Arizona republican., 1922-06-28
CHINESE MISSIONS
SEND DELEGATES To
LARGE DIFFERENCE
Denominational and Racial
Lines Are Down AS
Leaders Meet To Discuss
Future Policies

SHANGHAI. June 9-(By A. p.
MaiD-At what was held 20 be the
greatest religious gathering ever held
in China, the National Christian Con-
ference, which assembled in Shang-
hal in the first week of MAY with
1900 delegates attending, a review of
the whole vast field of Protestant
Christian mission work in China was
undertaken and changes of procedure
of the highest Importance to general
mission endeayor in China We're au-
thorized.
The main body of delegates that
came from all parts of China num-
bering a thousand was about evenly
divided. half Chinese and half for
eign. In addition to these some 200
visiting delegates from foreign coun-
tries attended the conference fnclud-
ing "a from America, 19 from Great
Britain and from countries of con-
tinental Europe. Among the prom
inent figures attending the big meet
ing from other lands were DR. John
r. Mott of the Worlds Student
Christian Federation, f. S. Broekman
of the Y. M. c. A. X. S. Latroutte.
formerly of the Yale Mission and
now holding the chair of missions at
Yale University, Marshall Broomhall
of the home staff of the China In
land Mission, Dr. H. T. Hodgkin OF
the Friends Foreign Missionary AS
sociation, j. H. Oldham, secretary of
the International Mission Council,
ID. Carl Helm of the Bazra Mission,
Count J Moltke of the Danish Mis-
sion Council and Bishop Nicholas of
Serbia.
An outstanding feature of the con-
ference was the voicing of a desire
and purpose by purely Chinese
conference commission that a united
Christian church indigenous to China
shall cone into being. The single
big achievement of the conference.
however was the authorization of a
decided modification in the method
of co-ordinating 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 commits
sion, pointed out that this denomi-
nationalism 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 a source of inspira-
tion has been and is a source of be-
wilderment and inefftciency. The
speaker expressed the belief that it
is only the united church that can
save China.
The change made by the confer
ence in the method of CO. ordinating
mission work brings to termination
the activities of the China Continua-
tion committee, a body that grew out
of the Missionary Conference of 1919
in Shanghai, and a number of pre-
ceding conferences at Canton, Shang-
Mukden. Since it was formed this
committee has served as a means of
communication between the Protes-
tant Christian forces of China and
mission organizations of western
countries. Its aim has been to pro-
mote cooperation and CO. o-ordination
among Christian forces in China and
generally to serve as a clearing house
in connection with all aspects of
missionary work in China.
Through the change effected at
the conference this work is being
taken over and its scope enlarged
by a National Christian Council hav
ing 100 members, representing Prot
estant Christian denominational ina
terests and acting in an advisory ca
pacity without, however, having any
powers in connection with doctrinal
or ecclesiastical questions