194 more under instruc-
tion. many of them baptized. The Y.
NJ. G. A. reports membership OF. 70. 900,
many Of whom are not connected with
the churches. Almost every established
mission Is embarrassed by the number
of those who seek admission. for it is
the general policy not to admit those
who cannot be properly trained
There are now about $4,000 Chinese
Protestant preachers. The Chinese rep.
resentation at the conference will be
equal to that Of the missionaries.
Meanwhile the nation has been de.
veloping. The revolution has at leas,
been success in stirring up the lives
or the people.
China is seething with all sorts OF
radical ideas. but the missionary body
is being agitased by the fears of con.
servative workers that the Christian
message is becoming too 'modernistic.'
When the commission that will re.
port at the conference on The Message
of the Church TO the China of To-day
came together to discuss that subjec,
1t found itself so far apart that II was
necessary to obtain Chinese pastor as
chairman in the hope that under his
leadership report might be worked out
upon which all might agree. The Incl.
dent is significant In indicating the drift
toward Chinese leadership. coming. In
this case. where the missionaries have
been unable to agree among themselves
THE commission that will report or
The Development OF Leadership for the
Work Of the Church tackles subject
of great Importance. but loaded witt
dynamite. Bishop l.. III. Roots of the
Protestant Episcopal Church has said
that the most critical questions of the
immediate future concern the relations
between missionaries and Chinese lead
ere' -