The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-06-23
Great Religious
Gathering in China

Shanghai, June 22.-At what was
held to be the greatest religious gath
ering ever held in China, the Ma
tional Christian Conference, which
assembled in Shanghai in the first
week of May with twelve hundred
delegates attending, a review of the
whole vast field of Protestant Chris
tian mission work in China was un-
dertaken and changes Of procedure
of the highest Importance to general
mission endeavor in China were au-
thorized.
The main body of delegates that
came from all parts of China num-
bering thousand, was about evenly
divided, half Chinese and half for
eign. In addition to these some two
hundred visiting delegates from
foreign countries attended the con-
ference including "a from America,
10 from Great Britain and from
countries of continental Europe.
Among the prominent figures attend
ing the big meeting from other lands
were DR.. John r. Mott of the Worlds
Student Christian Federation, F. S.
Brockman of the Y. M. C. A., X. S.
Latroutte, formerly of the Yale Mis-
sion and now holding the chair of
missions at Yale university, Mar
shall Broomhall Of the home staff of
the China Inland Mission, DR.. H. T..
Hodgkin of the Friends Foreign Mis-
sionary Association, J. H. Oldham,
secretary of the International Mis-
sion Council, D..3Carl Helm of the
Bazra Mission, Count ]. Moltke of
the Danish Mission Council and Bish
op Nicholas of Serbia.
An outstanding feature of the
conference was the voicing of a de-
sire and purpose by purely Chi
nese conference commission that a
united Christian church indigenous to
China shall come into being. The
single big achievement of the con-
ferense, however, was the authorize
tion of decided modification. in the
method of coordinating Protestant
Christian Mission work in China.
In offering the report it made, the
Chinese commission, composed of
men and women, expressed regret
that Christian Chinese are divided by
denominationalism of the West. DR..
T. T. Lew, spokesman of the COM
mission, pointed out that this demon
inationalism is based UPON differ
ences, the historical significance of
which, however real and vital to the
missionaries of the west, is not un-
derstood by the Chinese. For this
reason, he said, denominationalism
instead of being source of inspira-
ton, has been and is source of be-
wilderment and inefficiency. The
speaker expressed the belief that it
is only the united church that can
save China.
The change made by the conference
in the method of co-ordinating mis-
sion work brings to a termination
the activities of The China Continu
alton Committee, body that grew
out of preceding conferences at Can
ton, Shanghai, Tsinanfu, Peking,
Hankow and Mukden. Since it was
formed this committee has served as
means of communication between
the protestant Christian forces of
China and mission organizations of
Western countries. Its aim has been
to promote cooperation and co-ordi-
nation among Christian forces in
China and generally to serve as a
clearing house in connection with al!
aspects of missionary work in China.
Though the change effected at the
conference this work is being taken
over and its scope enlarged by Ma
tional Christian Council having 100
members, representing Protestant
Christian denominational interests
and acting in an advisory capacity
without, however, having any powers
in connection with doctrinal or &C.
clesiastical questions.