South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-08-06
NEW THOUGHT is
GAINING IN CHINA,
DR.. MOTT DECLARES
International Secretary, Y. NJ.
c. A.. Returns from Fifth
Tour of Orient.

What is the character. extent and
significance OF that present move
ment in China. which news dis
patches have for some months been
Indicating as. or confusing with,
movement directed against Christ
iaLity and against Western idea,s
and inhuences2
The recent return from the Far
East Of Dr. John r. Mott. general
secretary Of the international COM
mittee. Y. VI. c. A. has biven Op-
portunity for enlightenment on this
subject from one whose experiences
ard relationships In the Orient give
unusual value 10 his observations.
I, was Dr. Motifs fifth journey N the
Far East, not counting the one
which took him as a member Of the
Root commission twice across ST.
IBERIA. He regards this last as the
most timely and in possibilities the
most fruitful. basing his feeling in
part on the opportunity opened up
by the present new thought" move
ment in China, the term used not as
I
indicating an intellectual manifesto
/ ton.
The spirit Of new thought. Dr.
/ Mott points out. is surglng in the
I brains Of professors and students IN
| China There Is a welter OF con
/ ficting ideas and ideals occupying
/ them. a spirit of inquiry. a desire to
I revalue everything. There Is no ira
dition or social sanction or practice.
past or present, which Is too sacred
or binding for them 10 question, or
discard If they cannot prove its per-
J sonal and social efficiency. In in
| tensity and possibilities there has
! been nothing comparable TO this
/ movement. in DR.. Motifs opinion,
since the Renaissance IN Europe,
| which "a transcribed by the other
in the number OF people involved
and in the variety Of interests touch
ed and exhibited. In the way OF
mental awakening. hunger courage
/ and serious purpose it is, he says. the
most interesting and quickening de-
velopment he has ever observed
DR.. Mott, on his visit in China IN
1896, found the so-called scholars
impervious and unwilling 20 hear or
| discuss Now there is not only an
active spirit OF inquiry but a deter
I mination 10 use any method TO get
at truth. There is a social passion
as we'll as an intellectual hunger in
this awakening. It makes possible
almost anything from the point OF
view OF a cause which knows its pur-
pose and goal and Is sure OF its mes
sage. The situation presents a
colossal problem 10 Christian mis-
sionaries and TO the Chinese church
but also presents the greatest op-
portunity these are likely TO have IN
our day.
On his recent visit Dr. Mott found
avenues being readily opened up for
Christian representatives to meet the
people collectively and individually
The government provided great halls
for the conferences; in some cases
special pavilions were erected. The
Ipresident OF China sent for DR.. Mott
who states that within a few min
utes they were IN close discussion
over the very heart OF the Christian
gospel. The ex-president was equal
ly responsive. Opportunities for
meeting with military governors and
cabinet members were frequent, and
ar no time was he repulsed when ne
| turned the conversation 10 the
Christian religion.
DR. Mott found the same welcome
in Japan, both in public and private
Z Il Tel
the Empress-the first Christian lay
man thus honored-and also had q
personal meeting with the Prince
/ Regent. He found both interested ir
| discussing Christian principles.
As FOR "anti-Christian movement
which DR.. Mott regards as exa gger-
ated in news reports. he believes d
accentuated the timeiiness OF the
world union OF Christian student.
represented IN the conference al
Picking OF the Worlds SUDDEN
Christian Federation; also Of tn,
National Christian Conference a
/ Shanghai.
OF the student conference DR.
Mott says that in his judgment M
gathering has done more to knit TO.
gether the leaders or tomorrow II
the East and West The $50 dele
gates came from 30 countries. but i
was pre-eminently n Asiatic gath
ering.
The National Christian Conferenc,
!. has about 1900 delegates. nearl,
half Chinese. Dr.. Mott says that tn,
impressive thing was the characteI